Explores asynchronous communication perspectives and experiences of undergraduate students in an online course. Interviews with 22 preservice teachers, student-to-instructor email transcripts, asynchronous discussion transcripts, and two independent reviewers' reviews of the asynchronous discussions were used to collect and analyze the data.…

Studied whether computer-mediated communication results in more equal participation among students by comparing face-to-face and electronic discussion. Findings reveal a tendency toward more equal participation in the computer mode as well as a pattern of student use of more lexically and syntactically formal language in electronic than in…

Examines preservice teachers' interactions with the Internet in searching for information and in communications. Discusses embodied computing, user "domination and silencing,""brotherhoods" on the Internet, ethical issues, privacy versus the public nature of the Internet, sharing of text and sharing of voice, language of searches, and explorations…

Describes a tool called the Electronic Issue Forum which was designed to give college students experience in writing both persuasive and balanced papers in a way that supports distance learning. The role-playing nature of the forum is explained, and grading criteria and other student needs are considered. (Author/LRW)

Suggests that a combination of face-to-face and computer-mediated discussion (CMD) provides a learning environment superior to that of the traditional classroom. Finds that students actively involved in CMD groups not only reported learning more than they otherwise would have but also tended to earn higher grades than students taking part in…

Some evidence supports the view that computer-mediated communication can sustain interpersonal links that already exist, but can it create a sense of community in people separated in time, space, context, and culture? Examines characteristics of cyberspace, and chronicles the activities on a listserv for adult education students and faculty in the…

Examines the quality of asynchronous interaction in Web-based conferencing among preservice teachers. The study combines asynchronous conferencing with peer and mentor collaboration to electronically apprentice student learning. Results point out different levels of Web-based discussion: higher-level, progressive, and lower-level discussion. A…

Discussion of the use of course management systems such as WebCT to create online courses focuses on the use of three instructional strategies to enhance learning in a clinical nursing course: multimode instruction with online progressive case studies; interactive online discussion to support dialogue, coaching, collaboration, and communication;…

Explores communication processes that affect the roles of the online distance learning (OLD) instructor. Notes that many communication skills required of the ODL instructor are similar to those needed for effective classroom teaching. Finds that the online instructor's role does require a paradigm shift regarding instructional time and space,…

Examines the hidden issues caused by the format-shifting effect in distance education. Findings of a study of undergraduate students indicated that learning format shifting is a period of dilemma that occurs during the early period for learners during their first distance class. Overlooking the issue would result in problems that could affect…

Reviews some of the current approaches for assessing asynchronous interaction. Describes an approach to assessing the contributions of students to an asynchronous forum (WebBoard) based on social constructivist learning theory. Presents a taxonomy of computer mediated discourse organized by the Simmons levels of assessing reflective thinking. (AEF)

Presents a discourse analysis of contributions to an online interactive discussion forum of a graduate-level education course on discourse in classrooms. Examines content of postings over the course to describe participants' emerging perspectives on the role of classroom and school discourse in shaping student identity, the role of discourse in…

Two university professors discuss the benefits of shared expertise and e-feedback in the design of an English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) writing course. (Author/VWL)

Presents an overview of the security architecture of the IP multimedia core network subsystem (IMS) of the third generation mobile system, known in Europe as UMTS. Discusses IMS security requirements; IMS security architecture; authentication between IMS user and home network; integrity and confidentiality for IMS signalling; and future aspects of…

Describes distance education at the School of Library and Information Science at San Jose State University (California). Highlights include interactive television transmission; interactive video and asynchronous transfer mode; reliability; experiences at other schools; computer-mediated communication and interaction between teachers and students;…