| Socialization on the through internet chat rooms has | | | | exception. Discussions on complicated concepts, |
| become a growing trend. Online communications is | | | | when conducted in asynchronous mode, can take |
| quickly becoming a subsitute for face to face | | | | many days, or even weeks, to complete. In a chat |
| communications. The increasing availability of online | | | | room, the same discussion may be completed in a |
| communication tools has not only increased the | | | | much shorter time. This can be very important in |
| efficiency in which humans interact, but has also | | | | teaching math, science, and technology. |
| brought about changes in the way humans interact. | | | | However, the concept has recently evolved in such a |
| Due to the interpersonal boundaries of internet chat | | | | way that it mostly refers to simultaneous |
| rooms, it is easy for people to express themselves in | | | | ("synchronous") discussions. This means that the |
| manners that would less likely take place in a more | | | | participants are at their computers at the same time, |
| personal setting. Some would even go so far as to | | | | and respond to each other's messages immediately, |
| say an internet chat room is a state of anarchy due | | | | much like a discussion between people in a room. |
| to the lack of control and regulation. | | | | 1.The major disadvantage of chat rooms is that the |
| Chat rooms can be used for students to talk "live" to | | | | participants need to schedule to meet at a particular |
| other users that are online at that time. This is called | | | | time. As with any other meeting, this may be |
| "synchronous" communication. Chat rooms can have | | | | inconvenient, and may take much administration to |
| specified topics that students talk about or can be | | | | achieve with busy people. |
| open for any topics. Many dangers have been | | | | 2.At present, not many regular public chat rooms |
| associated with open chat rooms where users really | | | | have been established for educational purposes. |
| do not know who they are "chatting" with and | | | | While public chat rooms for the purpose of school |
| inappropriate discussions may take place. | | | | education are few, there are many (the great |
| Chatting with friends online - via services like | | | | majority, and those most easily accessible, by all |
| MySpace and Bebo - is beginning to take over from | | | | appearances) which are devoted to sexually explicit |
| watching TV as the main hobby of many young | | | | discussions of a kind that is most unsuitable for most |
| people. Much of the chat is happening in what are | | | | school children. It is rumoured that some persons |
| called 'community websites'. Unlike chat rooms, they | | | | with a taste for sexual abuse of children have used |
| are not open to everyone: each person has to be | | | | chat rooms to make contact with child victims. Many |
| invited to join in. A safer alternative is a private chat | | | | people may not be familiar with how an internet chat |
| room where only certain known users are allowed | | | | room works. Upon entering a chat room, a person will |
| into the chat room. This can be useful for students in | | | | be provided with an id. This can be an id specific to a |
| a class to have a discussion with one another, for | | | | particular chat room or depending on the service |
| students to work in groups or for private interviews | | | | provider, it can be ones login id for their internet |
| with a few people. It is not as useful if students are | | | | service. These ids are usually anynomous in nature. |
| in different time zones since the discussion takes | | | | An internet chat room offers an environment that is |
| place in real time. Asynchronous chatting can be done | | | | anynomous and one that allows for uninhibited |
| through discussion boards. | | | | freedom without fear of being indentified. This allows |
| Chat rooms (synchronous discussions) seem to have | | | | people to stay in control and make expressions that |
| few advantages over news groups, listservs, or | | | | may not normally be made in a face to face |
| mailing lists (asynchronous discussions) - with one | | | | interaction. |