E moderating: the key to teaching and learning online
Much has changed in the field of online learning and teaching, since the first edition of Gilly Salmon's (2000) highly influential book was published over 10 years ago. This book advocated a now widely adopted 'five stage' pedagogical model. Coming from a social constructivist perspective, the model describes steps through which learners, with the assistance of their 'e moderator' are acclimatised to their online environment (access and motivation) become acquainted with their peers (socialisation) find and share information with them (information exchange) negotiate meaning and co construct knowledge (knowledge construction) and finally assimilate new knowledge and understanding through self reflection (development) Research underpinning the model drew on student contributions posted on asynchronous text based discussion boards at the Open University. This latest edition aims to revise and re evaluate both the model and the role of the e moderator in the context of more media rich contemporary web 2.0 technologies. The book is divided into two parts: 'Concepts and Cases' and 'Resources for Practitioners' The first three chapters of part one cover the theory and practice of the five stage model, drawing on more recent literature and empirical data. The model is examined through case studies set in a variety of online contexts including discussion boards (voice as well as text driven) wikis and 3D virtual worlds. As the title of the book implies, an essential component of the model is the presence of the 'e moderator' who guides, motivates and scaffolds student learning through each stage. To this end, chapters 4 6 discuss the e moderator role in depth and consider the skills required for successful e moderation such as weaving (creating connections between individual student contributions to promote further discussion) summarising (drawing together the main points of a discussion thread) and giving feedback (individual and group) The importance of e moderation to the learning process is emphasised here, as is the need for proper training and development of e moderators. Chapter 7 looks at the experiences of online learners in relation to current concerns such as inclusivity and internationalisation. The final chapter of part one takes the reader on an interesting journey into the (perhaps not so distant) future of online learning and e moderating, imagining several possible scenarios referred to as 'planets' 'Planet Caffelattia' seems to be the author's preferred scenario with its emphasis on community learning and peer to peer sharing, where technology acts as 'mediating devices, promoting creativity and collaboration' (p. 187) Part two of the book serves as a useful quick reference guide for those involved in the design and implementation of e tivities (online learning activities) and the training and development of e moderators. Each of the 24 sections here offers a Innovations in Education and Teaching International Vol. 49, No. 2, May 2012, 233 234