Designs for Online Learning Internet-based communication, collaboration…and community INST 5240 Mimi Recker Utah State University

Internet Communications Tools Same Different Same Different Location Time

Issues in Online Communication o Mailing-lists vs. bulletin boards: pros and cons? o Chat tools: pros and cons? o Non-anonymous vs. pseudo- anonymous vs anonymous: pros and cons? o Privacy and monitoring? o Role of moderators?

Representing discussions o Star structure o Tree/threaded structure o Linear (date, subject or person sorted)

Representing discussions o To cope with increasing number of threads, people may specialize o Specialization can lead to community fragmentation

Video/Audio Conferencing o Conferencing over Internet: o Streaming o Point-to-point o Multi-point o Applications often include chat, whiteboard, application sharing, video/audio conferencing. o Examples: Netmeeting, CU-SeeMe, Sorensen Vision, ProShare, … o Personal experiences?

How to make a site “sticky”? o Design for: o Active participation o Interactive learning, peer discussions and exchange o Multiple perspectives o Navigation: spatial metaphor to ease the transition from face2face o Others?

Design for Learning Communities “People in virtual communities do just about everything people do in real life but we leave our bodies behind.” --H. Rheingold Implications for design?

Design for Learning Communities o Create a shared participatory experience: o A shared understood goal o Mutual respect, tolerance, and trust o Continuous but not continual communication o Use formal and informal environments o Use outsiders for complementary insights and information o Example: o How does it create community?