Compared to many other fields of research, computer-mediated communication is a relatively new field even though the amount of research being done in this area is growing exponentially. Early research was done by scholars in technological areas and social research and later linguists began taking an interest in how the technology was affecting the language. A number of studies, among others Ylva Hård af Segerstad (2002) have come to the conclusion that firstly CMC cannot be treated as a single genre and that the language used is affected by a number of factors, not all of which are related to the technology. Among other factors are the relationship between participants and the purpose of the communication, that is, the same kinds of factors that affect communication which does not take place by using technological devices. Herring (1999, 2003) has identified two “obstacles” to interaction management in CMC which are a direct result of the medium itself and which do not normally occur in face-to-face communication. One of these is disrupted adjacency and the other is the lack of simultaneous feedback. These are particularly interesting to study in an environment where participants have little prior knowledge of other participants and may not have the same cultural or social backgrounds. This study proposes to examine how participants in a net-based learning environment manage interaction in asynchronous discussion forums.
To improve our users’ experience, we use cookies on the du.se website for analytical purposes. By choosing to surf our website, you also accept the use of cookies.
