Online Discussion and the 'Place' of Learning

Computers, phones, and the …, 2006

The Internet is first and foremost a communication technology, with the potent ial to change peoples' social interaction. This paper reviews 16 surveys that examine how Internet use can affect social interaction. Our meta-analysis shows that people's Internet use is not associated with their social interaction with family members. The evidence on interactions with friends is contradictory. Studies using cross-sectional designs suggest that more Internet use is sometimes associated with less interaction with friends. Studies using longitudinal repeated measures designs, which can reveal changes in interaction over time, suggest that more Internet use leads to a slight increase in interactions with friends. We discuss plausible interpretations of these findings and, more broadly, how the choice of research design changes what we learn about technology and social change.

The Internet is the latest in a series of technological breakthroughs in interpersonal communication, following the telegraph, telephone, radio, and television. It combines innovative features of its predecessors, such as bridging great distances and reaching a mass audience.

International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 2020

Purpose: To explore interpersonal relationships within online educational spaces and to connect the discussion to health and well-being among students and teachers. Method: We apply different perspectives to analyse the complexity of interpersonal relationships in online educational spaces, based on the philosophies of Nel Nodding, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and Alfred Schutz. We use a qualitative methodological combination-philosophical explorations, literature review, and text analysis-to offer significant insights that will substantially inform contemporary theories in research addressing interpersonal relationships in online education. Results: We illuminate and theorize about interpersonal relationships in terms of being cared for, confirmed by, and connected to others as dimensions of significance for health and wellbeing in educational spaces in the form of flexible online courses at the university level. Conclusion: We argue that all education should strive to provide caring relationships and educate for both self-understanding and group understanding, and contribute to school as a place where happiness and joy for genuine learning and knowledge are promoted. To achieve this, it is of significance to also be connected to and confirmed by others, teachers as well as students, and also to exist in a (class)room that provides room for interpersonal relationships: in real life or online.

Qualitative research: Theory, method and …, 2004

De La Salle University Research Congress Proceedings 2022, 2022

The proliferation of online friendships with their accompanying benefits, promises, dangers, and risks propelled scholars from various disciplines-such as Internet studies, Media studies, Sociology, Psychology, among others-to theorize online friendships. However, the role of the discipline of Philosophy in such theorizing remains unarticulated, if not unclear. Fleshing out Philosophy's role in theorizing online friendship is important because it puts to the fore the contribution that Philosophy can make in thinking about online friendships-contributions that might not have been provided yet by other disciplines but are equally essential. In light of such, this paper endeavors to identify the role that Philosophy can play in theorizing online friendships. It shall show that the possible role of Philosophy in theorizing online friendships lies in: (1) the contribution it can make in answering and clarifying foundational questions asked by other disciplines about the nature of online friendship and friendship; (2) the contribution it can give in securing a good foundation for the normative claims proffered by other disciplines regarding online friendship; and (3) the contribution it can provide in crafting frameworks or lenses (based on classic and contemporary philosophical views on friendship) through which online friendship can be scrutinized by other disciplines.

