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Meebo

 

What is Meebo?

Meebo is a communications tool that provides instant messaging and chat services.  This tool is extremely versatile in that it allows individuals who already have instant messaging accounts with other providers to use their existing login and password to utilize the Meebo tool.  So, if you or your students already have instant messaging accounts with Aim, Yahoo!, Google Talk, MSN, ICQ, or Jabber, you don't even have to create a new account.  And, if you as an instructor simply want to use Meebo for class office hours, there is a way to use the tool that doesn't require your students to have any kind of account at all!

 

What can I do with Meebo?

Meebo works two ways:

 

• One-on-one chat between individuals
• Group chats inside a Meebo room

 

For one-on-one chats, you can either sign on at the Meebo.com website and invite a Buddy to chat with you.  Or, you can create a Meebo chat "widget" that can then be placed inside your course, on a website, or most anywhere else that HTML coding can be inserted.  A widget is just a little snippet of Java code that will create a chat window.  Here is an example:

 

 

 

The benefit of creating a Meebo widget is that while you can put the widget in multiple places, you only have to be in one place to access the chat.  The information below on how to use Meebo for office hours chat will explain this in more detail. 

 

How do I set Meebo up?

First you will need to navigate to the Meebo website:  http://www.meebo.com.

 

If you already have an instant messaging account with one of the providers listed, you can sign on using your username and password.  If you don't have an account with any of these providers, you will need to create a Meebo account.  Click on Sign up Now! on the home page to create your account:

 

 

 

Once you sign in, you will see the Meebo home page: 

 

 

You use the toolbar at the top of the page to set up your personal preferences, how Meebo appears when you log in, create and manage Meebo rooms, and create Meebo widgets.  There is also a help option at the top of the page.

 

To create a Meebo widget (as shown above) for your course:

1. Select "Meebo Me Widgets" from the toolbar at the top of the page.

 

2. A new window will open.  Select "Add A New Widget": 

 

 

 

3. A window opens allowing you to choose a name and size for your widget.  You can click on "Show Preview" to see what your widget will look like: 

 

 

 

4. Once you have decided on a name and size, click the "Create A New Widget!" button.

5. You will be returned to the Meebo Me! box.  The information for your new widget is now available.

 

How do I insert a Meebo widget in my course?

To insert a widget into your course:

 

1. In the Meebo Me! box, copy the information contained in the "Widget embed" area:

 

 

2. Navigate to the content area in your course in which you want to place the widget.

 

3. Create a new Item.

 

4. In the Visual Text Box Editor, choose the HTML toggle to change to HTML mode:

 

 

 5. Paste the information from the "Widget embed" area into the text box.

 

 

6. Toggle back to regular view.  You should now be able to see your Meebo widget and add instructions for how you want your students to use this area.

 

 

 

How do I use Meebo as an office hours chat?

Once you have your Meebo widgets set up in your courses, you set a time for chat office hours and communicate to your students when you will be available and how you would like for them to contact you using the chat widget.  Here is some sample wording:

 

Instructions:

1. Directly under the menu item "Chat" in the chat box is where you will be able to see that I'm online. When I'm available, it will say "_____ is online".
2. You can modify your screen name just below the message area, where it says "edit nick: meeboguest", by deleting those words and retyping your name - this way I'll know who I'm talking to (please do this - it's so much nicer to know who I'm talking to!).
3. To start chatting, click twice on the area where it says "Type here . . ". The words already in that area will disappear and the blinking cursor will appear.
4. Then, start typing your message. When you're done typing and want to submit your message for me to respond to, hit enter. Your message will move up to the conversation area of the chat box and I will answer you!
5. If for some reason I'm not online, you can still leave me a message that I will see the next time I log on - or you can always send me an email.

 

To receive the chat messages from your students, log into meebo at http://www.meebo.com.  Each time a student sends you a message you will see a new small window appear on your screen.

 

How do I use Meebo for group chats?

You can create chat rooms inside of Meebo that allow you to select users to participate in a group chat.  This option requires your users to have access to Meebo either through a Meebo account, or through an account with one of the other instant messaging services supported by Meebo.

 

To create a group chat room in Meebo:

 

1. From the Meebo home page, select "Meebo Rooms" from the menu.

 

 

 

2. A menu will pop up with a listing of many public rooms that are open.  At the top right of this window, you will see the selection "Create a new room".  Click on this.

 

 

 

3. The Create New Room window will open.  Fill out the information for the room name, description, sharing, and privacy settings.  It is suggested that you make this a private password protected room if you are going to use it with your students.  Once you have filled out the information and made your selections, click the "Next" button.

 

 

 

4. The next step is to invite "buddies" to your chat room. (You must have buddies set up in order to do this.  To set up buddies, follow the instructions found here: Adding Buddies.)

 

5. You can also access group rooms you have created by double clicking on the room name displayed in your Buddy List.

 

 

 

6. The Meebo group room will also archive your chats.  To keep a history of your chats, select "Enable IM History" from IM Settings in the Preferences area of the main menu.

 

 

 

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