The Future -

            Some might say technology is good. Some might say technology is bad. Both opinions would be correct. As evidenced by any individual utilizing modern technology, these advances certainly do make our lives easier. Inventions such as e-mail and instant messaging have made personal and professional communications easier. Corporations are able to communicate with employees face-to-face via video teleconferencing technology. Using the same technology, families are able to communicate with friends and family members across many miles and time zones. Additionally, the invention of social media such as Facebook has allowed friends and family keep in touch and stay up-to-date on one another’s lives. And for goodness sakes, what did we do before the Google Maps app???

Life before the Google Maps app

Sherry Turkle addresses a few of these potentially negative aspects of technology during her 2012 TedTalk (watch the full video below). Turkle argues that our little portable devices not only change what we do, they change who we are, which results in trouble when we attempt to relate to ourselves and engage in self-reflection. The problem with having real, in-time conversations is that “texting, e-mail, posting, all of these things let us present the self as we want to be. We get to edit, and that means we get to delete, and that means we get to retouch, the face, the voice, the flesh, the body – not too much, not too little, just right” (Turkle, 2012). She also suggests that “technology is making a bid to redefine                       human connection – how we can for each other, how we care for ourselves – but it’s also giving us the opportunity to affirm our values and our direction” (Turkle, 2012). The key to our success with technology is to recognize our vulnerability to it; and recognize the potential crutch that can result from relying too much on technology. Technology should be an enhancement to our communication, not a replace for organic, authentic communication.

            However, at what price comes our easier lifestyle? For example, in 2011 Facebook was cited in a third of all divorce filings. In addition, more than 80 percent of divorce attorneys in the United States say, “social networking in divorce proceedings is on the rise” (Lupkin, 2012). Furthermore, an article written by psychotherapist, Kim Schneiderman, exposes the idea that social media, while all the craze, may not be the healthiest outlet from an emotional perspective. The author believes that social media sites “offers the online universe a whole new arsenal to offend, snub, flirt, spy on” (Schneiderman, 2011). This article references research by psychologists at Edinburgh Napier University which findings revealed a connection between stress levels and the number of Facebook friends one may have. Schneiderman relates a number of various situations as a result of Facebook including a “defriending” war, political arguments, divorced couples, passive-aggressive behavior, envy, jealousy, etc.

Lupkin, S. (2012). Can Facebook Ruin Your Marriage?

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/facebook-relationship-status/story?id=16406245

Schneiderman, K. (2011). Cyberspying and Defriending: How Facebook is Finding its

Way to the Therapy Couch. The Novel Perspective.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-novel-

perspective/201110/cyberspying-and-defriending-how-facebook-is-finding-its-

way-the-th

Turkle, S. (2012). Connected, but Alone? Ted Talk.

            http://www.ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_alone_together.html

Cultural Effects –

It is obvious that technology has had a profound impact on the culture of our society. One of the major shifts we can see is who is controlling the media we consume. Well, the consumer is. Chuck Hengel, founder of Marketing Architects, believes that the consumer now has the first word, the final say, and demands a deal, more buying options, and shorter attention spans (Hengel, 2011).

An example of this can be seen when The Walt Disney Company, in an effort to appeal to a contemporary market, “sexualized” their “Brave” heroine, Merida. As a result, over 200,000 signatures petitioned for the company to lose the makeover and bring back the original Merida. In an effort to appease the masses, Company CEO, Bob Iger, mandated to revert Merida’s new image and that making her “skinnier, sexier, and more mature in appearance” was a “disservice” to young children (change.org, 2013). Consumer for the win.

While the consumer may enjoying their power to control the media, marketers are getting the last laugh through data mining. For example, Target assigns every customer an ID number that is linked to their credit card, name, and e-mail address. This information “becomes a bucket that stores a history of everything they’ve bought and any demographic information Target has collected from them or bought from other sources” (Hill, 2012). As an example, let’s say you write a fashion blog and may reference some of Targets clothes, jewelry, or shoes. There is a way this information ends up in Target’s database so they can cater to your specific interests.

