Transcript Communication Skills

The journey so far...
Journey so far...

Epistemology

Science and philosophy of knowledge




constructivism
assimilation
accomodation
associationism

Visualisation

Mind Maps
Journey so far...

Bloom’s Taxonomy
Bloom’s Taxonomy

Learning Theories
 Behavourism
 Cognitivism
 Social Constructivism

Learning Styles
Last lecture...
Learning Styles
"You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
There daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart”
"You belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid to toil"
"Here in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind."
"Here you are in Slytherin,
Where you'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends."
Learning Styles Models
Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator
Carl Jung

Carl Gustav Jung (1875 – 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist, an
influential thinker and the

Founder of analytical psychology, also known as “Jungian
Psychology”
EXPLORING THE SOUL
A Challenge to Freud
Jungian Learning
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Perception
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Judgement
 Sensor
 Feeler
 Intuitor
 Thinker
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
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Based on Carl Jung’s ideas
Created during World War II to
help women who were entering
the industrial workforce
Measured psychological
preferences in how people
perceive the world and make
decisions
http://www.myersbriggs.org
Gregorc Learning Style
Abstract
Sequential
Abstract
Concrete
Random
Random
Concrete
Sequential
ANTHONY GREGORC – LEARNING STYLES
1.
In each row (1-6), rank the 4 statements.
The statement which fits you best gets a score of 4, next best 3, next best 2 and the one
which fits you least gets a score of 1.
You must use number 1, 2, 3 and 4. You cannot use half marks.
2.
3.
4.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Add the scores down in each column. Put the total at the bottom.
Plot your scores on the learning styles profile. You will end up with a kite shape.
Compare your kite shape to those of other people.
Score
I like to be
given problems
to solve
I like to work
out answers for
myself
I have a lot of
ideas
Score
I like to talk things
through with other
people
I use my
imagination a lot
I like to try my
ideas out even
if people think
they are odd
I like to find out
how things
work
I like to have
something to
show for my
efforts
CR
I like to use
drama, art and
music
I like to be
organised
I like to find
things out from
books and other
sources
I weigh up
different ideas
I like my work to
be fun
I pay attention to
detail
I am keen to do
written work
I like my work to
be about people
I like to get things
right
I organise my
studies carefully
I understand how
people feel
AR
Score
I like to do
practical work
I like to be told
exactly what to
do
I like to take
things one step
at a time
CS
Score
I like reading
I am happy to
work alone
AS
SANDWELL SECONDARY CURRCULUM SUPPORT PROJECT
CONCRETE SEQUENTIAL
How …
Checklists
Outlines
Charts
Summaries
Data
Labs
Computers
Practical reading
Short lectures
Who …
Ordered
Structured
Practical
Accurate
Directions
Organised
Hands-on
Detailed
Exact
Square the scoring box
20
CONCRETE RANDOM
Who …
How …
Independent
Games and
simulation
Creative
Problem solving
Risk-takers
Creating
products
Unusual
Independent
study
Experimenters
Experiments
Inventive
Unusual
solutions
Problem-solvers
Options
ABSTRACT SEQUENTIAL
Who …
How …
Logical
Reading
10
20
10
10
20
Academic
Structured
Lecture
Working alone
Intellectual
Term papers
Readers
Researchers
Library work
Note-taking
Evaluative
Essays
Thinker
Research
Debater
Studious
Content
Theories
10
20
Curious
Investigative
Intuitive
Open-ended
work
Practical ideas
Few restrictions
Who …
Sensitive
Emotional
Personal
Imaginative
Interpreter
Colourful
Discussion
Deep Feelings
Flexible
ABSTRACT RANDOM
How …
Group discussion
Media and music
Peer group work
Personalised work
Role play
Use of fantasy and imagination
Themes
Arts
Humour
Short lectures
Central to Learning Styles...

Importance of the social aspect and
communication in learning
 knowledge
& meaning is contructed through
inter-personal mechanisms (verbal and
written )
Communications
Part 1
Agenda
Introduction
 Brief History of Communications
 Process of Communication
 Active Listening
 Non-Verbal Communication

Lecture notes partially based on “Communication Skills” presentation by
SoftLogic Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
Communications
Introduction
Why Communication?
 A communication
problem within IT
industry
 See a normal IT scenario...
How Projects Really Work
http://www.projectcartoon.com/
Decipering the cartoon?
Break down and failure of
communication!
What is
“communication”?
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Latin “communicare” - "to share, divide out; impart, inform; join, unite,
participate in," lit. "to make common,“
A process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a
common system of symbols, signs, or behavior
The act of communicating; transmission.
The exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech,
signals, writing, or behavior.
Interpersonal rapport.
Communications (used with a sing. or pl. verb)
1.
2.
3.

