INTRODUCTION
In the modern world of science and technology where man is advancing with time,we cannot deny the fact that our education system is also being affected. However,
the success of education cannot be achieved merely by replacing human beings with technologies. It needs a right blend of both labour and scientific inventions. We
have to utilize the existing resources to improve the way we communicate with each other. To make the process of teaching–learning more effective, communication, as the most important tool, should be used in a proper way. The teacher should communicate facts, skills, ideas and attitude. However, it has been found that there are some principles of communication which may help in improving the relationship between teachers and students.
Communication is a powerful means of bringing about social change. The
revolution in media has helped in accelerating the pace of social change during the
last few decades. Teaching will only be effective if its outcome is positive. As we
know all students are not the same, additional material should be available to help
each one of them. Skinner developed one such implement known as ‘teaching
machine’. It is very helpful in the activity of memorization. In this unit, you will be
acquainted with the concept of communication, types of classroom communication,
factors affecting classroom communication, the observation schedules of classroom
interaction, Flanders’ Interaction Analysis, the process of teaching and the teaching
machine as a tool for enhancing the process of teaching.
2.1 UNIT OBJECTIVES
After going through this unit, you will be able to:
Discuss the concept and significance of communication
Explain the types of classroom communication in detail
Assess the factors affecting classroom communication
Critically analyse the observation schedules of classroom interaction
Evaluate the Flanders’ Interaction Analysis as a tool for enhancing the teacher-
learning process
Critically analyse the process of teaching, its variables and phases
Discuss the teaching machine as a tool for enhancing the process of teaching
2.2 COMMUNICATION
Man is a social animal and his ability to communicate is the prime factor that
distinguishes him from other animals. Apart from basic necessities, one needs to
be equipped with good communication skills. We always want to share our thoughts,
feelings, ideas and beliefs with other people around us. We can exchange
information through words, gestures, signs and symbols, expressions; tone. One
can also make use of technical media like telegraphy, radio, television, computer,
for interaction. This interaction is called communication. Communication, derived
from the Latin word ‘communicare’ which means ‘to share’, is the process of
transmitting information and understanding. Communication is a complex and
ongoing process. It is a process of exchanging verbal and non-verbal messages.
The way we communicate is a learned style. We grow up watching our parents
and other people communicate with each other. As adults, we can learn improved
ways of communication by observing others who communicate effectively, learning new skills and practising those skills. The ability to effectively communicate at
work, home and in life is probably one of the most important sets of skills a person
needs. In the process of teaching–learning, communication plays a very important
role. If a teacher is a good communicator, only then will he/she be able to interact
with students properly to make them understand his/her ideas or thoughts. Any
idea or thought which is not shared is of no use. Hence, communication is a must
as it involves transmission of message by a sender and its proper understanding
by the receiver.
Definitions of Communication
Some of the important definitions of the process of communication are as follows:
W.H. Newman and C.F. Summer defined communication as, ‘an exchange
of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions between two or more persons’.
According to John Hoben, ‘communication is the verbal interchange of
thoughts or ideas’.
According to Martin Anderson, ‘communication is the process, by which we
understand others and in turn, endeavour to be understood by them. It is
dynamic, constantly changing and shifting in response to the total situation’.
According to Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver, ‘communication involves
all the procedures by which one mind may affect another. This involves not
only written and oral speech, but also music, the pictorial arts, the theatre, the
ballet, and in fact all human behaviour’.
According to Merrihus, ‘communication is a process of mutual exchange of
thoughts, ideas, facts and emotions’.
According to John Dewey,‘communication is a process of sharing experiences
till it becomes a common possession’.
Characteristics of Communication
Communication has some basic characteristics, which are discussed as follows:
Purposeful: Communication always involves a purpose. Whenever an idea
or thought arises in the mind of a sender, he wants to communicate it. This
means there is always some purpose behind it. The purpose of communication
is to impact attitudes and behaviour of those involved.
