An Interactive Computer-Based Conferencing System to Accommodate Students' Learning Process

We describe an integrated computer-based conferencing and mailing system as a tool to encourage students to more actively participate in class discussions. The system is called ICMS (Integrated Conferencing and Mail System). It provides a bulletin board that serves as a communication medium for the students and the instructor. An analysis of why students do not actively engage in class discussions is given. We then proceed to explain how the ICMS system can successfully alleviate this problem. Furthermore, we discuss how the ICMS system can serve as a tool to improve a student's critical thinking and as a guide to self-evaluation. Other unintended but positive consequences of the ICMS system are described. We conclude that the ICMS system can play an effective role in students' learning process.