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This study extends previous research studying students' listening and speaking behaviors in online discussions with a particular focus on processes of self-regulated learning and task type as an external facilitator of regulation. 105 undergraduate students participated in a week-long small-group online discussion to address real-world business challenges. Groups were given either two contrasting alternative solutions to debate (negotiative task); or asked to come up with their own possible solutions (generative task). Students' regulation of their listening was assessed based on click-stream data; speaking was assessed by manually coding post content for argumentation. Data streams were aligned at the student-week level. Mixed models showed that the generative task led to positive effects on regulation of listening (percent of real reads and the average time of reviews). In addition, several relationships between listening and speaking were found; notably greater depth of listening to others predicted more positive positions taken in one's own posts and informed breadth of listening predicted more support provided for the positions taken. • Generative discussion task facilitated greater self-regulation of listening. • Greater depth of listening predicted more positive positions taken in one's posts. • Informed breadth of listening predicted more support provided for positions taken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Facebook offers a new learning environment, and is used for online academic discussions between distance learners; however, students lack the primary skills to use it academically due to its popular social use. This issue requires investigation into the drivers that affect undergraduate intentions and behaviour when using Facebook as students of private universities in Malaysia. The technology acceptance model (TAM) is adopted to demonstrate student perceptions of using Facebook for learning. Perceived enjoyment and self-efficacy are also integrated into the research framework to offer a deep understanding about the acceptance and use of new technologies. The determinants analysed are perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived enjoyment and self-efficacy. Statistical Analysis Software (SAS) is used to analyse the data. The results show that all determinants have significant positive relationships with intention and behaviour to use, except for perceived usefulness. The research findings offer valuable and helpful implications that will contribute to universities, educational developers and academics regarding the effective use of Facebook for learning. This research successfully developed an extended TAM model and verified its applicability for learning in Facebook. Highlights • Most of the students perceive that Facebook is not useful for learning with no intention to use Facebook for learning. • TAM model has been extended with perceived enjoyment and self-efficacy and confirmed its applicability. • Facebook can also be used as an educational tool if its perceived usefulness is improved among students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Online communication is essential to modern life, but its features may also afford socially anxious individuals the ability to conceal themselves, or parts of themselves, from evaluation by others. In this way, Internet-based social interaction may function as a form of safety behavior for socially anxious people seeking to avoid face-to-face encounters. To enhance our understanding of how social anxiety manifests online and examine the nature and impact of safety behaviors within online social contexts, we developed the Seeking Online Safety Questionnaire (SOSQ). The SOSQ measures the degree to which specific features of online communication contribute to the perception of interpersonal safety in online contexts. We explored the measure's factor structure and psychometric properties in a sample of 374 participants who completed the online survey through Mechanical Turk. Exploratory factor analysis suggested two correlated factors: control over self-presentation, and control over personal information. The SOSQ showed good convergent validity, such that as each of the SOSQ factors and total score increased, so too did participants' trait social anxiety, concerns about self-attribute flaws, fear of negative evaluation, and use of offline safety behaviors. Regression analyses demonstrated that control over online self-presentation explained unique variance in social anxiety symptoms and fear of negative evaluation over and above control over personal information. Results expand our understanding of social anxiety-driven safety behaviors in online contexts, which have important implications for conceptualizing the nature and treatment of social anxiety. Highlights • Socially anxious people are motivated to prevent others from evaluating them negatively. • Examined how social anxiety manifests within the context of Internet-based communication. • Developed a new questionnaire to assess safety seeking during online social interaction. • Examined the factor structure and psychometric properties of the new measure. • Socially anxious people are likely to select online communication tools that afford greater control over self-presentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper examines topic management in the task-based interactions of German learners of English and their Irish English speaking partners. Specifically, the paper explores the resources employed by speakers to maintain cohesion in talk while transitioning topics via announcement turns. Two resources for maintaining cohesion are explored in detail: co-class membership relations and contrast relations. The quantitative results suggest that learners employ similar resources to the NS. The qualitative results reveal areas on the level of linguistic realisation of topic transitioning turns where learners exhibit some difficulty in alignment and in the use of discourse connectives. Data for the present study is drawn from Language LINC, a corpus of telecollaborative eTandem interactions. Methodologically, the present paper applies tools from conversation analysis (CA) in a sequentially sensitive analysis of the collection of announcements. In addition to a careful qualitative analysis of each case, a quantitative analysis is presented in order to uncover variation in the methods employed by the learners as opposed to the expert speakers. This mixed method approach is considered with respect to its place in the CA research tradition (Stivers, 2015) and its fit for analyses of authentic, consequential interactions in the interlanguage pragmatic tradition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The aim of this study is to explore how computer mediated communication has been used by a variety of healthcare,professionals to support their patients and discuss the implication that this may have for future practice. Design A systematized review of the literature. Data sources A review of empirical studies within the literature was carried out in April 2016 in CINAHL, MEDLINE, ASSIA, BNI, Psychinfo, and Web of Science databases. Review methods The databases searched produced 2930 titles, of which 190 publications were considered relevant to the objectives. Titles and abstracts were then reviewed and duplicates removed producing 67 publications. Exclusion and inclusion criteria were applied. The inclusion criteria were (1) interventions that facilitate two-way communication between any healthcare professional and their patients via a computer; (2) Interventions aimed at providing any type of support e.g. emotional, tangible, informational, or esteem support; (3) English language; (4) Primary empirical studies. Data quality was assessed and thematic analysis applied. Results Thirty-one publications were included in this