CHAPTER FIVE REFLECTION 

Creating Technology-Supported Learning Communities.

        In this chapter the authors focused on learning communities and how it influence the educational field.  Forming communities involves variety of ways such as: discourse communities, communities of practice, knowledge-building communities and learning communities.  The internet and especially the world wide web is no longer an instrument used for retrieving information, but rather a place to create communities.  So, how can this be use to foster learning in the educational arena?  First a community is defined as group of people sharing common  needs and goals.  This is usually not what a classroom is since the students have different needs such as different reading levels etc.  Technology afford the classroom to foster this sense of common goals by using the internet.  the community members include teachers and students, both working independently and collaboratively through interpersonal exchanges, information collection and problem-solving projects.  

        Another main focus is the use of computer conferences which can be used effectively, collaboratory notebook and Computer-Supported Intentional Learning Environments (CSILEs). The authors noted that computer conferences is not meant to replace face to face interactions but to support learning in  unique ways by engaging reasoned dialogue, collaborative effort with a diverse audiences.

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