Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Task # 004
Sub-Topics:
A. Online Communication
In the past, email was the best way to communicate with people online. But today, there are many
different ways to talk online, allowing you to do things like:
➢ Make phone calls from your computer and even see the
person you're talking with
➢ Share with lots of friends at the same time without sending
an email to each of them individually
➢ Engage with different websites by making comments or
posting your own content
Over the next several lessons, we'll take a look at some different methods of online communication,
including chat, video calling, text messages, and status updates.
When people are not online, they use a variety of communication methods, including phone calls, written
letters, and face-to-face conversation. We use these different methods depending on the situation. Online
communication is very similar: People may use instant messaging, video chat, or social
networking depending on the situation. You can choose whichever methods best fit your needs.
Act as if you were communicating offline: Remember, everything you write online is relatively permanent,
so even passing comments could have negative consequences for you or someone else in the future.
Chat and IM are generally used when both (or all) people are
online, so your message can be read immediately. By
comparison, an email message won't be seen until the
recipient checks his email, meaning that chat and IM are
better for quick messages and conversations.
Chat vs. IM
The terms chat and IM are sometimes used interchangeably. However, they can have slightly different
meanings:
➢ Chat often occurs in a virtual chat room, which can include many different people who may or may
not know each other. Many chat rooms focus on a particular topic or interest.
➢ IM usually includes a list of your contacts, called a Buddy List or Friend List, which allows you to see
who is online. IM is especially suited for one-on-one communication, but it's possible to send
messages to multiple people at once. IM is technically a kind of chat, and some IM services use the
term "chat" instead.
Will chat or IM work for your needs? Review some of the pros and cons to help decide:
Pros:
➢ It's instant; you don't need to wait for the other person to check his email.
➢ It's great for quick messages, questions, or notifications.
➢ Compared to email, it's easier to carry on a conversation (or even multiple conversations).
➢ You can stay logged in while doing other things on your computer, which makes it easy to multi-
task.
Cons:
➢ If someone is not online, you may have to contact him another way.
➢ It's not as convenient as email for lengthy or complicated messages.
➢ It's not always instantaneous: If your friends are busy or away from the computer, it may take a
while for them to respond.
➢ Since people may type quickly or use abbreviations, messages could be difficult to understand. Also,
as with email, it's possible to misinterpret someone's tone.
There are numerous chat and IM programs you can download, including Hangouts, Skype and ICQ. In
addition, there are many browser-based services that don't require downloading. For
example, Facebook and Gmail allow you to chat with your contacts whenever you're signed in.
If you want to know more about using chat and instant messaging, we have tutorials on the following:
Video chat allows you to see and hear the people you're
communicating with in real time. Whether you're talking with a
family member or collaborating at work, video chat can add a
personal touch to your conversations. Just
like voice chat, it's included in many IM and chat services, and
it's often free.
Like voice chat, you'll need a microphone and speakers, or a headset that contains both. You'll also need a
webcam so the other person can see you. Many computers have a built-in webcam, usually located just
above the screen. There are also inexpensive webcams that connect to your computer's USB port, which can
be purchased at any store that sells computer hardware and electronics.
Generally, video chat will require a broadband Internet connection. The faster your Internet connection, the
better the video quality. With slower connections, the video can become choppy or may not work at all.
With some services, it's possible to video chat with multiple people. This is often called group video
chat or video conferencing, while the meeting itself is often called a webinar (short for web seminar). It's
often used in the workplace, but you can use it anytime you want to collaborate with a group. However, you
should be aware that some services charge extra for this feature, and it may require a faster Internet
connection.
If you're giving a presentation, you can even share your screen with the people you're talking to. That
means they'll see exactly what you're seeing on the screen, whether it's a PowerPoint presentation,
a photo, or a spreadsheet. Screen sharing is also useful if you're having a problem with your computer, as it
can help others see and identify the issue.
Will video chat work for your needs? Review some of the pros and cons to help decide:
Let's practice!
Question 1 of 1
Which of the following are required for video chat? Select all that apply.
Webcam
Scanner
Broadband Internet connection
Speakers (or a headset)
There are a variety of services that provide video chat. The most well-known service is Skype, but others
include:
➢ Zoom
➢ Google Meet
➢ Facebook Video Calling
➢ Apple FaceTime
If your friends and family already use voice chat, you may want to ask them which service they use so
you can sign up for the same one.
If you are interested in using video calls and group chats, we have tutorials on the following:
Imagine you're at a party. You might be talking to one person, or a small group of people, but other people
can join the conversation. This is basically how social networking sites work. Conversations are
more open and public, which can provide a richer social experience than other forms of online
communication.
Click the arrows in the slideshow below to learn more about popular social networking sites
Once you've joined a social network, you can start posting your thoughts, questions, pictures, links, videos,
or anything else you'd like to share. These are called social posts because they are visible to other people,
unlike direct messages or email. Posts will appear on your activity feed, which is visible to your friends on
the site.
