Taxonomy of Online Activities

We will use a taxonomy of sixteen online activity types identified by Dr. Judi Harris to make sense of all the different kinds of projects that are available. Dr. Harris' work describes three major categories of activities: Interpersonal Exchanges, Information Collection, and Problem Solving. Each of these contains a number of sub-categories as shown below.

Interpersonal Exchanges
Electronic appearances
Electronic mentoring
Global Classrooms
Impersonations
Keypals
Q-and-A services

Information Collection
Database creation
Electronic publishing
Information exchanges
Pooled data analysis
Tele-fieldtrips

Problem Solving Projects
Electronic process writing
Information searches
Parallel problem solving
Sequential creations
Simulations
Social action groups
Virtual gatherings

We will be exploring each of these categories in greater detail in future lessons. However, for an excellent overview of where we are going, please read Organizing and Facilitating Telecollaborative Projects by Judi Harris now. (There is no need to follow the links in the article as this is what we will be doing in the next lessons.)