[quoting Vogel, 27 Jan 95] I have a limited amount of time to devote to keeping current and exploring new directions in instructional design. A year ago even there was much less traffic on all the lists I read and a fair proportion of chit chat was tolerable, and even welcome. Now I wish everyone would stay on task.
Ah, but as new discussants arrive in this electronic classroom, they must also have the opportunity to establish their own role and influence in the distance learning culture. It is no surprise that the class is getting noisier, and that some time is required to get "on task." The relevant tasks are emergent and exist in a "perfect market" of ideas in this medium.
Perhaps this is an argument for the development of "beginning" and "advanced" discussion groups. Is there a continuum of cultural maturity in this medium, as there is in so many other social settings? If there are developmental stages of list participation, then perhaps the matriculation of the participants could be in a fashion consistent with the medium. Perhaps moderators could evaluate comments and submit them to various levels of list discussions. Perhaps sub-lists could include social discussion groups and networking groups as well as the pedagogical.
This may be self limiting, like the Citizen Band (CB) radio craze of a few years ago. At one time nearly everyone, it seemed, had a CB radio. Now they have an account on the Internet. Hmm, That sounds more provocative than intended, but I'll let it stand. Just trying to get back on task.
A difference between the culture of lists and CBs is the number of channels. There are nearly endless information channels on the Internet. The problem is that the organization of those channels is still uncertain.