Discussion Chat Research Articles

The Usage of a Chat-Based Help Service for Young People: A Nationwide Descriptive Study

Adolescents with subclinical depression are at high risk of developing mental disorders. Early interventions are effective but expensive. Affordable and accessible mental health services are needed. This multimethod study obtained its sample from the database of the Finnish national chat room service and describes the usage of the service among young people in Finland. All chats between 1.1-31.12.2018 were extracted and analysed using quantitative and qualitative methods. The usage frequency was analysed with descriptive statistics, while the specific content of the chat topics was first categorised with content analysis and then quantified and analysed using descriptive statistics. The association between the demographic characteristics and the usage were analysed. A total of 839 young people used chat room services. The great majority of the chat users were girls, and half were 12-14 years old. The use of the chat room varied in terms of the number of words and the duration of the chat discussions. Based on the chat room topics, young people had complex life situations with psychological distress, difficulties related to their social living environment, or they were involved in risky behaviour. The gender and the age of the users influenced their chat room usage. The results of this study can be used in the development of mental health services for young people.

Cross-partisan discussions reduced political polarization between UK voters, but less so when they disagreed

Can brief, unmoderated cross-partisan discussions reduce political polarization, even when partisans disagree on the issue under discussion? This article reports results from an experiment that matched 582 UK Labour and Conservative party voters for a ten-minute, unmoderated chat discussion about a contentious issue in a wait-list control design. Issue disagreement between discussing partisans randomly varied, and was visible throughout the discussion. Results show that after the discussion, out-partisan sympathy and willingness to have cross-partisan discussions increased. There was no statistically significant effect on opinions. The effect on sympathy was lower when partisans’ issue opinions were further apart. Treatment effects correlate with reported experiences of perspective-getting, inclusion in the discussion, commonality and reduced misperceptions. Conservative respondents about to discuss immigration softened their views just prior to the discussion.

CYBER MEDIA ANALYSIS IN DA'WAH THROUGH MOBILE LEGEND LIVE STREAMING ON YOUTUBE

Da'wah, or Islamic preaching, has expanded into cyber media. This article aims to analyze the use of cyber media for da'wah, focusing on media space, media documentation, and media objects, as exemplified by Ustaz Abi Azkakia's live streaming of Mobile Legends on YouTube. Utilizing a descriptive qualitative approach, the research incorporates literature studies, video documentation, and analysis of media features. The data findings reveal three key aspects: First, the optimization of YouTube as a media space by Ustaz Abi Azkakia for live streaming and uploading da'wah content, including features such as video uploads, shorts, and live streaming. Second, in terms of media documentation, Abi Azkakia effectively engages players by integrating worship and moral values into content, using visually appealing thumbnails, promoting polite behavior, facilitating live chat discussions, and advocating sincere, non-commercial donations. This approach includes personal narratives, stories of the Prophet and his companions, and references to the Al-Qur'an and Hadith. Third, regarding media objects, this article observes an interactivity trend with a modest increase in likes and comments, while the duration of content shows a fluctuating trend, and overall broadcast frequency tends to decrease.

Inform, Explain, or Control: Techniques to Adjust End-User Performance Expectations for a Conversational Agent Facilitating Group Chat Discussions

A conversational agent (CA) effectively facilitates online group discussions at scale. However, users may have expectations about how well the CA would perform that do not match with the actual performance, compromising technology acceptance. We built a facilitator CA that detects a member who has low contribution during a synchronous group chat discussion and asks the person to participate more. We designed three techniques to set end-user expectations about how accurately the CA identifies an under-contributing member: 1)information: explicitly communicating the accuracy of the detection algorithm, 2)explanation: providing an overview of the algorithm and the data used for the detection, and 3)adjustment: enabling users to gain a feeling of control over the algorithm. We conducted an online experiment with 163 crowdworkers in which each group completed a collaborative decision-making task and experienced one of the techniques. Through surveys and interviews, we found that the explanation technique was the most effective strategy overall as it reduced user embarrassment, increased the perceived intelligence of the CA, and helped users better understand the detection algorithm. In contrast, the information technique reduced members' contributions and the adjustment technique led to a more negative perceived discussion experience. We also discovered that the interactions with other team members diluted the effects of the techniques on users' performance expectations and acceptance of the CA. We discuss implications for better designing expectation-setting techniques for AI-team collaboration such as ways to improve collaborative decision outcomes and quality of contributions.

