HackMD

The name “HackMD” doesn’t do this concept justice, nor do the more common descriptions of “shared notes” or “collaborative document”. It is a full replacement for chat: perhaps it could be called random access chat or parallel 2D chat ?

HackMD itself is a web service for collaborative documents in Markdown. This isn’t special to HackMD, but we have used it for its scalability, markdown support, and privacy in the “view” mode.

Primary articles

• HackMD instructors for the audience: https://coderefinery.github.io/manuals/hackmd-mechanics/

• HackMD manager role description: https://coderefinery.github.io/manuals/hackmd-helper/

• Example published HackMD after six 3-hour CodeRefinery sessions: https://coderefinery.github.io/2022-03-22-workshop/questions/

Advantages

• Synchronous questions, no disadvantage for quiet people.

• Anonymous questions.

• Parallel answers by a large number of helpers.

• Easier to go back and review past questions during Q&A sessions (compared to scrolling through chat), for example finding important or unanswered questions.

• The above can make a course feel much more interactive than it would otherwise.

Disadvantages

• Overwhelming flood of information

  • But you wanted more interaction, right?

  • Co-teaching helps here, one person can focus on watching.

  • Students must be warned to be deliberate about where they focus their attention (different learners have different interests).

• It is another tool to use

  • Not required for basic learners, learners can begin using when they are comfortable.

Exercise

Exercise

• Actively use HackMD during this course.

• Observe how the instructors integrate it during the course itself, and can immediately respond to the questions.

• Observe how instructors occasionally mention and screenshare HackMD to validate to the audience that it is being watched.

• Keep HackMD open. Can you balance it and watching. Does it increase or decrease engagement?