ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS

DEVELOPING COMMUNICATION SKILL THROUGH WEB 2.O

R.KARTHICK

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN ENGLISH (EDUCATION)

What is Web 2.0 technology?

Web 2.0 is the term used to describe a variety of web sites and applications that allow anyone to create and share online information or material they have created. A key element of the technology is that it allows people to create, share, collaborate & communicate. Web 2.0 differs from other types of websites as it does not require any web design or publishing skills to participate, making it easy for people to create and publish or communicate their work to the world.

The nature of this technology makes it an easy and popular way to communicate information to either a select group of people or to a much wider audience. The University can make use of these tools to communicate with students, staff and the wider academic community. It can also be an effective way to communicate and interactwith students and research colleagues. There are number of different types of web 2.0 applications including wikis, blogs, social networking, folksonomies, podcasting & content hosting services. Many of the most popular websites are Web 2.0 sites such as Wikipedia, YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, Flickr. There are number of different types of web 2.0 applications including wikis, blogs, social networking, folksonomies,podcasting & content hosting services. Many of the most popular websites are Web 2.0 sites such as Wikipedia,YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, Flickr.

Wikis

A wiki is a collaborative website that anyone within the community of users can contribute to or edit. A wiki can be open to a global audience or can be restricted to a select network or community. Wikis can cover a specific topic or subject area. Wikis also make it easy to search or browse for information. Although primarily text, wikis can also include images, sound recordings & films. Wikipedia http://.wikipedia.org the free internet encyclopedia is the most well known wiki.

Blogs

            A blog is a contraction of the words web log. Blogs usually provide commentary or information on a particular issue, event or topic. In some cases, blogs can be about a particular person; an online, public, personal diary. A blog is usually maintained by a single person or a small group of contributors. Visitors to the blog can comment on the entries made or respond to comments made by other visitors. Blogs are primarily text but

can also be the form of photos or other images, sounds, or films

Communication is generally classified into a couple of types. The classifications include:

• Verbal and non-verbal
• Technological and non-technological
• Mediated and non-mediated
• Participatory and non-participatory

Four Types of Communication

            Communication is the process of exchanging information in the form of messages, symbols, thoughts, signs, and opinions. There are mainly four types of communication, which are used in varying ways depending on the medium used or the way in which information is exchanged.

Verbal Communication
            Verbal communication include sounds, words, language, and speech. Speaking is an effective way of communicating and helps in expressing our emotions in words. This form of communication is further classified into four types, which are:

1. Intrapersonal Communication
            This form of communication is extremely private and restricted to ourselves. It includes the silent conversations we have with ourselves, wherein we juggle roles between the sender and receiver who are processing our thoughts and actions. This process of communication when analyzed can either be conveyed verbally to someone or stay confined as thoughts.

2. Interpersonal Communication
            This form of communication takes place between two individuals and is thus a one-on-one conversation. Here, the two individuals involved will swap their roles of sender and receiver in order to communicate in a clearer manner.

3. Small Group Communication
            This type of communication can take place only when there are more than two people involved. Here the number of people will be small enough to allow each participant to interact and converse with the rest. Press conferences, board meetings, and team meetings are examples of group communication. Unless a specific issue is being discussed, small group discussions can become chaotic and difficult to interpret by everybody. This lag in understanding information completely can result in miscommunication.

4. Public Communication
            This type of communication takes place when one individual addresses a large gathering of people. Election campaigns and public speeches are example of this type of communication. In such cases, there is usually a single sender of information and several receivers who are being addressed.

Nonverbal Communication

      ➜ Nonverbal communication manages to convey the sender's message without having to use words.

➜ This form of communication supersedes all other forms because of its usage and effectiveness. Nonverbal communication involves the use of physical ways of communication, such as tone of the voice, touch, and expressions.

➜ Symbols and sign language are also included in nonverbal communication. Body posture and language convey a lot of nonverbal messages when communicating verbally with someone.

➜ Folded arms and crossed legs are some of the defensive nonverbal signals conveyed by people. Shaking hands, patting and touching, express feelings of intimacy. Facial expressions, gestures and eye contact are all different ways of communication. Creative and aesthetic nonverbal forms of communication include music, dancing and sculpturing.


