Considerations and Potential Drawbacks
- Both of the Web Forum and e-mail are in danger of removing the immediate person-to-person contact of in-class workshops.
- Not being able to ask and receive responses to questions of the reader or writer can result in lengthy and frustrating workshop interactions.
- Explanations could be more difficult if the students aren't face-to-face and able to explain things to their classmate's satisfaction.
- It is advisable to use online workshops to support regular, in-class workshops.
- These types of workshops are probably best when utilized later in the semester. This way students have already completed a few workshops and are familiar with the process; learning effective workshop skills while learning how to negotiate problems with technology such as the Web Forum may be a bit much early in the semester.