Communication Between Gamers in the Mobile Legends Bang Bang Online Game Group (Qualitative Descriptive Study of the WWE Company Mobile Legends Online Game Community)


 
 
 
 
 
 
 This qualitative research investigates the dynamics of group communication within the online game Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. The study aims to explore how effective communication and positive interactions among players can be fostered within the game, resulting in mutual understanding and cooperation. Employing a case study approach, the researcher conducted interviews with five Mobile Legends: Bang Bang players. Drawing on Laswell's communication theory, which encompasses the elements of who, says what, through which media, to whom, and with what effects, the study highlights the online communication capabilities provided by the game, such as chat and voice note features. Through these features, players can engage in effective online communication without the need for physical meetings. The research findings reveal that Mobile Legends: Bang Bang facilitates the formation of communities, allowing players to establish connections and build relationships beyond the game. The study concludes that despite the presence of in-game noise, the communication among gamers within a group is highly effective, with players predominantly utilizing chat features and symbols during gameplay for efficient communication. After each match, players further engage in voice chat discussions to analyze game outcomes and address challenges faced during gameplay. This research sheds light on the significance of effective communication in online gaming communities and highlights the potential for building strong player connections and fostering positive interactions in virtual environments
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Highlights:
 
 Effective communication: The study highlights the importance of effective communication in fostering collaboration and understanding among players in the online game Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
 Communication tools: The research identifies the significance of chat features and voice chat in facilitating communication and coordination during gameplay and post-match discussions.
 Building connections: The findings emphasize the potential of online gaming communities, such as Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, in enabling players to form relationships and establish connections beyond the virtual environment, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
 
 Keywords: Group communication, Online gaming, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Chat features, Voice chat

To Err is AI: Imperfect Interventions and Repair in a Conversational Agent Facilitating Group Chat Discussions

Conversational agents (CAs) can analyze online conversations using natural language techniques and effectively facilitate group discussions by sending supervisory messages. However, if a CA makes imperfect interventions, users may stop trusting the CA and discontinue using it. In this study, we demonstrate how inaccurate interventions of a CA and a conversational repair strategy can influence user acceptance of the CA, members' participation in the discussion, perceived discussion experience between the members, and group performance. We built a CA that encourages the participation of members with low contributions in an online chat discussion in which a small group (3-6 members) performs a decision-making task. Two types of errors can occur when detecting under-contributing members: 1) false-positive (FP) errors happen when the CA falsely identifies a member as under-contributing and 2) false-negative (FN) errors occur when the CA misses detecting an under-contributing member. We designed a conversational repair strategy that gives users a chance to contest the detection results and the agent sends a correctional message if an error is detected. Through an online study with 175 participants, we found that participants who received FN error messages reported higher acceptance of the CA and better discussion experience, but participated less compared to those who received FP error messages. The conversational repair strategy moderated the effect of errors such as improving the perceived discussion experience of participants who received FP error messages. Based on our findings, we offer design implications for which model should be selected by practitioners between high precision (i.e., fewer FP errors) and high recall (i.e., fewer FN errors) models depending on the desired effects. When frequent FP errors are expected, we suggest using the conversational repair strategy to improve the perceived discussion experience.

Smart Phone Chat Apps for Teaching and Assessment in Orthopaedic Residency Training.

