The topic I have selected is on Internet based collaboration tools. I have chosen this topic with an aim to understand the tools that people use to electronically communicate with each other since the introduction of the new technology has brought a lot of changes in various fields and information being one of them. It is to my realization that information can be passed to people without even watching the television, making phone calls or listening to radio.Meetings can now be conducted without people moving to the conference places just because of improvement in the computer software system.
Concept map on internet based collaboration tools.
The hypothesis I have constructed is to find out the internet based collaboration tools and their applications in learning environment and the whole business world environment areas. The following questions I suggest will help me search for the information on the topic where by to add more lather or taste on the finding Iam to exhaust all the relevant sources of information. One is what are internet based collaboration tools? What are the meanings and application of the following ten internet collaboration tools, Desktop video conferencing, E-mail, listservs, newsgroups, BBSes, Muds (Moos), VRML chat system, I phone and internet radio, Internet Relay Chat (IRC) and web conferencing. I have tried to look at each other specifically with a view of identifying their applications. How do students use the various collaboration tools? What are the preparations the student should make before attempting to use the various collaboration tools in classroom? What are other areas in which the internet collaboration tools are applied? By answering these questions successfully, I believe my research will contain the materials required.
The use of modern computer software technology has made people to communicate easily using the different kinds of internet collaboration tools. These tools have moved people from the manual or traditional way of communication to modern way of communication electronically. Apart from being used by students in education environment there are quite a number of areas they are applied or used. The following are the internet collaboration tools discussed in this research paper and their applications in education sector majorly by students in the universities and the entire global environment.
I would begin with discussing the Desktop Video conferencing (DVC) as an example of internet collaboration tools. The Desktop Video Conferencing (DVC) is a set of interaction on the telecommunication system which uses video and sound to interact at the same time. Sound and pictures of people in discussion or conferences are featured to those involved and participating. It is normally used in communication system using computer-based technology by merging both the voice and video in a format that an interaction can take place. The DVC acknowledges the use of camera in order to send the video from and to the desktop environment where the user is either required to participate in a conference or meeting.
In this system of communication, a method of receiving and sending the audio information is also provided by the computer. The components used in the desktop video conferencing are the camera, some types of application software and a desktop or laptop computer just from what the name suggests. Connecting to a colleagues’ desktop video machine is done by providing an internet protocol (IP) address. After entering this IP address, there is a system that will echo back the video and sound provided as required by the user. If this is not achieved by seeing some pictures and some sounds heard then this means that there is a problem with the connections of the desktop video system or may be the local network is experiencing some problems. The local network problems normally do arise as a result of continuous changing of the IP address whenever one connects to the network (Shinji, 2005, p.49).
The audio and video system is currently being used or applied in broadcasting stations. In education world, students have been able to use the technology to improve their research skills especially when preparing for conferences. Those doing or practicing graphing gain a lot since they are able to create pictures, come up with graphs on white boards for use in video conferencing. In summary it has helped to improve students’ motivation and urge to learn in addition to bringing experts to classrooms. However, for this system to be used in classroom it requires effective and careful planning and preparation on the teacher’s part and student or else information to be passed may be distorted (Yoseph, 1996, p.342).
On business application it has of been great help where people from different places can have meetings on short notice. This saves time and money that could be wasted in traveling especially during such meetings. The technology like VOIP (Voice Over-Internet Protocol) is normally used together with desktop video conferencing to provide face to face business meetings especially where the offices are widely spaced. Employees can also use it to work from home their homes.
Another internet collaboration tool is web conferencing. It is where online meetings are made involving two or more people or participants together conducted on a dedicated website using an internet browser. These participants conduct their meetings using the web via an audio bridge. The person overseeing the conference or meeting sets up a new meeting tool then invites his colleagues to accompany the meeting by sending them an email having the meeting’s time, date, password, URL and login instructions. All these require internet connection and that is why it is a collaboration tool because it uses the internet.
Web conferencing has been applied in universities especially from developed countries like United States. Students can participate in academic discussions with other participants by use of computer microphones while some of them do interact via video. Symposiums can be made possible among students from different universities by the use of web conferencing without them coming together.Top government officials also conduct their meeting via the web. The major area it is commonly found is in business field across different places where it has been found to be cheap. This has been made possible since quiet a number of tools have been collaborated with web conferencing to add conveniences. Such tools include screen sharing capabilities. Full screen view is used as the presenter may choose to send a portion of his own picture. Other tools include multiple presenters. This works when delegations of duties are used where one can stand in for somebody in meetings. Drawing and annotation tools are also used when presenting a document or the web page to colleagues. Live meetings can now be conducted by the use of web conferencing surely what a change in information technology (Lyn, 200, p.241).
