Virtual conferencing: A diverse genre Roger Atkinson Teaching and Learning Centre, Murdoch University and Clare McBeath Faculty of Education, Curtin University

Virtual conferencing, computer conferencing, computer mediated communications, email lists, listservers, newsgroups, discussion groups, bulletin boards, chat groups, online seminars, peer group interaction, "cafe chat"... the diversity of terms is an indication that virtual conferencing is an evolving term. Whatever it is, "virtual conferencing" encompasses a wide range of kinds or purposes of communications conducted via Internet services.

This article examines ways to classify virtual conferencing, with particular reference to kinds and purposes of communications, in contrast to classifications based upon the kinds of software used to create a virtual conferencing environment. The proposition is that classification by kind and purpose is more important, and more useful to analysts, than classification by software environment. A corollary to this proposition is that in designing for particular kinds of virtual conferencing, for example teaching in online courses, we can and should rely upon familiar parallels or analogues in conventional practice. For example, in the case of online courses, the problem of how to stimulate a productive tutorial group discussion is fundamentally similar to the same problem encountered with a face to face tutorial group, and the tactics you may use are fundamentally the same.

This article proposes that the educational technology perspective upon virtual conferencing is most productive if it delivers to participants, whether they be staff, students or peers, a diversity of environments and designs, from which the participants may select the particular one or several which best suits their purposes and the kinds of communications they desire. If communications fail, the fault rests with the facilitators or the peer group, not with "the technology".

However, the technology underlying communication processes cannot escape so easily and entirely from a share of responsibility for success or failure of communications. There are interactions, and a shared responsibility to ensure, as best we can, that participants in virtual conferencing in any form are well prepared and that their contributions are not inhibited or prevented by "the technology". Our check list of suggestions on these points are illustrated by experiences with the emailing lists edtech-aus, trdev-aus, eff_one, echalk and others, with virtual conferences, and with tutorial group kinds of computer mediated communications. Similar to conventional face to face interactions, success in this medium of communication depends heavily upon knowing your audience, being able to create environments in accord with their interests, and being able to use conventional social and communications skills.