Good Writer 64 | - ✏ Freelance Writer
Jun 15, 2014 | #1
Technology and Student Communication
The use of computer communications technology has been growing rapidly in children, teenagers, and others. Presently, computer-facilitated communications technology like chat services, email, and Skype face-to-face chat services are an everyday part of the life of a student. However, what is uncertain is what effect this has had on the student's ability to communicate. It could improve communication skills, or it could degrade communication skills or prevent students from learning needed communication skills. It could also have no effect at all. This research is designed to identify what effect computer-based communication has on the communication skills demonstrated by students. It will use quantitative testing of communication skills, combined with analysis of the degree of computer-facilitated communication, in order to determine the relationship between these two factors.
Introduction
It is impossible to ignore the ubiquity of computer-facilitated communication in our everyday lives. Email, once a tool of technical specialists and academics, is now commonplace. Instant messaging (IM) chat programs allow for even more immediate access to individuals, while voice chat programs such as Skype create a voice-based communication experience that can include video. This extends to communication methods such as SMS texting, as well as multiple other methods of communication. Social networking programs, such as Facebook, allow for a more holistic communication experience and involve a many-to-many social dimension to communication that is often lacking in more conventional computer-facilitated communication techniques.This is clearly a significant social change, and it has happened primarily within the past 15 years. However, it is not only adults that use these communications technologies in a casual manner. Children and teenagers have become experts in the use of computer-facilitated communications methods. This is not consistently regarded as a positive development, and in fact many researchers and commentators feel that this is a negative outcome. However, there are also some positive effects that have been seen in the development of computer-facilitated communications for children. This research project will focus on identifying positive and negative effects on communication in children from the use of computer-facilitated communications technologies.
Statement of the Problem
The use of computer-facilitated communication methods by children is part of a larger, and highly contentious, conversation about the use of technologies by children. One strand of research indicates that the use of technology is fundamentally changing the nature of childhood (or, as Cornwell somewhat inflammatorily frames this argument, "ruining children") through the modification of communication skills and social and emotional connections to others. This argument views the use of the technologies of cyberspace in childhood to be isolating, alienating, and ultimately dehumanizing, and predicts that it will ultimately lead to the destruction of social and emotional constructs of what it means to be human. However, the majority view is that the use of technology in childhood has multiple and mixed effects, rather than being wholly negative in the way that this argument is framed. These multiple and mixed effects do not in general point to a dehumanizing effect, but rather to exacerbation of conditions that are already in place for negative or positive communication outcomes. By exploring the specific role of computer-facilitated communication in childhood, this research will attempt to determine what effects may be seen with an increase in intensity and ubiquity of its use. Thus, the major problem that will be addressed in this paper is: What positive and negative effects does computer-facilitated communication have on the development of communication skills?
Hypotheses
The main hypothesis of this paper is based on the literature review findings as well as critical reflection on the role of technology in communication and the potential outcomes of this technological role.
The independent variable that will be used in the research is Computer-Facilitated Communication. This will be operationalized as the use of any computer-facilitated communication technology, including (but not limited to) email, IM, texting, and Skype. However, this will not include assistive technologies such as voice boards intended to allow for increased communication skills for children with impaired communications facilities, as this is a different use of computer technology. This will be measured as an interval index variable, indicating the sum average time spent on each of these communications methods as determined by a diary-based method.
The dependent variables will be operationalized as Interpersonal Communications Skills, operationalized as the ability to read, write, speak, and understand written, verbal, and non-verbal communication at a level that is appropriate to the age and developmental capacity of the child. This will be measured by communications skills assessment designed to test the communications skills of children of the age selected for the study. This instrument will have three subscales to test written, verbal, and non-verbal (physical) communications skills.
Written, verbal, and non-verbal communications skills will be tested separately, and so are posed with different hypotheses. The hypotheses that will be posed for this study will be as follows:
Hypothesis H1a: The use of computer-facilitated computation technologies will have a positive effect on the written communication skills of children in the study.
Hypothesis H10: The use of computer-facilitated computation technologies will have no effect on the written communication skills of children in the study.
Hypothesis H2a: The use of computer-facilitated computation technologies will have a negative effect on the verbal communication skills of children in the study.
Hypothesis H20: The use of computer-facilitated computation technologies will have no effect on the verbal communication skills of children in the study.
Hypothesis H3a: The use of computer-facilitated computation technologies will have a negative effect on the non-verbal communication skills of children in the study.
