Asynchronous Online Communication Research Articles

Exploring Traditional Phones as an E-Mail Interface for Older Adults

This article explores the design and development of voice interfaces via traditional telephones as a way of supporting asynchronous online communication for older adults. E-mail is the primary form of online communication for older adults. However, e-mail communication currently requires access to and the ability to use an Internet-connected computer or device, which may be problematic due to barriers of physical access, expense, insufficient computer skill, or other accessibility issues. To address this, the present work leverages the pervasive hardware of traditional phones and familiar nonvisual models of phone-based interaction to create a new e-mail interface for older adults. We examine the potential of e-mail interaction via traditional phones through long-term field observations, prototype testing, and a four-week field-based user study. Our findings indicate that a simple voice e-mail interface accessed through traditional phones is usable for older adults and is a useful way for offline older adults to interact with an e-mail account. The ease of use and convenience of a phone-based interface are important given the “work” of keeping in touch over e-mail, and this approach has the potential to open up new avenues of online access for older adults who are still offline or who have late-life disabilities that make using traditional graphical e-mail systems difficult. This project contributes new insights regarding the ways in which voice interfaces can support asynchronous online communication for older adults and provides design guidance for the development of subsequent voice interfaces.

Integrating technology to facilitate critical reflection and creativity in pre-service teacher development

Reflection is known to be at the centre of professional development. This study aims to investigate how trainees are engaged in self-reflection upon their own learning at an experiential training course. A series of face-to-face sessions on teaching reading to young learners is provided and complemented by online asynchronous communication. Data are gathered from pre- and post-session questionnaires, logs from trainees' learning journals, interviews, observation and trainees' work. The triangulated analysis of the collected data reveals that the experiential learning with online interaction is conducive to raising trainees' awareness through critical reflection. It also shows roles that technology plays in trainees' creative thinking in devising unconventional learning activities. The findings of the study further provide implications for pre- and in-service teacher training program development and practice in other contexts.

Integrating technology to facilitate critical reflection and creativity in pre-service teacher development

Reflection is known to be at the centre of professional development. This study aims to investigate how trainees are engaged in self-reflection upon their own learning at an experiential training course. A series of face-to-face sessions on teaching reading to young learners is provided and complemented by online asynchronous communication. Data are gathered from pre- and post-session questionnaires, logs from trainees' learning journals, interviews, observation and trainees' work. The triangulated analysis of the collected data reveals that the experiential learning with online interaction is conducive to raising trainees' awareness through critical reflection. It also shows roles that technology plays in trainees' creative thinking in devising unconventional learning activities. The findings of the study further provide implications for pre- and in-service teacher training program development and practice in other contexts.

Contrastive analysis of adolescent learner interlanguage in asynchronous online communication: A keyness approach

Online communication provides learners of English with opportunities to interact with native speakers across geographical boundaries. While there is a burgeoning field of research which looks at computer-mediated communication (CMC), few studies have employed a keyness approach to the analysis of interlanguage of adolescent learners. This study reports on a corpus analysis of samples of asynchronous online discourse between a group of British and Taiwanese adolescents, with the aim of exploring the significant differences in the use of grammatical categories between the two groups of participants. Keyness analysis (Rayson, 2008) at the part-of-speech level highlights the linguistic features which deserve particular attention. Specifically, it reveals the grammatical categories that occur unusually frequently or unusually infrequently in the English learners' discourse when compared with the language used by the native speakers of English in the same sample. The research findings demonstrate the pedagogical merit of keyness analysis and thus help in the design of courses for adolescent online interaction.

Investigating Asynchronous Online Communication: A Connected Stance Revealed

This research project explores the effects of altering the structure of discussion board formats to increase students’ engagement and participation. This paper will present the findings of a two-university, two-class research project in which asynchronous discussion board entries were analyzed for substance. By using oral discourse analysis techniques, the postings of two distinct structures of discussion board entries were analyzed. A baseline of typical student interactions was established by using an Open-ended discussion board assignment. Then the requirements were changed and an Experimental discussion board format was introduced on which students were placed into smaller groups and expected to enact a 3R pattern of Respond, React, and Reply. The ways in which students make their thinking visible were coded and tabulated. Findings suggest that a Connected Stance, identified by a high level of participation coupled with a high level of engagement, was an optimal online discourse pattern.

