Final Discussion- Post 3

Of all the concepts we learned over the course of the semester,  nonverbal communication is my favorite. The text defines nonverbal communication as the subtle and multidimensional use of language in the form of body or facial gestures, tone of voice, turn taking, use of time, or habits or dress or hairstyle (Harris & Sherblom, 2011, p. 78). The concept of nonverbal communication stands out to me because I feel it is a vital component of most conversations. I personally favor face-to-face communication and over the phone conversation due to this aspect alone. It is easy for messages sent via text to be lost in translation since there are very little nonverbal indicators to be recognized. However, in-person and over the phone messages are much more easy to interpret through reading ones facial expression or tone of voice. Overall, the section on nonverbal communication just reinforced its significance of its role in conversation and communication in general.

Final Discussion- Post 2

Overall, this class has taught me how to work effectively in a group environment. Everything I have learned through the course of the semester is valuable information that will be of use to me throughout my life. Furthermore, the skills I picked up in this class will be extremely useful for my future career since I will most likely be interacting with a group on a daily basis. My favorite thing about the class was the way it was setup. The format was very easy to follow and I liked that each week the agenda was for the most part routine. I guess my least favorite aspect would be the 12 hours that are required between each discussion post; however, I do understand the purpose. In terms of improvement, I can’t think of any area in particular that I would adjust or change. I have taken several online classes and the ones I have taken with professor Perez have been my favorite.

Final Discussion- Post 1

Looking back, I do think that the Group Observation Project was a useful project. This term I was also enrolled in Comm 156i- Qualitative Communication in which the main assignment for the class was a semester-long research project. This project was similar to the Group Observation in that they both required the use of observations; however, Comm 156 required interviews and surveys in addition to the observations. Though the content of the assignments were different, I feel both projects helped me greatly in terms of identifying and interpreting group behaviors. In regards to this class, the Group Observation Project was very beneficial as it allowed us a chance to apply what we had learned through the course of the semester. I also feel that the Movie Review/Analysis Paper was a good introduction to the Group Observation Project since it prepared us on how to observe a group before we had to do so first hand. Overall I thought the Group Observation Project was structured well and can’t think of anything in particular I would change.