Ethan wrote in LO12901:
> The one area I notice which continually is left out of the systems
> map is the function of computer technology. I'm amazed at how many
> people opt for long meetings, detailed voice messages when a simple
> email can ask a question, give an answer or provide perspective.
> Could it be people avoid writing? Could it be people do not want to
> use the technology for value added activities. Could it be time in
> motion is valued more than results?
BJ Danylchuk wrote in LO12918
===quote===
Could it be that some people are not literate enough to use e-mail -
either/both computer literate and language-literate? For these folks (the
invisible in our increasingly tech- and language- literate environments),
hanging on to the tried-and-true face-to-face meetings is a matter of
survival...
===end-of quote====
For me, email is a challenging method for complex communication. It is
excellent and extremely useful for simple messages and questions. The
more complex the issue, the greater the challenge. I am unable to see or
sense many of the "nonverbals" that are a major part of our oral
communication. Those nonverbals often allow me to see a context to the
message. Also, when I don't understand, there is often a long break
between my questions and the responses. I don't know if I am being
understood, again I can't see the verbal clues of understanding or am not
easily able to check for understanding.
David Wilkinson
School Improvement Specialist
Des Moines Public Schools
Davidwilk@aol.com
--Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>