Universal: Communication is the only way through which human beings can
share information. Thus, communication is a universal process as it occurs
almost everywhere.
Interactive: Interaction is the primary characteristic of communication in
which two or more persons or groups interact with each other. It may result
in social interaction. Thus, it is a two-way dynamic flow of information.
Imperfect: A perfect communication is never possible in reality because what a person thinks can never be exactly understood by the receiver. This is because every individual is different from the other and perfect synchronization of minds is never possible.
Dependent: Communication is performed with the help of some kind of
media. Communication is now carried out through various channels or modes,
ranging from sophisticated communication media and technology, to non-verbal
signals. So, it is dependent on some kind of media through which message
from one person could be sent to another.
Complex: Communication is a complex process which involves various steps.
A number of barriers can hinder this process at both ends (sender and
receiver).
Contextual: Communication always takes place within a context. The context
of communication has at least four dimensions: (i) physical, (ii) social,
(iii) psychological and (iv) temporal. These dimensions interact and influence, and are influenced by one another.
Importance of Communication
As we have already discussed, communication is nothing but the transmission and understanding of message from sender to receiver. It is a very important aspect of human life because it is only through communication that human beings can interact with each other as individuals and as independent groups. It is an essential and basic
process in all fields of life. Communication skills can be used virtually in every field.
Effective communication is important because it allows people to lead more satisfying lives.
Some other reasons that explain why communication is important are as follows:
Transmission of information: Communication is a must to transfer
information between individuals and places. Any message which is not communicated is of no use.
Displaying ideas/emotions: Whether it is in written or oral form, we always
express ourselves by communicating with others. Without communication,
we are not able to express our feeling or ideas. Hence, communication is
important to transmit emotions/ideas.
Education: The whole process of education involves imparting of knowledge
to students by the teacher. However, this knowledge is imparted by various
media which depend on communication. Education without communication is
impossible.
In building relationships: Communication plays a vital role in building
relationships between people. It facilitates dialogue, exchange of expression
and emotions which result in relationships. The type of communication decides
the relation. It could be personal or professional.
Entertainment: To break away from the daily schedule of life full of stress,
entertainment is a crucial part of everyone’s life. Nowadays, every source of
entertainment like movies, music, television shows, games, theatre or even
anecdotes narrated by people involve communication.
Achievement of goals: The ability and the importance of communication
become much more crucial when we are on a mission, or need to achieve agoal. Without a means to communicate, an organization will become isolated.
The ability to effectively communicate is very important to achieve the set
goals.
Cultural promotion: Communication offers a prospect to promote and
preserve culture and traditions. It helps people in fulfilling their desire to be creative.
Integration: It is with the help of communication that many people in a large number of countries all over the world, gain awareness related to each other’s
customs and tend to admire each other’s lifestyle and culture. It progresses
the activity of being integrated and tolerant with respect to each other.
Discussion: The processes of debating and discussing elucidate various
perspectives on matters that are of interest to people. With the help of
communication, the reasons for difference in opinions and imparting of new ideas to others can be pinpointed.
2.2.1 Communication Cycle
The process of communication consists of a message being sent and received (Figure
2.1). The effectiveness of communication can be estimated by the similarity between
the message sent and the one received.
Fig. 2.1 Communication Cycle
Thus, it is a two-way process in which information is sent by one person and
received by the other. It is a continuous process in which different steps are followed
for proper understanding and effective communication. The process of communication
can be explained with the help of a communication cycle, which involves the following:
Sender of the message: Initiation of the process of communication is done
by a sender or communicator who conceptualizes the idea that is to be transmitted. A sender is a person who initiates communication by making language or symbols to convey the message. The views, advancement, ability, mind-set, capability and awareness of the sender have a great impact
on the message. It is also very important to choose correct symbols, the audience and the environment. It is essential to select and written symbols to ensure that the message is interpreted correctly by the receiver.
