Electronic Communication..... Yay or Nay?

If you're an introvert like me, then you probably feel the way I do about electronic communication....  grateful for it's existence.  If you're an educator like me, then you also know how it can be a double edged sword in a classroom setting.

Emails are probably the most effective way to exchange ideas electronically, especially with parents. Emails are private (for the most part), and one can take time to construct ideas and say exactly what it is they intend to communicate. There aren't too many downsides to email, although they do exist. It's never certain if the other party received an email, busy inboxes could result in an email sitting, overlooked, for all of time. Furthermore, emails are convenient only if the topic at hand can wait until the other party responds. Urgent topics are best left for IM's, texts, or live chats.

Live chats are a great way to exchange ideas, and are especially handy during distance learning. "Chatting" in real time is most similar to real-life conversations. However, these chats are usually not done spontaneously and require members to set up a time to "meet", so live chats actually depend on their users to use other forms of communication to communicate about an agreeable time to communicate! It's kind of silly. Also, conversation via live chat tend to be stilted, as members sometimes run ahead or lag behind posted comments.

The final form of communication I'd like to discuss is threaded discussions. This type seems to be the most communal, which makes it most conducive to long-distance learning. It's helpful to read along a thread and see the conversation all at once, and then respond to comments that spark connections- even when that spark happens hours after the comment was left. Obviously, the down side to that is that one would have to be patient with the evolution of the conversation. It could be days developing!

Ultimately, electronic communication has become an effective tool in the world of education. When we are cooking up a delicious meal, we choose amongst an array of tools to help us achieve our desired end result. We only need to do the same when communicating electronically- the tools that we use to communicate must fit our means.