Designing asynchronous online discussion environments: Recent progress and possible future directions

AbstractAsynchronous online discussion environments are important platforms to support learning. Research suggests, however, threaded forums, one of the most popular asynchronous discussion environments, do not often foster productive online discussions naturally. This paper explores how certain properties of threaded forums have affected or constrained the quality of discussions, and argues that developing alternative discussion environments is highly needed to offer better support for asynchronous online communication. Using the Productive Online Discussion Model developed by Gao, Wang and Sun, we analyzed current work on four types of asynchronous discussion environments that have been developed and researched: constrained environments, visualized environments, anchored environments and combined environments. The paper has implications for developing future asynchronous online discussion environments. More specifically, future work should aim at (1) exploring new environments that support varied goals of learning, (2) integrating emerging technologies to address the constraints of current environments, (3) designing multifunctional environments to facilitate complex learning and (4) developing appropriate instructional activities and strategies for these environments.Practitioner NotesWhat is already known about this topic Asynchronous online discussion plays an important role in facilitating learning. It is hard to foster a focused, interactive and in‐depth asynchronous discussion in traditional threaded forums. Researchers have investigated multiple ways of structuring or facilitating asynchronous online discussions. What this paper adds The paper analyzes how existing features of threaded forums constrain the quality of online discussion. The paper identifies the progress made in designing alternative asynchronous discussion environments and discusses four major types of asynchronous discussion environments that have been developed and researched. The paper provides suggestions for developing future asynchronous discussion environments. Implications for practice and/or policy Designing alternative asynchronous discussion environments is necessary to improve the quality of online discussion and communication. New asynchronous discussion environments need to be designed to meet varied learning goals and facilitate complex learning. Appropriate instructional strategies need to be developed for both existing and new online discussion environments.

Promoting and scaffolding argumentation through reflective asynchronous discussions

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to explore the impact of asynchronous discussion on the quality and complexity of college students' arguments. Three different cohorts of students registered in a physical science course in 2009 Fall, 2010 Spring, and 2010 Fall semesters were briefly supported with scaffolding in class and then involved in argumentation about socio-scientific issues as take-home assignments. Each cohort was divided into an asynchronous online communication group and a paper-pencil group. The findings showed that very few students' arguments from either group were rated low in quality levels of 1 or 2 on a five-scale level. Additional comparisons revealed that the asynchronous online communication group students slightly outperformed their counterparts in terms of mean quality level of arguments (effect sizes ranged from 0.25 to 0.35) and the frequency of rebuttals. The major finding is that after only one hour of scaffolding followed by the opportunity to practice argumentation at home, students' argumentation skills were slightly better developed through reflective asynchronous online discussions about socio-scientific issues than through paper-pencil practice.

Developing Intercultural Awareness and Language Speaking Proficiency for Foreign Language Learners through Cross–Cultural Voicemail Exchange

To expand global and intercultural communication, the effectiveness of asynchronous online communication devices, especially email, have been discussed in the area of foreign language teaching. A lack of specific research exists that addresses the application of online voicemail. This paper reports on a five month period of voicemail exchanges between 53 EFL learners in Taiwan and 56 CFL learners in the United States. The authors examine the responses of EFL students to this cross–cultural voicemail project and assess their progress in intercultural awareness and English speaking proficiency before and after the project. This study concludes that the use of voicemail creates an impact on the English speaking performance and intercultural awareness of EFL students and increases the motivation of EFL students in using English to express ideas. Further implications for teaching are discussed.

