Presentation Week

This week we have been watching everyone's service learning project. It appears so far that everyone enjoyed their service learning project. My group will be presenting Mon 12/7/09, we are well prepared to present.I will fill you in next week about how our presentation went.
LaMon

Final Post

Wahoo! We're almost finished! We've come a long way in this class. It seems like yesterday when we were putting teams together for the first time. We learned about what kind of traits make up a team, what traits we have as individuals, and the group dynamics. We planned and executed our service learning project. Now, we are going to present soon. It has been a good semester in COM 320. I have learned a lot about myself and how I work in a team. I feel I now have more well-defined expectations for future teams I am a part of and will have an overall better group experience in the future. I will now take what I have learned and apply it in my classes and at the work place.
-Marcus

This week in class we began to start taking action on how we were going to present our final project from our outline we arranged together. Even though our outline was well detailed and organized there was still more room for improvement. As a result, we took some advice and ideas from Jasmine and saw where we could improve and expand our outline even more. With all of our pre-planning and examining, we should be prepared by time it is our turn to present our final project to the class. I am going to try harder to be a bigger impact towards my group members and our project.

-Julian L. Stevens-

About Me

This week in class we did group exercise to find out about our personal traits. For example, members of my group said that I'm encouraging, intelligent, I have good self confidence, I have good enthusiasm or inspirational motivation skills, democratic, participation. I will have to agree with my group on the traits that they gave me, nothing really surprised me. In class this week we also started on working on our final presentation for the course.
Lamon

Leadership

Last week in class we talked about leadership styles and principles. I also happened to volunteer to be a section leader for a lab of mine. Myself and five others are overseeing 49 classmates in our latest lab project. It is a four week project spanning three lab sections. It is a huge coordination, management, and organizational task. The six of us leaders met two hours alone for planning purposes for goals this week and the next. We wanted everyone to be on the same page and have a common goal to finish this lab with an A. Even within our group of leaders, there is a leader among the leaders and experts on different issues. We are all very organized and I really like the group dynamics for the most part so far. The next step is to convey the common goal tomorrow in class to the rest of our team so everyone is motivated to do their work. I am glad we talked about the leadership styles in class last week, so that I can a more effective leader for my section and can contribute to the leadership team for the role I should fill.
-Marcus

Wrap Up

This Friday in class we began to work on our final presentation for our service learning project.Our group began to brainstorm ideas on how we give our final presentation. We decided to outline the key topics of discussion and events that took place in our service learning project. The goal of the group is to have our outline complete before our break so we can have more time to be prepared. In order to for this happen we will need to use our class time wisely to get as much accomplished as possible and some time outside of class. We plan on discussing our weekly meetings, specifics on our proposal along with a timeline of events prior, during, and after our service project for LUM.


-Julian Stevens-

Final Project

Our final project for the class is coming up soon, and on Friday, our group began putting forth an effort. We all realize that if we utilize class time properly, then our out of class meeting experiences are not as long. The first step we did was to examine the rules and guidelines of the final project. Next we started to brainstorm and create a giant group outline. We each gave our views an what needed to be accomplished in this presentation and what information should be given out. Before we new it, we had over a 2 pages of notes. Since class was coming to a close, we decided instead of meeting again we would utilize google docs. This allows us to meet at home and give out input. When we meet again on Monday, we can discuss the changes made over the weekend. I think that this is the perfect example of how my group has made positive progress over this course of this semester.
Audrie-9

Communication Outside the Classroom

For another one of my classes, I have to complete an out of class assignment with a small group of 4 people. When I began this project, I really took into account what I had learned through Communication 320. We are just now starting our final design for our poster and presentation. One of the first challenges we overcame was tardiness. Com 320 taught me that I need to set ground rules before starting to work with a group. Once our food science group laid out the rules, we had very little trouble with members being late again. This sounds like just a small peice of advice, but it has really helped my group from another class succeed.
Audrie-8

Creativity Workshop

This week we participated in several creativity workshops to meet certain objectives set by the groups who conducted them. They were a lot of fun, but also a good learning experience when participating in the COM 320 environment. Like the other groups, our group also had to conduct a creativity workshop. We wanted to do something different than the first groups, but my initial ideas were like theirs since I had experience with a club in high school that practices building things out of materials with certain stipulations. Lamon came up with a great idea during our group meeting on Tuesday night of doing the crime scene investigation workshop. It was an idea that stemmed off another activity. We took a couple of ideas from that activity and added many of our own to create something new. I thought it was a great success in class. We asked each group to come up the crime when presented with evidence. It was quite interesting to see what kind of stories the groups created, and many were very funny. I think they used their imagination that day in a way they weren't expecting, and they really enjoyed participating.
-Marcus

