Story
Video 5.1
Source: eCampus Ontario
Length: 0:33
Effective digital communication skills are essential for post-secondary learners and professionals. To successfully engage in your post-secondary coursework and communicate with people who can support your learning (e.g., instructors, peers, IT department, Library staff, Student Support staff), you will need to use various digital tools to convey your thinking and questions clearly and ethically. These digital communication skills will transfer directly to the workplace context, where digital communication skills are an integral part of daily operations in most fields.
The following sections will help you and Lise develop the Digital Communication skills you will need for both post-secondary and workplace contexts. You will learn about:
- email communication,
- online presentations,
- online discussion forums,
- mass media communications, and
- digital surveys and polls.
Email Communication
As a post-secondary learner and professional, you will need to send various types of emails, for example (The Learning Portal, n.d.):
Use the arrows to scroll through the slides.
Communicating with your instructor throughout the semester is an important part of being an active and engaged post-secondary learner. Email is by far the most popular means by which this type of communication takes place. For learners emailing instructors is particularly appealing because it is familiar, easy, and convenient. But messages sent via email can easily be misunderstood unless you take special care in their composition.
To avoid confusion and make it as easy for your busy instructors to read and understand your email as possible, there are a few tips to keep in mind when sending an email message to your instructor. You will use many of these same principles to communicate with peers and in professional settings (Kwantlen Polytechnic University Learning Centres et al., 2018):
- Always use your institutional email account to communicate with instructors. Using your institutional email adheres to institutional policy, reflects professionalism, maintains digital privacy and security, and supports a work-life balance. For example, even if you have a personal Gmail account, you should always use your post-secondary Outlook account to email instructors and when communicating with others as a post-secondary learner.
- It is important to use a formal, professional tone when emailing your instructor. Include an informative subject and avoid simply saying “Hey” or “Hello.” For example, if your instructor is a professor named Smita Sengupta, an email to them might begin with “Dear Professor Sengupta,” You may wish to conclude with a closing like “Best Regards.” In general, don’t worry about being too formal with your instructor. Think of your email as a professional business communication.
- Make sure that your email is grammatically correct. You should think about your email as a chance to show your instructor that you care about the class and that you are willing to take the time to proofread your message before sending it. It is also a good idea to break your message into multiple paragraphs with appropriate punctuation, making your email easier to read and helping to avoid unnecessary confusion. Remember, your instructor will be able to help you better if they are able to understand what you are saying.
- It is helpful to keep your message brief. Avoid long emails that include too many unnecessary details or appear to be long-winded rants. Keep your tone friendly and respectful and keep your emails concise and to the point. With that said, it is also not a good idea to be too short with your message, as shortness can sometimes be misinterpreted as rudeness.
- It is a good idea to make sure that you actually need to send the email in the first place. Sometimes, simply reading through your syllabus, assignment description, course website, or lecture notes can answer the questions you might have.
- If you get a grade back from your instructor that you want to discuss further, it is a good idea to wait a day or two to reflect on why you received the grade before emailing the instructor. During the reflection period, jot down things you could have done better on the assessment and any specific questions you have for your instructor. That way, the email you send to your instructor will be purposeful, calm, and professional.
Watch this video to learn about professional email content, style, and etiquette in the post-secondary and workplace context.
Video 5.2
Source: The Learning Portal / Le Portail d’Apprentissage. (2021, August 26). Business Emails [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H5-Y47l8nw
Length: 4:04
Click on the question marks (?) in the image below to learn specific tips about the elements of a well-constructed email.
Image 5.3
Source: iStock
Description: An email composition window labeled “new message” at the top with “To” and “Subject” fields, a large space for writing the email, and options at the bottom of the window for formatting the email and adding attachments. The “Send” button is at the left side of the options.
- Open with a proper greeting. Proper greetings demonstrate respect and avoid mix-ups if you accidentally send a message to the wrong recipient. Here are examples of appropriate greetings:
- “Hello Ms. X” (external recipient)
- “Hi Barry” (internal recipient)
- “Hello Instructor X” (instructor)
- “Good morning/good afternoon”
- “Hello everyone” (email to a group)
- Include a clear, brief, and specific subject line. The subject line helps the recipient understand what the message is about. For example, “Proposal attached” or “Electrical specs for project Y.”
- Close with an appropriate sign-off. A sign-off is a good way to politely end your email. Choose the appropriate sign-off for the situation. Here are some examples:
- Regards, (good for formal emails)
- Thanks, (good for showing appreciation)
- Best wishes (good for formal yet friendly emails)
- Create a signature block that automatically contains your name, learner institution information, and student number. (The Learning Portal, n.d.)