Change.org (2013). Disney Pulls Sexy Merida Makeover After Public Backlash.

http://jezebel.com/disney-pulls-sexy-merida-makeover-after-public-backlash-494274022

Hill, K. (2012). How Target Figured Out A Teen Girl was Pregnant Before Her Father

Did.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/02/16/how-target-figured-out-a-teen-girl-was-pregnant-before-her-father-did/

Societal Expectations for Mass Media –

With the advent of the Internet and social media, our society has come to anticipate a higher level of expectation regarding mass media. Long gone are the days where journalists had time to gather pertinent facts, verify information, qualify whether a source is credible, etc. Social media has become rather instant gratification regarding news media. Obviously, this leads to more margin for error since journalists are trying to be the first new organization with the late breaking story.

An article by Northern Illinois University Department of Communication professor, William P. Cassidy, gives interesting information regarding the journalists’ view of online news credibility. Cassidy’s main research consists of online journalism and influences on news media content. His article reveals that the journalists’ view feels that online news sites do not meet the same standards as traditional sources. Furthermore, they tend to rate the credibility of online news sites lower than the general public. Their skepticism of credibility stems from valid concern over the speed at which stories are posted online, which makes mistakes more common in reporting. The results of this research provide key insights into the evolving role of journalists as “gatekeepers” in the online environment. Additionally, the results prove that traditional journalists are beginning to incorporate the validity of online journalism into their professional principles.

As mentioned in a previous post, some journalists see their function in mass media as evolving into a role of “interpreter” as opposed to a “gatherer” or “disseminator” (Singer, 1998). However, some journalists use interactive media to gather information in addition to disseminating it. Perhaps the journalist’s role is to be interpreter since our society is inundated with information from all types of mediums – newspapers, magazines, television, the Internet, mobile devices, etc. After all, being saturated with so much information leaves the audience in a constant state of stimulation.

As a result, our society constantly feels the need to be entertained – even in death. Yes, that’s right. Pause Ljud & Bild, a Swedish company that sells audio equipment, has developed a product called the CataCombo Sound System. This contraption features a two-way speaker that pipes your pre-selected, post-death music into the coffin. In fact, if you want to keep your “playlist fresh and up-to-date with the latest hits, you can set it up as a collaborative playlist so that your friends and loved ones can keep adding tracks even after you’re gone” (Kotenko, 2013). If jamming to my playlist in the afterlife isn’t a high expectation, I don’t know what is.

Cassidy, W. (2007). Online News Credibility: An Examination of the Perceptions of

Newspaper Journalists. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication.

            doi: 10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00334.x

Kotenko, J. (2013). This Casket Streams Spotify So You Can Keep on Shuffling

Into the Afterlife.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/you-can-get-a-coffin-to-play-your-funeral-songs-via-spotify/

Singer, J. (1998). Online Journalists: Foundations for Research into their Changing

Roles. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. Volume 4, Issue 1.

            http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1083-6101.1998.tb00088.x/full

COMM 565 - The Technological Phenomenon of Play

Since technology has had such a vast impact on work and school, it is natural these technological advances would also affect our personal lives as well. Our society is enamored with our smart phones, tablets, and social media. Or so it seems.

An article written by Jenny L. Davis discusses our society’s relationship between social media and the Internet as being ambivalent. Davis uses experiential accounts from 231 subjects to perform a Facebook-based qualitative study. She argues that this relationship is neither utopian nor dystopian in nature (as some may argue) and, based on her study, concludes our feelings towards social media are ambivalent. She goes on to state that the key is to diagnose social media ambivalence and even associates similar feelings regarding medical enhancement technologies. Ultimately, the question lies in an uncertainty of technological effects as well as the relationship between technological objects and morality. She concludes with the poignant observation that society can “log off” or “disconnect” from social media no more than the decision to not own a vehicle precludes a person from navigating the transportation system. How does this information affect the way communication professionals engage with target audiences?

