Communication and Organizational Identity of Deakin University - Essay Example

Name: Tutor: Title: Communication and Organizational Identity of Deakin University Course: Date: Background of Deakin University Deakin University is one of the major providers of distance as well as online education in Australia. Deakin’s vision is to achieve flexible teaching and learning. The main objectives of the University’s educational programs include, utilizing the contemporary communication technologies so as to create more flexible learning opportunities for all students on off-campus, place of work or at home. This helps to overcome the barriers of circumstance, distance and location affecting effective learning. Deakin is a multi-campus university that offers on and off-campus programs which focus on developing a mutually respectful online experience for the learners interested in using the online technologies. The technology used is a text-based and asynchronous type of computer conferencing environment (Deakin University 2008). How Deakin University use language to portray their vision/mission/ideals At Deakin University, the importance of languages and cultures is highly appreciated as the basic requirements of developing global citizens. Based on its future-oriented Chinese approach of language learning, Deakin consider use of language as a vehicle for enhancing ethnic tolerance, promoting the student’s personal confidence as well as contributing to both the commercial and social well-being a society in general. The embedding of teaching Chinese as a language to promote a wider encounter with the Chinese culture provides the view that language learning through its tendency of becoming rote learning may prove to be alienating. Therefore, Deakin keeps its students motivated and focused through language learning. The Indonesian in-country language program is a major focus through which Deakin University has achieved a proud history within the country in the field of Indonesian language programs. The program helps students to gain unique experience to understand the rich diversity of the Indonesian culture. It is an important program because it promotes rapid and accelerates language learning among students through a first-hand experience as well as the use of highly contextualized language that is practiced across diverse issues and domains. This indicates that Deakin University use persuasive of future-oriented Chinese and Indonesian language learning to portray their vision and mission principles. Deakin achieves an international outlook through a teaching and learning that enhances capabilities as well as intercultural appreciative among students, staff and the larger community. This sustainably positions it as the University of Choice not only for students and staff in Australia, but for all the people of different languages and cultures across the globe. Therefore, Deakin offers learning experiences that covers both international and intercultural perspectives which identifies it as an institutional culture of inclusiveness and diversity (Deakin University 2010). Deakin University represents itself through its logo that conveys their intended meaning to ensure that tarnishing the intended image is avoided. The image identifies the organization Deakin University as a subject of the public interest. Deakin’s logo is significant because it enables the readers to easily trace the organization which assures them that the organization has critical commentary. This illustrates the intended branding message of the university as a learning organization where words only could not give or convey the message in a more effective manner. The university also represents itself though the published reports. For example, the 2010 strategic teaching and online learning project of Deakin University informs pedagogies as well as the practice for online teaching and learning. As a result, the online teaching practice has been considered a significant component of the general pedagogical approach of the university. This is because the diverse group needs of students across the five campuses must be accommodated and those of the off-campus students that cannot attend their physical campus. Modern students would prefer to get the just-in-time education with the ability to access the required resources anywhere at any time so as to study in a more flexible manner. Deakin uses the MediaPod website technology that enables the alumni, continuing students and professionals to effectively communicate with each other via the blog. Deakin University is identified through its in-house site content management framework controlled by the web management tool. This specifies the university’s standards for its information architecture where headers and left-hand navigation features are prescribed on Deakin’s site with customization limited to each page in the body. The use dual mode strategies have incorporated different forms educational technologies which include audio and videotapes, computer conferencing and computer-based assisted learning as well as telephone tutorials. Through this online service, Deakin has achieved a long history of enhancing open and distance education that support its students, and thus promote innovative ways of curriculum development. The logo and prototypes of Deakin University are the common devices that facilitate the quick recognition of the institution. Whereas the logo and prototypes are branded with the word Deakin, they are basically designed to identify the university and not just read (Deakin University 2008). How the Deakin University works to build and communicate its identity Deakin University offers learning opportunities for students who face difficulties in achieving their needs due to geographical, social, economic and cultural factors. Through their approach of flexible open-campus learning, Deakin seeks to fully use a range of learning strategies through interactive technologies. The approach involves the teacher-learner interaction where the mode and pace of study as well as place and time are considered as flexible responses. The University responds to specific mixtures of circumstances of teacher and learner, subject matter and learning context. By ensuring an environment that support distance education students, Deakin University effectively apply information and communication technologies so as to enhance, sustain both teaching and learning. It is also committed to developing a virtual campus through the application of support services that are flexible enough to transform both teaching and learning within the on-campus, flexible approaches to distance learning, development and delivery of the online course. The university is well-positioned to take advantage of its reputation as a leader in the application of technology in regard to meeting the varying students’ expectations. Deakin can make use of its background of distance education to emphasize and enhance the flexibility offered to students based on teaching and delivering modes. It is an institution that develops effective communication channels as well as engagement programs with its staff, current students, alumni and its key associates to connect them to Deakin as promoters for the university (Deakin University 2008). Denotation