Conceptual Research and Reflection Project.

Conceptual Research & Reflection Project

Concept 1 – Asynchronicity

“Asynchronous electronic communication is not the opposite of real-time, synchronous communication: rather it describes forms of communication that appear differently 'located in time' depending on the perspective of the sender and receiver.” (Allen, n. d)

In the era of high communication technology a variety of communication means such as asynchronous and synchronous can be used to achieve communications. Synchronous, or real-time, communication has yet to emerge as a popular technology in online education, but the likely merging of Web and audio or video delivery formats over time may, if successful and affordable, effectively virtualized education on a global scale. Asynchronous, or delayed, communication is any transfer of information that is stored or archived and then later accessed. It is important to determine the most effective delivery mode since it directly impacts the level of interaction.

Asynchronous communication is communication taking place at different times or over a certain period of time. The term has acquired wide currency in online learning, where exchanges between teachers and students are frequently enacted asynchronously rather than in simultaneous or face-to-face conversations. It is currently perhaps the most popular technology being used in online learning, and there are numerous packages and tools available. Most University faculties are now wishing to use asynchronous communication in their way of teaching and communicating with students all over world because it is more affordable and could attract more people who wish to study again in higher education such in University or college but could not afford the expansive tuition fees and had no time to attend in classroom if they go to face to face study. Asynchronous communication is more flexible because it allows you to decide when and where to communicate. E-mail, mailing lists, bulletin boards/message boards, UseNet newsgroups, messaging programs and online discussions all belong to asynchronous communication tools. If you're not online when someone sends you e-mail or post a message on the bulletin board, you can still retrieve and read the message at a later time. To receive a call one must pick up the phone, to receive an email or other forms of messaging, one must be aware of its arrival.

“Facilitating asynchronous discussion has the potential to improve the teaching and learning experiences in traditional classroom formats, as well as in distance learning.” (Groeling 1999)

Asynchronous allows the participants to reflect over ideas, check references and takes time to prepare a reply and the technology allows them to access from home or work or anywhere in the world at the very convenient time and places.
In distance education, Asynchronous online discussion increases accessibility and opportunities for interaction, increases reflection, break down social barriers, encourages more thoughtful and reflective response, easy access to other people’s idea and very convenience.

Facebook, Friendster, or Tagged messages are generally considered asynchronous communication but sometime it happened to be another form of synchronous communication if the two people who communicating happened to be online at the same time, so one of them can access the message or email as soon as it send by the other party and reply it straight away. Like me myself, I sometime am expecting my email to be replied immediately just as I chat in Internet Relay Chat (IRC), Yahoo Messenger, MSN Messenger or ICQ, but in several time I happened to chat through email with my friend in the other side of the world because coincidently she also online checking her emails exactly at the same as I am.

Site 1:
An exploratory study on the use of Asynchronous Online Discussion in Hypermedia Design
http://www.usq.edu.au/electpub/e-jist/docs/Vol6_No1/an_exploratory_study_on_the_use_.htm

This web site gave me the idea on how asynchronous communication function in today’s communication technology and how important it is in distance education as well as in traditional classroom formats. It has helped me to identify the advantages and limitations of the use of asynchronous online discussion for communication and widen up my knowledge about what asynchronous communication is. In their case study they discussed from different angles of a few people about Asynchronous online discussion in distance education. It is very helpful and it has a few points of view that I could use to support my essay topic.

Site 2:
How Asynchronous Communications became the new Synchronous
http://pulverblog.pulver.com/archives/007389.html

This Jeff Pulver blog is quite interesting and informative, the reason I use this for my essay is because it tells me that Asynchronous communication could become Synchronous communication such as Facebook or Twitter messages. And I wouldn’t realize if email sometime can be use as real time communication before I read this Jeff Pulver blog.
This blog also has comments from many people that give me deeper understanding about the different between Asynchronous and Synchronous communication, and what kind of communication technology is belong to Asynchronous communication and what is belong to Synchronous communication. It shows that most people didn’t realize that they expect email as Synchronous communication.