A visualisation tool to aid exploration of students’ interactions in asynchronous online communication

Much research in recent years has focused on the introduction of virtual learning environments (VLEs) to universities, documenting practice, and sharing experience (Armitage, Browne, & Jenkins, 2001; Browne & Jenkins, 2003; Moron-Garcia, 2004; Weller, 2007). Attention has been directed towards the importance of online dialogue for learning as a defining feature of the VLE. Communicative tools are an important means by which VLEs have the potential to transform learning with computers from being passive and transmissive in nature, to being active and constructivist (Pavey & Garland, 2004). However, practical methods of reviewing and analysing online communication to trace cycles of real dialogue (and learning) have proved somewhat elusive. Qualitative methods are also under-used for VLE discussions, since they demand new sets of research skills for those unfamiliar with them, and can be time intensive. This paper describes a visualisation tool to aid the analysis of online communication. The tool has two purposes: first, it can be used on a day-to-day basis by teachers or forum moderators to review the development of a discussion and to support appropriate interventions. Second, the tool can support research activities since the visualisations generated provide the basis for further qualitative and quantitative analysis of online dialogue. The visualisation software is designed to encode interaction types simply and quickly. The software was tested and then used to analyse data from a sample of forums within the Moodle VLE. The paper discusses both the method of visualisation and analysis of the online interactions as a pilot for further research analysing interaction in discussion forums.

A corpus‐based analysis of online synchronous and asynchronous modes of communication within language teacher education

Current technologies are affording more varied types of communication and collaboration than has ever before been possible, and many disciplines are beginning to exploit these technologies, with language teacher education (LTE) being one such discipline. Several researchers have explored synchronous and asynchronous online communication and their uses and benefits within different pedagogical contexts. Adding to this field of work, this paper provides a corpus‐based analysis of virtual synchronous and asynchronous student teacher and peer mentor interactions, highlighting the pertinent issues of interactivity and reflection. Variation and similarities between both modes are considered and compared against larger spoken and written corpora to investigate if either mode appears more akin to the spoken or written media. The paper closes with a discussion of the pedagogical implications of such research findings for the teacher education arena.

Avatars and Emotional Engagement in Asynchronous Online Communication

The notion that an avatar can elicit a sense of emotional involvement or connection on the part of a user in asynchronous online communication was explored through a pair of content analyses of a popular online question-and-answer bulletin board. In the first study, questions accompanied by an avatar not only received more answers than questions without an avatar, but the answers were more likely to be characterized by expressions of empathy. In the second study, a preference for answering questions accompanied by an avatar was found to be associated with interpersonal, altruistic motives for answering questions. Results are discussed in terms of presence and alternative explanations, as well as practical implications.