Hypothesis H30: The use of computer-facilitated computation technologies will have no effect on the non-verbal communication skills of children in the study.
These three hypotheses are based on the idea that written communication skills are most likely to be those developed by the use of computer-facilitated communications technology, while verbal and non-verbal communications skills may suffer due to substitution with written communications skills facilitated by computer usage.
Review of the Literature
A critical literature review has been conducted that will provide some preliminary information regarding the current state of research regarding this topic of research. Two general topics have been considered for the literature review, including the effects of computer-facilitated communication on communication skills in general and the research available on this effect in children. This literature review is intended to support the development of the methodology, as well; so particular discussion has been devoted to the use of specific methodologies in the research that is used. This will be used to frame the research as well as to compare results that are seen in the current research with that seen in existing research.
General Effects of Computer-Facilitated Communication
One of the questions that can be asked about this topic is, why is this important? Castells (2007) posits that communication in the modern network society is a form of power. This form of power is used both in vertical communication networks (such as formal mass media and political communication) as well as in horizontal communication networks (such as social networks, insurgent and protest spaces, and other counter-hegemonic spaces) (Castells, 2007). Under this formulation, the use of communication is used to both conform to and resist the power of social hegemony and create or reject the political legitimacy of a given movement. Communication is obviously important for everyday life as well, including interaction between social peers and in vertical social networks. The pressures that have driven changes in the information environment, including the development of horizontal electronic communications networks, have begun to lead to the convergence of horizontal and vertical communications networks (Castells, 2007). However, given the political importance of communication in a networked world, it is still necessary to communicate effectively both within and outside the network.
There are a variety of methodological approaches to the study of computer-facilitated communication. One of the latest emergent methods of study is the ethnographic research method, in which the social space is studied in a qualitative manner. The practice of ethnography is based on the use of observation and questioning in order to derive meaning from a given situation. Although derived from the field of anthropology, it may also be used in sociology, education, and other social sciences fieldwork. However, this is still a minority form of research of education and communication technologies. As Garcia et al (2009) note, the majority of research in this area to date has been quantitative and based on measurement or assessment of communications technologies and issues. Furthermore, what qualitative research has been performed is not generally ethnographic in nature, but instead uses methods such as grounded research. This demonstrates both the flexibility of research methods that can be used in this case and the wide variety of methods that have been used.
There is also a great deal of specific research about the use of computer-facilitated communication. One study used a quantitative survey approach to examine the effects of computer-facilitated communication on the relational quality of various types of interpersonal relationships. This study examined interactions between college students and friends, family, and romantic partners. It found that although there were significant variations between relationship types in the perceived relational quality of relationships, these were not affected by media use in communication. That is, even though participants used a varying amount of communication through computer-facilitated media, this did not change the way the participants viewed their relationships. This study indicates that there was no negative effect seen from the use of computer-facilitated communication within the relationship.
A second study was a survey-based study that examined the strength and gratification-utility (the amount of satisfaction that is obtained from a relationship) among users of social networking software. This study used a sample of 286 college students, due to their status as the main demographic that uses social networking software such as Facebook. The study found that higher use of social networking was associated with a higher level of internetworked relationships, although network size was related to the amount of enjoyment that was obtained from the process. This research indicated that the use of computer-mediated communication in the case of social network users was not associated with reduction in communication effectiveness. However, it did indicate that users were more likely to use computer-facilitated communications technologies such as social networking if they were receiving some degree of pleasure from them.
Whether or not computer users have difficulties in creating and maintaining social ties through communication has also been widely debated. Zhao (2006) pointed out that some clarification and separation of groups of internet users was called for; as users are not a homogenous group, but instead display different characteristics in terms of their use purpose and goals, heaviness of Internet use, and contact density and length of time contact is maintained, it is not feasible to make a single determination of how all Internet users may react. Zhao used data from the 2000 General Social Survey (GSS) to determine whether Internet users had more social ties and under what conditions. This study found that there were stronger social ties among email and chat users than among web users and non-users (Zhao, 2006). This study did not take into account social networking, which is largely a post-2000 phenomenon; thus, this could be seen to increase the number of potential social ties even further. However, this does not clearly indicate that there is no associated social cost to the use of computer-facilitated communications. For example, it is a well known phenomenon that email communication can make it very hard to both communicate and interpret the emotional content of communications. This can lead to alienation and emotional distance between communicators in the work setting, which may be extended to interpersonal relationships in other contexts as well. However, on the positive side, the use of computer-mediated communication can reduce the inequality effects of face-to-face gender construction. In this context, it was only when gender stereotypes were actively engaged that communication became gendered. Thus, it is not sufficient to state that the use of email or other computer-facilitated communication approaches are uniformly positive for communications outcomes; instead, this situation must be defined as highly complicated.
