Fostering Communication with ICT
- Teachers build communication by teaching it, not assuming students already know it online.
- Pick a small set of clear channels: one place for announcements, one for assignments, one for questions.
- Netiquette is polite, responsible behavior online: combine “network” and “etiquette.”
- Teach the rule criticize the idea, not the person, and give sentence starters for replies.
- Good feedback is specific, timely, and useful; students must read it and revise.
- Barriers are real: poor internet, unclear instructions, low confidence, no feedback, accessibility, digital fatigue. Plan around them.
Choose Channels on Purpose
Students often use digital tools socially, but academic digital communication needs teaching. ICT can make communication faster, yet more messages is not the goal: communication that supports learning is. A class should know which tool does what.
| ICT Tool | Common Use in Communication |
|---|---|
| Learning management system | Announcements, assignments, feedback, resources |
| Formal messages, individual questions | |
| Messaging app | Quick reminders, short notices |
| Video conferencing | Live teaching, discussion, consultation |
| Discussion board | Academic questions, peer replies, reflection |
| Shared document | Comments, co-writing, draft feedback |
Short reminders can go in a messaging app, but detailed instructions belong in the LMS, where students can return to them later. Scattering instructions across email, chat, forums, and paper notes is how students miss things.
Teach Netiquette
Netiquette joins “network” and “etiquette” and means polite, responsible behavior in online communication. It matters because text strips away the cues people read in person: facial expression, voice, posture. A short message can sound rude even when the writer meant no harm.
The core habits are easy to state: use polite language, avoid all-capital letters and sarcasm, read a message before posting, and protect privacy by never sharing passwords, private screenshots, or a classmate’s work without permission. When students disagree, they should give a reason and respond to the idea.
From Casual to Academic
Posting “I agree” or “nice answer” is not discussion. Students should add meaning: ask a question, give a reason, build on an idea, or compare an example.
A specific prompt drives this too. Instead of “discuss media literacy,” a teacher might ask students to choose one advertisement, name its audience, purpose, and one persuasion technique, then reply to a classmate with a question.
Give Feedback Students Can Use
ICT lets teachers respond directly through document comments, LMS rubrics, audio notes, or tracked changes. “Good work” is thin; “your explanation is clear, but the second point needs an example” gives the student something to act on. Feedback only helps if students read it and revise, and the same standard applies to peer feedback: strength, suggestion, question.
Plan Around the Barriers
Online communication breaks down in predictable ways: poor internet, unclear instructions, language gaps, low confidence, missing feedback, accessibility needs, and digital fatigue. Teachers reduce these by keeping to one main platform, writing short clear instructions, recording live sessions, offering more than one way to participate, and giving timely feedback.
The strategies above all serve one aim: making communication easy to find, understand, and act on.
Define the two key terms below in your own words.
How was this article?