Creativity Workshop

This week in class, All of the groups given a task to develop a creativity workshop and teach it to the entire class. Each group's creativity workshop presentation taught the class various methods and techniques using communication within small groups. The first group taught the class how to build a well structured foundation, making it as creative as possible with very littler resources. In this activity our group had to agree on how many material we were going to use, how we were going to use them, how creative and tall the structure should be. Even though our group came in last with a very creative structure because we were cheated, I enjoy this creative workshop and felt that is was very useful and could be used in the business world. Our group communicated quite well which allowed us to complete our activity. Each group member listened to one another, not interrupting and being disruptive. We brainstormed and put all of our ideas together and eliminated the ideas that we found less imperative to our success.

-Julian Stevens-

Creative Project

This week was a very creative week in class, I say that because each group had to come up with a creative project for the class to do. My group decided to create a Crime Investation project. In which we have each group a lead to a case (a problem) and we provided each group with pictures taking from the crime scene. With the pictures each group had to work as a group to Solve the problem/mystery to who or what caused the crime. Each had to create a story out of the pictures and the little lead that we gave them. To sum it up, each group did a great job with their stories they were all funny. This was a task well done.

LaMon Lacey

Creativity Workshop

Last Friday's class, the first group completed their service learning project and creativity workshop. We divided into teams to build a structure with cans. Surprisingly, our group worked very well together. Once we were given our task, we began brainstorming ideas to build. Even though, we had never really worked together since my group did not show up until later, our food castle looked great. Every person gave their input and did not interrupt others while speaking. It was even my idea to add the castle wall. I think since we all were educated on small group communication skills, we were able to work well together in the end. I think the group did a great job of combining most of the activities. I hope when our group does our creativity workshop it will turn out just as well.

Audrie-7

Lafayette Urban Ministry

Our group project is finally complete and a huge success. I am very excited that it is not only finished, but everything had fun. The project began when I put on my ballerina costume. When we arrived at First Presbyterian Church, we were given the set of rules and a tour. We set up the snacks and waited for the kids to arrive. Once they got there it took around 15 minutes for the kids to change into their costumes. They all sat in a circle, and we distributed snacks. I learned quickly the way to handle this bunch was to be assertive. Snack time was over, and then it was time for the team building exercises. We split into two groups. We played popcorn and hot chocolate river. After about a half hour a play, we then turned to their all-time favorite...hide and go seek. We hid candy around the entire building so their first task was to find it. Then we paired up and played two rounds of all building tag. We had only a half hour left so we wanted to keep the kids in the main gym. As requested, we played duck, duck, goose. I lost twice to a five and seven year old but still had fun. Soon the parents came to get their children, and our project was done.

One of the problems that occurred was trying to keep the children quite. With the help of the volunteers, they stayed in line. Some of them also became very attached to us. They did not want to spit up when it was time to. It is no easy to rationalize with a child, but we worked our magic. In the end, we knew we had to be firm and fun at the same time. I would volunteer for LUM again in the future.

Audrie-6

The Pieces to the Puxxle

This week during lecture, the puxxle activity allowed each group to let loose. I believe this exercise was fairly productive. At some times it started to move out of the necessity of making the class better and into a joke session. Though I do believe that a laughter and a laid back atmosphere allows for creativity. This was a positive exercise that allowed each member of the class to voice an opinion. Rarely do you see classes that encompass this within their class structure. I also liked the fact that feedback was asking during the semester rather than at the absolute end. I never did see a point in asking someone’s views at the end in a survey, this is more of a teacher bashing rather than anything productive. The puxxle exercise brought that classroom together for the period and allowed everyone to input and design constructive criticism in order to better the class. This is a feature that is seen many corporations. Google is a company that uses this as a cornerstone for their organization. Google allows their employees input their suggestions to better their company on a daily basis. In order to get the most productivity out of any individual, their ideas most be heard. Rather than just a team building exercise, I believe this was a classroom building exercise, which is rarely seen here on campus.

~Jeff

Problem Solving Experiences In Interviewing

This year I've been interviewing a lot for jobs next summer after I graduate. This last week I traveled to Maryland for interview for a full time job. My interviewers asked several questions involving teams and problem solving. I think I answered their questions better than I would have without COM 320. Through COM 320 I have learned new perspectives on group work and how groups work. I have also learned the ins and outs of problem solving. With this higher awareness, I feel I answered their questions with a deeper sense of my experiences throughout college in groups and what style of problem solving I have.