Message: The process of communication begins with the finalization of the
message to be conveyed. Message is a key idea, thought, opinion, feeling,
knowledge or information, that a sender wants to communicate. A message
is sent by the source and received by the destination. It is encoded in a way
that can be understood by both the sender and the receiver. A message can
be written or oral. It may be well-organized and structured, or unorganized
and unstructured depending upon the nature of the communication. Anything
which conveys thoughts or feelings can be considered a message, for example,
a painter communicates through his paintings, a writer communicates with
the help of his writings, a dumb person communicates through symbols or
movement of fingers, an actor can convey his message through expressions.
All these examples can be considered as messages.
Channels of communication: In order to convey what the information means
to the receiver, the sender uses the process of encoding. In encoding,
information is translated into a format which can be understood by the receiver.
Information is either oral, written or visual. The medium or means which a
sender employs to convey his message is known as ‘channel of
communication’. Through this channel, the sender is connected to the receiver.
The majority of channels transfer information in either verbal or written format.
However at present, visual channels are gaining popularity due to the expansion
of technology. Some common official channels of communication are: letter,
memorandum, e-mail, telephone, fax, telegram or television. Every channel
has its own advantages and disadvantages. It is important to select a suitable
channel for communicating effectively and for correct interpretation of the
message by the receiver. For instance, written channels are more effective
when the receiver of the message is a small group of people. Similarly, the
effectiveness of oral channels is more when the receiver requires quick
feedback. Some situations require the use of both written and verbal modes
of communication. Thus, sender has to select the right kind of channel (Figure
2.3) for the message to reach the right receiver.
Receiver of the message: Once the appropriate channel is selected, the decoding stage of the message begins. The process of interpretation of the
information that is transferred is known as ‘decoding’. Decoding is done by
the receiver. The receiver interprets information that the sender sends. The
receiver translates the message in order to make the symbols meaningful. A
number of factors govern the extent to which a message is interpreted by the
decoder. Some of these factors are: the receiver’s knowledge, his sensitivity
to the message, and the degree of dependence of the encoder on the decoder.
Successful communication takes place when the receiver correctly interprets
the sender’s message.
Feedback: The most important part of the communication process is the
feedback. On the basis of this component, the sender analyses how effective
the message is. If there is no feedback, the sender would not be able to make
sure that the message has been interpreted by the receiver. There would be
no way of knowing if meaning had been shared. Once the message is received
by the receiver, he sends a response to the sender. The signal might probably
be a spoken comment, a written message, a smile, or any other similar activity.
Hence, one can assume that feedback may be in the form of words, or in the
form of smiles, and sighs.
2.2.2 Principles of Communication
At the time of communicating, it is very important to consider some of the general
principles of communication. These principles are the same for all human beings, no
matter what ethnicity or culture they may be part of. These principles help to overcome
all barriers of communication and make the process more successful. Thus, it is
important to consider some of the general principles of communication to make the
process more effective. Following are some important principles which should be
kept in mind, during the process of communication:
(i) Principle of mastery on language: Verbal communication is the most widely used form of communication. It uses language to express thoughts and ideas.
Mastery of language is vital for effective communication. The sender or source of communication should use the language which is easy for the receiver
to understand. In a classroom, the teacher should be fluent in the language which the students understand; only then it will be possible for the teacher to convey the message to students. Individuals without this mastery are prone to be misunderstood and their efforts to communicate their ideas may not be
successful. Sometimes, a teacher is very good in his subject, but it is of no use
if he is not able to communicate the knowledge to his students. Therefore,
both the teacher and the students should have a good command on the language
used to transfer knowledge in a classroom.
(ii) Principle of motivation: The level of interest of both the source of communication and the receiver should be high throughout the process of communication. Lack of motivation, interest and zeal on part of the sender or
the receiver may adversely influence the progress of communication. A
teacher cannot teach the students until they are interested in the topic being
taught. Hence, he needs to motivate the students for proper communication.
The higher the level of motivation, the better the communication.
