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