How important is effective communication in online learning teams?

Topic: How important is effective communication in online learning teams? Why are learning teams important in the online learning environment and how can they enhance the overall learning opportunities? What ethical considerations and boundaries should students follow in order to ensure an effective peer learning environment?

      Effective communication is the most crucial part of the online learning teams just like it is in any teams. The importance of the effective communication between team members cannot be more emphasized because team members must collaborate to gather information, make suggestions, give feedback and solve problems. Maintaining learning efficiency and understanding each other can be challenge to online teams because it is difficult to interact simultaneously and therefore cannot interrupt or direct meetings successfully. This can lead to the poor time efficiency because when a collision of ideas occurs, it takes longer to reach a conclusion (Anderson & Shane, 2002). Therefore the frequent interaction between team members is important to the online learners to improve their performance. In addition to that, Moore (1989) identified three kinds of interaction for online learning: learner-content, learner-instructor, and learner-learner. Among them, interaction of learners seems to be one of the most influential factors of online learning. (Swan, 2001)

      Students must be considerate to the others when communicating online. Due to the nature of the online environment, it is very easy to upset each other’s feelings by miscommunication and therefore when giving critical feedback it is important to first imagine being the person who is receiving that feedback. The person receiving the feedback on the other hand needs to accept the critical feedback as the constructive ways to improve their weaknesses.

References:
Ying Chieh, L., & Burn, J. M. (2007). Improving the Performance of
Online Learning Teams, 18(3), 369-379.
Anderson, F. F., and Shane, H. M. (2002), “The impact of
netcentricity on virtual teams: The new performance
challenge,” Team Performance Management, Vol. 8, No.
1/2, pp. 5-12.

Moore, M. G. (1989), “Three types of interaction,” American
Journal of Distance Education, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 1-6.

Swan, K. (2001), “Virtual interaction: Design factors
affecting student satisfaction and perceived learning in
asynchronous online courses,” Distance Education, Vol.22, No. 2, pp. 306-331.

The article “Improving the performance of Online Learning Teams – A discourse analysis” by Liu and Burn conducted interesting research. It is a basically a comparison between Face to Face teams and Online Learning teams, of the different factors that influence the performance of each teams. They conducted an experiment using Face to face teams and Online Learning teams where the only difference is the lack of face-to-face meetings. The factors that influence the performance on each teams are quite contrary to each other:

For FTF teams, the performance is at their best when there are more “process gain” activities. The analysis showed that a better performance was resulted when team members were willing to help each other and gave time towards the development of ideas. These behaviors kept the team more bondable and motivated. On the opposite side, among the factors that decrease the performance was a “free-rider” member. Free-rider refers to the member who allows other members to do all the works and keeps silent. The free-rider members provoked a chain reaction of de-motivation and discouragement among other members.

On the other hand, frequent conversations and more discussions was the key factor of improving performance for Online Learning Teams. This basically proves the effective communication in online learning teams is the most important aspect of Online Learning Teams. There is also a difference in communication patterns. In OLT groups the best performance was achieved when they applied “process→content→process→content” communication pattern. To explain this in detail, firstly members discuss the processes needed to proceed to the study. This includes the distribution of the task, the means of communication and the frequency needed to check the discussion board. This is followed by a discussion of content. Next some process issues might arise, such as members missing some interactions because of travel or sickness. in this case members have to re-discuss the allocation of the task. This regular pattern was found in groups with better performance in OLT.

References:

Ying Chieh, L., & Burn, J. M. (2007). Improving the Performance of

Online Learning Teams, 18(3), 369-379.

What is the role of academic referencing?

During the discussion that was posted on July 14, 2014

Integrity is key to one’s ability to maintain credibility in their chosen profession. Understanding that academic integrity inherently requires one to credit original authors for their contributions and effort, and only take credit for their own original work. What is the role of academic referencing in the university setting, and why is it important to instill best practices such as APA referencing in students as they move forward with their academic writing? How does proper referencing alleviate the issue of plagiarism in academic work?

