Reflection: Synchronous Communication Tools

I started using MSN Messenger in high school and I continued to use it throughout university. The great thing about MSN is the instant contact you could make with classmates. If you needed help with school or wanted to confirm plans, you could just log on MSN and there would always be someone available to talk to. This program is what made me appreciate synchronous communication tools. The ease-of-use and the community that was built while using the tool were the highlights. This tool is also a cultural tool; users do not need to read a manual to use it. Instead, being a part of the community teaches you how to talk or use “MSN chat” language. I wondered if other synchronous communication tools had similar cultures that you learned as you used them.

A synchronous communication tool that I came across during this course was Skype. I had known about Skype for a long time, but I had never downloaded it. Because of the group project we had for this course, my group needed me to download the program. I thought it would take a long time to set up, but it took a matter of minutes. The layout of the site was not complicated and I was able to get a sense of how the site worked quite easily. I did feel anxious about using the program because I was worried that I would have connection problems or I would not know how to work Skype while it went “live”. During the group meeting, I connected easily with one group member, but we had trouble connecting with the others. After a couple of tries of accepting and dropping calls, we finally got everyone together on the same line. Therefore, although it may not work right away, I would still say that Skype is a dependable program to use. A challenge with Skype, or any other communication tool like Wimba, is that it may require that users have a working microphone. I had difficulty connecting with a user because he had some issues with his microphone. Therefore, some of these tools require extra hardware that may limit a person.

Overall, I had my apprehensions with these tools, as the voice feature was something new to me. These communication tools are low-cost, dependable, and easy to use. In past MET courses, I had never connected with other classmates using live “voice” features and I feel like it can be more effective than texting at times. Although, sometimes you may be in a conversation with three other members which makes it difficult to voice your opinions. All in all, I would recommend these tools to other teachers to use with their classes or for their own personal use. I also think it would be something my students would enjoy using if they haven’t already.