Communication Strategies for a Virtual Age

University of Toronto via Coursera

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/communication-strategies-virtual-age

Introduction

**Course Review: Communication Strategies for a Virtual Age on Coursera** In today’s rapidly evolving communication landscape, the traditional norms that once shaped our methods of interaction are undergoing significant transformations. With the rise of digital platforms such as Skype, Zoom, and various messaging services, it has become imperative for professionals to adapt their communication strategies for a virtual environment. Enter the Coursera course titled "Communication Strategies for a Virtual Age." This course not only acknowledges the shift in communication paradigms but provides an essential toolkit for navigating them effectively. ### Course Overview "Communication Strategies for a Virtual Age" serves as a timely and relevant response to the challenges posed by virtual communication. The course recognizes that the rules for speaking, presenting, and interacting in person do not seamlessly translate to the digital domain. Instead of offering surface-level tips, it dives deeper into the underlying principles of effective communication, making it a valuable resource for professionals seeking to enhance their virtual communication skills. ### Learning Outcomes By the end of this course, participants can expect to: - Apply essential communication principles tailored for virtual contexts. - Recognize different communication styles and motivations, enabling strategic engagement during virtual interactions. - Improve techniques for conducting efficient and engaging virtual meetings. - Master the art of presenting and speaking in a virtual environment. ### Syllabus Breakdown 1. **Introduction to Virtual Teams and Virtual Communication** This foundational module sets the stage by defining what virtual communication actually means in today's context. It challenges preconceived notions and prepares participants to understand the core concepts that will be explored throughout the course. 2. **Virtual Meetings: Boring to Awesome** Meetings can often become mundane, especially in virtual formats. This module addresses how to elevate the effectiveness of both in-person and virtual meetings. Participants learn strategies to enliven meetings, encourage interaction, and maintain audience engagement—skills that are crucial when discussing content through a screen. 3. **Influence, Power, and Questioning Strategies in Virtual Collaboration** Moving beyond basic presentation skills, this module focuses on persuasion and influence in virtual communication. It sheds light on recognizing diverse communication styles and motivations, enabling learners to tailor their approach accordingly. By mastering these strategies, individuals can forge stronger connections and drive impactful conversations. 4. **Speaking and Presenting in a Virtual Context** Finally, the course culminates in lessons that bridge public speaking with virtual presentations. Each strategy is examined through the lens of both in-person and online formats, allowing participants to refine their delivery regardless of the medium. This practical approach ensures that learners gain actionable insights they can apply immediately. ### Recommendation "Communication Strategies for a Virtual Age" is highly recommended for anyone looking to thrive in a digital-first communication environment. Whether you're a professional navigating remote work, a leader managing virtual teams, or simply someone eager to refine their communication skills, this course offers the knowledge and tools needed to enhance your effectiveness in virtual interactions. The course's approach is both comprehensive and practical, making it an ideal choice for those who wish to not only understand virtual communication but also master it. Investing time in this course will not only enhance your personal communication skills but will also position you as a more effective team member or leader in a world that increasingly relies on virtual interactions. In conclusion, if you're ready to elevate your virtual communication game, look no further than "Communication Strategies for a Virtual Age" on Coursera. Equip yourself with the skills necessary to engage, persuade, and present effectively in any online setting!

Syllabus

Introduction to Virtual Teams and Virtual Communication

This module is intended to create a foundation for the course by challenging your ideas of not just what virtual communication means, but also communication as a whole. This module will also introduce the foundational ideas of the whole course.

Virtual Meetings: Boring to Awesome

In this module we cover meetings both in person and virtually. We will discuss how to make meetings dramatically more efficient and effective. We will also introduce strategies to make the meetings more interactive and to keep an audiences attention especially when they are looking at a screen.

Influence, Power and Questioning Strategies in Virtual Collaboration

In this module we move from presenting to convincing and persuading. These ideas can be applied to to presentations and also one-on-one communication both in-person and virtually. We will cover how recognize peoples communication styles and motivations and how strategically communicate in a way that will resonate with them.

Speaking and Presenting in a virtual context

This module focuses on presenting and public speaking. Each lesson will cover a communication strategy for in-person presenting and then show you how to use that same strategy in a virtual presentation.

Overview

Communication has changed! The traditional rules for speaking and presenting, meeting coordination, influencing people, negotiating and selling ideas no longer apply in a world of skype, messenger, video and teleconference. This course will act as an overview on several concepts each of which could be a course of their own and our goal is to give you tools that you can practice and perfect on your own. By the end of this course, you will be able to: • Apply communication principles and techni

Skills

Communication Theory conflict resolution Meeting Public Speaking

Reviews

I love this course. It's broken down to simple bits which makes it easy to understand. I didn't like the polls that pop up in the videos but that's just a small thing compared to the value I received.

This was the most interesting course I have ever done !! The professor was so good and it was so engaging and practical. There wasn't a moment I felt it was boring or too much theoratical.

The professor is extremely engaging in his lectures and I learned skills that I can use in my professional career. It's a very easy-to-understand course that will help you grow immensely.

It was a great course! I did enjoy the lectures and found myself constantly engaged with the topics. I will surely be able to use the lessons I learned from here in the workplace/virtual space.

Ivan is a fantastic presenter. I never felt overwhelmed by the content or that I couldn't follow along. I see a tremendous value in the easy to digest modules in this course.\n\nThank you so much!