Computer-Mediated Communication Learning Environments: The Social Dimension

The social, relational, and affective dynamics are receiving more and more attention in the study of learning processes, as cognitive, affective, and emotional dimensions of learning seem to be closely related. This kind of co-origination, borne out in the context of neurosciences, artificial intelligence, cognitive psychology, and education, has also been recognized in the field of Web-based learning. The research framework of computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) has emphasized the role that a well-established social dimension plays in collaborative learning and groupbased working within communities of learners. According to the socioconstructivist model, learning always implies a social dialogical process where individuals are mutually engaged in the construction and sharing of new knowledge (Scardamalia & Bereiter, 1994; Wenger, 1998). Pedagogical approaches based on these assumptions combine the advantages of a learning strategy that promotes deeper level learning, critical thinking, and shared understanding with those related to the development of social and communication skills (Garrison & Anderson, 2003). What characterizes the intertwining of the educational and sociopsychological dimensions in these settings is that they are strictly linked to the dialogues that participants mutually construct. Most of the learning experiences that occur on the Internet are characterized by written and asynchronous communication (Lapadat, 2002). And the written discourse deeply influences also the socio-affective dimension of learning. The present review aims at presenting the most recent and promising research studies that tackle the linguistic nature of the emotional and affective dimension of learning in Web-based learning environments. Its purpose is to emphasize how computer-mediated communication (CMC) may convey specific social affordances in the expression of affective and social domain of learning.