Telecommunications in Education: Examining Distributed Teaching and Learning Environments (EDER 677 L.91 ) Computer Mediated Communication Systems for the Asynchronous Class from Calgary, October 3 © E. Kowch 2002 1 Housekeeping Items - Oct 03 Class - Online, Asynchronous 1. Your group Web page with the two lists surveying/linking to Good Screen Design is due today (please email me the URL in WebCT email if you have not already done so). 2. The related discussion thread on Web Page Design is very interesting. Simplicity seems to be the main theme, and you have explained the value of simple, clean screen design (and linkages, navigation systems) in an education website very well. Please try to include URLs in your discussion as you find them, to support your findings and to lead us to your fountains of information. 677 students can compile an awesome distance ed bookmark list from our collective findings - this is very helpful to you in other courses. 3. Albert will summarize the thread and email the results to me, and they will appear as a hot link on his name in the “Discussion Thread Student Leaders” column on the Course Home Page. 4. As promised, tonight’s class is a reading class, to allow you to ponder your paper and to read about, on your time, the dimensions of CMC through literature. Keep asking each other questions, and asking me too. (I am caught up in my email!) © E. Kowch 2002 2 Though Provoking Question: Distributed Science Education: Could this be done with adult (non-teacher) supervision in the room for safety? Notice: Please check out the lesson plan on the Course Home Page for This week’s Core readings Assignment extra resource links at http://www.ucalgary.ca/~ekowch/677/Oct3class/oct3lesson.html © E. Kowch 2002 3 Goals of this Session • • • • To Define the key terms associated with computer mediated communications (CMC) Understanding types of asynchronous CMC systems • Electronic Mailing Lists (E-mail, distribution lists, listservs) • Threaded Discussion Forums Understanding types of synchronous CMC systems • Chat • Multi-User Dimension (MUD) and Multi-Object Oriented (MOO) • Virtual Classrooms CMC teaching/learning activities and issues Accreditition for parts of this evening’s course content goes to Norm Vaughan, who just became a doctoral student in our EdTech specialty here at the U of C, and toDr. Bill Hunter, who designed the backbone of this presentation for the 677 class in the past. © E. Kowch 2002 4 CMC Terminology: Two Classes of Online Discourse Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) • Is communication facilitated or mediated via a computer I. Asynchronous Communication • • A delay in time between communicator Source and Receive (S-M-C-R) resulting in Communication sourcing and feedback happening out of sync. II. Synchronous Communication • • Occurs simultaneously between the learner and teacher or vice versa - the sender and the reciever.No time delay exists between Source and Reception and Feedback. (SMCR) Also called “real time” or “live” communication For more resources on this topic - Click here © E. Kowch 2002 5 Asynchronous The “push” and “pull” features within two kinds of Asynchronous Communication Systems 1. Electronic mail systems – push information “to” you without you directly requesting it. 1) Electronic Mail Systems – push – individual e-mail correspondence and links – mailing lists (majordomo, listserv, listproc) – moderated and un-moderated systems 2. Threaded discussion forums - pull information “to” you without you directly requesting specific information… (organic discourse can occur). Rhetorical Question: How do you manage out-of-sync push and pull information that is a necessary part of the teaching and learning discourse? (Design and Delivery issues). © E. Kowch 2002 6 Asynchronous 1. Electronic Mail Systems Push - a) Mailing Lists/List Servers • uses email; there is no public interface aside from a web page advertising its existence (this is your local information) • can have open subscription or be a closed list • can be moderated or un-moderated (as in discussion or chat systems) Rhetorical Question: Examples and Resources: Instructional Technology Forum Listserv Web Site http://itech1.coe.uga.edu/ITForum/home.html The Distance Education Online Symposium http://lists.psu.edu/archives/deos-l.html Do you know why so many companies want to host email service? This article has a great definition of “push” technology - do you agree or disagree