Concept 7 – Netiquette

“Good communication practice on the Internet is not something one ‘learns’, but something one ‘practices’ so as to teach others, less familiar than yourself, how it is done.” (Allen, n. d)

What is exactly the description of Netiquette? This question keeps wondering on my mind when I read it in one of the 33 concepts and when I started to do some research on the internet about Netiquette then I began to understand it.
Netiquette, or net etiquette, is originally a combination of 2 words `Internet and etiquette' refers as the etiquette rules for Internet online behaviour. Netiquette is the contemporary term for the proper way we communicate and interact with each other using email, newsgroup, or online chat over the Internet. There are rules as a guideline to the conducts of the Internet. In general, rules of common courtesy should apply whenever interacting with people, but these rules are particularly important on the Internet where, for example, body language and tone must be inferred and misunderstandings arise easily. Good netiquette involves respecting others' privacy and not doing anything online that will annoy or frustrate other people. Some areas where good netiquette is highly stressed are e-mail, online chat (Internet Relay Chat, Yahoo Messenger and ICQ), forums and newsgroups. For example, people that spam other users with unwanted e-mails also known as junk mails or flood them with messages or swearing in chat rooms have very bad netiquette.

Internet technology has made it possible for every body all around the world to communicate with each other in meaningful ways and more affordable, whether for research, education, business, chatting or enjoyment through email and online chat. We have all experienced dramatic changes in the ways we work, live and communicate that could not have been predicted a few years ago.
Now with concerns ranging from privacy, security and freedom of speech, to honesty and confidentiality it is more important than ever to understand and observe general guidelines of netiquette rules.
Even with the best of intentions, misunderstandings are likely to occur in almost any type of communication. Nevertheless, it is possible to repair glitches in a face-to-face dialog or even a telephone conversation before any lasting damage occurs. In a face-to-face situation or telephone conversation you are able to change your tone of voice, to rephrase comments and to present body language that welcomes further communication and thus promotes understanding. Email messages, online chat or newsgroup do not offer you the benefit of all these signals. In email all CAPITAL cases like these could mean shouting, yelling or screaming, therefore it is recommended to use mixed case to avoid a bad impression from the other party who is receiving the message.

Every Internet users have the obligation to learn how to be a good member of the Internet community. Understanding netiquette is a crucial part of the Internet community, yet there is still a significant minority of people who do not care about the quality of Internet community. Especially in today’s society, some people just simply ignore it and say they do not care about netiquette or that “everyone else is doing it”, but others (like me) make an effort to point out the virtues of netiquette compliance.

Site 1:
Netiquette
http://www.seanet.com/help/general/netiquette.shtml

I found this website is very good and very easy to understand; it gave me a lot of information about Netiquette.
As it clearly described to be a good Internet user, we must follow the Netiquette guidelines as follow; some basic rules to remember in our online interactions, some good e-mail netiquette, some good netiquette for posting to mailing lists and Usenet, some good netiquette for real time interactive services, such as chat.
These guidelines explained very clearly in simple ways on how we behave correctly on the internet community, and I strongly believe if we follow those rule guidelines, the Internet community will be more fun and safer.

Site 2:
What is Netiquette?
http://www.usd.edu/trio/tut/start/netequette.shtml

The reason I used this website is to back up and to better understanding my research and the reflection on my essay about the exact meaning of Netiquette. To me this website really gave us some very good advices on how we should behave and apply Netiquette either we are online or in real life. As we all know some people on the internet did not behave correctly and sometime they just did silly things on the internet, so I strongly suggest for these kinds of people please to better understand the etiquette of internet community by learning the meaning of Netiquette.


Concept 23 – Human Computer Interfaces

“The Internet lessens the recognition of difference between humans and computers because, at a distance, it is often feel similar to communicate and act on the Internet regardless of whether one is speaking with a human or a machine.” (Allen, n. d)

With the advent of new technology humans start communicating with computers in a variety of different ways. Early on there were options like the keyboard for entering in data, and the light pen, for drawing or selection purposes. Over the years a number of human computer interfaces have been developed such as the mouse, the drawling tablet, and speech recognition programs. All of these interfaces require mediation between the human and the computer. Most often this mediator is a hardware device that translates some sort of movement to a binary number that the computer can then process. The keyboard requires moving the hands and fingers to activate keys; the keys send binary information to the computer. The computer uses software to interpret the data and responds by sending a number, letter or symbol to the computer interface.