study. Intervention types included Email (n = 8), Videoconferencing (n = 7), Online Social Support Groups (n = 9) and multifaceted interventions (n = 7). Three themes emerged from the data including increasing access to healthcare, adding value to healthcare delivery and improving patient outcomes. Twenty-five (81%) of the studies found that computer mediated communication could produce positive effects. Conclusions Computer mediated communication could be both what patients want and a way of delivering support to patients in a resource tight environment. This has implications for a range of health support needs and professionals including nurses, midwives and allied healthcare professionals. Reviewing the lessons learnt will ensure future interventions are tailored to the support needs of the patients, carefully planned and mindful of the risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study presents a longitudinal, qualitative and ethnographic investigation of language use and change within an informal Japanese alumni network. It utilises the author's corpus of past email correspondence among a social network of Japanese men between 2006 and 2009, and a subsequent interview in 2012. The study illuminates a struggle over the interpretation of the use of honorifics as a semiotic tool which could affect interpersonal relationships. More specifically, it illustrates the increasing use of honorifics by a member in enacting a social event organiser (幹事 Kanji ) role in this community and its multiple interpretations by other members reflecting various vantage points. Theoretically, it aims to demonstrate the multiple indexical meanings of Japanese honorifics by exploring the use of honorifics indexing neither deference nor social distance (the traditional interpretations of honorific use) but rather the functional enactment of a recognized social role and its associated register. This use of honorific language as ‘functional rather than relational’ has not been previously emphasised in the literature on Japanese honorific use. It also demonstrates the fundamental indeterminacy of indexical meanings in relation to various interpretive vantage points and evaluative moments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) can facilitate the expression of affection between romantic partners and promote relationship quality. Text messaging is nowadays an important means of expressing affection and to feel close to one’s partner. However, it is unclear if adding emoji to text messages influences perceptions about the relationship. In two experiments (combined N = 451), participants evaluated the relationship interest of a romantic partner, based on the messages exchanged. Study 1 compared positive and negative replies varying in emotional cues (without vs. text vs. emoji). Results showed that positive replies signaled the greatest interest, regardless of cue. In contrast, negative replies with (vs. without) cues signaled greater interest in the relationship and this was especially evident for messages with emoji. This benefit occurred because these messages were perceived as more positive (vs. negative messages without cue). Study 2 compared negative replies varying in the seriousness of the issue. Results showed that, for more serious replies, emotional text signaled greater interest by increasing message positivity. In contrast, emoji signaled less interest by increasing message negativity. Together, findings showed how CMC between romantic partners can benefit and be harmed by including emoji. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While researchers have used conversation analysis (CA) methods to understand online talk since the 1990s, to date there has been no systematic review of these studies to better understand this methodological development. This article presents a comprehensive literature review of 89 peer-reviewed journal articles reporting findings of empirical studies using CA to understand social interaction online. In this review, we describe who is conducting this type of research, the contexts in which CA has been used to make sense of text-based online talk, and where such studies are being published. We also identify the “fundamental” conversational structures researchers are drawing upon in making sense of online talk as social interaction. Findings show that studies are using CA to understand “mundane” conversational contexts, as well as institutional talk from educational, counseling and workplace settings. The number of such studies are increasing and are being conducted by an international network of researchers across a variety of disciplines. The data is most often described as synchronous or asynchronous, with a slow increase in attention to social media data. Publication outlets are mostly language-based and/methodological journals. Analysis revealed four main aims: (1) comparing online and face-to-face talk, (2) understanding how coherence is maintained, (3) understanding how participants deal with trouble, and (4) understanding how social actions are accomplished asynchronously. This review contributes to the overall understanding of the methodological development of CA, offering useful insights for those interested in using it to understand social interaction as it occurs online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been suggested that people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are attracted to computer-mediated communication (CMC). In this study, we compare CMC use in adults with high-functioning ASD ( N = 113) and a control group ( N = 72). We find that people with ASD spend more time on CMC than controls, are more positive about CMC, and report relatively high levels of online social life satisfaction. However, CMC use is negatively related to satisfaction with life for people with ASD. Our results indicate that the ASD subjects in this study use CMC at least as enthusiastically and successfully as controls but that there may also be negative sides to its use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United States, low and high-income young people currently have unequal access to information about higher education. Low-income prospective college students, for example, are less likely to have informational resources in their immediate families, requiring that they rely on information from other sources. We report on interview data collected in two high schools, one in a rural/suburban school district ( N = 43), the other in an urban district ( N = 25), which offer insight into how high school students from low-income communities use the Internet to learn about college. We observe that students are capable of accessing a great diversity of information about college online, but run into challenges when trying to interpret of that information. We introduce the term “knowledgeable translators” to capture the important role played by contacts with specialized knowledge about post-secondary institutions who help students evaluate and contextualize college information via online and offline channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the differences between chat-based and face-to-face interventions, which are mainly caused by differences in the degree of signal reduction. Students suffering from symptoms of procrastination were randomized and received either face-to-face ( n = 26) or chat-based ( n = 25) counseling, while we accounted for the impact of perceived counselor's characteristics and self-disclosure in both conditions. Both conditions resulted in a comparable decrease in procrastination, fear and insecurity, and aversion to study. Compared to face-to-face, counselors in chat-based communication were perceived as stricter and less attractive. Perceived trustworthiness of the counselor in the chat condition was more strongly associated with treatment outcome than in face-to-face. Clients assigned to the chat condition showed more self-disclosure