ACN Volume 8 No 1 Spring 1998 Community in the Usenet Newsgroup k12.chat.teacher by Michael Hauben Usenet newsgroups cover a diverse spread of interests. I chose to explore what human community can develop facilitated by the Usenet form of computer mediated communication (CMC) by looking at the newsgroup k12.chat.teacher. An interesting framework to use to analyze this forum is M. K. Halliday's definitions of field, semiotic tenor and mode (see Halliday's Language and Social Man). As participants in newsgroups usually do not share the same physical environment, all information needs to be shared in the typed out text of messages, whether it is the content or context of the questions. In CMC there is no field to be looked for outside of the actual interaction saved to the newsgroup in messages (and also in private e-mail). However, the topic of the newsgroup defines the tenor in that this particular section is for the discussion of teachers with other teachers in a k12 situation. For the most part the newsgroup is a community of peers, with other visitors, some welcomed and some not. The mode and the field of each message are the most variable elements in this framework. For mode, the messages can be 1) providing information, 2)posing a statement, or 3) posing a question. Responses can be 1) making a constructive agreement, 2) making a constructive disagreement, 3) providing details or experiences as evidence, 4) asking more questions, 5) making acknowledgment or emphatic support. In addition to these, there are out of place responses and messages or responses attempting to be disruptive. As the subject matter comprises part of the field of each message, that is what will be further explored in the rest of this article. The data source explored is the Usenet newsgroup k12.chat.teacher where kindergarten through 12th grade teachers and others discuss education. Teachers use it as a support and resource group to talk about the problems, responsibilities and duties as a teacher. Concerns about education, and working conditions are also brought up by current teachers and people preparing to be teachers. The data consists of messages collected over two time periods - from February 7, 1997 to February 25, 1997 and from March 26, 1997 to March 31, 1997. The sample from the newsgroup includes single messages and message threads from this newsgroup. Message threads are created by news reading software linking original messages, with responses made to the original message and subsequent responses. In addition to the public responses, private e-mail messages were most likely sent to the original posters of messages. However, because e-mail is private I have not gotten to see such responses since I only looked in the public message board. If I were to continue this research or extend this project I might contact the original posters of messages to find out if they would be willing to share any private responses that they received. I have found the discourse and community in this newsgroup to be constructive and worthy of study, as there appear to be a large cross-section of active people who create the critical mass needed for useful discussion and conversations. I have not encoded the individual's names because Usenet newsgroups are public bulletin board areas available to anyone who has access to either Usenet or the Internet. People who participate in newsgroups usually understand this, and post messages hoping others will read them and provide commentary. This desire to share and communicate is what makes Usenet valuable. It is essentially a public space. The main areas of discourse, as part of the field of the messages, are teachers' relations to their students, school administration, the students' parents, other teachers in their work, other classes in other schools, and what turned out to be the mainstay of conversation, the teaching profession. Other topics covered included asking technical questions about using computers and other new technologies in the classroom setting, either in the presentation of material to students or for the interactive use by students. Other useful postings included the announcements of web pages and e-mail lists that teachers might find interesting in developing curriculum or students might find interesting exploring as part of time on the world wide web. Sadly k12.chat.teacher is not obscure enough to hide from the noise on the Net, widely posted inappropriate spam messages which usually never interest the readers. These messages are accompanied by other commercial advertisements which teachers are used to seeing in normal education journals and magazines. These seem to be carry-overs from the old media, and are not the same as the grassroots voices of teachers airing their real problems leading towards discussion that is valuable to all who read and share the common situation. However, the forum has more airing of the new voice than the old, making it worthwhile to join the community. The people primarily vocal in the community of k12.chat.teacher are current teachers teaching in public and private k12 classrooms, students studying to be teachers and looking for jobs, and parents. Seeing parents involved was surprising at first, but their discussions of home schooling and talking about the education of children and adolescents was quite appropriate. Both teachers and parents spoke of the parent's role in their children's education, and how caring parents should be equally interested in aiding