Course Description
This methods course emphasizes the development of communication versatility in working with people, including the opportunity to explore and apply the skills of group participation. Students will explore and apply interpersonal and facilitation skills such as information gathering, perception checking, goal setting, active listening, assertiveness and conflict resolution. Models that promote awareness of self and others, and cultural sensitivity will be presented for examination and application to practice.
Course Content
The following global ideas guide the design and delivery of this course:
- Working relationships are effective when
- stakeholders are involved
- practitioners develop and maintain caring and respectful relationships based on non judgmental listening, reflection and effective feedback
- clear boundaries are maintained
- there is a climate of trust and safety
- there is clarity regarding the role and purpose of the relationship
- Individuals reach adulthood with communication styles, which have effectively served them. It is important to examine communication style and skills for effectiveness in developing satisfying interpersonal and working relationships.
- Conflict is a natural part of interpersonal relationships. It provides an opportunity for self-discovery, creative communication, increased intimacy, problem resolution and personal growth.
- Practitioners must recognize their personal style of interacting with others and, building on that style, develop appropriate and effective skills for communicating with others in the workplace. This requires versatility, flexibility, sound judgment, and sensitivity.
- When working with others, it is necessary to have effective communication skills, appropriate assertiveness skills, understanding of cultural diversity, and respect for the rights of self and others. This includes the ability to reflect on events, to talk about feelings, to set boundaries and to advocate for self and others.
- Group work is a powerful medium for growth, change, learning or task accomplishment. Groups are of many types, for example: counseling, self-help, therapy, group, discussion, teaching, mutual support, work teams, task, social, and ad hoc.
- Groups are effective for accomplishing tasks. Understanding group dynamics and mastering group skill allows practitioners greater choice, control and flexibility in their work.
- Effective communication, counselling, consultation, and problem solving skills that are relevant to work with individuals are also relevant for work with groups and for application to everyday life. Group work differs in that participants must be simultaneously concerned with individuals in the group as well as the group as an entity.
Learning Activities
- Lecture
- Group work
- Student Presentations
- Guest Speakers
- Audio-visual Presentations
- Experiential Learning
Means of Assessment
This course will conform to Douglas College policy regarding the number and weighting of evaluations. Typical means of evaluation would include a combination of:
- Written research papers
- Group presentations
- Demonstration of skills
- Participation
- Self and peer assessment
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Describe and apply theories of effective interpersonal communication across a variety of contexts.
- Describe key theories and essential elements of effective communication
- Listen actively to colleagues in a classroom context
- Accurately reflect content and relational messages
- Explain the impact of relationship and context on communication
- Consider the significance of culture in interpersonal communication
- Examine interpersonal communication style.
- Assess own communication style using a variety of methods
- Consider an area of own communication for development
- Design a plan to address this area of communication
- Implement a plan to address this area of communication
- Write an analysis of the plan and its outcome
- Interpret the significance of own culture and communication style
- Consider assertiveness and conflict resolution as significant elements of communication.
- Describe elements of assertiveness
- Explain typical barriers to assertive communication
- Describe at least one model of conflict resolution
- Analyze the relationship between assertiveness and conflict resolution
- Explore cultural implications in understanding assertiveness and addressing conflict
- Apply basic principles of feedback in several communication contexts.
- Explain at least one model for offering feedback
- Provide feedback to colleagues
- Consider feedback from colleagues, instructors and field experience
- Integrate feedback and experience into practice
- Incorporate feedback in self assessment
- Apply knowledge of group structure, process and interpersonal dynamics, including appropriate leader styles, to effectively achieve different types of goals.
- Applies fundamental principles of participatory decision-making to group work
- Contributes to the effectiveness of the decision-making by understanding the process through each stage
- Applies methods of achieving different types of goals using matching effective styles and techniques