Smart Phone Chat Apps (SPCA) is an integral part of people's daily routine including orthopaedic education. SPCA facilitates efficient communication and learner-based management especially now as remote flexible learning is becoming the new norm in this COVID-19 pandemic medical training. The study described the use of a chat app (Viber) as experienced by residents and consultants in the Section of Adult Orthopaedics of the institution of the principal author. It described the mode and dynamics of the chat discussion amongst its participants, its perceived usefulness in teaching and learning specifically its relevance and applicability, its potential as a supplementary assessment tool, as well as its perceived effects. This is a phenomenological study and strictly adhered to data privacy. The principal author conducted a participant observation of residents' three-month clinical rotation at the study site. Mobile phone screenshots of the chat interactions and focus group discussions with consultants and residents were done. Residents were also requested to complete a questionnaire. All qualitative data were iteratively content analysed and emerging themes were summarised using NViVO-12. Frequencies and percentage distribution were used to analyse quantitative data. Respondents included eleven senior, four junior residents, and nine consultants. Results show that SPCA is a useful, applicable, and relevant teaching and assessment tool. Influxes of multiple ideas per case were discussed real-time as the chat exchanges and interactions helped in the planning of the surgical management and eventual decision-making. SPCA also served as an effective surgical case log and online library, as well as an efficient, rapid, economical mode of information dissemination. The residents reported that it helped in developing their emotional maturity through self-reflection and self-criticism in the performance of their cases. The consultants concurred and added that they too were updated professionally in certain fields in orthopaedics. Conclusion: The SPCA is a helpful, relevant, and acceptable adjunct teaching and learning tool for clinical teaching and can be, to a certain extent, a supplementary formative assessment tool of the resident's communication skills, work ethics, initiative, and diligence.

How Should the Agent Communicate to the Group? Communication Strategies of a Conversational Agent in Group Chat Discussions

In online group discussions, balanced participation can improve the quality of discussion, members' satisfaction, and positive group dynamics. One approach to achieve balanced participation is to deploy a conversational agent (CA) that encourages participation of under-contributing members, and it is important to design communication strategies of the CA in a way that is supportive to the group. We implemented five communication strategies that a CA can use during a decision-making task in a small group synchronous chat discussion. The five strategies include messages sent to two types of recipients (@username vs. @everyone) crossed by two separate channels (public vs. private), and a peer-mediated strategy where the CA asks a peer to address the under-contributing member. Through an online study with 42 groups, we measured the balance of participation and perceptions about the CA by analyzing chat logs and survey responses. We found that the CA sending messages specifying an individual through a private channel is the most effective and preferred way to increase participation of under-contributing members. Participants also expressed that the peer-mediated strategy is a less intrusive and less embarrassing way of receiving the CA's messages compared to the conventional approach where the CA directly sends a message to the under-contributing member. Based on our findings, we discuss trade-offs of various communication strategies and explain design considerations for building an effective CA that adapts to different group dynamics and situations.

The Daily Dose: Utilizing WhatsApp to engage pharmacy students in clinical discussion

Background and purposeThere are many challenges associated with longitudinally applying therapeutic knowledge in the pharmacy curriculum. This study investigated student participation using the messaging platform, WhatsApp (Meta Platforms, Inc.), as a discussion-based platform for pharmacy students. Educational activity and settingThe created WhatsApp group chat discussion, “The Daily Dose,” was a longitudinal learning experience occurring during pharmacy students' last year of clinical rotations or third year of didactic learning. Students were asked daily clinical questions in the application and participation was primarily assessed. This study included a pre-survey, discussion participation assessment, and a post-survey. The surveys assessed student self-evaluations of their learning, clinical confidence levels, board preparedness, and program learning experience feedback. FindingsA total of 115 questions were asked and 37 students voluntarily joined. Students participated by responding to 97% of questions. Of the 37 students who joined, 81% were experiential education students and 19% were didactic education students. A moderator needed to prompt for participation for 34% of the questions. The majority of students (95%) learned something new. Experiential education students were more likely to participate than didactic education students. A moderator may be beneficial to keep the discussion active. Students' self-evaluations of clinical confidence and board preparedness increased after participating in The Daily Dose. SummaryThe Daily Dose is an innovative way to engage student discussion and reinforce pharmacy therapeutic knowledge. This tool could be expanded to use with multiple pharmacy learners.

Predicting students' intention to continue online learning post-COVID-19 pandemic: extension of the unified theory of acceptance and usage technology

