Co Communication Among Colleagues

In the age of an over-abundance of media choices, it is sometimes difficult to choose a vehicle for communication.  Apparently, the phone is a pedestrian choice.  With email, messaging, texting, FaceTime, not to mention Google Hangouts, Skype, Go To Meeting...the list goes on and on it's tough to get everyone on the same page, using the same technology at the same time!  Technology has its challenges!

The three that we are talking about today, email vs. threaded discussions vs. live chats, all have merits and disadvantages.  Let's discuss them:

• Email discussions:  It's fairly easy to coordinate because people can write and respond on their own time.  They also have time to consider their responses and ideas.  One drawback would be that it takes time for everyone to respond and does not allow for spontaneity in the conversation.  Another is that, while there are threads to the conversation, depending on when someone replies or posts and to whom they respond, there may be multiple threads that are hard to follow.  I have personal experience with this with regards to a board I'm on.  The emails really pile up when nineteen people are trying to chime in on a conversation.  And if someone forgets to click on "reply all", you're really in trouble.

• Threaded discussions:  This is my personal favorite because it allows time for response and for posting, and it organizes the threads so that it is easy to follow.  Everyone has time to consider the conversation and respond.  The drawback is that it is not as spontaneous as a live chat.  However, the organization of the threads does allow for an overview of the general topic and also smaller side discussions.  Everyone can still see all discussions but not everyone has to respond.  No one forgets to click on "reply all"!

• Live chats:  I'm partial to this one too because of the immediate gratification of a quick response!  It is particularly helpful when you need to make a decision quickly, or just need to update your group about something.  It is true that for longer discussions, it may be difficult to take the time needed to fully consider a topic, however, it is the most like meeting in person of all of the choices and for that reason, it is highly desirable.  In terms of the quality of learning, I think it may be the best choice, especially when it comes to using a video interface. 

          I am co-owner in a business that creates online acting classes, both previously recorded and live via Skype.  At first I really didn't expect that the quality of the class would be the same as a live class.  But it is my personal experience that the interaction between the students and instructor is just as good as if the instructor were there in the room with them.  To avoid glitches in the video/audio quality, we make sure we have a large band width.  High speed internet is a must.  I know it sounds strange, but the students really love it and do very well!

And so my rating looks something like this:

1st choice:  Threaded discussions

2nd choice:  Live chats

3rd choice:  Email