Instructor:  Dr. Leon James

Course Description:  WI/Psych 409 (Section 2) Fall 1996

Studying an Online Learning Community

Online learning communities on the World Wide Web constitute a new social phenomenon with still unknown characteristics which will be explored in this seminar.  Students will receive hands-on practice in the Porteus 635 computer lab on how to use Netscape to navigate the Internet and use its search engines.  Students will have access to the members of a local learning community on the  World Wide Web and will study and analyze their Home Page Sites and activities.  Class discussions will include methods of studying this online community and the social psychological principles it exhibits.  Two typed reports will be due, no exam.  Topics include:  cybercommunity site construction, management, and maintenance;  Database integration, searching, and analyses;  Access and navigation patterns within sites.  (Note: this section will be less computer intensive than Section 1 because it won't require constructing your own Home Page).