Learn more about writing professional emails from the Learning Portal!
Try It!
Draft two short emails, one to an instructor and one to a peer.
- Focus each email on a question you have about a course assignment (real or fictional).
- Each email must include a subject line, greeting, body, sign-off, and signature.
- Get feedback on your emails from a few of your peers.
- Exchange tips for emailing different audiences with your peers.
Online Presentations
Online presentations are common forms of communication in post-secondary and workplace contexts to convey information or perspectives on a particular topic to an audience. In Module 4, you learned about digital tools to help you create beautifully designed presentations (i.e., Google Slides, Microsoft PowerPoint, Canva, Prezi, Sway, and Keynote).
The content of your presentation could be impeccably researched, and your slides could be perfectly designed. But without proper preparation for the speech that goes along with the slideshow, your points may fall flat.
Presentations and public speaking, in general, are almost an inevitable experience for people in school or the workplace. Learning to give an effective presentation is a valuable skill that can benefit you for years to come. Public speaking is a common fear affecting approximately 25% of the population (Tsaousides, 2017), so it's normal to feel some anxiety surrounding presenting. While there is, unfortunately, no quick fix to cure a fear of public speaking, some of the strategies in this tutorial may help you sound and feel like a natural (The Learning Portal, n.d.).
Rehearsing with just yourself and with a test audience is key for confidence, timing, flow, and more. The better you know your content and your overall presentation, and the more eye contact you can give your audience, the better the presentation. Click through for some suggestions while you rehearse (The Learning Portal, n.d.).
Voice and Body Language
You will also want to think about your voice and body language when presenting. Body language for online presentations is different than for in-person presentations (The Learning Portal, n.d.). (Table below copied from https://tlp-lpa.ca/digital-skills/presentations)
Image 5.9
Source: eCampus Ontario, Adapted from The Learning Portal. (n.d.). Presentations. College Libraries Ontario. https://tlp-lpa.ca/digital-skills/presentations
Description: A table with information about “Body language in in-person versus online presentations”. There is an overview statement for each presentation mode, in-person or online, and then additional statements about eyes, hands, and body. Details in accordion below.
The information for in-person presentations is as follows: When you are presenting in person you will be more visible to your audience, so use your body language to convey enthusiasm for your topic. Using your eyes: Look at the audience and try to make eye contract. The better you know your content, the less you will need to look at your notes, and the more you can connect with your audience. Use your hands: Showing your palms signals nice feelings in other peoples' brains. Your hands can reinforce your ideas. We can point when we make a very important point, we can ask a question with our hands, we can reinforce big ideas, little ideas, and so much more. Using your body: Keep your body open, so try not to hunch over and close yourself off. If there is a podium or table, move out from behind it. You will likely have a little space to move around, so use it. This further engages your audience and makes your presentation more interesting and dynamic. The information for online presentations is as follows: Presenting online takes away a lot of our ability to make that audience connection, so we need to work a little (or a lot) harder to communicate on the same level. Using your eyes: Eye contact can be made by looking at the camera. It is a little awkward, but your audience will appreciate it. You can also get the audience laughing. Laughter will help your viewer connect with you. Using your hands: You can still use your hands and gestures. Gesturing can be used as an important part of your presentation. Set your camera angle so that your audience can see your hand gestures. Using your body: Lean in. It might be a little awkward, but lean into the camera, or take it up a notch and stand and lean. Your camera should be positioned at arm level. Try not to lean too far in: you will appear to be towering over the camera. You can find out more about camera positioning in the tech section of this tutorial.
Online presentation
Image 5.10
Source: iStock
Description: An older woman with medium-dark skin is using a computer and webcam to deliver an online presentation. Shown on her computer monitor are nine diverse adults.
In-person presentation
Image 5.11
Source: iStock
Description: A woman with medium-light skin delivering an in-person presentation to a group. Behind her is a screen that appears to be displaying a slideshow.
This video explains how to use your voice effectively during presentations!
Video 5.3
Source: Carl Kwan. (2016, November 8). How To Use Your Voice Effectively When Giving a Presentation [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCIlFBmXYJU
Length: 2:28
Thinking about delivering online presentations in the post-secondary context…
- How will you ensure your online presentations are delivered effectively?
- What specific strategies will you use to prepare for online presentations?
- Who or what can support you in delivering online presentations?