Erick Vega SPC1017-7480

My Reflections on Chapters 3, 9 & 10

Group 1, Chapter 3: Intercultural Communication

    This chapter explains the definition of intercultural communication and the role of intercultural communication in day-to-day life. Chapter 3 goes into-depth on intercultural communication such
as separating low-context cultures from high-context cultures and low uncertainty-avoidance cultures from high uncertainty-avoidance cultures.

     I think that group 1 did a good job of helping me understand the differences between those cultures since initially I didn’t get a proper understanding of low-high context and low-high avoidance cultures. What I really liked about Group 1’s presentation is the innocent theming of the presentation itself, very bright and simple slides showcasing how Group 1 summarizes Chapter 3. A minor but important detail that I was very interested in was the title of the slides throughout the presentation. Group 1 started their topics with the title part from the e-book chapters. For example, group 1 started their entire presentation of the chapter with “3-1: Culture and Communication” and group 1 concluded their entire presentation, outside of the conclusion, with “3-4b: Competent Communication Strategies.” Group 1 managed to properly improvise one of the parts of the presentation due to a teammate not being able to show up for the presentation, which was impressive. I liked the examples that all the members of Group 1 provided in order to improve the presentation and especially liked the personal stories that they have all provided to help me relate to them and better understand their topic.

    As for the chapter itself, I like this chapter because it teaches us to respect the cultural differences we have in different areas. It also teaches us tips on how to adjust to those cultural differences so that a natural conversation about something unfamiliar doesn’t come off as weird or awkward. Learning how to adjust to those cultural differences can prevent culture shock from happening.

Group 2, Chapter 9: Communicating in Groups

    This chapter explains what it means to communicate in groups and the absolute importance of group communication. Chapter 9 describes the characteristics of healthy groups like being cohesive or having synergy between the group members. Chapter 9 describes 7 types of groups which the chapter delves into which are: families, social groups, support groups, interest groups, service groups, work groups and teams, and finally virtual groups.

    As a member of group 2, reflecting on our group presentation. I think that our group did a great job of presenting and summarizing chapter 9 to the best of our abilities. I liked how we included videos to further elaborate on some of the points in our topics. We did have a couple of technical issues starting the entire presentation, however, the further we progressed in our presentation, the better we were presenting. I personally think that we shined the brightest at the end of our presentation, which I’m proud to be a part of. I did have some hiccups during the presentation, but I’m satisfied with how I performed in the presentation for my topic. What I liked about our presentation was the consistency in the dark style that we chose for our presentation and the consistency of having pictures to help visualize, to our audience, the topic we’re covering. From the chapter 9 presentation we did, I can see how I can grow from my presenting skills now that I’ve been part of our first group presentation.

    For chapter 9 itself, I liked how it discusses the 7 beforementioned groups that it covers in its own category for the chapter, this is more apparent in the e-book. My personal favorite of these groups is families since they’re integral to our lives. It’s best to have the best communication with your family since family is the first place for many people for social and emotional support.

Group 3, Chapter 10: Group Leadership & Problem Solving

    This chapter explains the meaning of group leadership and problem solving. It explains the importance of leadership and how leadership functions in teams. Chapter 10 explains how people with leadership skills can communicate group solutions in a multitude of ways. This chapter emphasizes leadership, problem solving, and group engagement.

    I think that group 3 did a good job presenting chapter 10 effectively. Their presentation gave me insight on not only how to correctly do problem solving but also how to perform leadership in the scenarios where I’m involved in a group. Group 3 also had their fair share of hiccups as well just like group; however, they did also overcome those hiccups as they powered through their given presentation. I liked the examples that group 3 had provided for some of their slides because I wouldn’t fully understand their topics otherwise. Just like our group, they also incorporated their fair share of videos that further elaborate their given topics and even provide some further insight into leadership and problem solving. I found myself hooked, even, onto the presentation itself with how interested I was due to the topics themselves. Before this group presented chapter 10, I didn’t properly understand how to do proper leadership and group engagement. Now after seeing group 3 present chapter 10, I have a clearer understanding of both leadership and group engagement, and I’d even incorporate those techniques more often in my daily life. This is because leadership promotes healthy engagements which results in a much better team performance.

    For chapter 10 itself, I think that having leadership come before systematic problem solving is a good idea. It’s even better to conclude chapter 10 with group dynamics and group presentations since it ties up the chapter diligently.

Overall Reflections

    I believe that I have learned a lot from witnessing 2 group presentations throughout the month and helped make our very own group presentation. Group 1 presented the intercultural communications of chapter 1. Group 2, our group, presented the necessity and importance of group communication. Group 3 presented the dynamics of group leadership and problem solving. With these 3 group presentations, I will use what I have learned from them and maybe incorporate it in the near future when I attend certain events or make plans. I believe that I am learning how to become a better communicator.