Blogging in SEM2902 _ Spring 2016

Here are the basic e-portfolio instructions.

Please write 250-300 words for each assignment listed below, and then post it on your blog by Sunday evening of the assignment week. By Saturday of the week you posted, you should have made relevant comments in a paragraph or so on at least three classmates’ posts.

Week 1/ Blog set up

Create your blog (or wordpress.com or blogger.com) and forward your blog address to your tutor’s e-mail (or post it on an instructor-created Google doc). You should also share your address with the members of a blog group that will be assigned during the first lesson. You might also post the links for your classmates’ blog addresses on your own blog.

Week 2 / Descriptive Reflection: Strengths and Challenges in Communicating (Blogpost #1)

For your first post, describe your strengths in communication and the challenges you have when communicating with others. 250-300 words. (Post by Sunday night January 17^th.)

After you have posted, read at least two of your blogging group members’ posts and at least one post by a member of your class group at large and leave comments. There is no limit, of course, on the number of posts you can read. However, what is most important is the quality of your response. You should reflect on each one of the posts in light of your own understanding of effective communication skills, and you should offer appropriate insights in the comments section of each post that you read.

Week 5/ Evaluating Verbal and Nonverbal Behavior (Blogpost #2)

For this post, you need to conduct an observation of a verbal or nonverbal interaction between two or more people, then describe it in as much detail as possible. Briefly evaluate the interaction in terms of how culture, gender or age seem to influence communication. (Post by Sunday night February 7th.)

As you read your classmates' posts on the same topic, take note of the description and evaluation, and then provide your own insights.

Week 8/ Resolving Interpersonal Conflict (Blogpost #3)

For this post, describe in detail an interpersonal conflict situation, real or hypothetical. Describe the context of the conflict, the people involved, the main problem, and the possible causes. Try to identify the feelings and/or motivations of the people involved. Finally, while considering the main problem and your search for a solution, solicit feedback from your readers in the form of ONE question. Again, clarity and conciseness are important, as is completeness in your story-telling. (Post by Sunday night February 28.)

As you read your classmates' posts on the same topic, analyze each in light of your understanding of interpersonal competence, conflict management and other principles of communication, and then provide feedback with appropriate insights and a possible solution. The key here is for you to provide commentary that is based on what you have learned about effective interpersonal communication.  

Week 13 or 14/ Critical Reflection on Project Learning (Blogpost #4)

For this post, you should choose one focus of the project and critically reflect on your learning in the project with specific points discussed. As one possibility, you might discuss, for example, your own oral presentation skills. In that case, you could explain how the various presentations you gave helped you enhanced your verbal and nonverbal skills. You could also discuss the challenges you faced initially in terms of delivery and how you improved. You should not just explain what you did and whether you liked it. You must also explain what you learned about yourself and others in the process. How has the experience changed your view of learning in general and interpersonal communication in specific? Finally, you could explain what you might take forward from this experience.  (Post by Sunday night, April 10th.)  

After you read your classmates’ posts, give them appropriate feedback on their reflection.  

Week 15/ Additional course-related documentation (extra posts)

For this post in the last week, you should upload documentation from the Project, the Presentation Pitch (PP) and the Project Oral Presentation (POP). This could include meeting minutes, the notes from your storyboard of the project video, your outline for the PP, and notes or a script for the POP, and the video itself.

Though no student feedback is required for these posts, comments are welcome.

Once you have created your blog, please post the address on this Google Doc if you are in Group E: 
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aZUbWpC2p_ML_d8p5i8EExTntdytlPFmglbibG-rbbA/edit?usp=sharing

...if you are in Group F:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1K37xWGxzrI7ACAA-09u-GwIRj-sUAml-8UTixdSPuuo/edit?usp=sharing