Topic 2 Forums

Web forums are used to communicate with other members in your group, and replaces the usual face-to-face conversations that would take place during group meetings. They are a way of saving time,and helping in addressing specific points of disagreement or confusion. However forums can also be problematic as they do not provide instant messaging, therefore the response rate isn't as fast and you may not get the answer you were looking for therefore it may take longer to achieve your goal than simply having meat space time would do instantly.
The messages/comments made on forums can be seen by anyone else using the forum therefore people are more aware of what they personally write and discuss. However i think the biggest advantage of forums is quite often they are used to discuss similar subjects, therefore if someone in your group doesn't know the answer to a question, other people may be able to provide you with information or help.

Livingstone address the question about learning new communication skills in order to keep up with new media. A very relevant question when using forums. Without seeing and meeting face-to-face with people, opinions, strong views and thoughts on particular subjects are lost in forums unless you can communicate these with good writing skills. With lack of body-language and peoples expressions in which meat-space provides instantly and amongst a group of people is harder to achieve in simply and separate comments made on a forum.

I am personally finding forums and blogging a new experience therefore at times harder to understand quite what is required. There doesn't seem to be an authoritative figure in these forums. As between tutors and students, the comments tend to use informal language and blend in with the others.