The assignment asked MSU students to critique, and the Howard students thereafter to revise, the Howard students' essays on racism. Then the MSU students would attempt appropriately to illustrate the essays, with a similar process of critique and revision. All of this was done remotely, via email. The messages are organized by topic for quick scanning and easy reading. In this way bulletin boards permit asynchronous communication at a distance.
Students can attach document drafts or multimedia files to their messages.
Ongoing collaboration is possible without the need for all group members to gather at the same place and time. Many course management software packages, including WebCT, include presentation areas that enable students to develop and display on the Web collaborative multimedia projects. Group members can upload HTML and multimedia files to their Web spaces to create an enhanced project presentation. The candor fostered by online interaction made it easier for students to discuss difficult, emotionally charged topics such as racism. Teaching tips Digital communication tools are not without their disadvantages.