Chapter 1: Understanding 21st Century Communication

Lesson 1: Communication Process, Principles, and Ethics

Initializing:

Communication is inevitable. Our need for self-expression leads us to

communicate not only our thoughts but also our feelings. Communications
may be done verbally or non-verbally. A simple yawn from a member of the
audience in a public speaking engagement is non-verbal message sent to the
speaker. On the other hand a phone call inquiring about certain product is an
example of a verbal message

Concept Grounding:

Communications is understood as the process of meaning-making

through a channel or a medium. It comes from the Latin communicares,
meaning to share or to make ideas common. The connection that
encompasses interaction among partakers is the center of your learning of
communication

The Components of the Communication Process

Understanding the communication process may help you became a

better communicator.

1. Source
The sender carefully crafts the message, the sender may be
anyone: an author of the book, a public speaker in a special
occasion or even a traffic enforcer
2. Message
The message is the reason behind any interaction. It is the
meaning shared between the sender and the receiver messages
take many forms. They could mean poems, songs, essays, news
articles, road signs and even symbols.
3. Channel
The channel is the means by which a message is conveyed.
When we answer a phone call, the phone is the channel. On the
other hand, when your parents receive a notification of your
absences from school, the channel is a letter is a letter. It is the
responsibility of both the sender and the receiver to choose the
best channel for interaction.
4. Receiver
The receiver is the person who receives the transmitted
message. The receiver may be a part of a audience in a public
speaking event, a reader of a letter or a driver who reads road
signs the receiver is expected to listen or read carefully, to be
aware of different kinds of sender to jot down information when
needed, to provide response and to ask question for clarification
5. Feedback
In any communication scenario, a feedback is essential to
confirm recipient understanding. Feedbacks, like messages, are
expressed in varied forms. A simple nod for a question of
verification is considered a feedback. Thus, feedbacks may be
written, spoken or acted out.
6. Environment
The place, the feeling, the mood, the mind set and the condition
of both sender and receiver are called environment. The
environment may involve the physical set-up of a location where
communication takes place, the space occupied by both the send
and the receiver, including the objects surrounding the sender
and receiver.
7. Context
Context involves the expectations of the sender and the receiver
and the common or shared understanding through the
environment signal.
8. Interference
Interference is also known as barrier of block that prevents
effective communication to take place.

Kinds of Interference
a. Psychological barriers are thoughts that hamper the
message to be interpreted correctly by the receiver.
b. Physical barriers include competing stimulus, weather and
climate, health and ignorance of medium.
c. Linguistic and cultural barriers pertain to be language and
its cultural environment. Words may mean another in
different cultures.
d. Mechanical barriers are those raised by the channels
employed for interpersonal, group or mass communication
these include cellphones, laptop and other gadgets used in
communications
The Nine Principles of Effective Communication

Michael Osborn (2009) claims that communication must meet certain

standards for effective communication to take place.

1. Clarity
Clarity makes speeches understandable. Fuzzy language is
absolutely forbidden, as are jargons, cliché expression,
euphemisms and doublespeak language.
2. Concreteness
Concreteness reduces misunderstanding. Messages must be
supported by facts such as research data, statistics or figures. To
achieve concreteness, abstract words must be avoided
3. Courtesy
Courtesy builds goodwill. It involves being polite in terms of
approach and manner of addressing an individual.
4. Correctness
Glaring mistakes in grammar obscures the meaning of a
sentence. Also, the misuse of language can damage your
credibility.
5. Consideration
Messages must be geared towards the audience. The sender of a
message must be consider the receipt’s profession, level of
education, race, ethnicity, hobbies, interest, passions,
advocacies, and age when drafting or delivering a message.
6. Creativity
Creativity in communication means having ability to craft
interesting messages in terms of sentence structure and word
choice.
7. Conciseness
Simplicity and directness help you to be concise. Avoid using
lengthy expression and words that may confuse the receipt.
8. Cultural Sensitivity
Today, with the increasing emphasis on empowering diverse
culture, lifestyles, and races and the pursuit for gender equality,
cultural sensitivity becomes an important standard for effective
communication.
9. Captivating
You must strive to make messages interesting to command more
attention and better responses.
Ethical Consideration in Communication

Ethics is a branch of philosophy that focuses on issues of right and

wrong in human affairs.

Ethical Communicators:

1. Respect audience.
2. Consider the result of communication.
3. Value truth
4. Use information correctly.
5. Do not falsify information.

Lesson 2: Communication and Globalization

Initializing:

Globalization is the communication and assimilation among individuals,

ethnicities, races, institution, governments of various nations supported by
technology and compelled by international trade. Due to globalization, the
more you become exposed to diversity- the valuing of the uniqueness or
differences in gender preferences, color, age, religious affiliation, ethnicity,
education, social and economic status and political beliefs.

Globalization is not a new process or concept. Years before the advent of

technology, people had been purchasing and selling each other properties,
goods and other objects of certain value.
 Communication has since been increasingly global, blurring national
boundaries.
The ability to communicate effectively in a global setting can be a challenge.
Hence, to effectively communicate in a global context, a general
understanding of the differences in conducting communication from one
country to another or from one culture to another helps avoid
miscommunication.

