About the CRLT The CRLT has as its mission to promote and support a community of scholars dedicated to research on the design, use, and implementation of technology to improve learning. Three primary themes underlie the work at the Center: • research that contributes to the development of new pedagogical models for continuing professional development in the 21st century; • research on and evaluation of interactive distance learning environments that inform our understanding of student learning; and • research on teaching strategies for using current and emerging technologies to support student interaction, collaboration, and engagement in the issues being studied. This report is one of a series from our on-going research on learning and technology. If you have any questions or comments on this report, or if you would like to find out more about the activities of the CRLT, contact:

This articles examines the role of computer-mediated communication as well as broader interpretations of communication in Web-based instruction. Overviews of cognitive processing and cognitive constructivist paradigms are presented to illustrate their relevance for guiding development of Web-based courses. Instructional goals and communication strategies associated with these paradigms are identified. We conclude that developers should use instructional theories to guide choices for facilitating communications goals in Web-based courses. Because of increasing demands on professionals in many disciplines to develop Web-based instruction, it is recommended that university training programs require appropriate candidates to demonstrate relevant theoretical knowledge and skill competencies. Keywords Web-based instruction, Internet communication, instructional theory, cognitive processing, cognitive constructivist Introduction Web-based instruction is a rapidly growing instructio...

Despite a growing stream of research into the use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) media in higher education, there remains limited understanding about the students ’ motivations for using CMC alongside non-CMC media within a learning context. This article identifies seven dimensions of motivation from the perspective of uses and gratifications (U&G), including information seeking, convenience, connectivity, problem solving, content management, social presence, and social context cues. It was found that each CMC satisfied different motivations for its use, and that overall CMC best fulfilled information seeking, convenience, connectivity, and content management motivations. This study also identifies a number of similarities and differences between CMC and non-CMC media in terms of the motivations for their use. Finally, the study concludes with a discussion of the implications for Information Systems (IS) researchers, higher education, and organizations. KEYWORDS: Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), motivations, Uses and Gratifications

Despite a growing stream of research into the use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) media in higher education, there remains limited understanding about the students ‘ motivations for using CMC alongside non-CMC media within a learning context. This article identifies seven dimensions of motivation from the perspective of uses and gratifications (U&G), including information seeking, convenience, connectivity, problem solving, content management, social presence, and social context cues. It was found that each CMC satisfied different motivations for its use, and that overall CMC best fulfilled information seeking, convenience, connectivity, and content management motivations. This study also identifies a number of similarities and differences between CMC and non-

Wisconsin and a manuscript in final draft form to be submitted for publication in 2002. Conditions This project started as continuing research on COW (COW-Conferencing on the Web), an online collaboration tool used by Professor Bonk in classes at Indiana University. Two years earlier, a similar study was conducted on some of the COW data. I selected a different slice of data, revised the research method to accommodate my specific interests, and conducted the research to meet the requirements of the course. Near the conclusion of the project, Dr. Hara (then a graduate student at Indiana University) contributed a “second readers perspective ” to increase the reliability of the results. Professor Bonk offered suggestions on the original research report, and assisted in the preparation and delivery of the presentation at Distance Teaching and Learning 2001. Scope This research started as a class paper, developed into a paper presented at a major distance education conference, and is being prepared for submission to journals for publication in 2002. Role My primary role was to conceptualize the research, conduct the primary research, and write the resulting paper. I collaborated extensively with Professor Bonk in the presentation at the Distance Teaching and Learning 2001 conference. I am also coordinating final revisions to the paper being prepared for publication.

The use of the Wikis in both post-graduate and undergraduate teaching is rapidly increasing in popularity. Much of the research into the use of this technology has focused on the practical aspects of how the technology can be used and is yet to address why it is used, or in what way it enhances teaching and learning outcomes. A comparison of the key characteristics of the constructivist learning approach and Wikis suggests that Wikis could provide considerable support of this approach, however research into the motivations for using the technology is required so that good teaching practices may be applied to the use of Wikis when utilized in the higher education context. This study articulates a research design grounded in the Technology Mediated Learning (TML) paradigm that could be used to explore teachers and students ’ motivations for using Wiki technology to enhance teaching and learning outcomes. Using the ‘Uses and Gratification ’ approach, a popular technique used for understanding user motivation in technology adoption, a two-stage research design is set out. Finally, the paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for both information systems researchers and higher education.