CONTENTS
1.0 INTRODUCTION 2.0 OBJECTIVES 3.0 MAIN CONTENT
3.1 Computer Mediated Communication 3.2 Self-Assessment Exercise
3.3 Domains of Computer Mediated Communication Analysis 3.4 Self-Assessment Exercise
4.0 Conclusion 5.0 Summary
6.0 Tutor-marked Assignment 7.0 References/Further Reading
1.0 Introduction
By now you must have realized that advancement in Information Communication Technology (henceforth, ICT) has ushered in new forms of communication among people and groups of the world. Indeed, it is not an exaggeration if one says that ICT has not only transformed the world into a global village, but has affected the way we speak, write and interact. Today, people send
messages via email, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp and so many other social network channels which require the use of computer or other electronic devices. These ICT media have in turn affected the way people structure words, phrases and sentences in different modes of communication. As a student in an Open Distance Learning (ODL) institution you often need to interact with your lecturers, course mates, and other colleagues through your phones, computers or other IT devices. You would therefore have observed that the way you write via these devices differ from the way you are expected to write your essay in class or during examination, for example. In this unit therefore, we shall be examining different aspects of CMC. We shall attempt to describe the term computer mediated communication and also examine the domains of Computer Mediated Communication.
2.0 Objectives
At the end of this unit you should be able to do the following:
define computer communication,
discuss Computer Communication Analysis
identify and explain domains of Computer Communication Analysis
3.0 MAIN CONTENT
3.1 Computer Mediated Communication
Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) is a process by which people create; exchange and receive information using networked telecommunications systems that aid encoding, transmitting and decoding of messages (Luppicini, 2007). The term is also sometimes used to refer to other electronic means of communication such as text messaging via mobile telephones. According to Baker and Ellece (2011), CMC are different forms of interaction such as email, chat rooms, instant messaging, blogging and commenting that occur between people who are using computers.
A distinction can be made between synchronous CMC and asynchronous CMC. Synchronous CMC refers to computer mediated communication which requires participants to be online simultaneously. In other words, communication takes place in instantaneous ‗real-time‘. These
interactions could be in form of text based online chat, computer, audio or video conferencing, etc. Conversely, asynchronous CMC involves ongoing interactions where there may be long breaks between communicative ‗turns‘. This form of CMC could be in form of emails, discussion forum and mailing lists, etc. which need no immediate response and where participants are not necessarily online at the same time. CMC can occur in local area networks (LANs) or via the Internet. One of the advantages of CMC is that it is a highly interactive mode of communication. It provides for complex processes of interaction between participants. It combines the permanent form of written communication with speed and dynamism of the spoken communication. In addition, the speed advantage of CMC particularly has a far reaching effect for users because it is easy to reach a mass audience in a fast way through this medium of communication.
7.1 Self-Assessment Exercise
1. What do you understand by Computer Mediated Communication
2. Identify some aspects of Computer Mediated Discourse which make it different from the more traditional modes of communication.
3.3 Domains of Computer Mediated Communication Analysis
The growing and expanding use of Computer-mediated Communication has expanded the areas of its study. Beyond the software and hardware aspects of CMC which has attracted researchers‘
interests over the years because of its relevance as a mode of communication in modern day technologically driven world, the social aspect of CMC as a medium of interaction has also shown significant scholarly interest in the analysis of CMC. The Internet CMC has aided global communication significantly. CMC has attracted research interest over the years because of the emergence of new discourse features of its IT mode of communication. Studies in CMC consider how participants make use of various affordances in order to effectively communicate (e.g. the use of emoticons) and maintain relationships, how aspects of discourse like turn taking are managed and how language is used to construct online identities, including anonymous identities. In addition, some studies focus on new ways of teaching and learning through CMC in for instance, second language or English for Academic Purposes (EAP) environments and oral
characteristics of computer mediated communication. Research in CMC has also been carried out in the areas of the discourse of social media as a form of CMC, the interface between conversation analysis and CMC interaction, gender and computer mediated communication, computer mediated communication and workplace interactions, computer mediated communication among others. Different methodological approaches which could be applied to the study of CMC include content analysis, discourse analysis, pragmatics analysis, critical approaches to mention just a few.
3.4 Self-Assessment Exercise
Mention some areas in which Computer Mediated Communication studies are being carried out in today‘s IT world.
5.0 Conclusion
The world today is largely technologically driven. In this wise, so many aspects of life have been affected including modes of communication and the structuring of language. One of the areas this could be seen is in written language form which today reflects changes due to the constraints placed on its production by CMC platforms. It is not surprising therefore that research interests in CMC have also expanded to include areas which were initially not considered relevant to studies in CMC.
6.0 Summary
In this Unit, we defined computer mediated communication. In addition, we discussed computer mediated analysis and also looked at different areas in which computer mediated analysis have been applied in view of the fast growing influence and reach of computer mediated communication in today‘s IT world.
7.0 Tutor-marked Assignment
1. Discuss the differences between synchronous and asynchronous computer mediated communication.
2. Identify and briefly discussed two areas in which computer mediated analysis is being applied.
8.0 References/Further Reading
Tannen, D., Hamilton, H.E. & Schiffrin, D. (Eds.). (2015). The Handbook of Discourse Analysis.
UK: Wiley Blackwell.
UNIT 2: COMPUTER-MEDIATED DISCOURSE ANALYSIS