their children's education as teachers are required to be, if not more so. It would be interesting to study other newsgroups such as misc.education to see who reads and is active utilizing other newsgroups concerning education. Following are examples of messages posted to this Usenet newsgroup, with some descriptive analysis. The five major categories were teachers and their relations A) to their job and the teaching profession, B) to their students, C) to parents, D) to other teach ers, and E) to administrators. The remaining two categories are F) examples of miscellaneous questions and G) JUNK postings/SPAMS. CATEGORIES (and common topics) A) Discussing the Teaching Profession. A large number of the messages here were from teachers or student teachers looking for jobs or think ing of looking for jobs. A number of the teachers were currently substitute teachers either remarking on their uncertainty of moving towards obtaining a full time job, or describing their strategies towards gaining one. Others were first or second year teach ers looking to gain certifications to get better teach ing jobs or better paying positions. Other people were looking for help with particular curricula or sharing their lesson plans and web pages. Various messages asked for help with building curriculum units. Teacher concern was another subject especially the role of what was wondered to be an either overly zealous principal or possibly just a deeply concerned one. Each of the remaining broad topics received less amount of focus, but were still represented. Example 1: From: "Jennifer M. Blaske" Subject: Re: I am interested in teachers experience in getting hired. Date: Sat Feb 15 09:34:49 1997 Brett Lettiere wrote: > > I am an undergraduate at I.S.U. I am interested in hearing > other teachers discuss their experience of getting hired >and about their first years as a teacher. I am interested in > how they handled their class in the beginning. I am also > interested in knowing how hard it was getting hired. Well, as I've mentioned here before, I've been subbing for a year while certified and have still not been offered any thing. I know an experienced art teacher from another state who has been subbing for five years and still does not have a position. I know the teacher's think she's a great sub, so I don't know what's going on there. I also know two teacher's assistants also experienced teachers who became assistants in the hopes that it would lead to their own classroom. After three years, they are both still wait ing. -Jen Example 2: From: poet@netcom.com Subject: Re: Certification upon certification? Date: Thu Feb 13 09:13:26 1997 In article <01bc19b1$3bf2b980$9078adce@CSR.concentric.net> "Michael" writes: > >I am pursuing a degree in education (Secondary English); > I am beginning to hear about different certifications > which are in addition to the overall teacher certification. > For example someone yesterday mentioned to me that >she was thinking about trying to get her computer >technology endorsement. What are these additional > certifications for? Do I need them even if I am already > adept at the subject which the endorsement covers? > >Confused. >Michael > I suppose this varies by state, so it would probably be best to contact your state teachers' credentialing agency, most likely located in the state capital. As far as endorsements, or authorizations as my credential lists them: these do not, strangely enough mean knowledge of the subject, but rather permission to teach the subject. You may be fluent in Spanish or Greek, but you can't *teach* it without the authorization on your credential. It's good to pick up as many authorizations as you can (you can pick up more after you have your credential, by the way), because school districts like people who are versatile, so as enrollment rises or falls, or more Spanish speakers move in (or out) of the district or the school acquires more computers, or four years of math or basket making becomes a requirement to get into junior college, you'll be able to step into those positions as necessary. If you are certain that you only want to teach XXX and never anything else, then don't get the authorizations, but expect to have a harder time finding a job, though if it's chemistry or calculus, it'll be easier than if it's English. Good luck! B) Teachers Relations with Students. Messages discussing the relationships between teacher and student included the role of uniforms for both students and teachers. (For teachers, less about an actual "uniform" and more about trying to dress professionally whether that meant a shirt and tie, or just nice well-kept clothes.) One thread discussed the responsibility for interest in the classroom and education - how much rested with the teacher and how much was shared between teachers and students. Again we see requests for help defining curriculum, for example in the teaching of language arts and idioms or suggestions on how to develop a lesson around the then recent Hale Bopp comet. Example 1: From: redrose@ix.netcom.com Subject: Re: are teachers responsible for making class 'fun'? Date: Sun, 30 Mar 1997 19:16:04 +0000 One person wrote: >>I feel classes should be more fun and that responsibility >> is the teachers. Another person wrote: >Wrong! Learning is *your* responsibility. Personally, I think they're both right. It is BOTH the teacher's and the student's responsibility. It takes two to teach. For myself, as a teacher, the question is, "What is the