reflected by their choice of words but not by self-reports. Both kinds of self-disclosure, but particularly self-reported self-disclosure, were associated with better treatment outcome in the chat condition, but not in face-to-face. The data indicated the importance of clients' processing in chat-based counseling: Interventions may be especially beneficial if clients perceive their counselor as being trustworthy and if they self-disclose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet can play a critical role in improving intergroup relations. The current field experiment investigated how emotions expressed by participants in intergroup contact sessions—in the form of a synchronous online chat program—predicted a reduction in intergroup bias. Here 102 Muslim and 103 Christian high-school students spent eight Internet sessions in either a Dual Identity Electronic(E)-Contact (DIEC) program integrating interfaith information and intergroup contact, or a Control program involving within-faith information and ingroup contact. Participants also completed pre- and post-program measures of intergroup bias. Using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC), a computerised text analysis program, we objectively analysed data from across the eight Internet sessions, and found that groups in the two conditions expressed emotions differently. That is, the DIEC chat groups used more affect and positive emotion words, and less anger and sadness words than the Control chat groups. Mediation analyses showed that anger and sadness mediated the intervention effect on T2, T3 and T4 intergroup bias. In other words, DIEC chat groups’ reduced expressions of anger and sadness were related to reduced short- and long-term intergroup bias. These findings highlight the significant role that structured Internet interactions can play in creating positive and long-lasting intergroup relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined how operating elderly or young avatars affected shoppers’ product perceptions and purchasing behaviors. It also investigated how virtual shopping experiences translated into prosocial behavior regarding a nonprofit organization supporting the elderly. Operating elderly avatars influenced shoppers’ product choice and walking speed while shopping compared to operating younger avatars. In addition, operating elderly avatars positively affected participants’ attitudes and willingness to donate to and volunteer for a nonprofit organization supporting the elderly. Statistical interactions between avatar age and a shopper’s ageism on behavioral and persuasion outcomes were also confirmed, and these findings implied an assimilation/contrast effect influenced by a shopper’s preexisting prejudices toward the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study had the dual purpose of identifying consequences associated with perfectionistic self-presentation (PSP) and evaluating these factors as mediator of the proposed link between PSP and Problematic use of Internet communicative services (GPIU). The present study hypothesized that a self-presentation style characterized by the need to avoid displaying imperfections is associated with GPIU because communicating online rather than in person affords greater control through the reduction of non-verbal cues and the greater temporal flexibility. A sample of 200 university student participants completed measures assessing PSP, GPIU, and perceived controllable aspects of behaviors associated with relying on computer mediated communications (i.e. managing nonverbal displays and buying more time before having to respond). Structural equation modeling confirmed that those who systematically try to avoid revealing their supposed “less than perfect” behaviors or performance place great emphasis on the reduction of nonverbal cues and the temporal flexibility offered by the computer mediated interactions, which, in turn predicts GPIU levels. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for GPIU and for the perfectionism social disconnection model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although survey results suggest that socially anxious individuals may use computer mediated communication (CMC) differently from others and feel differently about CMC relative to face to face (FTF) communication, little is known about their actual experience during CMC. Using an experimental interaction task, we assessed ( N = 73) high and low social anxiety participants during CMC and FTF. In addition to self-reported social anxiety, arousal, and perception of success and control, we assessed heart rate and skin conductance, which are physiological indices of arousal. Both CMC and FTF interaction tasks were associated with significant increases in physiological arousal compared to baseline. Although subjective anxiety and arousal were higher in FTF compared to CMC, physiological arousal showed no significant differences across conditions. An interaction effect was found for perceived success such that those high in social anxiety perceived greater success in CMC than in FTF while those low in social anxiety showed no differences across conditions. Further experimental study of subjective and objective indices of anxiety will help elucidate the unique experience of CMC for those with high social anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol use is a major source of morbidity and mortality globally. Numerous adverse health outcomes have been linked to alcohol use, including liver disease, road injuries, violence, cancer, cardiovascular disease, suicide, domestic violence and family breakdown. Alcohol use is responsible for approximately three million deaths per year across the globe. Different paradigms have been employed in the treatment of alcohol use disorder, including abstinence-based and harm-reduction models. Radical acceptance, which has been successfully applied elsewhere in mental health treatment, has not gained purchase in the treatment of addictions. We used a set of corpus linguistics techniques to analyze a dataset of approximately 10,000 posts in an online forum for self-identified severe alcoholics. The forum we studied explicitly claims a radical acceptance approach to alcohol use disorder. The forum is "for people who accept their lifestyle choice and don't want to be interrupted . . ." We combined quantitative methods (keyword and collocation analysis) and qualitative methods (concordancing) to conduct a discourse analysis of the linguistic and rhetorical practices employed in the forum. We found that although the forum purports to embrace acceptance and eschew change, in fact, the discursive practices in the forum reveal a highly ambivalent relation with both acceptance and change. We found that acceptance and change are in dialectical tension that mirrors the structure agency dialectic described in critical realism. We suggest there may be merit in considering employing a radical acceptance paradigm in addictions treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer mediated communication has marked differences from the face-to-face context. One major difference is that, in the online context, we often have explicit access to others' opinions and these opinions are often the only informational cues available. We investigate if awareness of opinion congruence, in the absence of any other reference categories, may be sufficient to foster social identification. In a pre-registered experiment (N = 681), we manipulated exposure to opinions, and measured levels of ingroup identification, opinion-based identification and their social influence on activism intentions. Our results demonstrate exposure to others' opinions in an otherwise anonymous context fosters ingroup and opinion-based identification. There was no effect on opinion-based group activism intentions. We conclude that computer mediated contexts have consequences for identification – opinion (in)congruence is becoming more relevant as a source of social categorization. While we did not find this identification had a social influence on activism, we discuss avenues for future research to disentangle the features of opinion-based groups necessary to foster activism. [Display omitted] • In the online context we often have explicit access to people's opinions. • Online, opinions are often the only available cues to inform in and out-groups. • Opinions can serve as category cues from which people deduce opinion-based identities. • Online contexts characterised by opposing opinions can facilitate group identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developments in technology, including the use of synchronous telecollaborative tools, promise to address the challenge of providing opportunities for interaction in the foreign language classroom. The present study investigates how learners and native speakers (NS) of English co-construct small talk in the opening phase of a voice-based Skype telecollaboration. Specifically, learner and NS self-oriented and other-oriented topic shifts, topic replies and verbal listenership behaviour are analysed. The focus is on the English interactions of two learner-NS dyads, each made up of a German NS and an Irish English NS. One dyad includes a learner who exhibits a high level of interactional competence while in the other dyad the learner shows no active participation. Specifically, she reveals a low use of topic shifts, a high use of equivocal short-form topic replies, few long-form replies and a very limited use of backchannels/backchannel forms, leaving the interactional burden on the Irish English NS. The analysis illuminates small talk construction in the voice-based telecollaborative context and highlights the possibilities it offers for developing interactive competencies. It also sheds light on the roles played by NS and learners in topic management and adds to our understanding of individual differences in small talk construction in the foreign language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated whether assigning students summarizing roles in online discussions during specific weeks affects how they attend to the posts of others while playing the role, and in subsequent discussion weeks. Thirty-three students in a large undergraduate course on educational psychology were assigned one of two summarizing roles (Synthesizer, Wrapper) on a rotating basis during six week-long small-group online discussions; demographic and log-file data were collected (N = 198 student-weeks). Multilevel, cross-classification modeling revealed that assigning students summarizing roles increased the breadth of their listening during in-role weeks, but the effect was only weakly sustained after the role was completed. Students taking the Synthesizer role showed some increased depth of listening during in-role weeks but not post-role weeks. Other post-role behavior changes (a reduced number of sessions and review of posts) suggest unintended negative side effects of a role-rotation strategy, possibly due to post-role abdication of responsibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Second-screen viewing—the use of smartphones, tablets, and laptops while watching television—has increased dramatically in the last few years. Using multiple resource theory and threaded cognition theory, this study investigated the effects of second-screen viewing on cognitive load, factual recall and comprehension of news. Second, we examined the effects of relevant (i.e., looking up information related to the news story) and irrelevant (i.e., looking up information unrelated to the story) second-screen viewing on learning from news. Results from an experiment (N = 85) showed that second-screen viewing led to lower factual recall and comprehension of news content than single-screen viewing. These effects were mediated by cognitive load: second-screen viewing led to a higher cognitive load than single-screen viewing, with higher cognitive load, in turn, leading towards lower factual recall and comprehension of news content. Contrary to our expectations, we found no statistically significant differences between effects of relevant and irrelevant second-screen viewing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We present a concept where the smart environments of the future will be able to provide ubiquitous affective communication. All the surfaces will become interactive and the furniture will display emotions. In particular, we present a first prototype that allows people to share their emotional states in a natural way. The input will be given through facial expressions and the output will be displayed in a context-aware multimodal way. Two novel output modalities are presented: a robotic painting that applies the concept of affective communication to the informative art and an RGB lamp that represents the emotions remaining in the user's peripheral attention. An observation study has been conducted during an interactive event and we report our preliminary findings in this paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] First interactions through CMC-text have less positive outcomes. [•] Visual-Skype does not add more than Audio-Skype in leading to liking. [•] Modality of a first interaction does not affect outcomes in a second interaction. [•] Longer interactions lead to more positive outcomes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] This study examines emotional display behavior in different chat conditions. [•] Monitorability and visibility do not influence the degree of social presence. [•] Visibility influences the use rate of textual paralinguistic cues. [•] Emotional valence influences the use of emotion management techniques. [•] Monitorability partially influences emotional display behavior. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Communication multitasking was examined in three conditions: IM conversation with one partner, two IM conversations at the same time, and IM and phone conversation at the same time. Participants in the multitasking conditions reported higher task demand and a small loss in task performance was evident. Single-task partners assigned to a task the required discussion and deliberation preferred to interact with the multitasking participant via phone, rather than IM. But interactions via phone with one partner led to poorer assessment by a second partner who was shortchanged during the interaction. Multitasking participants who were focused on helping both partners seemed blind to these perceived differences by their single-task partners. The results suggest a strategic model of multitasking, with IM being the preferred choice for tasks that require fewer, shorter exchanges and voice being the preferred choice for tasks that required more discussion and deliberation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Of late there has been growing interest in the potential of technology to support children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) with social and life skills. There has also been a burgeoning interest in the potential use of mobile technology in the classroom and in the use of such technology to support children with ASD. Building on these developments, the HANDS project has developed a mobile cognitive support application for smartphones, based on the principles of persuasive technology design, which supports children with ASD with social and life skills functioning – areas of ability which tend to be impaired in this population. Based on the evaluation of the implementation of an initial prototype, a second prototype was developed in the summer of 2010 and implemented in the 2010/11 academic year in four special schools for children with ASD. This paper reports on a qualitative interpretivist evaluation of the second prototype, identifying which factors mediate the level of engagement with the technology by both teachers and children. Fifteen teachers and twenty six children used the second prototype. Data was gathered using from teachers (n = 15) using direct classroom observation, individual semi-structured interviews, and questionnaires. Semi-structured interviews were also used to collect data from some parents (n = 6) and children (n = 10). A number of factors identified in the first prototype are also found to be present in the second prototype. However new factors are also identified, including student awareness of difficulties and associated motivation to change, and the preference of some children with ASD to receive persuasive messages from mobile devices. Particular issues related to the cognitive structure of children with ASD are considered. Further design guidelines are proposed for future implementations of similarly purposed technology tools. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The social skills model of generalized problematic internet use predicts that individuals who perceive themselves as having low social competencies are at risk to develop a preference for online social interactions (POSI), which, in turn, might lead to compulsive use of Internet communication services. The present study aims to investigate if self-reported emotional intelligence (EI)—interpersonal and intrapersonal abilities—has an effect on POSI levels, and if this effect is mediated by the subjective importance attached to the major controllability (RC) and reduced non-verbal cues (RNVC) of computer mediated communication. 192 high schools and college students were recruited. Results from structural equation modeling show that Intrapersonal EI predicts both RC and RNVC, which, in turn, predicts the level of POSI. A partial mediation effect was found. On the other hand, Interpersonal EI is significantly associated with POSI, but this association cannot be explained by RC and RNVC. Its effect on POSI seems to be either direct or explained by variables not considered in the present study. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Online disagreements constitute a particularly interesting and relevant testing ground to explore different ways of communicating emotional stance (Mateosian, 2005). Our qualitative and quantitative analysis of 120 English postings from the MailOnline has revealed the notable presence of emotional stance through conceptual implication, explicit expression, and emotional description. While this quantitative survey can neither be regarded as comprehensive nor conclusive, we consider it as a first step towards detecting and categorizing different ways of expressing emotion in online and offline linguistic data. We suggest that a quantitative survey is complemented with a qualitative discussion to account for the complex and dynamic interaction between conceptual, relational and affective meaning. This speaks for a discursive approach for studying emotional stance in conflict and disagreements. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to explore the impact of asynchronous discussion on the quality and complexity of college students’ arguments. Three different cohorts of students registered in a physical science course in 2009 Fall, 2010 Spring, and 2010 Fall semesters were briefly supported with scaffolding in class and then involved in argumentation about socio-scientific issues as take-home assignments. Each cohort was divided into an asynchronous online communication group and a paper–pencil group. The findings showed that very few students’ arguments from either group were rated low in quality levels of 1 or 2 on a five-scale level. Additional comparisons revealed that the asynchronous online communication group students slightly outperformed their counterparts in terms of mean quality level of arguments (effect sizes ranged from 0.25 to 0.35) and the frequency of rebuttals. The major finding is that after only one hour of scaffolding followed by the opportunity to practice argumentation at home, students’ argumentation skills were slightly better developed through reflective asynchronous online discussions about socio-scientific issues than through paper-pencil practice. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, we explore the cognitive style profiles and linguistic patterns of self-organizing groups within a web-based graduate education course to determine how cognitive preferences and individual behaviors influence the patterns of information exchange and the formation of communication hierarchies in an online classroom. Network analysis was performed on communication data collected from 1131 student messages posted in 19 asynchronous online discussion forums to determine centrality, clique membership, and core-periphery structure in the communication networks. The social network data were examined in relation to the students'' cognitive style profiles, which were assessed using the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory (KAI) (). The cognitive style composition of small cliques (dyadic and triadic) was found to be highly heterogeneous, often with large cognitive gaps between clique members, which suggests that web-based environments may mask cognitive style differences that have been shown to create conflict in face-to-face interactions. In addition, the cognitive style mean of the students in the core of the network was found to be significantly more adaptive than that of the periphery group. To further characterize the nature of the communicative interactions, automated linguistic analysis was used to analyze the students'' writing samples. Interestingly, students in the core of the social network demonstrated a significantly higher usage of several language features associated with individuals who actively promote enhanced group performance and cohesion. For our sample, the linguistic behaviors of students in the core of the social network, coupled with their more adaptive cognitive style preferences, suggest that these students may inherently place greater value on fostering group cohesion than those in the periphery. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study investigated the association between trust in individuals, social institutions and online trust on the disclosure of personal identifiable information online. Using the Internet attributes approach that argues that some structural characteristics of the Internet such as lack of social cues and controllability are conducive to a disinhibitive behavior it was expected that face to face trust and online trust will not be associated. In addition, it was expected that from the three components of trust, online trust only will be associated with the disclosure of identifiable personal information online. A secondary analysis of the 2009 Pew and American Life of Internet users (n =1698) survey was conducted. In contrast with the Internet attribute approach the effect of trust in individuals and institutions was indirectly associated with the disclosure of identifiable information online. Trust in individuals and institutions were found to be associated with online trust. However, online trust only, was found to be associated with the disclosure of personal identifiable information. While trust online encourages the disclosure of identifiable information, perception of privacy risks predicted refraining from posting identifiable information online. The results show a complex picture of the association of offline and online characteristics on online behavior. