Communication Technologies: Education And Virtual Learning

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Introduction
With new communication technologies, life in western cultures now seems anachronistic. Even though the technological infrastructures have been adopted, its usage varies across several cultures. Virtual learning brought about the rich environment to learn English language, making meaning within contextually informed communication that is not available in a regular language classroom (Giovanelli and Clayton, 2016, p 103). On the other hand, many people have condemned the emergence of new technology, arguing that computer-based communication has eroded the traditional forms of communication characteristics. Nonverbal communicative features that help in the accurate interpretation of the speakers' intent, these are some of the important features in communication that no longer exist. New technologies are considered more of fantasy with unrealistic aspects that deter the purposeful communicative intent. New technology is associated with negative effects like the invasion of personal spaces and compromises individual safety (Geesin & Gilroy, 2010, p 247).
The virtual environment is more of hybrid forms of communication that require specific skills for learners to realize its benefits. Accordingly, the tools and skills learners use in a specific situation are important factors that will determine the learner's practice. Factors like location and physical structures influence how learners interact with others. Learning is also about social context or culture, learning with a social practice focus on how individual learners relate to people (Goddard, 2011, p 184).
Within a community, a group of people shares concerns, set of problem and passion about a topic and have the need to interact on an ongoing basis when interacting with other members using certain tools. Within community’s settings, learning process involves acquiring your identity as a member. Accordingly, adult education is more of an experience-oriented learning, therefore learning is not an individual activity, learning occurs naturally out of natural experiences within a particular situation. Such situation occurs not only based on the background the influence learning, but the situation forms part of learning. We normally interact with others using different tools which can be in physical form or virtual process. However, certain factors can influence the interaction process like physical infrastructure and cultural norms of society (Higgs, Miller, and Pearson, 2013, p 239).
Learning within a community work in three dimensions, that is, mutual engagement, joint activity, and shared collection. Learning cannot be significant if those involved are not fully engaged, interaction is the key process of learning. Learning is mutually engaging learners where learners agree and share common processes like routine, tools, concepts and stories mutual engagement will foster learning (Kim & Merriam, 2010, p 439).
This means that older adults within long-term care facilities can greatly benefit from computer instruction even with physical limitation and different identities as compared to older adults living in their homes. Since older adult’s computer learning process takes place within face-to-face context, it is important to understand the social nature of such learning to gain more insight on how learning occurs (Kim & Merriam, 2010, p 448).
In different cultures, certain factors might influence learning process, for example, in Asian countries like South Korea, older people and teachers have powers compared to students and young people. Teachers and older people are more of authority figures in these cultures; their levels of learning can be affected by the power relations, these power relations are rooted in computer learning process. The role of older adults in computer learning based on social and cultural situations. Understanding the cultural variation help educators recognize that older computer learners are not inactive, but they simply have their ways of acquiring knowledge and identity (Kim & Merriam, 2010, p 451). Careful planning is important to help learners acquire knowledge and build their new identity. Teachers need to plan and teach older adult learners using flexible learning strategies. Effective adult learning depending on several factors like how older adults engage with peer learner, the type of tools and setting to determine how older adults can benefit from the technology through social interaction at the same time maintain their identities (Kim & Merriam, 2010, p 454).
Even though new technologies have created academic progress in several ways, such technology has come with natural consequences. Internet services more so within social networking aspects, offer numerous learning opportunities to not only students but also the entire community because people can gain knowledge. It is the world where there is a lot of freedom of expression (Hundsberger, 2009, p 54). This is the world that exposes children to dangerous situations and exposes personal information. In a virtual world, people are exposed to anti-social behaviors affecting their learning intentions. That is why the existence of new theories like internet virtual process presents new and complex nature within the education sector (Hundsberger, 2009, p 61).
Several studies have highlighted the computer-mediated communication have lost the richness of communicative characteristics found in the real world. The research findings suggest that there are both positive and negative aspects new technologies. Starting from the levels of interaction with the tools, culture and the physical setting. Teachers are often urged to create an atmosphere where students learn without feeling threatened or embarrassed (Wang et al., 2009, p 7). Various community cultural practices can limit students from effectively learning. Designing computer classes to offer requires tools that offer learners better opportunities to learn from each other and also from their identities through meaningful relationships with others. Designing appropriate computer programs for older adults can help them manage developmental issues and integrity. They will feel less marginalized and help them achieve the desired learning outcomes. They will feel worthwhile in life (Wang et al., 2009, p 11).
For example, a recent JISC study reveals that it is challenging for learning to take place virtual environment because it required a certain level of flexibility and openness to unforeseen situations (Chen, 2010, p 22). In virtual learning, the main communication happens through voice, text chat and instant messaging. With the new form of communication technology come with their language variety and interactive patterns. Factors like abbreviation and acceptable misspellings, punctuation all serve well the purpose of communication. The language is more of spoken than written characters (Chen, 2010, p 36).
Students believe that good and meaningful learning environment depends on how people can tolerate their environment. Most learners find it difficult to cope with new learning environments as they struggle with several issues like their beliefs, technological skills among others (Hislope, 2009, p 11). This also affects teachers, teacher own beliefs about teaching and learning affect their response. Teachers who use both real life and virtual tools sometimes notice of gaps; they view virtual tools as effective in certain situations (Hislope, 2009, p 10).
Even though body language is an important aspect of learning, in a virtual learning environment, precise use of language compensates for lack of body language. Even though virtual learning tools have not replaced real life, they are extra tools that teachers can use (Woollard, 2012, p 46). Some of the advantages of using virtual learning process include providing a level playing field because factors like age, gender, and social hierarchy have been reduced (Woollard, 2012, p 48). A good example is Second Life; this program proves that virtual learning has brought about the rich environment to learn English language, making meaning within contextually informed communication that is not available in a regular classroom environment (Woollard, 2012, p 50).
The introduction of the second life a free online synchronous 3D virtual world or the Multi-user virtual environment MUVE provides several benefits for both teachers and students. Since its launch in 2003 in San Francisco in 2003 by Landen Lab with a mission to connect everyone to an online world. The 3D virtual platform has provided adventure and experience to people who use it for various reasons like meeting other people, working, education and having fun (Doyle, 2009, p 4).
In the real world, engaging learners in mental work is important, using Second life, learners feel impressive because information is readily available. This information can be useful to student as it provides numerous resources that can be incorporated into school in their virtual libraries. Even though students can have limited knowledge to navigate through the platform, they can still watch interesting tutorial such experiences enable learners to feel more engaged in the learning process (Doyle, 2009, p 4).
Emotional engagement is the key to meaningful learning process according to several research studies. Because of the impressive nature of such activities, the production of mixed emotions makes the learning process impactful. Research proves that emotion ranges from mild frustration to apprehension of joy drives learners to discover their purpose (Goddard, 2011, p190).
Currently, SL program has enabled many Virtual classrooms, language schools better learning opportunities to many students across the globe. Teachers do not have to necessarily confine themselves to specific space due to in interactive nature language learning has been improved using the 3D effect because it intensified communic...