Written communication

      ➜ Written communication is the medium through which the message of the sender is conveyed with the help of written words.

➜ Letters, personal journals, e-mails, reports, articles, and memos are some forms of written communication.

➜ Unlike other forms of communication, written messages can be edited and rectified before it is communicated to the receiver. Thereby, making written communication an indispensable part of informal and formal communication.

➜ This form of communication encapsulates features of visual communication as well, especially when the messages are conveyed through electronic devices such as laptops, phones, and visual presentations that involve the use of text or words.

Visual Communication


      ➜ This form of communication involves the visual display of information, wherein the message is understood or expressed with the help of visual aids. For example, topography, photography, signs, symbols, maps, colors, posters, banners and designs help the viewer understand the message visually.

➜ Movies and plays, television shows and video clips are all electronic form of visual communication.

➜ Visual communication also involves the transfer of information in the form of text, which is received through an electronic medium such as a computer, phone, etc.

➜ Icons and emoticons are a form of visual communication. When these icons are used in a public place, phone or computer, they instruct the user about their meaning and usage.

➜ The greatest example of visual communication is the World Wide Web which communicates with the masses, using a combination of text, design, links, images, and color. All of these visual features require us to view the screen in order to understand the message being conveyed.

Media communication is developing at a meteoric rate in order to ensure clarity and to eliminate any ambiguity. The aforementioned four types of communication have played a vital role and continue to do so, in bridging the gap between people, commerce, education, health care, and entertainment.

Learner expectation

            We looked at expectation from the perspectives of nature and level prior to entry to higher education and then response to the actuality on course. Our key findings were that:

Present-day students are heavily influenced by school methods of delivery so that shifts in educational practice there can be expected to impact on expectations of approaches in higher education Face to face contact with staff – the personal element in study – matters to students Imagining technology used for social purposes in a study context presents conceptual difficulties to learners as well as a challenge to their notions of space. They need demonstration, persuasion and room to experiment in this context Staff capability with ICT is a further dimension of the digital divide, and effective use of technology, ie to enhance learning, is as much of an issue as practical operation, ie getting it to work Students’ practical skills with ICT can be harnessed by staff to good effect in both domains – operation and effective use in delivery.

How are 21^st Century Learning Skills Defined?

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) in its publication,Digital Transformation: A Literacy Framework for web 2.0 Literacy (2007), defines 21^st  century learning skills as the ability to a) collect and/or retrieve information, b) organize and manage information, c) evaluate the quality, relevance, and usefulness of information, and d) generate accurate information through the use of existing resources. NCREL identifies broader 21^st century skills as achieving 21^st century learning through digital age literacy, inventive thinking, effective communication, and high productivity. The Partnership for 21^stcentury skills identifies six key elements for fostering 21^st century learning: 1) emphasize core subjects, 2) emphasize learning skills, 3) use 21^st century tools to develop learning skills, 4) teach and learn in a 21^st century context, 5) teach and learn 21^st century content, and 6) use 21^st century assessments that measure 21^st century skills.

What are 21^st Century Learning Skills?

21^st Century Core Subjects and Themes Traditional education models have often focused on learning identified content for subject areas (i.e. math, science, language arts, and social studies), and then assessing this content knowledge with quizzes, and tests at the end of a chapter or learning module. Desired outcomes within 21^st century learning frameworks include learning traditional school subject and contemporary content themes in combination with the interdisciplinary 21^st century themes. The core subjects and themes that frame 21^st

century learning include traditional core subjects while emphasizing civic literacy, global awareness, financial literacy, health literacy, and environmental literacy.

CONCLUSION:

REFERENCE:

Rosenberg ““Internet Education, International Scientific” Publishing Academy, New Delhi, (2005).

Schneider,J. “Web Technology In Education”, New Horizons in Education, Harper and row publisher, New York, (2006).

Sharma, B.M. “Net oriented education”, Akansha Publishing House,New Delhi,(2004).

Talesra Hemalatha et al., “Internet based distance learning”, Authors press, New Delhi. (2005).

