Sunday 22 April 2012

E-Commerce

E-commerce (or electronic commerce) is used to describe business that is conducted over the Internet using any of the applications that rely on the Internet, such as e-mail, instant messaging, shopping carts, Web services, FTP, and EDI (electronic data interchange), among others. Electronic commerce can be between two businesses transmitting funds, goods, services and/or data or between a business and a customer.

Examples of E-Commerce:-


Online Shopping
Electronic Payments
Online Auctions
Internet Banking
Online Ticketing

Types of E-commerce


Business to Business (B2B)
B2B eCommerce transactions are those where both the transacting parties are businesses, e.g., manufacturers, traders, retailers and the like.

Business to Consumer (B2C)
When businesses sell electronically to end-consumers, it is called B2C ecommerce.

Consumer to Consumer (C2C)
Some of the earliest transactions in the global economic system involved barter - a type of C2C transaction. But C2C transactions were virtually non-existent in recent times until the advent of ecommerce. Auction sites are a good example of C2C eCommerce.

Advantages of E-commerce


1. Overcome Geographical Limitations
2. Gain New Customers with Search Engine Visibility
3. Lower Costs
4. Locate the Product Quicker
5. Eliminate Travel Time and Cost
6. Provide Comparison Shopping
7. Enable Deals, Bargains, Coupons, and Group Buying
8. Provide Abundant Information

Disadvantages of E-commerce


1. Ecommerce Lacks That Personal Touch
2. Ecommerce Delays Goods
3. Anyone Can Set Up an Ecommerce Website
4. Security
5. Many Goods Cannot Be Purchased Online
6. Ecommerce Does Not Allow You to Experience the Product before Purchase

E-banking

Online banking (or Internet banking or E-banking) allows customers of a financial institution to conduct financial transactions on a secure website operated by the institution, which can be a retail or virtual bank, credit union or building society. It is very important to make sure that the transaction is secure from theft

Security (online transaction)


  • Use the latest Internet browser
  • Look for digital certificates
  •  Look for digital certificates
  • Only use one credit card
  • Never give out passwords or user ID information online unless you know who you are dealing with
  • Keep records of all of your Internet transactions.
  • After you've made purchases online, check your e-mail
  • Not sharing passwords

Collaborative Online Learning



Online Forum

Definition
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived.
Online forum is Equivalent to traditional bulletin board, and a technological evolution of the dialup bulletin board system. In a forum you can see people participating in an Internet forum may cultivate social bonds and interest groups for a topic made from the discussions. Most Online forums require registration to post.
Online Forum Structure
  • User groups
  • Moderator
  • Administrator
In a Forum Contains
  • Post
  • Thread
  • Private message
  • Emoticon

Example of Online Forum


Wikis

Definition
Wiki is a piece of server software that allows users to freely create and edit Web page content using any Web browser. Wiki supports hyperlinks and has a simple text syntax for creating new pages and crosslinks between internal pages on the fly. It is unusual among group communication mechanisms in that it allows the organization of contributions to be edited in addition to the content itself.
Like many simple concepts, "open editing" has some profound and subtle effects on Wiki usage. Allowing everyday users to create and edit any page in a Web site is exciting in that it encourages democratic use of the Web and promotes content composition by nontechnical users.

The out come of what you type:-



Pod casting


Definition
A podcast is a type of digital media consisting of an episodic series of files (either audio or video) subscribed to and downloaded through web syndication or streamed online to a computer or mobile device. The word is a neologism derived from "broadcast" and "pod" from the success of the iPod, as podcasts are often listened to on portable media players.

Podcast could be used for:-
• News/updates;
• Guest lectures;
• Student presentations;
• Student-produced podcasts;
• Interviews with guest experts;
• Tours/fieldwork;
• Internships/residencies;
• Feedback/evaluation of student work;
• Supplementary material such as speeches, music, or other audio recordings; and
• Short language lessons or other lessons that help students develop listening and speaking skills.

Second Life


Definition
Second Life is an online virtual world developed by Linden Lab. It was launched on June 23, 2003. A number of free client programs, or Viewers, enable Second Life users, called Residents, to interact with each other through avatars. Residents can explore the world (known as the grid), meet other residents, socialize, participate in individual and group activities, and create and trade virtual property and services with one another.

More about second life – the 3D virtual world

Tuesday 17 April 2012

Learning network and Communication skills

What does it mean by learning and communicating?
From what i understand "Learning is the lifelong process of transforming information and experience into knowledge, skills, behaviors, and attitudes". While communicating is "To express oneself in such a way that one is readily and clearly understood in other words talking or speaking to others either verbal or non-verbal. What i would like to talk about is Learning network and communication skills.


Understand the importance of communications

Clear communication is not easy. The method, context, structure, language, knowledge and an understanding of the needs of the recipients to whom the information is being transmitted are vital in understanding the importance of communication. Communication is a key element in any type of relationship, whether personal or business. Having the right communication skills can improve your relationships with co-workers, employees, employers, friends and family. Learning the skills for proper communication techniques can be acquired online through various websites and methods of training
 


How to improve online communication

1.       Put people before technology.

2.       Communicate online the same as you would in person. The same civility should be practiced in online communications as when you are face-to-face with an individual.

3.       Avoid unnecessary font styles, font colors or background "stationery." Technology may offer a variety of expressive tools you feel convey your individualism. Too often, unconventional stylings merely detract from your message.

4.       Check your sources before sharing information with others.

5.       Do not forward every memorable quote, funny video or heart-wrenchingly inspirational story to your friends. The more information you "pass along" to others, the less value your personal communication has. People value a message sent directly from you to them. When you continually send messages not originally from you, they no longer expect your communication to be personal, and will eventually ignore you.

6.       Avoid acronyms. BFF (best friend forever), IMHO (in my humble opinion) LOL (laughing out loud) may have once communicated how net-savvy you are, but now only serve as an impediment to interpersonal communication being treated with the respect it deserves. Not everyone knows what these acronyms mean.

7.       Overlook the mistakes of others. Those who have not yet discovered "Netiquette" require the same patience from you as exercised by others when you too were ignorant of how your communication was being perceived.





From where you can learn online communication?

Free Training
·         There are a few websites that offer free downloads of training e-books and work books. When downloading a free version of communication training books, you should expect to receive email promotions and advertisements in return for the free download.
You can read through these training books at your leisure, taking notes on important points and doing the workbooks if they come along with the download.
Paid Downloads
·         Many websites offer training manuals for downloading at a price. This price should include all of the materials you will need, such as Powerpoints and training guides. You may have the choice of what type of communication skills you are looking for, such as employee communication skills.
Book Training
·         You can purchase communication training books from websites such as Amazon.com. Many books are available for purchase that can teach you assertiveness skills and business communication skills.

How to be an effective team player in online forums

Leadership ability refers to competence in areas such as:

  1.    being a role model
  2.   motivating members
  3.   encouraging others
  4.   delegating so that the work done
  5.   leading an activity
  6.   having the characteristics of an effective team player




There are 9 Qualities of an Effective Team Player

1) Demonstrates reliability
2) Communicates constructively
3) Listens actively
4) Functions as an active participant
5) Shares openly and willingly
6) Exhibits flexibility
7) Works as a problem-solver
8) Treats others in a respectful and supportive manner
9) Shows commitment to Forum (Group)

The criteria having a good team member

  • ·      Activeness meaning their participation
  • ·      Good conduct and behavior
  • ·      Helpfulness helping other people to add inputs or opinions
  • ·      Maturity always thinking positively regarding what is being replied
  • ·      Knowledge and Wisdom