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to predict the intention to continue online learning post the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic among students in the two largest universities of higher learning in Botswana. Furthermore, the purposes of this study are to elucidate the nexus between performance expectancy and continuance intention to establish the effects of efforts expectancy on continuance intention to investigate the relationship between social influence and continuance intention to determine the relationship between facilitating conditions and continuance intention and to examine the relationship between satisfaction and continuance intention using the extended unified theory of acceptance and usage technology (UTAUT) model postulated by Venkatesh et al. (2003).Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on the descriptive research design, using a structured questionnaire to collect quantitative data from 509 undergraduate and postgraduate students at Botswana's two major Universities using convenience sampling strategy. An online survey was used to gather primary data due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study employed correlation and regression analysis in testing the five hypothesized relationships.FindingsUsing the extended theory of UTAUT as a theoretical lens, the study found that: performance expectancy, social influence and satisfaction predict continuance intention of online learning services. These factors have shown to be good predictors of intention in previous research. Expectancy effort had no influence on intention.Research limitations/implicationsThe current study covered on only university students from two tertiary institutions; therefore, results cannot safely be generalized to the student population in the country. Therefore, future research should consider enlisting more universities to be more representative, focusing on lecturers, which is an important group in fostering online teaching that could have a spill-over effect on the students' continued online learning.Practical implicationsImplications for online technology selection: These findings suggest that although most universities temporarily adopted online teaching as an emergency solution, students appear to have felt that the outcomes delivered by the system improved their performance. This implies that academic institutions need to consider adjusting the curriculum to promote online learning in the future, whether there is pandemic or no pandemic. Implications for teaching and learning: First, the concept of social influence suggests that lecturers can make use of online chat discussion boards and rooms to foster student collaboration and a sense of community. Second, and finally online service providers should foster a close relationship with students to understand their expectations and extend the performance of their applications to satisfy their users.Originality/valueThis study contributes to literature on online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic period by including satisfaction and continuance intention to the original UTAUT model thus extending the practical value of the model. This study extends knowledge on the factors that determine continuance intention by incorporating satisfaction in addition to the four factors of the traditional UTAUT. The study provides evidence for the predominance of satisfaction over the four traditional factors in predicting intention to continue online learning among students.

Sharing dark sides on game service platforms: Disruptive behaviors and toxicity in DOTA2 through a platform lens

Toxicity continues to have a strong presence in online environments. This is particularly true for digital entertainment like online games. Toxicity is an important topic as it impacts game development, consumption, popularity, public perception, and player health and well-being. Most of the existing literature on toxicity in gaming is descriptive and exploratory; it often sets out to map milestones and inherent drivers of toxicity. In this article, an alternative perspective is advanced, drawing from a foundation in media and culture studies. Data (streaming online chat, user-generated content, and forum discussions) were collected daily for 4 weeks from Twitch.tv and Steam channels about the popular online game DOTA 2. Results were processed with a content analysis relying on the driving concepts of toxicity and social affordance. The case study and related platforms were selected for their relevance and pertinence with the theme addressed. Findings point to peculiar interactive patterns in framing, supporting, and overturning toxicity and resulting harassment in these extended settings. Implications are noteworthy for scholars and practitioners who intend to shed light on how diffused audiences negotiate toxicity in digital gaming and beyond.

HIV-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, Behaviors and Experiences of Kenyan Adolescents Living with HIV Revealed in WhatsApp Group Chats.

Introduction:Mobile technologies represent a scalable platform for delivering knowledge and interventions targeting adolescents living with HIV (ALWH) in low and middle income countries. Data from mobile interventions can be used to assess the contextual understanding and experiences of ALWH.Methods:We examined HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and experiences of Kenyan ALWH revealed in the contextual data from enrollment in a WhatsApp® group chat intervention.Results:Thirty ALWH (17 female, mean age 15.4) on ART, engaged in HIV care and aware of their status, were enrolled. Qualitative analysis of WhatsApp® chat discussions identified a gap in HIV knowledge, high medication-taking literacy, need for mental health support and significant barriers to adherence. Participants discussed challenges with HIV stigma and medication-taking in the school setting.Conclusion:These discussions demonstrate a need for education on HIV topics, mental health support for ALWH, and interventions for stigma mitigation in the school setting.

"Kuuluuko täältä, kuuluuko nyt?": Tohtoriopiskelijoiden verkkovälitteisen kirjoitusopetuksen ongelmatilanteiden neksusanalyysi

