Salmon‘s model

The 5 stage model

This model, how it was researched and developed, is explained in much more detail in chapter 2 of the book. Here’s a summary: Individual access and the ability of participants to use CMC are essential prerequisites for conference participation (stage one, at the base of the flights of steps). Stage two involves individual participants establishing their online identities and then finding others with whom to interact. At stage three, participants give information relevant to the course to each other. Up to and including stage three, a form of co-operation occurs, i.e. support for each person’s goals. At stage four, course-related group discussions occur and the interaction becomes more collaborative. The communication depends on the establishment of common understandings. At stage five, participants look for more benefits from the system to help them achieve personal goals, explore how to integrate CMC into other forms of learning and reflect on the learning processes.

Each stage requires participants to master certain technical skills (shown in the bottom left of each step). Each stage calls for different e-moderating skills (shown on the right top of each step). The “interactivity bar” running along the right of the flight of steps suggests the intensity of interactivity that you can expect between the participants at each stage. At first, at stage one, they interact only with one or two others. After stage two, the numbers of others with whom they interact, and the frequency, gradually increases, although stage five often results in a return to more individual pursuits.

Stage Participant Needs Instructor Response 5. Development (reflecting on learning and achieving personal goals) Have and accept responsibility for self-learning Challenge assumptions regarding process and content Openness to challenges Support for self-directed learning Trouble-shooting technical or process issues 4. Knowledge Construction (establishing common understandings and collaboration) Assert individual views Make meaning and share new learning Develop collaborative efforts at knowledge building Group building Facilitating discussion and connecting conversation and content 3. Information Exchange (sharing course content and process information) Select and use information Exchange ideas with others Appropriately constrain efforts at interaction and information retrieval Directing effort Presenting guidelines for interaction, research, and other course-related activity Personalizing course activities 2. Online Socialization (establishing online identities and interactivity) Develop a sense of belonging and identity Learn to use the system for communicating Understand guidelines for behavior Modeling appropriate interactivity Making connections between individuals, each other, and the learning environment Promoting mutual respect 1. Access and Motivation (gaining access to and successful use of the system) Get connected to the course Access support materials Understand purpose and become motivated to participate Directing clearly regarding access and support Inviting and welcoming Figure 1. Needs and responses implied by Salmon‘s five stage model of computer-mediated conferencing