Computer-supported cooperative network, otherwise known as CSCW is a most useful system of communication between participants if they are rightly utilized. It facilitates communication very well amongst co-workers, colleagues, class-mates, etc. and because of that it helps people to be productive and effective in their work. Our learning environment, which is a college setting will perhaps make use of these three activities: Focused partnerships, Lecture or demo, and Meeting and decision support.
Focused partnerships is defined as cooperation between two users who need each other to complete a task. Within this type of cooperation, tools of communications like electronic mail, voice mail, video mail, and the telephone are used between the two users. Each have their benefits as tools of communication especially in the environment of a college setting.
For example in a group project consisting of two students, electronic mail will prove to be most invaluable as it has the advantage of immediacy, meaning that it has a very fast response rate in which either party can use. In a project, replies are needed quickly to questions or inquiries either one may have and with email, both parties have the advantage of communicating without having to wait long. Another ability email gives is the fact that it allows users to receive and respond to messages when they want and where they want unlike a phone conversation that requires the other party to be present to communicate.
There is however such a thing as voice mail, which helps if a person is not available on phone. The only thing is that the voice mail has to be clear in what it's trying to say. Voice mail helps as it offers a substitute way of informing partners of vital information via one's voice. This then would lessen any misunderstanding that might be possible if it was written on a paper for example. A person also has the advantage of having proof that something has been said because a voice mail can be saved and as such they can be referred to if any one of them or both of them forget a certain point or they want ti refer to what they were wanting to communicate in the past.
To be able to have a phone conversation however also has its benefits. For one it helps both parties to communicate better as there is the ability to ask questions as they come to mind and thus get an immediate answer. Again this also offers the ability to have little or no room for misunderstanding as both parties are able to clarify points about the project immediately.
Video mail is another form of focused partnership and it is perhaps the most useful tool in communicating. It practically encompasses almost all three of the features found in the other three tools of communication. In a video mail, both parties are able to tell their partner what they want to say with actions, so there is also little chance of misunderstanding. In a video mail, they are also able to show each other pictures, graphs, charts, or anything graphic that can be help the project. This helps when one of the part is not in the same place with the other party. Video mail would then look like they are really communicating face-to-face.
Another CSCW application that can be very useful in this institution's learning is through lecture conferencing. This can be done through electronic white board and “smart rooms”. Through the invention of CSCW, electronic white board enables students to keep track with the lessons that lecturers are teaching as whatever that is written on this electronic white board will be transmitted on the students screens. This allows interactivity, creativity and it also makes lectures and classes livelier. This will make students more attentive. Electronic white board also allows students to keeps track with projects, assignments, and notes schedules.
Meanwhile, “smart rooms” are useful for meetings and discussions and these are automatically recorded by cameras and archived. This is very useful for societies and clubs that students are in as “smart rooms” are also very useful for follow ups.
One of the three computer-supported cooperative work is meeting and decision support. This can be done face to face meeting with each of its participant working at a computer and giving out his or her contribution. Later they would be able to conclude a solution out of the problem discussed in the meeting. This can be seen clearly in top cooperations having a meeting to conclude an answer on. They work separately on each table with a webcam on and having a conference to meet up and discuss. For example, using MSN messenger web conference online.
Other methods including shared or private screens. Shared screen is during a meeting with a group of team handling creative department in an advertising agency. For example in a conference room whereby a meeting being held in Kuala Lumpur is on live telecast with the creative team in its global headquarters in New York. The group members of the team view the conference on a shared screen available in the conference room. However it is different with private screen as it is shown online to view individually. For example, Jack an art director having a meeting conference with Jill a web designer in New York to discuss on the latest requirement for a company website.
While large screen is being projected to a large audience during a big gathering or conference. For example, the top head which is the director to the middle management sitting in a large auditorium for an online presentation shown from overseas whereby they listen and come up with the decision whether they agree to an artistic point of view for a presentation on the advertising or more towards informative point of view. All these participants then are able to view on a large screen and to decide it instantly.
It works for meeting and decision support as it is able to conduct a meeting without much hassle and waste of money to gather these people in a large area. However with CSCW it works miraculously coming to an end of great solution.
On the other hand for students and lecturers in university is a great advancement and tool to communicate better. Lately with Wawasan Open University learning can be done online. These applies when meeting for a particular topic of the studies for example, film appreciation with the topic of the day to discuss on genre of films. Meeting online can be held between lecturer and student. Then a decision support is held after the whole day lecture. Different type of screen caters to different needs. Perhaps a student which need one to one guidance will have private screen while group study will have shared screen to include everyone point of view in the study.