and connotation are important concepts used in semiotics analysis which refers to the literal and beyond meaning of a sign or image. Denotation refers to a literal meaning given to a sign that is objectively present for easy recognition, while connotation refers to the meanings that lie beyond denotation though dependent on it. Although the difference between the literal and figurative language occurs at the signifier’s level, for denotation and connotation the distinction occurs at the signified level. Therefore, beyond an image’s literal meaning or denotation, there are connotations. Connotation creates the illusion of denotation, making the illusion of a language more transparent while for the signifier and signified represented as identical. Denotation is viewed as another connotation. The capability to maintain a strong visual identity ensures the Deakin University creates an impressive as well as robust brand identity. This provides each faculty and department with a firm platform through which the university’s initiatives are launched (O’Shaughnessy & Stadler 2008). Contemporary instead of conservative, bold and more outward-looking, adaptable and not inflexible are key characteristics striking the simplicity of Deakin visual identity. One of the priority areas of higher education concerns the integration of students in a wider and discipline-based community of learning. However, the creation of such a community proves to be problematic within the distance education programs, a case for Deakin University. The response of Deakin has been to utilize the communication technologies so as to develop electronic communities. This positions Deakin University as one of the major providers of distance as well as online education in Australia. Mission statement is a written declaration that portrays the core objectives and focus of an organization which remains unchanged for a long period of time. Well-developed mission statement serve as the filters to distinguish important ideas from those that are not, clearly states the needs to meet and communicate the sense of intended direction to the organization as a whole. An ideology is a set of beliefs that organizations or individuals base their actions. Deakin University is special and provides unique academic services as reflected its strategic plan. Every aspect of their activities is accomplished based on their mission statement, the core commitments as well as values as stated in the University’s strategic plan entitled “Providing Effective Partnerships.” The partnerships engage learners as students who visit to acquire knowledge, teachers as staff working within the university and other members in the public as their wider community. To ensure that Deakin do their very best, they achieve it in both partnership and their wider community. Providing effective partnership has well-positioned Deakin sin 2008. Today’s rapidly changing world has forced the staff at Deakin University to work extra hard to ensure that their students attain good education and leave the university as people that are well-equipped and the highly educated global citizens. Deakin has achieved this teaching excellent through its outstanding research that proves to be increasingly relevant to their wider community. Therefore, excellence in all their activities has been considered the aspiration for the university as they contribute to the changing world. Deakin’s vision is to achieve flexible teaching and learning. The main objectives of its educational programs include, utilizing the contemporary communication technologies so as to create more flexible learning opportunities for all students on off-campus (Deakin University 2012). Language variations are highly being used to manipulate the reaction of audiences to the intended message. Deakin University has realized that combining the visual images with their creative application of language variation, they can successfully deliver their messages of delivering effective partnerships in teaching and learning. The university uses visual images to communicate sense of their inclusive education, making Deakin an interactive symposium-based institution. Most producers take advantage of the biases of viewers to deliver the visual messages. Although they cannot predict all the viewers’ interpretation of these images, producers can predict the individual experiences of viewers or simply control the image context. Therefore, as images are encoded and decoded, dominant, negotiated and oppositional are the three basic ways to read them (Deakin University 2008). Encoding is the process of converting the information intended to communicate into the best form that can be transmitted as well as correctly decoded. Successful encoding depends partly on a person’s ability to efficiently convey information. However, it also depends on individuals’ capability to anticipate and avoid sources of confusion such as missing information, cultural issues and mistaken assumptions. On the other hand, decoding involves taking adequate time to analyze the message carefully or actively listen to eat. The key to ensuring this knowing the audience because inadequate information of the people communicating with means delivering messages that will be misunderstood. Lack of enough knowledge for a decoder to understand the message leads decoding errors. At Deakin University, active learning is enhanced through their synchronous communication. The university uses the Elluminate ELive technology as tools to promote synchronous communication, particularly in environments where the face-to-face type of communication is not practicable. Therefore, the technology used is a text-based and asynchronous type of computer conferencing environment (O’Shaughnessy & Stadler 2008). As a viewer, it can be concluded that the main objectives of the Deakin University’s educational programs are utilizing the contemporary communication technologies so as to create more flexible learning opportunities for all students both on and off-campus. Deakin keeps its students motivated and focused through language learning. The university uses visual images to communicate sense of their inclusive education, making Deakin an interactive symposium-based institution. Deakin University is special and provides unique academic services as reflected its strategic plan. Excellence in all their activities is the aspiration for Deakin University as their efforts to contribute to the changing world. The institution effectively develops communication channels and engagement programs with its staff, current students, alumni as well as its key associates to connect them to Deakin as advertisers for the university. Bibliography Deakin University (2008), Deakin University Functional Area Plan - Teaching and Learning. Geelong: Deakin University. Deakin University (2010), Deakin University Strategic Plan - Delivering Effective Partnerships. Geelong: Deakin University. O’Shaughnessy, M & Stadler, J., (2008), Semiology in Contemporary Communication, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, pp 429-442. O’Shaughnessy, M & Stadler, J., (2008), Reading Images and Advertisements in Contemporary Communication, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, pp 443-460. Deakin websites: Read More