The overall result is that slow thinkers and shy individuals are more likely to contribute than in a traditional classroom. Creating a friendly, social environment is also essential for promoting learning. Interpersonal interactivity motivates students. Most people do not want to work completely on their own. An isolated learner may be a lonely distance learner.
Most people desire to connect with others, become part of a community.
Many students find that other students will push or motivate them to work. This is especially the case if students work on assignments together in a small group. Asynchronous interpersonal interactivity is accomplished by email or computer conferencing, which is similar to a bulletin board. Computer conferencing is better for ongoing discussions because users can see all previous contributions to a discussion. Synchronous interpersonal interactivity is generally accomplished using live chat.