How to use online absence ?

The Manitoba Emerging Technologies - Africa online course is focussing increasingly on participation. What does it mean to participate in a global online course where many of the students have real difficulties in getting online, and getting bandwidth.

It was a student based in West Africa who had the courage to first raise the question - why is there so little participation in the forums ? At first sight the issue can look like a purely tech/bandwidth one. No access = no voice.

Thinking about this, another student with good connectivity has has said that what keeps her out is more social factors. Time, opportunity, and a preference to engage as a reader not a contributor make her a quiet voice.

With online social networks we all bring perhaps a set of confused and emergent expectations which are still grounded in the social conventions of the real world gathering . So, a student may be on the network, or has joined the course, with the explicit expectation of a certain level of participation from others. This student is puzzled not to see a mirroring engagement from others, who have nevertheless declared their participation. Whereas if we'd all gone to a lecture room and some people at the back are simply taking notes not asking questions, everyone can be very cool about it...

Are we all perhaps unskilled (as yet) in interpreting and giving the subtler social signals online ? To join when "convenient/possible" and mostly through reading is of course a crucial function. The person who exercises that role should be proud to do so. Groups need critical and externalised consumers who can assess the value in the wider context, and not be seduced by their own voice and their own conversations. The challenge for us all in any online world is: how is the online group going to feel the benefit of these critical readings....and how are we going to feel the social signals that someone who is in a mode of "convenient/possible" and "read-only" is nevertheless wholly engaged with the learning ?

Online lacks a way for everyone can see the mental connections that others are making even if they are unable/not disposed to start writing in moodle forums.

For learners located on the wrong side of the digital divide, the question is crucial and touches on entitlement and equity. They are going to operate in an environment where connection and online presence are not easy and not regular. So they have to be able to signal their mental engagement by some other means - if they are not to appear, and to feel, to be excluded.