Using AOL's Instant Messenger (AIM)

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What is AIM?

AOL Instant Messenger, known by its nickname, "AIM," is a free service provided by America On-line. It enables you to communicate instantly, by typed text, with other AIM users. It is pretty easy to use.

1. First, you select a "screen name"--a unique name that others will use to contact you.
2. Next, you download the free AIM software and install it on your machine.
3. Finally, you exchange screen names with your classmates in order to begin to communicate with them using the tool.

In order to use AIM to communicate with someone else, you both have to have the software installed and be signed in to your AIM accounts. You can use AIM to communicate one-on-one ("instant message") or to "chat" in groups.

Getting Started

1. First, go to the AIM home page and follow the instructions there for downloading and installing AIM. The site will walk you through the setup process, but if you need some help learning how to use AIM, there are a number of places you can go.
   • The left-hand menu in the AIM Web site above has several links that access useful information about using Instant Messenger. Under the heading "Get Help!" be sure to check out the Starting Out and Using AIM links.
   • Once you have AIM on your machine, there will be a "Help" menu in the top menu bar (for PC users it is located under the "File" menu).
2. Once you have your screen name and have the software installed, you'll need to share your screen name with the rest of your class.

Using AIM

Once you've added your classmates to your "Buddy List," you'll be able to see whenever they are on-line and have signed in to their AIM accounts (and they'll be able to tell the same about you). In order to make AIM an effective communications tool for our course, consider signing on whenever you want to make yourself available to your classmates, so people can contact you if necessary. This can be an easy way to ask one another questions about what you are studying or to engage in group project work.

You can use AIM for two kinds of communication:

1. "Instant Messaging" (IM) with one individual
2. Participating in a "chat" with two or more individuals

To learn how to do either, refer to the "Help" menu within your copy of AIM. Be sure to check out the various capabilities available, such as the ability to create chat "groups" that you can use over and over again.

Chat Tips and Tricks

Before you enter your first instant message or chat session you may want to review the following tips.

Chat "Manners"

• Greet everyone upon entering a chat session.
• Wait for your post to be recognized and others to greet you before jumping into the discussion.
• If you do not want to participate in the ongoing discussion, but want your presence known, state that you are "lurking."
• When you are ready to leave the chat area, state that you are leaving and then stay around and respond to final messages.
• Your last post should end with a 'last post' indicator, such as /lp or /last, etc.
• Respect the opinion of others. Remember that the Internet (and the World Campus) brings people together from around the world. Don't assume that everyone shares the same views or background.

  Chat Protocol

• Keep your posts short. One to three sentences, the same as in a spoken conversation, to allow the dialogue to flow back and forth between you and others.
• Be as clear and concise as possible, without being clipped and unfriendly.
• Use less-than/greater-than symbols or asterisks (*) around your text to set aside physical movement from conversational text. (e.g., <smiling> or *smiling* )
• Use 3 or 4 periods between words to indicate pauses in speaking (e.g., You know...I do!)
• If you feel you have been misunderstood, restate your case.
• Allow enough time for the respondent to read, think, and type before posting the question again.
• Avoid assumptions. Ask to have something explained if there is a possibility you do not understand it.
• If you must post a lengthy explanation, type part of it and make your last word "MORE..." and continue the message in your next post. It is too easy for conversation to go on into different arenas without you if you spend 8 minutes writing a "book."
• Try to encourage all participants to share their ideas.
• Address each by name, unless you are speaking to the entire group, so they know you are talking to them.
• Read carefully, and more than once when necessary, to be sure you are reading what the sender has written. Try not to read anything into the post that is not there in writing.

  Chat Etiquette

  There are other issues of "etiquette" pertaining to on-line communication. Please refer to the piece on "Netiquette" from World Campus 101 (the World Campus student orientation resource).

Saving an AIM or Chat Transcript

If you would like to keep a record of everything discussed during an instant message or chat session, you can save a transcript of the conversation. To save your discussion, simply select "Save" under the File menu while still in the instant message or chat window.

Having Trouble?

Please contact World Campus Technical Support.