The art and technique of using words effectively to impart information or ideas.
The field of study concerned with the transmission of information by various
means, such as print or broadcasting.
Any of various professions involved with the transmission of information, such as
advertising, broadcasting, or journalism.
Something communicated; a message
Brief History of
Communications
Aristotle’s Speaker-Centered Model
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Greek philosopher-teacher
Aristotle (384-322 B.C.).
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Aristotle’s definition of rhetoric is
one of the earliest definitions of
communication

“Rhetoric” is “the faculty of
observing in any given case the
available means of persuasion”
(Rhetoric 1335b).

Aristotle attempted to work out a
theory of communication and
language.
http://www.shkaminski.com/Classes/Handouts/Communication%20Models.htm#ClassicalCommunicationModels
Aristotle’s Speaker-Centered Model

Logos

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Pathos

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the matter under
discussion
the reader's
stake in that
matter
Ethos

the claims of the
author
Aristotle’s Model of Communication
Speaker
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Message
Listener
Designed for public speaking/oration
Speaker at the center of the communication process
Speaker prepares a message for an intended audience
Message is intended to have an effect- influence the audience
Audience is seen to be passive and ready to be influenced by the
speaker's message
In other words, according to Aristotle a speaker sends a message to
an audience and the audience is affected by the message received.
Progress and development

Little development in Communications
theory during the intervening millenia
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Rapid progress in 20th Century
 espcially
after World War II
Laswell’s Model
“Who says what to whom in what channel with what effect”
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Harold Dwight Lasswell
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(1902-1978) American political
scientist and communications
theorist
World War II
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
Chief of the Experimental Division
for the Study of War Time
Communications at the Library of
Congress.
Analysed Nazi propaganda films
to identify mechanisms of
persuasion used to secure the
support of the German people for
the war
Laswell’s 5 Elements of Propaganda
Propaganda entailed five key elements

Lasswell assembled these elements into a model and then turned the model
into a simple question:
 “Who says what in which channel to whom with what effect?”
(declassified in 1948)
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If you found the right answers to each of the five elements of the question,
then you could create effective propaganda – unless, of course, too much
“noise” – unplanned static or distortion during the communication process –
resulted in the receiver receiving a different message than the sender sent.
“...bring the boys home.”
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For example, it was
discovered that “Help win
the war” wasn’t the most
effective slogan to use for
selling war bonds.
Appealed to men, but not
women.
This led to the development
of a more effective slogan:
“Help win the war and
bring the boys home.”
The Shannon-Weaver Model
http://www.shkaminski.com/Classes/Handouts/Communication%20Models.htm#ClassicalCommunicationModels
Schramm’s Model of Communication
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
Wilburn Schramm proposed this model in 1955
Considered to be the best of all the theories since it is evolved and comprehensive
http://www.shkaminski.com/Classes/Handouts/Communication%20Models.htm#ClassicalCommunicationModels
Schramm’s Model of
Communication
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First stage – one way
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Emphasis on encoding process and source like that of Aristotle without any
recognition for noise.
 It too was a one-way direction of communication flow.
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Second stage – two way
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Emphasis shifted to the shared domain of experience of sender and receiver.
The sender has to take into consideration, according to this theory, the needs
and abilities of the receiver, which he must be aware of due to shared
experience, and thus the selects the right channel and at the same time encodes
the message in the way that can be understood by the receiver.
 Here the communication process is understood to be a two-way flow.
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Third stage - feedback

Feedback was thought to be an essential element of communication system. In
this stage of Schramm's theory, the communication process encompasses
sender, receiver, good channel, proper encoding, proper decoding, and
feedback. The flow which ends with feedback starts immediately again to make a
circular process.
Berlo S-M-R-C Model
When one is
attempting to convey
an emotionally
complex message,
the Berlo Model may
be the more
appropriate choice.
http://www.uri.edu/artsci/lsc/Faculty/
Carson/508/03Website/Hayden/berlo
.html
http://www.shkaminski.com/Classes/Handouts/Communication%20Models.htm#ClassicalCommunicationModels
Assignement
Website design – Aristotle’s
“Rhetorical” principles (part 1)

Ethos - ethos, from which we get the word "ethical," has to do with reputation or character, in
other words what other people think of us and whether they feel they can trust us.


