The Internet makes it easy to communicate with family, friends, and people who enjoy the same things we do. We send messages, share photos, and join conversations on social networks – sometimes without thinking about who we’re talking to, what we’re sharing, and who all can see our posts. While it is easier than ever to stay connect, it can be just as easy to over share or create an online persona that may not reflect who we are and what we value.
A picture or post we think is funny and harmless today could be seen and misunderstood by people we never thought would see it – a future boss, grant committee, or even our grandchildren. With many forms of digital communication, once somethingʼs out there, it’s hard to take it back. The information we’re communicating online could tell people more about us than we want to reveal – and the consequences can be significant.
We can’t assume that people will see us the way we want to be seen when communicating online. Different people can see the same information and draw different conclusions from it. Everybody’s probably heard “think before you post,” and that’s because it’s really good advice. We have to consider our reputations and privacy as well as friends and family. When posting online, it is important that we think about what’s okay to post, who might see our communications, what effect it could have on us and others. I’ve learned that sometimes it’s better not to post anything at all.
Communication is about more than just words. We talk with our hands, body language, and tone of voice. When communicating online, all we have are our words, and maybe a few emojis I’m sure anyone reading this blog post has had trouble due to a text message being misinterpreted by a family member or friend. That’s because communication is less about the words we are using and more about how we are saying it. When communicating online, we have to be very careful about the words we are using because we don’t have facial expressions, body language, or tone of voice to help communicate our thoughts.
Communication Considerations for Teaching and Learning with Technology
Just like communicating with friends and family, we have to consider the limits of online communication when it comes to teaching and learning. Although we have a tendency to shy away from video and talking on-screen, it is important that we incorporate this medium into online instruction. Seeing our faces and hearing our voices can help students connect with us on a personal level, which helps to build trust and respect. If we remain just a name and a picture, it can be difficult for our students to get to know us and feel comfortable taking risks in the classroom.
When using written communication, it is important that we have others review our materials and directions. I can’t tell you how many times something has made perfect sense to me, only to be misunderstood by students and colleagues. We have to make sure our messages our clear and concise. It needs to be detailed enough to get the point across, but not so wordy that students stop reading before they grasp the meaning behind our words. As I am learning in my production design class, it also helps if we share our message in multiple formats. That may mean video, infographics, or other forms of communication that combine words and images.
As we begin using technology to communicate more, it is important that learning theory consider how digital communication impacts teaching and learning. However, the focus should remain on adapting technology to meet the needs of the learners (Mayer, 2009). Communication, in all formats, is a key piece of the learning puzzle. Multimedia technology that combines multiple forms of communication can aid human cognition. Educational research should consider the relationship between design features and how human process information (Mayer, 2009). This means considering what technologies are most effective when communicating information, how to help learners process the presented information, and how students can use technology tools to communicate their own learning.
Reference:
Mayer, R. E. (2009). Multimedia learning (2nd ed.). New York: Cambridge University Press.