This study investigated the online practices of students enrolled in graduate-level distance education courses. Using interviews and a questionnaire as data sources, the study sought to: (a) identify common practices that students adopt in asynchronous discussions, and (b) gain an understanding of why students adopt them. An analysis of the data…

The goal of this study is to better understand how the study participants' cognitive discourse is displayed in their learning transaction in an asynchronous, text-based conferencing environment based on Garrison's Practical Inquiry Model (2001). The authors designed an online information ethics course based on Bloom's taxonomy of educational…

This paper reports on a pilot investigation into web conferencing in a distance learning module. It focuses on the perceptions and experiences of the tutors, all of whom were new to the web conferencing environment, but were experienced in online teaching. A number of web conferencing tutorials were studied through the collection of various…

This study aimed to clarify the relationship between media, learners' perception of social presence, and output in communicative learning using synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC). In this study, we developed four types of SCMC: videoconferencing (image and voice), audioconferencing (voice but no image), text chat with image (image…

This paper presents a quantitative approach to multimodal discourse analysis for analyzing online collaborative learning. The coding framework draws together the fields of systemic functional linguistics and Activity Theory to analyze interactions between collaborative-, content- and technology-related discourse. The approach is used to examine…

The aim of this paper is to present the design, implementation and evaluation of the methodology which focuses on the pedagogical utilization of Interactive Videoconferencing (IVC) in the contemporary elementary school. As part of the project "ODYSSEAS", during the school year 2007-2008, 46 students and 4 teachers from two elementary…

The focus of this article is the reliability of content analysis of students' computer conference communication. Content analysis is often used when researching the relationship between learning and the use of information and communications technology in educational settings. A number of studies where content analysis is used and classification…

This study analyzes the relationship between class size and student online activity patterns in a series of 28 graduate level computer conferencing courses. Quantitative analyses of note production, average note size, note opening and note reading percentages found a significant positive correlation between class size and mean number of notes…

Describes a technique to blend distance learning with traditional educational methods using electronic office hours to connect teachers and students outside the classroom. Explains the use of various existing computer mediated communication tools and techniques, including email, Usenet newsgroups, text-based conferences, video-based conferences,…

In the T3 project (telematics for teacher training) seven European partners actively used telematics in their teaching programs. Partners collaborate through face-to-face meetings, videoconferencing and Web-based virtual workshops. The first virtual workshop organized within a telematic learning environment is reported. Concludes that to stimulate…

Reports on the use of an electronic network in a school-based initial teacher education course to facilitate discussion between participants. Discusses computer conferencing; the presence of a public audience on the network; collaboration; and issues regarding participation in a virtual community. Contains 46 references.(Author/LRW)

Analyzes the experiences and experiments of the Open University (OU), United Kingdom, in the use of computer conferencing over 10 years. Provides a framework for considering educational uses of the medium and describes several innovative applications. Highlights the main issues involved in implementing this technology. (Author)

Analyzes the case of a trans-European video-teaching link principally from the standpoint of the expenditure required to implement and run it, set against the benefits it offers. Considers fixed and recurrent costs. Concludes that, despite enthusiasms in the literature and in official reports for interactive tele-teaching, the financial burden it…

Computer conferencing can aid in conflict resolution by developing discourse skills. This article examines conflict resolution and computer conferencing as a channel for discourse and describes three computer conferences involving secondary school students, teacher education students, and teachers in Northern Ireland, Europe, and the United…

Discusses the effectiveness of computer mediated communication (CMC) in higher education. Highlights include a review of pertinent literature; factors associated with successful CMC resources; activity theory; helping users establish a shared purpose; methodological problems; evaluation methods; a conferencing system; and the patterns and content…