with the author’s view of the “future” of “push”? (Learning Objects are a higher form of this thinking… ask your classmates, we have a Learning Object expert among us!) http://www.darwinmag.com/learn/curve/column.html?ArticleID=43 For more resources on this topic - Click here © E. Kowch 2002 7 Asynchronous 1. Electronic Mail Systems (cont.) Push - b) Mailing Lists/Listservs with a Hypermail web interface • allows visual representation of threads in web space (like WebCT) • (otherwise hidden) mailing list has a public face, either for reading or participation • same issues as above as to openness and moderation Example: World Wide Web Course Developers mailing list/listserv at the University of New Brunswick http://leahi.kcc.hawaii.edu/org/wwwdev/logs/ http://www.unb.ca/web/wwwdev/ For more resources on this topic - Click here © E. Kowch 2002 8 Asynchronous 2. Threaded Discussion Forums Pull - Type (a) Threaded conversation space without usernames and passwords • threading helps keep conversations together over time • lack of passwords and user accounts makes it more inviting to public / anyone can join in • can be less focused and more difficult to hold long term users because content is not “led” Example: AERA Leadership Thread http://www.cquest.utoronto.ca/env/aera/aera-lists/aera-a/99-04/ • Pull - Type (b) Threaded conversation space with usernames and passwords Response To idea #1 Response To idea #n • gives users sense of belonging and membership • can discourage occasional posters, lurkers and one-time visitors • can be more intensive to maintain Example: EDER677 – WebCT Discussion Forums http://webct-a.ucalgary.ca/SCRIPT/EDER_677/scripts/student/serve_bulletin?MMSG For more resources on this topic - Click here © E. Kowch 2002 9 Asynchronous Threaded Discussion Forums Common CMC design Issues • Public vs. private : Design Issue: Who “gets” to interact? : Political Issue: Whose voice is heard? • Unstructured vs. Threaded/Structured? To lead or not to lead…? • Cost? (freeware/shareware/payware) To pay or not to pay…? • Searchable or Archiveable? To keep or not to keep…? • Can incorporate hypertext? To link outside (reference), or not…? • Can threads be moderated? Should they be moderated..…? – Sometimes education discussions need structure.. Other times they do not. © E. Kowch 200210 Asynchronous Asynchronous Communication Systems Other Options - Proprietary Conferencing Software • much more powerful software, fully featured and fairly easy to use • often requires more than just a web browser to participate (e.g. client software)… can be expensive • quite plausible for an “online course” as run by U of C (SoftArc’s First Class) and Athabasca (IBM Lotus Notes) Conferencing Sofware Vendor Examples: SoftArc’s First Class - http://www.softarc.com/ IBM Lotus Notes - http://www.lotus.com/ For more resources on this topic - Click here © E. Kowch 200211 Asynchronous Asynchronous Communication Systems Teaching Activities using Async Comm (CMC): Electronic Penpals (interpersonal communication) http://www.epals.com/ Individual and Cooperative Research Projects (gather and/or share information from and with on-line sources) Electronic Mentoring (on-line subject matter experts) Parallel Problem Solving (remote classes working on similar problem sets) Electronic Field Trips (e.g. Virtual Field Trips via the WWW) Group Development of Products (e.g. chain letters, stories, scripts, multimedia constructions) Social Action Projects (e.g. peace projects, social issues) See if you can find examples of these online…. For more resources on this topic - Click here © E. Kowch 200212 Asynchronous Asynchronous Communication Systems Issues: Motivation for student participation 1. 2. 3. Extrinsic motivation (idenfity clear expectations and marking rubric for the online discussion) Intrinsic motivation (clear relevance and connection of the online discussions with the course content and expectations) Variety (online discussions are ‘fun’ and not repetitive, and deep enough for the group to be interested, engaged) © E. Kowch 200213 Synchronous Synchronous Communication Systems 1) Online Chat 2) Multi-User Dimension (MUD) and MultiObject Oriented (MOO) 3) Virtual Synchronous Classrooms © E. Kowch 200214 Synchronous Online Chat (CMC) 1) Options • plain text chat(one to one) • plain text chat (one or many to many) • audio chat (one to one) • audio chat (one to many) • ability to moderate, lead discussions through technological