A Framework for Technology Selection in a Web-based Distance Education Environment: Supporting Community-Building through Richer Interaction Opportunities

摘要

Librarianship, as a profession, relies upon a strong network of colleagues outside the institution for collaboration. The seeds for this collaborative culture are planted in library school; however, in an online environment the challenges are greater when creating that sense of community. By supporting more ways to allow students, faculty, staff, and alumni to communicate in a distance education environment, the sense of community of the school can be raised. This community building can be done either within the confines of a course (internal) or outside the course structure (external). In both cases, the concept is the same—develop more pathways through a "communication scaffold" that allow individuals who are part of the community of the school to connect. There are three dimensions to consider in developing this scaffold: Synchronous vs. Asynchronous; Facilitated vs. Non-Facilitated; and 1-way vs. 2-way. By being conscious of these choices, those working to improve interaction can try to incorporate different types of experiences in order to encourage a larger group of people to participate.