An electronic newsgroup can be a simple and effective extension to an educational experience for both students and instructors. What is a course news-group? A newsgroup is one type of Internet-based communication that is often compared to an electronic bulletin board. For a course newsgroup, the board is targeted specifically at the students and instructors in that course.

I have used newsgroups for several years at different academic levels, in case and lecture-based courses and have found them very useful.

Used effectively, a newsgroup can add a number of benefits to a course.

The primary purpose of a course newsgroup is to enhance the discussion of course material. This is as appropriate for a management course as it is for a class in thermodynamics or advanced human anatomy. Discussion can be extended, initiated, and captured or downloaded for later review.

Although continuity from classroom to newsgroup does not always materialize, useful discussion can flow between the two forums. The newsgroup is a good place to initiate discussions that did not start in class or to summarize points made in the classroom.

The major point is that the instructor must actively participate in the newsgroup discussion. Usually, spontaneous discussion will not happen. However, with some effort, a newsgroup encourages improved dialogue between students and instructors.

A newsgroup is also a convenient place to involve students who avoid classroom participation. For example, some students lack confidence in their speaking ability -- these students, however, will often participate in a written forum. In class, they can then be asked to elaborate on the points they made in the newsgroup. Students become less intimidated to participate because they know that their points have some validity and they only have to overcome their speaking fear. In some large courses where class participation was part of the student evaluation scheme, I have considered newsgroup participation.

Another advantage of a newsgroup is that it provides a record of class discussion. This is especially useful in courses where some may be unable to attend classes. It can also be useful for review at the end of the term. I regularly tell students that material for the final exam includes classroom and newsgroup discussion.

This leads to a secondary purpose of a newsgroup: to distribute course administration information. During the term, an instructor often needs to relate information such as required readings, lab locations and course outline amendments. Blackboard or oral announcements do not last and are often neither heard nor noticed. Further, students ask questions in class for which all students eventually will want the answer. By posting the question and answer in a newsgroup, a definitive answer can be provided to everyone.

In addition to improving communication between students and instructors, newsgroups offer other benefits. If the instructor needs to be away during the teaching term, the newsgroup provides a relatively easy way to maintain communication. It creates a virtual office that runs seven days a week, 24 hours a day. In practice, I have found it important to remind students at the start of the term that I cannot be expected to reply from my virtual office instantaneously all the time.

If good use is made of the electronic newsgroup for course administration and the more simple questions, traditional face-to-face office time can then focus on in-depth understanding of issues.

In order to realize the benefits of electronic newsgroups, some extra effort is required on the part of the instructor. This comes primarily in the form of time. The technology is not difficult to master -- it is probably easier than mastering simple word processing commands. However, students will expect the instructor to monitor the newsgroup, contribute to the discussion, and respond to e-mail. To be effective, logging on once or twice a week would not be enough. Daily log on is most likely required.

Some instructors might also find a newsgroup to be a rather frustrating communications medium. It is well suited to the written word only. For example, pictures are not easy to transmit without additional technology. For graphical information, a web page is better suited.

Another limitation is that a newsgroup is an example of "pull" technology -- a student must request the information by deliberately signing on to the newsgroup. The instructor cannot be sure that every student has read a posted message. In this vein, a newsgroup posting does not replace a notice on the classroom door moving a lecture.

While newsgroups have significant benefits on their own that easily make the effort worthwhile, their largest benefit to instructional quality may be longer term. A newsgroup allows both instructors and students to begin to take advantage of technology to extend and enhance the educational experience. A newsgroup is relatively easy to use, requiring little financial investment to fully realize its capabilities. Once newsgroup capabilities have been explored and mastered, the introduction of other technology-based supplements is easier and likely more effective.

Darren Meister is an assistant professor in the School of Business at Queen's University.