New human computer interfaces allow the end user to control the computer in new and exciting ways. The immersing experience when interfacing with a computer is another area in which current computer interfaces are particularly weak. By moving away from bulky or obvious mechanical interfaces the user can feel more connected or immersed in the experience of using a computer. A badly designed interface will at best only annoy its users, but it is possible that accidents occur due to a bad interface design. Researcher groups are looking to use computer interfaces like virtual reality environments to create an immersing experience. An example of this type of application is the virtual reality flight simulators used to train airplane pilots. Such environments benefit from transparent technology and quick reaction from the computer; both can be achieved with the use of new human computer interfaces.
Researchers and computer users are looking for alternate ways for humans to interface with machines. Creating a more organic union between man and machine is a step towards a more natural interface. Taking out the mediator between a computer and a human potentially quickens response time and decreases the possibility of errors, important considerations for doctors and pilots who are interested in using human computer interfaces to control equipment.
Many human computer interfaces achieve their unique level of control through the use of computer as communicating device. Each company or research group that is experimenting in the area of human computer interfaces develops a method of communication between a human user and a machine such Personal Computer.

If I look at the way we interact with computers now, human computer interfaces have become much more flexible. Modern day interfaces try to be more perceptive by using the desktop metaphor, which consists of multiple windows showing folders and documents (files). However, most modern day interfaces are very limited in handling the differences between users and lack personalization.
Intelligent User Interfaces (IUIs) form a subfield of Human-Computer Interaction research and are designed to improve communication between the user and machine by using smart and new technology. This interaction is not just for a computer but can also be applied to improve the interface of other computerized machines.

“Intelligent user interfaces specifically aim to enhance the flexibility, usability, and power of human computer interaction for all users. In doing so, they exploit knowledge of users, tasks, tools, and content, as well as devices for supporting interaction within differing contexts of use.” (Maybury 2001)

Site 1:
Intelligent User Interface
http://www.kbs.twi.tudelft.nl/docs/report/DKS03-01.pdf

This report is an introduction and survey about Intelligent User Interfaces written by Patrick Ehlert in Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands in February 2003. The main target of this report is to introduce and discuss on how the existing intelligent user interface applications can contribute to solve communication problems and what the need for good human-computer interfaces is.
This report helped me to better understanding about Intelligent User Interface (IUIs) application that try to solve human computer interaction problems by providing new methods of communication and by adapting to the user. The expectations are to create more powerful and intelligent interfaces.

Site 2:
Considering the Next Generation(s) of Human Computer
Interface; A conceptual framework or theory
http://www.cs.tufts.edu/~jacob/workshop/papers/welter.pdf

To me this is another good article to read, it discussed about the rapid changing of Human Computer Interface to greater levels of stimulation and interaction.
We all realize that the next generation of Human Computer Interface is not only for one single purpose, but it build for multi purposes such for pleasure (the gaming or entertainment possibilities with computers), for an informational interface to assist human decision making and for helping humans to do their job (like robot for house maid and working in car factory).
And there are some possibilities in the future that Human Computer Interfaces could recognize the owner’s voice and their owner’s thoughts.


Concept 32 – Virtually a Library?

“A library is, fundamentally, a system organised according to shared, accepted sets of classifications and organisations, and on the basis that it is impossible to access the information except through categories (either in a catalogue or by browsing collocated books on a shelf). The World Wide Web has no such shared system, and is technologically capable of a large degree of searching for information directly – ‘full text searching’. What advanced users seek to do is to exploit the advantages of the idea of a library in a way that suits their personal needs, effectively creating personal virtual libraries.” (Allen, n. d)

We live in the high technology information age, where we can access to many wonderful Internet resources is just a few quick clicks away. For this reason, we do not have to go to the library again; we can do all our research online. But we need to understand here that the Internet is not a substitute for the library, it's only a tool that best used “in addition” to traditional research sources, like go to a physical Library.
And then here come a question on my mind, why not use both? Because each way has resources, benefits, and limitations that the other does not, some examples as below:
The Library uses universal cataloguing systems that classify and organize all resources but it can not be accessed in 24 hours a day, 7 days a week while The Virtual Library resources can.
The Library houses professional books, newspapers, magazines, and other resources that have been edited and reviewed prior to their publication but can not be constantly updated to provide breaking news and timely information on the other hand The Virtual Library can.
The Library has a knowledgeable librarian who can help you find resources you want while The Virtual Library does not. Etc.

