Computer-Mediated Communication The Nature of Community

Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore Today Community, Boundaries and Symbols Defining and Justifying Problems (part 1) 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore

“Classic” Conception of Community (The Chicago School) “Organic Solidarity” “Mechanical Solidarity” 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore

The ‘Myths’ of Community Simplicity and F2F “…the anatomy of social life at the micro-level is more intricate, and no less revealing, than among … the macro-level” Egalitarianism “…community generates multitudinous means of making evaluative distinctions among its members, means of differentiating among them…” Inevitable Conformity “suggests that the outward spread of cultural influences from the centre will make communities … less like their former selves…[this assumes that] people are somehow passive in relation to culture: they receive it, transmit it, but do not create it.” 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore

Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore Community Boundaries 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore

Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore ingroup other, outgroup other, outgroup 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore

Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore Symbols and Community 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore

Symbols versus Emblems, Signs 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore

Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore from 37signals.com

Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore

Symbolic Meaning (and variation) within Communities “Patriotism” 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore

Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore “ Symbols are effective because they are imprecise. … They are, therefore, ideal media through which people can speak a ‘common’ language, behave in apparently similar ways, participate in the ‘same’ rituals, pray to the ‘same’ gods, wear similar clothes, and so forth, without subordinating themselves to a tyranny of orthodoxy. Individuality and commonality are thus reconcilable. ” 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore

Community Boundaries and Symbols “Symbols do not so much express meaning as give us the capacity to make meaning.” 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore

Community Boundaries and Symbols Public face (symbolically simple) Private face (symbolically complex) “ ” 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore

Some questions to consider Examples of communities in CMC and the use of symbols? How does the community define its boundaries? If there have been times when those boundaries were violated, how did members respond? 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore

Defining and Justifying Problems 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore

What makes a good research problem? Research Questions for Theoretical Development or Practical Application 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore

How Research is Supposed to Work How Research Really Works… Problem Method Data Collection Support or Reject Hypotheses 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore

Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore Defining Problems What is an example research or design problem? “an interrogative sentence or statement that asks: What relation exists between two or more concepts?” “an interrogative sentence or statement that asks: What elements of a given system affect (or might affect) the behavior(s) of users, and in what specific ways?” 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore

Characteristics of good problems Should state the concepts to be related clearly and unambiguously Should be testable (or constructible)– even if you don’t test it or build it! (robertnlee.com) 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore

Specific Criteria for a Problem What are we going to learn as the result of the proposed project that we do not know now? Why is it worth knowing? How will we know that the conclusions are valid? How do we know if a solution is viable? 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore

Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore A few examples: Design, prototype or build a novel CMC system Experiment using a CMC system Analyze or visualize interaction in a CMC system Importantly, everyone should: (1) build on a strong theoretical foundation (2) use this foundation to justify the solution 9/17/2018 Computer-Mediated Communication — Cheshire & Fiore