People’s background and experiences influence their view of the world

and the values, beliefs and behavior patterns assumed to be good. The
following are possible cultural barriers to effective communication in a global
environment:

1. Cultural relativism
2. Lack of Knowledge of others’ culture
3. Discrimination and Harassment
4. Language differences

To get the desired outcome or response, the above barriers must be

properly addressed. It is the responsibility of the parties involved in the
communication process to eliminate the possible hindrances in their
exchange. The goal of effective global communication is to achieve
communication that gets the desired response leading to harmonious
connections. Krizan (2014) suggest these strategies to become an effective
global communicator.
1. Review Communication Principles.
2. Analyze the message receiver.
3. Be open to an accepting of other cultures.
4. Learn about cultures and apply what is learned.
5. Consider language needs.

Lesson 3: Local and Global Communication in Multi-Cultural Settings

Initializing
 Living in a globalization world, you encounter people with diverse
cultural backgrounds. Such interactions occur in social, educational, political
and commercial setting. Hence, in today’s era of increased global
communication, it is imperative to understand intercultural communications
for us to enhance out intercultural awareness and competence. Intercultural
competence is essential for us to live harmoniously despite our differences in
culture.

Concept Grounding

Intercultural communication refers to interaction with people from

diverse cultures (Jandt, 1998).

Forms of intercultural communications (Jandt, 1998)

1. Interracial communications- communicating with people

from different races
Interethnic communications – interacting with people of
different ethnic origins
2. International communications- communicating between
representatives from different nations
3. Intercultural communications- interacting with members of
the same racial or ethnic group or co-culture.

According to Gamble and Gamble (2008), communication style among

cultures differs; it may be high-context or low-context communication.

High-context communications is a tradition-linked communication

system which adheres strongly to being indirect. Low-context
communication is a system that works on straightforward
communication.

Improving Intercultural Communications Competence

The following guidelines may help you enhance your ability to

communicate effectively across cultures (Gamble and Gamble, 2008).

1. Recognize the validity and differences of communication styles among

people.
2. Learn to eliminate personal biases and prejudices.
3. Strive to acquire communication skills necessary in a multicultural
world.
 Lesson 4: Varieties and Registers of Spoken and Written Language

Initializing

The spoken mode is often associated with everyday registers while the
written mode is strongly associated with academic registers. However, this is
not always true. For instance, in everyday communication, face-to-face
conversations are usually supplemented by text messaging. In academic
contexts, significant forms of oral communication are characterized by mult-
modality or the use of multiple modes of communication, including spoken,
written modes and images, music, videos, gestures, etc.

Concept Grounding

A. Varieties of Spoken and Written Language

Lin (2016) presents the following nature of language variation as

prescribed by most linguists based on the ideas of Mahboob (2014).

1. Language varies when communicating with people within (local) and

outside (global) our community.
2. Language varies in speaking and in writing.
3. Language varies in everyday and specialized discourses.

Mahboob (2014) identifies eight domains in which language varies

depending on the combinations of different values on the three dimensions
(field, tenor and mode) of the context of communication

The first four domains include language variations that reflect local usage
done in one local language or multiple local languages depending on the
context. They vary in the following ways:

1. Local everyday written

This may include instances of local everyday written usage found

in the neighborhood posters (e.g. a poster looking for transient/bed
spacers).
 2. Local everyday oral may occur in local communication among
neighbors in everyday, informal and local varieties of languages.
3. Local specialized written
An example of local specialized written usage can be found in the
publications and web sites of local societies such as the Baguio
midland courier.
4. Local specialized oral involves specialized discourses. For example, in a
computer shop in the neighborhood, specialized local usage can be
found (e.g. specialized computer game-related vocabulary is used).
On the other hand, the other four domains involve global usage.
These four domains of language usage differ from the first domains
since they refer to context of language usage where participants need
to communicate with people not sharing their local ways of using
language.

They are as follow:

5. Global everyday written avoids local colloquialisms to make the text

accessible to wider communities of readers. This can be found in
international editions of newspaper and magazines.
6. Global every oral may occur in interaction between people coming
from different parts of the world when they talk about everyday casual
topic.
7. Global specialized written expands to as many readers internationally,
hence the non-usage of local colloquial expressions(e.g. international
research journal articles)
8. Global specialized oral occurs when people from different parts of the
world discuss specialized topics in spoken form(e.g. paper presentation
sessions in an international academic conference).

Lesson 5: Evaluating Messages and/or Images of Different Types of

Texts Reflecting Different Cultures

Initializing:

The Key Concepts of Media Literacy framework serves as a basis for

developing a critical understanding of the content of mass Media, the
Techniques used and the impact of these techniques. Also, the Key Concepts
of Media Literacy can be very helpful in the construction of Media texts for
different purposes. The term “text” includes any form of written, spoken or
media work conveying meaning to an audience. Text may use words,
graphics, sounds and images in presenting information. It may also be in
oral, print, visual or electronic forms.