definition of fun?" Or, rather than fun, interesting. I have many intelligent, thoughtful students who can find interest in difficult, challenging material, but unfortunately, they are in the minority. I sometimes feel frustrated that my students do not want to take the time to penetrate readings that are not immediately easy to understand but are none theless interesting. Or to go through the process of solving difficult problems. For many students "difficult" means "boring," (or "not fun.") My objective is not to make school "fun," but only meaningful, relevant and interest- ing, but some things are just difficult and require a good deal of cognition, which is demanding. The idea of "dumbing down" school is often to make it more "fun," and thereby watering down material to make it flashy and shiny and like a game, but there can be tre mendous satisfaction in reading difficult literature (both fiction and non-fiction) or ploughing through a high level math activity. For me, the most "fun" I ever have is hav ing a stimulating conversation with someone who is knowledgeable and articulate about many topics. The only way to arrive at that level of broad knowledge is to confront intellectual challenges. Be willing to do that and you will find your classes a good deal more interesting and therefore "fun." Deborah Example 2: From: Elizabeth Keith Subject: Re: Teaching Idioms Date: Sat Feb 15 23:17:07 1997 Linda E Lombardo wrote: > > > teach0629@aol.com (Teach0629) writes: > > > > >Hi! I'm doing a research project on American Idioms. > > >If you have any ideas or any info. on ways that one > > >can teach them, explain them or where they came > > >from--would be REALLY helpful. > > > > Really. Regardless of your opinion of Americans, it is > > not nice to call names in a public forum. Not to > > mention, your lack of specificity. Are you talking about > > North Americans, South Americans, Central > > Americans? And why do you think Americans are > > idiots?..... Oh, wait.... Never mind.... > > > > Perhaps if you can give an example of what you mean > > by American idioms, and what you are trying to get > > across.... > > Kurt Duncan (kduncan@southwind.net ) writes: > Idiot = one who does not know what an idiom is. :> > just kidding > > Don't you mean > shake a leg > get the lead out <...OTHER IDIOMS DELETED...> > pinch a penny > got the ax > > etc. etc. there are a million the only way I've seen > these taught (and this was just for fun to play with > language) students would draw a picture of the idiom > and write it and perhaps it's explanation at the bottom. > It was interesting to find out that they have idioms in > other languages also. You might explore that as an > additional activity. > --- > > ************************************************* > > "Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap > compared to that of an ignorant nation."-Walter Cronkite. > > ************************************************* > LINDA LOMBARDO AMHERST, VIRGINIA One of the ways I've introduced idioms is by reading the children a book called The King Who Rained by Fred Guynn alias Herman Munster. He wrote several books like this and they are fantastic. His illustrations are terrific too. The kids love it. beth C) Teachers Relations with Parents. A big issue entering into many of the messages was the responsibility of parents for their children's education and well-being. Some teachers complained about the apparent lack of caring and sometimes attitude from parents that it is all the teachers responsibility. Others were parents who posted about the importance of integrating learning into more aspects of life than just school. One large thread included one teacher's request for ideas in a way to incorporate parents more into the everyday activity at school. Some suggestions included making parents welcome at school as co-educators, perhaps teaching one-time skill sessions or similar presentations. This sugges tion was so that parents would not feel unwanted as non-professionals. So the tensions and communica tion are happening outside of once a semester par ent-teacher conferences which helps teachers (and parents) to change. The questions of the relation ship between parents and teachers get raised, and this leads to the consciousness needed before changes can happen in the larger society. Example 1: From: "M. A." Subject: Re: Teacher Accountability and Parent Responsibility Date: Sun Feb 16 14:39:17 1997 Dear Fred, I am a teacher who would like to see parents take an active role in their child's education. This would include not only a nightly session with checking and assisting with homework, but also a daily session of reading and practic ing math facts - whether it is when dinner is being cooked, and the child practices measuring out a cup of water to looking at the receipt from the grocery store and figuring out if one can of fruit cost $.79, how much would three cans cost?? I think if parents would let students see their interest in what they are learning and _apply_ it to their homes, then children would be more apt to think of learn ing as something they do EVERYWHERE and not just at school. It is most important for us to create a sense of learning for life, rather than learning for school. We are trying, but it will take all of us to make education worth while for the 20th century! Thanks for the opportunity to speak! Example 2: From: philcain@orelle.com (Philip Cain) Subject: Re: Parent/School Involvement Date: Sat Feb 15 