(iii) Principle of sharing and interaction: During communication, it is important to be sensitive to the others and be aware of how the receiver is interpreting
the message. The success of communication lies in sharing and mutual
interaction between the sender and the receiver. A teacher should always
involve the students while teaching to increase interaction and effectiveness
of the teaching–learning process. Sharing of ideas and interaction between teacher and students is necessary to develop a relationship based on understanding and mutual experiences.
(iv) Principle of active listening: Listening is an important aspect of communication and this role is played by the receiver of the message. To become an effective communicator, it is very important to listen to the other person. If the sender is not a good listener, it would be very difficult to understand what someone is trying to say. A lot of misunderstanding and
misinterpretation can occur if there is lack of proper listening. Active
listening ensures that the sender’s message is received both effectively and
efficiently. A lot of misunderstanding and misinterpretation may be caused
by not listening to the other person. A listener must be able to make sense
out of what he hears, only then it will be called active listening. Although
listening is not communication in itself, it is still an integral part of communication.
(v) Principle of suitability of communication contents: The content which is to be communicated should have a definite purpose, cohesiveness and
usefulness for the receiver. The content should be suitable and appropriate
for both the sender and the receiver. The sender should be familiarized with the content to be communicated. On the receiver’s end, the content should be suitable enough to be grasped so that he can respond properly.
(vi) Principle of using appropriate channel: Selection of the wrong communication channel can cause communication obstacles and inadequate feedback. Effective communication relies on selecting an appropriate
communication channel for sending the message. While selecting the communication medium, one should keep in mind the purpose of the message.
More than one communication channel should be selected in order to reinforce
information. For example, in a classroom it is always suggested to use various
teaching aids, which may help students in better understanding of the topic being taught.
(vii) Principle of conductive environment: A conducive environment is a very vital constituent for facilitating effective communication. The communication
process should be protected from noise, disturbance, poor pronunciation, and
improper ventilation, because in the presence of all these factors,
communication may not be successful. Hence, to enhance the effectiveness
of communication, a conductive atmosphere is necessary.
(viii) Principle of competency: Competency is required at both the sender’s and receiver’s end in terms of communicating and receiving the desired information.
Both of them should possess the communication skills which help the sender
in sending the message and the receiver in receiving the message effectively.
In a classroom, the teacher must be equipped with sufficient knowledge and
skills to transfer information to the pupils.
(ix) Principle of appropriate body language: Appropriate body language also plays a very important role in the communication process. One of the most
influential modes of communication in day-to-day interaction is our body
language, which includes eye contact, gestures, body stance and facial
expressions. Individuals with improper body language are prone to be misunderstood and do not succeed in communicating their ideas. In a classroom, the teacher uses ample body language, but if it does not match
with the words conveyed, the students may get confused and that will result in poor communication.
(x) Principle of appropriate feedback: Appropriate feedback from receiving
end conveys that the message of the sender has been received and interpreted
correctly. The feedback can also work in reverse order from the source to
the receiver’s end. If a teacher gets proper feedback from the students, it
will help him understand whether the communication is effective or not. In
the same way, when students get feedback of their performance from the
teacher, they get motivated and that results in better communication. In the absence of proper feedback, communication would be incomplete and improper.
(xi) Principle of using example: The addition of examples always makes the message more interesting. For instance, various visual slides or other material related to the topic can result in better communication, especially in the classroom where the teacher has to deliver a lecture. The teacher may use a number of routine real-life examples so that his pupils understand the lesson better.
(xii) Principle of friendly nature: Friendly attitude of sender can also help in receiving the message in a better way. Fear and threat of a senior or a more qualified person may make the receiver conscious and he may not interpret the message properly. For example, if a teacher is too strict, the students will not try to clear their doubts for fear of being punished. On the other hand, if the teacher is friendly, students feel comfortable in asking questions and even giving feedback.
ALSO READ: Heredity and environment in educational technology.
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