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study investigates how computer mediated communication (CMC) can sustain nourishing and emotionally enriching peer mentoring relations. A peer electronic mentoring program was implemented in an Irish university to facilitate freshmen''s transition to college. A sample of 123 participants (42 mentors and 81 mentees) was evaluated with a combination of mixed methods including a pre-program adjustment scale, online participation records, content analysis of online interactions and end of program interviews. Results reveal that volunteer freshmen experienced greater psychoemotional needs than the general student population. Personal and emotional interactions often developed, especially if the mentoring pair met face-to-face first and the fresher did not have an alternative support network. However, mentors often expected to develop intimate and lasting support relationships while mentees did not always share this expectation. Perceptions of CMC were strongly determined by individual preferences. Implications for e-mentoring programs and Web 2.0 use are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study presents three case studies of students' participation patterns in an online discussion to address the gap in our current understanding of how individuals experience asynchronous learning environments. Cases were constructed via microanalysis of log-file data, post contents, and the evolving discussion structure. The first student was Thorough, reading all the posts in the forum in sequence, revisiting different posts multiple times, and creating posts outside of the discussion tool. The second student was Self-Monitoring, revisiting his own posts multiple times, checking the discussion frequently for replies, and replying to or editing his posts in response. Finally, the third student was Independent, using the forum as a tool for her own individual reflection. The behaviors found for these cases are aligned with a theoretical taxonomy for participation proposed by Knowlton (2005). The value and limitations of the microanalytic case study approach are discussed, and implications for research and practice are suggested. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper examines the global software development process by using content analysis techniques, as described in an earlier study (), to determine time-variant patterns of communication behaviors among student teams engaged in a global software development project. Data gathered from two software development projects involving students in the US, Panama, and Turkey were used to determine how globally distributed team behavior is temporally patterned in complex ways. A formal, quantitative methodology for time variant analysis of the transcripts of global software student teams based on content analysis is established. Results from the analysis suggest a positive correlation between a team’s temporal communication patterns and project outcomes as well as a relationship between variations in communication behaviors and different phases of the software development cycle. The research also found that the temporal variations in communication behaviors between software phases were similar for the two projects. Such findings are intended to strengthen the case for developing new temporal measures for analyzing groups and teams. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The present study approaches the Internet as a social space, where university students make use of computer mediated communication (CMC) applications, i.e. e-mail, instant messaging and social network sites, in order to satisfy social and academic needs. We focus on university students, because they represent one of the most avid groups of CMC users and additionally, because they are expected to carry their perceptions of media with them into the work place and their social life. In order to investigate this issue, we conducted an empirical research using, as a target group, a sample of students from a specific Greek University. Grounded in the “uses and gratifications” perspective, we investigated the various profiles of CMC use by students along with (a) the students’ perceptions about social and academic usefulness of CMC applications, (b) the extent up to which these perceptions are correlated with students’ prior experience with the use of CMC applications, and (c) how both of these factors can predict the frequency of present use of CMC for social or academic purposes respectively. The results reveal that although these three CMC applications constitute “functional alternatives” (media that satisfy similar needs) they are different to the degree of their “functionality” for the gratification of social and academic needs. Furthermore, the degree of CMC use by students is not correlated with the years of CMC experience, but with the profile of use that students dynamically adopt according to their daily needs and preferences. The results provide evidence for the current CMC use by university students and can be useful for the implementation of further academic policies regarding CMC use in Higher Education settings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Of late there has been growing interest in the potential of technology to support children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) with social and life skills. There has also been a burgeoning interest in the potential use of mobile technology in the classroom and in the use of such technology to support children with ASD. Building on these developments, the HANDS project has developed a mobile cognitive support application for smartphones, based on the principles of persuasive technology design, which supports children with ASD with social and life skills functioning – areas of ability which tend to be impaired in this population. The software application has been piloted in four special schools for children with ASD. This paper reports on a qualitative interpretivist evaluation, which explores which factors may mediate how the software application is incorporated in to existing practice and what influence it has on practice. Kairos is identified as a key factor, which is associated with the teachers’ view of the software application as extending their reach beyond the classroom. Design guidelines are proposed for future implementations of similarly purposed technology tools. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cyberloafing is the personal use of the Internet by employees while at work. The purpose of this study is to examine whether employee job attitudes, organizational characteristics, attitudes towards cyberloafing, and other non-Internet loafing behaviors serve as antecedents to cyberloafing behaviors. We hypothesize that the employee job attitudes of job involvement and intrinsic involvement are related to cyberloafing. In addition, we hypothesize that organizational characteristics including the perceived cyberloafing of one’s coworkers and managerial support for internet usage are related to cyberloafing. We also hypothesize that attitudes towards cyberloafing and the extent to which employees participate in non-Internet loafing behaviors (e.g., talking with coworkers, running personal errands) will both be related to cyberloafing. One hundred and forty-three working professional from a variety of industries were surveyed regarding their Internet usage at work. As hypothesized, the employee job attitudes of job involvement and intrinsic involvement were negatively related to cyberloafing. Also as predicted, the organizational characteristics of the perceived cyberloafing of one’s coworkers and managerial support for internet usage were positively related to cyberloafing. Finally, results showed that attitudes towards cyberloafing and participation in non-Internet loafing behaviors were positively related to cyberloafing. Implications for both organizations and employees are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article presents research on students’ experiences of learning through a blend of face-to-face and online discussion. The participants in our study were students enrolled in a foreign policy course at a major Australian university. Students’ conceptions of learning through discussion, and their approaches to both face-to-face and online