Technology Affordance Analysis: PBworks

PBworks has been a vital component of my classroom instructional practices. The online collaborative platform has provided numerous beneficial aspects. Although PBworks is overall advantageous, there are some facets that make it problematic.

PBworks Affordances:

1.  Written material can be presented via an online portfolio format. PBworks allows image and video uploads. This allows students to develop a personalized page that encompasses written and visual content. This practice is similar to Facebook. Thus students are able to associate PBworks with an online environment that they are familiar with.
2. Every student can make changes to the PBworks environment (if students are listed as a writer).  PBworks provides a tracking system that lists every edit made to the classroom page. Additionally, the student that made the change is listed. Therefore, prior page reversions can be made if mistakes occur. This feature ensures sustainability.
3. PBworks provides a comprehensible user manual. The manual provides self-help information for utilization purposes. If someone is having difficulty with certain aspects, he or she can access the “help” feature. The instructions provided are simplistic. This allows for understandability at all levels. 
4. There are reusable templates! The templates help instructors organize content. Additionally, it provides students with necessary information in a comprehendible format. For example, there is an Assignment Template. At the top of the template, there is a PBworks explanation video and PBworks request for access link. This feature helps students become easily acquainted with the website; therefore, instructors do not have to spend an immense amount of time explaining the website.

PBworks Disaffordances:

1.     Ironically, the affordance I listed above regarding PBworks and Facebook is also a disaffordance. Some students are not able to separate the PBworks academic environment from the Facebook social environment (possibly because students spend a significant amount of time on Facebook).  Thus there is slight integration of colloquialism in student written content.

2.     Class enrollees are able to view the content uploaded to the classroom PBworks webpage. This means that everyone in the course can view all written content. Unfortunately, not all students want their classmates to view their written content. Thus this avenue could potentially deprive students of learning.

3.     PBworks is most effective when integrated with introductory courses and beyond. Most content can be easily disseminated and completed without conflict. However, PBworks is not as effective when integrated with developmental and basic courses. These courses generally involve practice tests, quizzes, etc. PBworks does not have a feature that allows accumulation, calculation, and the like.

PBworks (like most technological components) is most effective when it's applied in the appropriate context. Coinciding with J.J. Gibson’s affordance theory regarding underlying functionality and suitability for users, PBworks can be effectively utilized if the appropriate attributes are integrated and if the attributes can be efficaciously articulated with the target audience.