Role of online Moderating

In trying to grapple with the actual role of emoderator I initially looked at Salmons Five Stage Model (shown above). To get my head around these models I summarised key points from them in visual form to help my own understanding of what it is an emoderater is supposed to do. These diagrams are given below and I am hoping they will serve to remind me of the role of emoderater as I have this weird feeling we are going to put on a trial run as emoderators on the programme – this could be both an educative & entertaining challenge (Hope Leigh is close at hand for this one!).

The term moderating takes on a whole new role in the online arena where its main role is to provide feedback on elearning especially as the student is not in a face to face environment. E-modertaion involves managing, facilitating & engendering group based computer mediated communication (CMC) within two different technological approachs of Synchronous (Realtime) and Asynchronous (Delayed) Mediation.

Emoderating essentially involves providing feedback to online learners. The WikiEdProfessional elearning guide identifies some basic types of feedback including :
· Feedback for correcting errors in understanding or performance
· Feedback with affective intentions such as influencing motivation
· Feedback on the understanding of subject matter
· Feedback restating the original task or providing new information
In an online environment where visual cues are lacking the type of feedback given and the manner in which it is given could dictate what type of role is taken by the facilitator and by default will surely impact also on the perception of online learners as to the type of role being adopted by the facilitator

http://wikieducator.org/WikiEdProfessional_eLearning_Guidebook/Assessment%2C_feedback%2C_and_e-moderation/Providing_Feedback