Article Reviews About Computer‐Mediated Communication Among Undergraduates

Edwards, J.T. (2009). Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions and Preferences of Computer†mediated Communication with Faculty. American Communication Journal, 11(1). Retrieved November 11, 2010, from Tarleton State University in Stephenville database. According to previously conducted studies, it has been proved that students prefer technological means, such as e-mail, to meeting their professors personally during working hours. The purpose of this study by Jennifer T. Edwards is to understand attitude of undergraduate students to communication with their professors during VOHs (Virtual office hours) using instant messaging software. The study was conducted in a rural-town mid-sized institution in central Texas, which has slightly over 6,500 multinational students. This institution is classified as a Carnegie Master’s Large institution, where 21.3% of students are enrolled part-time, and 35.8% receive Federal Pell Grant funds. For the study, 75 undergraduate students from three sections of an introductory communication course and one section of an upper-level communication course were selected. During the study, students were asked to fill out the questionnaire â€Å"Your Opinion of Virtual Office Hours†, with or without the IM technology. Afterwards, within two further weeks they were asked to complete the questionnaire on blackboard.com. The questionnaire included two questions: Question 1: â€Å"What other technology (via the internet) would you prefer to use to communicate with your professor?† and Question 2: â€Å"I wish that more professors would use virtual office hours (i.e. Yahoo Instant Messenger). The data in Question 1 was analyzed using the QDA qualitative research software, while data of Question 2, using SPSS 16.0 software. As a result, according to the responses, the majority of the students want their future professors to use VOHs to communicate with their students: 33% for â€Å"strongly agree† or â€Å"agree†, 52.9% for â€Å"neutral† and only 5.27% students selected â€Å"disagree† or â€Å"strongly disagree†. As for the type of Communication Technology, students proposed such means as e-mail, text messages, and facebook/ myspace: 31 students preferred e-mailing; 7 students want their professors to communicate sending and receiving text messaging; 16 students chose social networking websites (blackboard and/or myspace), 3 students even proposed their professors to form a facebook group for the class; 8 students were for instant messaging (VOHs) and 7 for text messaging; and only 7 students prefer traditional ways of communication, such as face-to-face or telephone communication. The results of the study show that nowadays the majority of students prefer their future professors to use different means of electronic communication, as 68 students prefer different internet methods to traditional way of communication (face-to-face or telephone communication). Moreover, students’ suggestions with regard to technology-based communication with their professors can be implemented even now. Even if professors feel uncomfortable about using such means with their students, they can start communicating with their family members first and later on include their students.

1984 and Today’s Society Essay - 776 Words

1984 and Today’s Society Though 1984 was written well before the year 1984 and it is now 2005, there are many similarities between the book and today’s society. Relationships of all kind have less value, the government watches one’s every move (or at least has the capability to), and large groups of people are influenced to believe opinions at school due to the government. The government has regulations and records on everything and everybody. George Orwell may not have been very far from predicting the truth when writing 1984 in 1948. In the United States today, anywhere from something as harmless as television shows to the government itself promotes less sanctity of a loving family much like 1984. In the book, children†¦show more content†¦Love today is overlooked and a family based on love can rarely exist in the right tense as it use to years ago. Percentage of divorced people in the United States has gone from 6% of the population to 10% in 2002, and the numbers are still rising (CITE). A few percent does not seem like much until one looks at the millions living here in the United States and the statistic including people who have never been married and/or do not have children. Television shows influence many children, the average teenager watches four to six hours of television a day. It s very rare that a television show has a whole, normal family. It is very common; however, that a television show displays a dysfunctional one. The government also has a role in society as it did in 1984. The government continually passes laws that makes divorce easier and easier to occur. (CITE?) The easier it is, the more frequent it will happen in our society. The sanctity of marriage†¦degraded once again. The government we have today can track almost anything, making evidence of a crime much easier to find. In 2002, the United States passed the Patriot Act, allowing the government to look at all public college and school information, one’s personal internet, and even library records. In 1984, evidence for crimes were set up in the form of microphones , â€Å"telescreens†, spies, and â€Å"Thought Police†. BothShow MoreRelated Common Threads in George Orwells 1984 and Todays Society Essay1556 Words   |  7 PagesCommon Threads in George Orwells 1984 and Todays Society Big Brother is Watching You(Orwell 5). This simple phrase has become the cornerstone of the conspiracy theorists dialog. George Orwell may have writing a cautionary novel with 1984, but there is little possibility that he could have foreseen how close to reality his novel would truly become. In the past 50 years, the world has become a much more dangerous place. 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Affecting Change Free Essays

Change is inevitable in any organization.   There are different situations which can force an organization to change its internal organization in order to match to the changes. Change is important since it assists an organization to carry on despite the changing business environment. We will write a custom essay sample on Affecting Change or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, it is not that easy to carry out a change in a business organization especially when this changes touches on organizational employees. There are different hurdles to change but they can be overcome through proper management of organization resources and use of appropriate change management process. Most important, it is imperative that an organization put in place strategies to empower employees, use the appropriate management practices and initiate change in organization culture if the overall change is to succeed. Let us look at how these three factors can be used to ensure successful change implementation. Organization management practices in the 21st century assert that organizational employees are the most important asset that determines the success or failure of the organization. A well motivated and qualified workforces from a competitive advantage for an organization which is very difficult for other organizations in the same field to replicated. It is important that employees feel as a part of the organization to function effectively. This means that if an organization wants to have a change in its operation, it must get its employees involved so that they can feel as a part of the changes. Employee resistance can affect change implementation in various ways and may finally lead to drift of change strategy (Scott et al., 2003). There are different ways to empower employees so that they can feel as a part of the change process. It is important to give them power to say yes or no at their free will and under no influence.   In order to involve employees directly, it is important o eliminated barriers, restrictions and protocols they have to go through before making their contribution. Employees should also be involved in the decision making process and their input should be valued. It is also important to encourage reward improvements noted on employees and finally, they should be given equal and direct access to information. Management practices can also be great impediments to organization change.   This means that good management practices are imperative for successful change in an organization (Scott et al., 2003). Good management practices include those practices that will identify a problem, evaluate it and finally implement it to give positive results to the organization. Good management practices mainly involve what is to be done and how it will be done to ensure success. During organization change process, good management practices involve practices which will identify barriers to the change, draw strategies to overcome these barriers and successfully implement these strategies. Good management practices should get employees more involved in management practices and change process. Organizational culture is the greatest impediment to change process in an organization. Organization culture describes those practices which have been practiced in an organization for a longer period of time and proved effective in running the organization. Organization culture describes the daily practices in the organization.   Changing organization culture is difficult that implementing a change in other area in the organization (Scott et al., 2003). Changing organizational culture in order to accommodate organizational change can be a long process that is quite involving. Change in organization culture must allow for continuity and modify the socializing tactics that have allowed the culture to propel. Resistance to change in culture must be addressed in the most appropriate way. Reference: Scott, P. M., Andrew, H., Doole, K. (2003). Organizational change. Oxford Publishers How to cite Affecting Change, Papers