#not just social media:
Communication Concepts & Skills
Educators Should Consider LOL!
Let’s See if We Can Cover . . . .
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What we wish communication was vs what it typically is
The Reason You Can’t and the Way You “Might Could”
Some Standards and Some Gaps in Those Standards
Age-appropriate activities
But First . . . .
What’s Your Problem?
• Identify and write down a specific unit or content area that you are not
currently happy with how you are teaching it. It has to be under your control
to change!
• Write down a “role” that is known for communicating/speaking other than a
newscaster or talk show host.
Communication
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Popular
 Transfer of meaning
 Linear: from me to you
 Tool or instrument
 Act
Sophisticated
 Co-create meanings
 Patterned
 Substance or dimension
 Being and reaction
Examples of Why This Matters
• Co-construction of social reality: “everything” is a verb
• Metaphors: to choose a word is to choose a world
So what could we teach?
• Interpersonal communication and
conversation skills
• Negotiation and debate
• Small group communication
• Intercultural communication
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Persuasion
Public Speaking
Media literacy
And More . . . .
Fascinating but . . . .
Let’s Reframe
• Speaking to Learn
• Speaking to Display Learning
• Informal Assessment
• Formal Assessment
• Anticipation
• Summary
• Raising Questions
• Providing Answers
• Affective
• Cognitive
Let’s Try It!
• Identify and write down a specific unit or content area that you are not
currently happy with how you are teaching it. It has to be under your control
to change!
• Write down a “role” that is known for communicating/speaking other than a
newscaster or talk show host.
Taking it a step further
• How would we assess (formally or informally) your activity?
• What elements and standards might be on a rubric?
• Numerous public speaking rubrics online. Key is to focus on evidence of thinking well
about the CONTENT in a speaking to learn activity.
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Causes
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A few tools . . .
• The obligations of an introduction
• The Four Ss
• Gain attention
• Signpost
• Reveal topic
• State
• Speaker connection/credibility with
• Support
topic
• Audience need for topic (WIFM)
• Preview what is coming
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• Summarize (connect to flow of speech)
Debate to Learn
• Simple debate format:
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Resolution (stated in favor of a change or position, not a question)
Affirmative Constructive: lays out “case” for the resolution
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Negative Constructive: lays out “case” against the resolution
Negative Rebuttal: takes up specific weaknesses in Affirmative
Affirmative Rebuttal: takes up specific weaknesses in Negative
Close Negative: repair and tell audience why they should vote negative
Close Affirmative: repair and tell audience why the should vote affirmative
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Motivated Sequence
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Attention – focus
Need – problem plus urgency
Plan – solution
Visualization – future + or -Action – personal step within plan
Communication is Central
• ... because there has been implanted in us the power to persuade
each other and to make clear to each other whatever we desire,
not only have we escaped the life of wild beasts, but we have
come together and founded cities and made laws and invented
arts; and, generally speaking, there is no institution devised by
man which the power of speech has not helped us to establish.
(Isocrates, Antidosis).
But integrate it as a teaching strategy and a
theme of connection rather than just another
content area
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What would a scientist say about that?
Have you seen any TV shows or TV characters that eat healthy?
Imagine you had to explain today’s lesson to a younger cousin, what would you say?
Pair up and predict what we will talk about next and share your prediction using the
format on the board.
• Can you think of a metaphor or comparison that helps us understand this better?
• Go to the right wall if you think he should go. Go to the left wall if you think he
should not go. (debate)
• But why should I let you have free time? Think and then offer sound reasons.
How to get them ready
• College is about critical thinking which means tolerance for ambiguity.
• Communication is always hard. Help them see that the goal of education is
not to make hard things easy but to make them better at hard things.
• Colleges are moving more and more toward collaborative activities. Help
them learn individual accountability but also how to work in groups. Teach
how to DO collaboration and project management. And peer to peer
accountability!
Thank you for being a
teacher!!!!!
Rick Olsen
Department of Communication Studies
UNCW
olsenr@uncw.edu