Sherley Tobar : Blog post (1,000 words)

 Throughout the week different groups have been presenting on  different sections of our book. Each  group's  presentation  focused on important topics about our ability to communicate and what to consider when we do so. The first group presented Intercultural Communication. I found this presentation very interesting because they used different types of interactive videos throughout their presentation that explained each term in their section in detail. Even  though we might all know what race or culture is; it is important to know how these different factors can affect the result of what is being said or what wants to be said. The presenter in the presentation gave an example on how there are actions or expressions used in the United States, that in another place it is perceived and viewed differently.  They gave an example of different cultural etiquette. They talked about how in China the slurping of noodles means that the food is delicious, and, in contrast in the United States, it is viewed as rude and disturbing. This group did an awesome job presenting and explaining in detail what every vocabulary or term meant and how it came together with our ability to communicate effectively. I like the way they used videos to explain most of their slides because it made it more entertaining to watch.  Group 2 presented Communicating in Groups. This is a very important topic because as the group said, we use this skill in our daily life and it is essential for everything. The presentation talked about how our ability to effectively communicate  with a group can open many doors in our lives. They gave us tips on how we should  interact when we work together with other people. The presentation talked about how  every party in the group should understand with clarity what was being talked about in a meeting setting. One of the presenters went over that  when we communicate in groups in a work environment, it is important to listen to everyone and also take notes of what is being said if necessary. This group did a very well job explaining how ideal it is to have this useful  skill and how to use it in a way that it benefits us in different environments, such as work, school, meetings and group projects. Group 3 talked about Group Leadership and Problem Solving. This group executed their presentation in an entertaining way. They used a theme from the show called "friends" and used a lot of gif to explain there slides. They did this  to be more interactive and relate to the viewers. The presentation was well organized and  it went over how to effectively meeting  and what role a leader has in a group. The presentation went over different roles that can play in a group meeting. They talked about different roles such as  logistics coordinators,expeditors, gatekeepers, and recorders. This group focused on how to meet effectively and some ways they discussed are to keep the meeting on track and encourage input from all members of a group. The presenters talked about how important it is to prepare before the meeting. To do so they went through how to  prepare  an agenda and how to do an outline for the meeting.  They also have tips on how to be interactive with people in a meeting. During the meeting they talked about monitoring interaction and time. Another important topic this group talked about was  how to effectively  solve a problem in a meeting or as a group. The presenter  talked about how it is important to make sure everyone in the group understands the problem in a simple and clear way to make sure it is solved. This group went over an important part about solving a problem; it is ideal to target a problem from the root and not the symptoms. This is very true because if the group targets just the symptoms of the problem, it will not reassure them that it won’t happen again.  Overall, every presentation did a very good job explaining thoroughly their chapter. These presentations taught me a lot of new things. It went over things I already knew but didn’t know how it can affect the way we communicate with others. I can say that all the tips they went over in each slide and overall presentation can be very useful for our future. I like that the  skills presented are very diverse and they can be implemented in many ways. The topic of communication is very complex, but by using a lot of graphics it simplified it in a way I’m sure all the viewers understood. This introduction to speech communication is very useful to understand more complex things regarding language barriers or cultural differences. These presentations went over the basic layout of how communication should be and what to consider when communicating to others. Some of the things explained in the presentation are things I have done before, such as preparing an agenda. I am part of my leadership in my church's youth group and it is true that to be able to communicate with people you need to have appropriate replies because according to how you handle a meeting and talk, that is how people are going to treat you in the future. When I hold meetings, I like to make sure everyone is understanding what I’m saying by expressing it in a simple way. I also prepare PowerPoints because some people are visual learners. Like said in a presentation, you always need to schedule the next meeting and I have done that myself.  These presentations were very beneficial for all of us because it gave us tips and knowledge on small things that we would have never known about on how it affects our ability to communicate and grow in many areas. Communication is very important because if we do it effectively then it can be very useful and beneficial for us in many aspects of our future and even present.