LECTURE NOTES IN PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION

Lesson 7. Technology in Communication

The importance of technology in communication is
underscored by its pervasive role in enhancing
information exchange, accessibility, and global
connectivity.
Moreover, technology in communication is integral
to fostering efficiency, innovation, and adaptability in
both social and professional contexts. Its
transformative influence reshapes interactions and
supports a connected global society.

A. Technology in Communication
Technology in communication refers to the tools,
devices, and systems used to facilitate the exchange of
information across distances, enhancing the
effectiveness and speed of communication.
This includes both hardware and software innovations that enable people to share ideas, messages,
and data through various formats like text, voice, video, and multimedia.
The scope of communication technology ranges from basic telecommunication devices such as
telephones and radios to advanced systems like smartphones, video conferencing platforms, and social
media networks.

1. Key Aspects of Technology in Communication

a. Integration of Multimedia: Ferri and Paolozzi (2009) identifies communication technology

integrates multiple input modes like text, images, audio, and video to provide flexible and
powerful dialogue systems, enhancing user interactions. This shows how multimodal forms
of communication, blending text, images, audio, and video are included in communication to
create a richer experience (e.g., smartphones and conferencing apps).

b. Enhanced Connectivity: Gallager (2008) emphasizes how digital communication

technology supports global connectivity, facilitating seamless, real-time communication
between individuals and organizations through advanced networks. Technology in
communication leads to communication in a wider perspective without significant delays,
connecting individuals and organizations in real-time through the internet and wireless
networks.

c. Adaptation to Modern Needs: Hansen (1992) explains in his study the adaptation of
communication technologies across sectors such as business and education, highlighting
their applications like email, instant messaging, and video conferencing in improving
communication in workplace and educational setting. It explains that communication
technology is tailored for various sectors, including business, education, healthcare, and
personal use, with applications like email, instant messaging, telehealth, and e-learning
platforms.

d. Interactive Features:
Advanced technologies enable
interactive elements, such as
augmented reality and virtual
meetings, allowing users to
engage more deeply and
effectively with shared content.
Lalic et al. (2019) elaborates how
modern communication
technology, including augmented
reality and virtual meetings, offer
more effective engagement with
shared content among users
through enhanced interactivity.

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2. Examples of Technology in Communication
include a wide range of tools and systems that facilitate the transfer of information. Here are
some key examples:

a. Smartphones: These devices combine voice communication, text messaging, email, and
internet access, allowing users to stay connected via calls, text, video chats, and social
media platforms.

b. Video Conferencing Software: Applications like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google
Meet enable face-to-face virtual meetings, essential for remote work, online education,
and global collaboration.

c. Email Services: Platforms such as Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo facilitate written
communication and document sharing, providing a professional means of
correspondence.
d. Social Media Platforms: Websites and apps like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and
LinkedIn allow individuals and organizations to share information, engage audiences,
and connect with people globally.

e. Instant Messaging Apps: Tools like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Slack offer real-time text,
audio, and video communication for personal and professional use.

f. Collaborative Workspaces: Platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams integrate chat,
video calls, and collaborative document sharing, enhancing team productivity and
interaction.

g. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR): These technologies are used in
communication to create immersive experiences, such as virtual meetings and training
sessions.

h. Webinars and Live Streaming: Services like YouTube Live, Facebook Live, and WebEx
enable real-time broadcasting and interactive communication with large audiences.

i. Telephony and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol): Technologies such as Skype and
Google Voice allow phone calls over the internet, providing cost-effective international
communication.

j. Digital Signage and Interactive Kiosks: These are used in public spaces for advertising
and information dissemination, providing interactive ways for users to access data.

k. Email Marketing and Newsletters: Automated email systems used by businesses to

keep customers informed and engaged.

l. Podcasts and Audio Platforms: Tools like Spotify and Apple Podcasts facilitate the
sharing of audio content for educational, entertainment, and communication purposes.

m. Telehealth Services: Platforms that allow healthcare professionals to consult with

patients remotely through video and audio communication.

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B. Multimodal Communication
Multimodal communication refers to the use of multiple modes or channels in communication
to convey messages effectively.
This approach integrates various sensory and symbolic systems such as speech, visual signals,
gestures, and other non-verbal elements, providing a richer and more comprehensive method of
interaction.