In response to the questions:

   The main role of academic referencing is to acknowledge the contribution of other authors in my work. It is very important to acknowledge it because many authors spend years and years on researching to put down those words on that paper. If we just use them without saying anything it is same as stealing, stealing somebody else’s effort. That is why the proper referencing is needed and needed to be taught properly in the university to become fully aware of the importance and get familiar with it so it can be used properly in the professional field.  Also by citing and including references your argument becomes more persuasive as the statement is supported by the expert’s work.

   It is absolutely important to instill best practices such as APA referencing in university because we need to get used to the proper referencing before going to the real professional field. Proper referencing is extremely import in one’s essay because when we use someone’s idea or quotation, we have to make sure that the readers can trace the source of that information. Proper writing such as APA referencing is widely used method and that’s why we should become familiar using APA style. 

   I strongly believe that proper referencing is the only way to effectively alleviate the issue of plagiarism in academic work. In academic field, stating someone else’s idea in your own work is allowed as long as the source is acknowledged correctly. When the proper referencing is used, it is another way to show gratitude towards the author or researcher which will make us be more aware of the meaning of the academic honesty and integrity.  

References:

University of New South Wales, Sydney Australia

“Plagiarism” https://student.unsw.edu.au/plagiarism

Peer reviews:

In response to Abi who stated that, "...Academic writers need to support their arguments with evidence, and readers of academic writing need to evaluate the validity of that evidence."

-Abi

I couldn’t have agreed more with your statement about referencing. I haven’t thought of it but evidence is a good word to describe it all. It is not only the writer’s role to show the evidence but it is a reader’s role (or responsibility, if reader likes the literature and decides to use it as a reference) to “finalize” the work by validating its evidence.

-Chris

In response to Gurpreet who stated that, "... By citing the work of the author you are acknowledging and respecting the rights of that scholar. According to author Bowker (2007) “Citing the work of other authors is central to academic writing because it shows you have read the literature, understood the ideas, and have integrated these issues and varying perspectives into the assignment task”. " -Gurpreet

It is absolutely true that citing not only serves the reference purpose for readers to trace the source but also it is an indication that the writer have read and well understood the subject of other authors work. It comes to me very clear by reading your citation. I think it is one’s ability to make such a statement so clear and write them down as sentences so it makes readers to understand the idea clearly. And that is the whole purpose of writing.

-Chris

Is there still a role for formal business communications?

Discussion question that was posted on July 14, 2014

There are arguments that the importance of following a formal writing process has changed in recent years due the introduction of new communication media including social media. What are your thoughts on this argument? What role do you feel more traditional writing continues to play in today’s business world? Is there still a role for formal business communications?

In response to the question: 

     I think it is quite natural that when something is newly adopted people will change around their old habits and tend to find a new way to use the toy more conveniently and efficiently. Some might argue that still when writing a formal letter rules have to be followed. I agree with that. I think the importance of following a formal writing process cannot be more emphasized. However on the other thoughts, as methods of communication evolve new rules can also be adapted to accommodate the new methods of communication. 
    We are now living in the world where time is more valuable than anything. With a help of an email, people can now send messages in the blink of an eye whether it is a formal letter or just a casual text. Hand written letter in an envelope is quite quickly becoming a thing in the past (I still like the idea of hand written letter. I’m not a big fan of all this new technology and emails but I’ve got to admit, they are convenient and super time saver and most importantly, everybody use them). I remember writing a sign-off letter to take an early leave or to take a day off when I was back in high school. It started something like this: To whom it may concern. Please excuse my son (my name) for being away (today’s date), so and so. I don’t know if it’s still the same or it can be done through the email these days. I text my boss when I’m calling in sick nowadays. 
    My point is that even though it is important to follow the traditional writing process, things have changed quite a lot in the last decades and styles of writings can also be changed to adapt to the new medium. As long as the message is delivered the way it is supposed to mean, why can’t we take advantage of it?


