It is efficient and at times effective tool to communicate, share knowledge.
It has made possible to collaborate around the world with different people in an efficient and effective ways.
It contributes also to multi-cultural collaboration.
Can replace and or/amend international meetings and conferences, which often come at high travel costs, environmental costs and little to now follow up; Instead, on-line communication costs allow continuous creative processes at low costs;

CONS

It can be frustrating for people from the countries or small organisation which has slow pace e-communication technologies.
It can create a big gap in learning environment between who have/have not access to all the sophisticated technologies. It can create an inequity for learning opportunity.
It often a lot of time is required to get on-line tools started and working first..
With regard to multi-cultural communication, there is also a danger for mis-understandings, especially as the use of English (I don't know if this is also true when Spanish, etc is the main language) tends to become quite direct and informal. This can be great, but it may also provoke a backlash from those in authority who feel that the necessary level of respect is not maintained.
Very much related to this - but not limited to multi-cultural settings - is that the level of equality implied through this type of collaboration can be perceieved as challenging to existing power structures. Thus there needs to be support throughout the entire organisation for this manner of working.

-> Go to the On-line Communication Tool page to learn about and further discuss PROs and CONs of various tools.

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--> Click on the TITLE to go to this article

E-Moderator's Toolbox

(see also chapter above)

Coordination and work-planning:

http://www.doodle.ch/index.php.en - Doodle to find time slots for meeting
http://www.timeanddate.com - An elegant and powerful way for timezone conversion
..

On-Line Working Tools:

http://www.imaginationcubed.com/LaunchPage - A "White Board" for up to 3 people to write & draw simultaneously
http://www.writeboard.com - a mixture between Wiki (upper half of page) and discussion forum (lower part) - a bit in its childhood (technically) still..
http://www.brainreactions.net - for brainstorming, listing ideas: multiple users, no drawing, but ranking of ideas by parts.

Open Space Technology:
- the wiki of the CoP of Open space Technology: a virtual learning space for all facilitators that use Open Space Technology (ask gerardo de luzenbergerfor further information))
- Open Space on line a software for Real-time Conferencing for Co-Creative Excellence based on Open Space Technology

IAF Methods database: the database on facilitation and moderation techniques collaboratively developed by IAF - International Association of Facilitators members
[http://www.e-learningcentre.co.uk/eclipse/Resources/facilitating.htm LIBRARY on

Facilitating online learning]