Touro Communication Club Notes #30

tourocommunicationclub.blogspot.com

We have a birthday! The Club is one year old! Our first meeting was on June 6, 2008. This was our 29^th meeting. Over this year, more than 100 Touro students stopped by for at least one opportunity to find out what was going on. In that year, the Department has held its 4^th and 5^th Speech contests. Richard Green was given the New York Times ESOL Teacher of the Year award. A debate team split off from the club and held its first public debate – on gun control.

The club has discussed a variety of Communication related topics – language, questioning, cold-calling sales, language, non-verbal communication, impromptu speaking, the Presidential campaign, the Bully Pulpit of the media and its controversial reflection of how issues are presented to the public and the recent sessions on Awareness and Memory. In last week’s session, we identified three areas of interest – the use of terminology and jargon, negotiation and the topic of “Cultural Rituals.” We decided that we would focus on cultural rituals. And Lorinda Moore will lead the discussion. This is a big step for Lorinda and everyone will help her through leading the session. She was one of the finalists in the 5th Speech contest in the Spring..

All these and many more can easily be included in any discussion about Communication. In all our sessions, our overriding goal is to increase our “Communication Competence.” Since good communication is virtually invisible, we have to identify the elements of the communication process, then figure out the many filters through which our communication goals and finally, work on putting these millions of factors together to become competent in our communication all the time, 24/7. It’s a noble aspiration but one which, I believe, will generate so many productive outcomes.

Mind you, all that we work on in Communication provides a vital tool bag to examine the Presidential campaign (Obama declaring victory, Clinton reviewing her strategy, McCain ratcheting up his attacks on Obama), the soaring gas and food prices plus the political problems in Myanmar, Zimbabwe and elsewhere. And, more closely to home, what about school and course topics? Aren’t there major Communication issues in Human Services or Computing or Business or Education or Psychology? Topics toward which we can apply our Communication microscope are everywhere.

As a final note, Touro is fortunate once again to have the Honorable Charles Rangel, the effective Harlem Congressman and Chair of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, as our SGS Graduation speaker. He spoke to the SGS graduates in 2002, the year of 9/11, and his words and style of speaking are always memorable.

We’ll continue to watch. We hope you will too!

Here’s the upcoming schedule of the Communication Club is

Wednesday, June 11, 2008 – 1 pm -Debate Team – Analysis of Video of the Final Debate

As the debate team reviews the video of their final debate, we are going to have to be brutal with ourselves. Among the items we must analyze are the format of each presentation, the reasoning, the evidence, the effectiveness of the cross-examination questions AND answers and the rebuttals. Click on the following link to see what a typical debate judge’s ballot looks like: http://www.profgreen.tv/ballot.doc then, copy the information supplied to make your own ballot by filling in the diagram below:

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 – 1 pm - Club meeting –“Cultural Rituals” led by Lorinda Moore

After the discussion on Awareness and Memory, we thought about several topics, but chose broad subject of “Cultural Rituals.” This is a milestone for the club to have a student lead the discussion. First, we have to define our terms. What is culture? What is a ritual? Once these are clarified we can then turn to various cultures and their rituals. I’m sure we will develop an enormous list of rituals in different cultures. Then we can begin a discussion of how these cultural rituals impact the communication of the people within the culture. Sounds very promising! Let’s come out to support Lorinda’s leadership!

What happened on Wednesday, June 4, 2008- Awareness II & Memory

This exciting session included 4 students and 5 faculty. Drani Gabu, Lorinda Moore and Denis Knaznev welcomed newcomer Marta Shah. Jason Carvell led the session and was joined by faculty members Richard Green, David Nussbaum, George Backinoff. Hal Wicke came at the end. David took the notes which are printed below.

Introduction

The session began with a discussion on the nature of memory and different types of memory. The relationship between attention and memory was presented as a key concept. We can view ourselves diagrammatically as a circle into data is pouring in from multiple sources and through multiple senses at times. This was represented as a circle (the receiver) and data represented as arrows penetrating the receiver’s cognitive system. The group was asked to put forth types of memory. Among those suggested aware recognitive, evocative, and associative memory. The session focused primarily on associative memory.

Exercise, Part 1

Participants were broken up into groups of two and asked to list seven concepts, messages or things, but to reduce to those to one word. For instance, “Waiting for a bus” may be reduced to wheels or transportation. Madison square part to “park and so on”. Members of each pair then read their list to their partners, who were asked to repeat the list. Individual had varying degrees of success in naming them all.

A discussion followed on devices and associative techniques, such as visualization, that can be used to aid in the process, which was then repeated.

Exercise, Part 2

Then participants assigned numbers (1 through 7) to each cue and the process was repeated. Prof. Carvell listed seven cues on the board with their corresponding numbers. Numbers were assigned and their meanings ascertained, with the mnemonic device, this time being non-verbal cues. Then, the group was read just the numbers and asked to repeat these non-verbal cues. This exercise vividly pointed out the value of assigning an association with a cue that the individual participates actively in, is clear and distinct, is exaggerated or is all of these.

A more general discussion followed on how to put the concepts learned here into practice. So, taking cues seen on the street that may otherwise not be important to the perceiver to be and assigning an association of the nature discussed was one way in which these concepts can be put into practice. The session ended with participants having more understanding of memory and more tools to aid memory than when the session started, and all felt it was a very productive session

Following Jason’s presentation, the group decided to continue meeting during the summer. We discussed several topics – terminology, jargon, negotiation, and how culture changes the language we use. We settled on “Cultural Rituals” as the formal topic and Lorinda Moore will lead the discussion. Her eyes opened extra wide as she realized what she had accepted. We assured her that she will do well.

Then Hal referred to an email that Lorinda had sent him with the question “What is an infidel?” The question generated many responses, especially from Denis and Drani as Lorinda sought to understand why people get enraged with others who don’t believe as they do.

Just trying to identify the aspects of communication that cause difficulty is an unending task. We all remain students as we seek to understand each other.

Join us as we try to promote more light than heat! See you next time. Bring a friend!

Hal Wicke