16:08:35 1997 bbechst@bgnet.bgsu.edu wrote: > A team of teachers at our Junior High is trying to > develop a method of involving parents in our school > community. We would like to have parents in the > building as consistently as possible. We are a school of > 600 students, consisting of 7th and 8th grades and 45 > teachers. We would like to improve our overall student > morale, motivation and mannerisms. We would also like > to let the community know how our school operates and > what the students are learning. If you mean to break down traditional barriers that sepa rate teachers and parents, your goal is commendable. I think the basis for any association between the two groups has to be the acknowledgment that both are teachers. Both groups must say this out loud and mean it. Then, to begin a practical relationship (I'm a parent, so I speak from that viewpoint) it is necessary to "let" the parents in. I say it this way because many (most?) parents feel "left out", not because teachers necessarily keep them out, but because teaching is a profession and, as with other professions, non professionals don't "belong" there. To let the parents in, it might be useful to invite them to teach something. In a controlled environment specifically for the purpose, a parent might be given a point on a lesson plan and asked to give a try at getting the point across. The purpose of such an exercise would not be to train parents to teach but to give parents a taste of it and so some vocabulary to facilitate talking with teachers. Phil Cain D) Teachers Relations with Other Teachers in the School and in Other Schools. One issue that was probably easier to share slightly anonymously was problems and questions of relationships with the other teachers within the schools people worked at. By raising issues possibly sensitive to raise with others at their location, it was possible to explore the possibilities and think things out before going to teachers at their location to dis cuss particular problems and relationships. Also the medium allowed teachers to hook up with teachers in other schools and potentially link up classrooms. Example 1: From: "Margaret" Subject: problem teacher Date: 27 Mar 97 17:20:48 GMT Hello all, I teach in a very small public school (285 students K-12) in a rural area. The teachers and students get to know each other very well here. The problem is we have one teacher who constantly puts students down *in front of other students.* He/she tends to "join in" when the "popular" kids start mak ing fun of the "unpopular" kids; and he/she makes remarks in class like "oh you don't want to sit next to Nelson, he smells bad." All this in front of the entire class, and in front of Nelson. The principal and superintendent are aware of the complaints against this teacher, but they say they have to hear it first-hand from the students, not second-hand from teachers. The students involved are afraid to come forward for fear of retribution by the teacher. (Actually, the students who are the butt of the criticism are too humiliated to ever say anything to anyone, but several of the "popular" students are very upset by what they know is just not right.) I have had several students tell me about this, and have relayed the information to the administration, but as yet nothing has been done. So I guess my question is, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Because I have lost enough sleep over this, and I am tired of seeing kids get hurt, and I am starting to question my entire profession, and wondering why I bother caring when no one else does. -- Margaret Please copy replies via e-mail, as I am experiencing some technical difficulty with this news server. Example 2: Removed at poster's request E) Teachers Relations with School Administration. Yet another tough problem is how to be a good teacher, and at the same time handle the demands from above, whether principals, or even further from school boards and administrations. The news- group provides a good forum to compare notes and discuss what teachers are being asked to do around the world from the top-down, and discussing how to deal with such demands. Example 1: From: howie@smtp.dorsai.org (howie) Subject: Re: Alternatives to Grading with Averages Date: Mon Feb 17 22:17:52 1997 Rick MacLemale (maclemr@intnet.net) wrote: > Hello all... > My county is currently in this phase where elementary > teachers are being discouraged from using averaging as a > means to determine grades. Elementary teachers are told > not to average, but to instead "look at the progress of the > whole child". The only catch is that that's all they've told > us. Anyone (who does not use averaging) want to share > their grading systems? > Richard MacLemale > Teacher + Programmer > http://members.aol.com/RMacLemale/CoolClassroom.html > (Educational freeware + shareware) Sounds like one of those great school board concepts that are simply not thought through. Sort of like when my principal told us not to teach for the test (in New York State we have Regents exams). One teacher asked if pass fail statistics were no longer going to be calculated for each teacher. The principal went on to the next topic. One way of fairly grading the class while still looking at progress is to weight each exam higher as the year goes on. For example, the first test might be weighted as 1 test, the second as 1.1 tests, the third as 1.2 tests, etc. It sounds pretty cumbersome but shouldn't be too bad if you use a spread