Another internet tool is known as the internet relay chat (IRC). It is a form of a real time internet chat that is used when communication is to be carried among many people. Mostly designed for group discussions forums and it allow data transfer via private message. The system is a little bit hard to use but the IRC administrators and operators normally manage the servers. To connect to the Internet Relay Chat an IRC client is very important for fast connection. The client will simply give some commands, like turning PRIVMSG into MSG and this will allow the user to talk freely. The client also converts some of the unprocessed data or raw information into window (Ahmed, 2002, p.346).
There are a number of search engines available to help the user of internet relay chat to capture or obtain whatever they need. They include the back end or the spider/crawler. This is important when crawling IRC servers to index the information being sent across them. The second part is the front bend search which provides the user with a clue on how to search databases of indexed data to get information they are seeking to obtain (Jones 1996, pp. 98-102).
Email is one of the most important internet collaboration tools. It is the official means of communication where mails are sent via the internet. Most universities use mails as a means of communication. When opening email, an email account is opened by students or they sign up to open an account. This account is created for them automatically whenever they enroll for a course at the university. It is for communication purposes from the academic staff or from the faculty which the student is registered.
Each student can have his or her password so that the student can access the web. Web mail is often the most convenient and commonly used. Students are able to check the mails or compose the mail whenever they want to retrieve or pass some information. Nowadays assignments are being posted by the lecturers using the university email as an official means of communication. Other useful information can also be communicated via the email. For example those who are graduating in a particular year or those who have terminated the course can be checked from the university email (Robert, 2003, p.248).
Listserv on the other hand is another internet collaboration tool used when bulk mailing or group mailing is to be done. The system provides the public or private mailing lists where one can send a mail to all members of a group or to a chosen member of the group. The massages can also be retrieved in the archives within the listervs.
Deans of faculties in universities, head of departments and even directors of companies may opt to use the VIP mail request form to send bulk information on announcements to the university community or company employees.
Internet telephone and audio conferencing or the Iphone and internet radio as commonly known is also an internet collaboration tool. It is a multimedia and the internet enabled system that allows one to make a call by simply pointing his finger at a name or address book. It is mostly used when making calls. Discussions are also being made by people since it offers a one-to one or group conferencing. This has greatly promoted electronic commerce especially in the United States and Japan whereby the electronic business operators offer their voices over the internet service. They use the internet radio system to broadcast or make advertisements. The Iphone and internet radio apart from making calls, it is also found in music industry. This is an improvement in an entertainment or music industry. Of late Iphone videos have also been produced to reach every one at every point. (Yang 2004, p.220).
Multi User Dimensions (MUDs) and Object-Oriented Muds (MOOs) is another example of internet collaborations tools. They have improved the learning environment where learning has been integrated with the world web in the provision of the graphics. The Mud technology is very much applicable in education in many ways. Students can now have an opportunity to connect and retrieve information from the Muds. Though this system is hard to use, it is important for educators or they need to learn how to use it before they can be able to evaluate the effectiveness in an education setting for example in classroom (Alistair, 1998, p.26).
VRML is another internet collaboration tool and it stands for Virtual Reality Model. Those experienced in elements of cartography and drawing of images have used this system to a greater extent. It refers to an online programming language for creating three dimensional programs. Virtual reality model is specifically produced to allow people to move through or around the three dimensional world placed on the world web. It also provides criteria in which colors of objects, their shapes and lighting factors can be defined. In educational setup it can be used by geographers to create a three dimensional landscapes in such a way that the colors of features like for example vegetation it is represented by a green color and blue color for water or rivers. This adds some virtual impression to the information being passed. Those who are doing graphics can also present their work through the use of virtual reality model to look more attractive. In short, virtual reality model is an internet collaboration tool that specifically refers to a technique of creating three dimensional objects- with appropriate color, shape, size and texture.
The other two internet collaboration tools are news groups and BBSes. They are normally used nowadays saves the cost and time for publishing newsletters, and circulars that may be used to pass information. People can now access newspapers in the internets without buying the paper. These can now be read in the web sites and is targeting low cost customers.
In conclusion, recording to my finding/research I can say that the use of the modern technology through the computer software has led to a big change in the communication systems and learning environment. As an individual the research has built in me a self directed learning where I have come to learn about many tools that people to electronically communicate. Unlike in the past where videos, radios televisions and mobile phones are used to pass information, with my findings learning can take place even without the tutor. Group meetings or discussions can also be held without face to face contact. People can also carry their important meetings using the web conferencing where both the sound and the pictures of the speaker appear when the meeting is going on at the same time. Otherwise the research has been of great help to me since I have developed a potential to face challenges, became creative and innovative in doing well elaborate activity or research activity I can now obtain information from library, journal and even the web in detail. I have seriously gained a lot of knowledge in using library catalogue to search for books and journals. If university educators and students can employ the use of these various collaboration tools I have discussed above then a brighter youth of tomorrow will create wonderful changes in the information technology environment.
References
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