-Marcus

Team Building

This week in class we did the most productive group activity. We had to work on a problem solving activity. As a group, we wrote down all of the problems that we faced in our COM 320 class. This allowed us to get some issues off of our chest. One of the most common problems were these blogs that we must do every week (fun, fun, fun). We created a mirage on the wall of all of our problems. They ranged from small work space, activities, discussions, and external problems that affected the class. In the end, we were able to choose which problems were the main factors and gave presentation to the class.

Team Building

This week in class I worked on my problem solving skills. As a group we had to list as many personal problems we had with the classroom for example, the room is small, the room stinks, the room is to dark, the desk are to small. Those are just a few examples that I listed, after I listed my problems I had to pick the #1 most irritable thing I listed and tell the class how to solve my problem. By doing this exercise it improved my problem solving skills because after I found a problem I had to find a way to solve that problem.

LaMon Lacey

An Imagination is a Powerful Tool

Fridays lecture was based on creativity and how being creative is an important facet whether it be accomplishing a task, being an excellent employee, or becoming an innovator through business management skills or product creation. While conducting our groups Service Learning Project with the Lafayette Urban Ministry I saw something that I believe goes hand and hand with creativity. One’s imagination is a powerful tool. While working with the children from the LUM I saw young minds with incredible imaginations. One of the most powerful companies in the world is based on this simple idea. The Walt Disney Company even calls each of their creative minds Imagineers. I believe that in order to be a creative individual one most have an imagination to try and perceive certain pitfalls that could possibly hinder success. People are coming up with creative, imaginative, and innovative ideas everyday. It is only those who put worth the extra effort, open their imaginations and think outside of the box that are the innovators within our given societies.

Jeff Polk

Kicking it with the Kids

I know I suppose to be talking about what I learned about this week in class. But I'm not, I'm going to talk about our group project. WE as a group had fun this past Friday, we went over to LUM and played with kids. They we're a hand full, we played basketball, hide and seek, tag and other activities. As a group we really came together and work very well together. Everything we learned in our class about working together in a small group really helped our group glue together...Tune in next week I might talk more about our project.
LaMon Lacey

Service Learning Project (LUM

Finally our service learning project has come to a successful completion. This past weekend on Friday, 4 Guys and a Girl had the opportunity and privilege to serve the Lafayette Urban Ministry. We provided a Halloween Party for the children as an after school program for them. To took a lot of hard work and dedication to arrive to this point, which allowed our group to have fun in the end, but most importantly, carry out and accomplish a goal that we had set at the beginning of the semester.

This reminded me on how I used to lead the Cub Scouts for Boy Scouts of America as an Eagle Scout. Our group was well organized and prepared as we set up prior to the children's arrival to the Presbyterian Church. This was a great time to give back to the community and work together within a small group to accomplish as mission. The children has an enjoyable time as we wore each other out playing games and activities. This allowed me to see what a difference and serious impact one can have on other individuals' lives. Everything went well as planned accordingly and this also allowed our group to become more cohesive.

Service Learning Project

It's done! This last Friday our group finally got to serve the Lafayette Urban Ministry (LUM) through their after school program. It was a lot of fun, but kids are a lot of work, too. I had forgotten how much energy they take out of you. I worked at a camp this last summer, so I had a lot of experience with kids, but how quickly I forgot how crazy they can be! It was a great experience, however. They were a lot younger than the kids I worked with at the camp, so a lot of the activities reminded me of some of the things I did as a kid. Just playing around, our group had a pick up game of knock-out. It was a blast to relive that middle school experience, but I think it helped bond our group more through that game, since we had not seen each other in that environment before. Our quality of work in our planning was reflected in how smooth the service learning project was executed. As we expected the kids got tired of some games, but we planned for this and had many game ideas for the afternoon. Everything went according to plan and the kids seemed to have a great time.

-Marcus

Problem Solving and Decision Making

This week I was able to observe through an in class activity how a member of another group interacted with the members of his group. During this interesting exercise I analyzed his interactions with the group to determine his role in the group and his style of communication. Through this activity I can give feedback to the person I observed and also improve my communication skills by taking away some new ideas. I can always improve my communication technique and this was a good activity achieve this. Really, this can be done through other observation in our daily lives. It just takes a little extra thinking when you are watching a TV show, playing sports, or simply hanging out with friends. Taking the time to analyze others will improve our problem solving and decision making techniques.

