Week 16 # 1

Bordia ( 1997) reviewed the ways in which communication mediated communication(CMC) groups differ from Face to Face(FTF) groups is because CMC groups generally take longer to complete task, and in the same time period CMC groups produce fewer remarks than FTF groups do (pg.297). How I view this concept is a CMC is through the internet source which small groups don’t often meet up, but rather discuss information through email or web. In doing this it makes assignments much hard and longer to do because some people may not check their email as often as others. This then can lead to confusions and other group members feeling there’s no other input because people don’t stay on top of it. On the other hand a face to face communication is small groups that often meet up in person to discuss the issues. Additionally a face to face communication makes it easier for groups because everybody can give input and shoot out ideas which can help other members of the group on their ideas. Also, being able to meet up and discuss issues makes it easier to fix the problems and make changes right then instead of having to wait for an email response which could take 2 or 3 days to get an answer. I feel that a face to face action would be considerable way to get things done, however, depending on the social norms and how a person is they may prefer to work alone and just communicate through web.

Week 16 # 3

Throughout my school year I have experience different communication classes that I learned different methods of communicating. However, each of my courses had some type of small group presentation format. One of these formats that we tend to see the most in my courses is the panel format. This discussion often follows the problem-solving. I understand that we used these concepts in our public speaking classes all the way to argument and debate classes. Nevertheless, this concept gives the audience an insight on the view of a topic from more than one member and their solution for the problem. This concept helps the presenter think and try to convince the audience that his presentation is worth listening too and accepted. In addition, this is commonly concept we see in debates that are present in front of large audiences of bias people that must be convince that your solution to the problem is better than the next idea giving. Pursing this further, we tend to use this format in such professional work. When it comes to meetings or even conventions that pertains you to speak and talk about a product that a customer should by and why. Therefore, small groups can help organize group’s discussion and facilitate a group’s interaction with a larger audience.

Week 16 #2

Hey classmates and fellow bloggers that in doing my observation outside group project I learned so much that we do in small groups that we have no idea is happening without observing it from the outside. The group I choose was the Residencies Hall Association known as the RHA that works on campus to build a community for the fellow students on campus. Their usefulness on campus is to provide programs and activities for the fellow students to get involve in their campus and meet new friends along the way. While observing this group I learned that it is built up of different diversities and cultural views. Each member was from a different cultural form but all had one objective in their heads which was to build a community for the students. On the other hand, each member of the group all had equal amount of responsibility was held accountable for, yet these members were all leaders in some way, it was clear who was in charge of the meetings and the overall program itself. I was interest in doing this project because it just helped me look at small groups in a different way. Although we may be a part of our own small groups, we tend to overlook our tendencies and actions because we cannot see what we are really doing. By observing this group I learned how norms of social groups interact and how people voice their opinions and hold back what they say based off of gender and race. This project help me conclude a lot and understand that everything we do in small groups whether its non-verbal or verbal all have actions that can be described in a simple concept. I observed the group I did because we are all part of a college society and wanting to move to the next step of adult hood, but why not network along because some of your peers can help you also through your journey. We are all different in such a way but similar because we all want to accomplish great things and succeed. This project was fun an exciting I learned new things each time.

Week 14 #1

Well being able to be a Communication Major at San Jose State, I have to say that the panel for public presentation is one of my favorite. I chose the panel because it gives people a chance to argue the problem and even come up with possibilities to a solution. Generally speaking, when a controversial topic is on the board, it’s hard to have a good discussion without feelings or emotions taking a part in the situation where nobody gets a point across because people will interrupt when they feel needed. However, by keeping the format informal it makes it easier for the audience to stay in tune and interacting with the message that the speaker is trying to present. The panel must agree on basic definitions, parameters of the problem to be discussed, the questions or issues to be considered, speaker time limits, and the order of the speaker. (pg. 220) Following this further, we tend to see this in a debate format and speeches that have multiple people speaking. However, I feel this is the best way to make a public presentation because people get the opportunity to hear different views and ideas on similar topics that are presented.

