Online education mostly uses computer medium and the Internet/web as technically mediated types of communication . However, it should be noted that in many cases the instructor will meet with participants face to face at least occasionally and that such opportunities should be used to make up for the shortcomings of the Internet/web as an educational medium.
Face-to-face communication is a lot more flexible and immediate as well as enabling fast and easy communication of instruction, acquiring feedback, discussions, division of tasks and cooperation, as well as important social processes related to mutual familiarizing, understanding of other people, support, development of trust, creating a feeling of community, establishment of group behaviour norms, leadership and social rewards.
In educational communication, it is recommended to combine media in a way that uses their advantages well and compensates for shortcomings . One of the best ways to combine media in e-education is the so-called blended (hybrid) learning where one part of the educational interaction takes place in a classroom (i.e. in a group consisting of a lecturer and students in immediate mutual face-to-face contact), while the other part of the educational communication takes place online.
Distance education uses different media: books, mail, radio, gramophone records and audiocassettes, film, television, cable and satellite television, video, multimedia systems, CD-ROM media, e-mail, Internet/web . It also uses two-way media for communication between the instructor and students such as radio, telephone, voice mail, instant messaging, chat, mailing lists and web forums. Each of the mentioned media has specific advantages and shortcomings. Since multimedia computers in combination with Internet/web technology and a fast Internet connection can simulate/emulate most of the other media , we recommend that you examine how can the advantages of other education and communication media be included into the design of an LMS.
When selecting a certain medium and its application in distance education, bear in mind the following media characteristics:
- Synchronicity related to the possibility of a more or less same-time message exchange between the sender and the receiver. When using a telephone synchronicity is entirely present since the sending and reception of the message are practically instant. With instant messaging and chat there is usually a second or two delay in the reception of a message. Asynchronous communication does not require that the sender(s) and the receiver(s) be on the opposite ends of the communication channel at the same time. For example, when using an SMS message on a mobile telephone, a more significant delay in receiving and sending a message is possible, as is the case with e-mail or discussion forums which are good examples of asynchronous communication.
- Media richness is related to the number of different communication channels which can be present in a certain medium (e.g. text, image, sound). E-mail without audiovisual content and attachment is an example of communication channel of low richness, since only textual messages are exchanged, while two-way videoconference is a characteristic example of a communication channel of very high media richness. Media of higher richness are more successful at attracting the attention and transferring non-verbal messages (such as facial expressions and timbre), the verbal content being supplemented with picture, sound, movement, animation or other additional characteristics, so the use of such media enables a design of more complex messages.
- Interactivity is related to the possibility of two-way message exchange . For example, press, radio and television are media of a very low interactivity level, while telephone, videoconferences, e-mail and web are interactive media. With interactive media, feedback is much more present and is used much more successfully, which makes the communication process more flexible and better adapted to the needs and characteristics of the users ( personalized ).
- Social presence degree is related to the possibility of an individual to use a certain medium to start interaction with other people, about who they are receiving information through that medium. Exchange of textual messages enables a relatively low level of experiencing a social presence of another person, while videoconference will create an impression of the other person’s immediate presence. Thus, the instructor’s textual message on the web will cause a far lower degree of their social presence, than an audiovisual record or web casting of a verbally presented message with visible facial expressions and gestures.
- Media privacy is related to the possibility that people other than the sender and receiver of a message and who are not included into the communication have authorized or unauthorized access to the message content. Examples of private communication media are postal letter and telephone calls to a direct telephone number of another person, while mailing lists and discussion forums are examples of public media. Privacy of the Internet communication is relatively low, as there is a possibility of tracking the sender’s and the receiver’s activities, password abuse and unauthorized use of other people’s information resources, as well as easy dissemination of private information. Apart from that, discussion forums are often saved for months and years, and are sometimes even indexed and saved by Internet browsers like Google.
Media sensibility is an important skill for effective use of electronic media in communication. This skill is connected to the ability to select the appropriate communication medium having in mind the sender’s goals, the content of a message and the level of relationship between the sender and the receiver. Media characteristics such as synchronicity, richness and the presence of non-verbal signs, interactivity level, social presence and availability of the medium to the message receiver, as well as the privacy level in communication, affect the regularity of the choice and the success in the use of communication media in distance education.
Tips & tricks: Bearing in mind different types of media, available ways to use different media for communication with the students of online courses (e-mail, forums etc.) and the previously mentioned media characteristics, plan an optimal combination and a method of using online media for promotion of e-education and communication with the students.
