Computer-mediated communication

( under construction - reading this may damage your harddisk )

Definition

Computer-mediated communication CMC) is any form of communication between two or more individual people who interact and/or influence each other via separate computers through the Internet or a network connection - using social software. CMC does not include the methods by which two computers communicate, but rather how people communicate via computers. (Definition from the Wikipedia:Computer-mediated communication, feb 2006).

History of CMC in eucation

Summary

Digitized communication and networking in education started in the mid 80's and became popular by the mid-90's, in particular through the World-Wide Web (WWW), eMail and Forums. There is a difference between two major forms of online learning. The earlier type, based on either Computer Based Training (CBT) or Computer Based Learning (CBL), focused on the interaction between the student and computer drills plus tutorials on one hand or micro-worlds and simulations on the other. Both can be delivered today over the WWW. Today, the prevailing paradigm in the regular school system is Computer Mediated Communication (CMC), where the primary form of interaction is between students and instructors, mediated by the computer. CBT/CBL usually means individualized (self-study) learning, while CMC involves teacher/tutor facilitation and requires scenarization of flexible learning activities. In addition, modern ICT provides education with tools for sustaining learning communities and associated knowledge management tasks. It also provides tools for student and curriculum management.

CMC plays of course an important role in in full-time distance teaching. While most quality offers still rely on paper, videos and occasional CBT/CBL materials, there is an increased use of e-tutoring through forums, chat rooms, video-conferencing etc. Courses addressed to smaller groups frequently use "blended" or hybrid designs that mix presence courses (usually in the beginning and at the end of a module) with distance activities and use various pedagogical styles (e.g. drill & practise, exercises, projects etc.).

Educational paradigm shifts

Here is a longer quote from (Berge & Collins, 1995) that demonstrates the often cited shift from "teaching" to "learning" and that in way happend "in the field".

For many years, educators have been exploring ways to combine theories of differing learning styles and student- constructed knowledge with the theory of practice-centered learning. Instead of being passive recipients of knowledge, we now consider students capable of constructing their own knowledge with guidance from the teacher. We can offer part of this tutorial guidance by setting up an environment that will provide students with the resources necessary for independent exploration. In using emerging computer-based technology as a resource, students are encouraged to explore their own interests and to become active educational workers, with opportunities to solve some authentic problems. [...] The type of change enabled by computer-mediated communication (CMC) does not just involve adding new technology to old ways of organizing teaching and learning (Moore, 1993). Although the perennial problem is still one of instructional content and design, we must not pave over old cow paths.

On the more academic side, several emerging research fields related to collaborative learning and situated cognition also quite naturally integrated CMC within their conceptual framework. Read and Lentini for more details.

• Scaramalias and Bereiter's (1992) work on collaborative knowledge building was inspired by the idea that students should engage in actities similar to researchers, which means to communicate a lot.

See related entries on cognitive tools, Computer-supported collaborative learning, Writing-to-learn.

• Collins & Duguid (1989) argue that learning occurs in context (see situated learning), ie. "knowledge is situated, being in part a product of the activity, context, and culture in which it is developed and used". Therefore the authors propose a cognitive apprenticeship approach to teach and that does a lot engage learners in communcation which in turn can be enhanced with computer-based tools.

• Clark and Brennan (1991),

Links

• Computer mediated communication] (this is one of the world's oldest websites by CMC pioneer John December]

• of Computer-Mediated Communication. Around since 1995, this is an open access journal.

References

• Brown, J. S., Collins, A., & Duguid, P. (1989) Situated cognition and the culture of learning. Educational Researcher, 18, 32-42. [ http://www.sociallifeofinformation.com/Situated_Learning.htm]

• Clark, H. H. & Brennan, S. E. (1991). Grounding in communication. In L. B. Resnick, J. Levine and S. D. Teasley (Eds.), Perspectives on Socially Shared Cognition (pp. 127-149). Washington, DC.: American Psychological Association.

• Gay, Geri and Lentini, M. Use of Communication Resources in a Networked Collaborative Design Environment, [1]. This is a very good article for introductory reading. It pulls together various theoretical influencs.

• Moore, M. G. (1993). Is teaching like flying? A total systems view of distance education. American Journal of Distance Education, 7(1), 1-10.

• Zane Berge, Mauri Collins, Computer-Mediated Communication and the Online Classroom in Distance Learning, Computer-Mediated Communication Magazine / Volume 2, Number 4 / April 1, 1995 / Page 6

[2].

• • This is an interesting essay that shows how new Internet technology was linked to education.

• Scardamalia, M. & Bereiter, C. (1992). Collaborative knowledge building. In E. DeCorte, M.C. Linn, H. Mandl, & L. Verschaffel (Eds.), Computer-Based Learning Environments and Problem Solving (pp. 41-66). Berlin: Springer-Verlag.