1. Complexity and Benefits of Multimodal Communication across different fields.

a. Diverse Sensory Integration: Multimodal communication involves complex behavior
through various sensory channels, each contributing unique information. This integration
helps in reinforcing or adding new dimensions to messages (Partan and Marler, 2005)

b. Human Interaction and Technology: Simonyan (2021) emphasizes that modern

communication is often multimodal due to the influence of digital technologies, which
provide multiple modes for meaning-making. This includes the use of visual, spatial, and
auditory aspects, enhancing how messages are perceived and understood.

c. Advantages in Human-Computer Interaction: Ferri and Paolozzi (2009) highlight that

multimodal systems in human-computer interaction enable users to communicate more
naturally by integrating input modes like speech, gestures, and visual cue through this
more effective interaction are facilitated and mirrors human communication processes.

d. Empathy and Emotional Processing: Multimodal emotional communication involving

facial expressions, speech, and prosody enhances empathy and affects emotional
processing (Regenbogen et al., 2012). Accordingly, multimodal signals trigger complex
neural responses, underscoring the importance of combining multiple channels for
emotional resonance.

2. Primary modes involved in Multimodal Communication

a. Linguistic Mode: This mode
involves the use of written or spoken
language. It includes elements such
as word choice, grammar, and
structure. Texts, scripts, and verbal
communication are examples that
use the linguistic mode.

b. Visual Mode: The visual mode

includes images, layout, color,
typography, and any other visual
elements. Examples include
photographs, drawings, charts,
infographics, and the visual design
of web pages.

c. Audio Mode: The audio mode

encompasses all aspects of sound, such as music, sound effects, voiceovers, and ambient
sounds. This mode is commonly found in podcasts, videos, and presentations that include
spoken words or background audio.

d. Gestural Mode: The gestural mode refers to body language, facial expressions, and
movements that convey meaning. This mode is vital in live performances, video content, and
face-to-face communication where gestures and expressions help to reinforce spoken or
written messages.

e. Spatial Mode: The spatial mode involves the arrangement and organization of elements
within a physical or digital space. It includes how visual elements are positioned, the use of
white space, and the layout of content to guide the reader’s or viewer’s experience. Examples
include magazine layouts, website interfaces, and architectural designs.

f. Tactile Mode: Though less common, the tactile mode refers to the physical texture or
interaction with objects, such as braille text, embossed images, or the interactive elements
of certain museum exhibits.

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 3. Examples of Multimodal Texts and Their Modes:
a. Webpages: Combine linguistic (text content), visual (images and videos), spatial (layout),
and sometimes audio (embedded music or voiceovers) modes.

b. Educational Videos: Use linguistic (spoken narration), visual (animations and images), and
audio (background music or sound effects) modes.

c. Graphic Novels: Integrate linguistic (dialogue and text), visual (illustrations), and spatial
(panel arrangement) modes.

d. Presentations: May combine linguistic (spoken and written text), visual (slides with
images), and audio (narration or sound effects) modes.

C. Digital Media Literacy

Digital media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and communicate
information across digital platforms.
Spires et al. (2019) defines digital literacy as encompassing not only the ability to read and write
in digital environments but also the ability to engage in multimodal communication effectively. This
perspective supports the integration of various media types in learning, aligning with 21st-century
educational goals
Digital media literacy extends traditional literacy concepts to the digital environment, equipping
individuals to navigate complex media landscapes and contribute responsibly.
.
1. Integral Competencies in Digital Media Literacy
a. Critical Analysis: Digital media literacy involves assessing the reliability and biases in
digital content. Digital literacy equips individuals to analyze the credibility of online
resources and engage thoughtfully with
digital content.

b. Content Creation: Creating multimedia

projects such as blogs, videos, or social
media posts is part of digital literacy.
Producing digital media helps develop
skills needed for participating in digital
culture, including creativity and ethics.

c. Safe Internet Practices: Digital literacy

includes understanding privacy, internet
safety, and appropriate digital behavior. It
is important to teach users how to navigate
digital environments responsibly,
emphasizing internet safety skills.

d. Technical Skills: Using tools such as

video editing software, social media
platforms, and online collaboration tools is part of digital literacy. The integration of
technical skills and critical approaches to digital literacy enables effective participation in
online communication.

e. Evaluating Information: Being able to locate, assess, and select quality resources online.
Digital literacy includes the capacity to understand and critique online content critically

2. Practical Examples that illustrate Digital Media Literacy

a. Critical Evaluation of Online News:
Reading an online news article and assessing its credibility by checking the source, author
background, supporting evidence, and cross-referencing information with other trusted
sites. This demonstrates the ability to discern bias and accuracy, a key aspect of digital
media literacy.

b. Social Media Analysis:

Analyzing the way algorithms on platforms like Facebook or Instagram prioritize content and
understanding how this influences public perception and personal beliefs. Users learn to
identify how these algorithms can affect the spread of misinformation and influence social
behavior.