Published in Global Media Journal: http://gmj.ut.ac.ir/Ltr/Article_Details.aspx?language_id=2&article_id=40277 Received: 06/22/2016 Accepted: 09/15/2016 Extended Abstract Introduction: Internet has been increasingly spreading around the world since the 1990s and the following question has been raised among researchers especially in the field of social sciences: How exactly internet affect social relations, networks and social interactions? In response to such question, two conflicting views have emerged. The first view that is based on “time-displacement” hypothesis argues that as the internet enables more access to contacts outside one’s immediate social world, there are concerns that the internet may decrease people’s investment in strong, local, and communal relationships. The internet secludes individuals from their social environments and may lead them to isolation and cause diminishing social capital. On the other hand “reinforcement” hypothesis argues that internet have changed the interactions pattern. Internet use and online communication help intensify the existing strong ties (Chen, 2013). “In sum, the researches indicates that social media is a complementary communication way that is used with existing social ties. People tend to communicate online with their existing ties. Regardless of two conflict views that have been exposed, this paper explores the relationship between internet as a social media and the quality and also quantity of social ties. The main goal of this study is to examine and understand the relationship between internet usage and weak ties, strong ties and core discussion network among students in Shiraz University. In fact the key questions of current study are: Does the internet increase the size of social network or decrease it? And how does internet relate to weak ties and strong ties? Framework: Researchers have paid increasingly attention to the core discussion network, the set of people an individual regularly turn to when he or she has important matters to discuss. The core discussion network is theorized to be a major source of support over the span of a person’s life, and it represents one of the most important ways that social networks are said to benefit everyday well-being. Core discussion network includes variety of relationships. Putnam’s definition of social network refers to connection among individuals - social networks which is shaped interaction’s norms and trustworthy. He examines two dimensions of social ties which is “Bonding” and “Bridging”. “Bonding social capital is good for undergirding specific reciprocity and mobilizes solidarity. Bridging network, are better for linkage to external assets and for information diffusion” (Putnam, 2000). Granovetter have investigated the mechanism of social interactions and have expressed the “Weak ties” theory. According to his idea “the strength of a tie is a combination of the amount of time that an individual spends for, and the emotional intensity, the intimacy and mutual confiding, and the reciprocal services which characterized the tie. So, weak ties include the people at the lowest level of interaction. The main function of weak ties is to providing information, communication and new job opportunities for individuals” (Granovetter, 1973). With a focus on new communication technologies such as the internet in social communications, we expect to observe both weak and strong ties in the online communications. Given the significance of weak ties in social networks, it’s important to examine role of weak ties and strong ties in the core discussion network and also find out how these ties does relates to internet usage. Hypothesis: 1. Online communication and general internet usage is positively related to weak ties. 2. Online communication and general internet usage is positively related to strong ties. 3. Online communication and general internet usage is positively related to core discussion network. 4. Online communication and general internet usage is positively related to range of core discussion network. 5. Online communication and general internet usage is positively related to number of friend’s list in social network size. Methods: This survey was conducted using multi-stages random sampling (n=404). In this research we divided two dimensions of using internet which is online communication and general internet usage. In current research dependent variables are core discussion network, range of core discussion network and size of social ties which include weak and strong ties. The important independent variables are online communication and general internet usage. Result and Conclusion: The results indicate that 29 percent of respondents have at least 1-3 individuals' weak ties in their core discussion network. While 61.1 percent of respondents have at least 1-3 individuals in their core discussion network, 15.1 percent of respondents have no strong tie in their core discussion network, which means strong ties are more common at the student’s core discussion network. Mean of general internet usage is 11.36 and mean of online communication is 5.63. Besides, 8.9 percent of students had no online communication. The results also examine that gender as a variable is correlated to type of social ties. Women tend to have more strong ties in their core discussion network in comparison to men. On the other hand men have more expanded core discussion network than women and they also have more weak ties in their core discussion network. Education is another variable that made changes in type of social ties. As a result, examines the more educated respondents, the more strong ties they would have in their core discussion network. The graduate students also have greater core discussion network than undergraduate students. The other results indicate that the number of weak ties is positively related to general internet usage. The number of strong ties is positively related to online communication but there is no significant relationship with general internet usage. Also, there is no significant relationship between range of core discussion network and online communication and general internet usage. There is also no significant relationship between core discussion network and online communication and general internet usage. Also, there is a significant high correlation between strong ties and core discussion network. Discussion and conclusion: Overall and based on data analysis we can argue that internet and social media are complementary communication way that can reinforce existing ties and relations. So we can disagree with the displacement theory which believed that internet led individuals to isolation and loneliness. The fact that how people use media can help us to explore pattern of their social ties. General internet usage and online communication do not harm sociability and also frequent use of online communication is associated with more extensive strong ties. In general, it seems that the internet does not affect the structure of the core discussion network and individuals do not choose members of their core discussion network via the internet. In other word, internet is more a means to keep in touch with pre-existing social ties in the youth's core discussion network. Keywords : Internet, weak ties, strong ties, core discussion network, student. References: Chen, W. (2013). “Internet Use, Online Communication, and Ties in Americans' Networks”. Social Science Computer Review, vol. 31, no. 4, pp, 404-423. Granovetter, M.S. (1973). “The Strength of Weak Ties”. American Journal of Sociology, Volume 78, Issue 6, Pp, 1360-1380. Putnam R. (2000). Bowling Alone. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Objective: This article explores and describes how the Internet was experienced as a tool for togetherness in everyday occupations among older adults. Methods: Discussions with 12 older adults, divided into three focus groups, generated data that were analysed using a grounded theory approach. Six women and six men between 67 and 79 years of age were purposively selected and recruited from a retirement organization in northern Sweden. Results: Findings reflect how online contexts generated new possibilities for togetherness in everyday occupations and created a sense of belonging with others and to society at large. However, togetherness through the Internet was also associated with ambiguity and uncertainty among older adults. The Internet provided opportunities for togetherness that were somehow different from togetherness derived from face-to-face contact, but it was also connected with a fear and a resistance. Conclusions: Findings from this research can extend our understanding of how online contexts have the possibility to promote togetherness in everyday occupations and what it means to be part of such a context among older adults. In light of these findings, the need is highlighted to consider the Internet as a tool for older adults to be socially engaged with the potential to reduce loneliness and isolation.