Tatana M. Olson and Robbert A. Wisher, “Mathematics teaching”, Harper and row publisher, New York. (2002).

Thiyagu.K J.m.Arul sekar  Information and Communication Technology, Prophet Publishers, Trichy,(2007).

Aharony, Noa. “Web 2.0 in the Professional LIS Literature: An Exploratory Analysis Journal of      Librarianship and Information Science”, v43 n1 p3-13 Mar 2011.

Ahrens, Andreas; Zascerinska, Jelena; Bassus, Olaf. “Enterprise  2.0 in Engineering and Business Education: Engineering and Business Students' View Online Submission, Paper presented at the International Conference on "Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Its Implications in Engineering and Business Education" (3rd, Manila, Philippines, Nov 16-18, 2010).

Arya, Harsh Bardhan; Mishra, J. K. “Oh! Web 2.0, Virtual Reference Service 2.0, Tools & Techniques  Journal of Library & Information Services In Distance Learning”, v6 n1 p28-46 2012.

Brodahl, Cornelia; Hadjerrouit, Said; Hansen, NilsKristian “Collaborative Writing with Web 2.0 Technologies: Education Students' Perceptions Journal of Information Technology Education”, v10 pIIP73-IIP103 2011.

Crook, Charles. The "Digital Native" in Context: Tensions Associated with Importing Web 2.0 Practices into the School Setting Oxford Review of Education, v38 n1 p63-80 2012

De Abreu, belinha s. Media Literacy, Social Networking, and the Web 2.0 Environment for the K-12 Educator. Minding the Media: Critical Issues for Learning and Teaching. Peter Lang New York(2011).

Wallace, Tary L, The "Digital Native" in Context: Tensions Associated with Importing Web 2.0 Practices into the School Setting Oxford Review of Education, v38 n1 p63-80 2002.

Dickens, Harry; Churches, Andrew.  Apps for Learning: 40 Best iPad/ web 2.0/iPod Touch/iPhone Apps for High School Classrooms. The 21st Century Fluency Series. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software.

Dunaway, Michelle. Web 2.0 and Critical Information Literacy Public Services Quarterly, v7 n3-4 p149-157, 2011

El-Ghareeb, Haitham. Empowering Adaptive Lectures through Activation of Intelligent and Web 2.0 Technologies. International Journal on E-Learning, v10 n4 p365-391, Sep 2011.

Ertmer, Peggy A.; Newby, Timothy J.; Yu, Ji Hyun; Liu, Wei; Tomory, Annette; Lee, Young Mi; Sendurur, Emine; Sendurur, Polat. Facilitating Students' Global Perspectives: Collaborating with International Partners Using  Web 2.0 Technologies . New Horizons in Education, v59 n3 p28-40 Dec 2011.

           

ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS

ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS

  R.KARTHICK

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN ENGLISH

Abstract

As a profession, Communication has evolved over many years from what was called “publicity” to a wide range of activities that now includes such things as: Public Relations, Internal Communication, Marketing Communication, Events, Brand Management, Analyst Relations and Advertising. While other professions have developed skills competency models, very little has been done to identify the many and varied skills that it takes to be an effective and successful Communication professional. Because of the lack of standards, guidelines and defined skills, the profession has suffered.  The assessment of communication skills requires the training supervisor to directly observe a doctor-patient interaction. It is ideally suited to an outpatient scenario, but can be used during an in-patient interaction. The training supervisor and trainee should arrange a time to meet and observe the clinical interaction. During the interaction the supervisor should complete the assessment on the following sheet, making notes where appropriate. After the clinical interaction the supervisor should provide feedback to the trainee based on the elements assessed, outlining both the positive aspects and areas for improvement. The supervisor should discuss whether any further training or support is required for the trainee, or whether further assessment is required after the implementation of any proposed improvements.         

    Communication Skills Assessment Tool by Rich Young

As a profession, Communication has evolved over many years from what was called“publicity” to a wide range of activities that now includes such things as: Public Relations,Internal Communication, Marketing Communication, Events, Brand Management, Analyst Relations and Advertising.While other professions have developed skills competency models, very little has been done to identify the many and varied skills that it takes to be an effective and successful Communication professional. Because of the lack of standards, guidelines and defined skills,the profession has suffered.

