A Survey of Technologies and Trends for On-line Communication, Teaching and Learning

Abstract

With so many technologies available today to help support and promote an institution’s campus culture, students and instructors feel overwhelmed with what they should use for enhancing communication. Trends like “Facebook”, “Twitter” “Google +”, “Skype”, You-Tube” and “Line” are making the rounds in education, but what do these trends means for instructors and students, and how are they affecting teaching and learning practices and communication? For example, if smart devices and applications are popular among students, which ones are most popular, and why does this matter? And if emails were all the rage in the last few decades, what are the new modes of communication in the coming years? From having a good social media strategy to planning for better communication, there are at least a dozen or more technologies that every Thai university campus should plan for immediately. Many of these technologies may seem simplistic, but they can get caught in the campus policies and politics if ICT teams are not careful; for example, providing high-speed 3G/4G networks that can support multiple devices, or offering 24x7 ICT support to instructor and students. Some of the other trends mentioned in this paper may seem like frivolous, such as a targeted social media or learning analytics, but they are not only critical for enhancing communication for teaching and learning but also relevant for attracting prospective students. Are there trends the Thai campuses are missing or perhaps trends they don’t see necessary to invest and implement? This paper traces the history of various technologies and identifies different strategies for enhancing communication for teaching and learning.