They rely on their own evaluation or on feedback from the members of their projects more often than surveys or written evaluations. Other moderators indicate that they view increased participation as a measure of successful projects. Moderators enjoy the community that develops during a project. This enjoyment as well as a sense of responsibility propels them to provide as much technical support and training assistance as possible. Whether such support is defined in the role or not, the camaraderie that develops compels moderators to become vital assistants, especially to newcomers.
Moderators serve a valuable role in leading and perpetuating educational telecommunication projects.
Numerous coordinating tasks can be alleviated or simplified through the development of online tools for moderators and training. Tools should also provide simplified mail creation and distribution, as well as a database for information gathering and management. Today, these interfaces and tools are being developed and implemented by commercial services, the Internet through the World Wide Web, a nd network projects from National Geographic Kids Network and The Global Schoolhouse. But, many would-be online participants do not yet have the required hardware or connections. As more teachers integrate telecommunications projects into their classrooms, moderator demand will rise and will require more clearly defined roles.