Argumentative Interaction in an Academic E-mail Course

Abstract

The shift from the information society towards the network society has brought with it new challenges to human communication. Now that we are used to sending e-mail messages and gathering information from the www, the question arises of how to make the best use of these technological tools. The easy and rapid way in which messages can be exchanged provides a good basis for developing communication skills, especially in a country like Finland where people prefer silent consideration to argumentative questioning. Previous studies (Steffensen, 1996) on higher education in Finland have indicated that the typical Finnish student lacks both a critical attitude towards knowledge and a willingness to engage in critical discussion. Similar results have also been reported by Mauranen (1993), Laurinen (1996) and Hirsjarvi, Book, and Penttinen (1996), who found that even though students were approaching the end of their studies, they nevertheless found it difficult to participate in seminar debates. They hesitated to criticize each others' opinions or that of the teacher, who was regarded as an authority whose views should not be called into question.