In an earlier unit you read the paper by Belderrain (2006) Distance Education trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education, 27(2), 139-153. In that paper Belderrain explores some of the technologies available to us to promote collaboration, but refers specifically to a number of implications for the online learner. One is that of the role of social presence. Belderrain suggests:
As in any social group, individuals participating in distance education must feel like they belong. This 'belonging' or 'presence' enables students to interact comfortably with peers as well as instructors.
Belderrain goes on to define social presence as referring to:
the degree to which individuals perceive intimacy, immediacy, and their particular role in a relationship. Current trends indicate that social presence differs from interaction, yet one nurtures the other.
We'll take a closer look at social presence in a while. However, our entry into this topic will be prompted by the guided reading of an initial article and then a follow up reading that looks at a similar process, but makes use of a different set of categories to explore a very similar process.
Sutton, L. (2001) The Principle of Vicarious Interaction in Computer Mediated Communications. International Journal of Educational Telecommunications, 7(3), 223-242.
Some guiding questions which may also help you to both understand ideas in this text and synthesise with others you have read.
Having looked at Sutton, then read Wise, A. F., Speer, J., Marbouti, F and Hsiao, Y-T. (2013) Broadening the notion of participation in online discussions: examining patterns in learners' online listening behaviours. Instructional Science, 41, 323-343.
This article refers to vicarious interaction as a listening process and characterises participants into three different clusters: Cluster 1 -- Superficial listeners, intermittent talkers; Cluster 2 -- Concentrated listeners, integrated talkers; Cluster 3 -- Broad listeners, reflective talkers. You might consider this as you look at different forums and reflect on your own posting process.
As a follow up to your reading, reflect on the ideas in relation to yourself. Here are some prompts for you though independent reactions to any other specific detail, or thoughts that it has stimulated are always, welcome.