Concept Grounding:

Key Concepts of Media Literacy (Center for Media Literacy, 2005)

Key Concepts Guide Question in Media Text

Analysis
1. All media messages are 1. What is the message of the text?
“constructed” 2. How effectively does it represent
reality?
3. How is the message constructed?
2. Media have embedded values 1. What lifestyle, values and points of
and points of view. view are represented in the text?
2. Who or what is missing?

3. Each person interprets messages 1. What message do you perceive

differently. from the text?
2. How might others understand it
differently? Why?
4. Media have commercial, 1. What is the purpose of the text?
ideological or political interests. 2. Who is the target audience of the
text?
3. Who might be disadvantage?
4. Who created the text and why?

5. Media messages are constructed 1. What techniques are used and

using a creative language having why?
its own rules. 2. How effective are the techniques
in supporting the messages or
themes of the text?
3. What are other ways of presenting
the message?

Chapter 2: Communication Aids and Strategies Using Tools of

Technology

Lesson 6: Preparing Multimedia Presentation

Initializing:
 In today’s digital society, communication is mediated using
technology. For communication to be more effective, it is imperative to know
technology works, what purpose it can serve and how it can be used
efficiently and effectively used to achieve specific goals in the
communication process.

Concept Grounding:

In preparing multimedia for various communications purposes, it is

important to consider the following:

A. Characteristics of multimedia Presentations

1. Multimedia presentation are visually oriented (displayed on
a monitor or projected onto a screen).
2. They allow users to use different modalities such as:
a. Text
b. Graphics
c. Photographs
d. Audio
e. Animation
f. Video

Special features of computer-based presentations

1. Custom navigation (linking) between slides,

other media and to the internet
2. Can be made into hard copy printouts or
transparencies
3. Can be uploaded to the web
B. Steps in making effective multimedia presentations
1. Know the purpose of presentation.
2. Know the audience
3. Gather information
4. Use a variety of resources such as:
a. Textbooks
b. Digital resources
 Photographs
 Scanned images, student works
c. Internet

5. Do not forget to cite sources.

 a. Write the author’s name, title of the work and the
date of publication.
b. Include the website or web page address of the
source.
c. In general, non-profit educational use of online
materials for the lecture qualities as “fair use” but it
is better to ask the author’s permission to use such
material.
d. Always have full bibliographic reference for all
citations.
6. Organize the information.
a. List the main points
b. Have only one main idea per slide
c. Present ideas in logical order
d. Place important information near the top.
7. Check technical issues.
a. Contrast
 Dark text on light background
 White text on dark background
b. Use only one design and color scheme throughout
the slide presentation
c. Avoid clutter.
d. Avoid patterned or textured backgrounds.
e. Use large font size (minimum 18 points)
f. Use fonts that are easy to read. Don’t use fancy
fonts.
g. Avoid too much text. Don’t use the presentation as
your notes
h. Don’t use more than two types of fonts
i. Use no more than 3 or 4 bullets
8. Be creative
a. Use transition and animations to add interest.
b. But do not overdo it!
 Lesson 7: Preparing Pecha Kucha Presentation

Initializing:

Pecha Kucha is a 20-slide power point presentation which moves

automatically to each succeeding slide every after 20 seconds. This
presentation is very helpful to keep track of the time.

Concept Grounding:

Watch how to make a Pecha Kucha Presentation at

https:/www.youtube.com/ watch?v=19zxNTpNMLo

Remember:

1. Open the power point. Select black layout or simply press CTRL N or
Command N
2. Duplicate the blank slides. Make sure that you have 20 blank slides.
3. Select all the slide (you can use CTRL A). make sure to remove the
check mark on the “on mouse click” then modify the transition
speed to 20 seconds
4. Insert and resize images
5. After saving the pecha kucha presentation, check the speed of
transition. Make sure that the save speed for all slides is 20
seconds.
6. Practice your narration with Pecha Kucha presentation. You can
record your narration in the power point presentation.

Lesson 8: Blogging

Initializing:

In today’s digital world, blogging has become one of the effective ways
of communicating and networking among students, professionals,
businessmen, public officials, etc. in other words, blogging has become an
indispensable medium of communication. In the same manner, blogging can
be used effectively for academic purposes. According to Richardson (2006),
the use of blogs has been an engaging and effective way to promote writing
skills of primary students, particularly when student peers provide feedback
to the blog.

Concept Grounding:

What is Blog?

A shortened form of weblog, blogs are personal journal website on

which a user can type an entry add images, video and links to other
websites. Usually, readers of a blog can post comments.

Similar with essay writing there are effective ways of introducing a

blog. Read Michael Pollock’s blog at https://www.michaeldpollock.com/open-
your-blog-post/

Remember to:

1. Be short and direct.

2. Ask a thought-provoking question
3. Ask a multiple-choice question.
4. Share a shocking fact or statistic.
5. Share something personal.
6. Withhold a compelling piece of information
7. Refute conventional wisdom
8. Lead with success story
9. Start with reader’s question
10. Share a quote