Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
LIMITATIONS OF COMPUTER
TECHNOLOGY IN THE PROVISION
OF FEEDBACK WITH NONVERBAL
TEACHER IMMEDIACY BEHAVIORS
understand messages sent by the writers. Some-
times, without hearing the tone of voice and
viewing nonverbal immediacy cues, on-screen
reading could easily engender a misunderstanding
or misinterpretation of the message read. This led
LaRose and Whitten (2000) to argue that only a
face-to-face instruction could allow a continual
flow of immediacy cues. A text-based learning
environment thus would make the passing of such
a physiological arousal difficult. Teaching and
learning in an e-text-based context have appar-
ently posed quite a few challenges for instructors
(Gallien & Oomen-Early, 2008; Picciano, 2002),
as the Internet medium seemingly places a ceiling
on the utilization of teacher immediacy cues and
generates a negative impact on student affective
and cognitive learning (LaRose & Whitten, 2000).
On account of the aforementioned, it is imperative
to discuss how to make up the limitations of the
computer-mediated text-based learning context for
the benefit of student successful learning.
Teacher immediacy behaviors, in essence, are
central to student learning in a conventional
classroom. However, they appear to have no
perceptible place to live in a text-based learning
environment owing to a lack of multisensory
capacities. Despite the fact that there are various
forms available as a course delivery means, such
as videoconferencing, Web 2.0, Web cam, and
other multi-media course delivery management
systems, visual technological message delivery
mechanisms may not be accessible, without
difficulty, to some students as well as to faculty
members who intend to communicate. These com-
municational tools may be costly and relatively
complex to install and/or to use. Thus, in the
technological oriented and contemporary com-
munication world, one of the most convenient and
popular means to communicate with one another
is through a computer-mediated text-based con-
text, such as email, discussion forums, and other
types of communication media that are text-only.
These computer-mediated communication tools
would allow communicators to deliver messages
quickly and effortlessly. However, in an e-text-
based communication context, the perceptibility
is hardly existent, leaving many nonverbal im-
mediacy behaviors indecipherable due to its lack
of capacity for either sight or sound. Written com-
munication thus becomes dominant and nonverbal
cues become nonfunctional and invisible to those
who are communicating. Hershkowitz-Coore
(2003) characterized words appearing on a screen
this way, “Words on a... screen are 'dead.' With
no voice inflection, no eye contact, and no body
language to help a reader grasp the words in the
way the writer intends, the burden is on the writer
to write so the reader cannot misunderstand” (p.
49). To put it differently, readers at different sites
must solely rely on words written on screens to
SIGNIFICANCE OF BLENDED
INSTRUCTION: JOINT FORCES
OF TECHNOLOGY AND HUMAN-
TO-HUMAN INTERACTION
With the use of joint forces of technology and
human-to-human interaction, Norin and Wall
(2009) found that the student retention rate jumped
from 8% to 20.5% after switching from full-scale
web-based learning to blended learning. Included
in computer-mediated learning are face-to-face
meetings that have obviously won the students'
hearts, because the added means of the interac-
tions became opportunities for students and an
instructor to communicate with one another. A
student happily commented, “This was an excel-
lent learning experience. When I needed any help
or information, it was always readily available.”
This student's comment demonstrated that due to
the reassurance of the availability of the instructor
and other students through the face-to-face ses-
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