-Marcus

What I learned this week

This week I learned the techniques on how to develop a discussion plan with a group. First you must get acquainted with your group members. Secondly you need to clarify the goals of the group. Next you need do develop a plan for gathering information and analyzing the issue. Following that you need to follow a structured agenda to accomplish the task. You should be supportive of other group members. Then finally the group need to determine how to present you information. I also learned other things but this is the most important thing I learned this week.

LaMon Lacey

Google Docs

This past week, our Com 320 class had to work in new groups to solve problems via a task force. Since there was such a short notice for this assignment, and none of us had time to meet outside of class, we decided to use the Google Docs. When dealing with a group on a short time limit, this is one of the best websites I have ever used to collaborate ideas. Google Docs allowed us to upload the power point notes we had taken in class. By using the 4 Guys and a Girl password, we were able to all simultaneously work on this project on the internet. It allowed us to complete the project using all of our ideas on our own time. Not only did we save time, but we were able to turn in a well constructed power point.

I recommend any group needing to work on some type of document to use Google Docs.

http://docs.google.com/

Audrie-5

4 guys and a girl

After several weeks, our groups' interpersonal skills and organization has helped us to transform into a cohesive group. We have not had any problems with meta discussions due to the groups' awareness of our goals in which we are trying to achieve. We have been very productive with our community service project by meeting consistently every week to discuss our plans and give each other feedback. Meetings have been productive and concise because everyone plays out their role to get tasks accomplished. As we get closer to our service project event, we will review each members' role in the project to avoid techniques that might cause conflicts to make it a complete success.

Preparing to Collaborate

This week we were placed into new working groups to solve a case study. Our group naturally went through the steps of preparing to collaborate in sequence which we covered in chapter 8. When we first got acquainted with our group members, everyone gave a brief introduction of themselves and exchanged e-mails and telephone numbers. After reading our case study, we clarified the goals for our group and who should carry out which tasks. Then we developed a plan for analyzing the issues and information addressed. By being supportive towards our group members and their decisions, there was no problems with coming up with solutions for the case study. In the end, we were able to determine how to present our information by using the following steps.
1. Identify and define our problem
2. Analyze the problem
3. Generate several possible solutions to satisfy our customers from Jet Blue Airlines
4. Select the best possible combinations of solutions

By keeping ourselves organized and following through with our well-structured plans, our group was able to stay on track and accomplish our goals.

Julian Stevens

Problem Solving and Decisions

During class last week we listened to Jasmine lecture about problem solving, and we did an activity to prioritize a list of items based on a given scenario. We should when we encounter such a problem do the following:

Identify the problem

Analyze the problem

Generate solutions

Select the best solution

Test and implement solutions

When the activity actually took place, we certainly identified the problem and analyzed it to some extent. We generated individual solutions, and then cam together to generate a final solution. As a group we saw each others' perspectives on the scenario and were able to see and understand other solutions to the problem. As an individual it was more difficult to generate solutions because of time and a single mind analyzing the problem. Once we discussed the solutions as a group, we were able to select the best solution. Our score reflected our ability to generate several solutions and selecting the best one. Our group score was much better than most of the individuals, which shows the importance of following the problem solving methods and working in a group.
-Marcus

Problem Solving Techniques and Decision Making

In class this week, we were given an assignment in which we had to utilize problem-solving techniques. I was able to get a better comprehension on how to analyze the given situation by using the is/is not analysis deriving from ch.10. This technique ensured that I was not just analyzing the symptoms, but also the problem. After some time, we were able to get into our groups in order to take more time to deliberate and focus more on the best possible solutions for the given situation. This was a great exercise because it allowed for us to practice other techniques that we had learned prior, such as decision making. During our group interaction, communication was disrupted due to other competing tensions pulling the conversation into multiple directions. This is also known as the dialectical theory. The hardest stage was the conflict stage. There were several attempts at changing others' opinions and reinforcing each individuals' opinion. However, at the end our group was able to come up with concrete solutions to our problems in which we were trying to accomplish.

Julian Stevens

Conflict within the Group

Our group's main goal is to complete our service learning project, however we have had a few trials along the way. Our first and main problem is showing up on time. We meet every Tuesday at 8:00 in Hicks Library. This time has been set aside since the beginning, but it seems every time we meet, someone is running at least 10 minutes behind. Although that is not a long time period, 10 minutes makes a big difference when the group is just waiting to start. At our next group meeting, this is one of the main things we need to talk about. Our project execution is coming up, and I want to make sure that everyone shows up on time.

