Communication

Context Why the skills in each domain are needed for digital opportunity, defined as "the condition in which individuals and communities have the information technology capacity that is needed for full participation in the society and economy of the United States" (H.R.3684)

Digital communication skills are critical for not only learners’ personal growth, professional and academic success and their social well-being. A pilot conducted by the San Francisco Tech Council in 2021 demonstrated that services focused on digital opportunity, including those focused on communication skills and tools, can be effective in reducing social isolation and loneliness among older adults and adults with disabilities, which in turn can lead to improved physical and mental health outcomes.¹ Similarly, digital communication skills can support learners’ community and civic engagement.

Awareness What practitioners should know before teaching each domain (e.g., related topics, factors that may affect learners)

Practitioners should be aware of the following when teaching communication skills:

• Modes of communication: Learners bring diverse communication needs and preferences with them into the classroom, ranging from needing to communicate with voice-based messaging (as opposed to text-based messaging) to preferring to use specific apps. There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to digital communication.
• Communication norms: Cultural, social, and behavioral norms, including internet etiquette, vary among different learner populations (e.g., different age groups or immigrant populations).
• Limited connectivity, bandwidth, and data plans: Slow and/or unreliable connectivity, along with limited bandwidth and data plans may affect learners’ ability to engage in some digital communication activities and platforms (e.g., video calls with many attendees).
• Social media: While some learners may rely on social media as their main communication tool, other learners may be wary of using social media because of safety and privacy concerns or may not be interested in using it at all.
• AI literacy: The increasing availability of free AI tools that excel at natural language processing makes writing, translation, and other communication activities more convenient. However, learners may need explicit guidance on how to use such tools effectively, safely, and ethically.

Taking Action What practitioners and programs can do to be empowering when teaching each domain

Practitioners can take action to be empowering in the following ways:

Instruction and Training
I can:

• Learn from learners and identify the challenges that they may face when it comes to digital communication.
• Identify and address learners’ breadth and depth of communication needs and preferences to ensure I am communicating effectively with every learner.
• Use instructional methods, materials, and tools that are accessible to learners with limited connectivity and/or bandwidth, such as mobile-friendly tools, collaborative documents and discussion boards, and easily downloadable files.
• Speak to the pros and cons of using social media, respecting learners’ right to choose whether and how they use social media.
• Understand and provide instruction on the benefits, risks, and ethical considerations of using AI tools for digital communication.

Program Design
Our program:

• Uses multiple strategies for communicating with learners, including strategies that function with limited connectivity and are supported in appropriate languages, to ensure program communications are accessible and empowering.
• Co-creates strategies and policies to use AI ethically in digital communication.

Related Empowering Practices

See the following domains for relevant skills and related empowering practices:
Information Skills, Privacy and Security, Workplace and Productivity

Citations