Tässä tutkimuksessa selvitimme, millaisia ongelmatilanteita tohtoriopiskelijoiden monikanavaiseen seminaaritoimintaan sisältyi. Lisäksi tutkimme, millaisia seurauksia tilanteista aiheutui. Tutkimuksen teoreettismetodologisena viitekehyksenä käytimme neksusanalyysiä (Scollon & Scollon, 2004). Tutkimusaineistomme koostui tohtoriopiskelijoille järjestettyjen ”kirjoitusklinikoiden” aikana tehdyistä etnografisista havainnoista, klinikoissa käytetyn AdobeConnectin välityksellä käydyistä chat-keskusteluista, klinikoihin liittyvistä Yammer-keskusteluista sekä tohtoriopiskelijoille ja ohjaajille suunnatun verkkokyselyn tuloksista. Analyysimme perusteella tunnistimme kolme laajempaa kategoriaa, joihin tutkitun kontekstin ongelmatilanteet liittyivät: teknologia, toimijat ja kieli. Ongelmatilanteet veivät aikaa pois käsiteltävältä asialta, vaikeuttivat osallistumista, estivät sen kokonaan, vaikuttivat osallistumisen mielekkyyteen tai koettuun hyödyllisyyteen ja aiheuttivat muita negatiivisia tuntemuksia osallistujissa. Tutkimus ja sen tulokset siirtävät huomion siihen, mitä tapahtuu, kun haluttu tai odotettu välitteinen sosiaalinen toiminta jostain syystä estyy ja auttaa siten suunnittelemaan sitä, miten monikanavaista seminaaritoimintaa voitaisi tohtoriopinnoissa sekä muussa yliopisto-opetuksessa kehittää.

COVID-19 and Educational Engagement

COVID-19 and Educational Engagement

Chat now… Examining the variables influencing the use of online live chat

This paper advances our theoretical understanding of online service delivery with regard to live chat technology. Online customer support via live chat offers customers a way in which they can interact with service personnel in the online environment. Through the use of an online questionnaire and conducting structural equation modelling, the aim of this research is to understand the variables directly influencing the use of a live chat function with a customer service representative during use of a website. The findings outline eight variables that motivate the use of live chat, accounting for 71% explained variance. The research illustrates the variables influencing such use is dependent on the context for initiating the chat discussion, namely for search/navigation support or decision support. This paper offers key managerial implications, highlighting the importance of offering customers a live chat function and why website users are motivated to use live chat. The paper illustrates the role of online live chat as a service recovery tool and a service feedback tool.

What drives alignment during text chat with a peer vs. a tutor? Insights from cued interviews and eye-tracking

Alignment refers to the largely automatic tendency of interlocutors to re-use each other’s language patterns in the course of authentic interaction (Pickering & Garrod, 2004). However, little is known about alignment during L2 interaction, where recycling of a partner’s language - in contrast to L1 conversations - might be a more conscious, strategic behaviour (Costa, Pickering & Sorace, 2008). In this paper we explore attention and awareness of L2 speakers to their partner’s language use during digitally mediated communication (text chat) and see whether and how they re-use each other’s lexical phrases. Twelve English-L1 learners of L2 German participated in a task-based text chat discussion. Participants communicated under two different conditions: with a native speaker tutor vs. with a language learning peer. Three data sources were scrutinised: (1) chatlog analyses looked for re-used lexical phrases; (2) eye-gaze fixations on re-used text served as measures of attention; (3) awareness of language re-use was evaluated by means of cued interviews. Results reveal both unaware and strategic alignment; more of it happening in the tutor chat; and more advanced students being less inclined to copy their partner. Findings will be discussed in light of Costa et al.’s (2008) framework on L2 alignment.

Detecting Topics of Chat Discussions in A Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) Environment

Learning groups' conversations in computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments result in significant information regarding the content of the course. This information is beneficial for instructors to analyze learners' activities during their collaboration process. In understanding these activities and performance of learners, the topic of conversation is important. The purpose of the study is to detect topics of chat discussions conducted by groups of learners while collaboratively studying in an online CSCL environment called Virtual Math Teams (VMT). We implemented the study in the context of a graduate level course during one term in a large state university in Turkey. Participants are MSc and PhD students registered to the course and divided over five groups of three students. We combined and employed methods of data mining, social network analysis, and topic detection to identify topics of learners' discussions. Our data analysis process aims to identify the task related topics occurred in chat discussion of learning teams. In our analysis we followed the stages of data preprocessing, segmentation analysis, and topic detection. Our purpose with the preprocessing stage was eliminating improper data for the main analysis and making the data ready for analysis stage. Therefore, our final corpus was shaped to involve 95% of initial chat messages. Segmentation analysis aims to explore organization of chat discussion and divides the chat logs into more manageable units according to their corresponding contents. In total, we resulted 294 segments including task related and non-task related ones. The topic detection analysis explored the content of chat segments and revealed the major subject of discussions with the use of latent semantic analysis, which is applied to find content similarity among segments and indicative words produced through the use of two mode network analysis.