The other conflict we have relates to being on time. Showing up for class is something that not everyone is our group can be counted on to do each period. It is becoming more important for everyone to come to class because time has been set aside for group work in the upcoming days. If our entire group is not there, we will not be able to accomplish everything we want to.

Even though we have conflict our group has been able to work through it because so far according to social exchange theory, the benefits outweigh the negatives. Unless that changes, we will be able to continue our group work, but we need to address this issue before negatives appear.

Audrie-4

Personal Space

I am a person who whole-heartedly believes in having my own personal space. When someone I don't know is approaching my way to have a conversation, I always make sure the appropriate distances is kept. There is a defined balance between the need for affection and the need for privacy.

According to the Com 320 textbook, there are four different levels of space divided into zones. These zones are called the intimate zone, personal zone, social zone, and public zone. Each has defined limits and different communication reactions. The public zone is 12 feet and beyond. Public speakers generally keep this amount of distance between them and their audience. Social space used for group interaction and business professionals is kept between 4 and 12 feet. The personal zone is meant for conversations with friends and families. Groups also use this zone but sometimes 1 and a half to four feet is too close for group interaction. Finally, the intimate zone is between zero and 1 and a half feet. This zone is reserved for the most personal conversations and contacts. It is unlikely a group with use this zone for communication.

It is important to understand these four zones and their limits. When our groups goes to Lafayette Urban Ministry we need to know our boundaries for proper communication with the younger children. We will most likely stay within the social zone for group activity.

Audrie 3

Conflict Types

As a group 4 guys & a girl we have weekly meeting on every tuesday. I'm proud to say that as a group we haven't ran across any of the three conflicts that were covered in ch.7 Pg 159 Pseudo, Simple and Ego Conflict. Pseudo Conflict is the individuals misunderstanding each other's perceptions of a problem. Simple Conflict is a disagreement over a course of action, idea, policy, or procedure. Ego Conflict is the defense of ego: individual believes he or she is being attacked personally.

Lamon Lacey

Negotiations

Our discussion in class on Monday on Negotiation reminded me of a trip I made to China in the summer of 2008. I was in China for over two weeks, and of course, I did plenty of shopping for myself and friends. Shopping there is much different than here in the United States. In the markets in China, prices are negotiable. One would be unwise to not do so. I spent hours in the market negotiating a price for all my items. It was very different than what I was used to. The sales people are very aggressive. Sometimes they will even grab your arm as you walk away from a sale. I thought I was pretty decent at negotiating, but then saw some of my friends' technique of double teaming. One guy would go in and start negotiating and then a couple minutes later the other would walk up and tell him that it wasn't a good deal. They would both walk away, but the sales person would still try to sell to them. Eventually, the sales person caved in and my friends got a real deal. I was used to whatever negotiating in the US that took place where I meet the other person in the middle. There, however, to get the best deal, you have to stick to your price and not give in to anything higher. You had to be just as aggressive as they were, which takes some getting used to. You can get a glimpse into one of the markets I visited with this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBSsbWVZzto&feature=fvw

-Marcus

Nonverbal cues

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbGV2_8Yqg4 After watching this video, I noticed a lot of nonverbal cues. I noticed sexual postures, movements and gestures. I watched seductive eye contact and facial expressions as well. And I also noticed the singer's personal appearance, as far as her clothing and BODY SHAPE. This video is a great example of how nonverbal cues are used, besides the fact of her signing.

LaMon Lacey

I am impressed with the work done by all of my group members on our community service project for the Lafayette Urban Ministry. I have had the opportunity to experience the characteristics of a decision-making group (ch.1).Everyone has had useful suggestions in which we used to put ideas together into a cohesive and workable proposal. It was interesting to see how each group member shared past knowledge and experiences and collaborated them all together to aid our group’s decision-making process. Today our group had to "make a certain choices from among several alternatives. The group discussed what the possible choices were, realized the consequences of the choices, and then selected the best alternative that best met the goal" for our community service project. Our group has done a good job with dealing and fading away from false consensuses. Everyone tends to agree on ideas proposed and choose to share with the other members of the group without keeping suggestions to themeselves. Of course there are disagreements, however, we are good at weighing out the best possible decsions. The advantage of our style of decision making is that it leads to a high degree of buy-in and commitment to the decision by all members of the group. 4 Guys and A Girl have been actively involved in the decision making process and all of our interests are addressed.

