Communicative tools

ICT as communicative tool

Communicative tool is an application which allows easy communication between two or more people. In school these communicative tools enables interaction between teacher and the students, among students. Examples: use of emails, we chat, messenger, telegram and all. These tools allow interaction among learners and a teacher despite physical barriers. With the advent of education technology, a wealth of brilliant new tools presents themselves to the educator to stay effectively connected to students at all time and in an exciting different ways. Communicative tools allow students to communicate with each other through emails, chat room, and discussion board to share information effectively. This allows for an extensive community of learners all worthy for specific goal. 

There are two types of communicative tools:

1.      Synchronous

Synchronous tools enable real time communication and collaboration in a “same time- different place” mode. Any learning tools that is in real time such as instant messaging that allows students and teacher to ask and answer questions immediately is   synchronous. Students can interact with other students and their teacher during the lesson rather than learning on their own.  Synchronous communication enables students to avoid feeling of isolation. However synchronous learning is not as flexible in terms of time.

2.  Asynchronous

Asynchronous enable communication and collaboration over a period of time, through a “different –time- different place” mode. Asynchronous communication can be carried out even when the students or teacher is offline.  Asynchronous e-learning includes course work and communications delivered via web, email, and message posted on community forums. Asynchronous tools are useful for sustaining dialogue and collaboration over a period of time and follow the curriculum at their own space without having to worry about scheduling conflict.

Apart from the many communicative tools blogging is one of the convenient tools where students can write blog posts and create digital portfolios under teacher’s supervision. Blogging can give students a real life application to communication.  Ideally for effective teaching and learning it should include both synchronous and asynchronous communication. This allows students and teacher to benefit from the different delivery formats regardless of their schedule or preferred learning methods.