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Backchannel Research Proposal
I swear to God, I will be royally pissed if I get scooped on this proposal, but here is the first seed of what I have been kicking around ... this is the first time I have felt nervous for sharing an idea for fear I will be scooped. Maybe my good buddy Dave C will start the Backchannel Project :)
This proposed study explores the effect of web conferencing backchannel text chat interactions on learners’ feelings of immediacy and social presence in the distance learning classroom, focusing on the text based backchannel communication that occurs as parallel communication with live main channel instructional presentation. Most current distance learning web conferencing interfaces include options for voice, audio, and text based interactions. While voice and audio interactions tend to facilitate the main channel instructional presentation in the web conferencing environment, the text chat feature often supports spontaneous and unfacilitated backchannel (sidebar or side-talk) exchanges among participants. Little previous research has incorporated these unfacilitated conversations and exchanges which occur as parallel communication during the instructional presentation. This lack of research leaves nagging unanswered questions for distance learning practitioners. Overall, what effect does this parallel communication channel have on the learners within the learning environment? Does the backchannel interaction make the learners feel more or less connected to what is occurring in the main communication channel? Do the conversations tend to be “on point” and supportive of what is occurring in the main channel? If not, should an instructor consider an unstructured and unfacilitated backchannel conversation a disruptive virtual note passing distraction that should be discouraged? Or, from different vantage point, should the backchannel, whether on topic with the main channel or not, be used as a tool to gauge and foster the learners’ presence with the main channel communication?
This proposed study explores the effect of web conferencing backchannel text chat interactions on learners’ feelings of immediacy and social presence in the distance learning classroom, focusing on the text based backchannel communication that occurs as parallel communication with live main channel instructional presentation. Most current distance learning web conferencing interfaces include options for voice, audio, and text based interactions. While voice and audio interactions tend to facilitate the main channel instructional presentation in the web conferencing environment, the text chat feature often supports spontaneous and unfacilitated backchannel (sidebar or side-talk) exchanges among participants. Little previous research has incorporated these unfacilitated conversations and exchanges which occur as parallel communication during the instructional presentation. This lack of research leaves nagging unanswered questions for distance learning practitioners. Overall, what effect does this parallel communication channel have on the learners within the learning environment? Does the backchannel interaction make the learners feel more or less connected to what is occurring in the main communication channel? Do the conversations tend to be “on point” and supportive of what is occurring in the main channel? If not, should an instructor consider an unstructured and unfacilitated backchannel conversation a disruptive virtual note passing distraction that should be discouraged? Or, from different vantage point, should the backchannel, whether on topic with the main channel or not, be used as a tool to gauge and foster the learners’ presence with the main channel communication?
| Attachment | Size |
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| ELS 833 Maddrell Proposed Topic of Research v2.docx | 20.39 KB |
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