--Julian L. Stevens--

Group Confilict

I saw some extreme examples this weekend on the History Channel with motorcycle gangs throughout the United States. Conflict is rampant between groups and even within. A gang member of one group was caught hugging a gang member of another group at a funeral. An order went out from one of the gangs to beat up any of the other gang in sight because of a simple gesture. They described on the History Channel of a father kicked out of a gang because he defended his own son in the same gang because the son gotten in an argument with an older member of the gang. Fights even break out within a gang.

This television show reminded me of what was talked about in class: group conflict. They handle conflict very different from me. I avoid it at all costs. The gangs face it head on, usually with fists, knives, and guns. They handle it really "well" according to their style. They know how to resolve an issue though most of the time it is void of all morals. They make a plan and get it done right away. Here is a video from the History Channel on the Sons of Silence.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vA-eclejDs&feature=PlayList&p=52D76DF06D304CE5&index=58

-Marcus

A GUIDE TO ACTIVE LISTENING

Although I am an Ag communications major, I am not always the best listener. Sometimes I have too short of an attention span, and I now understand why. "Most people speak at a rate of about 100 to 125 words per minute, but they have the capacity to think or listen at a rate of 400 or more words per minute!" (pg. 126 of Communicating in Small Groups). With such a difference in rates, no wonder I have such a hard time paying attention.

~There are a few things that I can work on to become a better listener. According to the textbook, I should stop, look, listen, ask appropriate questions, paraphrase content, and paraphrase feelings. Most of these skills, I already have. I think I just need to work on keeping focused during conversations and trying my hardest not to let my mind wonder. This fact will be especially helpful during our group meetings.

~At our past meeting, I found myself working harder to pay attention to everything my group was saying. Although I did not agree with everything that was talked about, I was proud of myself for being attentive. In the future, if I keep my mind focused I know I can be a better active listener.

Audrie Koester-post 2

In Case You Didn't Get This For the Exam...

100pts matching, multiple coice, short answer

How will you describe communication?

pg3

communication is the glue that binds, the thread that ties, and the force that pervades

What are the key elements that are used to define human communication?

pg3 making sense, sharing sense, creating meaning, verbal and non verbal messages

what kinds of criteria define a "small group"?

pg4-5

at least 3 people

common purpose

sense of belonging

exerting influence

when is it best NOT to collaborate in a small group/team?

pg15-16

when the group or team has limited time

when an expert already has the answer

when the information is readily available from research sources

when the group members are involved in unmanageable conflict and contention

what does it take to be a truly competent communicator?

pg25

motivation

knowledge

skill

ch2

understand the theories

hint: make sure you remember the names by heart!

important theorists:

Ernest Bormann - group consciousness arises with group stories or fantasies - pg44

Maslow- hierarchy of needs - pg 52

Schutz - pg 54

Gibb - pg 102, pg 104 review - defensive climate

Power (lots of points here- 12pts) describe and give and example

What are the different bases of power?

Be able to describe each power base in a short summary

Think of an example for each power base

hint: memorize the power bases!

pg 85

legitimate

referent

expert

reward

coercive

Comfirming and disconfirming responses pg 106-107

What is the difference? connfirming=value more, disconfirming=value less

What is empathy? pg 104 involvement and concern for the group task and for other group members

What are confirming responses? pg 107

Conflicts

What is the relationship between group cohesiveness and group conflict? Cohesive groups have strong enough social bonds to tolerate conflict. pg 116

what are the different ways that group members foster a defensive climate?pg 102

Nonverbal Cues

Why is it important to study nonverbal cues? pg128 more believable than verbal messages, emotions and feelings are typically expressed nonverbally rather than verbally, more time is spent communicating nonverbally than verbally

Do you need to evaluate non verbal cues in the context of other communicative behavior? yes

initial impressions of people are based upon? physical appearance and attractivenes

What is bypassing? pg121 when two people assign different meanings to the same word

Know allness statements, fact-inference confusion pg 122

Understand messages, words and meanings and their relationships

words and non-objective

are you in charge of the meaning of your message to others? no

turn-taking in talk pg 123

what is report talk?

turn taking

what is rappot talk?

overlapping talk

group types (matching)

know the 8 different types of groups pg18-20

primary

secondary:

problem-solving

decision-making

study groups

therapy groups

committees

quality circles

focus groups

Be able to explain what each type of group is

What is a team? pg6

coordinated group of individuals organized to work together to acheive a specific, common goal

How do cultures express themselves differently verbally and nonverbally? no

How do people behave if they perceive time as polychronic? perceive time not as linear, you can multitask

-Marcus

Moving Rite On

My personal refection of this course so far;

I guess I can start by saying that the group that I've been placed in is great. I think that we work very well together as a group. Jasmine is a good teacher so far,lol. I'm not saying that to get brownie points. I'm being serious, she is a great teacher.

