The Reality of Virtual Communication

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The Reality of Virtual Communication

• Dan Franc, MSAUnisona Studio s.r.o. WebStudy
  Inc.

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In partnership with UNISONA Studio, s.r.o.

• E-learning and c-collaboration company
• Accredited by Czech Dept of Education
• Founded in 2005, partners have been active since
  1996 in the business
• Areas of actione-learningand electronic
• collaboration

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• LEADING e-COMMUNICATION
• . or the modest beginnings

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What forms can we use in virtual collaboration?

• If we have unambiguously determined goal and
  solution group
• COMBINED PROJECT Online collaboration as a
  support for a present project
• ONLINE PROJECT Online collaboration as a primary
  method to realize a certain project
• E-LEARNING online course with use of group
  dynamics
• If we have a topic rather than a goal, plus
  potentially open group
• KNOWLEDGE COMMUNITY (Community of Practice)
• SUPPORT COMMUNITY
• SOCIAL COMMUNITY
• If neither the goal nor the role of a group is
  set
• SOCIAL NETWORKING

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LEADING ONLINE COMMUNITIESWhat is it actually
about?

• It is necessary to find ways how to
• Share knowledge
• Motivate members to participate
• Structure interaction and content
• Support creation of new knowledge
• Receive information
• Work wit relationships
• Solve everyday routine
• ...

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Roles in an e-communication community
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The nature of the facilitators work
COMMUNICATION
online communication
moderating
NETMODERATING
leading virtual teams
LEADING
USE OF ICT
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Role of the facilitator
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The levels of work of online groups
NETMODERATOR
CONTENT
PROCESS
SOCIAL
TECHNICAL
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E-COMMUNICATION communicating in a modern way!
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Technology is everywhere
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How about this one?
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Cyberspace electronic communication environment

• Cyberspace (William Gibson) A cybernetically
  created environment which enables formation of
  virtual communities and realities in the
  structure of network
• An environment is created where
• For different people time flows differently
• Geographical barriers are vanishing
• New barriers are being formed
• Today space for real groups in
• Virtual teams
• Distance learning
• Virtual collaboration
• ...

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Measures of e-communication tools
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Computer vs. non-computer (F2F) communication

• Differences from F2F communication
• eC increases the amount of communication, but not
  necessarily the content value
• problem and assignment solution is not
  necessarily faster than in eC
• eC does not allow visual indicators, though it
  can contribute to better understanding
• eC is slower on input but faster on output
• Context and body language needs to be expressed
  differently in eC
• When to use F2F?
• More ambivalent assignments
• immediate reaction needed, need to verify
  reception
• when divergent thinking is not under pressure
  i.e. convergent assignments, conflict solution,
  need of consensus

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Myths about e-communication

• it always makes communication more efficient
• it does not require any special preparations
• it enables everyone to communicate effectively
• all eC needs can be solved by e-mail
• it enables full expression of emotions

• it is ineffective
• only computer-skilled people can manage it
• it is unusable for leading
• it works with with latest tools only
• it is cold and impersonal

• rose-colored spectacles

• black-colored spectacles

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Specifics of text communication

• E-mail communication is neither a transcription
  of a conversation nor a letter!
• We have nothing but text
• We tend to write briefly
• Written text is not a transcription of a spoken
  word
• The ability to communicate is largely influenced
  by the ability to type and express oneself by
  written text
• Everyone is in different time
• Discussion flows in jumps
• Various people are involved in a discussion

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Komunitajakoprojekt
E-COMMUNICATION BASED PROJECT . it
aint no rocket science
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To make the e-communication project work
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Start of closed virtual team I

• Selection of team
• not everyone can handle the uncertainty and
  responsibility which is a part of virtual work
• managers should carefully choose individuals for
  collaboration in a virtual team
• essential qualities responsibility,
  independence, reliability, self-sufficiency
• Setting and communicating team goals
• Setting roles and responsibilities
• team members know individual complementary
  assignments and the overall direction and goal
• Unclearness can lead to confusion, frustration
  and drop of initiative

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Start of closed virtual team II

• Set, use and and require process rules
• Netiquette for individual tools
• Timemanagement time shifts, time drops
• Support desirable behavior of VT members
• ensure open and regular exchange of messages
• provide regular and detailed reports about the
  work they are doing
• necessity of feedback to other members
• not quantity but quality and regularity of their
  communication is essential for effective team
  functioning
• Generally
• Set an example and be visible, inspire, fascinate
• Try to make the start as good as possible Five
  minutes of glory

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Motivace
STIMULATING ACTIVITY . when the letters are not
coming in
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Motivators in an e-community
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Stimulation of activity - content
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Motivation?

• e-sugar
• Whats In It For Me?
• e-whip
• Why Do I Have To Do It?

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Facilitator interventions
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• PREVENTING BOREDOM
• . or on the role of interactivity

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Online activites based on e-communication
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• GROUP DYNAMICS ONLINE
• having the e-group work together

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Online group development

• Understanding the group development phases is
  crucial for online communication and
  instructional design for more complex courses
• Access and motivation
• Becoming familiar with the online environment
• Socialization
• Ability to see others as people, not
  usernames
• Sharing and taking in information
• Ability to work with information both-ways
• Knowledge creation
• Creation of a new quality in online interaction
• Independence
• Taking over the responsibility for own learning
• Source Dr. Gilly Salmons, adopted DF

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See you at netmoderator.com!

• open community for online communication
• so far in Czech
• www.netmoderator.com
• Thank you for your attentionDaniel
  Francdfranc_at_unisona.com