1. Computer II ITEC 106 Distance Education: Facilitating student communication
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN UNIVERSITY
Faculty of Education
Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technology Teacher Education

2. Overview Aim: Objectives: Learning outcome:
to demonstrate effective communication with and between distant students
Objectives:
introduce some communication methods for distance education students
demonstrate use of an electronic bulletin board for discussion and assessment
Learning outcome:
understand stages of development in e-moderated discussion
use an electronic bulletin board for class discussion

3. Communication tools Asynchronous: Synchronous: Telephone - individual
– individual or group
Print – group
Web page - group
Electronic Bulletin Boards or Computer Moderated Conferencing - group
Synchronous:
Chat rooms - all participants log on at once
Your telephone and contacts with individuals may begin before the course starts when prospective students make enquiries about the course. Throughout the course these will be used for private discussions with individuals. Some students prefer the personal contact of a phone call.
can be sent to whole groups once a list is compiled.
Mailouts of print materials are often the best way to ensure that the introduction to the tutor, instructions, URLs for webpages, passwords and print course materials reach all students.
These materials can also be placed on a webpage for the course.
Electronic bulletin boards (BBs), or Computer Moderated Conferencing (CMC) allow a discussion between the tutor and students or between students. Individuals make their contributions at a time to suit their own convenience.
Chat rooms require all participants to log on at the same time. This can be difficult to organise across time zones. Discussion is limited by individuals’ keyboard skills. It takes good skill on the part of the moderator to plan and control the discussion. Large groups can be broken up into smaller groups and sent to other rooms for sub-discussions, then asked to return and report to the whole group at a particular time.

4. Overcoming isolation
Distance education students often feel very isolated
Overcoming this isolation is a big challenge
Good access to a tutor is essential
It is most helpful if students can communicate with each other, building their own learning community

5. Chat rooms can be difficult to organise across time zones
discussion can lack depth (limited by keyboard skills)
it takes skill by the moderator to plan the session and control the discussion
large groups can be broken up into smaller groups and sent to other rooms for short sub-discussions
ask them to return and report to the whole group at a particular time
The chat session can be captured & posted to a BB for those who can’t attend

6. Social chat
Students can also use chat rooms to meet others at pre-arranged times without their tutor for
Friendly “café” chat sessions
Informal study groups
Requires some leadership by individuals who want to start a study group

7. Electronic Bulletin Boards
E-moderator (tutor) and individuals contribute at their convenience
Allows more reflective contribution than chat rooms
Contributions are preserved
Boards may be multipurpose: social and study; OR
Special boards can be set up for particular tasks or discussion groups
The e-moderator can set deadlines for tasks

8. Model of teaching and learning online (Salmon, 2000. p.25)

9. Stage 1: access & motivation
Learning about the benefits of computer moderated discussion boards
Learning about the course requirements
Setting up and configuring software
Navigating to the BB
Be prepared to provide help or to direct participants to a help desk

10. Stage 2: social introductions
Overcoming shyness and making introductions
Some enjoy being ‘faceless’
Others will ‘lurk’ for a while before they have the courage to contribute
Introducing netiquette
Make sure participants understand the need to protect their own privacy and respect others’ privacy

11. Rules for discussion groups
Be courteous: participate responsibly
Participate actively
Write clearly
Build ideas on what others say
Question the opinions of others
Actively read and question the text
Be credible: back up your statements
Stick to the subject
(Based on Shoop, 1999)

12. Stage 3: information exchange
Learning to use the information resources supplied
Learning to search & use the Internet
Sharing information
Helping others with solutions to problems
Information overload may become a problem
Silence is OK, but be alert for dropouts

13. Stages 4 & 5: knowledge construction & development
Students interact and respond much more participatively
Students take responsibility for their own learning
Introduce new discussion threads
Suggest alternative approaches
Support each other
E-moderator becomes a participant, not a tutor

14. Evaluation Provide opportunities for
students to reflect on their own learning and contribution
feedback on the learning experience
evaluation of your performance as e-moderator
Reflect and revise your e-moderating strategies

15. References
Salmon, Gilly. (2000). E-moderating: the key to teaching and learning online. London: Kogan Page. ISBN
Palloff, Rena M. and Pratt, Keith. (2001).
Lessons from the cyberspace classroom: the realities of online teaching. San Francisco: Jossey Bass. ISBN

16. References and Resources
Berge, Z. and Collins, M. Resources for moderators and facilitators online
Handbook for Instructors on the use of electronic class discussions 
Shoop, Linda. (2000). Developing interactive competence with student centered discussion. [Draft Manual]

17. Thank you for attention