The dynamic nature of discourse practices of a virtual learning community

Authors

  • Valeska Virgínia Soares Souza Universidade Federal de Uberlândia

Abstract

Counting on the possibility of virtual classrooms in which text, audio and video converge, in sole platforms of communication, I defend the virtual learning environments (VLEs) confi gured in these platforms (course management systems) should be considered virtual learning communities, which emerge from the agents’ actions in the environment. In this paper, I present the investigation of a virtual learning community in terms of the emerging dynamics, which are related to discourse practices. To carry out the research, I have followed the premises of the Genre Theory, by Swales (1990, 1998, 2004) and of the Complexity Paradigm. The study consists of a descriptive research of qualitative nature and is of virtual ethnography (Hine, 2000) orientation. After analyzing the textual production in the links Profile, Journal, E-mail, Forum and Chat, I have noticed that the features of oral and written discourses have merged in the textual production of the discourse community; that different genres have nested in the available niches; and that the communicative purpose has been depicted as an important part of this complex net.


Key words: virtual learning communities, genres, Complexity.

Author Biography

Valeska Virgínia Soares Souza, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia

Valeska Virgínia Soares Souza possui graduação em Letras, especialização em ensino e aprendizagem de língua inglesa, mestrado em Linguística, com foco em letramento digital, pela Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (2007), doutorado em Linguística Aplicada, na linha de pesquisa Linguagem e Tecnologia, pela Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (2011). Trabalha com ensino de línguas desde 1989. Seu interesse de pesquisa está relacionado ao uso de novas tecnologias de informação e comunicação para a aprendizagem de línguas. Atualmente, compõe o quadro de professores da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia e desenvolve suas atividades no Instituto de Letras e Linguística e no CEAD/UFU.

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Published

2012-11-19

How to Cite

Souza, V. V. S. (2012). The dynamic nature of discourse practices of a virtual learning community. Calidoscópio, 10(3), 256–269. Retrieved from https://revistas.unisinos.br/index.php/calidoscopio/article/view/1768

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 3 (2012): September/December

Section

Articles

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