What If I Want to Run an Asynchronous TRAT?

This builds up on the previous article related to running a Synchronous TRAT and helps you understand the basic differences between running an Asynchronous and Synchronous TRAT.

  • In general the difference between running both an Asynchronous and Synchronous TRAT is minimal. From a process perspective, the main difference is at the early stages of the activity.

  • Unlike a Synchronous TRAT, which gives you the chance to Start the activity manually. An Asynchronous TRAT automatically defaults into an Ongoing status.

  • One point to keep in mind, is that if you decide to use the Asynchronous modality for this type of team based activity. You will need to make sure that your team of students communicate with each other to properly schedule when they will take part of their activity.

Step 1 (Only Step)

From the Modules & Activities click the Go to Dashboard of the TRAT Activity.

  • On the previous article related to running a synchronous TRAT. You may have noticed the emphasis on starting the activity and time extensions, etc.

  • One big difference here is that with Asynchronous the time is based on the open period you set for the activity.

  • With that in mind, the activity starts the moment the student team presses enter into the activity from their end. So if you made this activity to be 20 minutes in length, then the 20 minutes will start ticking down the moment the team enters the activity within the specified open period. If you don't give your activity a time for completion, then it will remain open until the open period ends or the student team completes their activity.

The Instructor's Dashboard

  • The Student Team Reporter should go through and click on their answer choice until they finish the TRAT. Please note that the settings you turn on or off during the creation of your activity will affect the way the activity is conducted. For example, you may choose to turn off the ability to allow the student to go back and change their answer among other features which could be found during the setup of the activity.

  • Student teams also see a timer clock displayed on the top of the screen that tells them how much longer they have to finish the TRAT. Since this is an Asynchronous activity, the time will not be able to be extended. Alternatively, you can set the activity to not have a time during the publishing process and just let the open period define the duration of the event.

  • Here’s how the Intstructor’s dashboard looks. It’s the same for both Synchronous and Asynchronous TRAT activities. Except that in Asynchronous activities you won't be able to extend time, because the time is set when the activity is published.

  • In the Status box, you can then see how student teams are getting through the TRAT.

  • Please note, if student teams are done sooner than you expected, you can choose to click the End TRAT button. If you find that your student teams need more time, as they often do, you can click the Extend Time button on the top of the page next to the timer clock.

  • You will also see your Activity Settings box which gives you a glimpse of the settings chosen for your activity during the creation process. That's at the top left corner of the dashboard.

  • You will notice that the questions will be listed in the Item Analysis board according to the team fail rate, ranging from 100% to 0%. This section will help you analyze how your student teams are doing on a question by question basis.

  • As you move further into the evaluation of your teams. You can start being aware of the Clarifications your students have left on each answer. You can choose to further elaborate on these Clarifications via the Presentation Mode of InteDashboard after the activity is finished.

  • At the top of the Team Analysis table you will see the grade legend tool which makes grading easier and less time consuming on multiple choice question types.

  • As you scroll down to the Questions area, you can see how your student teams are doing on a question by question basis. You can see the way teams are performing through a visual statistical representation if desired.

  • After the TRAT is over you may go into presentation mode. You may click on the Open Presentation Mode button in the questions area. This will give your questions a nice distraction free design for clearer presentation.