Students realize that developing good communication skills is essential for success in their future careers. In traditional classrooms, students communicate orally with each other and their teachers, give presentations as individuals or part of teams, and practice interpersonal communication techniques working in teams and peer groups. Although in online classes, students rarely interact face-to-face or in person, they still have many opportunities to enhance their abilities to communicate.
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Communication Moves Online
According to the Center for Mobile Communication Studies, although workers still communicate in person at most workplaces, video conferencing and electronic communications are becoming increasingly important, especially as workplaces become globalized. Rather than businesses being local, suppliers, customers, and even teams of workers are spread out across the world. From one’s first contact with a company in an online job application through one’s work day once hired, one is constantly interacting with the world of work through various forms of electronically mediated communications.
Online Courses and Video Conferencing
Online courses require that students interact with instructors and other students through various forms of electronically mediated communication. By doing so, students develop skills in communicating over media that are increasingly important in the workplace. Many online courses have a videoconferencing component that simulates in person face-to-face interaction. One type of developing technology being used in business conferencing involves “virtual presence” in which robots and tablets or smartphones are used to simulate virtual presence, a technology that can be used in the classroom. Another emerging technology for video conferencing adaptable for online classrooms is virtual reality, in which users wearing virtual reality headsets can have a realistic experience of being gathered in a conference room despite being physically scattered across the globe.
Curriculum and Communication
Courses, whether in person or online, can either be highly interactive, requiring many modes of communication, or minimally interactive. Some courses are designed as large lectures in which students follow the material either in person or online and then take multiple choice or other straightforward factual tests. In such courses, students learn subject matter but do not focus on developing their ability to communicate. Other courses are far more interactive, with students participating in discussions, giving presentations, and working collaboratively.
Communicating in Online Courses
There are several pedagogical elements students should look for when seeking to develop communication abilities in online courses. First, many online courses have discussion boards which enable students to practice interpersonal and team communication skills. Next, students should look for courses that include team projects. Also, students should seek online courses in which they give individual or team video presentations. Finally, traditional written assignments such as research papers develop students’ abilities to communicate in writing.
Students can work on communication techniques in both classroom and online courses, with the former developing in-person skills and the latter electronically mediated skills. What matters more than whether courses are taught in classrooms or online is the specific format of the course and whether it includes a variety of communication tasks including presentations, discussions, team projects, and research papers. Choosing an online course which includes a variety of communication tasks enables students to enhance their communication skills.