Date of Award

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Specialization

Communication and Leadership

School or Department

School of Leadership Studies

First Advisor

Dr. Alexa Dare

Second Advisor

Dr. Michael Poutiantine

Abstract

Technological advancements have introduced computer mediated communication (CMC) which has come to permeate our lives from the way we work, to the way we learn, to the way we teach. Current studies of CMC tend to ignore the importance of the intercultural factors that affect it. Additionally, CMC studies focus on the technology aspects of communication instead of focusing on the human aspect of CMC. This project puts together CMC research, community need, and business acumen, relates it to human theories of communication, and creates a usable course for teaching intercultural virtual communications in the undergraduate classroom. The findings from this project suggest it is wise to remember that both senders and receivers of CMC are first and foremost people who are probably from different cultures regardless of the technology used to send messages. This project insists that technology advancement demands education in the area of intercultural virtual communications—not only for professional development but also for personal enrichment. The goal of the intercultural virtual communications course is to teach students to keep in mind all human and cultural aspects of communication regardless of the medium, to create more effective communicators throughout every community.

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