Regardless of how we may feel towards technology and social media one thing is for certain: some things are still black and white. For example, the case of Bland v. Roberts, argues clicking “like” on Facebook qualifies as speech. Former sheriff’s deputies in Hampton, VA claim the Sheriff violated their First Amendment rights by choosing not to reappoint them based on their lack of political affiliation with him during his campaign. In fact, one deputy clicked “like” on the Facebook page of the Sheriff’s opponent and subsequently posted supporting comments. According to the court, clicking “like” on the Sheriff’s opponent’s Facebook page caused the opponent’s page and name to appear on the user’s Facebook feed. The court stressed that social media offers individuals a powerful message board to communicate his or her views through the click of a button. This is another example of how social media is affecting everyone, including communication professionals.

In addition, social media platforms such as YouTube have allowed many individuals to be recognized for their hobbies or passions. For example, Noah Guthrie started out posting his renditions of cover songs on YouTube and gained so much notoriety that he is how touring the country promoting his own album of original songs. You can read more about his journey here.

Davis, J. (2012). Social Media and Experiential Ambivalence. Future Internet, 4, 955-970.

doi: 10.3390/fi4040955

COMM 565 - The Technology Phenomenon of Education

As part of the Technological Phenomenon trilogy, it is also important to recognize how education has evolved. William Sugar, Associate Professor for East Carolina University, explores teaching strategies of the traditional classroom environment as opposed to an online forum. Online professors face different challenges in the online environment such as a distinct set of online student needs and the need to promote interaction in the distance learning environments (p. 366). Sugar believes that teaching in the online environment requires additional preparation time as well as a loss of personal interactions with students. The research revealed mixed reviews with participants feeling some face-to-face activities can be replicated in the online environment and some cannot. While I believe this information to be fact, I believe we have to ask the question of how this impacts the ability to learn and retain information. For example, some students may prefer an online environment while others may prefer the traditional classroom environment since they need that one-on-one interaction with their professors and classmates. This type of analysis and information is important as our society raises up the next generation of communication professionals. Just as the workplace needs to keep in mind the purpose of communication, our educational departments must continually research and examine how technology is affecting the way students learn. How we learn is just as important as what we learn.

One of the professions most affected by technology is that of the journalist. How do communication professionals, specifically journalists, use – or do not use – social media in their roles as news gatherers and disseminators? Researchers conducted a study where 200 business journalists participated in a phone interview that included questions on demographics, uses, and perceived value of social media (Lariscy et al, 2009). Shockingly, 34% considered social media to be of little or no importance in their jobs and approximately 3% find the majority of their information in online sources. The results of the study indicate that journalists embrace the concept of social media rather than actually utilizing the practices of it. These are interesting findings considering so much of our news is consumed through social media such as news apps, Twitter, etc. The consensus of those surveyed was that social media was not very important to the journalists’ overall profession. Fortunately, those conducting the research realize that this thought process needs changing. Social media is becoming more and more prevalent in the role of news building, and, as the authors state, journalists would be smart to be prepared for the day social media may contribute to agenda building. That day is already here.

In her article entitled Online Journalists: Foundations for Research into their Changing Roles, author Jane Singer suggests that instead of gate-keeping disappearing with the invention of the Internet, some journalists see this function as evolving in this new media environment and feel their primary role is “interpreter” as opposed to “gatherers” and “disseminators.” In contrast to the report from Lariscy et al., which states that journalists do not engage with social media in the professional context, Singer argues that journalists use interactive media to gather information as well as disseminate it. This relates to the writer’s responsibility since we can now understand the way journalists view their roles in the new media.

           

Lariscy, R., Avery, E., Sweetser, K., & Howes, P. (2009). An Examination of the Role of Online

Social Media in Journalists’ Source Mix. Public Relations Review: A Global Journal of Research and Comment. 35: 314-316.