Eric Rohmer by Derek Schilling

If the physical act of writing constitutes a priority as it does for Elon, students and instructors must inevitably hone individual and collective needs in order to use MyFrenchLab efficiently and in harmony with the text and SAM. So what is MyFrenchLab? MyFrenchLab is a “nationally-hosted online learning system” created for college-level language students. “It brings together—in one convenient, easily navigable site—a wide array of language-learning tools and resources, including an interactive version of the Student Activities Manual and all materials from the audio and video programs” (pearsonhighered.com), as well as the text in eBook format. It offers “Readiness Checks” and English Grammar tutorials, which cater to the varying needs of individuals and also incorporates a full platform for instructors from where they can assign material, create grading parameters, listen to/correct student-created audio recordings with recorded feedback, and type feedback on written work. With Wimba voice technology, students can increase oral proficiency without leaving the online environment and “engage in asynchronous online communication with their classmates or instructors” (wimba.com). Students rave about the audio components as well as the instant feedback and hints in the written exercises. If they enter an incorrect response, MyFrenchLab tells them, offering hints like “Did you check the gender of the noun?” While some students are initially nervous about using MyFrenchLab, all typically find its navigability extremely intuitive within the first week. No matter what reasons exist to critique this package, what Points de départ undeniably offers is value, both economic and educational. Gone are the days of lab cubicles and bulky headsets, big bundles of expensive CDs, and a DVD only available to instructors. The text is well organized with interesting topics, and regardless of its conception, the flexibility and portability of MyFrenchLab revolutionizes the way that any beginning French students can learn as well as the way that instructors assign and assess their work. Elon University (NC) Sarah Glasco Film edited by Michèle Bissière SCHILLING, DEREK. Eric Rohmer. Manchester: Manchester UP, 2007. Hardback—ISBN 978-0-7190-7234-5. $79.00. Paperback—ISBN 978-0-7190-7235-2. $26.00. Pp. 240. In Rohmer’s films, it appears that the only things that differ from one another are the locations, periods, and seasons; the plots vary little, and the wish of his fans is to ask for more of the same homogeneous story. Yet, it is the differences and similarities that make these films so appealing to them. Indeed, they are focused on the variation of one theme: the exploration of human interaction in matters of courtship and love. In most of the films, complex characters are filled with desires, insecurities, and distinct expectations, constantly elaborating amorous strategies; their perfect mastering of the French language and the intricacies of their dialogues clearly demonstrate that they dominate what Montaigne called the art of conferring. This attracts some spectators while deterring others. In the first comprehensive study in English since 1987, Derek Schilling offers 438 FRENCH REVIEW 84.2 a balanced appraisal of Rohmer’s work in a historical context. After reviewing the director’s career, the author analyzes Rohmer’s theoretical and critical writings that define the style, technique, and form of his films. Schilling competently presents the sophisticated Rohmer’s view on truth, beauty, reality, and cinema as the superior and purest form of all artistic expressions. Not an easy task if, as the author admits, Rohmer’s writings are notoriously difficult and coupled with a refined style of argument with a complex grasp of French syntax. Quoting Rohmer from Schilling’s book: “the root of cinema’s deadly sin is in forgetting that it must remain fictional” (93) yet cinema “possesses the truth right from the beginning and aims to make beauty its supreme end [...]. The difficulty is not, as we think, in creating a world of its own with mirrors—the tools at its disposal—but in managing simply to copy this natural beauty” (85). For his detractors, Rohmer’s view of the world is at best incomplete; they strongly disapprove of his insulation from social or demographic changes, and his blindness toward social problems. In his defense, Schilling...

Modeling the impact of online cancer resources on supporters of cancer patients

This article considers the impact of internet use and online social capital on the health outcomes of supporters of cancer patients. Structural equation modeling offers support for the following three-step model: internet use online social capital stress and depression. Specifically, asynchronous online communication and offline communication stimulated by online communication had direct positive paths to social interaction and social support which, in turn, were both predictive of healthier or lower levels of stress and depression. These findings support previous research, which has indicated positive associations between mass media use and social capital and between social capital and health outcomes. In contrast, internet information-seeking by information type had a negative direct path to social support and negative indirect paths to stress and depression, indicating that information-seeking online has a detrimental impact on social capital and the health indicators.

HybridNTELL Model: An Alternative Formula to Foster 21st Century Autonomous EFL Learners

This paper examines the design and development process of a Hybrid network technology-enhanced language learning (HybridNTELL) model and evaluates its effectiveness. The model is grounded in a Vygotsky-inspired social constructivism approach to foreign language learning. The concepts of Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and Mediation underlie the model design framework, generating interactive content-based instruction in a community of practice. The aim of the HybridNTELL model is to foster the EFL learner autonomy required to live and work in a 21st century knowledge-based community. Four dimensions of autonomy were formulated based on literature on social constructivist theory and the current thinking on learner autonomy. The four interactive dimensions were used to inform four different types of task design: reactiveinterdependence, reactive-independence, proactive-interdependence and proactiveindependence which are the key components of the HybridNTELL model. Two platforms for applying the model in an EFL context are asynchronous online communication on a discussion board and synchronous face-to-face communication in the classroom. The use of two specific platforms complementary creates a hybrid learning environment. To evaluate the model’s effectiveness, ninety first year Chulalongkorn University students were recruited in experiment by stratified random sampling method. The students participated in a HybridNTELL environment during a one-semester English foundation course which is compulsory for non-English major students. Findings suggest that the HybridNTELL model yields positive effects on EFL learning autonomy development based on an assessment of the improvement in students’ English proficiency, achievement test scores, curriculum-based holistic performance development and objective language development.