Assessment :

Educational assessment, the process of documenting knowledge, skills, attitudes, and beliefs

Health assessment, a plan of care that identifies the specific needs of the client and how those needs will be addressed by the healthcare system

Nursing assessment, the gathering of information about a patient's physiological, psychological, sociological, and spiritual status

Psychiatric assessment, a process of gathering information about a person within a psychiatric or mental health service with the purpose of making a diagnosis

Psychological assessment, an examination into a person's mental health by a mental health    professional such as a psychologist

Risk assessment, the determination of quantitative or qualitative value of risk related to a concrete situation and a recognized threat

Tax assessment, value calculated as the basis for determining the amounts to be paid or assessed for tax or insurance purposes

Vulnerability assessment, the process of identifying, quantifying, and prioritizing (or ranking) the vulnerabilities in a system

Political assessment, assessment of officeholders for political donations.

Communication:

 Communication (from Latin commūnicāre, meaning "to share") is the activity of conveying information through the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, visuals, signals, writing, or behavior. It is the meaningful exchange of information between two or more living creatures.

One definition of communication is “any act by which one person gives to or receives from another person information about that person's needs, desires, perceptions, knowledge, or affective states. Communication may be intentional or unintentional, may involve conventional or unconventional signals, may take linguistic or non-linguistic forms, and may occur through spoken or other modes.”

Communication requires a sender, a message, and a recipient, although the receiver doesn't have to be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast distances in time and space. Communication requires that the communicating parties share an area of communicative commonality. The communication process is complete once the receiver understands the sender's message.

Communicating with others involves three primary steps: ◦Thought: First, information exists in the mind of the sender. This can be a concept, idea, information, or feelings. Encoding: Next, a message is sent to a receiver in words or other symbols. Decoding: Lastly, the receiver translates the words or symbols into a concept or information that a person can understand.

RANZCOG Assessment and Feedback of Communication Skills

What is this assessment tool?

The Communication Checklist has been designed after a consensus meeting of some of the world’s principal authorities on the essential communication elements that make up a successful doctor-patient interaction1. Whilst there are a large number of tools available to assess communication skills, the following model, which was designed to be used by medical supervisors and faculty, was found to be self explanatory, have good inter-observer reliability and be a reasonably efficient way of providing feedback on trainee’s communication skills2. Development of the original tool was supported by the Bayer Institute for Health Care Communication and The Fetzer Institute. The attached tool is the Kalamazoo Essential Elements Communication Checklist (adapted).

When to use this tool.

This tool is designed to provide assistance in providing feedback to any trainee who maybenefit from improving their communication skills. This may be in the context of a borderline end of term assessment or from mid-term feedback,

where communication skills have been found to be an area of concern. The decision whether it is appropriate to perform a  formal assessment of communication skills can be made by the training supervisor or the chair of the regional Training and Accreditation Committee. After discussing the mid or end of term feedback with the trainee, the training supervisor should then recommend a formal assessment of communication skills using the following tool.

Who should use this tool?

The tool is designed to be used by training supervisors and the assessment should be done by a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. If the training supervisor is unable to conduct the assessment, it can be done by another nominated Fellow of the college.

How to use this tool.

The assessment of communication skills requires the training supervisor to directly observe a doctor-patient interaction. It is ideally suited to an outpatient scenario, but can be used during an in-patient interaction. The training supervisor and trainee should arrange a time to meet and observe the clinical interaction. During the interaction the supervisor shouldcomplete the assessment on the following sheet, making notes where appropriate. After the clinical interaction the supervisor should provide feedback to the trainee based on the elements assessed, outlining both the positive aspects and areas for improvement. The supervisor should discuss whether any further training or support is required for the trainee, or whether further assessment is required after the implementation of any proposed improvements. If no further assessment is required, the trainee returns to the normal three and six month assessments. A copy of the form should be retained in the trainee’s and supervisor’s records. It need not be returned to College House.