Singer, J. (1998). Online Journalists: Foundations for Research into their Changing

Roles. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. Volume 4, Issue 1.

            http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1083-6101.1998.tb00088.x/full

Sugar, W., Martindale, T., & Crawley, F. (2007). One Professor’s Face-to-Face Teaching

Strategies while becoming an Online Instructor. The Quarterly Review of Distance Education. Volume 8(4), p. 365-385.

COMM 565 - The Technology Phenomenon of Work

There is no denying that technology has transformed the way our society conducts business. Many organizations have had to examine their communication approach based on new technology, the Internet, and social media. In his article, An Overall Approach to the Communication of Organizations in Conventional and Virtual Office, author, Mehmet Altinoz does an excellent job of defining the communication approach for corporations. While the communication of an organization may seem obvious, most corporations could do a better job regarding their approach. It is important to review the functions of communication such as providing information, training, motivation, etc. This is a good breakdown of the purposes of organizational communication and the intent behind relaying various messages. At the most basic level, “communication helps implement and the basic functions of management such as planning, organizing and control; and thus organizations can fulfill their roles” (p. 476). Therefore, if companies continue to put the purpose of communication at the forefront, everything else such as mediums will fall into place.

            There is also the added component of how to communicate via a virtual office environment as they provide different challenges than conventional office settings. Yahoo CEO, Marissa Mayer bans working from home. Mayer’s intentions behind the decision are to increase productivity and establish a more connected company culture (Goudreau, 2013). Companies are learning how to navigate technological waters in order to maintain productivity levels as well as employee satisfaction. Understandably, there was frustration from some working mothers who had established a routine with their childcare as part of being able to telecommute. Read more about the situation here.

             In addition to communication in a technological environment, there is also the added component of how technology affects the workplace. While many individuals consider incorporating technology into the workplace to be a positive, it can also be associated with some negative outcomes. For example, some employees may be resistant to change or have a hard time learning new technology (Higuera, 2014). 

            Ultimately, our society is going to go through some growing pains as we determine how to navigate the technological and social media waters. We can learn from each other and create best practices and evolve based on successes and failures.

Altinoz, M. (2008). An Overall Approach to the Communication of Organizations in

Conventional and Virtual Office. Proceedings of the World Academy of Science,

Engineering, and Technology. Volume 31.

Goudreau, J. (2013). Back To The Stone Age? New Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer Bans

Working From Home.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2013/02/25/back-to-the-stone-age-new-yahoo-ceo-marissa-mayer-bans-working-from-home/

COMM 565 - Annotated Bibliography

Altinoz, M. (2008). An Overall Approach to the Communication of Organizations in

Conventional and Virtual Office. Proceedings of the World Academy of Science,

Engineering, and Technology. Volume 31.

ANNOTATION:

Author Mehmet Altinoz does an excellent job of defining the communication approach for corporations. While the communication of an organization may seem obvious, most corporations could do a better job regarding their approach. Altinoz begins the article by reviewing the functions of communication such as providing information, training, motivation, etc. This is a good breakdown of the purposes of organizational communication and the intent behind relaying various messages. At the most basic level, “communication helps implement and the basic functions of management such as planning, organizing and control; and thus organizations can fulfill their roles” (p. 476). Altinoz also addresses communication methods best used for virtual offices environments since they provide different challenges than conventional office settings. This article is one that touches on how our society can prepare ourselves for efficient training in the workplace via virtual offices. This article can also provide information on how communication professionals receive their training, such as through distance education and the best practices others have learned from this type of medium.