discussion, were elicited through open-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Students’ responses to both open-ended questionnaires and interviews were analysed using a phenomenographic framework. Qualitative variations in students’ conceptions and approaches were categorised and were found to form a hierarchy. Subsequent quantitative analysis found associations between students’ conceptions of learning through discussion, their approaches to both face-to-face and online discussion and their academic performance (as indicated by the final mark for the course). Implications for teaching and further research are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: As justifications (such as evidence or explanations) are central to productive argumentation, this study examines how the discourse moves of students engaged in collaborative learning are related to their justifications during computer mediated communication (CMC). Twenty-four students posted 131 messages on Knowledge Forum, an online collaborative learning environment. These messages were coded and analyzed with a multiple outcome, multilevel logit, vector autoregression. When students disagreed or made claims, they were more likely to use evidence. After a student made an alternative claim, the next student posting a message was less likely to use evidence. When students made claims, disagreed, disagreed with other’s justifications, or read more messages, they were more likely to use explanations. Boys were more likely than girls to make new claims. Together, these results suggest that discourse moves and sequences are linked to justifications on online forums. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The unique features and capabilities of online learning are built on the ability to connect to a wider range of learning resources and peer learners that benefit individual learners, such as through discussion forums, collaborative learning, and community building. The success of online learning thus depends on the participation, engagement, and social interaction of peer learners, which leads to knowledge sharing. Thus, without frequent and persistent interaction, it is doubtful whether knowledge sharing can take place in online learning. This study argues that theories about the development and maintenance of social relationships provide a theoretical foundation for understanding the motivation to engage in online knowledge sharing behavior. An Online Knowledge Sharing Model (OKSM) is proposed and empirically tested among undergraduate students using an online learning environment. The model introduces two new constructs – Perceived Online Attachment Motivation (POAM) and Perceived Online Relationship Commitment (PORC), which together explained 71 percent of the variance observed in self-reported online knowledge sharing behavior. The findings provide some explanations for the motivation to share knowledge, and have several implications for the design of the features and capabilities of online learning environments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The impacts that the lack of physical cues and non-verbal cues of emotional expression has on the student learning experience in text based online environments were targeted separately in this study. A questionnaire was constructed with separate items for non-verbal cues of emotional expression and cues to physical identity. The survey also included questions about students’ previous experience with technology and collaboration, and their motivations for undertaking the course. Views about their interactions with other students were also sought. The responses of 256 students who had undertaken a text based online course where collaboration was a mandatory requirement were collected and subsequently analysed using cluster analysis. Four distinct cohorts of students were identified. Using a conceptual approach borrowed from neuroscience, modularity, it has been possible to encapsulate the effects of three distinct aspects of collaborating in text based online contexts, lack of cues to physical identity, lack of cues to emotional expression and interaction experience. These aspects were analysed alongside the student profiles for each of the four cohorts. The findings indicate that the external factors that an individual student brings to a learning context can impact on the learning experience. Neuroscientifically based knowledge that is relevant for the findings of the survey are identified and considered in terms of the questions raised from an interdisciplinary perspective. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This article compares the language used in four online written asynchronous fora in English, Spanish and Catalan about football. We pay special attention to the use of informal, conversational language in these written texts. The results are then compared to a previous analysis of online fora in the three languages about a more serious topic, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Our initial hypotheses were that the linguistic behaviour in the English fora would show more informal, conversational characteristics than the Spanish and Catalan fora and that the fora about football would be more conversational than those about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Our study largely confirms that, in the discussion groups studied, online asynchronous computer mediated communication in English displayed markedly more oral elements than in Catalan and Spanish, both in fora devoted to a serious topic and in fora devoted to sport. While the Catalan and Spanish showed more informal, conversational elements than the corresponding fora about politics, this topic related difference was not so clear in the case of the English fora. Another unforeseen finding was that the English asynchronous forum devoted to sport displayed a number of features associated with synchronous CMC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We conducted twenty semi-structured interviews with university professors from eight states in the US about their collaborations via computer mediated communication. Our thematic analysis of verbatim transcripts uncovered four dialectical tensions (an interplay of opposing and contradictory forces typically resolved through communication) in such interactions: relational connection and personal autonomy, creativity and the mundane, task and socio-emotional goals, as well as novelty and efficacy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study investigated the effects of group member familiarity during computer-supported collaborative learning. Familiarity may have an impact on online collaboration, because it may help group members to progress more quickly through the stages of group development, and may lead to higher group cohesion. It was therefore hypothesized that increased familiarity would lead to (a) more critical and exploratory group norms, (b) more positive perceptions of online communication and collaboration, (c) more efficient and positive collaboration, and (d) better group performance. To investigate these hypotheses, 105 secondary education students collaborated in groups of three. The results of this study indicate that higher familiarity led to more critical and exploratory group norm perceptions, and more positive perceptions of online communication and collaboration. Furthermore, in familiar groups students needed to devote less time to regulating their task-related activities. The expectation that familiarity would lead to better group performance was not confirmed. These findings imply that online educators pay attention to the effects group member familiarity has on online collaborative learning. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In both online and offline interactions, the visual representation of people influences how others perceive them. In contrast to the offline body, an online visual representation of a person is consciously chosen and not stable. This paper reports the results of a 2 step examination of the influence of avatars on the person perception process. Specifically, this project examines the reliance on visual characteristics during the online perception process, and the relative influence of androgyny, anthropomorphism and credibility. In the first step, 255 participants fill out a survey where they rated a set of 30 static avatars on their credibility, androgyny, and anthropomorphism. The second step is a between subjects experiment with 230 participants who interact with partners represented by one of eight avatars (high and low androgyny, and anthropomorphism by high and low credibility). Results show that the characteristics of the avatar are used in the person perception process. Causal modeling techniques revealed that perceptions of avatar androgyny influence perceptions of anthropomorphism, which influences attributions of both avatar and partner credibility. Implications of these results for theory, future research, and users and designers of systems using avatars are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: New communication technologies have created new contexts for social interaction and new challenges for understanding the role of technology in human activity, particularly in altering spatial relationships of interaction. In this article we discuss ways a new communication technology is influencing social interaction and language use among a visual language community, the Deaf community, in the U.S. We show some examples of ways signers are inventing new communication behaviors and adapting others as a result of the technological mediation of their visual space. Signers exploit new properties of the technologically mediated visual field, such as the way the size of manual signs is affected by proximity to the webcamera lens, and they respond to how other properties of the visual field require the adaptation of sign language production. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cyberloafing is the personal use of email and the Internet while at work. The purpose of this study is to identify the different forms of cyberloafing and their antecedents. We propose that cyberloafing has two primary forms: minor cyberloafing (e.g., sending and receiving personal email at work) and serious cyberloafing (e.g., online gambling, surfing adult oriented web sites). Additionally, we hypothesize that employees’ perceptions of coworker and supervisor norms supporting cyberloafing are related to minor cyberloafing but not serious cyberloafing. We also hypothesize that external locus of control (i.e., a belief that chance and powerful others determines one’s outcomes), as an antecedent of other counterproductive work behaviors, will be related to both minor and serious cyberloafing. Two hundred and twenty two employed graduate business students were surveyed. Two forms of cyberloafing were identified: one composed of minor cyberloafing behaviors and one composed of the more serious cyberloafing behaviors. As predicted, employees’ perceptions of their coworkers’ and supervisor’s norms were positively related to minor cyberloafing, but not related to serious cyberloafing. Also as predicted, belief in chance was positively related to both minor and serious cyberloafing. A belief in powerful others was not related to minor or serious cyberloafing. Implications for policy development to regulate cyberloafing in organizations are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This article argues that linking communication to learning activities offers an interesting approach to develop the efficiency of learning management systems in facilitating and increasing discussions between students. We propose, present and elaborate a forum model that is based on two special features: a contextual view and forum structures. The contextual view of the forum, which is always visible, allows the user to focus on pertinent discussions. Two kinds of forum structures are offered: a content structure and a cognitive structure. In this paper, we discuss the use of some e-learning standards as a basis for the design of the contextual forum tool. The description of the conceptual framework for online communications and the computing implementation aims at giving researchers some possible uses and recommendations in dealing with context-sensitive communication tools. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Motivation and pressure are considered two factors impacting vocational senior high school student learning. New communication technology, especially mobile communication technology, is supposed to be effective in encouraging interaction between the student and the instructor and improving learning efficiency. Social presence and information richness theory was applied to analyze the media and their impacts on the instruction process firstly. Then the author observed firstly the impact of using individual communication technologies – namely Short Message Service (SMS), email, and online forum – on student learning motivation, pressure, and performance, based on a comparative investigation of 176 students. Then the impacts of using combination of mobile and Internet communication technology – SMS+email, SMS+online forum – were examined with another experiment of 45 students. The result showed that instant messaging helps bonding the two roles – student and instructor – in the instruction process effectively. When combined with Internet communication media, it can significantly increase student extrinsic motivation without causing higher pressure. Additionally, communication media demanding public expression rather than private dialogue should be adopted with careful consideration, since they may raise student pressure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The growth of the Internet at a means of communication has sparked the interest of researchers in several fields (e.g. communication, social psychology, industrial-organizational psychology) to investigate the issues surrounding the expression of different social behaviors in this unique social context. Of special interest to researchers is the increased importance that anonymity seems to play in computer-mediated communication (CMC). This paper reviews the literature related to the issues of anonymity within the social context, particularly in CMC, demonstrating the usefulness of established social psychological theory to explain behavior in CMC and discussing the evolution of the current theoretical explanations in explaining the effects of anonymity in social behavior in CMC environments. Several suggestions for future research are proposed in an attempt to provide researchers with new avenues to investigate how anonymity can play both positive and negative roles in CMC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Help-desks for hardware and software are a prominent example of Internet-based consulting services. If computer experts’ counseling of laypersons is to be effective, the experts need to be able to adjust their way of communicating to fit the knowledge of the layperson. In asynchronous Internet-based communication, the evaluation of an interlocutor’s knowledge is more difficult than in face-to-face communication because fewer channels of communication are available. Therefore, an assessment tool has been developed which supports computer experts in evaluating the knowledge of a client who initiates a support inquiry. A dialogue experiment was conducted, which showed that the assessment tool increased the efficiency and effectiveness of computer experts’ communication with clients. The assessment tool evidently facilitated the construction of a mental model of the client’s knowledge and thereby supported adaptation to the client’s communicational needs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]