Peer Reviews:
Also in response to Kat, who stated, "..The other thing that ive seen is that many of my vendor do use smiley faces in the emails, which I haven’t seen, for example, 3-4 years ago. Again, it is not good to use these kind of symbols when you are emailing your vendor for the first time, but maybe someone that you have a great relationship, as it helps to shows your expression to the person on the other side." 
-Kat

I agree with you Katarina. I believe even though emails and social media type of communication has overwhelmingly overtaken the traditional writings, there should be the rules to follow when it comes to writing formally. However If somebody I do business with send me an email with a smiley face, once a while? I consider that as a friendly gesture. What really bothers me though is when somebody uses acronyms that I’ve never heard of. Those sort of thing has to be stopped.  
-Chris


In response to Melanie, who stated, "...Having to call someone and leave a message on their voicemail may not get the message to them as fast as would be sending a text message." 
-Mel 

Melanie, I agree with the most of what you said. You mentioned a good example of how the texting is becoming more common method of communication and for some people it is more preferable method nowadays. However, when sending a text message, there could be some possible issues we might face. Often times when sender sends the message there is no way of knowing that receiver checked the message until he replies the message. Secondly, it is still limited to the certain individuals. There are quite a few of my colleagues who still don’t use text messages. I tried to teach them couple of times but they just don’t want to accept new technology. However I found text messaging is extremely helpful when sending a message that contains numerical and alphabetical codes such as VIN# for vehicle. It is very annoying trying to read out 14 digits of those codes over the phone. (when I can simply just text “D09T87” , talking over the phone will be something like, “D, 09,  T, no no D for Delta and number zero nine and T, for Tango, can you repeat that to me?”)
-Chris



In response to Paul who stated, "...I also agree with you that the formal writing process is not dead and that although business have adapted to using social media they are still and will continue to use formal writing as the preferred means to communicate for financial and contractual issues."
-Paul

While informal writing can be unclear of points and can sometimes lead to misunderstanding, writing with overly formal language can also be hard to understand and create confusion. The bottom line is, writing is a form of communication and the very basic purpose is to send the message. Of course there are different writing styles for different occasions, but for the most part if we consider those two opposite side and choose a middle level, it will be an ideal level for business writing.

Reference: Impact: A guide to Business Communication (pg 26)

-Chris

Why is effective communication important?

Discussion question that was posted on July 18, 2014

Why is effective communication important? What are the potential downfalls of ineffective communication for an organization?

In response to the question:

    Communication is the most crucial instrument of any organization. Without communication no organization will exist. Communicating with each other effectively is a sure the most important key skill for not only at work but also for our personal life. It is important because at work when we communicate effectively, our time can be used more effectively and the productivity will increase. It is also important to communicate effectively to avoid any unnecessary mistakes and troubles.

    One of the common downfalls of ineffective communication in an organization is a misunderstanding between employees due to lack of communication or no communication. This will oftentimes lead to having to do unnecessary works which will lead to decrease in productivity. This could have been prevented if the effective communication has taken place.

Is Information Knowledge?

Discussion Question that was posted on July 18, 2014

Is information knowledge? Why or why not? How has the advent of the Internet changed the way we think about information and knowledge? What constitutes plagiarism and what steps should you take to avoid plagiarism

In response to the question:

    

    Yes, Information is knowledge, and more precisely they are correlated but not exactly equal to each other. Any information can be knowledge, but not every knowledge is information. Information usually comes into our possession by looking, reading, hearing or touching. When we speak of knowledge however, experiencing, understanding and realizing come into play. Means knowledge sometimes naturally comes into our possession without any intention. In everyday life someone’s knowledge becomes information and the information becomes the other’s knowledge.

