ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the options for supporting online groups using asynchronous collaboration tools. It concentrates on the educational uses to which the various tools might be put, as that is central to their effective deployment. Computer forums, blogs and wikis offer a variety of options for tutor mediated support, which may be used either as a formal part of the course or as an informal adjunct. For illustration purposes, I have drawn on practical examples of use at the Open University (UK), collected from the project described in Chapter 2, in addition to the experiences contributed by other institutions in the blended learning survey, and a variety of ‘bright ideas’ suggested by tutors. A growing literature on the successful application of blogs and wikis has served to provide further background for this chapter.
