Conversation: Advice

General Advice and Information

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In general there are two kinds of conversational messages to be found on the Internet. Synchronous messages are exchanged almost instantly so that the interaction between participants moves back and forth as in a real-time conversation or chat. Asynchronous messages are stored over time so that participants can read and compose messages at their leisure.

Some have suggested that the real-time exchanges appear to have less direct relevance to class work or seem to wander in too many directions. It may be, however, that participants are not accustomed to the spontaneous give and take of these conversations. In general, we might say that synchronous messages are geared more toward involving participants in the ebb and flow of an active exchange of opinion. To capitalize on this potential, it is important to concentrate on activities that draw on the strengths of these environments. Use these conversations to brainstorm about the facets of an issue or topic, and to broaden the array of perspectives brought to bear on any given subject.

Asynchronous messages feature the ability to pause and reflect as one reads and responds to the various postings in an online conversation. This capacity lends itself toward more carefully crafted messages that delineate particular aspects of a topic in greater detail than one would find in a synchronous conversation. These more carefully constructed and construed messages, however, can tend to formalize an online exchange so that it begins to resemble less and less of a conversation. To counter this tendency, you may want to treat asynchronous exchanges as opportunities to delve into topics in more detail, without feeling that you must submit what would amount to a formal essay each time you post. Strike a balance between the formal crafting you put into your messages and the ideas you generate and share in the conversation.

Of course, these are general recommendations. Some instructors use asynchronous forums to exchange formal papers and some synchronous conversations are quite focused and scholarly. Use the distinctions drawn here as guidelines and familiarize yourself with the additional information available below.

Get a sense for some of the procedures involved in joining an online community by looking over our strategies for posting to discussion lists page.

For more ideas about using pre-existing conversational resources in your projects, see the information about evaluating conversational resources.

For general information about decorum online, see the CompSite netiquette page.