BSCW Project Help Files: Asynchronous Communications

The class discussions in the workspace occur in asynchronous time. In other words, you can enter into a conversation at any time throughout the semester. Obviously, someone has to begin the discussion, and like any other conversation, people have to contribute to the topic to keep it going. The entire class need not "meet" in the workspace at once. Thus night owls, early birds and people with full time jobs can communicate "together" without actually being together!

Using the workspace for discussions has the advantage of allowing you to work whenever you want. The key for successful use of this medium is "earlier rather than later." Thus you can move at your own pace in the class and finish work ahead of time if you need more time later in the week or in the semester for engaging intensively in other classes.

The limitation on using asynchronous conversations is when people do not contribute. Clearly you cannot have a conversation with yourself! At least you can’t without having other people stare at you!!

There is a folder for each class. You open that folder and make your initial statement in response to the question attached to the folder (you see these folders and questions as soon as you open the discussion workspace). You respond to other statements by clicking the "reply" button after reading their statement.

Be sure to change the Subject line so that other readers know the basic theme of your comments. Also, when replying to someone’s statement, edit out everything but the part(s) of the statement to which you wish to reply. This makes reading of the replies more efficient.

The professors set deadlines for the opening gambit of the conversation: a statement and a reply to someone else’s statement. This is the MINIMUM requirement for the course.

If you are in a discussion group and no one has made an opening statement beside yourself e-mail Fr. Bucko and inform him of this situation. In this case you are the only member of the discussion group not obliged to make two statements. Remember, if you wait until the last minute to do these assignments you are being unfair to the rest of your discussion partners. A good rule of thumb is to put in your opening statement 48 hours before class and to enter your comment on someone else’s statement 24 hours before the class deadline. You can shoot ahead as far as you wish. If there are not sufficient discussion topics on each folder notify your professor and we will catch up with you!

40% of your grade is for participation. The discussion groups are the MOST IMPORTANT place for participation and are essential for the process of this class. You are graded for the quality of your statements as well as the number of times you engage other students in discussion. Your replies to other statements should be of some substance: you should not just say "I agree" or "I disagree" but you should give reasons for this based on your reading, your own experience, or your own power of reason. You are welcome to pose related questions or introduce related issues into each discussion folder.

Remember, the professors do not expect you to be instant experts in these topics but we do expect you to take a chance and make statements to the best of your knowledge. Thus think through the material and don’t worry in the beginning about being wrong!!!!! The professors read all the answers and use the opportunity to advance the class. The only "wrong" answers are non-answers, too brief answers, or late answers.

When we move on to other topics you are still welcome and encouraged to return to earlier discussions and make new observations. Just be sure to go back to the original topic folder.

Throughout this class, if you have any questions or problems, please notify the instructors immediately. Thank you for your cooperation in this very new way of conducting a cooperative learning experience!

This page is managed by Rev. Raymond A. Bucko, S.J. of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Creighton University, the Jesuit College of Nebraska. E-Mail: bucko@creighton.edu Page Last Updated: January 11, 2001