Podcasting and Really Simple Syndication (RSS)

The simple nature of podcasting and Really Simple Syndication (RSS) belies the power for change embodied in them, either singly or in tandem. On the surface, podcasting is merely the recording of an audio file in MP3 format for sharing on the Internet, an MP3 player or some other device; this chapter covers the history and technical aspects of that process. Podcasting and the RSS feeds that keep consumers of podcasting connected to the source are examined as part of a larger movement in computer mediated collaboration that centers on mobility, immediacy, and interactivity. Podcasting, as a personal tool or an organizationally managed one is examined in terms of types of podcasts, their current applications and future trends that can be anticipated in their use..

Turn Taking in E-Mail Discussions

This chapter investigates turn taking in naturally occurring e-mail discussions. In e-mail discussions, participants can self select to contribute at any time, turns cannot be interrupted, and adjacency cannot be guaranteed. However, participants engage in recognisable discussions and “speaker” change occurs. Patterns of turn taking can be observed in the data, and there are many parallels with spoken conversation. In e-mail discussions, the current participant may select a new participant, and those selected usually respond; participants may self select (the most common method of turn taking); and the current participant may choose to continue, either by writing an extended turn or by sending separate consecutive messages. Response is not obligatory unless a respondent has been specified. There is no priority system through which a change of participant takes priority. Because there is less pressure toward current speaker selects last, the system encourages multiple participants to engage in the discussion.

Seek and Ye Shall Find

This chapter proposes that search engines apply a verticalizing pressure on the WWW many-to-many information distribution model, forcing this to revert to a distributive model similar to that of the mass media. The argument for this starts with a critical descriptive examination of the history of search mechanisms for the Internet. Parallel to this there is a discussion of the increasing ties between the search engines and the advertising market. The chapter then presents questions concerning the concentration of traffic on the Web around a small number of search engines which are in the hands of an equally limited number of enterprises. This reality is accentuated by the confidence that users place in the search engine and by the ongoing acquisition of collaborative systems and smaller players by the large search engines. This scenario demonstrates the verticalizing pressure that the search engines apply to the majority of WWW users, that bring it back toward the mass distribution mode.

The Impact of Personality on Virtual Team Creativity and Quality

A series of experiments investigated creativity and quality of work-product solutions in virtual teams (Ocker, forthcoming; Ocker, 2005; Ocker & Fjermestad, 1998; Ocker et al., 1998; 1996). Across experiments, small teams with about five graduate students interacted for approximately two weeks to determine the high-level requirements and design for a computerized post office (Goel, 1989; Olson et al., 1993). The means of interaction was manipulated in these experiments such that teams interacted via one of the following treatments: (1) asynchronous computer-medicated communication (CMC), (2) synchronous CMC, (3) asynchronous CMC interspersed with face-to-face (FtF) meetings, or (4) a series of traditional FtF meetings without any electronic communication. A repeated finding across experiments was that teams interacting only using asynchronous CMC – that is, teams without any FtF or synchronous communication -- produced significantly more creative results than teams in the other treatments. Additionally, asynchronous virtual teams rated high in creativity were generally not the same teams that were judged high in terms of the quality of their deliverable. To further examine these findings, this chapter presents results of an exploratory study designed to investigate the impact of individual personality facets on team outcomes. The objective of this study is to determine whether differences in team outcomes – in terms of the level of creativity versus the quality of the team deliverable – can be predicted by individual member personality.no abstract

An Analysis of a Decade of Research Published in the "Journal of Computer Mediated Communication"

This chapter explores how, in a single decade (1995-2005), research into computer-mediated communication (CMC) has evolved by examining the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication (JCMC). JCMC is a peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary, open-access electronic journal that publishes primarily empirical research and presents a significant body of work falling under the rubric of CMC. JCMC has published diverse scholarly articles that further researchers’ and practitioners’ knowledge and understanding of CMC. This chapter synthesizes the research results presented in JCMC during its first 10 years of publication, examining the topics, methodologies, and populations utilized in those articles as well as an interpretation of the trends present in the research. Within the 279 articles analyzed, nine major categories of sample populations and eight different broad research methods were determined, and eleven broad categories of inquiry and scholarship were identified. There was no indication of any clear trends in CMC research.

Accessible Design for Communication on the Web

Web site design that does not conform to emerging accessibility standards and legislation will be increasingly under attack. In order to facilitate Web-based computer mediated communication to the disabled, extensive guidelines and laws are now in place to guide designers of content, development tools and devices and software used by those with disabilities. This chapter discusses accessibility guidelines in general and then outlines the two major efforts to ensure the accessibility of information through the Web: the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and Section 508 of the American Rehabilitation Act. Then, it will show the means by which content is evaluated for its accessibility. Finally, it will give an overview design practice that produces accessible content for consumption on the Web.

Knowledge Communication with Shared Databases

Addressing knowledge communication with shared databases, this chapter focuses on an asynchronous, many-to-many type of computer-mediated communication (CMC). After an introduction, which characterizes this kind of CMC and provides definitions, various aspects are discussed that influence people’s behavior in knowledge communication with shared databases. This presentation focuses on psychological rather than on technological factors. The first aspect presented is the influence of anonymity and identifiability, followed by the impact of metaknowledge. Next, costs and bonus systems, and then feedback and guidelines are discussed. Other aspects which are considered are group size and participant personality. For each of these influencing factors, underlying theoretical approaches as well as empirical results are presented. Subsequently, these considerations and findings are examined with respect to their practical applications. In conclusion, future trends in database-oriented knowledge communication are discussed.

Virtual Collaboration in Immersive and Non-Immersive Virtual Environments

This chapter reviews contemporary research on virtual collaboration. In particular, we focus on synchronous communication and collaboration processes in virtual conferencing environments. In a virtual conference, interactants are geographically distant but their avatars (virtual representations) appear in the same virtual conference room. Two types of virtual collaboration are examined. First, we review new findings on research in immersive virtual conferencing. Next, we review recent findings on social interaction in non-immersive virtual conferencing. Specifically, we examine the impact of social interaction on these communication technologies. Finally, we conclude with speculation about the future trends in virtual collaboration.

The Psychology of Personal Web Sites

This chapter reviews psychological research on personal Web sites, on their owners and on the effects personal Web sites may have on visitors. Personal Web sites were conceptualized as media for self-presentation and identity construction. Converging evidence is reported with regard to the elements found on Web sites and to the demographics, personality characteristics, intentions and self-presentational goals of their owners. The popular and somewhat intuitive notion that Web sites are narcissistic media or platforms for vanity and exhibitionism does not apply to the average Web site owner. Empirical findings on personality expressions of Web site owners and personality impressions people form after a brief visit of the sites are presented. Initial results show that objective features of personal Web sites are associated with self and visitor-rated personality traits of the owners. It is concluded that more longitudinal research is needed to fully understand the dynamics of identity management on personal Web sites.

CMC and E-Mentoring in Midwifery

A mentoring relationship is one in which an experienced person or mentor supports a less experienced person or mentee. E-mentoring is an alternative to traditional face-to-face mentoring incorporating the use of computer-mediated communication (CMC). Currently, e-mentoring is not commonly practiced by New Zealand midwives; however there is some interest in its potential especially as it may overcome geographical isolation which increases access to mentors. This chapter will describe the experiences of one New Zealand midwife who mentored two new graduate midwives in 2006 using a secure storeand- forward e-mail system. This chapter explores how CMC was utilized to facilitate the elements of the mentor’s role as well as reports on the experiences of the mentor and mentee.