Learning to me has always been a very uniquely individual experience, as with most things in my life. This could probably be chalked up to being an only child. I tend to work by myself. “Tell me what needs to be done and then leave me alone to do it” philosophy tended to dictate most of my activities. As a student, group work was always a frustrating prospect. I found navigating the currents of the social dynamic exhausting and laborious. As the identity test that we took at the beginning of the course indicates I am quite the introvert, and as such I don’t play well with others and find social activities draining.
As is common knowledge by now human beings are supposedly social animals, and apparently even the most individualised and introverted of us do crave and need social interaction on some level. As learning is constructed in a social context it is unavoidable becoming and engaging as a part of a greater learning community. These communities and interactions are becoming increasingly digitally mediated and as such one of the suggested topics of reflection for this topic was to “reflect on how you can use technologies to enable and foster social engagement in a group of participants”. Yet, as the self-proclaimed introvert of the group I would like to rather reflect on how an introverted student can use technologies to survive social engagement and lessen social anxiety of group participation.
One of the most cited drawbacks of online participation in learning communities is the isolation or disconnect from others it can cause. Usually, one is by oneself in front of a computer when engaging in these events. Yet this isolation can also have its benefits. Because one is by oneself and the engagement with other people is digitally mediated the feelings of being overwhelmed in a group of people can be lessened. A Zoom meeting offers a measurement of control on the part of the introverted participant. Even though some would argue that active cameras are a way of connecting with other participants, the opposite also rings true and may not be so bad. The ability to switch off the camera can be a source of relief, a means of hiding as it were, whilst remaining engaged. Often the idea of being seen can have the effect of feeling judged or vulnerable. Even the ability to hide the cameras of other participants can also serve to negate the feeling of being stared at.
Volume control is another valuable addition that digital meeting technology can add to the alleviation of the pressures of social learning engagement. Different people have different personalities and can talk at different decibels. A louder more outgoing participant may, unintentionally, talk over a more softly-spoken participant, or the sheer volume of their voice could be somewhat overwhelming. Luckily, unlike in real life, an online meeting has volume control.
The option to either engage verbally or through text is another anxiety-reducing feature. The act of having to talk in front of other people may be another cause for anxiety. In an online mediated learning environment, whether it is synchronous in a Zoom meeting or asynchronous through an e-mail or discord chat room, the option to type out answers, responses or engagements again places control back into the hands of the introverted student. Any communication can be carefully considered and curated to ensure the intent is communicated correctly instead of being put on the spot by talking in front of others. Online meetings and groups are usually geographically dispersed and can be from all over the world. This can bring together people from vastly different cultures and backgrounds, one of the most cited advantages of online participation in learning communities. But also, a source of anxiety, as the main language of communication may not be the participant's first language. Having the ability to write out and curate an answer avoids the anxiety of miscommunication or embarrassing mistakes.
In the same vein having social group activities that can take place asynchronously still fosters community engagement but at a more comfortable level for the introverted student. Having the choice about when to engage (within reason) can be an important aspect in alleviating the social drain experienced by an introverted student.
Furthermore, depending on the situation the physical environment that the socially anxious student engages with the social learning environment could be a familiar and safe space that they can retreat into at a moment’s notice to recompose themselves and fortify themselves to again face the horrors of social engagement.
So, when you are designing digitally mediated learning experiences to enable and foster social engagement in a group of participants, spare a thought for the introverts lurking among us.