Week Two - Topic 2: Analysis of web forums and blogs

Is the asynchronous online seminar doing what we would normally in a seminar online, or does this shift online change the nature of the communication and potentially the nature of your learning?

Taking navigation into consideration, the web forum is a kind of online conversation. One person posts a question and others have the option to reply to it. Asking questions is what we would normally do in a seminar, however the nature of the communication changes as response isn’t necessarily like it would be IRL.

In terms of how people express themselves in web forums and blogs, there can be a change with some people whilst there isn’t with others. Some bloggers may express themselves as a more exaggerated person, or even a different person altogether. As students undertaking the New Media Cultures unit, the way they express themselves is most likely how they would IRL. Taking turns in the online forums is simply a matter of who posts and comments first.

The interaction of the forums and blogs compared to seminars has both positive and negative aspects. The forums/blogs are good for interaction between the group as a whole. Everybody can see everybody else’s questions and issues and provides interaction between people who may not usually communicate in seminars. However, this depends on the forums/blogs being used regularly enough. The interaction in face-to-face seminars is quicker, as everybody is present at the same time.

In terms of authority a seminar IRL is ‘controlled’ by the seminar tutor; they have the authority over the group. This differs slightly to the asynchronous online seminar as although the groups tutor still has authority, there is more of an ‘informal’ feel to it. No-one is literally presiding over the conversation even though tutors can read and comment on students communication in the forum.

I think after the initial seminar about setting up and using the blogs / forums I have the media literacy to be a user of them, but not and advanced user. Having never used blogs or forums before this type of communication is relatively new to me. This doesn’t make me feel like I have a disadvantage as such, just that confidence to be an ‘advanced user’ of blogs/forums will come with practice.