Computer-mediated discussion groups can help establish a community of learners in large lecture classes. They can enable all students to have a voice in class discussions. They can give students the opportunity to write about what they are learning and share ideas with other students. Here are some suggestions for using computer-mediated communication to enhance and expand classroom discussions.

• Become familiar with the campus technology resources that can help facilitate electronic communication:
• Campus supported resources:
• Townhall http://www.irc.gmu.edu/townhall/default.asp
• Web CT http://www.irc.gmu.edu/WebCT/default.asp
• Education and Technology Resources: http://mason.gmu.edu/~montecin/resources.htm

 
• Introduce students to how to use the technology needed to accomplish your learning goals, and/or steer them to the appropriate written or web-based resources. Ideally they should get some hands on practice if they are new to the technology.

 
• Establish guidelines for etiquette. Discourage "flaming," encourage openness to others' views, model appropriate responses. The "intimacy/distance" paradox of e-mail communications can help break down boundaries and can elicit more frank and sometimes "out of bounds" comments - so "netiquette" rules need to be established. Consider whether or not using pseudonyms is advisable. Anonymity has its plusses and minuses. If there is no reward through a participation or assignment grade, students will most likely not participate at an acceptable level.

 
• Set clear guidelines for the topics of the discussion * possibly frame the discussion with questions you devise as a starting point, or engage students in coming up with a list of discussion questions. Are you looking at the students' contributions as "oral" or "written" communications. Are you expecting spontaneous contributions in which writing style or typical "e-mail errors" will be overlooked, or should their submissions be edited first before posting? The "intimacy/distance" paradox of e-mail communications can elicit more frank and sometimes "out of bounds" comments - so rules about what is acceptable need to be established.

 
• Set some guidelines for what you expect from each student - for example, how many points of discussion are the minimum required for the student to receive either credit for class participation or credit for the assignment? Do you want students to not only post their text, but also respond the a certain number of other responses or responses from different perspectives? Will their be an individual or group written assignment or an HTML document produced by students?

 
• Set a time frame for the discussion - Expecting students to all log on within a narrow time frame may be unrealistic. Give them plenty of advance notice.

 
• Make participation mandatory, either through a participation grade or an assignment grade.

Possible computer-mediated approaches

• class e-mail distribution list

• small group e-mail distribution list (for ex. by various subtopics on a main theme). Students in small groups could summarize discussion for full class e-mail list.)

 
• class newsgroup

• listserv (an e-mail list with subscribers - addresses don't reside in your address book)

 
• web-based class or across-the-classes newsgroup/bulletin board/chat rooms

• Whole class e-mail distribution list - volume of information less manageable, not threaded. Relatively private, discussion takes up space in faculty and student e-mail accounts, easy access, requires no high end technology, generally faster than web-based discussion. Across-the-classes (more than one section)or "across-the-curriculum" distribution list increases the problems with manageability of information and list. Doesn't need a web-based browser.

 
• Class divided into small group e-mail discussion lists still relatively private, makes information and discussion more manageable. Still takes up space in individual e-mail accounts.

 
• Newsgroup (non web-based) can be class-based or across-the-classes. Information not private, resides in an archive - does not take up space on individual e-mail accounts. Newsgroups via mason a bit "clunky." Does not need a web browser. Relatively easy to check participation and access discussion.

 
• Web-based bulletin board/chat rooms - class-based or across-the-classes.

Easy to access discussion (with web browser capability) and readily see participation. You and students can embed hypertext documents and links in the messages.