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Evaluation of an International Scientific Computer‐Based Conference
Author(s) -
Tombaugh Jo W.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of social issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.618
H-Index - 122
eISSN - 1540-4560
pISSN - 0022-4537
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-4560.1984.tb00196.x
Subject(s) - value (mathematics) , scientific communication , public relations , equity (law) , gender equity , psychology , engineering ethics , medical education , computer science , sociology , political science , library science , engineering , medicine , social science , law , machine learning
Computer‐based conferencing is a form of computer‐mediated communication which supports group discussion. This report describes the reaction of scientists who participated in such a conference and were asked to comment on the technology itself and on the scientific value of the exercise. While 78% indicated that they would participate in other computer‐based conferences, they also identified improvements that they would like to see. Scientists from developing countries were concerned primarily with technical problems because their capability for on‐line participation was low; most received the transcript in the mail and sent their contributions by TELEX. However, the problems identified by the industralized‐country participants require social, not technical, solutions. These scientists were concerned about the lack of contribution of others, the quality of the information that was presented, and the lack of focus or direction to the conference. They saw little of value contributed by others, but were also reluctant to contribute themselves to such an open conference. These concerns are described and related to a number of topics in social psychology such as equity, leadership, and communication networks.