The TLT Group

Dangerous Discussions:
Anonymity, Intimacy, & Identity
 Dangerous Discussions Home Page
 
This Web page offers a starting place for civil, constructive conversations about the changing ways in which people identify themselves as they communicate online, with the dual goal of implementing practical results and developing useful policies.

Web pages CANNOT be enough by themselves for these purposes;  but we hope that this one can be a valuable resource when used effectively in workshops and other collaborative activities.


Framework for a Civil, Constructive Conversations about this Dangerous Discussions
"Clothing the Emperor" Issue: 
Anonymity, Intimacy, and Identity

I.  Describe the Dangerous Discussions issues in the least inflammatory language and identify important pre-requisites and conditions and the stakeholders. 
Why bother - under what conditions?  Who cares?

Anonymity, Intimacy, and Identity in Online and Hybrid/Blended Courses

What are the risks and benefits?  How can we take advantage of the latter and avoid the former?

What are the educational conditions under which anonymity can be most useful?   Under which anonymity should be avoided?

What are the potential risks and benefits of students' participating anonymously in course work or classes? [Including the use of anonymous response tools for traditional classrooms - "Personal Response Systems" and emerging hand-held device options - cell phones, PDAs, iPods, ...]

Students are already using the Internet for both anonymous and intimate communications. How can those uses undermine or support traditional course activities? Especially when new handheld digital devices will permit students to connect and interact with each other constantly - even in a traditional classroom during a traditional lecture/discussion/exam!

Why bother? 
Why is it important to deal with this issue?

Under what conditions is it important to deal with this issue? 

Under what conditions should this issue be avoided? 

Under what conditions are the benefits associated with this issue likely to result?  Are there any important pre-requisites that must be in place?

Under what conditions are the risks associated with this issue too likely to occur - so that this issue should not be pursued or implemented?

Who cares?   (Who should be involved in considering this issue? 
Because they will be influenced by it? 
Because they are able to influence how it proceeds?  Other?)

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II.  Restate polarizing views or questions  in ways most likely to enable stakeholders who are initially committed to apparently opposing views to engage in civil, constructive discussion.

1.  GAINS:  What are potential benefits of allowing or requiring students to interact anonymously within a course?

How can anonymous participation be structured to encourage more candid, constructive responses? What kinds of students (e.g.., timid? reticent?) are most likely to benefit from anonymous participation?

2.  RISKS:  What are the greatest risks of allowing students to interact anonymously within a course?

Who should or can be responsible for preventing students' abuse of anonymous participation options?



3.  GUIDELINES:  What are some guidelines for preparing students to participate constructively and candidly in anonymous interactions?

How, if at all, can options for anonymous participation be limited technically to prevent inappropriate responses? E.g.., Only use multiple choice items.

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 III.  List desirable results of participating in the  Dangerous Discussions activities for this issue.

1.  Deflate the hype and defuse artificial disagreements – restate the issue and challenge in more realistic and less inflammatory ways

2.  More effective educational use of anonymous participation options:
More faculty members develop and use anonymous participation options as an integral, effective part of their courses.

3.  More effective institutional policies: The college or university develops and implements new guidelines for the appropriate use of anonymous participation options within courses.

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Anonymity, Intimacy, and Identity

There are many ways to structure a discussion about THESE ISSUES.  There are almost as many different motivations and goals for addressing these issues as there are stakeholders in the results of the dialogue.  Some approaches are more likely to facilitate civil and constructive dialogue.  Others are more likely to bury opportunities for real solutions.

We hope to help you minimize unnecessary acrimony and maximize constructive give and take - to help you eliminate the flames, reduce the heat, and illuminate the real solutions.

Please examine what we offer, adopt what you find useful, and let us know about improvements you recommend or additional requests.  Click here to send email to gilbert@tltgroup.org.

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