    Just like I mentioned in the first question, sharing information and knowledge between each other occurs every second in our life. Internet is a form of transportation for this. It made the transaction lot quicker, wider, easier and cheaper. Therefore people are becoming more informed and aware with considerably less effort. The information itself can still be valuable but the way we think about them becomes less valuable when we can almost effortlessly acquire them.

    Plagiarism is usually committed to take advantage of someone else’s idea and get credit without actually working for it rather than mainly to share the information. We need to be well aware of the fact that it will not benefit anyone and the best practice is to always mention the origin of the source.

Exercise - statistics Canada

Taking it to the net 1

1. What is the latest CPI indicator? What percentage change was there from the previous year? what products reflected an increase in price since last year?

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 2.1% in the 12 months to July, following a 2.4% increase in June.

Prices increased in all major components in the 12 months to July. Higher prices for shelter and food contributed the most to the rise in the CPI. At the same time, the transportation index led the deceleration in the CPI.

Shelter costs rose 3.0% in the 12 months to July, after advancing 2.9% in June. Natural gas prices increased 20.4% in July compared with the same month the previous year. Consumers also paid more for homeowners' home and mortgage insurance as well as property taxes on a year-over-year basis in July.

Food prices increased 2.9% year over year in July, matching the rise in June. Prices for food purchased from stores rose 3.2% in the 12 months to July, led by higher prices for meat (+9.2%). Prices for fresh vegetables rose 7.5% on a year-over-year basis in July, after increasing 9.5% in June. On a month-to-month basis, prices for fresh vegetables fell 3.0% in July. Food purchased from restaurants cost 2.1% more in July compared with the same month a year earlier.

Transportation costs rose 1.3% on a year-over-year basis in July, a smaller gain than in June (+2.2%). Gasoline prices increased 2.1% in the 12 months to July, after rising 5.4% in June. On a monthly basis, consumers paid 1.9% less for gasoline, with prices falling more in Western Canada than in Eastern Canada. In addition, prices for the purchase of passenger vehicles rose 1.3% year over year in July, following a 1.6% increase in June.

The index for alcoholic beverages and tobacco products increased 4.7% in the 12 months to July. This rise was mainly due to a 10.7% year-over-year advance in cigarette prices. In 2014, the federal excise tax on tobacco, as well as the tobacco taxes in Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia increased.

     2.   What is the latest unemployment rate indicator? How many new full-time jobs were created? How many part-time jobs were created? What sectors created these new jobs? What sectors laid off employees? What province saw the greatest increase in jobs? What province reflects the largest unemployment rate for this past quarter?

The unemployment rate declined 0.1 percentage points to 7.0%. Adjusted to the concepts used in the United States, the unemployment rate in Canada was 6.1% in July, compared with the US rate of 6.2%.

  In the 12 months to July, employment increased by 157,000 or 0.9%, with most of the growth in   part-time work. The total hours worked were up slightly (+0.3%) compared with July 2013.
  Employment rose by 42,000 in July, the result of an increase in part-time work (+60,000). 

Employment in educational services increased by 46,000 in July, mainly in primary and secondary schools in Ontario. 

In July, there were 17,000 more people employed in information, culture and recreation. Compared with a recent low in July 2013, employment in this industry has increased by 55,000 (+7.3%).

The number of people employed in construction declined by 39,000 in July, offsetting an increase in the previous month. Compared with 12 months earlier, employment in this industry was down by 46,000 (-3.4%), the result of declines in the fall of 2013.

Employment in health care and social assistance fell by 26,000 in July, mostly in the social assistance sector in Quebec. Compared with a recent low in July 2013, employment in this industry was up by 90,000 (+4.2%).

Private sector employment increased by 55,000 in July, while the number of public sector employees edged up slightly and self-employment declined by 37,000. Compared with 12 months earlier, the number of employees increased in both the private sector (+1.2% or +141,000) and the public sector (+1.9% or +69,000). Self-employment was down 2.0% (-54,000) over this 12-month period.