The biggest
success story in this realm has been that of time-delayed (asynchronous) communication.
Traditionally, time-delayed communication took place in education through the exchange of
homework, either in class or by mail (for more distant learners). Such time-delayed
exchange was often a rather impoverished form of conversation, typically limited to three
conversational turns:
The instructor
poses a question (a task).
The student
responds (with homework).
The instructor
responds some time later with comments and a grade.
The
conversation often ends there; by the time the grade or comment is received, the course
and student are off on new topics.
Now, however,
electronic mail, computer conferencing, and the World Wide Web increase opportunities for
students and faculty to converse and exchange work much more speedily than before, and
more thoughtfully and “safely” than when confronting each other in a classroom
or faculty office. Total communication increases and, for many students, the result seems
more intimate, protected, and convenient than the more intimidating demands of
face-to-face communication with faculty.