sheet. Good luck, Howie Example 2: From: c4 Subject: Would like teacher comments/suggestions on situation Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 13:44:23 -0500 I am not a teacher, and am posting this message to the news- group, requesting helpful comments/suggestions for my sister whose Internet access is limited. I would be glad to get them via e-mail or in this newsgroup. My sister, a first grade teacher, is under a great deal of stress with a new principal at her school who will be evaluating her teaching. Her message indicates that other teachers in her school are being evaluated by others, and the evaluation requirements are inconsistent between the evaluators. Like most teachers she spends a lot of her personal time and money preparing for her classes and providing educational materials for her students that the school does not provide. She is very a very conscientious teacher and loves teaching. She is 58 years old and plans to continue teaching for several years since she didn't start teaching in public schools until about 6 years ago. This is what she wrote me in e-mail: > I told you that I would be having an evaluation by the > new principal soon. I have been thinking about what to > do. He gives you a message for the "week of" and can > drop by at any time his heart desires. He had a > pre-meeting and told everyone what he expected to see! > When we told the other teachers who are being evaluated > by other individuals they thought he was on an > intimidation trip. He wants stuff no one else has ever > requested before. He wants a desk...a chair (he's in there > 45 minutes), he wants to see lesson plan books (no one > has done that since I have been teaching at omitted>.), He wants to see portfolios of all the children > with evidence of their work, he wants a map of where > named children are sitting, he wants to see all the > elements listed on the TTAS plan, he wants to see > individual situations, group situations where children > are working in teams, he wants to see all participating > and being successful, he wants to hear lots of higher > level thinking skills tossed around, he wants NO DOG > AND PONY SHOWS....oh please....what else is all > that!!! > Some teachers, especially older ones, are concerned that > he may knock them off the career ladder, which would > mean a loss in pay. If he did do that, I feel there would > be such an outcry that he would be looking for a new > school post haste. We all do a good job! Our school is > exemplary, but he thinks it should be national > exemplary....and is really putting the pressure on! F) Miscellaneous Useful Questions There were numerous other questions andposts that were hard to categorize but were useful. Probably the largest number concerned the use of technology in the classroom and school setting, whether it was for teacher presentations, students use in computer labs or just the wiring and setting up of computers in schools. One large thread was of teachers sharing in the lack of respect from their administrations and in the need for technology coordinators to establish the technologies in the schools and to train other teachers. This seems to be a larger problem than just receiving funding for computers. There has to be monies for support and training, and this is an ongoing concern. Example 1: From: George Cassutto Subject: Using PowerPoint In the Secondary Classroom Date: Fri Feb 14 21:30:01 1997 Hello Readers, I tried an interesting experiment in my 9th grade US Government classes last week, and I am interested in your feedback, tips, and ideas. Using PowerPoint, I was actually able to deliver a full-blown lecture on the Civil Rights Movement to 9th graders. They took notes dutifully, engaged in meaningful discussion when prompted by my questions, and generally stayed on-task to a greater degree than if the material had been displayed on a traditional overhead apparatus. In conjunction with the delivery of information by way of the PowerPoint program, which included sound effects and paragraph "building," I toggled between PowerPoint and the World Wide Web, using pre-cached sites to illustrate various historical events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the March on Washington and the King assassination. Some of these graphics were embedded in the PowerPoint slides, others left on the web. Additionally, I had Microsoft Encarta at the ready for sound clips of the "I Have A Dream Speech" and L .B .J. commenting on the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. I hope to use PowerPoint more often, but not to the extent that the students will burn out on it. What successes and cautions might your experience be able to provide in order to maintain the edge I think this medium has for secondary Social Studies students? Thanks for reading this far, and if you plan to hit the reply button, thanks in advance for your input. George Cassutto Teacher of Social Studies North Hagerstown High School (MD) http://www.fred.net/nhhs (Main Page) http://www.fred.net/nhhs/html/cassutto.html (Personal page) nhhs@fred.net georgec@umd5.umd.edu Example 2: From: Ted Johnson Subject: Re: Technology Coordinators - Please help Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 21:58:10 -0800 Chris Zimmerman wrote: > > I am researching how different schools handle this > position. I am currently a first year teacher, and have > been offered this position for our high school for next > year. Currently our school pays only $800 per year