Logos - logos, from which we get the word "logical," concerns the logic and consistency of the
message being communicated.
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In terms of digital design, ethos or credibility is extremely important for you to keep in mind because online
trust determines whether people feel your site and its message are credible. Digital ethos can be
constructed by a number of factors, such as visual appeal, organized navigation, and rich information
content. Yet the ancient Greek word ethos also had another basic meaning, that of habitual gathering place,
and in some regards, online ethos can also be seen as whether a designer has constructed a site to which
people can return again and again, or whether the site creates a sense of online community through user
interactions.
In other words, does the content of your site make sense and is it written in a consistent tone or style?
Consistency also becomes important in terms of overall site structure. A poorly organized site with visually
confusing pages can undermine the concept of logos, which in turn can reduce the site's overall ethos. For
Aristotle, all points of the rhetorical triangle were interrelated.
Pathos - pathos, from which we get the words "pathetic" and "empathy," deals with the emotions,
specifically those of the audience. In classical rhetorical theory, playing on an audience's emotions
was seen as a primary vehicle of persuasion, but in more modern times, pathos has come to
mean any rhetorical act that addresses audience expectations or information needs.
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In this regard, it is extremely important that you understand and analyze the audiences for your Web site,
anticipating their informational and navigational needs at every click of your site. That is why Jakob Nielsen
and his colleague stress using concise, scannable text in all Web documents -- because that's the way most
Web users read.
http://eserver.org/courses/f04/313/lessons/week2.html
Assignement
Website design – Aristotle’s
“Rhetorical” principles (part 2)
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In your first assignment for this class, due September 9th, you'll be asked to compose a rhetorical analysis of an
organizational Web site. In this analysis, you should examine all three points of the rhetorical triangle and how well
the designers have addressed these three elements in their site design. In other words, you'll be discussing how
the designers constructed ethos, logos, and pathos.
Audience Analysis
Identification and analysis of your Web site's audience is perhaps the most crucial step you can take in the early
stages of your design process. Factors to examine in any audience analysis include:
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Context in which the site is being read
User attitudes and motivations
Education and reading levels
Professional experience
Organizational role.
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For general Internet use, your audience may be so broad as to defy description, but in most situations, you can
gain a very detailed sense of who your audience members are and what their informational needs are.
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In professional digital design firms, audience analysis and user testing are primary components of the design
process and are conducted for many weeks before the first line of code is ever written. Why? Such testing helps
designers fashion both content and structure of the site in order to reduce the need for changes once the site is
being constructed. Such user testing includes everything from focus group interviews to unsability studies in which
people navigate through prototype sections of a site and report problems they experience. As part of your Web site
proposal due March 28th, I expect you to include a fairly extensive analysis of who your audience is for your
proposed site.
http://eserver.org/courses/f04/313/lessons/week2.html
Process of
Communication
Process of Communication
Source
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Why to communicate?

What to communicate?
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Usefulness of the communication
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Accuracy of the information to be communicated
Encoding
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The process of transferring the information you want to
communicate into a form that can be sent and correctly decoded at
the other end.

Ability to convey the information.

Eliminate sources of confusion, e.g. cultural issues, mistaken
assumptions, missing information, etc

Know your audience.
Channels
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Written


Letters
Memos
 Proposals
 Reports
 Presentations
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E-mails
SMS text
Instant Messenging
Tweets
Verbal

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Meetings
Telephone conversations
Video conferencing
Decoding
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Effective decoding
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Listen actively
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Read information carefully

Ask questions for better understanding

Avoid/reduce confusion
Receiver

Prior knowledge can influence the receiver’s
understanding of the message

Blockages in the receiver’s mind
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The surrounding disturbances
Feedback

Feedback can be:

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
Verbal
Non-verbal
Written
Positive
Negative
Context
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The sender needs to communicate the context
to the receiver for better clarity in the overall
communications process.

Situation

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Different cultures

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e.g. introduction, sales pitch, conflict, an exam, etc.
e.g. academic, corporate, international, regional, etc.
Language
Location or place

e.g. restaurant, office, classroom, etc.
Communication & the Organisation
Understanding communication process is critical to
management of the organization. Managers
should understand that communication is rarely
understood as it should be. The distortion of
the message can happen at any of the stages in
communication process-sender, receiver,
encoding, decoding, channel, message and
feedback.
Prof.Appalayya Meesala, Professor of Management in Deccan School of Management
http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Dr.Appalayya_Meesala
What makes a good
communicator?
What makes a good
communicator?
Written
Oral
Academic Writing
Revision and editing
Critical Reading
Presentation of Data
Presentation
Audience Awareness
Critical Listening
Body Language
Non-Verbal
Audience Awareness
Personal Presentation
Body Language
http://science.uniserve.edu.au/projects/skills/jantrial/communication/communication.htm
What makes a good communicator?
In other words...

