Face to Face in Virtual Space: The Changing Nature of Communication

1. Face to Face in Virtual Space:The Changing Nature of Communication Joshua Hill and Jessica Crombie The University of Arizona

2. outcomes • Identify the changing nature of communication • Discuss various communication theories • Understand student perceptions of online (virtual) communication and how it affects the “real world” • Understand the implications for the future of our profession

3. History of Communication

4. History of Communication • The Word: 1-to-1 Audio Communication - The Same Place At The Same Time • The Cave Painting: 1-to-1 Text Communication - Same Place, Different Times • The Stone Tablet: 1-to-1 Text Communication - Any Place, Any Time • The Printing Press:1-to-Many Text Communication - Any Place, Any Time • The Telephone:1-to-1 Audio Communication - Any Place, Same Time • Radio & Television:1-to-Many Audio / Visual Communication - Different Place, Same Time • The Web and Internet: Many-to-Many Text, Audio, Visual Communication - Any Place, Any Time

5. Remember When…

6. Remember When you… • Got your first: • Computer • Computer game • Email address • IM screenname • Cell phone • Pager?!? • Started using: • Text messages • MySpace/Friendster • Facebook • Twitter • Smartphone

7. Communication Theories: Transmission Model • Created by Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver (1949) for Bell Laboratories. Designed to mirror the functions of radio and telephone technologies. • Consisted of three primary parts: • Sender - the part of a telephone a person spoke into • Channel - the telephone itself • Receiver - the ear-piece of the phone • Also included: noise – the static that interferes with one listening to a telephone conversation

8. Communication Theories: Transmission Model • Transmission Model – with the addition of an alphabet

9. Communication Theories: Social Construction • This view considers communication to be the product of the participants sharing and creating meaning. • The Constructionist View can also be defined as, how you say something determines what the message is. • The Constructionist View assumes that “truth” and “ideas” are constructed or invented through the social process of communication.

10. Communication Theories: Communication Bandwidth • Communication bandwidth is the level of information that a kind of communication is capable of transmitting. • Very low bandwidth: email, instant messaging, and SMS texting. • Slightly higher bandwidth: Skype voicecalls or telephone • Higher bandwidth: video call (i.e Skype, iChat, Facetime) • Highest bandwidth: Face-to-face

11. Communication Theories: Social Cohesion • Ling (2007): Mobile Communication and Mediated Ritual • Ritual Interaction • Social Cohesion • Micro-Coordination • Ambient Accessibility • Bounded solidarity

12. Perceptions & Expectations

13. Discussion • As we look at different modes of communication, what possible sources of noise exists? • Knowing that technology impacts the quality/types of relationships students have, how does this affect our missions of developing community? • If teaching effective communication is a life-skill we want to educate our students about, how does this information change our approach? Should it? • What examples exist from your institutions where you have made changes, or decided not to?

14. Questions/(Maybe) Answers

15. References • http://www.omstrategy.com/87/a-brief-history-of-communication • Ling, R. (2007). Mobile communication and mediated ritual. In Communication in the 2st century. Ed. K. Nyirir. Budapest, Hungary.