TechnologyEnhancingCommunication

Designing new technologies enhances communication at all levels of the component of the model. Technologies benefit people who have and don’t have it. User of a technology will increase the communication overall.

Technology increases performance for the sender, enabling the sender to use multiple ways to send the message. In society, having various ways of doing a certain tasks, having the option is better than choosing from only one way. An example is using a cellular phone. The sender is able to notify or get a reach of someone anytime, anywhere. They are not constraint to a physical space. Cell phones also offer more than one way to send a message. There is a text messaging option. The text messaging feature lets the sender to communicate with others besides verbally. With a cellular phone, both asynchronous and synchronous is able to take place.

The sender and receiver is a two way street. When the receiver decides to communication with the sender, feedback is dispersed. With technology, the receiver can receive the message in both the physical and virtual space. Technology enhances the receiver and communication overall because there are now more possibilities in receiving information. An example would be receiving bills online. The user can choose to avoid the hassle of opening mail and the space is not constrained to be at home. The receiver can choose to pay bills wherever there is an internet connection. Being able to receive bills over the internet is effective and foreshadows future technological possibilities.

The message is the content that is delivered between the sender and receiver. Technology increases the message to be send to a wider audience. At the same time, technology offers narrowcasting, messages sent to certain subgroups. An example would be television. It has both aspects of reaching a wider audience and narrowcasting. News broadcast on television offers a visual image. People who are too busy or choose not to read the newspaper can have another option of getting the news. The news is offered on a variety of channels, and the receivers can choose amongst all the competing senders.

The context at which a message is to be understood is important. Being at different physical and virtual spaces affects the context of the message greatly. Being in a coffee shop shopping online is different than shopping online at a friend’s birthday party. The internet is offered to those who have access and understand it. The internet enhances communication because of the wide networks it offers. Internet connection can be found all around, home, offices, schools etc. It is important to note that being able to have access to the sender, receiver and most importantly the message on to go and people are not constraint one physical place to communicate.

There are many evidences that technology has improved communication. The University of Toronto Erindale offers a new program called Communication, Culture Information Technology. It shows that there is such a field to be explored. There are professors researching and teaching students about communication in today’s society. Technology is able to remove the barriers of time and distance in communication. It has made information more available, reaches a larger audience.

=Types of Communication:=

1. **Asynchronous:** This is communication that does not carry any form of feedback at the momment it is sent, information moves from the sender to the reciever via the souce which could be a television screen or an E-mail letter.

2. **Synchronous:** This is a form of communication found in instant messeging. The users are sending information back and forth and therefore, feedback is available. It mimics realtime interactions and is found in programs such as MSN messenger

see also Technology-Enhanced Language Learning