for > this position. We have about 160 computers which will >be networked. Our school has about 650 students as well. > >I was wondering what arrangements other school districts > have on this position. I was thinking that more money > would be necessary to take the position. But even more > important was a prep time to work on computers only. (We have 8 > periods and I have 2 prep periods for 3-4 classes.) > > Thanks in advance. > Mr. Z Chris: I was asked to apply for our school's new tech position last year. Originally, I would work full-time on the system and staff training, at my current salary level (I would have stayed on the teachers' salary schedule). It then be came « teaching, « tech. It then became full-time teaching, with my being paid for an extra 1 « hours (at my regular salary) with another teacher being paid the same to work as my assistant. At this point, I told the principal (nicely) to go away. -:) As it stands, we still have no tech person. -- tj Host, Education Forum on Delphi tj3@delphi.com http://www.dusable.cps.k12.il.us/homepages/tedj/gphs.html Example 3: From: holtzp@stillwater.k12.mn.us Subject: MacSchool + NetWare Date: Tue Feb 11 22:21:05 1997 Is anyone running MacSchool on a NetWare server in stead of an AppleShare server? Are there any side effects from doing this? -- Paul Holtz ISD 834 - Stillwater, MN Technical Support Specialist --------==== Posted via Deja News ====-------- http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Post to Usenet G) JUNK Postings It would be incomplete to show you the newsgroup without examples of the junk that has to be sorted through. Some of these are SPAMs which are indiscriminately sent to numerous newsgroups without any regard for the fact people use newsgroup shopping to read message about particular subjects, of which these SPAMs have no relevance. Other messages include commercial advertisements. Finally, when someone posted just to make trouble, there were two responses: Example 1: From: rhcramer@pen.k12.va.us (Roxanne H. Cramer) Subject: Re: School Play Date: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 00:32:20 GMT I find it hard to believe that a request for information on a school play was answered so cruelly. In general, I've found this group to be very helpful and supportive. I hope the teacher from Mexico does not think we're all such boors! Roxanne Cramer --- rhcramer@pen.k12.VA.US Example 2: Removed at poster's request CONCLUSION The newsgroup k12.chat.teacher is a place where k12 teachers gather to discuss their profession and work lives. As such the audience which gathers has a strong degree of common interests and shared knowledge, and the participants work towards the purpose of communication as requesting and imparting information along with discussing specific issues. The newsgroup also demonstrates Licklider and Taylor's vision of the development of a physical network which promotes the social network of connection of people with like interests. With the lack of additional context in the field or tenor whether body language or context of place, people are learning the importance in the written text and are careful to include situational details. Similarly the lack of observable details of social clues means users have to project their social roles and position to help define the tenor of the communication. The discussion between parents and teachers highlights some of this. What roles do each play, and how can they come to communicate on an comfort able and equal level? The many conversations simultaneously ongoing allow the reader to chose from the variety and range of concerns of the teaching profession. If you think of a teacher just beginning or looking for a job, the newsgroup offers a rare glimpse into the actual situation of teaching. For the experienced teacher it offers a place to share in the problems and frustrations of the situation. And for teachers who feel successful, a place to share those successes with others who might find they are interesting or useful in their own classrooms. Essentially, the k12.chat.teacher newsgroup allows for the collective gathering of educators so that they do not feel alone in their situation. But the newsgroup is currently only an embryo of the possibility. It is doubtful that its importance is recognized by school administrations and access is not made readily available to teachers. However, hopefully by spreading knowledge of the group, teachers will grasp the importance and push for access and time to be made available. BIBLIOGRAPHY Collot, Milena and Nancy Belmore. (1996). "Electronic Language: A New Variety of English." In Susan C. Herring (Ed.) Computer Mediated Communication: Linguistic, Social and Cross-Cultural Perspectives (pp. 13-28). Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company. Murray, Denise E. (1990). "CmC: A Report on the Nature and Evolution of On-line e-messages." English Today, 23, 42 - 46. Licklider, J.C.R. and Robert Taylor. (1968, April). "The Computer as a Communication Device." 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Gulia, Milena and Barry Wellman. ( 1997). "Virtual Communities: When Social Networks are Computer Networks." In Smith, Marc and Peter Kollock. Communities in Cyberspace: Perspectives on New Forms of Social Organization California: University of California Press. Available Online: http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/soc/csoc/cinc/wellman.htm ==================================================