Group Behavior and Learning in Electronic Forums

1
Group Behavior and Learning in Electronic Forums

• -Kling and Courtright

2
Main Points

• Mis-use of term Communities
• Developing successful Communities of Practice

3
Types of Groups

• Purpose to learn
• Classes
• Workshops
• Associations
• Participation in an e-forum
• Listserv
• Distance ed
• Online auction

4
Model Developing a Community
CoP IT-Supported (e-ILF)
e-forum IT-lead (Initial Conceptions of ILF)
Moderator

• Encourage group formation by stimulating both
  online and off line activates

Trust
Bounded Groups
5
ILF Overview

• Goals
• Encourage reflective discussions
• Development of CoP
• Implementation
• To accomplish this the ILF must be capable of
  supporting a high level of trust-building and
  e-form

6
General Points to Ponder

• Internet model
• Standard vs. Socio-technical
• Subvert e-structures
• IT-led group vs. IT-supported group
• Community self-organizing (?), support,
  cooperative
• Term community used too loosely
• Use of Learning Communities (Riel, et.al.) leads
  to unrealistic expectations
• Taking risk ? Trust ?sharing of ideas
• Easier to create an online infrastructure vs.
  interactions b/w groups

7
Questions

• Are there other types of groups besides e-forum
  and learning?
• Could other conditions besides TRUST be used to
  develop a CoP?
• Does this approach ring true from our definition
  of community?
• How would you go about designing a community
  including Community (Kling), Learning
  communities, Legitimate Peripheral Participation?