The development of technologies enables us to create online learning environments. As online learning is expanding its role in higher education, it becomes one of fundamental issues how to create online learning environments to facilitate online interaction. One of the methods is using a discussion board where learners can interact with other…

During the spring of 2004, the College of Staten Island (CSI) undertook an exciting project to connect our campus in New York City with three international partners in China, Turkey and South Africa using internet based videoconferencing. Based on a model developed by East Carolina University and funded by the State Department, the plan was to…

This book is a practical guide to librarians and their administrators who are thinking about or in the early stages of providing virtual reference service. Part 1, "The Decision to Go Virtual," provides a context for thinking about virtual reference, including the benefits and problems, getting in the virtual frame of mind, and shopping…

Proponents of computer-mediated education suggest that the reflectivity, interactivity, and collaboration of online discussion provide an egalitarian learning environment for men and women. Others suggest that on-line discussion contains the same gender bias as face-to-face classroom communication. This study analyzed the 456 discussion postings…

Power relations between professors and graduate students are fluid, in many ways under continuous negotiation. This is especially true in electronically mediated interchanges. Although a professor's power and authority far from disappear in a MOO (multi-user object-oriented domain) session, the power and influence of the students rise to challenge…

This book is designed to help educators use the Internet to engage students actively in learning and thus help them achieve high curriculum standards. Section 1 explores the Internet's potential as a tool to create learning experiences that will engage students as active learners. Section 2 discusses the use of the Internet for communication and…

This study investigated differences between distance education and on-campus students using samples from a population of political science students. One group of 101 students was enrolled in Texas government classes taught on campus, and the other group of 101 students was enrolled in Texas government classes taught by Internet. A multiple-choice…

This document contains the following papers on telecommunications for preservice teachers from the SITE (Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education) 2001 conference: (1) "Regional List Servers as a Means of Peer Support for an On-Line Learning Community" (John Green); (2) "The Imfundo Project: ICT in Teacher Education in Developing…

This study explored the extent to which computer conferencing contributes to facilitating self-direction by describing concrete activities. The study focused on interaction among participants related to self-direction. The study adapted Garrison's model (1997) considering the characteristics of data and research questions to develop the conceptual…

This study investigated virtual team members' and leaders' perceptions of the role of the leader, and hindering and helping forces within virtual teams and their host organizations for developing leaders of such teams. It addresses the expressed need of virtual team leaders for the field of HRD to guide leadership development for this emerging…

This paper explores three different implementations of technology in newsrooms: electronic editing, pagination, and computer-assisted reporting. Also examined are the ways in which newspapers are using newsroom technology both to gain greater control over the content and appearance of the newspaper and to gain greater control over the labor…

Distance learning and collaboration software is beneficial to on-site students as well as off-site students. Collaborative learning (CL) allows students to work together in small groups to help each other master academic material. CL helps teachers by exploiting the ability of students to communicate with each other, and more actively engages…

In response to a request from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board (CSTB) of the National Research Council initiated a one-year study on untethered communications in July 1996. To carry out the study, the CSTB appointed a committee of 15 wireless-technology experts, including…

Networked multimedia is described as a tool for collaborative learning, focusing on learning through discussion. It is proposed that multimedia may be used to structure and enhance communication, thereby promoting learning. The background and application of collaborative learning is outlined. Several dimensions of media which influence the…

Computer mediated communication (CMC) is a widely used communicative tool within various professional and social groups. The focus of the present article is on the Linguist List (LL), which can be described as an edited person-to-group international academic mailing list, and with a particular speech act: a request for information (RFI). Because…