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Effective Communication

Our world is actively constructed (modeled) by our senses and brains.

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Ladder of Inference
Our skill at reasoning is both essential and gets us in trouble: If we thought about each inference we made, life would pass us by. But people can and do reach different conclusions. When they view their conclusions as obvious, no one sees a need to say how they reached them. When people disagree, they often hurl conclusions at each other from the tops of their respective ladders. This makes it hard to resolve differences and to learn from one another.

Mental Models Ladder of Inference

Observable data p Choice of action 1. 2. 3. Observable data People select the data they will use and ignore the rest. People use their personal and cultural beliefs to construct meaning for the data. People make assumptions using the added meaning. People draw conclusions from the assumptions and selected data. People use the conclusions to adopt personal beliefs to use in the future. Finally, people select an action based on their beliefs.
Take action based on personal beliefs Adopt personal beliefs to be used in the future Draw conclusions Make assumptions using the added meaning John knew when the lab started and was deliberately late I can't count on John John always comes in late

BALANCING ADVOCACY AND INQUIRY

4. 5. 6. 7.

Use personal and cultural beliefs to Figure 1. Ladder of Inference add meaning Select the data Observable data John entered lab 30 minutes late

Improving Advocacy
GOALS: 1. Make your thinking process visible 2. Publicly test your conclusions and assumptions

Improving Inquiry
GOALS: 1. Help others make their thinking process visible 2. Compare your assumptions to theirs

1.

Here

s what I think and how I got there

1.

What leads you to conclude that?

I came to this conclusion because

Can you help me understand your thinking?

2.

What do you think about what I just said? Can you see any flaws in my thinking?

2.

How would your proposal affect?

Tell me if I am correct you are saying

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Team Learning

Proposal Argument
Your proposal is an argument. Arguments take the following form: Premise 1 Premise 2 Premise 3 Conclusion (resolution) You have to be able to support your proposed resolution with reasons/evidence.

Team Learning is partially a function of your ability to: Increase asking and generating behaviors Decrease telling and observing behaviors

Proposal Discussion
Discuss whatever you need to discuss about your project at this point, based on where you are at. This might consist of the following: -Brainstorming ways to enhance the cultural development of UO students -Clarifying understanding around what cultural development is, why its important and/or how one does it -Discussing the rationale and/or evidence to support a particular solution -Fleshing out details of a particular solution

Proposal Discussion

For this discussion on your proposal, choose an observer who will: Stay outside the discussion and record observations on communication Give feedback to team on observations

What is feedback?

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What can we observe?

Peer Evaluation Process

Behaviors (macro level) Body language (micro level) Verbal expressions Non-verbal sounds (and sights, tastes, smells, temperatures, textures) Feelings (one s own)6th sense

Supportive Communication Interpersonal communication that: Addresses the problem at hand and Preserves the relationship
Goal is to prevent defensiveness and invalidation

Descriptive Communication
1. Describe objectively the event or behavior - Avoid accusations; present data 2. Describe your reaction/feelings and the objective consequences 3. Suggest a solution and ask for alternatives

Feedback Pairs
A B C D E B C D E A
1. Write down the name of the person you are giving feedback to Complete Page 1 of the feedback workbook before class on 6A Complete online Peer Evaluations by Noon on Monday Bring workbook to class on 6A

2.

3.

4.

To Do
1st Draft of proposal due by 5B Get going on this. See: Guidelines for Writing the Proposal Draft, Written Proposal Requirements, Writing Executive Summaries, Top 10 Reasons Proposals Fail (course website) Complete Peer Evaluation by 2pm on Monday (link on course site) Complete Step 1 (1st Page) of Midterm Peer Feedback Worksheets by 5A bring entire workbook to class Complete: Team Survey (course site) and bring to 5A Weekly Blog Post conduct a self-evaluation of your contribution to the team