ABSTRACT:

Organizational communication is an administrative function crucial especially for executives in the implementation of organizational and administrative functions. Executives spend a significant part of their time on communicative activities. Doing his or her daily routine, arranging meeting schedules, speaking on the telephone, reading or replying to business correspondence, or fulfilling the control functions within the organization, an executive typically engages in communication processes. Efficient communication is the principal device for the adequate implementation of administrative and organizational activities. For this purpose, management needs to specify the kind of communication system to be set up and the kind of communication devices to be used. Communication is vital for any organization. In conventional offices, communication takes place within the hierarchical pyramid called the organizational structure, and is known as formal or informal communication. Formal communication is the type that works in specified structures within the organizational rules and towards the organizational goals. Informal communication, on the other hand, is the unofficial type, taking place among staff as face-to-face or telephone interaction. Communication in virtual as well as conventional offices is essential for obtaining the right information in administrative activities and decision-making. Virtual communication technologies increase the efficiency of communication especially in virtual teams. Group communication is strengthened through an inter-group central channel. Further, ease of information transmission makes it possible to reach the information at the source, allowing efficient and correct decisions. Virtual offices can present as a whole the elements of information, which conventional offices produce in different environments. At present, virtual work has become a reality with its pros and cons, and will probably spread very rapidly in coming years, in line with the growth in information technologies.

Cassidy, W. (2007). Online News Credibility: An Examination of the Perceptions of

Newspaper Journalists. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication.

            doi: 10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00334.x

ANNOTATION:

Written by Northern Illinois University Department of Communication professor, William P. Cassidy, this article gives interesting information regarding the journalists’ view of online news credibility. Cassidy’s main research consists of online journalism and influences on news media content. His article reveals that the journalists’ view feels that online news sites do not meet the same standards as traditional sources. Furthermore, they tend to rate the credibility of online news sites lower than the general public. Their skepticism of credibility stems from valid concern over the speed at which stories are posted online, which makes mistakes more common in reporting. The results of this research provide key insights into the evolving role of journalists as “gatekeepers” in the online environment. Additionally, the results prove that traditional journalists are beginning to incorporate the validity of online journalism into their professional principles.

ABSTRACT:

This study examines print and online daily newspaper journalists’ perceptions of the

credibility of Internet news information, as well as the influence of several factors—

most notably, professional role conceptions—on those perceptions. Credibility was measured as a multidimensional construct. The results of a survey of U.S. journalists (N =655) show that Internet news information was viewed as moderately credible overall

and that online newspaper journalists rated Internet news information as significantly

more credible than did print newspaper journalists. Hierarchical regression analyses

reveal that Internet reliance was a strong positive predictor of credibility. Two professional role conceptions also emerged as significant predictors. The populist mobilizer role conception was a significant positive predictor of online news credibility, while the adversarial role conception was a significant negative predictor. Demographic characteristics of print and online daily newspaper journalists did not influence their perceptions of online news credibility.

Davis, J. (2012). Social Media and Experiential Ambivalence. Future Internet, 4, 955-970.

doi: 10.3390/fi4040955

ANNOTATION:

This article discusses our society’s relationship between social media and the Internet as being ambivalent. The author uses experiential accounts from 231 subjects to perform a Facebook-based qualitative study. Author Jenny L. Davis argues that this relationship is neither utopian nor dystopian in nature (as some may argue) and, based on her study, concludes our feelings towards social media are ambivalent. She goes on to state that the key is to diagnose social media ambivalence and even associates similar feelings regarding medical enhancement technologies. Ultimately, the question lies in an uncertainty of technological effects as well as the relationship between technological objects and morality. She concludes with the poignant observation that society can “log off” or “disconnect” from social media no more than the decision to not own a vehicle precludes a person from navigating the transportation system. How does this information affect the way communication professionals engage with audiences?

ABSTRACT:

At once fearful and dependent, hopeful and distrustful, our contemporary relationship with technology is highly ambivalent. Using experiential accounts from an ongoing Facebook-based qualitative study (N = 231), I both diagnose and articulate this ambivalence. I argue that technological ambivalence is rooted primarily in the deeply embedded moral prescription to lead a meaningful life, and a related uncertainty about the role of new technologies in the accomplishment of this task. On the one hand, technology offers the potential to augment or even enhance personal and public life. On the other hand, technology looms with the potential to supplant or replace real experience. I examine these polemic potentialities in the context of personal experiences, interpersonal relationships, and political activism. I conclude by arguing that the pervasive integration and non-optionality of technical systems amplifies utopian hopes, dystopian fears, and ambivalent concerns in the contemporary era.

