Finds computer-mediated environments pose a special challenge to legal and cultural protections and that these environments are unprecedented in the way commercially valuable information can be generated in their very use. Contends current discussions about privacy in computer-mediated environments have overlooked the potential of common law and…

Notes that the process of electronic conferencing can result in activity not readily apparent as leading to productive writing behaviors, which reintroduces the tension between process and product into composition studies. Argues for a broader notion of writing and urges attention to the transformative power of electronic conferencing to enable…

Comparison of process and outcome variables for in-class teams (80 students) with interuniversity teams using computer-mediated communication (36 students) revealed that electronic groups may negate some benefits of collaborative learning (e.g., they were less satisfied with group process). However, electronic groups achieved higher overall level…

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)