Affiliate Program

Digital Communication Methods

Mary Anne Donovan

Course ID: LC003

Current Openings: Yes

The Digital Age is upon us, and today, an increasing amount of business is conducted online. In this course you will look at the impact of technology in the workplace today verses in the past, as well as how and why the digital media affects communication in both positive and negative ways. In addition, we will look at forms of digital communication ranging from email to chat rooms, and everything in between. We will even examine digital applications including:

  • Your browser interface,
  • Word processing,
  • Presentation,
  • Spreadsheet,
  • Database.

Don't be left on the wrong side of the digital divide. Learn to be a savvy and dynamic user of digital communication methods.

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Course Type:

Practice and exercises; some multiple choice quizzes.

Objective:

When you have completed this course, you will be able to do the following:

  • Describe the growth of technology in the workplace
  • Demonstrate skill in using email
  • Explain principles of email etiquette
  • Discuss the infiltration and management of instant messaging in the work place
  • Use advanced email features
  • Discuss effective uses for chat rooms, listservs, and digital conference rooms
  • Name example communication uses for software applications.

Learner Prerequisites

None

Start Date Ongoing, open enrollment.
Duration 6 lessons in 6 weeks.
Limit N/A
Class Materials Provided by instructor.
Cost $395 if taken individually, $1260 if taken as part of the Business Writing Certification program, a cost of $315 per course.
Tutorial Option Additional mentoring and critiquing is available from the instructor. The fee is $45 per hour. Please contact deanwlc@writinglearningcentre.com to register.

Course Outline

Lesson 1: Technology - Past and Present

  • Examine the growth of technology in the workplace and compare the workplace before technology with the workplace of today.

Lesson 2: Using Email Effectively

  • The main mode of digital communication is email. In this lesson you will see how widely email is used, learn about email etiquette and how to write "good" emails. You will also learn productive uses for your address book, as well as how to add attachments to your emails.

Lesson 3: The Infiltration of Instant Messaging

  • That's right! It's coming, and it's already arrived in some work environments. In this lesson we will discuss its effectiveness and how to manage it.

Lesson 4: Internet Research Methods

  • There is a wealth of business information out there. Learn how to navigate the Internet and find what you need. In this lesson, learn how to find it and get that all important business edge.

Lesson 5: Chat Rooms, etc.

  • Could a chat room be a useful business tool? Sometimes. In this lesson we will also look at digital conference rooms and listservs as tools of the trade.

Lesson 6: Other Applications

  • Stymied by your Internet browser? Or having trouble with your presentation software? In this lesson, we will look at some important basics of those as well as spreadsheets, database, and word processing applications.

Instructor Bio

Mary Anne has been teaching at St. John Fisher College in both graduate and undergraduate programs for the past nine years, with a specialty in business, technical and professional communications. In addition, she is the Chief Editor of Writer Online, a professional ezine for writers and lovers of writing.

Mary Anne has over twenty years experience in corporate and business communications including technical writing, instructional design, marketing communications and internet instructional design, serving in both corporate staff functions as well as an independent contractor and consultant for national firms including Kodak, Xerox, Metropolitan Life, Motorola, and others.

As a writer and author, Mary Anne has also published numerous articles in publications including Workforce magazine, Rochester Business Journal, Building Operating Management, Equus, Equine Journal, and Writer's Digest. She has written two books: Zen and the Art of Horseback Riding, and coauthored Retraining the Harness Racehorse. Mary Anne is finishing her master's degree in liberal studies with a concentration in digital virtual literacy from Empire State College.