Learning and Teaching in …, 2008

Media, Culture & Society, 2003

This article examines the place and value of online relationships and interactions in Internet users' everyday lives. The analysis is based on an in-depth study of the practices of 21 domestic users of the Internet in Vancouver, Canada, focusing on their engagement with electronic forums. The main questions are: Why do users participate in these forums? What does it mean to them? How does it reflect on the public understanding of the Internet? The article offers a typology of different forms of online involvement with others on the Internet. In this light, it questions concepts, such as `virtual community,' and dichotomies - real versus virtual, public versus private - framing the theoretical debate about the social significance of the Internet as a new communication medium.

2016

The Internet provides a popular and convenient source of information and support on parenting, offering many opportunities for both peer and professional support. Recent studies have also shown that both parents and children can benefit from online parenting support. In this chapter, we describe the current variety of online services for parents, distinguishing between peer support and professional support. Specifically we will focus on the design characteristics of these web-based resources. Since Internet technology is still rapidly developing, many new opportunities for social networking are available. The provision of multilayered interaction (many-to-many, one-tomany, one-to-one) and the use of multiple components in websites may enhance the way parents feel supported. Also, training can be added to online programs, which aims to change parental knowledge, behavior and attitude. Furthermore, we discuss experimental results from recent meta-analytic study on the effects of online parental education. Providing an overview of the past decade, we discuss two major trends which give direction to future research and development: missing aspects of research on online social networking and inspiring opportunities for online professional support for parents. 2.1 Parenting and Social Networking Today's parents are known to be frequent users of the Internet in search of both information and support (Plantin & Daneback, 2009; Nieuwboer, Fukkink, & Hermanns, 2013a). The Internet is available to many families, especially in developed countries, (www.internetworldstats.com), and in recent years, its accessibility and availability has increased through the use of tablets and smartphones (www. pewinternet.org). Interestingly, reviewing the scholarly literature of studies on peer and professional parenting support on the Internet (Nieuwboer et al., 2013a, and complementing this study with 11 more recent studies up to October 2013), we found that the focus of studies is on pregnancy, first time parenting and young children, as well as on health related topics. Professional support on the Internet is described with many different terms, like web-based therapy, e-health, online counseling, or cybertherapy; and practitioners in many disciplines are involved in providing support to parents, like psychologists, counselors, pediatricians and nurses. Peer support is often initiated by parents with