Name- Jagriti Kumari

Class- B.Tech CSE II

Enrollment No. - A45605220020

Subject- Technical Communication

Guided By: Mr. Kunal Shrivastava

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Covid-19 and
communication skills
Communication is a basic need and is radically essential to human life- it helps a
person to connect and exchange ideas and feelings with others. Through
communication, one can overcome problems and develop relationships with others.
COVID-19 is now more than one year old. The unprecedented pandemic has
forced mankind to confine themselves to their homes and direct physical interactions
have been restricted.
Communication has been affected, and to adjust to the new normal, some
modifications must be made to the ways we communicate.
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In communication, a source sends a message via a channel that the receiver

interprets.

Firstly, awareness is crucial- the sender and the receiver should be aware of
themselves (their attitude, skills, and knowledge) and who they communicate with. The
message generated by the source should be brief, concise, and unambiguous, ideally.
The message should reflect compassion, too.

Since the general channel, direct (face to face) communication is constricted, the
most important area to be worked upon is the channel we choose to communicate with.
Change the channel! Alternatives such as phone calls, text messages, video
conferences, and emails should be used. Knowledge of proper use of tools ( when to
use voice calls and when to communicate through email) is necessary.
For example, when a lengthy message has to be imparted, phone calls are suitable.
They give a lesser chance of misinterpretation and feedback as well as solutions are
exchanged instantly. In informal exchanges, emoticons can be used to reduce the
ambiguity of the verbal message.

Most importantly, we should be considerate with our words and tone. Empathy creates
an emotional touch and we can express our solidarity with them through these small
steps.

This pandemic exacted us to shift from in-person communication to stressing the

majority of our conversations through online media ( phone calls, video conferencing,
text messages, emails, etc.). Covering face with masks and social distancing is made
mandatory when appearing in outdoor settings.
As known, 93% of communication is non-verbal. We have lost a lot of non-verbal cues-
hand gestures, facial expressions, body language, etc. Hence, language and tone have
become reliable. Use kindness and compassion to communicate.

The education world has switched to e-learning. The teachers must make double the
previous efforts to communicate and make the class interesting. Businesses are also
using online platforms- they work from home and hold online meetings for official
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purposes. But, this transition has snatched whatever little space was there for building
relationships at the workplace. Hence, some regular and refueling chat spaces should
be created to ease up the workloads.
The Director-General of the World Health Organization said, " We are not only fighting an
epidemic but are also fighting an infodemic."
The government is continuously tackling the wave of misinformation and rumors in the
COVID-19 crisis. They are using easily accessible sites to communicate information and
orders to the public. The out-of-home advertising (banners, backlit posters at bus
shelters, billboards, painted walls, etc.) has gone down.

Being aware and compassionate is a necessary step to proper and positive

communication.
"This is an unprecedented time. It's time for unprecedented kindness."
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Online Classes- Yes or No

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The fatal COVID-19 outbreak and the subsequent lockdowns have caused huge
disruption to our daily lives.

The education scenario suffered a drastic change, visibly. The closure of schools and
universities led to a big transition- we left the traditional classrooms and stepped into
the world of online learning. Online learning has today gained real recognition and is a
boon to many. Like every mode, online learning has its bundle of fors and againsts.

Flexibility is one of the most tempting features of online learning. You can study and
learn at any hour and anywhere. Opposite to traditional methods, you prepare your
schedule and manage your time to learn. You can record and save lectures or courses
for future revisions.
Extra costs of transportation to the campus, meals, and timely supplies reduce. Books
and extensive study materials are easily accessible to everyone in form of soft copies.
Hence, it is cost-efficient too.
Online collaboration apps like Microsoft Teams provide various useful sections for
sorting study materials (PDFs, PPTs, etc.), storing meeting schedules (calendar),
submitting assignments, and holding quizzes and chats. The educators can use
podcasts, videos, immersive PPTs, interactive sites to tutor the learners.
This way, online platforms provide a wide range of activities that they can choose to add
to their lesson plans.
Online learning requires the student to be responsible for their learning- the student
should strictly avoid procrastination and follow a good timetable, to actively learn the
topics. Hence, through this mode, a student can practice self-discipline.

In short, online classes are convenient and bring education to the comfort of your home.
It is innovative, flexible, and financially beneficial.
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Online education is not without its demerits, however.

In traditional classrooms, in addition to the verbal exchanges, the non-verbal cues also
complement the imparted messages. The teacher can point out the inattentive students
without losing too much time and try to make the class more interactive.
With us switching from physical classrooms to virtual ones, the communication
between the educator and the students also changed into one-to-one communication.
The transmission relies on spoken words and if many attendees speak at once, the
whole exchange will become intangible.
Hence, online courses consume more time.

Apart from the technology issues, some students find it difficult to concentrate on the
screens. Moreover, screen time management is also necessary- since focusing on
screens for more than a certain period may cause irritation and strain to the eyes, sleep
deprivation, delayed learning, etc.

Online learning is inaccessible to poor and technology illiterate sections of society.

The most repulsive disadvantage is the sense of isolation. Online learning should be a
choice, not a compulsion. In the present instance, the pandemic has forced the online
mode of education onto us, for a very prolonged period. Many individuals suffer from
unhealthy isolation, depression, and lack of motivation.
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To sum up, I believe that online classes should complement, not replace traditional
classrooms in the future. In my opinion, the traditional method of attending physical
classrooms is more efficient in developing skills as well as a healthy attitude in a
learner.