Telecommunications Media

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Chapter 1: Telecommunications Media.

Mason, Robin (1994). Using Communications Media in Open and Flexible Learning. Open and Distance Learning Series. Kogan Page Limited.

Keywords: Mason, electronic communication, computer conferencing, audiographics, videoconferencing, asynchronous, Forum

In this chapter, Mason describes the three different ways of electronic communicating that she identified within computer conferencing: text, audio and video. Along the chapter, the three kinds of telecommunication systems are described and some concepts of asynchronous text-based communication are covered. She also goes briefly over some relevant technical aspects such as bandwidth, CODECs and ISDN issues. The chapter closes with a reflection on telecommunication and open learning, its role in curriculum development and focus on gender and minorities matters.Useful quotes and ideas:

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  "There are three ways of communicating electronically: writing, speaking and displaying. These translate roughly into text, audio and video” (P11) (computer conferencing, audiographics and videoconferencing).

Definitions and uses

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  "Communication by written messages, stored in a central location and accessible by a group of users at any time, is the basis of computer conferencing.” (P12) (it is an amalgam of letter writing, group discussion and newspaper letters-to-the-editor).
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  “The pure form of audiographics consists of exactly what the name implies: voice and graphics exchange. The graphics –really any still images – are an add-on to what was originally just plain audioconferencing”. (P13)
• Videoconferencing, “can be used with large lecture groups of relatively passive students or for multi-site interactive discussions (…) A lecturer delivering a traditional “chalk and talk” lecture may have one class present and another, or several others at a distance” (P13 –14).

About Videoconferencing

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  • She also said that a VC can be used in training to transmit a programe consisting of Demonstraions, Video segments of material made earlier, discussion among experts, and to provide access to host institutions.
  • The VC moving unit is called rollabout
  • Synchronous communiation by voice and, better still, vision overcomes the prolonging of exchanges, but of course requires immediate response.” (P16)
  • “Many articles in the computer conferencing literature give testimony to the advantages of this medium for various minorities and types of disabled students” (P21)

In a Forum

• Citing Feenberg, "communication anxiety: a student ventures forth with an opinion or point of view and no one responds for days and days (Feenberg, 1989)" (P16)
• "the educational use is almost always asynchronous"(P15)
• "one is prompted to reconsider and refine one´ views with each new message." (P16)

Alberto Ramirez Martinell