Summary of Assessment process

Assessments that are other than satisfactory in the end of term assessment (relating to communication issues) Or Concerns raised at mid-term assessment regarding Communication skills

▼

Supervisor to discuss concern regarding communication

with trainee and recommend a formal assessment of communication skills

▼

Formal assessment of clinical interaction arranged

Assessment and feedback provided using The Communication Checklist below

 ▼

Strategies for improvement or reassessment discussed if necessary

Building Effective Interpersonal Communication Skills:  Self-Assessment Exercise

            In today's team-oriented workplace, the development of good interpersonal communication skills is an important key to success.

The following self-assessment exercise is designed to help you evaluate your own
interpersonal communication skills and style, and provide you with helpful tips for
becoming a good communicator - and team player!  

UNIVERSITY OF JYVÄSKYLÄ  LANGUAGE CENTRE:

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA FOR COMMUNICATION SKILLS GRADE	INTERACTION	PROFESSIONAL VOCABULARY	LANGUAGE QUALITY	FLUENCY	PRONUN-CIATION	PRESENTATION
Excellent (5)	Can present ideas articulately and persuasively in a complex discussion. Sophisticated arguing and turn-taking strategies. Has no difficulty in understanding idiomatic language use or different registers.	Has a very good command of professional vocabulary, allowing gaps to be readily overcome with circumlocutions.	Can consistently maintain a high degree of grammatical accuracy; errors are rare and difficult to spot. Correct use of idiomatic expressions and collocations.	Can express himself/herself fluently and spontaneously, almost effortlessly. Only a conceptually difficult subject can hinder a natural, smooth flow of language. Wide vocabulary evident.	Mastery of the sound system of English is obvious. Accurate pronunciation and intonation in most instances.	Student is thoroughly familiar with the topic and can respond confidently and spontaneously to complex questions. Presentation is well structured, uses transitional elements, and follows the conventions of the field. Good eye contact, no reading from his/her paper. Level appropriate for intended audience.
Very good (4)	Can successfully present and justify ideas in a formal discussion. Turn-taking handled appropriately. Can recognise register shifts and a wide range of idiomatic expressions.	Has a good command of professional vocabulary, allowing gaps to be generally overcome with circumlocutions.	Can maintain a good degree of grammatical accuracy; occasional errors do not impede communication. Largely correct use of idiomatic expressions and collocations.	Fluent and spontaneous, but occasionally needs to search for expressions or compromise on saying exactly what he/she wants to.	Pronunciation and intonation generally accurate, errors do not cause misunderstanding.	Knows the topic well. Can handle complex questions with relative ease. Presentation is clearly structured and appropriate to the audience. Consistent use of transitional elements. Good eye contact, minimal need to refer to papers. Level appropriate for intended audience.
Good (3)	Keeps up with the discussion and can justify an opinion. Responds and interacts adequately with other speakers. Uses communication strategies well when unsure about e.g. idiomatic use.	Has an adequate vocabulary to express himself/herself on matters connected to his/her field.	Can communicate with reasonable accuracy and can correct mistakes if they have led to misunderstanding.	Can produce stretches of language with a fairly even tempo. Although can be hesitant as he/she searches for expressions, there are few noticeably long pauses.	Some inaccuracy in pronunciation and intonation. Problems with voiced/voiceless consonants, for example.	Evidence of a standard three part structure and some use of transitional elements. Maintains contact with the audience. Level is appropriate, but the listener is not totally convinced that the presenter knows his/her topic well.
Satis-factory (2)	Has some difficulty keeping up with the discussion and arguing an opinion. Limited turn-taking and use of communication strategies.	Limited professional vocabulary.	Communication generally successful though limited in terms of accuracy. Some unresolved misunderstanding.	Generally acceptable tempo, but often hesitant as he/she searches for expressions. Some noticeable pauses.	Frequent inaccuracy in pronunciation and intonation. Mother tongue interference apparent.	Some structural weaknesses and only limited transitional elements. Basic level of acquaintance with the topic.
Poor (1)	Has marked difficulty in keeping up with the discussion and contributes only occasionally.	Basic professional vocabulary only.	Communication characterized by frequent inaccuracies and misunderstanding.	Frequent hesitations and pauses, can produce only short stretches of language at best	Key words regularly mispronounced, strong mother-tongue influence.	Structure lacks coherence. Speaker unfamiliar with topic. Transitional elements largely missing.
In-adequate (0)	Severe difficulty in following the discussion and no active involvement.	Professional vocabulary minimal.	Communication limited at best.	Cannot produce complex sentences or link phrases coherently.	Control of the sound system so weak that comprehension is difficult.	Lacks the features of an acceptable presentation