DeKay, S. (2010). Designing Email Messages for Corporate Readers: A Case Study of Effective

and Ineffective Rhetorical Strategies at a Fortune 100 Company. Focus on Business Practices.

doi: 10.1177/1080569909358103

ANNOTATION:

This article addresses the fact that e-mail has become a central component to our professional lives. Over the years, several studies have revealed e-mail has becomes the preferred method of professional communication. Therefore, this study attempted to decipher the best way to communicate to employees through e-mail. The findings revealed that despite what communication researchers and textbooks often portray, messages received by corporate employees reveal that e-mail can be just as robust as brochures or websites and a standardized header accompanied by a block of user-created text does not always have to be the norm. However, as the article states, it is important to keep in mind the structural and stylistic cues that are appropriate for the intended audience’s expectations. Incorporating fresh, new designs can be a good thing as long as the readers are willing to embrace this content. I found this article to be incredibly helpful for myself as I continue to build my portfolio and construct e-mail messages for company communication.

Lariscy, R., Avery, E., Sweetser, K., & Howes, P. (2009). An Examination of the Role of Online

Social Media in Journalists’ Source Mix. Public Relations Review: A Global Journal of Research and Comment. 35: 314-316.

ANNOTATION:

This article focuses on how communication professionals, specifically journalists, use – or do not use – social media in their roles as news gatherers and disseminators. The article reviews a study where 200 business journalists participated in a phone interview that included questions on demographics, uses, and perceived value of social media by journalists. Shockingly, 34% considered social media to be of little or no importance in their jobs and approximately 3% find the majority of their information in online sources. The results of the study indicate that journalists embrace the concept of social media rather than actually utilizing the practices of it. These are interesting findings considering so much of our news is consumed through social media such as news apps, Twitter, etc. The consensus of those surveyed was that social media was not very important to the journalists’ overall profession. Fortunately, those conducting the research realize that this thought process needs changing. Social media is becoming more and more prevalent in the role of news building, and, as the authors state, journalists would be smart to be prepared for the day social media may contribute to agenda building. I would say that day is already here.

ABSTRACT:

Using telephone surveys of business/financial journalists in the United States (n = 200), this

research investigates the agenda-building role of social media content in journalists’ work.

Understanding that more non-public relations content from user-generated and social network

sites, like YouTube and Twitter, are fast becoming resources for journalists to get story

ideas, break scandals, and find sources, we began this scholarly work to determine the frequency

of such uses of social media. Overall, findings indicate very little use of social media

by these business journalists. Results and implications for public relations practitioners are

discussed in detail.

Shah, K. (2013). The First Amendment Goes Digital – Clicking “Like” on Facebook is Speech.

http://newmedialaw.proskauer.com/2013/10/06/the-first-amendment-goes-digital-clicking-            like-on-facebook-is-speech/

ANNOTATION:

This article explores the case of Bland v. Roberts, a case that argues clicking “like” on Facebook qualifies as speech. The articles tells the story of former sheriff’s deputies claim the Sheriff violated their First Amendment rights by choosing not to reappoint them based on their lack of political affiliation with him during his campaign. In fact, one deputy clicked “like” on the Facebook page of the Sheriff’s opponent and subsequently posted supporting comments. According to the court, clicking “like” on the Sheriff’s opponent’s Facebook page caused the opponent’s page and name to appear on the user’s Facebook feed. The court stressed that social media offers individuals a powerful message board to communicate his or her views through the click of a button. This is another example of how social media is affecting everyone, including communication professionals.

Singer, J. (1998). Online Journalists: Foundations for Research into their Changing

Roles. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. Volume 4, Issue 1.

            http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1083-6101.1998.tb00088.x/full

ANNOTATION:

Jane Singer addresses key issues such as gatekeeping theory, diffusion of innovation, sociology of news work, and social cohesion. The article suggests that instead of gate-keeping disappearing with the invention of the Internet, some journalists see this function as evolving in this new media environment and feel their primary role is “interpreter” as opposed to “gatherers” and “disseminators.” In contrast to the report from Lariscy et al., which states that journalists do not engage with social media in the professional context, Singer argues that journalists use interactive media to gather information as well as disseminate it. This relates to the writer’s responsibility since we can now understand the way journalists view their roles in the new media.

