Real-time chat—Moodle's very own built-in instant messaging system (like MSN), allowing us to talk to students when they (or we) are out of the classroom:

Forums—Just like old-fashioned message boards. You post a question or comment and later on someone posts a response:

Messaging—Don't be confused by the name: the Moodle messaging service allows you to send a message to any other Moodle user. This is different from chat in that it's more like email messaging, rather than being instant messaging. The Moodle messaging system is the online replacement for your staff and student pigeonholes:

Create a Moodle forum, and explore the various ways in which they can be used.

Open a chat room, allowing students to talk online in real time. We'll explore the pros...