This paper presents a literature review of empirical research related to the use and effect of online social annotation (SA) tools in higher education settings. SA technology is an emerging educational technology that has not yet been extensively used and examined in education. As such, the research focusing on this technology is still very…

Learning to argue is an essential objective in education; and online environments have been found to support the sharing, constructing, and representing of arguments in multiple formats for what has been termed Argumentation-Based Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (ABCSCL). The purpose of this review is to give an overview of research in…

Online discussion boards are often used in traditional courses, hybrid courses, and fully online courses. Online chats and discussions can be particularly useful in fully online courses, as these communication connections are often students' only means of connecting with each other and sharing ideas in an open forum. While traditional face-to-face…

This article synthesizes research on social capital, school outcomes, internet use, and volunteering to argue that e-mentoring--which is commonly practiced over long distances--could become a powerful way to build greater cohesiveness in local communities. Realizing this potential will require a larger-scale and more coordinated approach to…

In information systems and end-user computer research, "using" appears to encapsulate a range of activities, such as reading, writing, viewing and so on. And yet it is a grossly inadequate descriptor for any of these activities, failing to account for the fact that texts--digital or otherwise--are produced and engaged by humans for a variety of…

Describes a study of graduate distance education students that defined and measured collaboration during asynchronous computer-mediated communication using a threaded Web discussion. Developed a model for evaluating interdependence, synthesis, and independence in collaboration; and discusses the role of collaboration in problem solving, along with…

This article provides a brief history of Web logging and subsequent examples of Web log use specific to an educational arena. Although the blogging phenomenon began a few years ago, it is only recently that a critical mass of educators has realized its potential in and out of the classroom for teaching and learning content while acting as a…