online silence

Some thoughts on bits of the Benfield paper

Benfield reminds us that the pace of online discussions are significantly different to that of face-to-face and may span hours or days. Something you posted up which has not been responded to may not be being ignored, but instead has not yet been read if students are only accessing the course a couple of times a week. Student online silence is difficult to interpret, and reasons have to be actively sought. In face-to-face discussions it is common for a delay between asking the question and receiving a response - students need time for a variety of reasons. Likewise there will be a delay online whilst a student considers the question, the information they have to answer the question, and formulating an answer. Or a student may elect to not answer the question. I found this comment relevant:
"In fact, from the students' point of view, at least or until they are fully engaged with their learning material, the easiest thing for them to do with regard to online communication is ... nothing. Why boot up, log on, collect your thoughts, compose a message, revise and edit it, then post it? The investment in such an exercise is much larger than, say, making a remark twenty seconds long in a tutorial that no one will remember afterwards anyway."
So, from the student perspective the investment in online discussion is greater than making a quick comment in a face-to-face environment. The written word hence has more weight than the spoken word, perhaps because it is (temporarily at least) indelible.

The above is supported by Benfield's observations on the genuine anxiety that some students experience when making message board postings - students may have anxiety about the permanence of the postings. "Because online comments are written, they tend to be invested with a gravity greater than is the case with normal speech. If you 'say' something 'silly' online, it will stay there, for all to see, for everyone to reflect on. And you are reminded of it every time you visit that discussion area." However "one of the great advantages of the threaded discussion is the time it allows for reflection, and the possibility for editing/refinement of one’s remarks. For teacher and student, this can be either liberating or intimidating, or both, depending upon who you are and the context of your discussion." So, you have 2 attributes which could be seen as conflicting: one which allows you to take your time and compose your posts, and one which regards what you post in the public arena as more important than the spoken word. I wonder if students think that because the discussion tool affords the luxury of reflection that an ill-thought comment is interpreted as 'the best you were able to come up with'?

Important point: "This may mean that, for some students anyway, threaded discussions are not conducive to thinking out loud, to tossing out ideas for testing, to speculation. Students may be initially more inclined to weigh what they say, to be more 'guarded', than perhaps they would in ordinary conversation. Others may find that the time they get to reflect and compose their comments invests them with a power they don't ordinarily feel in face-to-face communication."

Given the anxiety that a student may have to overcome before posting a message it is hence important for the tutor to regularly check for new messages. "Failure to respond promptly to a student request or other communication could be catastrophic. It is disarming, even alarming, to invest the time to post a message and then get no response."