Article Summary of Online Communication
Cayla Redmond
Grand Canyon University: EDU 535
Instructor Corrie Wilson
October 24, 2017
Article Summary of Online Communication Technology continues to increase and become a more prominent way of learning. Online education is a more convenient way for students of various ages and backgrounds to continue their education. With more online programs being offered the online learning environment is continuing to expand. Working towards a degree online is a lot of work, it is not as easy as one would expect. Actively participating in the online community creates a better learning environment for the students and others in the course. This article Read- Only Participants: A Case for Student Communication
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“Students become more involved in an online conference when the instructor participates as guide, providing extensive critique, feedback, and encouragement” (Collison, 2000, pg 39). Without having an instructor that is actively present, the learning and collaboration between students is often hindered. Collins, Brown and Holums (1991) explain that interactive learning helps provides an instructor to see what the class many be struggling with, issues in the class and lack of communication. Therefore, interactive learning and online community collaborative can increase with a present instructor there to offer insight, understanding, knowledge and …show more content…
al. (2009) states that as more formal education courses are available online, quality and non-completion remain problems. Research shows that active participation online is necessary to a student's success in the online communities. When a student actively participates in discussions, interacts with peers while also interacting with an instructor has a higher rate of success and less likely to drop out of the course. Nagel et. al. (2009) explain that dropout rates for online classes range from “ 20 to 50%, often 10-20% higher than” for equivalent face-to-face course (pg. 38). Reasons like poor connectivity, high cost, personal matters have been reasons for dropouts and low participation in online classes.
Conclusion Quality over quantity is a meaningful quote in the case of online communities, it is more important to post fewer high quality discussions that create collaboration and interaction with peers, than to post an abundance of discussions with little contribution. Nagel et at.(2007) agreed that participation and interaction significantly relate to success in online
In the book “Reclaiming Conversation”, the author Sherry Turkle quotes, “She as intoxicated by the feeling of being part of a vibrant and growing movement. But the website couldn’t get people to put real signs on the real lawns. It couldn’t get people to declare themselves to their physical neighbors.” (Turkle 296). In these sentences Sherry Turkle explains that even if people join big communities online, they will still lack the presence in the community.
This paper is based on computer mediated communication, how it transformed the nature of our interpersonal relationships, and what effect it has on the quality of our interpersonal relationships. In this paper, I will be explaining what computer mediated communication is and the form of computer mediated communication that I will focus on for this topic is Facebook. Computer mediated communication is a process in which human data interaction occurs through one or more networked telecommunication systems. They take place through many types of networking technology and software. This includes email, messaging services, and social networking sites.
To those who have never experienced an online community they may seem pointless, a waste of time or simply childish. However, for those that have expanded beyond the traditional means of communication such as, talking on the telephone or conversing face-to-face, online communities offer a new and exciting means of communication. They offer a chance to meet others, gain advice, voice an opinion, defend an argument, or to simply relax and have a little fun. Acknowledging both points of view, I decided to explore the world of online communities for myself.
In a traditional class when working on group assignments students get to work on the assignments together inside class and outside the class. Students get to get to know more of one another in a traditional class and get to physically accomplish their tasks in the classroom. Online classes have no face-to-face communication with any of their peers and that makes it harder for them to accomplish assignments because it makes it harder for them to build team relations within the students. Ferdig, R. E., & Roehler, L. R. (2003) state that: “Researches has suggested that the use of discussion forums has the potential to increase interactivity in classrooms”. Face-to-face communication within a classroom is a better way to interact with other colleges and its a better way to build team
5). In addition to instructional design and organization, building understanding and direct instruction are also key components of teaching presence (Anderson et al, 2001). Thus, an instructor’s ability to design, plan, structure, and organize online courses vastly increases in the absence of face-to-face interaction (Swan, 2003; 2004). Research suggests that teaching presence is a vital component in regard to student learning and satisfaction (Arbaugh & Hwang, 2006; Blignaut & Trollip, 2003; Garrison & Cleveland-Innes, 2005; Kanuka, Rourke, & Laflamme, 2007; Lim & Barnes, 2002; Meyer, 2003; Murphy, 2004; Shea, Fredericksen, Pickett, & Pelz, 2003; Shea, Pickett, & Pelz, 2004; Swan, 2003; Wu & Hiltz,
Online education, while offering clear advantages such as supporting a self-paced learning experience by allowing learning on an on-demand basis rather than a strict class schedule, also has significant drawbacks. Students in an online only course may struggle with structure and content without hands-on instruction, which can help motivate students who otherwise may be distracted or have difficulty working independently. The traditional structure of classroom education is effective, but also comes with a set of obstacles, particularly for nontraditional students. The best way to bridge this gap is hybrid education, which combines technology and personal interaction to support efficiency and self-paced learning while keeping students motivated, social, and connected to their professors and their peers through face to face interactions. While this newer learning model is still under investigation, there is evidence to prove that hybrid courses can lead to academic success.
