Using Wikis to Generate Learning at ICIS 2007

Exploratory learning during academic research presentations, such as at ICIS, is essentially a process of what has been referred to as 'perspective taking and perspective making'. Technology support has generally been limited to back-channel conversations, such as chat, discussion boards, or instant messaging. Wikis, however, provide additional affordances that make it possible to support not only back-channel conversations, but what we call “back-channel contributions”. We found support for the proposition that “backchannel contributions” made in a first-ever use of wikis at ICIS would overcome process losses associated with the audience not being able to speak simultaneously with the speaker, and allow the audience to share reactions to the speech not just with the speaker but with others in the room, and, as a result, would help participants generate new ideas and learn not just from the speaker, but from each other.

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