Critical Inquiry in a Text-Based Environment by Garrison, Anderson & Archer

Garrison, Anderson, and Archer rationale is to highlight the use of computer conferencing as an important tool for bridging gaps in our educational knowledge base. The authors outline the traditional educational experience in relation with modes of indicators of cognitive, social, and teaching presence. Yet the devices of verbal or linguistic exchange are always based on oral or text based communication. Each has positive and negative attributes but neither can be considered faulty. Oral communications can be fast paced spontaneous, text can be documented, referenced, archived and more reflective.  The authors state written may be more higher order thinking skills, and critical thinking. The findings of their research indicates that computer conferencing has potential for creating an educational critical of inquiry. Yet as stated in their earlier paragraphs, there still remains work to be done before it is fully worthwhile endeavor.

My thoughts: Computer conferencing first came to the public’s attention with the company formerly known as Kinko’s back in the mid 1990’s. They advertised the new trend of video or live stream talk to anywhere around the world. With businesses all over the United States, Kinko’s thought their marketing of this plan was a pretty sound structure. However it didn’t work as many people in smaller cities and towns did not have contacts they wished to video conference in other regions. Or they were not educated on the full potentials. Anytime I went into a Kinko’s their computer conference rooms were mute and silent. Hardly ever used for the intended purpose. It may have been they were ahead of their time and we would have better solutions for using this media.