comm_and_you

Task Roles

Page 199

Technology and You

Have you ever functioned as or interacted with an online moderator? How did it change your perception of online group dynamics?

In some cases, a role is defined by a task that needs doing, and a person is asked or appointed to fill it (or he or she volunteers). Such task roles are concerned with the accomplishment of the group’s goals—specifically, the activities that need to be carried out for the group to achieve its objectives. For example, your role on a committee charged with organizing a sorority rush party might be to post advertisements for the event in key locations around campus and in the campus newspaper.

Task roles can also be specifically related to the group’s communication:

An information giver offers facts, beliefs, personal experience, or other input during group discussions (“When the sisters of Chi Omega posted their ad in the student lounge, they had good attendance at their rush party”).
An information seeker asks for additional input or clarification of ideas or opinions that members have presented (“Jane, are you saying you’re not comfortable with the party theme we’re proposing?”).
An elaborator provides further clarification of points, often adding to what others have said (“I agree with Ellie about selecting Currier & Chives as our caterer; my friend works there, and she’s a great cook”).
An initiator helps the group move toward its objective by proposing solutions, presenting new ideas, or suggesting new ways of looking at an issue the group is discussing (“How essential is it that we schedule the rush party for the last Friday of the month? If we moved it a week later, we’d have more time to find the right band”).
An administrator keeps the conversation on track (“OK, let’s get back to the subject of when to schedule the party”) and ensures that meetings begin and end on time (“We’ve got five minutes left; should we wind up?”).
In an online forum, the person who coordinates and sometimes screens the members’ comments is called the moderator or master. An elder is the name given to an online group member who has participated a long time and whose authority is respected by the less experienced newbies.