Communication is a key aspect in most people’s lives. Whether it be communicating at an important business meeting or just talking with friends, communication is a vital part of human bonding. As time has gone on, communication has evolved in a number of ways to include platforms like letters, then phone calls and now text messages. So that begs the question: How effective has communication become with this evolution in platforms?

In order for communication to be successful, information must be successfully conveyed to one or more other parties in a clear, concise way. No matter the platform, as long as there is an exchange of information, it is a form of communicating with others.

Many resources are available for people to look for if they want to become an effective communicator. When the phrase “How important is communication?” is searched, results are titled “Why effective communication is important” and “Why is communication today’s most important skill?” are on the front page of the results. Communication is valued as one of the most important traits that employers are looking for, and digital communication has made reaching out to others easier than ever.

With the development of digital communication, many advantages have also come from it. For example, people don’t have to wait for responses and can receive them instantly. Also, since the information is recorded in an email or message, the information doesn’t get convoluted and can be recalled word for word.

While digital communication has helped to lessened time between responses, it also comes with its own disadvantages. For example, messages delivered through text or email can lead to ambiguous phrases. They won’t always be interpreted the same way without someone physically there to read their body language or to follow up with another question.Talking face-to-face with someone also shows respect and can sometimes help to clear up a difficult matter or a convoluted issue.

At Freedom, the school reintroduced a Communications curriculum as a stand-alone class in 2016 that was taught by former Communications teacher Bradley Baldwin. Now, taught by Communications teacher Emily Skirtich, the course focuses on teaching students to be effective communicators after they graduate from high school. While this course is mandatory for all sophomores, Public Speaking, which is taught by English teacher Aaron Fitzpatrick, is an optional course seniors can take during their spring semester.

While communication has evolved, its importance has remained the same. It is essential to everyday life, no matter the circumstances. Everyone needs it for one reason or another and effective communication is one of the most important traits to have after graduating from high school. Everyone is always sharing information on various platforms and communicating with others is the key to being productive and amiable.