The Mixed Blessings of Non-The Mixed Blessings of Non-Face-to-face Interactions in Face-to-face Interactions in

Online CoursesOnline Courses

Nicholas C. BurbulesNicholas C. Burbules

University of IllinoisUniversity of Illinois

MCI commercial (“on the MCI commercial (“on the Internet, there is no race…Internet, there is no race…

etc”)etc”)

In what ways is this true, and in what In what ways is this true, and in what ways not true?ways not true?

Changing contexts (text, audio, video, Changing contexts (text, audio, video, avatars)avatars)

It is true that there is a It is true that there is a degree of anonymity degree of anonymity

(depending on web address, (depending on web address, etc.)etc.)

Opportunities to conceal identity and Opportunities to conceal identity and create (pretend?) new onescreate (pretend?) new ones

Issues: male psychologist posing as Issues: male psychologist posing as woman (Turkle) – would it be different if woman (Turkle) – would it be different if he was a pre-operative transsexual? What he was a pre-operative transsexual? What is “pretending”?is “pretending”?

Also false, in a way: Also false, in a way:

An enacted identity may inadvertently An enacted identity may inadvertently reveal the “real” youreveal the “real” you

Your actual identity and characteristics Your actual identity and characteristics don’t go away; they still affect how you don’t go away; they still affect how you act and how others react to youact and how others react to you

What can and can’t be “hidden” – what What can and can’t be “hidden” – what can and can’t be “pretended”can and can’t be “pretended”

So, anonymity:So, anonymity:

can create a sense of safety and can create a sense of safety and frankness OR it can encourage frankness OR it can encourage irresponsibility, imposture, flaming, etc.irresponsibility, imposture, flaming, etc.

can force people to focus on content, not can force people to focus on content, not on ascription (“Typical…) OR it can mask on ascription (“Typical…) OR it can mask relevantrelevant aspects of identity (positionality, aspects of identity (positionality, authority)authority)

How multiple “channels” How multiple “channels” affect non-face-to-face affect non-face-to-face

interactions:interactions: A. synch/asynchronousA. synch/asynchronous

aa. . conversation versus manifestosconversation versus manifestos bb. . impact of questionsimpact of questions cc. . back and forth back and forth of different sortsof different sorts dd. . intimacy versus independenceintimacy versus independence

B. large/smallB. large/small aa. . compare to regular classroomscompare to regular classrooms bb. . turn-takingturn-taking

CC. . public/privatepublic/private aa. . issues of trustissues of trust

Not a matter of better or Not a matter of better or worse, but worse, but effectseffects and on and on

whomwhom

any single channel necessarily any single channel necessarily advantages some and disadvantages advantages some and disadvantages othersothers

benefits of multiple channelsbenefits of multiple channels