Effects of Computer-Facilitated Communication on Children
In addition to the general discussion above, the literature review also included specific discussion of children's use of computer-facilitated communication methodologies. This was intended to demonstrate the research that has already been done, as well as identifying useful methodological approaches.
One study used contextual, rhetorical, and semantic analysis of elementary school students' emails in order to determine what the characteristics of communication in this context. The researchers find that children were likely to use a strong turn-taking approach to communication, with sequential emails directly following each other. They also observed a strong use of meta-tags, or a direct explication of their intended communication. The majority of email communication was devoted to informational statements, with a stronger sequential zigzag communication pattern being associated with more questions and answers. Overall, this research demonstrated that the communication between children was cohesive and followed a clear communication pattern. This confirmed earlier research regarding email communication patterns of children in the elementary school, which identified two other patterns of exchange other than the zigzag pattern that was observed in the later study. The communication identified stacking, in which emails were sent rapidly back and forth, and compounding, in which students integrated the previous emails in response. This research did show that children engaged relatively rarely with each other's emails; however, this was seen as common to the communication patterns seen in other forms of written communication as well. Both of these studies were performed using an observational approach in an elementary classroom.
A third study examined the ways in which children use the Internet on public computers in a library, using an ethnographic approach. This study, which was conducted in a dedicated computing center for children of lower socioeconomic status, found that contrary to expectations of computer use for adult users, children found ways to use the computers offered for play. However, this is in contrast to the stated goal of the center, which was to provide an avenue for information access. Thus, there was a conflict between the use of computers by children and the intent for use by adults. This indicates that the communication styles expected or intended by adults may also not meet with the uses that are posed by children. A fourth study, which found that the use of computer technologies and communications was often limited and constrained by the expected uses, may also support this interpretation. Selwyn et al's study was based on a survey of school children. This study found that while children agreed with the positioning of computer technology as a learning tool, the majority of children did not view computers as a tool for enjoyment or engaged actively with the learning experience. Thus, the use of computer-facilitated technology may be negatively affected by the context in which it takes place.
These studies clearly indicate that the use of computer-mediated communication in the school environment may be difficult to develop, given the constraints on children's use of computers. Thus, one of the problems expected to be encountered in this research is disconnecting the expectations of computer use and the requirements within the school and the use of computers by children, in order to determine whether this is truly a communications problem or mismatch.
Bibliography
Baym, N. K., Zhang, Y. B., Kunkel, A., Ledbetter, A., & Lin, M.-C. (2007). Relational quality and media use in interpersonal relationships. New Media and Society , 9 (4), 735-752.
Byron, K. (2008). Carrying too heavy a load? The communication and miscommunication of emotion by email. Academy of Management Review , 33 (2), 309-327.
Castells, M. (2007). Communication, power and counterpower in the network society. International Journal of Communication , 1, 238-266.
Cornwell, J. (2008, April 27). Is technology ruining children? Retrieved from The Times Online: women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article3805196.ece
Dimmick, J., Ramirez, A., Wang, T., & Lin, S.-F. 'Extending society': The role of personal networks and gratification-utilities in the use of interactive communication media. New Media and Society , 9 (5), 795-810.
Garcia, A. C., Standlee, A. I., Beckhoff, J., & Cui, Y. (2009). Ethnographic approaches to the Internet and computer-mediated commnication. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography , 38 (1), 52-84.
Postmes, T., & Spears, R. Behavior online: Does anonymous computer communication reduce gender inequality? Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin , 28 (2), 1073-1083.
Sandwig, C. (2006). The Internet at play: Child users of public Internet connections. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication , 11, 932-956.
Selwyn, N., Potter, J., & Cranmer, S. Primary pupils' use of information and communication technologies at school and home. British Journal of Educational Technology , 40 (5), 919-932.
Van der Meij, H., & Boersma, K. E-mail use in elementary school: An analysis of exchange patterns and content. British Journal of Educational Technology , 33 (2), 189-200.
Van der Meij, H., De Vries, B., Boersma, K., Pieters, J., & Wegerif, R. (2005). An examination of interactional coherence in email use in elementary school. Computers in Human Behavior , 21, 417-439.
Zhao, S. Do internet users have more social ties? A call for differentiated analysis of Internet use. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication , 11, 844-862.