Computer Conferencing and the On-line Classroom

Context:
This table, from an article about computer conferencing and on-line classrooms, outlines characteristics of computer conferencing and some of its advantages for teaching and learning.

Source:
Berge, Z. 1991. "Computer Conferencing and the On-line Classroom." International Journal of Educational Telecommunications 3(1), pp. 5–6.

Copyright:
Reprinted by permission. Copyright 1997, ACCE, Charlottesville, VA.

Computer Conferencing and the On-Line Classroom

Table 1

Characteristics of Computer Conferencing With Corresponding Advantages for Teaching and Learning

CHARACTERISTICS
ADVANTAGES

ASYNCHRONOUS COMMUNICATION

• time independence permits 24-hour access to other people and resources
• may be more convenient for student meeting work, family and other responsibilities
• self-paced learning; allows time to compose responses

SYNCHRONOUS COMMUNICATION

• course document(s) can be modified by more than one person simultaneously
• real-time discussion and brainstorming
• shares some flexibility with spoken word (NOTE: designers of distance education should note that this characteristic cancels the advantages of time independence)

PROVIDES A VIRTUAL SPACE FORINTERPERSONAL INTERACTION, SOCIAL NETWORKING, CHANGING ROLES AND DIMENSIONS OF STUDENTS, TEACHERS, CURRICULUM, AND INSTITUTION

• facilitates course management (e.g., advising)
• role of student as more life-long learner, self-directed learning with student taking more responsibility
• fosters multiple perspective approaches
• permits work on messy, but authentic, often interdisciplinary problem solving
• role of teacher as facilitator and co-learner
• fosters learning that is collaborative and uses peer review/support activities and projects
• students and teachers become part of a virtual community of learners; multicultural; international
• opens doors to planned events (personal networking) and to unplanned interactions (serendipity) -both course and non-course related; professional development
• allows mentoring and apprentice models to be used
• allows sensitivity to learner's preferences and style
• possibly a more egalitarian classroom atmosphere where a contribution is judged by the content not the author's appearance of characteristics
• has relatively low social context cues
• often fosters less inhibited behavior

PROVIDES A TECHNOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT COMBINING TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEMS AND COMPUTER NETWORKS TO SOLVE PROBLEMS OF ACCESS, QUALITY, AND PRODUCTIVITY

• place independence
• text-based currently (fast including audio and video)
• environment allowing fast changing of document content, organizing materials, collecting/returning assignments
• archiving of course content, posted assignments or other information germane to class; student miss class can use archives
• provides practice using technological tools which may be useful in all course work/job market
• provides access to the worlds' people and resources
• relatively fast communication channel

Computer Conferencing

Group conferencing computer programs range from simple email exploders (e.g., Listserv) to sophisticated bulletin board systems (e.g., Usenet News), through conference management systems (e.g., VAXNotes) and on to group decision support and electronic meeting systems (Guillaume, 1980; Turoff, 1995). All varieties of computer conferencing share some or all of the following asynchronous and synchronous characteristics:

• a directory for identifying participants and addresses on the system;
• electronic mail;
• conferences for group discussions, with a permanent record of interactions;
• private work spaces for collecting ideas;
• word processing for drafting or revising documents, perhaps by multiple users simultaneously
• bulletin boards for access to announcements;
• newsletter or journal for access to articles or papers;
• databases for access to information, files and documents; and
• voting or polling for determining support for an issue.

Other features that may be included are graphics, interfacing with other computer systems, or the scheduling of users' accessibility. When all the above features are combined, as in groupware, a very powerful environment for computer-supported cooperative work in classroom/laboratory settings is formed (Sweet, Anderson, & Halenda, 1991). Perhaps with the exception of synchronous communication these features are likewise beneficial in distance education. It should be noted that the definitions of the different types of group, computer-mediated conferences (e.g., BBS vs. CC) are less and less distinguishable. I find it less and less important to make clear distinctions and will simply state that for the purposes here, some of the characteristics above form a particular type of environment used for computer conferencing.