The Text-Based Computer-Mediated Communication in Distance Education Fora: A Modelling Approach Based on Formal Languages

摘要

Electronic asynchronous discussion fora arc increasingly becoming part of the distance education process and are a dynamically evolving field which needs to be constantly updated and redefined. This chapter presents a system development approach for automated interpretation of discussion threads' messages in asynchronous distance education fora by using the content category as unit of analysis. This system inputs discussion threads from distance education fora and outputs specific strings representing the messages of these threads according to concrete modelling based in a formal language.