The Ergonomics Open Journal

2008, 1 : 10-19
Published online 2008 April 3. DOI: 10.2174/1875934300801010010
Publisher ID: TOERGJ-1-10

The Impact of Time Delay on the Content of Discussions at a Computer- Mediated Ergonomics Conference

Byron C. Huntley and Andrew Thatcher
Department of Psychology, School of Human & Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, Wits, 2050, South Africa.

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the relationship between the content of computer-mediated discussions and the time delay between online postings. The study aims to broaden understanding of the dynamics of computer-mediated discussion regarding the time delay and the actual content of computer-mediated discussions (Knowledge construction, Social aspects, Number of words, and Number of postings). A sample drawn from the computer-mediated discussions of the CybErg 2005 virtual ergonomics conference served as the data for this study. The Interaction Analysis Model was utilised to analyse the level of knowledge construction in the content of the computer-mediated discussions. The correlation results demonstrate that Knowledge construction, Social aspects and Number of words generated within postings were independent of, and not affected by, the Time delay between the postings and the postings from which the replies were formulated. When greater numbers of words were utilised within postings, this was typically associated with a greater level of knowledge construction. Social aspects in the discussion were found to neither advantage nor disadvantage the overall effectiveness of the computer-mediated discussion.

Keywords:

Online discussion, knowledge construction, time delay.