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This study is first step toward being able to determining whether non-posting participation in online discussion, such as reading and reflecting, impact student learning. In turn, the answer to this question may lead to establishing methods of learning and assessment for online discussion activities that may be used on a widespread basis.

This approach may actually be ideal for learners who are grappling with a new topic because it lowers their cognitive and emotional load, taking the pressure off them to somehow perform or articulate and instead allowing them to focus on the content itself (McKendree, Stenning, Mayes, Lee, & Cox, 1998).

The concept of community voyeurs also may make some active participants feel uneasy.

Students who posted messages solely to meet course requirements and who did not read more than the bare minimum required to post were unlikely to feel like the discussion was a meaningful learning activity.

However, students who engaged in non-posting participation – such as reading messages to find a model and point of entry into the conversation and returning to review ideas raised in earlier discussion – tended to also indicate that the discussion activity was worthwhile.

  “Friending” the students raised some privacy concerns for me and for my students. Suddenly, we could see the everyday things that we were posting to Facebook. According to a survey conducted by Tammy Swenson Lepper, students are uncomfortable with authority figures making judgments about them based on their “private” Facebook communications, regardless of the pubic availability of this information (183-184)

Facebook and Twitter are easier to manage on mobile devices and are familiar interfaces.

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advanced features, such as group video calls, require users to pay a fee and upgrade to a premium account to get the service. Calling fees vary depending on the countries the user calls and the amount of time spent on calls. Subscribing to a premium account, which will allow users to use services such as group video chats, currently costs US$59.88 for 12 months. US$4.99 per month is not very expensive.

Limitations Although Skype and Skype in the classroom provide an intriguing option for language teaching and learning, there are some limitations as well. First, there are minimum download/upload speeds required for using Skype. For example, video calling and screen sharing require 128kbps/128kbps as the minimum download/upload speed; group video calling requires 4Mbps/128kbps as the minimum download/upload speed. Therefore, Skype users need to check whether their Internet connection meets such requirements to avoid video and audio lag during Skype lessons.

Second, Skype and Skype in the classroom promote authentic learning. According to Lombardi (2007), authentic learning emphasizes “real-world, complex problems and their solutions, using role-playing exercises, problem-based activities, case studies, and participation in a virtual community of practice” (p.2). Thus, authentic learning happens as learners participate in real-world relevant tasks that require their judgment to distinguish information, patience to participate, ability to adapt themselves to unfamiliar contexts, and flexibility to work with people from different cultures. In this view, Skype and Skype in the classroom allow language teachers and learners to participate in a context of authentic learning.

The ACTIONS model, proposed by Bates (1995), is a practical guide for educators and policymakers to select and evaluate the use of technologies for teaching and learning. The ACTIONS model involves the following criteria: Access: How accessible is a particular technology for learners? Costs: What is the cost structure of a particular technology? Teaching and learning: How does a particular technology support teaching and learning? Interactivity and user-friendliness: How does a particular technology facilitate interaction among learners? How easy is a particular technology to use? Organizational issues: Are any class organizational changes needed? Novelty: How new is this particular technology? Speed: How quickly can courses be taught and learned via this particular technology?

Ferriter says more students participate more actively in digital discussions than in the classroom.

"If you don't have a microphone on your computer, you can use a telephone to comment. If you're in the classroom and don't have either, you can use text if you need to, or webcam commenting.

video doodling

I am collecting examples of how educators are using Voicethread in their classroom or for professional development on a wiki at: http://voicethread4education.wikispaces.com/

Ed.VoiceThread.com, a secure site just for educators and their students