https://anchor.fm/hitechpod/embed/episodes/13--Discussions--Parlay-Ideas-e10os74

This Week's App: Parlay

What is Parlay?

We love this one: the definition of parlay is "to increase or otherwise transform into something of much greater value." The product Parlay looks to help teachers and learners parlay their ideas. This discussion-focused tool helps cultivate helpful and effective discussion experiences.

They have a Parlay Universe that is a library of discussion prompts generated by users and staff. They have an Online Roundtable that enables you to create a hyper-media discussion. They also have a Live Roundtable that helps you deliver and measure a live discussion: whether verbal or textual.

What can it be used for?

Parlay is here to help you revitalize discussion in your classroom. With their three-pronged approach, you can find the right prompt, design a more effective asynchronous discussion, or deliver and track your live discussions. In the the Live Roundtable tool, you can track how the students interact with one another and reflect on their engagement in the prompt.

With their three-pronged approach, you can find the right prompt, design a more effective asynchronous discussion, or deliver and track your live discussions.

The goal with Parlay, instead of your Learning Management System's discussion tool, is to use their system to create better prompts and procedures while receiving detailed feedback on the back end. Most LMS make you do all of the leg work when a discussion is done: culling through responses.

Parlay helps categorize, organize, and measure the way your students have completed the discussion. The hope here is to increase the quality of interactions and return discourse to discussions. No more do we need to have students write mini-papers at each other: with Parlay, they can actually discuss their opinions and share research on your subject matter.

How do I get started?

Parlay does have a freemium system: you can sign up for free and use a limited number of Parlays with your students. Once you're signed up, we recommend checking out their Getting Started content or signing up for one of their Daily Webinars. If you want to see some proof of action, check out their demonstration on how to do a Live Roundtable! Just as important is the Class Summary tools that will help you visualize the your students interactions.

As you get ready to create and lead a discussion, remember Will's top 5 ways to improve the discussion from our episode.