UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS USE OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATED DURING E-MAIL TUTORIALS

This pilot study investigates whether ''tutorials'' conducted by compu ter-mediated communication (CMC) involve reduction of social cues and social presence of tutors which-despite the provision of social catego ry cues-may adversely affect the reception of information by tutees. T he ''tutorials'' were conducted for students in England by tutors in F rance. Data for the study, drawn from a comparative education assignme nt set for undergraduate students, comprised surveys of students' perc eived IT capabilities and attitudes towards IT, and analyses of studen ts' essays and interview data. The findings of the study indicate that students do not attribute such weight to information provided by CMC as to that information provided by transcriptions of ''face to face'' interactions in lectures and by mediated quasi-interactions with print . (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.