Orellana, A. (2006). Class Size and Interaction in Online Courses. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 7(3).
A highly valued view of building the community is that students must have the capability to motivate themselves and the likelihood to be active in both educational and social experiences. Socializing contains a variety of features from transferring messages to self-disclosure. Online professors can support the socialization by making a forum for discussions. The term ‘water cooler forum’ came from workers gathering at a water cooler to socialize with one another. For the online professor, this concept of socializing is done in an online forum where both student and the professor participate.
The past two decades have seen an almost exponential rise in the availability and popularity of online college classes and degree programs. Their pervasiveness begs the question as to the difference in a credit or degree earned in an online setting versus that of the traditional classroom. These two educational delivery systems will be compared from the perspectives of flexibility, the student experience, the impact of technology, and the issue of acceptability of online classes and degree programs.
There are also many conveniences and benefits to taking an online class over a traditional, face-to-face class. Many students benefit logistically, financially, and from the course structure itself. Online classes provide the student with more opportunities to be successful in their coursework. Online courses can be completed based on the student's own schedule, provide for faster and less nervous interactions with instructors, and in many cases, are more educationally beneficial setting alternatives to traditional, face-to-face classes. In fact, Sixty-seven percent of academic professionals evaluated online courses as equivalent to as or better than face-to-face courses (Lytle).
Furthermore, some may suggest that online learning is benefiting our students in society. There has been a breakthrough in time and geographical limitations of education via online courses (Ho, 2009). Online education is cost-effective, efficient, and easily accessible (Schmeeckle, 2003). Online classes are used for individual and independent learning in which the student can learn at their own pace (Gonzalez, 2009). Not only is online education beneficial for breaking down barriers, online education has the potential to help students learn material more efficiently. Students are more likely to seek help from their instructors when the material is taught online (Whipp & Lorentz, 2009). Computer use in statistical classes could help decrease math anxiety (Gundy, Morton, Liu, & Kline, 2006). In a study that measured online students’ ability to achieve the same efficiency of course material as face-to-face students, at least 98% of students reported that they had, so one may be lead to believe that online learning is just as efficient as face-to-face courses (Liebowitz, 2003). With all of the positive aspects of online education, one may wonder why there is any debate as to whether or not online education is beneficial for
Throughout the development of education, online learning is becoming more and more popular. Some students think it is good for them since they can get the latest news on the Internet. On the other hand, some students prefer to use their computer to play games rather than study. Educators debate whether implementing online learning might improve students’ academic performance. Online education is rapidly increasing and becoming as a feasible alternative for traditional learning. According to a study in 2008, which conducted by the U.S Department of Education, back in 2006-2007 academic year, about 66% of postsecondary public and private schools began participating in student financial aid programs offered some distance learning courses, record shows only 77% of enrollment in for-credit courses being for those with an online component (Agarwal, 2013). In 2008, the Council of Europe passed a statement endorsing e-learning's potential to drive equality and education improvements across the EU (The Standing Committee, 2008). There is strong evidence that implementing online learning can help students learn better than traditional learning since it can increase learners’ responsibility, select learning materials according to their skills and learn the updated materials.
Today’s generation is like no other. The nation as a whole has completely evolved from past times, with technology being one of the greatest improvements. Traditionally, schooling takes place in a classroom setting, but, with the many modifications in our world’s system, we are able to assimilate more modern means of education, such as online learning. However, with many changes comes differences and requires adjustments. The online learning system has proven to be just as effective as traditional learning, with some minor differences, however, nothing of great significance. A few of those insignificant differences include online learning being convenient, especially for the non-traditional students,
This number has clearly multiplied since the school year 1997-1998 in which only 1.6 million students were enrolled in distance education courses (Eaton, 2001). Online education has reached and continues to reach to those students that cannot attend a traditional university setting due to constant mobility that Bauman refers to as liquid modernity. Technology has created accessibility for higher education, however it also formed a barrier. The main purpose of this paper is to take a look at the barrier technology has played for students, faculty, and quality assurance agencies while participating in the use, delivery, and evaluation of online
In recent years, technology has become the most used and preferred way of communicating, extending across many platforms. All of these programs, such as e-mail, instant messaging, social networking websites in conjunction with text messaging and the ability to access all of these entities on the go, have come into fruition based on the immense and widely found growth made in technological advancements that have occurred in our society. With this, a massive change has developed in regards to referencing how we as humans engage in communication. We have now shifted into a society that relies heavily on the existence of digital communication, whether it be through the means of a mobile device (text messaging) or the Internet (Facebook, Twitter,