REFERENCE:

Hatin, Harley “Teachers: The Internet”, Prentice Hall of India Pvt., Ltd., New Delhi, (1999).

John W. Best and James V. Khan “Research in Education”, Prentice Hall of India, Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi. (2004).

Karpaga Kumaravel, R, Ramakrishnan, K.S.“Web access and usage behavior of teacher educators and student teachers”, Ram Mohan Publishers,Manglor. (2004).

Krishna sagar “Digital Technology in Education”, Authors Press, New Delhi. (2005).

Marhan, “From black board to the web”, Kanishka publishers, Distributors, New Delhi, (2006).

O’Reilly, “ Language learning in Web 1.0 and Web 2.0” sterling publishers Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi,2005.

Rosenberg ““Internet Education, International Scientific” Publishing Academy, New Delhi, (2005).

Schneider,J. “Web Technology In Education”, New Horizons in Education, Harper and row publisher, New York, (2006).

Sharma, B.M. “Net oriented education”, Akansha Publishing House,New Delhi,(2004).

Talesra Hemalatha et al., “Internet based distance learning”, Authors press, New Delhi. (2005).

Tatana M. Olson and Robbert A. Wisher, “Mathematics teaching”, Harper and row publisher, New York. (2002).

Thiyagu.K J.m.Arul sekar  Information and Communication Technology, Prophet Publishers, Trichy,(2007).

JOURNALS

Aharony, Noa. “Web 2.0 in the Professional LIS Literature: An Exploratory Analysis Journal of Librarianship and Information Science”, v43 n1 p3-13 Mar 2011.

Ahrens, Andreas; Zascerinska, Jelena; Bassus, Olaf. “Enterprise  2.0 in Engineering and Business Education: Engineering and Business Students' View Online Submission, Paper presented at the International Conference on "Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Its Implications in Engineering and Business Education" (3rd, Manila, Philippines, Nov 16-18, 2010).

Arya, Harsh Bardhan; Mishra, J. K. “Oh! Web 2.0, Virtual Reference Service 2.0, Tools & Techniques  Journal of Library & Information Services In Distance Learning”, v6 n1 p28-46 2012.

Brodahl, Cornelia; Hadjerrouit, Said; Hansen, NilsKristian “Collaborative Writing with Web 2.0 Technologies: Education Students' Perceptions Journal of Information Technology Education”, v10 pIIP73-IIP103 2011.

Crook, Charles. The "Digital Native" in Context: Tensions Associated with Importing Web 2.0 Practices into the School Setting Oxford Review of Education, v38 n1 p63-80 2012

De Abreu, belinha s. Media Literacy, Social Networking, and the Web 2.0 Environment for the K-12 Educator. Minding the Media: Critical Issues for Learning and Teaching. Peter Lang New York(2011).

Wallace, Tary L, The "Digital Native" in Context: Tensions Associated with Importing Web 2.0 Practices into the School Setting Oxford Review of Education, v38 n1 p63-80 2002.

Dickens, Harry; Churches, Andrew.  Apps for Learning: 40 Best iPad/ web 2.0/iPod Touch/iPhone Apps for High School Classrooms. The 21st Century Fluency Series. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software.

Dunaway, Michelle. Web 2.0 and Critical Information Literacy Public Services Quarterly, v7 n3-4 p149-157, 2011

El-Ghareeb, Haitham. Empowering Adaptive Lectures through Activation of Intelligent and Web 2.0 Technologies. International Journal on E-Learning, v10 n4 p365-391, Sep 2011.