Representing place and situation in an online social environment

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, 2000.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 61-66).This thesis presents work focused on the creation of a sociable space for communication online. Sociable communication requires the ability to converse with others using simple and meaningful mechanisms, supporting flexibility and expressiveness. Equally important is the ability for people to read the space they inhabit and make sense of it in socially significant ways, such as people watching to observe others' interests and interaction styles. A third key to sociable communication is emphasis on identity and embodiment, giving participants a strong sense of themselves and others through their online representations. These issues are approached through research in areas ranging from sociology to urban architecture, directed at finding bases for the design of capabilities that are useful and engaging in the context of computer support for distributed multiparty communication. The result of this research is Talking in Circles, a graphical audio conferencing environment that employs abstract graphics for representation and provides lightweight access to multiple expressive modes. This thesis discusses foundations for work towards sociable communication online as well as the design and implementation processes involved in the creation of the Talking in Circles system. User experiences with the system, lessons learned and directions for further research into sociable communication are then detailed.by Roy Alexis Rodenstein Kartofel.S.M

The Communicative Functions of Language: An Exploration of Roman Jakobson’s Theory in TESOL

Language is an essential instrument of human expression and communication. In the field of TESOL, much attention is given to the what (vocabulary as building blocks) and the how (grammar as a blueprint for construction) but we seldom explicitly address why language matters in terms of the greater purpose it serves. Roman Jakobson’s model of the communicative functions of language is a compelling framework through which the overarching aims of language can be examined for richer ESL/EFL instruction and more effective, comprehensive use on the part of English language learners. This paper is an exposition and exploration of the model in parts and in tandem, as well as a guide to applying its referential, conative, emotive, phatic, poetic and metalinguistic functions in TESOL contexts