Asynchronous Media - Email

Emailing is now such a way of life for many people that without it, communication would be sparse. I have found it to be one of the most useful tools for business, study and communicating with my friends.

It takes on many forms of identity, for example using hotmail you can access your emails worldwide, this has probably helped the most homesick traveller through difficult moments, the POP3 which is what I use on my PC which I flick in and out of daily and have deep and meaningful conversations with my closest friends and conduct business with some of my Clients (web stuff) and also run Committees and keep up to date with my fav shops (mailing lists) and my fav websites.

I use Rich Text Format which is easily accessible to most, as well as receiving HTML format from my Course Leader , and can reply to those who are using the Text Format.

I am a part of many a mailing list as well, some are annoying and I have yet to actually unsubscribe myself. But many are useful and informative about the things I am interested in.

Downsides - spam obviously this needs no explanation, although my ISP have been great at filtering this, I do get the occasion email about Viagra and what interesting body part enlargers I can purchase on line. Who does this??

Anyway other downsides, writing an emotional email late at night saying what you really think, then waking the morning and dreading your inbox. MMM I have done this, big mistake. This is a biggie, learning to write emails with the proper Netiquette. Lesson learnt the hard way. Emails are instant usually even though the recipient does not read them straight away, doesn't matter, once the send button is pressed and it has gone. That's it - they have it, you have a copy to read and cringe over. Rule of thumb never send messages angry, sad, emotional, drunk or any other form of intoxication. If you do sit on them for 24 hrs - my advice and my opinion only.

The Email Revolution may it long continue...

Experience Second Life

Second Life, great creation whomever decided to create a virtual world where you can meet people from all over the world looking fabulous or not if you choose. Great Idea. There are possibly downsides to this type of meeting place. You do meet the odd unusual personality, but most are down to earth easy going people who just doing their thing in the virtual world. I hang out alot in one of the Ball Rooms. I have met an Architect from New York, a German Filmmaker, an Actress from LA, a Cowboy from Texas. Whether these people are genuine in what they do, who knows, but I have met some very interesting personalities. I even met someone that lives about 10 km from my house. Bizarre, we both laughed at the fact that we have never met in RL but can meet in a virtual world.

I have yet to figure out whether this is a effective way of communicating. Do you really know who you are talking too. As I said I have met a few eccentric unusual personalities. But I suppose this is real life too and our differences make the world go round.

I have yet to find my Collaborative Tech Team, some of them are connected but are rarely online when I am and we have yet to all hang and talk for a bit. I sure by the end of the Semester this will happen. I have, however been trying to find my Facilitator/Lecturer who assures me he is asleep on one of the many Islands by a Waterfall, but I have yet to find him, when I go to the Island I am always the only one there and although it is a very peaceful place it gets lonely with no one to talk too. Oops thats right it is a virtual place, loneliness doesn't exist. LOL.

Keep you posted ....

Culture - What it means to me!

Culture was the name of the game this week. A topic that sparked many emotions with me. As I read and learnt about Culture and being in the world of Virtual Teams. Wow had I known how much this can affect the team you are participating in I would have learnt this ages ago.

All over the world - every country has different cultures - yes I hear you say I know that, but also within those countries there are communities who have different cultures and beliefs, also within communities there are families cultures, who we are, how we are brought up, what we believe in. There are so many factors to this whole Cultural discussion, including culture within a business, within a social setting, within schools, churches, groups, these all convey different beliefs and ways that things are done. These all add to our experiences shaping and moulding how we behave and what we believe in.

Virtual Teams - because of the nature of a Team that could possibly be worldwide we need to respect time frames, use of words, beliefs. It is a huge learning curve and one that must be mastered to lead a team and participate in one.

Netiquette was also part of this discussion this week as well, and I think this is a huge part also of a successful online team. Annoy or upset a team member and try to make up online (very difficult but possible) so by observing Netiquette when online is imperative to a great Team.

Next post will be on my Second Life Experience as it continues...

Our Team

This was an interesting week for the whole communication team of the Collaborative Tech Course. We all got online at different times communicating our lives to each other. What started with general conversation about our days and what we have been up, ended with finally deciding on a Team. YAY!!

Reading through the readings of the Module - I learnt where I fit into within our team environment and what roles I take on. Thinking about this I figured this is where I fit in terms of real life situations as well. My take on this was, I am a Harmoniser, complimenting and keeping things running smoothly and trying to harmonise amongst the team members. I am also an Encourager, encouraging with enthusiasm and vigor the team members I have communicated with. We had a incident of criticising the tutor and I felt that I had to defend both the tutor and the team member doing the criticising. I also feel I am a Opinion Giver offering my thoughts and then possibly letting the team comment and pass judgement on these thoughts.

Downsides of your place in a Team, are how you affect the team in a negative way, I came up with that possibly I am a recognition seeker, trying to win the team with my Mr Nice Guy approach and you know what I think I do this in real life situations as well.

We ended up teaming up in two's - I am with the Techno Software Guy in the course which suits me, I am probably the Techno Software Girl, so we can work together on that level. I like all my team members they all offer such different things to this course and I feel like I fit. We are all different and this is real life - working with people from all areas of the social scale.

Next week we are on to the Culture Discussion - this will surely raise a few eyebrows and provoke some great discussions.

Module 3 Limitations of E Communication

This week I started on Module 3 "the limitations of electronic communication". It got me thinking about the limitations I have encounted using email and other forms of Electronic Communication. How much easier it is to break news to someone over the phone or via email.

I have encountered difficulties in emailing - trying to get my point across without being too aggressive or too passive or other personality traits that may come across with emailing.

I experienced this with a few of my Clients that I do work for. It is hard to express what you require with out being too demanding or rude. How can this be overcome? I had to ask myself this question. Also how can I get to know the people on my team for my Collaborative Tech paper. Do I show emotion and be more of an extrovert, how open should I be? Will this scare them off. They are unable to read body language for all they know I could be a raving lunatic. These are all limitations within the bounds of Electronic Communication. I decided the friendly approach is needed that is me by nature anyway. I am quite a bubbly and open person anyway so why not take that approach!

Talking to others in the group - I have become more comfortable. It has probably helped me to learn Email Etiquette. How to talk in an email, get a point across. I think I have a long way to go with this and this is something I want to master especially in pursuing a career in Web Design.

The next question my Lecturer asked of me was "do I publish my Blog"?? This is something I will think over, I want to but for what reasons. More communication, feedback from the world who knows.

Next time - finally we have a team!!