Succesful study versus web2.0?

Interesting guide from the university of Illinois for prospective online learners.:

What Makes a Successful Online Student?

I was struck by the emphasis on careful consideration of contributions. Weighing your words before committing: "Be able to think ideas through before responding". In many respects this stands in contrast to a certain style of interaction, particularly in web2.0 and possibly 3D environments, where the spontaneity of interaction leads to a more speculative type of discourse with a more informal register. A recent article on the American Society of Training and Developments' website entitled "All aboard, the web3D train is leaving the station" carried the following advice:

The hard part about Web 2.0– and Web 3D–powered training isn’t technology—it’s attitude. You have to loosen up, lighten up, and shut up. Don’t join the party wearing your faculty cloak. Join as a participant. [...]

Let them teach each other. No one has better credibility than a successful peer. Your approach will be more productive if it's more fun, more interactive, more conversational, and more like the computer games, blogs, and podcasts that the iPod generation is already interacting with in its spare time.

It's worth bearing in mind that ASTD's audience is perhaps more in the domain of corporate training than HE, but it's interesting to speculate how far the emphasis on participation can go in terms of loosening register.

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