Blogs as Virtual Communities: Identifying a Sense of Community by Anita Blanchard Week 4

VITAL POINTS I THINK HELP TO BRING FURTHER MEANING TO VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES & OF COURSE MY THOUGHTS!! http://blog.lib.umn.edu/blogosphere/blogs_as_virtual.html

Virtual community is a term used to refer to vastly different computer-mediated communication (CMC) groups, such as EBay or a soap opera newsgroup.

The importance of virtual communities for social reasons!
The idea that virtual communties open up and expand a persons village ( or surroundings) to the whole world! I think perhaps this argument provides a bases for the advantages of using these websites. As people can expand their learning and have the chance to reach out, in which may not be possible in the real world, due to issues such as finances.

Virtual communities can increase involvement within people’s face-to-face communities by increasing democratic participation and other community activism. Suggesting that these virtual communities of people provide a source of power, or force in active day to day activitives.

The idea that the use of the world 'community' has a emotionally postitive effect on people which encourages people to get involved. I think that perhaps people who are bored, lonely, looking for someone different to chat to, or simply interested in a particular topic of discussion would enjoy getting involved in these 'communities' as perhaps it gives people a sense of worth (as far expressing their opion an being agreed with) and the sense of being 'part of something' !

Jones argues that we can understand virtual communities by understanding the artifacts of its virtual settlement: its postings, structure and content.

Sense of Community!

Feelings of membership: Feelings of belonging to, and identifying with, the community;
Feelings of influence: Feelings of having influence on, and being influenced by, the community;
Integration and fulfillment of needs: Feelings of being supported by others in the community while also supporting them; and
Shared emotional connection: Feelings of relationships, shared history, and a “spirit” of community. McMillan and Chavis (1986)


The question of whether blogs (like mine) can be described as a Virtual community!
The fact that my blog contains as an author (ME), contains regular post dates, and is based around the particular topic of New Media, means that it can be classed as a virtual community, as it attract interactive attention from a minimal number of participants.