Week 14 # 2

Collaborative in the book is ideal conflict resolution strategy for any group is of win-win or consensus (pg.232). What this means to me is that everybody has equal membership to the groups decisions and nobody in the group is better than another. One example I used collaborative conflict resolution is in a group environment. Generally speaking when groups have projects every group member all have the same mentality and same mind set of getting a good grade on assignments. However, when putting ideas out we have disagreements towards them, yet this is still a part of the collaboration because it’s focusing on the main objective at hand, which is the final results. Collaboration can involve strong disagreements, but they focus on the problem-solving issues not personalities or positions (McNary, 2003) Nevertheless, we tend to use this tool in our group projects or even group activities to obtain the main goal together. However, with the competitive conflict it has a win-lose orientation. It is marked by itself, rather than mutual interest, and by an assumption of limited resources and limited possibilities for gain. (pg. 235) For example, big sports fanatics will be a part of the competitive conflict especially if they have a favorite team or player they like. Additionally, people do not have the same feeling and mentality about certain teams or players. Generally speaking, we tend to argue stats, wins-loses, and even career sometime. However, as long as the conflict doesn’t arise on a personal level then this competition is fun. Nevertheless, I have to say competitive conflict is always interesting to me and satisfying because if you try to down play my team I’ll have to tell you a little about my team and then you understand why my team is the best.

Week 14#3

This week topic that I saw interesting to me was the concept of brainstorming in creative problem solving. What makes this interesting to me is that during this process of coming up with ideas, we tend to find techniques and ways to incorporate our ideas to find solutions to our problems. Additionally, our ideas we come up with are “free wheeling”, meaning that we throughout ideas to get other members of the group brain following and bring out their creative mind. No one idea is greater than the others but it makes it easier for other members to get clear ideas in their head to come up with the solution to the problem too. Brainstorming is one of many ways to enhance creativity in the group process. (pg.205) For instance, while working in groups we tend to all set out plans and ideas to come to the overall goal. Yet, sometime groups get stuck on one idea, by being able to input ideas that can help the team, can make goals and objectives must easier because it’s more brains on one topic. Therefore, by having more than one brain on a topic gives the group more creative support to help them find the solution to their problem solving.

Week 13 # 2

Cultural barriers include a requirement for conformity, an expectation of practicality and efficiency, particular arenas for competition or cooperation, an expectation of politeness and following rules for social order, a reliance on statistical proofs, a dependence on generalizations, a trust in the power of reason and logic, a belief in an either/ or perspective on issues, and a reliance on expert knowledge. (pg 188) With that said cultural barriers are all around us especially within are ethnicity and group norms we establish. I say this because within the African American ethnicity we tend to have certain slang terminology that is fit for a particular group. Following this further, when a member that isn’t a part of the group norm tend to get overlooked or not recognize because they don’t get accepted due to their culture. Besides that, cultural barriers have played an effect on creativity because of group norms that involves negativity in doing new things. For example, when a group member suggests an idea to the group and member says that impossible or that will not work shows that they are jealous because they couldn’t come up with an idea that they group sees as an interest. Additionally, cultural barriers play an effect in how we judge an individual and there standards. When meeting a new member we have to come off as cool a polite just to get in good with the individual we trying to meet, nevertheless, we have follow their boundaries and concepts before we can express our own ideas and rules. Personally I have experience a cultural norm especially when dealing with barriers in a work force with different ethnicities in a diverse group of people. Therefore, when I suggest ideas or give my opinion I am judge based on my cultural ethnicity because my ideas maybe different or outside the box from someone of a different race. Clearly, then I feel like I was in a competition for ideas and social order because I couldn’t get my idea past without them basing my opinion of my ethnicity. Nevertheless I had to overcome this by introducing myself and presenting myself beyond my cultural boundaries and showing that my ideas are in a creative response and can handle challenges.