GROUP 1:
Group one was assigned Chapter 3. Their main topic was intercultural communication. They defined it as interactions that occur between people whose cultures are so different that communication between them is challenging and difficult. They also talked briefly about cultures and culture shock. I liked that this group used a lot of images that further demonstrated and gave me ideas of different cultures. They proceeded to go back to talk about culture shock and played a video explaining the four different stages that culture shock has. I learned that the first stage is honeymoon stage and it consists of being excited and fascinated. The next stage is irritation and it is being frustrated and isolated. The recovery is the third stage and it seen as the turning point of moving on. The fourth and final stage is integration and it is about accepting and coming to terms with flaws and differences. Learning this was very important as we can come across foreign students on campus and thus help them feel better about all the changes. The next topic was about race and ethnicity and what makes up your cultural identity. They included religions, LGBTQ, as well as POC. They included a really educational video about the history of race and I think it was really fitting to the topic of the group. What I found the most interesting in this presentation was their slides on femininity and masculinity as well as the gender stereotypes for each. Overall, their presentation was pleasing to the eyes with all the various images and videos, it was also very educational and talked about important and serious issues going on today. Their presentation really proved the importance of communication across cultures in order to increase knowledge of cultural differences, break down the stereotypes, and most importantly see equal humanity. To embrace and appreciate those who are different is what intercultural communication is about. This group did an amazing job presenting all the information.
GROUP 2:
As a member of Group 2 I will say we all worked very hard and tried our best to put out an informative and fun presentation. Group 2 presented Chapter 9 which was communication in groups. The overall topic was the different types of groups and what kind of conversations and communication goes on in each them. There should be verbal and nonverbal communication in groups. They showed lots of fun and educational videos of different groups, family, friends, co-workers and the type of communication there is among each other. For example, you wouldn't talk about the same things to your friends than you would to your family. I talked about social groups which is people who worry about each others well being. They have things in common, which makes them feel like a group. I presented a video which went more in detail, and in my opinion was very informative and well summarized social groups. This group is based on mutual respect and understanding between peers. It is important to encourage an environment where members are aware of their communication style, and where you continually work with each other to develop better communication skills. Next, I presented support groups, which was my favorite topic to learn about. Support groups are all about encouragement, honesty, and positivity. I gained knowledge of how being part of a support group is helpful. It's always important to know you have someone out there to help and support you in any problems you may face. My final topic was Interest groups and I provided a well explained video on it. Other members continued to present their different groups like service groups, work group, heterogenous group, virtual group. Overall, our main focus in the group was to show how important communication in all these different types of groups is. Without communication nothing would be clear and no group would know how to work or function together. The exchange of communication shapes what the group will be and what they can accomplish together.
GROUP 3:
The final group, Group 3, presented Chapter 10. Their main topic was Group Leadership and problem solving. There's an importance in being able to make decisions in groups. To be a good leader communication skills is a must, as well as motivation, creativity, and positivity. Leaders must have a clear vision that motivates other people to join your cause and follow you. They must inspire others to believe in what they believe. A group leader's ability to motivate, inspire, guide, and coach their members can impact everything from member engagement and development to retention and productivity. It is effective communication which makes leaders to lead successfully. Communication makes it possible for the group to internalize the group leader's vision and implement the vision. I learned about two different types of leaders, a formal leader which is a person designated to facilitate a groups progress. The other type, informal leader helps lead the group achieve different leaderships functions. Their videos really helped to understand leadership. There can be shared leadership which is group members working together to make their life simpler. They presented the different tasks and roles a leader has to do when working in groups. All these roles and behaviors help the group develop and maintain commitment. When problems arise in groups everyone must put in their part to try and fix their issues. This develops team effectiveness. Overall, group 3 presentation was fantastic and taught me a lot about the importance of a good leader as well as group members.
CONCLUSION:
Groups that communicate effectively is the most important of all life skills. It is what enables us to pass information to other people, and to understand what is said to us. Communication at its simplest, is the act of transferring information from one place to another. Good communication within groups is key to keeping everyone on the right track. Poor communication can become serious problems within groups because of misinterpretation. Like the saying says "Communication is KEY!"