An active listener

An effective presenter

A quick thinker

A win-win negotiator
We will be examining each of these areas in detail over the coming
weeks
Active Listening
4 steps
Active Listening
1.
Understand your own
communication style
2.
Listen With Purpose
3.
Use non-verbal
communication
4.
Give feedback
(in detail below)
Active Listening
1) Understand your own
communication style

High level of self-awareness to creating good & long lasting impression
on others.

Understand how others perceive you

Avoid being a “chamelon” by changing with every personality you meet

Make others comfortable by selecting appropriate behavior that suits
your personality while listening. (Ideally, nodding your head).
Active Listening
2) Listen With Purpose

People speak 100-175 words per minute but can listen intelligently at 300
WPM

One part of human mind pays attention, so it is easy to go into mind drift

Listen with a purpose

Purpose can be to:


gain information

obtain directions

understand others

solve problems

share interest

see how another person feels

show support

etc.
If it is difficult to concentrate, repeat the speaker’s words in your mind
Active Listening
3) Use Non-verbal Communication
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Eye contact
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Smile
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Gestures
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Your posture

Cultural cues
(More on this momentarily...)
Active Listening
4) Give Feedback

Remember... what someone says and what we hear can be vastly
different

Repeat back or summarize to ensure that you understand

Restate what you think you heard and ask:
 "Have I understood you correctly?"
Non-verbal
Communication Skills
6 Ways of Using Non-verbal
Communication Skills
Effectively
Non-verbal Communication Skills
6 Ways of Using Non-verbal
Communication Skills
Effectively
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Eye contact
Facial expressions
Gestures
Posture and body orientation
Proximity
Paralinguistic
Non-verbal communication
1) Eye Contact
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
The eyes are most expressive and direct part of our body.
Different types of eye contact:
Action
Result
Direct eye contact
Confidence
Looking downwards
Listening carefully, guilt/shame
Single eyebrow raised
Doubt, scepticism
Both eyebrows raised
Admiring, encouragement
Bent eyebrows
Sudden focus, intesity
Tears
Emotional - joy or pain
…and many more
Non-verbal communication
2) Facial Expression

Smile constitutes the largest part of facial expression

Smiling is a powerful cue that transmits:

Happiness

Friendliness

Warmth

Liking

Affiliation
Non-verbal communication
3) Gestures

Head nods, a form of gestures, communicate positive reinforcement
to students and indicate that you are listening.

A lively and animated communication style captures peoples'
attention, makes the material more interesting, facilitates
understanding and provides a bit of entertainment.

If you fail to gesture while speaking, you may be perceived as boring,
stiff and unanimated.
Non-verbal communication
4) Posture and Body Orientation

You communicate numerous messages by the way you walk, talk,
stand and sit.

Standing erect, but not rigid, and leaning slightly forward
communicates to your audience that you are approachable,
receptive and friendly.

Speaking with your back turned or looking at the floor or ceiling
should be avoided; it communicates disinterest to your audience
Non-verbal communication
5) Proximty

Cultural norms dictate a comfortable distance for
interaction with audience

You should look for signals of discomfort caused
by invading your audience‘s space

Some of these are:
 rocking
 leg swinging
 tapping
 gaze aversion
 sitting back
 clasping hands behind head
Non-verbal communication
6) Paralinguistic

Vocal elements, such as:

Tone

Pitch

Rhythm

Timbre

Loudness

Inflection
Finally... some body Facts

You have over 630 muscles in your body.

It takes the interaction of 72 different muscles to
produce human speech.

The strongest muscle in your body is your tongue.


Eye muscles are the busiest muscles in the body.


use it effectively
Scientists estimate they move more than 100,000 times a
day.
You have over 30 muscles in your face to help you
smile or frown.



17 muscles to smile
43 muscles frown
So... smile everytime you see someone – it’s easier!
To sum up...
How Project Really Work
http://www.projectcartoon.com/
History of Communications

Aristotle
– art of oration and
persuasion
 Rhetoric

1940’s & post-World War II
 Laswell
 Shannon-Weaver
 Schramm
Process of Communication
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Source
Encoding
Channel
Decoding
Receiver
Context
Feedback
What makes a good
communicator?
Written
Oral
Academic Writing
Revision and editing
Critical Reading
Presentation of Data
Presentation
Audience Awareness
Critical Listening
Body Language
Non-Verbal
Audience Awareness
Personal Presentation
Body Language
http://science.uniserve.edu.au/projects/skills/jantrial/communication/communication.htm
Active Listening

To achieve Active Listening:
1.
Understand your own communication style
2.
Listen With Purpose
3.
Use non-verbal communication
4.
Give feedback
Non-verbal Communication Skills
6 Ways of Using Non-verbal
Communication Skills
Effectively
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Eye contact
Facial expressions
Gestures
Posture and body orientation
Proximity
Paralinguistic