The online library on the net sometimes informally referred to as the "WWWVL", the "Virtual Library" or just "the VL". The individual indices, or virtual libraries live on hundreds of different servers around the world, that is why we could access almost everything on the internet and the Virtual Library has grown rapidly over the years.
The virtual librarian feature comes in handy when you are lost and need direction. It works just like a real librarian, only you don't get an instance response. Another research option that you can use is the Internet. Internet search results can be overwhelming and confusing. The most important aspect of online research is the credibility of your source. When evaluating your reference materials, you will need to analyse the strengths and bias of a source.
The virtual librarians have been quick to realise that their reference service required an online presence to remain relevant to their ever increasing number of ‘virtual’ clients who may never set foot in their physical library. As a result, over the last few years setting up a virtual reference service has become essential for many virtual libraries, particularly university and public virtual libraries.

“The convenience, ubiquitousness and (relative) anonymity of email mean the service was, and remains, popular with clients though its success does depend on timeliness and completeness of responses from library staff.” (Abels, 1996)

The Virtual Library provides all students, teachers, and people of the world with online access to essential library and information resources. It is primarily a group of online databases that have magazine, journal, scientific resources and newspaper articles for research. Through the Virtual Library, an equitable core of information sources is available to every people all over the world, raising the level of excellence in schools and communities across the globe. Basically the Virtual Libraries are the places to go if you are looking for a reference source like a dictionary, handbook, encyclopaedia, special database or any scientific resources.

Site 1:
Online librarian – real time / real talk: an innovative collaboration between two university libraries
http://www.vala.org.au/vala2004/2004pdfs/20FlHaMc.PDF

This article describes how Macquarie University Library, NSW, and Murdoch University Library, WA, collaborated to produce an innovative online reference service for the academic year of 2003. It outlines the process of implementation between the libraries and outlines how the service uses Microsoft’s NetMeeting to enable real-time conversations via voice-over IP (VoIP).
It makes me explore different opinions thoroughly and guides me to ponder on opposing statements, to present only distinct and precise information.
In the introduction showed that Macquarie University Library (New South Wales) has provided a real-time virtual reference, the Microsoft’s NetMeeting VoIP software since 2000. The idea was to provide off-campus students with a reference service equivalent to library on campus

Site 2:
Do virtual reference librarians dream of digital reference questions? A qualitative and quantitative analysis of e-mail and chat reference
http://alia.org.au/publishing/aarl/35.2/full.text/lee.html

This article is examining the Virtual reference in an Australian academic library by using qualitative and quantitative analyses of e-mail and chat transcripts. As such it is not meant to provide a complete analysis of the online librarian service.
I feel that this article is very informative to support my essay because in this article a number of quantitative and qualitative measures were taken, it also has some discussions and shows the comparison of the use and usage of e-mail and chat virtual reference, question type across e-mail and chat virtual reference and differences in word number in e-mail and chat.



Bibliography:

An exploratory study on the use of Asynchronous Online Discussion in Hypermedia Design
http://www.usq.edu.au/electpub/e-jist/docs/Vol6_No1/an_exploratory_study_on_the_use_.htm

How Asynchronous Communications became the new Synchronous
http://pulverblog.pulver.com/archives/007389.html

Netiquette
http://www.seanet.com/help/general/netiquette.shtml

What is Netiquette?
http://www.usd.edu/trio/tut/start/netequette.shtml

Intelligent User Interface
http://www.kbs.twi.tudelft.nl/docs/report/DKS03-01.pdf

Considering the Next Generation(s) of Human Computer Interface; A conceptual framework or theory
http://www.cs.tufts.edu/~jacob/workshop/papers/welter.pdf

Online librarian – real time / real talk: an innovative collaboration between two university libraries
http://www.vala.org.au/vala2004/2004pdfs/20FlHaMc.PDF

Do virtual reference librarians dream of digital reference questions? A qualitative and quantitative analysis of e-mail and chat reference
http://alia.org.au/publishing/aarl/35.2/full.text/lee.html