Secondly I'm excited for the rest of the semester and for our service learning project. I really don't have to much to say, its kinda earlier in the semester still.......But our 1st test is coming up Monday, so I'm sure that I will have much to say next week...Bye until then.

///LaMon Lacey///

Blog Post #1 (guy 3)

When I signed up for this class I was just hoping to learn a little bit about working together in small groups and taking a COM class so I could obtain a minor in communication. However, after being involved and participating in this class, I have learned to appreciate this class even more. This class has come to be imperative for my future career in Selling and Sales Management. I have learned the essentials of working in a small group setting. I have had the opportunity to take advantage of this class and the material it offers and apply it towards my other group projects that I am involved in. Working in small groups involves a lot of patience until you have the chance to learn more about the individuals in your group. Even if my group and I do not see eye to eye, I still know my role in the group and what I need to do to accomplish my groups goals and objectives. Regardless, conflicts will occur within a group and I have learned that a understanding group will undertake certain measures, but it is important not to make conflicts reoccurring. In the long run, I am always thankful for the group members given to me and know that as long as I try to make an effort, tasks will be completed productively and successfully. Also, I know that I should not let my group down because trust will be lost.

Julian L. Stevens

Full Steam Ahead

I wasn't too sure about this class when I signed up for it. It is required for my major, so I did not have too much choice about it, but I've come to have a different view on it already. Jasmine is really putting a lot of effort into helping us become better group members. I really appreciate her commitment to the class. It makes it easier to come to class and listen to her.

I am excited to work with our service learning project. I substitute teach at a middle school when I go home during Christmas break as Purdue gets out earlier than my hometown. I was a camp counselor this past summer for kids ages 7-17, so I am excited to put to use some of my past experiences with kids. I am excited to work with my group and try to improve my small group communication skills. I want to know my weaknesses and flaws from this class. It will be hard to change at first, but I think I will be much more effective in groups in the future as a result.

-Marcus Thompson

Beginnings of our Service Learning Project

When our group first met, we had no idea what type of project we were going to complete for our Communications 320 class. Little did we know after just 2 out of class meetings we would have a common theme. We all liked to work with children and had previous learning experiences with kids. Our three ideas were 1) washing dogs for a nearby animal shelter, 2) helping to increase knowledge about the IU vs Purdue Battle Blood Drive, and last but not least 3) Volunteering at Lafayette Urban Ministry's After school Program. We quickly came to a consensus that we wanted to help out the kids in the after school program. We plan to complete this project in October with Halloween right around the corner. We want to create new festive games to play with these children. LUM is in need of volunteers to act as good role models. We will take this a step further and plan a fun filled afternoon for them.

Our group is already working on the Communication process with LUM. Cindy Haley who is in charge of this program is very excited for our willingness to volunteer. She has already sent us the paper work. The goal for the next group meeting is to sign and return these documents. I believe we already have a great start to this project, and the progress can only continue.

"LAFAYETTE URBAN MINISTRY: TOUCHING THE FUTURE BY HELPING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TODAY"
-Audrie Koester

Guy 3 Resume

Hello ladies and gents, my name is Julian Stevens, and I am guy number 3 in 4 guys&a Girl. I am a senior at Purdue this fall semester. I am pursuing a degree in Procurement Management (Selling and Sales Management). I am also obtaining two minors in in Communications and Organization Leadership Supervision. During my tenure at Purdue, I have obtained great experiences working together in several groups. I am currently in a few organizations such as:

Minority Technology Association
Purdue Marketing Association
Purdue Marketing Association


During my tenure at Purdue, my past experiences have helped to develop great leadership traits. I have a great sense of humor and and a down-to-earth personality. Most important, I posses integrity, creativity, responsibility, and trustworthiness. I offer reliability and great interpersonal skills.I believe that my attributes will help my group to succeed and excel in all that we do. Last, I enjoy working together in groups and collaborating together to complete successful tasks.

