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| Course Communication | 1. The weekly course updates are like meeting with the instructor once a week.
2. Knowing the professor is available to chat or email makes me more comfortable.
3. Video conferencing with my group makes project planning much faster.
Communicative process allows people within the course to exchange information. A lot of students believe that a comfortable flow of communication between the instructor and student, as well as with other students, is critical for an online learning experience.
Communication calls for a common language. This is problematic in online courses where much of the interaction occurs through written text. Poor or slow writers can be at a disadvantage. Usage of images, audio, and video can be helpful for some learners.
• Public and Private Communication
Consider tools that allow both public and private communications particularly between students and the instructors. Sometimes, students feel more comfortable emailing or chatting one-on-one rather than in a group setting.
Sufficient levels of deep and meaningful learning can be developed as long as one of the three forms of interaction (student-teacher; student-student; student-content) are at very high levels. Others may be offered at minimal levels or even eliminated without degrading the educational experience. The highest levels of more than one of these three modes will likely deliver a more satisfying educational experience, though these experiences may not be as cost or time effective as less interactive learning sequences.
• Synchronous and Asynchronous Communication
Online courses may possibly contain both synchronous (real-time, live interaction) and asynchronous (delayed) communication. As some students benefit from the live interaction of a video conference, others find the scheduling a hassle. For course developers is important to think about providing a variety of effective, efficient, and appealing methods for course communication.
Technology gives possibility for both small and large number of individuals to participate in communications. Even if generic, class-wide communications such as announcements are important, it's also essential that participants feel like they are an individual in the class receiving personal praise and encouragement.
Communication makes possible class that participants exchange messages.
Select a diversity of communication types to meet individual needs.
Think about the following areas:
1. Communication modes: text, graphics, audio, video
2. Timing: real-time vs delayed
3. Number of recipients: one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-many
4. Level of privacy: public, semi-private, private
Applying it.
1. Create a list of whole class communication options.
2. List ways to interact with individuals.
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?
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