ABSTRACT:

Interactive media have grabbed the attention of communication researchers in the latter half of the 1990s, but the focus to date has been primarily on media audiences and their use of these new forms. This paper suggests four approaches that may help provide theory-based underpinnings in a different area: the study of journalists and the ways in which their roles and jobs are changing. The approaches are gate-keeping theory; diffusion of innovation theory; sociological perspectives, particularly those involving the sociology of news work; and a somewhat eclectic perspective that explores the idea of journalism as a potential force of cohesion in an increasingly fragmented society.

Sugar, W., Martindale, T., & Crawley, F. (2007). One Professor’s Face-to-Face Teaching

Strategies while becoming an Online Instructor. The Quarterly Review of Distance

Education. Volume 8(4), p. 365-385.

ANNOTATION:

William Sugar, Associate Professor for East Carolina University, explores teaching strategies of the traditional classroom environment as opposed to an online forum. Online professors face different challenges in the online environment such as a distinct set of online student needs and the need to promote interaction in the distance learning environments (p. 366). Sugar believes that teaching in the online environment requires additional preparation time as well as a loss of personal interactions with students. The research revealed mixed reviews with participants feeling some face-to-face activities can be replicated in the online environment and some cannot. While I believe this information to be fact, I believe we have to ask the question of how this impacts the ability to learn and retain information. For example, I prefer an online environment as I am a good independent student. However, I have encountered many people who prefer the classroom environment since they need that one-on-one interaction with their professors and classmates. This type of analysis and information is important as our society raises up the next generation of communication professionals. How we learn is just as important as what we learn.

ABSTRACT:

With the increasing number of online courses within many higher education institutions, experienced instructors are facing the possibility of teaching online. These faculty members may face the task of converting their well-established face-to-face teaching strategies into an online environment. To better understand this transition, we analyzed the practice of one senior professor and his face-to-face teaching strategies. This single-case study gave us insight into these strategies and enabled us to describe how current and emerging online tools could accommodate these strategies.

References

Altinoz, M. (2008). An Overall Approach to the Communication of Organizations in

Conventional and Virtual Office. Proceedings of the World Academy of Science,

Engineering, and Technology. Volume 31.

Cassidy, W. (2007). Online News Credibility: An Examination of the Perceptions of

Newspaper Journalists. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication.

            doi: 10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00334.x

Davis, J. (2012). Social Media and Experiential Ambivalence. Future Internet, 4, 955-970.

doi: 10.3390/fi4040955

DeKay, S. (2010). Designing Email Messages for Corporate Readers: A Case Study of Effective

and Ineffective Rhetorical Strategies at a Fortune 100 Company. Focus on Business Practices.

doi: 10.1177/1080569909358103

Lariscy, R., Avery, E., Sweetser, K., & Howes, P. (2009). An Examination of the Role of Online

Social Media in Journalists’ Source Mix. Public Relations Review: A Global Journal of Research and Comment. 35: 314-316.

Shah, K. (2013). The First Amendment Goes Digital – Clicking “Like” on Facebook is Speech.

http://newmedialaw.proskauer.com/2013/10/06/the-first-amendment-goes-digital-clicking-            like-on-facebook-is-speech/

Singer, J. (1998). Online Journalists: Foundations for Research into their Changing

Roles. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. Volume 4, Issue 1.

            http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1083-6101.1998.tb00088.x/full

Sugar, W., Martindale, T., & Crawley, F. (2007). One Professor’s Face-to-Face Teaching

Strategies while becoming an Online Instructor. The Quarterly Review of Distance

Education. Volume 8(4), p. 365-385.