Hi, my name is Marcus Thompson, and I am guy 2 in 4 guys & a girl. I am a senior majoring in Computer and Information Technology with a concentration in Network Engineering Technology. I bring several skills to our group. For obvious reasons, I bring a strong technical background. Give me a technology, and I can figure it out. In my major, 95% of my lab work has been in groups. I know how to be a part of a small or large team. I am also a part of the marching band as you can see in the photo on the right. This is a large time commitment, up to 20 hours a week. I am a part of the World's Largest Drum Crew. This takes strong self-motivation to keep this role up due to the physical fitness requirements of the crew. It is critical that everyone on the crew knows what is happening with the drum. It weighs over 500lbs; someone can be seriously injured if they are unaware of any movement. This environment has given me my strong team, time management, and communication skills.

LaMon

Waz up everyone, my name is LaMon Lacey and I'm the fourth guy in my group "4guys&agirl." And if your wondering y I'm the fourth guy instead of the first. Its simple, our group believes in saving the best for last :)
I'm a senior in Aviation Management seeking a Bachelors. I currently hold an Associate in Aviation Management and an Associate in Liberal Arts. I'm a very down to earth guy. I listen very well, and many people call me a peacemaker.
I feel that I bring great leadership and communication skills to my group. I have experienced a great amount of group work in my past and I feel my experience will help me contribute to this group, which will help us reach our goal.

Audrie's Resume

Hello everyone, my name is Audrie Koester, and I am the girl in 4guys&aGirl. As an Agriculture Communications junior, I have many previous exeriences working in groups and being a team player. I hold many leadership positions currently at Purdue. Here are just a few of my activities:

Delta Zeta Sorority- Head Gaurd and Song Chair
Panhellenic Association- Director of Publications
Purdue Foundations Student Board
Skull and Crescent Honarary
Indiana Dairy Ambassador
Assistant Publicicty Director for the Vanderburgh County Fair Board

All of these experiences at Purdue have helped me gain and develop important life skills. I have great time management, leadership, responsibility, integrity, and communication skills from being so invovled throughout the years. I think my personality will be a great addtition to our group because I have a very creative mindset and enjoy thinking outside the box.

Mission Statement

The mission of our group is that we will be able to work to our full potential diligently. We believe that each individual will be able to work together with trust and have a passion for completing projects with quality. Together we bring integrity, trust, and responsibility to the table. Our main goal is to work well, have fun, and give back to the community the best way possible.

Group Contract- Four Guys and a Girl

Group Contract- Four Guys and a Girl

The following are explanations of the Four Guys and a Girl group contract. The contract is includes: extra effort, saving the day, insufficient effort, and unacceptable behavior.
Extra Effort is highly appreciated if team members exhibit effort above and beyond the call of duty. Such efforts include: assuming another team member's assignment; coming up with innovative ways to enhance the team's performance; work that exhibits characteristics far superior to expected work.

A team member saves the day by work that pulls up the group grade, or by working noticeably harder than the rest of the team. Such efforts will be highly appreciated.
Insufficient Effort Team members exhibiting insufficient effort in their work will be documented. Insufficient effort includes: turning in assignments late without a justifiable reason (e.g., family emergency or a doctor’s note); presenting the team with incomplete assignments; exhibiting little interest in the team's progress or putting forth little effort towards meeting the team's goals; forcing other team members to perform his/her work. A team member can be excused with a valid document.

Unacceptable BehaviorRefusing to attend any form of team meetings (e.g., face-to-face or electronic) without notifying the contact person in advance or to contribute to the group effort constitutes unacceptable behavior. Any member behaving in an unacceptable manner will be warned in writing by the group leader. If the member continues to be absent from team meetings and to fail to contribute to the group effort, that team member will be reported to Jasmine E. Tan.


All Group Members Have Accepted The Terms To The Agreement

Resume

Jeffrey Polk

I am a fifth year senior in the School of Liberal Arts at Purdue University. I am currently majoring in Sociology with two minors in both Communications as well as Organizational Leadership & Supervision. Also, I am in the process of obtaining the Certificate of Entrepreneurship here at Purdue University. Already having obtained my minors in Communication and OLS I feel I bring a wealth of communication skills as well as leadership skills. Being at Purdue University for the past 5 years I have experienced my fair share of group work and I feel these experiences will also be helpful in building a successful group and event.

How our group came up with a name.

As a group we shared different ideas for group names while in the Pharmacy library. Eventually, we thought of the name 3 Guys & A Girl, but then realized that our group consisted of five members. Thus, we concluded that the name should be 4 Guys & A Girl.