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Creating a ‘Connected’ Community? Teachers’ Use of an Electronic Discussion Group by Neil Selwyn — 2000As Information and Communications Technology (ICT) becomes more commonplace in educational settings the use of computer mediated communication (CMC) between teachers is increasingly being seen as a valid form of professional dialogue and support. Indeed, the promotion of online discussion groups as ‘virtual meeting places’ for teachers has formed a central part of the UK government’s £1billion drive to make ICT use part of day-to-day practice in British schools. However, amidst the enthusiasm for creating ‘virtual communities’ of teachers, little is known about how educational professionals are using such resources in practice. To this end the present paper reports on a study of UK teachers’ use of an established online discussion group over a two-year period. It shows that, although the online forum was being used widely both as an information and empathetic exchange resource, many of the claims of establishing collectively focused virtual communities of teachers remain exaggerated as the forum was limited by a number of caveats associated with CMC groups in general.To view the full-text for this article you must be signed-in with the appropriate membership. Please review your options below:
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- Neil Selwyn
Cardiff University, UK
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Neil Selwyn is a lecturer in education at the University of Bristol in the UK. He has published widely on the implementation of technology in educational settings and is currently the co-director of a research project examining the use of technology in adult education sponsored by the Spencer Foundation.
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