Online interaction and "real information flow": Contrasts between talking about interdisciplinarity and achieving interdisciplinary collaboration

In this article we study how members of an interdisciplinary research team use an online forum for communicating about their research project. We use the concepts of “community of practice” and “connectivity” to consider the online interaction within a wider question of how people from different academic traditions “do” interdisciplinarity. The online forum for this Grey and Pleasant Land project did not take off as hoped, even after a series of interventions and amendments, and we consider what the barriers were and how they might be overcome. Barriers to involvement included participants’ expectations of interaction and collaboration--expectation that real interaction happens elsewhere, tensions between academic discourse and forum talk norms, unfamiliarity with the technology, and different conceptions of appropriate academic discussion. We suggest that common academic practice does not prepare us well for creating interdisciplinary research communities through online collaboration tools, whereas such tools are our best bet currently for including geographically dispersed members in collaborative projects. Therefore, careful planning and competence building would be necessary if such tools are to be used in collaborative research. Suggested interventions, based on our experience, include providing a more focused forum, making technical support easily available, and setting up particular tasks or items to debate, within a preset, synchronous timeframe, focusing on issues relevant to the project at that time

An evaluation of the Gloucestershire partnerships for older people project

This report presents the background to and findings of a UWE evaluation of the Gloucestershire Partnerships for Older People project, which was called 'Care Homes, Part of Our Community'

The Mediation of Ebonics and the NAACP Television Networks Boycott

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/60134/1/Diversity.pd

Elmo is Black! Black Popular Communication and the Marking and Marketing of Black Identity

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/60136/1/Elmo.pd

The Gentrification of "Black" in Black Popular Communication in the New Millennium

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/60135/1/Gentrification.pd

Tyler Perry and Black Cyber-Activism in the 21st Century

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/60138/1/The Black Commentator - October 25, 2007 - Issue 250.pd

All Around the World Same Song: Blackness, Racism, and Popular Culture in China

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/84150/1/All Around.pd

In With the Huxtables and Out With Amos 'n' Andy: Improving African American Representations on TV

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/60139/1/In With The Huxables And Out With Amos 'n' Andy_ Improving African American Representations on Television.pd