Effective Communication

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Good communication skills are essential in an online class. There are many different ways you'll communicate with your teacher and other students in your class. Let's take a look at some of those ways and get familiar with strategies that will lead us to be effective communicators.

Types of Communication

There are two main types of communication that can be used in an online class:

  1. Live Communication: live communication is the type of communication that happens in real time. For example, having a class discussion in a traditional classroom together with your teacher and classmates at the same time is an example of this. Another example would be talking with a teacher face-to-face at the end of a class. These live conversations don't always have to happen in person, they can happen in an online environment as well. For example, when you meet online with your teacher in Zoom.

  2. On-Demand Communication: on-demand communication is the type of communication that happens at different times rather than in real time. For example, if you send your teacher an email, you are using on-demand communication. Another example of on-demand communication would be discussion threads. You will see these sometimes in online classes where the teacher will create a post that students are asked to respond to with their own thoughts and ideas. This is a discussion that takes place over time and students add to it at times that work best for their schedule.

Netiquette

Netiquette is a term that refers to the correct or acceptable way to communicate online. It is a code of online etiquette that you should abide by when in an academic or professional setting. This applies to both live and on-demand communication. Netiquette includes respectful behaviour, appropriate language, and an acknowledgement of other people's privacy interests.

*Remember, your classroom discussions should be more formal than the type of discussions you might have with your friends on SnapChat, Instagram, or Discord.

Student Q & A

Now that we've covered some of the basics, let's dig a little deeper into these topics by taking a look at typical questions that students have about communicating online.

Question 1: Now that you've told us about the differences between live and on-demand communication, what does that really mean for me?

Answer: Live online Zoom sessions are similar to what you experience in your traditional classes. Discussions can often be more lively and interactions are immediate since everyone is in the virtual class at the same time. These types of interactions can also help an online class to build community more quickly. Other communication will most often take place on-demand rather than in real time. This will give you a chance to research, write, and edit your responses instead of being put on the spot. Think of this as an opportunity for you to really reflect and compose your thoughts carefully before you make a response.

Question 2: Will my online communications be permanent?

Answer: Yes. Whenever you communicate online, you create a permanent record of your words. All of your electronic communications can be dated, organized, stored, and reviewed. Because your words are enduring, it is a good idea to compose your electronic communications carefully before posting.

Question 3: I generally feel more comfortable talking online than in person. Is online communication easier than face-to-face communication in a classroom too?

Answer: It can be. When you communicate through email, private messages, a discussion board, or a blog, you're somewhat anonymous. Some students find that this environment gives them extra confidence if they are normally shy or tongue-tied in front of instructors or other students.

Question 4: I'm worried that there will be more potential for misunderstanding when I'm communicating online than when I'm communicating face-to-face.

Answer: This is a valid concern because your teacher and classmates won't always be able to see your body language or hear your tone of voice. Written words can sometimes be misinterpreted. Always review your written communications in an online discussion/email before posting and try to remove any language that could be interpreted as offensive, aggressive, or inappropriate.

Final Piece of Advice

Here are 3 important aspects of email etiquette that can help you navigate this new online world:

  1. RESPOND: try to respond to email and private messages in a timely manner; don't let more than two days go by before replying to your teacher or a classmate.

  2. ATTACH: if you've included an attachment with your email, mention it in the body of the email. Then double-check that you actually included the attachment before you hit "send".

  3. RE-READ: this goes for emails, as well as any other written text you submit online. One of the biggest advantages of taking an online class is that you can really take your time to think about and formulate your responses before you deliver them in many different cases.