Communication
 
Introduction

The Internet
-Brief History
-Today's Internet
-Working Basics
-World Wide Web
-Top 10 Reasons

Communication
 -Asynchronous
-Synchronous

MultiMedia
-Streaming
-Virtual Reality
   *Virtual Tours
    *Avatars

Online Sources
-Field Trips
-Lessons/Games
-On-line Courses
-Research
-Scavenger Hunt
-Web Quests
-WebCams

Applications
 -GIS
-PowerPoint
-WebCT

Security
-Copyright
-Firewalls
-Filters

 The Future
-Internet2
-Wireless Class
-Quicker Band


 



 The Internet has opened up numerous channels of communication for businesses, education and in homes.  Communication is a very important resource of the Internet.  It  offers means of communications that were never even thought of ten years ago.  When the Internet was created, how could they have known it  would become the world's first truly global communications network.  It has become an indispensable part of the way we communicate. 

When the World Wide Web came along, the Internet became even more widespread. Now we not only send text messages back and forth across the planet, we send movie clips and shop on-line. Businesses use the Web as a place for workers to collaborate. Schools offer courses over the web. And more and more people go on-line every year. It is truly a communications revolution.  The question is, has this technology brought people together or has it isolated people from each other?

With all of our means of communicating, there still remains a gap between the "haves" and the "have-nots."  Even though the poor or isolated often have access to the Internet and the World Wide Web, that doesn't guarantee the desire or the know how to use it.  As the means of communicating grows,  the "Great Digital Divide" seems to widen in our world." 

A variety of communication takes places over the Internet, mainly in the form of Asynchronous and Synchronous. 


Asynchronous:
This is delayed transfer of information that is stored or archived and then later accessed.  So if you're not online when someone sends an email or posts a message, the message can still be retrieved and read at a later time.  Advantages to this type of delivery system are flexibility, time to reflect, and situated learning.   

Uses for this type of communication is: extending discussions among students and faculty between classes; building learning teams independent of time and place; allowing time to read and reflect in class or between classes; and sharing of  information or ideas. Some examples of asynchronous are:

Synchronous:
Simply put, this is the transfer of information without delay.   Advantages to this type of delivery system are rapid feedback and the ability to keep group(s) up-to-date on current information.  This form of communication can be rapid or slow, depending on the amount of bandwidth.  The amount of bandwidth that is transmitted affects many aspects of online communication such as  conferencing, webcams, and streaming video.

Uses for this type of communication are;  sharing information or opinions during class; writing to focus, discover, and discuss content and concepts; meeting online when students cannot meet face to face; planning projects; discussing informally; and study sessions.  Some examples of synchronous are:

 


(Images:  http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/Articles/synchasynchtech/start.htm  )