Electronic communication

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Electronic communication

• Peter AlbionFOE1000

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Communication is mediated

• Different models
• Transmission
• Transaction
• Rely on a medium for transfer
• Sound
• Vision
• Touch
• Taste
• Smell

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Electronic communications
Sound
Vision

• Mediation uses electronic means
• Signals (sound, vision) converted for
  transmission
• Converted back at destination

Converter
ElectronicTransmission
Converter
Sound
Vision
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Analog or digital

• Analog uses continuous signal
• Conventional radio (AM FM)
• Conventional television
• Conventional telephone
• Vinyl disks audio/video tape
• Digital converts to bits - on/off
• Computer Internet
• Digital television radio
• CD DVD
• Digital telephones

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Synchronous or Asynchronous

• Synchronous at the same time
• Videoconferencing
• Live radio television broadcast or narrowcast
• Internet streaming media
• Telephone
• Internet chat or SMS
• Asynchronous not at the same time
• Recorded video
• Recorded audio or voicemail
• E-mail
• Internet discussions
• Web sites, blogs wikis

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General characteristics

• Convenient
• Fast
• Relatively inexpensive once established
• Often less formal than traditional methods

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Video audio conferencing

• Complex studio systems to webcams
• Multipoint or point to point
• Desktop systems
• Windows Messenger or iChat
• Marratech others
• Skype for telephony
• Elluminate use foronline tutorials inin this
  course

http//www.apple.com.au/macosx/features/ichat/
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Broadcast or streamed media

• Complex studio systems to webcams
• Desktop systems
• Free or inexpensive software
• May require special server
• IPLOD uses streamed audio
• Streamed media plays as it downloads

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Text chat on the Internet

• Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
• Since 1988
• Basic exchange of messages
• Later systems
• ICQ, MSN, AOL, etc
• Directories, chat file transfer
• Extended systems
• Audio, video, whiteboards
• MUDs and MOOs
• Specialised language conventions

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Chat systems in education

• Simple text - IRC and later systems
• Language learning through conversation
• Online meetings
• Expanded systems
• Teaching with web presentations
• Application sharing
• MUDs and MOOs
• Virtual worlds
• Role plays

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SMS

• 160 character limit
• Abbreviated language
• Conventions
• Inventive

RU F2T FYI SMS is GR8 WOT RU w8N 4
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txtin iz messin w/ evrybodis englis

• txtin iz messin,
• mi headn'me englis,
• try2rite essays,
• they all come out txtis.
• gran not plsed w/letters shes getn,
• swears i wrote better
• b4 comin2uni.
• she's african.

Wired News
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SMS poetry competition

• a txt msg pom.
• his is r bunsn brnr bl,
• his hair lyk fe filings
• W/ac/dc going thru.
• I sit by him in kemistry,
• it splits my _at_oms
• wen he -)s _at_ me.

• a text message poem
• his eyes are bunsen burner blue,
• his hair like iron filings
• with ac/dc going through.
• I sit by him in chemistry,
• it splits my atoms
• when he smiles at me.

Wired News
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SMS in education

• Possible applications
• Easy contact with stakeholders
• Reporting grades
• Reporting absences from school
• Research
• Prompts for data gathering
• Real time data collection
• Problems
• Cheating
• Bullying

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E-mail service

• Analogous to conventional mail
• Compose message
• Transmit via network (local or Internet)
• Senders terminal
• Senders server
• Receivers server
• Receivers terminal
• Stored for collection by receiver
• Key protocols
• SMTP, POP, IMAP

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E-mail message structure

• Headers inserted by software
• Time stamp
• Addresses (from, reply-to)
• Other details
• Inserted by sender
• Address(es) of recipient(s)
• Subject
• Greeting
• Message body
• Signature

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Email headers
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Email message
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E-mail etiquette

• Use a meaningful subject line
• Avoid using all uppercase
• Regarded as SHOUTING
• Avoid using all lowercase
• Regarded as lazy
• Take care with humour
• Dont forward without permission
• Be prompt with responses
• Include identifying information

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Message content

• Informal compared to standard mail
• Consider audience and potential impact
• Spelling grammar are important
• Especially in business messages
• Include selected context in replies
• Cut and paste to reduce excess
• Keep it brief
• One subject per message

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Email response
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Emoticons

• Limit use and watch context
• Meaning may not be understood
• ) or -) smile
• ( or -( sad
• ) or -) winking or joking
• -D shock or surprise
• Many others are less well known

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E-mail in education

• Communication with colleagues
• Within school
• Professional communities
• Communication with parents
• Curriculum applications
• Projects involving distant schools

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Discussion boards

• Message structure similar to e-mail
• Operation more like a noticeboard
• Message composed
• Posted on server
• Readers must visit server
• Permits more control of access
• Some advantages for class use

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Web sites

• Analogous to other forms of publishing
• Often reproduce common genres
• Books
• Minutes of meetings
• News and other reports
• Include adaptations of genres
• Interactive response forms
• New genres
• Hot lists
• Home pages
• Course site
• Blogs Wikis

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Blogs (Weblogs)

• Convenient personal web publishing
• Journal or diary style
• Organised by date and category
• Interactive
• Provision for comments links
• Aggregation of updates
• RSS Rich Site Summary
• Watch changes from a central location
• Examples
• http//hipteacher.typepad.com/schoolblog/
• http//jerz.setonhill.edu/weblog/index.jsp
• http//www.blogger.com/
• http//www.bloglines.com/

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DrAlb
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Hipteacher
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Bloglines
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Wikis

• Wiki Hawaiian for quick
• Wiki Web
• Editable web site
• Examples
• Wikipedia
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
• Encyclopedia editable by any reader
• Wikibooks
• http//wikibooks.org/wiki/Wikibooks_portal
• Cooperative textbook authoring

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Wikipedia
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Blogs Wikis in education

• Emerging technologies
• Interest in literacy education
• Cooperative writing
• Writing for audiences
• Strong potential
• Care needed in public spaces

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Electronic communication in Education

• Potential
• Linking school home
• Linking school the world
• Information
• Interaction
• Challenges
• Technical
• Tools training
• Social
• Increased workload
• Ensuring safe use