Interactional coherence in asynchronous learning networks: A rhetorical approach

Numerous studies have affirmed the value of asynchronous online communication as a learning resource. Several investigations, however, have indicated that discussions in asynchronous environments are often neither interactive nor coherent. The research reported sought to develop an enhanced understanding of interactional coherence, argumentation, and topic drift in asynchronous learning environments. Rhetorical structure theory (RST) was used to analyze and assess the coherence of several asynchronous discussions. Findings include that asynchronous discussions take the form of dynamic rhetorical structures which are continuously redefined as new messages are added to a thread, that argumentation may be more prevalent in some discussions than others, that topic drift does not seem to occur as a matter of chance, but rather topics are manipulated to suit the individual preferences of the participants, and that the use of threading differs considerably from one discussion group to another. By demonstrating the applicability of RST, argumentative analysis, and topic drift analysis to asynchronous discussion, this research provides a framework and a terminology for fine-grained analysis of interactional coherence. By showing the applicability of RST to asynchronous discussion, this study has offered evidence that essay assessment technology could be developed for evaluating the quality of online discussions. The development of rhetorical networks as a graph theory for representing the semantics of asynchronous interaction could lead to a richer knowledge representation technology for inter-agent collaboration.

Benefiting from Social Capital in Online Support Groups: An Empirical Study of Cancer Patients

With measures specific to the online cancer environment and data from an online survey of cancer patients, the current study finds support for the following model: asynchronous online communication --> social interaction --> social support --> positive health outcomes in terms of stress, depression, and coping. The findings suggest that the Internet can be a positive cyber venue for cancer patients as they confront illness, undergo treatment, and seek out support.

Strategic implications of asynchronous healthcare communication

Asynchronous online communication technologies are likely to cause major changes in the way patients and their healthcare providers communicate. Initially, these technologies will be applied to undemanding communication uses, such as requesting prescription refills. In the longer term, however, the technologies may provide strategic benefits to healthcare innovators. In this paper, we project changes that we expect to accompany the advent of asynchronous healthcare communication and propose several strategic opportunities that these changes will create.

Summarizing electronic discourse

AbstractThe explosion of available information on the Internet has fueled the demand for automatic methods of text summarization. Existing approaches have primarily focused on abstracting documents such as news articles or technical papers. In this article, we examine how to create summaries of on‐line asynchronous communication, in particular, discussion groups. First, we provide background on the nature of discussions as informal communication, and then we give a short history of computer conferencing and discussion systems. We then explain our approach to the problem and a set of observations and experiments we have done, putting our work in the context of research on automatic text summarization. We then describe a hierarchical discourse summarization algorithm and its implementation in system called Interactive Discussion Summarizer (IDS). We close with discussion and conclusions. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Changing Global Economy and the Future of English Teaching

This article analyzes the emergence of a new stage of global capitalism, called informationalism, and its consequences for English language teaching, focusing on three critical issues. First, globalization will result in the further spread of English as an international language and a shift of authority to nonnative speakers and dialects. This change will call into question basic notions of language, culture, context, and the relationship between ESL and EFL. Second, economic and employment trends will change the way English is used. Increasingly, nonnative speakers will need to use the language daily for presentation of complex ideas, international collaboration and negotiation, and location and critical interpretation of rapidly changing information. Finally, new information technologies will transform notions of literacy, making online navigation and research, interpretation and authoring of hypermedia, and synchronous and asynchronous on-line communication critical skills for learners of English. The above changes, taken together, will render ineffective curricula based strictly on syntactic or functional elements or narrowly defined tasks. Rather, project-based learning-incorporating situated practice and critical inquiry, and based on students' own cultural frameworks-will be required if students are to master the complex English literacy and communications skills required by the emerging informational economy and society. With the fast-paced changes brought about by globalization and technological development, TESOL professionals need to understand current socioeconomic factors and their influence on English language teaching (ELT). The industrial societies of the past are giving way to a new postindustrial economic order based on globalized manufacturing and distribution; flexible, customized production; the application of science, technology, and information management as the key elements of productivity and economy growth; and increased inequality between those who control technological and media resources and those who lack technological access and know-how (Carnoy, Castells, Cohen, &