An Introduction to International Communication Online

1
An Introduction to International Communication
Online
2
What do we mean?

• International
• Communication
• Online

• What is it?
• What does it imply?
• What do they mean together?

3
International?

• Economic marketing aimed at attracting people
  from different countries
• Image organisational expectations and 21st
  century prestige
• Well-meaning expressed need to value and
  encourage inclusion of different cultural
  perspectives and activities

4
International?

• Coordination cultural activities and
  perspectives between different national groups
  organised for mutual benefit
• Transformation integration of international
  dimension into mission statement, policies,
  planning and quality review systems. (Jane
  Knight, 1997)

5
Communication

• Transmission
• Sender/receiver
• Delivery of information
• Instrumental
• Individuals
• Linear, static
• Neutral

• Constructivism
• Joint meaning-making
• Construction of knowledge
• Interpretive
• Socio-cultural context
• Complex, dynamic
• Purposeful

6
International Communication?

• For what purpose?
• To negotiate meaning in various contexts
• To struggle with and learn from diverse
  worldviews, experiences and discourses
• To promote deep learning

7
Communication?

• Cultivating online conversations
• Dialectic framing a logical argument for
  expressing the truth
• Discussion advocating own (evolving) point of
  view
• Dialogue jointly constructing meaning
  (suspension of personal opinions)
• Design creating something new (suspension of
  mindsets)
• Jenlink Carr (1996)

8
Online?

• Technological multi-modal, greater or lesser
  access, anonymous, transparent, costs
• Mediated through an interface, through a
  facilitator, designed
• Asynchronous time for reflection, need for
  written and multi-modal communication skills,
  autonomous learning skills

9
International Online Communication

• Technological issues choice of software, time
  zones, student readiness, objectives, costs
• Language issues English, local English, local
  translation, generic local

10
International Online communication

• Collaborative teamwork student facilitator
  roles styles, cross-cultural group dynamics
• Community identity negotiation of meaning,
  trust, commitment, participation, shared purpose
• Conversation netiquette, appropriate discourse,
  style, suspension of views, suspension of mindset
• Design pedagogogical, technological,
  multiliterate, inclusive