Computer Conferencing: Synchronous and Asynchronous Communication Concerns in Online Education.

Tom Wallace In partial fulfillment of the requirements for ELPA 6957 Su02 Dr. Darcy Cuffman July 19, 2002

Traditional education with its “face-to-face” delivery, has the advantage of a visual element which an astute instructor can use to determine if communications is actually taking place. Online education normally is lacking this feedback mechanism, so problems with communications can easily arise as a result of technological, or human factors.

Of all the techniques for using computers to enhance education, the one with the broadest application is Computer Conferencing or CMC (Computer Mediated Conferencing). Essentially this means using e-mail or some sort of bulletin board or software system to allow students to engage in collaborative learning projects or discussion outside of class.

The use of computers has also increased our opportunities for problems. Two people who would like to conference but one is using a Macintosh Computer application and the other a Windows Applications. Two people wish to conference with each other and they are using the same operating system but each person is using a different software program.

The answer to these problems is the use of standards in our communications. In computer jargon, these standards are called protocols.

The standard protocol for videoconferencing is commonly known as the H.323 Protocol. H.323 is an International Telecommunications Union (ITU) standard that provides specification for computers, equipment, and services for multimedia communication over networks. Examples of software programs are Microsoft NetMeeting, CuSee Me, Intel Video Phone, and many more. The key is that the software application must be using the standard H.323 protocol.

Solving the problems of technology is only the start. Even if the technology works perfectly, (which it seldom will), we must still deal with the human factors of communications.

The use of Computer Mediated Conferencing has three major implications for distance education: 1) The breaking down of conceptual distinctions between distance education and place-based education; 2) The changing of traditional roles of faculty, administrative and support staff, and adjunct tutors; and 3) The provision of an opportunity, which never existed before, to create a network of scholars, "space" for collective thinking, and access to peers for socializing and serendipitous exchange.

Computer conferencing is devised for group activity, so too much autonomy is not within its scope. However, the goal must be to devise systems that support individual freedom as well as cooperative group activity.

The easiest way to communicate with a group in a distance environment is with the use of e-mail or a discussion board (formerly known as a Bulletin Board Service, or BBS). This is known as

communications

the computer at the same time.

asynchronous

because the parties do not have to be on This form of communication has many advantages. It allows the student and instructor time to compose their information and presentation. It also allows for the information to be presented at a time convenient to the sender, and accessed at a time convenient to the receiver.

There are several basic problems with e-mail & BBSs as they apply to educational communications. Input is posted chronologically and the context of comments can often be unclear. There is limited ability for graphics/pictures to be sent, other than static pictures. Joint editing of documents in a collaborative environment is awkward. There is only a limited ability to create an organized, evolving knowledge base, and only a limited ability to archive knowledge bases for later review and update.

E-mail and bulletin boards lack the immediacy and intensity of real-time modalities .

Synchronous communications, as real-time modalities are called, offer the immediacy and intensity that is sometimes needed in some computer conferencing scenarios.

Chat rooms are the most common form of real-time communication, and carries with it a great potential for use in the educational environment. Chat rooms have been used for online therapeutic interactions, both 1 to 1 and in groups. Many instructors “attempt” to use chat rooms. Some are successful and continue to use the rooms, others are not successful, so they discontinue the use of the rooms.

Chat rooms offer the immediacy of real time interaction. Misspellings usually abound, and there can be a sense of time pressure.

A blank screen and a blinking cursor can leave one with the thought "What do I say now?" The immediacy can be important when a participant is emotional at the time. There is more of a sense that "someone is here for me now". The potential for miscommunication due to the absence of nonverbal cues is probably greater here than in email. Short interactions which occur with a sense of time pressure are easy to misinterpret.

Another form of synchronous communications that has been slow to catch on in distance education is desktop video conferencing. Most video conferencing being used at this time entails a large expenditure of money, and a dedicated facility for groups to meet and conference with each other. Desktop video conferencing holds the potential for the missing “face-to-face” element in a “one-to-one” environment. Yet there are many obstacles to overcome.

One obstacle is the fact that technophobia is alive and well. Not just faculty, but even many students are intimidated by the idea of computer conferencing. Another obstacle is that many faculty and students either do not know what is available, or simply do not want to tackle another challenge.

Videoconferencing is replacing the business trip, modems are replacing the commute back and forth to an office, virtual conferencing is taking the place of staff meetings and email via telephone is making it possible to communicate with your co-workers on a "minute to minute" basis.

It may not be too long before our distance education clients start strongly suggesting that the same ability be incorporated in their classes.

One of the major concerns about starting to incorporate this technology is cost and availability of support. These concerns are slowly becoming less important as free or minimal cost conferencing environments emerge. One solution is virtual conferencing centers that are available and used online today such as Microsoft NetMeeting , HotOffice , WebEx , Placeware and many more .

Placeware is an Internet conferencing service that enables you to conduct live interactive meetings and presentations online from your very own desktop. Placeware offers free service for up to five people. It has built in scheduling and invitation features. This way you don't have to worry about getting those invitations sent out on time. Placeware simply sends them once you have scheduled your meeting and listed the email address of each participant.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION A computer conference is a distinctly different environment that offers new challenges as well as opportunities for the curriculum and course designer. A computer conference is intrinsically an environment for Cooperative Learning. Cooperative learning (also known as collaborative learning or "team" learning) is commonly confused with the simplistic idea of having students do projects in groups.

Faculty need to be actively engaged in the conference, not just a distant observer and grader. Students benefit from the teacher's knowledge, experience, and insight when the teacher is an active player in the conference. These principles are central to exploiting the full power of computer conferencing for teaching By its very nature, computer conferencing is an environment of interaction. Interaction means utilizing many forms of communications, not just e-mail and bulletin boards. Being available at reasonable times for chats, video conferences, etc. will become an integral part of online courses as the technology evolves and costs go down.

Online faculty need to embrace the complexities of new technology and learn how to effectively incorporate it into their courses. Being aware of the problems that will be encountered when communicating by different methods will assist the instructor in their interaction with the their students.

Distance Learners will need to develop new skills, i.e. those of verbal communications and presentation. The reliance on voice and video as a means of communication will force the need for refinements in these areas, just as reliance on the computer has forced a need for keyboarding skills.

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