Linear text display tools - the concept

McAllister et al (2004) point out that the text based chat was first developed from the synchronous messaging capability of IRC (Chat). Here the ‘chat’ is seen as communication which is threaded and each message is a response to the previous one. Despite the fact that the communication is textual, it is closest to face to face conversation and so more likely to be ‘engaging, animated and enjoyable’ (McAllister et al 2004, pp 195) when compared to indirect and asynchronous communication. 

This immediacy and mirroring of verbal communication are the strengths of the synchronous text based dialogue (Williams 2006). However, fact that the display of the text is linear and with the delay due to typing time, the reply messages get separated from the antecedent messages with communications from other participants (Garcia and Jacobs1999, McAllister et al 2004, Williams 2006) can be a limitation. This, Herring (1999), calls sequential incoherence which can make it difficult for the learners to follow conversation themes. There is pressure to be the first poster to be as near to the antecedent message as possible. Therefore there is no visual coherence to the arguments of the participants. This is seen within the chat tools provided in the most popular of the learning management systems like Blackboard and WebCT. 

McAllister et al (2004) identify that ‘AcademicTalk’ has adapted the tool to show two viewing panes, where one shows the last messages of any theme of discussion and the second can show the selected theme in its entirety.  This, they say, offers the opportunity of reflective response which is the strength of asynchronous discussion. The tool such as AcademicTalk appears to be very structured as it gives the facilitator guidance of using set openers. This was the tool which formed the basis of InterLoc which will be reviewed in a later blog.

When using text based tools there is a need to prepare the students towards the use of the tool as well as the topic and motivate them to participate in a critical discussion.  During the online discussion the learners are expected to debate, elaborate, explore and construct knowledge. This debating is also identified as argumentation to develop knowledge.  The role of the facilitator in the use of this tool is one of management. (McAllister et al 2004) The facilitator sets the debate with the appropriate question, ensuring the topic is covered broadly, moves the discussion on and eventually consolidates and summarises the discussion. All these activities of the facilitator thus relate to the cognitive, teacher and social presence online.