Online Writing and Communication Skills Assignment 2022

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Online Writing and Communication Skills
By (Name)
Course
Professor
University
Date

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Introduction
Learning and communicating online is a unit that aims at introducing students to an
online learning environment. The unit also develops communication skills boosting
confidence and capabilities of learners within the academic ambiance and professional
setting. As a learner, this information has enabled me to develop my communication and
research skills, online interactions, and confidence when handling my academic work. With
the knowledge gathered from this unit, I can meet the objective of drawing and giving a clear
picture of the online environment as a consumer, producer, and sharer of information. The
unit also has other objectives including a self-reflection of the course. The aim of this paper,
therefore, is to provide a reflection on personal development throughout the entire course
giving relevant sources and arguments gathered online.
Livingston (2003, pp3) contends that online communication builds onto an
individual’s metacognitive knowledge. In his article, the author describes metacognitive
knowledge as the grip of the learning and processing of information. Indeed, online
communication gets an individual to take control of cognitive activities and ensure that the
goals of evaluating and understanding the text are met. However, it is important to ascertain
the credibility of online information before using it. A study by Metzger (2007, pp. 2079) on
the assessment of the credibility of online information found that motivation is a major drive
in the willingness of the users to verify the credibility of online information. Educators
should, therefore, emphasize this point by pointing out the negative impact of misinformation
retrieved from online sources as a way of motivating users to consider evaluating online
information before using it. Indeed this is a vital theoretical principle in teaching online
communication (Einon, 2010, pp.28). For instance, after reading a text online, the learner
may start questioning himself about the concepts and context in which the text is written. The
cognitive goal of the student is to understand what he has read. Self-questioning is one of the

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strategies used in metacognitive comprehension. As pointed out by Donelan, Kear and
Ramage (2012, pp. 27), several challenges are faced when using an online platform to
communicate to a group of people, especially in a discussion forum. These challenges are
evident when comparing the face to face discussions and online discussions. For example, in
a face to face discussion, the leader ensures that all the agenda are fixed within the duration
of the meeting. Secondly, in a face to face discussion forum, the Chairman ensures that all
members participate in the discussion.
Developing effective work skills begins with the mode of communication and
interactions within a working environment. This unit has enabled me as a learner to develop
effective communication skills (Karplus, 2017, pp.9). These skills will build a strong
foundation for my future work experiences by enabling me to communicate effectively with
my colleagues and employers. Online learning through blackboard has enhanced my
interaction skills with different people sharing ideas and opinions on different topics. Online
sources have always been a major challenge to learners as they are unable to source
information from relevant sites. Learners can also fail to recognize authors and publishers.
Online learning has equipped me with the skills to effectively source information and data
online when responding to my academic writings. Interacting with different forms of online
learning and the acquired communication skills has enhanced my understanding of the online
environment as a platform that provides a wide range of information and skills both for
academic and professional purposes. The unit has impacted positively towards my future
professional life by providing a platform to develop and nature the skills learned throughout
the course. Therefore, the platform forms a basis of my effective growth towards my career
and professional environment. However, the skills learned will not entirely base on successful
and effective professionalism since hard work and patience are termed as the main pillars of
success. Constructivism theory of online learning helps me understand critical thinking skills.