Social posts are known by many different names, but they are most commonly called status updates. You
can use status updates to let your friends know what you're doing or to say what's on your mind. Some
social networking sites have unique names for their social posts. For example, on Twitter a post is called a
tweet, while a post on Pinterest is known as a pin.
For tips on communicating within social networks, check out our lesson on Social Media Privacy Basics from
our Internet Safety tutorial.
Will social posts work for your needs? Review some of the pros and cons to help decide:
Pros:
Cons:
➢ If you have friends who use a different social networking site (or don't use any at all), they won't
see your social posts.
➢ You can accidentally post sensitive information that will be seen by many different people.
➢ Things that you post may be permanent, so you have to be careful not to post things that could
harm your reputation in the future.
Some sites have complex privacy options, which may be a bit confusing to set.
Let's practice!
Question 1 of 1
Which of the following social networking sites focuses mostly on career networking?
Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
Meetup
There are many websites that include social posting features, including:
➢ Facebook
➢ Twitter
➢ Pinterest
➢ LinkedIn
➢ Meetup
➢ YouTube
➢ Instagram
If you are interested in using social networking websites, we have tutorials and articles on the following:
➢ Twitter
➢ Facebook
➢ Pinterest
➢ LinkedIn Basics
➢ Internet Safety
➢ What is Tumblr?
If you're viewing something online, you may notice buttons with the Facebook or Twitter logos. These are
called social plug-ins, and they're designed to let you give feedback on a webpage. When
you Like, recommend, or tweet a website, a link to that page will be posted on your profile, allowing you to
share that site with all of your friends at the same time.
While Facebook and Twitter tend to be the most common social plug-ins, there are many others you can
use. There is often a "Share" button you can click to see more options. Depending on the website, you may
be able to share content in the following ways:
➢ Reddit allows you to post and vote for websites you like, which is similar to Liking a
page on Facebook.
➢ Some sites have a +1 button, which is similar to the Like button.
➢ You can pin a link on a Pinterest board.
➢ You can email an article or link to someone.
People use comments to give feedback, ask questions, or simply continue the conversation. Comments
sections often appear at the bottom of a page or article. Not all webpages have comments, but they're
especially common on blogs, news sites, video sites like YouTube, and image hosting sites like Flickr. When
viewing or posting comments, be aware that some people intentionally try to start arguments (often called
flame wars) by posting outrageous or offensive comments. These people are known
as trolls or cyberbullies. While it may be tempting to respond to these comments, it's usually best
to ignore them.
For more tips on communicating safely online, check out our Social Media Privacy Basics lesson from
our Internet Safety tutorial.
Wondering if you should start adding comments and using social plug-ins? Review some of the pros and
cons to help decide:
Pros:
➢ Interacting with the things you see on the Web provides a
better online experience than simply reading webpages.
➢ You can easily provide feedback on a page by telling the
author what you think or adding information that may be
useful to other people.
➢ When you find something you like, you can share it with
your friends, whether it's a product, article, video, or other
website.
Cons:
➢ Trolls and cyberbullies may add negative or offensive comments.
➢ Things you post may become permanent, so you have to be careful not to post things that could
harm your reputation in the future.
Let's practice!
Question 1 of 1
True or False: Facebook and Twitter are the only sites that have social plug-ins.
True
False
If you are interested in posting comments and using social plug-ins, we have tutorials on the following:
➢ Twitter
➢ Facebook
➢ Internet Safety
F. Blogging
You don't necessarily have to be a writer to create a blog. Some blogs focus on a particular type of media,
such as video or photos, instead of having full-fledged articles. Others have shorter posts, which won't
require as much writing and which may be less time consuming. Below are some common types of blogs:
It's important to remember that blogging is a public form of online communication. Generally, anyone in the
world can view your posts and your profile. This means you should be extra careful not to
post sensitive information. Additionally, posting things that reflect negatively on you (such
as derogatory or offensive content) could seriously affect your personal and professional reputation.
Thinking about starting a blog? Review some of the pros and cons to help decide:
Pros:
➢ It gives you an opportunity to write about things that matter to you.
➢ Your blog can be read by people all over the world.
➢ A blog is much easier to set up than a regular website.
➢ You can choose a design and layout that you like.
Cons:
➢ It can be time consuming, especially if you post frequently.
➢ You'll need to avoid posting sensitive information because it can be viewed by anyone.
➢ Writing derogatory or offensive content could harm your reputation.
Let's practice!
Question 1 of 1
Creating a blog allows you to do which of the following? Select all that apply.
Have a worldwide audience
Check your email Choose
a design you like
Write about the things that interest you
There are many websites that allow you to create a free blog. Here are a few of the most popular ones:
➢ WordPress
➢ Blogger
➢ Tumblr
➢ Blog Basics
➢ YouTube
➢ What is Tumblr?
1. https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/beyondemail/blogging/1/
2. https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/beyondemail/chat-and-instant-messaging/1/
3. https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/beyondemail/likes-comments-and-sharing/1/
4. https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/beyondemail/social-posts-status-updates-and-tweets/1/
5. https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/beyondemail/video-chat-and-group-calls/1/