FROM COMMUNICATION TO CONNECTION: A CONCEPTUAL PAPER IN EXAMINING THE ROLE OF RELATIONAL COMMUNICATION IN STRENGTHENING CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION IN OPEN, DISTANCE AND DIGITAL EDUCATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJEPC.1163018Keywords:
Communication, Connection, Education, Effectiveness, ODDEAbstract
Communication in Open, Distance and Digital Education (ODDE) institutions is often treated as a functional process centred on information exchange, coordination, and service delivery. Yet in digitally mediated universities, communication that is frequent and efficient may still fall short of producing genuine interpersonal connection across staff roles. This conceptual paper argues that the quality of communication between academic and non-academic staff should be examined through a relational lens, particularly in settings where collaboration is necessary for effective student support. Drawing on John C. Maxwell’s connecting principles, the paper proposes that communication becomes more effective when it is grounded in attentiveness to others, common purpose, responsiveness, and intentional relational effort. The discussion integrates recent scholarship on internal communication, empathic communication, social presence, and cross-functional collaboration in higher education to argue that connection-oriented communication is an important institutional capability in ODDE settings. A conceptual framework is advanced in which connecting principles are positioned as predictors of communication effectiveness and collaborative support for students, with staff role included as a moderator and communication effectiveness proposed as a mediating factor. The paper also outlines a quantitative survey-based methodology suitable for testing the proposed relationships within an ODDE university. Conceptually, the paper extends current discussion on digital education by shifting attention towards staff-to-staff communication as a critical yet underexamined dimension of institutional functioning. Practically, it offers a foundation for future research, staff development, and communication-focused interventions aimed at strengthening collaboration and improving coordinated student support in digitally mediated higher education environments.
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