The Online Community Space
The online community space developed for this study consists of three distinct sections. The first, on the left, is a column containing two tabs: 'users' and 'bio'. The 'users' tab displays a list of participant names. When a participant posts a chat message or blog entry, the colour behind his or her name turns white, indicating to other participants that he or she is currently online and active.
Figure 1. The 'Users' TabThe 'bio' tab displays user profile information for the currently logged in participant. Profile information includes questions such as 'what I'm reading' and 'what I'm watching,' and enables participants to upload an image for use as their avatar. Participants may change their profile information at any time. When other users roll over the participant's name in the 'people' tab, the participant's profile information is displayed.
Figure 2. The 'Bio' TabThe social proxy is also contained within the profile area. It indicates the number of minutes a user has been active, how many chat messages he or she has posted, and how many 'share' entries he or she has posted. In the second research cycle, this information was removed.
Figure 3. Profile Information and the Social Proxy, as visible by all participantsThe second section is labeled 'chat' and contains a window that displays synchronous text-based messages in real-time. Participants can post a chat message by typing into a text field and clicking the 'send' button. Upon first visiting the window, participants are not able to see the chat messages that have occurred before their arrival and are compelled to introduce themselves, much as someone would do upon entering a room in real space. Upon logging out or browsing away from the site, the window is cleared of content.
Figure 4. The 'Chat' TabThe third section, called 'share', is a space in which participants may post messages asynchronously. Messages here are displayed permanently and archived by month. The 'share' section functions very much like an online forum or blog: participants may post new entries or comment on existing entries. Both modes of communication - synchronous and asynchronous - work together to ensure that participants are able to post quick, reactive messages to each other and still have the option, when appropriate, of posting a longer, more considered responses.
Figure 5. The 'Share' TabTechnical Description
The online community space has been built using the AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) scripting protocol, avoiding the use of proprietary technologies such as Adobe Flash or Java. Participants access all functionality through a single web page whose presentation is updated to reflect activity without the need to refresh or reload the page.
A MySQL database is used to record the presence of users, and to maintain a history of all interaction and activity logged by the web application. Chat messages, 'share' entries, login and logout information and periods of activity and inactivity are recorded and archived in this database.
The database is manipulated on the server using Ruby on Rails, an open source web development framework built in the Ruby programming language. This framework handles user authentication (username and password information for logging in) and enables the AJAX / JavaScript elements of the application to pass data from the server to the web browser when required. Data is communicated in the JSON scripting protocol.
Fig 6. Web Application Data FrameworkThe open-source Dojo JavaScript library is used to construct the page layout and user interface, and provides consistency of look and feel across different web browsers. It is also used in the implementation of the AJAX data framework, where new information is passed to the database. (Menegon and Cartledge, 2007)
Background
The online community space was designed initially as an online learning environment, following the research of Sharples et al (2005), which emphasizes a shift to more personalized, learner-centred and collaborative learning activities. Sharples observed that next-generation technologies (sometimes dubbed 'Web 2.0') are harnessing the power of human sociability to open up new channels of interaction and knowledge sharing. These technologies should be seen as ideal tools for the facilitation of learning in the new education paradigm.
The research of Poysa et al (2005) further highlights the importance of 'hybrid place' in the understanding of successful learning communities. The experience of hybrid space is 'likened to an experience being distributed over various places nearby and remote, including environments online' (Poysa et al, 2005, p.164). In an educational context, fostering hybrid space experience requires the careful design of environments which seamlessly integrate both online (e.g. webCT) and offline (e.g. the physical classroom) spaces into a coherent whole. Considerations of this nature have been tested (e.g. Rohde et al, 2004 and Chang et al, 2004) and the results have influenced the design of the online community space developed for this study.
A number of key elements distinguish the space from exiting online learning environments:
- it is built using open-source technology, which is freely available and open to community development
- data collected within the application is owned and managed by the application's host, unlike similar offerings by Microsoft, Yahoo and Google
- dynamic content is promoted over static content in the design of the interface, emphasizing live conversation over oratory
The preservation and enhancement of these elements have influenced the development of function and presentation in the application. (Menegon and Cartledge, 2007)
To log in and have a look at the online chat tool, please click here. You'll need a username and password. Email me to get one.