With UNM working in limited operations through the rest of the semester, it can be confusing knowing how to navigate the remote learning environment and how to seek support for your education. The following tips and guidelines may help facilitate your remote learning. For each of our three service formats (LibChat, GoBoard, and Zoom), you will find a description of the services and tips for how you can make the interaction successful.

LibChat

When you enter LibChat, a resource representative will ask you what you’d like to work on, and will then connect you with the right tutor. Once you’re connected to a tutor, you have the option of switching to a GoBoard for an audio/visual interaction or staying in LibChat for text-based interaction.

What you can expect from the tutor:

• The tutor will greet you and ask whether you prefer to use an audio/visual format or a text-based format. If you choose audio/visual, they will send you a link for a GoBoard (see below). If you choose text-based, you will keep using LibChat for your interaction.
• The tutor will ask you questions about your assignment so they can better understand what you’re working on and how they can best support you. They may ask clarifying questions to help direct the interaction.
• Occasionally the tutor will need to think about a response before writing back, so there may be some wait time between messages. 

What you can do to make the interaction successful:

• If you get disconnected from the tutor, you can sign back into LibChat and tell the resource representative that you were disconnected. They will reconnect you with the same tutor.
• Think of specific questions to ask the tutor so they can design their feedback to support you.
• Communicate clearly about how you would like the tutor to support you, and about your goals for the interaction.

GoBoard

If you have access to a webcam and mic, GoBoard is one of the most useful tools for you to use. You can talk to the tutor face-to-face, while also sharing a virtual interactive board that you or the tutor can draw or write on. You can upload a writing assignment or an image from your textbook that you and the tutor can view together.

What you can expect from the tutor:

• The tutor will use a webcam and headset unless you specify that you prefer only to use text.
• They may ask you to upload an image of your assignment so you can view it together in the GoBoard.
• They may share resources by uploading them to the board
• If many students are using CAPS at the same time, the tutor may be working with multiple students simultaneously.

What you can do to make the interaction successful:

• Make sure to use Firefox or Google Chrome while on GoBoard.
• Think of specific questions to ask the tutor.
• Keep the conversation focused on your assignment, since the tutor may be working with other students.

Conversation Groups (via Zoom)

If you attend a conversation group, you will be using Zoom—a useful tool for holding virtual meetings with groups of people. You can practice your target language by engaging in conversation and participating in group activities.

What you can expect from the tutor:

• The tutor will have prepared an activity for the group. Activities usually include analyzing poetry or songs, discussing a film or TV episode, acting out skits, or playing a variety of games in the target language.
• Since the tutor is responsible for managing the group and protecting the privacy of everyone in the group, they may remove someone from the meeting if they make other group members uncomfortable by asking personal questions or discussing topics outside the purpose of the conversation group.
• The tutor will try to encourage everyone to stay engaged in the activity, so they may ask questions directly to you or other group members.

What you can do to make the interaction successful:

• Engage in the activity as much as you can.
• Keep the conversation within the topic the tutor has planned for the meeting.
• Challenge yourself to practice your communication skills by staying in the target language.