Understanding Human Communication

 Understanding Human Communication

Dis 2

For your second post of the week, choose one of the three enduring themes (symbolic activities, meaning, and ethics) described at the end of chapter 2 and apply your chosen theme to a real life example of communication in the mediated world. You will notice some examples have been provided for each of the themes.  Try to avoid simple repetition of these examples.  As will be the case going forward, we are looking for direct connections between communication principles we are learning and your life.

Dis 3

For this week’s post, discuss how you communicate with people both online and face-to-face. What differences can you identify in how you communicate in each medium?  What differences can you identify in how others communicate with you online and in person?  Be sure to contextualize examples from your life with concepts from Chapter 3.

Dis 4

For the first post of the week, think about the regulative and constitutive rules you follow in your verbal communication.  For each item listed below, identify two rules that guide your verbal behavior.

Regulative Rules:  List rules that regulate your verbal communication when:

• Interacting at dinnertime

• Greeting casual friends on campus

• Talking with professors

Constitutive Rules:  How do you use verbal communication to show:

• Trustworthiness

• Anger

• Ambition

Dis 5

For your second post of the week, view the video clip, “Do it yourself, Mr. Bean” located in Week 3 of the Content area.  Identify 5 nonverbal behaviors and assess the intended and actual meaning of each behavior. 

Dis 6

In the first posting of the week, review the types of ineffective listening discussed in the chapter.  Select one type of ineffective listening in which you engage and discuss how you can work to minimize it in your future interactions. 

Dis 7

For your second post of the week, view the "Changes in Climate" video in Week 4 of the content area.  Identify at least three communication behaviors that contribute to a defensive climate. Then, re-write each corresponding statement using communication that creates a supportive climate. Finally, choose an example from your life where this skill would have been a benefit to you.

Dis 8

For the first post of the week, watch the video David Bowie:  Spiders from Mars (segments 1 through 5) found in Week 5 of the Content area.  Utilizing concepts from chapters 8 & 9, discuss the relevance of the video clips to your understanding of Culture & Identity.   

Note:  Even though segments 1-5 are the only required viewing for the week, please feel free to watch more segments of the video to further your discussion posts.

( You may have to google video, you’ve done this assignment before)

Dis 9

More and more people are choosing to use social media outlets for creating, maintaining, and dissolving relationships. For your second post of the week, create a Twitter-like post about relationships. 

Note: You are not required to post about specific relationships in your life, unless of course you want to. Instead, you may focus on any of the concepts from Chapter 10, as it pertains to your view of relationships.

One of the key features of Twitter posts is the limit of 280 characters. To help you achieve this goal, you may use this helpful tool to help you track your characters. Hashtags are completely acceptable.

Finally, briefly describe your experience in using this medium to describe a complex and broad topic.

Dis 10

For the first post of the week, watch the video Understanding Accountability (Segments 1-3) found Week 6 of the Content area.  Utilizing concepts from chapters 11 & 12, discuss the relevance of the video clip to your understanding of Group Work and Organizations.  

Dis 11

For your second post of the week, think of a group that you are presently a part of or have been a part of in the recent past (within the last 2 years). Provide the following information about that group and its communication. (You do not need to give the name the group.)

1. Briefly describe the group for your classmates, including purpose, goals, and size of the group and why you were a part of it (3-4 sentences).

2. Describe the types of communication in the group: climate, procedural, task, and egocentric. Give specific examples of the communication used for each type (3-5 sentences for each type). Discuss the outcome of the group. Were the goals of the group accomplished? What were your personal feelings about the group?

3. If the group work could be redone, what would you change about yourself or others? (5-10 sentences)

Dis 12

Submit your topic choice and ideas for the Final Project (Interactional Encounter Video). While this is an ungraded discussion, you will not be able to submit your final project to the Dropbox until it is completed.

Will submit instructions for this assignment

Dis 13

For the first post of the week, make a list of the forms of mass media you use most often.  Include newspapers, books, magazines, television, types of films, radio, and so forth.  How do your choices of mass media reflect and shape your identity and your social perspectives?

Dis 14

For your second post of the week, reflect on your involvement with digital media.  How many devices do you own?  How much of the time is at least one device on?  How often are you totally disconnected?  What is gained and lost by your choices of how much to be connected?

Dis 15

In the last discussion of this class, reflect on what you have learned in the class. What concept or information has been the most significant to you?