Caucus Introduction Page
Twenty Five Reasons To Consider Teaching in a
Computer Conferencing Environment
Advantages of Computer Conferencing
Include:
Efficiency and Convenience
- Schedule problems go away. Students can even be assigned to
the same student groups even though they may be registered in
different course sections. This will expedite the selection of
groups that are balanced in terms of gender, experience,
education, etc.
- More time efficient. No need to call roll. No verbal or
social distractions. No waiting for
late attenders.
- Distance barriers are overcome. Students can work together
even though they are in different buildings or even different
cities.
- Teachers' comfort level maintained. They can continue to
teach as they always have, using the conference as an environment
for small-group collaborative learning..
- Compared with alternative "high-tech" teaching approaches
such as televideo, computer conferencing costs much less for the
software, the hardware, and instructional delivery. Requires
little-to-no support staff.
Student Motivation
- The learning environment is active, student centered.
- Pride of ownership. Students help create the information
base.
- Socialization, personal interactions, and peer pressure
motivate students to achieve.
- Shy or reserved students are motivated and empowered to
contribute and to be "listened to."
- Student comfort level goes up. Less rushing, less pressure to
perform "on the spot." Students can work at their own pace, at
their own best times.
- Student participation can be made anonymous, where that is
desirable.
- Students can be inspired by knowing the labors and insights
of their peers. They have a better chance to see the fairness of
grading and to see why some students get better grades than
others.
Effective Instructional Delivery
- Procedures can be customized for different teaching
strategies and learning styles and abilities. Can be combined
with face-to-face collaborative learning paradigms.
- Students share in evolving an automatically organized
information base and share common work areas, making true
collaboration more likely.
- The same computer environment that mediates student
interaction with each other can be used for students to interact
actively with computer-mediated instructional materials.
- Information is automatically stored in written form.
Materials are organized and archived. Students and teacher can
have a permanent written record of all work and commentary -
computer searchable for later review, study, and update.
Improved Conditions for Learning
- Good computer conferencing software creates work spaces for students to build their own bases
of knowledge and understanding. The capability for group interaction enables collaborative learning
formats wherein students help each other learn.
- Students can learn to read and write critically.
- Students must hone their communication skills and clarify
their thinking by writing their responses and by responding to
the work of "classmates."
- Students have ample time to reflect on the problem at hand
before interacting in dialogue with their peers. There is time
for research, reflection, and integration of facts and concepts.
- Slow students have the needed time to do good work.
- Students and teachers maintain focus better than in
conventional teaching environments.
- Personality distractions and conflicts can be minimized.
Better Assessment of Student Progress
- Easy for teacher to know how much each student comprehends.
Each student must be actively involved and clearly accountable.
- Extent of study participation automatically documented.
Underperforming students can't "hide" or get lost in the crowd.