Changing attitudes to childhood immunisation in English parents

BackgroundSustained vaccine coverage is essential to protect the population against vaccine-preventable diseases. It requires high level of confidence in the national vaccine programme.AimWe surveyed parental attitudes to childhood vaccinations in 2015 and compared them to attitudes in the previous 10 years.MethodWe randomly selected 275 locations in England. Interviewers identified eligible carers of children aged <5 years and interviewed them. The questionnaire covered all aspects of the immunisation process, vaccines administered in pregnancy and from infancy to pre-school with a maximum of 86 mixed questions.Results1792 parents were interviewed. Confidence in the vaccination programme was high. Only 2% of parents reported refusing vaccination whilst 90% reported vaccinating their children automatically when due. 97% of parents consulted web-based resources for information on vaccination. Parents who used chat rooms or discussion forums for this purpose were significantly more likely to say they had seen something that would make them doubt having their child(ren) immunized (31% compared to 8% amongst all parents). Health professionals and the NHS were seen as the most trusted source of advice on immunisation (90% agreed/strongly agreed with each). Very few parents did not trust these sources (4% and 3% disagreed, respectively).ConclusionHealth professionals remain extremely important in communicating information about vaccination and are highly trusted by parents; a trust that has increased in recent years. Despite most parents seeking information on the Internet, trust in and advice from health care professionals appeared to be key factors influencing parental decisions.

Experience of an online course on sexuality during pregnancy for residents

ObjectiveMany obstetrics and gynecology (Ob/Gyn) residents report insufficient knowledge about female sexuality and this has a negative impact on their capacity to manage their patients. The aim of this study was to describe an online course about sexuality during pregnancy for Brazilian Ob/Gyn residents and evaluate their knowledge acquisition. MethodsThis longitudinal educational intervention study involved 219 Brazilian Ob/Gyn residents. The online course lasted 24h (10 video lectures and discussion chats). Upon enrollment, the participants answered a questionnaire in regard to their training, attitudes and practices about sexuality during pregnancy. Participants’ knowledge acquisition was assessed using a pre- and post-course test about sexuality during pregnancy. At the end of the course, participants were asked to evaluate their educational experience. Student’s t and chi-square tests were used to analyze the pre- and post-course test scores. P values<0.05 were considered statistically significant. ResultsA total of 143 Ob/Gyns (65.3% of those enrolled) completed the course. At baseline, most participants reported that they did not have any sexology classes as undergraduates (62.5%) or in their residency (52.1%), and that they lacked specific knowledge in this area to manage their patients. Mean test scores increased significantly at the end of the course: 4.4 (±1.6) versus 6.0 (±1.3) (out of a maximum score of 10), before and after the course, respectively (p<0.0001). Most of the residents rated the overall quality of the course as “higher than expected”. ConclusionAn online course for Ob/Gyn residents was associated with a significant increase in knowledge about sexuality during pregnancy.

Professionalization and trust in public sector interpreting.

&lt;p&gt;This article approaches interpreting in the public sector or “community” from the vantage point of the sociology of professions. The aim is to examine the interpreter function in light of the process of professionalization and concepts such as professional trust and the exercise of discretion. How well&lt;br /&gt;does the interpreter function fulfill the criteria of being a profession? What is holding the process of professionalization back? In exploring these issues, I observe the interpreter function through the prism of a model of professionalization outlined by a group of Scandinavian sociologists (Molander &amp;amp;&lt;br /&gt;Terum, 2008; Grimen 2008ab; Grimen &amp;amp; Molander, 2008). The model divides professionalization into performative and organizational aspects. What is the professional status of the interpreter in the public sector in terms of these aspects? The empirical data originate from chat discussions where students&lt;br /&gt;with different working languages (WL) who are going through a blended course (30 ECTS) on interpreting, discuss issues of professionalization. The analysis shows that the interpreter function fulfills the criteria of the performative aspect, while the organizational aspect is less developed.&lt;/p&gt;