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 c. Content Creation and Blogging:
Writing blog posts that incorporate multimedia elements such as images, videos, and
hyperlinks. This activity requires not only technical skills in creating and embedding
multimedia but also ethical considerations about copyright and the veracity of shared
information.

d. Video Production:
Creating an educational YouTube video that includes research, scripting, video recording,
editing, and publishing. This process helps users understand how to convey complex
information visually and verbally, enhancing their communication and media production
skills.

e. Online Safety Practices:

Understanding how to manage digital privacy settings, recognize phishing emails, and use
secure passwords to protect personal data. This aspect of digital media literacy helps
individuals stay safe while navigating digital environments.

f. Interactive Presentations:
Designing presentations with tools like Prezi or Microsoft PowerPoint that incorporate text,
audio narration, video clips, and animations to convey a clear and engaging message. This
practice enhances users' ability to communicate ideas effectively using various digital media.

g. Participating in Online Discussions:

Engaging in online forums, discussion boards, or comment sections with respectful and
informed contributions. This type of interaction demonstrates the application of digital
communication etiquette and an understanding of different perspectives.

h. Fact-Checking and Information Verification:

Using fact-checking websites like Snopes or FactCheck.org to verify claims encountered on
social media or in online articles. This practice helps build a habit of critically assessing
digital content before accepting it as true or sharing it with others.

i. Digital Storytelling Projects:

Creating a digital story using tools like Adobe Spark or Canva that combines images, text,
and audio to tell a compelling narrative. This activity helps develop creative skills while
integrating different media types to convey a message.

j. Multimodal Research Projects:

Conducting research and presenting findings through a combination of written reports,
infographics, and oral presentations. This use of different media formats shows how
individuals can leverage various communication methods to effectively share complex
information.

References:
Bourelly, C., Capriglione, D., Carissimo, C., Milano, F., & Tari, L. (2023). Measurement and
applications: The role of communication technologies in developing distributed measurement systems
and measurement applications. IEEE Instrumentation & Measurement Magazine.

Buckingham, D. (2006). Defining digital literacy – What do young people need to know about digital
media? Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy.

Dezuanni, M. (2015). The building blocks of digital media literacy: Socio-material participation and the
production of media knowledge. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 47(3), 416-439.

Ebadi, Y. M., & Utterback, J. (1984). The effects of communication on technological innovation.
Management Science, 30(5), 572-585.

Ferri, F., & Paolozzi, S. (2009). Analyzing multimodal interaction.

Gallager, R. (2008). Principles of digital communication: Introduction to digital communication.

Hansen, C. J. (1992). Communication technologies in corporate settings. Business Communication

Quarterly, 55(4), 3-9.

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Jannah, I. M., & Nugroho, A. D. (2022). The role of communication technology toward employee
performance. INCOME: Innovation of Economics and Management.

Lalic, D., Stanković, J., Gračanin, D., & Milić, B. (2019). New technologies in corporate
communications.

Meyers, E., Erickson, I., & Small, R. V. (2013). Digital literacy and informal learning environments: An
introduction. Learning, Media and Technology, 38(4), 355-367.

Partan, S., & Marler, P. (2005). Issues in the classification of multimodal communication signals. The
American Naturalist, 166(2), 231-245.

Regenbogen, C., Schneider, D. A., Gur, R., Schneider, F., Habel, U., & Kellermann, T. (2012).
Multimodal human communication — Targeting facial expressions, speech content and prosody.
NeuroImage, 60(3), 2346-2356.

Simonyan, A. (2021). Multimodality in contemporary communication. Armenian Folia Anglistika.

Spires, H. A., Paul, C. M., & Kerkhoff, S. N. (2019). Digital literacy for the 21st century. Advances in
Library and Information Science.

Walther, J. (2004). Language and communication technology. Journal of Language and Social
Psychology, 23(4), 384-396.

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