methods • shared whiteboards / multimedia capabilities For more resources on this topic - Click here © E. Kowch 200215 Synchronous Online Chat 1) Options (cont.) • file sharing capabilities • sharing URLs, web touring • ability to capture chat session to disk for archiving purposes • ability to specify IP addresses allowed to join chat • platform independence (through java or else multiple platform client versions) For more resources on this topic - Click here © E. Kowch 200216 Synchronous Online Chat 1) Common Issues • server based chat (one or many to many) vs. one-toone chat • realtime (usually java or special client) vs. slight lag (perl or other server-side scripting) • low cost, low functionality vs. high cost, high functionality solutions • ease of use vs. level of interaction • Who is liable for inappropriate chat? Example: EDER677 – WebCT Chat Rooms For more resources on this topic - Click here http://webcta.ucalgary.ca/SCRIPT/EDER_677/scripts/student/serve_chat.pl?ST ART+972581775 © E. Kowch 200217 Synchronous MUDs and MOOs 2) Multi-User Dimension (MUD) and Multi-Object Oriented (MOO) • • • • living verbal environments - you can become anything you want (or not) time consuming to up-keep (like mingling at a big wedding) text only (telnet) and graphical/sound environments band-width and technology constraints Examples: MUDs and MOOs- http://www.ucalgary.ca/~dabrent/380/webproj/taryn5.html Love online… who says CMC has to be boring? (yikes) http://www.ucalgary.ca/~dabrent/380proj/380web.htm http://joint.mccaig.ucalgary.ca/vc/definitions.htm Bibliography of Electronic Sources: MOOs http://www.cas.usf.edu/english/walker/bibliog.html For more resources on this topic - Click here © E. Kowch 200218 Synchronous Online Synchronous Environs 3) Synchronous Web Based – Virtual Classrooms (you know this well, gentle reader…) Centra System http://www.centra.com • Centra eMeeting Trial Service http://www.centranow.com • Vclass http://www.elluminate.com/products.html • LearnLink http://www.learnlink.com/products/live_elearning/learnlinc/ For more resources on this topic - Click here © E. Kowch 200219 Synchronous Online Synchronous Environs Teaching Activities: • flexible office hours • flexible meeting hours • Student group work possible • Web tours (via features in the controller) • Some application sharing (bandwidth problems will be solved soon). • Student presentations (interactive, self directed, fun) • Debates (live, requiring another layer of comm “rules”) • Role Playing For more resources on this topic - Click here © E. Kowch 200220 Synchronous Synchronous Teaching and Learning (CMC) Environs Teaching Issues: • Meeting in ‘real-time’ in cyberspace • Bandwidth, computer hardware and software issues • Monitoring and coordinating the online interactions •Home school implications •Holiday implications •Security implications •Implications for students with socialising preferences For more resources on this topic - Click here © E. Kowch 200221 Asyncrhonous and Synchronous More advanced CMC readings and resources for EdTechnology Masters and Edtechnology Doctoral Students (and budding Distributed Learning Architects of all sorts).. This information is collected as a response to interests you are expressing in certain areas… optional reading… Developing personal relationships using CMC: Can you build community online? • http://www.december.com/cmc/mag/1998/may/chenault.html A great collection of CMC focused articles: Can you deconstruct “media” well? • http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Functions/mcs.html How humor works in CMC education: one person’s view - challenge it. • http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/vol1/issue2/baym.html CMC portal - a wonderful, peer reviewed resource • http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/ CMC portal for academics across disciplines: teaching across the curriculum. • http://www.december.com/cmc/info/ Telecommuting and CMC : Is “the building” still your idea of “school”? • http://www.students.uiuc.edu/~dbrandon/Telecommuting.html Futher Resources - Click here © E. Kowch 200222 “To Do” List Next Class ( Oct 10) • Go to the Home Page, and see the Core Readings and Assignment for this week, along with a summary of deliverables. • Keep an eye on the Home Page, readings for the next topic, Telecommunication Modes, could be online slightly ahead of Thursday, Oct 10th. For more resources on this topic - Click here © E. Kowch 200223