Computer Mediated Communication
Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) refers to the interaction that occurs through interconnected computers, which can be linked via Local Area Networks (LAN) or Wide Area Networks (WAN). This form of communication enables individuals to share information and collaborate remotely, making it a vital tool in various sectors, including education, business, industry, and government. Originating in the 1960s, CMC has evolved significantly, transitioning from simple data transmissions via modems to sophisticated digital connections utilizing fiber optic technology. Communication can occur synchronously (in real time) or asynchronously (with delays) through various platforms like email, chat services, and social media.
The versatility of CMC supports collaborative learning, allowing students and professionals alike to engage in joint projects that transcend geographical barriers. Additionally, the outputs generated through CMC—such as emails and online discussions—serve as cultural artifacts for analysis in fields like discourse analysis and digital rhetoric. With technology continually advancing, the landscape of CMC is expected to grow, introducing new modes of communication that further facilitate information exchange and decision-making across diverse contexts.
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Subject Terms
Computer Mediated Communication
Computer mediated communication (CMC) is communication that is established through the use of interconnected computers. This connection can be a Local Area Network (LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN), meaning the linked computers can be located respectively in one building or in more distant locations such as different cities, countries, or even continents. Computers and the software needed for CMC constitute only a means to an end. Although CMC allows an individual to access information stored in databases remotely located computers, the value of this type of connection resides in the potential for communication and exchange of information between human beings. CMC is widely used in the fields of education, business, industry, and government for research, work, and communication.
Overview
Since its beginnings in the 1960s, when a few scientists and members of the US Defense Department saw the possibility of sharing information quickly by establishing a connection between two remote computer terminals, CMC has evolved to allow for the transmission of all types of information, from text and graphics to voice and video data. In the beginning, a modem was used to transmit data over telephone lines, but fiber optic technology has made digital high-speed connections much more efficient. CMC can be established synchronically (i.e., simultaneously, in real time) or asynchronically, at a delayed time. Innumerable computer configurations and software programs exist that allow for various modes of communication. Some of these modes have existed for decades, such as email, chat services, and web-based platforms. Others have appeared more recently and use the World Wide Web as a starting point, such as wikis, blogs, and social networks like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Skype. The rapid advances of technology indicate that new modes will keep developing.
All these CMC modes have become the inexpensive tools by which decision-making in all spheres of society takes place, allowing for joint projects to be carried out by educators, researchers, and scientists working in distant locations. In education, CMC is widely used in collaborative projects where students construct knowledge together with their peers and with the guidance of their teachers. CMC lends itself to the development of distributed learning and multiple intelligences. The exchange of information and joint endeavors that take place via CMC also benefit professionals working in various fields ranging from translation, to medicine and surgery, architectural and industrial design, the law and to police investigation. The products of CMC in the form of email exchanges, chat scripts, text documents, video recordings, and web pages are cultural artifacts that have become the objects of study in discourse analysis; digital rhetoric; and ethnographic, psychological, and sociological research.
Bibliography
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