ABSTRACT
Communicating online is increasingly familiar in everyday life, as email is commonly used in a wide variety of contexts, whether for keeping in touch with friends, arranging meetings, shopping or booking holidays. Similarly, text-based chat, whether via mobile phone or over the Internet, is widely used, particularly among the younger generation. However, the use of these technologies for learning may be less familiar. Furthermore, communicating with a group, including people you don’t know, rather than with individuals you do know, may be rather daunting, particularly if there is a permanent record of the messages that you have sent and now regret. The aim of this chapter is to describe what is involved in communicating or collaborating online and to outline ways in which you might encourage your students to develop their skills and confidence. Much of the research and experience in this area relates to the use of forums, but wikis also offer great potential for collaborative work, and have been included here.
