Describes a study that analyzed 14 electronic lists or newsgroups in library and information science to find out which topics of discussion are dominant and which functions are performed by the messages posted. It also introduced students to this type of professional communication and to content analysis as a research method. Contains 51…

Instructor-facilitators of virtual learning groups can develop the learning environment through preliminary planning, course support, and postsession review. To undertake these processes, facilitators should attend to the learning tasks, the learning process, team development, team dynamics, and team trust. (Contains 73 references.) (SK)

Technological advances, such as Web-based student services and videoconferencing, are rapidly transforming how and what students learn. This article considers insights into how evolving electronic services on campuses provide benefits and problems for students. Those responsible for the out-of-class services and programs for students should not be…

Reports part of a qualitative research study that used participatory action research and grounded action research to show how facilitators of virtual teams build and maintain online relationships. Focuses on how virtual team facilitators use Internet-based and conventional electronic communication channels to build personal relationships with team…

Offers suggestions to members of the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) on using the Internet to improve their dealings with college buyers. Briefly describes providing event information through Web sites, password-protected administrative sites, NACA's Web site, virtual offices, and high-speed Internet access. (EV)

Describes a study that examined current practices of distance educators regarding their use of synchronous (chat) and asynchronous (bulletin board) text-based communication in online courses, based on an ongoing worldwide online survey of distance educators. Discusses reasons for using each type of communication and offers recommendations for…

Suggests that William Gibson offers a way to negotiate the conventional discursive elements used within online communication. Notes that cyberspace discourse appears to be at its best not when it tries to minimize the effects of the conventional narratives from which it is built, but instead when it exploits those discourses most fully to reveal…

Presents a project where educators assign a joint class project to students at the University of Northern Carolina at Greensboro, at Indiana University, and at Fachhochschule Rheinland-Pfalz in Worms, Germany. Discusses how team members use the Internet to participate in electronic meetings leading to a group consensus. Encourages readers to…

Presents a descriptive analysis of 29 online writing lab sites for email tutoring, currently the most popular mode of computer-mediated collaboration. Considers how email tutoring interfaces represent the literate practice of email tutoring, shaping expectations and experiences consistent with its literate aims. Suggests that email tutoring…

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,…

Describes how more institutions are encouraging students to create electronic portfolios to highlight their academic work, help them reflect on their campus experiences, and perhaps land them a job. (EV)

Provides a definition of e-mentoring and an exploration of its potential for enhancing mentoring relationships from technical and social perspectives. Considers benefits of and barriers to e-mentoring and describes strategies for establishing an e-mentoring relationship. Includes Internet resources. (EV)

Explores whether computer-mediated communication can be used to initiate and sustain peer-peer and mentor-protege relationships and alleviate barriers to in-person communication faced by individuals with disabilities. Compares e-mail interactions between high school students with disabilities and adult mentors in a program at the University of…

Argues existing theory and research on computer-mediated communication (CMC) provide a limited view of information-seeking behavior. Proposes a conceptual model for its examination via CMC and new media. Discusses strategies for seeking social information, and identifies factors influencing their selection from alternatives. Describes two…

A nursing school used asynchronous computer conferencing for student discussion groups and three distance sites and one host site. Course evaluation showed students appreciated the ability to review discussions and reflect before commenting and felt team collegiality. A switch to different software reduced the technology learning curve, but…