Likes And Dislikes

3). What was it about this class that you liked? What do you think needs improvement?

What I liked most about this class was its independence in the assignments. Unlike most class settings where there are very specific guidelines as to what we may write about this class kept it somewhat open-ended.

For instance, the weekly posts usually had one question where we got to choose a concept from the book and write about it. What this did was not only give me some freedom, but it also motivated me to read and find something that no one else talked about and make it interesting.

Plus, with this sort of freedom I noticed that multiple perspectives were given by my peers about topics I had read but had not written about myself. This was a strategic way for us to get the book’s topics covered without each person having to write about each topic within the text.

Lastly, what I think needs improvement is not this class per se, but the financial state of the college. I would have liked to do the public speech assignment (I miss that butterfly-stomach feeling), but I understand why it was not possible due to budget cuts and furloughs. I have never been in an SJSU online class and would have liked to have met you, my brilliant peers. Honestly, there are some excellent writers in this group!

Creating Celebrities: You've Got the Power

Immediately when I read this question “active listening” came to mind. Without a doubt Trenholm, I am sure, could have gone on for pages about this topic alone. The only reason she did not is because she had to cover a much broader view of communication.

The reason I feel that this topic would take up an entire book to adequately cover is because I feel it is the most important aspect of communication. This is why some people have all the friends they do, and why some have no friends at all. People do not listen. I do not think that it is because everyone loves to talk so much. It is because they do not know how to listen, and instead they resort to talking. In this unfortunate mix relationships end before they are ever started. There is so much that we can learn about each other if we just ask, then ask some more.

My advice is this: bring up Youtube and put on a clip from any David Letterman interview. Look at the nonverbal behavior of the star as they enter the talk show. Then notice how the celebrity loves talking about themselves. Just as that celebrity loves the attention, our friends and family love that attention as well! Give it to them some time, and make them feel special, because they are.

Nonverbally Speaking...

1). What concept/s in this class have you found most interesting? What was it about the concept/s that you found interesting?

The most interesting topic I found in this class was nonverbal behavior. Through reading through some excellent journals I realize that nonverbal behavior can also be the most noticeable.

Today I had my final in Tae Kwon Do at San Jose State. We had to perform skits that we wrote in groups, and enact them for the class. Some groups did serious ones while others made up parodies while incorporating moves and techniques we have learned. One group in particular brought to mind the subject of nonverbal behavior.

Their skit had no lines or dialogue except their kihap, or yell they made, when they would strike. Their leader would direct them with short, one-syllable Korean words. The confidence and discipline this team leader showed told so much more about himself than words could have. His focus, precision, and discipline in those four minutes showed hours upon hours of training he had done in the past.

All of this one could gather from just observing his movements. All of this could be seen from his nonverbal behavior.