The Mixed Blessings of Non- Face-to-face Interactions in Online Courses Nicholas C. Burbules University of Illinois

MCI commercial (“on the Internet, there is no race…etc”)  In what ways is this true, and in what ways not true?  Changing contexts (text, audio, video, avatars)

It is true that there is a degree of anonymity (depending on web address, etc.)  Opportunities to conceal identity and create (pretend?) new ones  Issues: male psychologist posing as woman (Turkle) – would it be different if he was a pre- operative transsexual? What is “pretending”?

Also false, in a way:  An enacted identity may inadvertently reveal the “real” you  Your actual identity and characteristics don’t go away; they still affect how you act and how others react to you  What can and can’t be “hidden” – what can and can’t be “pretended”

So, anonymity: So, anonymity:  can create a sense of safety and frankness OR it can encourage irresponsibility, imposture, flaming, etc.  can force people to focus on content, not on ascription (“Typical…) OR it can mask relevant aspects of identity (positionality, authority)

How multiple “channels” affect non-face-to-face interactions:  A. synch/asynchronous  a. conversation versus manifestos  b. impact of questions  c. back and forth of different sorts  d. intimacy versus independence  B. large/small  a. compare to regular classrooms  b. turn-taking  C. public/private  a. issues of trust

Not a matter of better or worse, but effects and on whom  any single channel necessarily advantages some and disadvantages others  benefits of multiple channels