Project Organised Problem Based Learning (POPBL) 5: Communication and group dynamics P0-experience exchange

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Project Organised Problem Based Learning
(POPBL) 5 Communication and group dynamics
P0-experience exchange

• Master of Science Introductory Semester (E7)
• Lecturer Lars Peter Jensen

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Agenda

• Communication
• Oral presentation
• P0 experience exchange

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Communication - a definition
- from ancient Latin communis - common -
sharing, making commonly known Merriam-Webster
( www.m-w.com ) a to convey knowledge of or
information about make known ltcommunicate a
storygt b to reveal by clear signs lthis fear
communicated itself to his friendsgtc to
transmit information, thought, or feeling so
that it is satisfactorily received or understood
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Ways of communication
One-on-one Few-on-few One-on-many
Participants
Characteristic Two-way Multi-way One-way
Oral Discussion Group discussion Presentation
Written Letters, e-mail Working papers Notes for a course
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Dialog versus diskussion
Two means of human communication Dialogue and
Discussion
Dialogue is an expansive process - your knowledge
is increased. How is the mind map of the world
for the others??
Discussion is a narrowing process - you agree on
a collective mind map of the world
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Dialogue

• The objective is to understand what others
  understand understand their mind map of the
  world
• The means are listening passively and
  actively.
• The characteristics are to be curios open
  minded eager to learn.
• Cultural sensitivity requires dialogue !!

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Discussion

• The objective is to agree upon a decision a
  common mind map of the world
• The means are shift between listening,
  reflecting, developing ideas and speaking
• The characteristics are holistic judgements (see
  it as a whole) and reasonable decisions

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Positive communication

• How to achieve positive communication to support
  learning?

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Aktiv lytning
Positive dialogue Active Listening
Coding
Decoding
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Active Listening

• Builds on the ability to
• Mirror, (repeat with your own words) what the
  other person says
• Communicate on the other persons premises
• Show understanding and respect for the other
  persons opinion
• Interpret not judge or condemn.

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Passive Listening

• Builds on the ability to
• Be silent
• Express acknowledgement
• Invite others to go into details using
  encouraging words Yes,No,I see,Hmmm and
• openers Tell more, How would you etc.

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Body language of a listener
A listening person
Has eye contact Has an open posture Is leaning
slightly forward Nods at intervals Is conscious
of own and receivers body language
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Positive discussionContributions furthering
discussion

• Make proposals
• Search for information via questions
• Give information
• Summing up the discussion
• Elaborate and further develop ideas
• Test own and others understanding of the topic
  under discussion

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Positive discussion Contributions improving
climate

• Praise and encourage others
• Support others in being listened to
• Follow and support ideas of others
• Openly express change of opinion
• Show openness
• Listen actively

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Negative discussion Contributions blocking
discussion

• Disagree without constructive alternatives
• Attack proposals of others
• Defend own proposals aggressively
• Speaking all the time without listening
• Talk about other subjects

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Positive communicationWhen you have to make a
decision

• 4 phases involved
• Making suggestions drawing different maps.
• Elaborating, explaining understanding the
  maps.
• Developing further, comprehensive assessment
  heading for a better map.
• Deciding drawing the (best) collective map
• Phase 1 2 is the dialogue. Phase 3 4 is the
  discussion.

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Positive communication Reflexive writing and
marking rounds

• Can be used before, during and after a
  decision-making process
• Five minutes time-out, where
• All speaking in the group is forbidden and
• Each student spontaneously writes down his or her
  thoughts about the form of the discussion and the
  issues discussed at the moment
• After 5 minutes take a marking round where
  everyone explains their thoughts

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Positive communication Reflexive writing and
marking rounds

• ..are good tools in team work because they
• Give those who have dropped out of the
  discussion a possibility to come back in.
• Give everybody a possibility to put forward their
  views and opinions.
• Make the communication process open and visible
  because of the writing.
• GOOD ADVICE Let the less speaking student start!!

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Positive communicationConstructive feedback

• Feedback must
• Describe behaviour not interpret motives
• Express your own feelings directly not
  indirectly
• Be specific not general
• Only address issues which can be changed
• Make room for change
• Be non-judgmental
• Only be given when asked for/agreed upon not
  uninvited
• Be motivated by a wish to help others not to
  hurt

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Positive communication A good advice to remember
!!

• Be towards others as you wish them to be towards
  you!!

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Oral presentation

• Watching the video

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Group discussion

• To make a do list for making oral presentation
• To make a donot list for making oral
  presentation

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Break for 10 minutes
Deadline is deadline !
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The short presentation plan

1. Tell them what you are going to tell them!
2. Tell them!
3. Tell them what you have told them!

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The longer presentation plan- 1

• Questions to ask
• Who is to know? Receiver, code, power
• What is my point? Message
• Why do I want to tell? Motivation
• How much do I know? Competence
• How should I tell it? Focus, media
• Where/when to tell? Situation
• How do I behave? Attitude

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The longer presentation plan- 2

• Things to think about
• Content - message, structure
• Appearance - confident, open, lively
  (eye-contact, hands)
• Articulation - clear, fluent, correct terminology
  (write)
• AV-aids - blackboard, OHP, PowerPoint, posters,
  film
• Time-management - organise, message
• Group collaboration - organise, message
• Plan - rehearse - evaluate review rehearse
  etc.

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Oral presentations - body language

• Elements in body language
• eyes
• facial mimic
• gesture
• posture
• position
• dressing

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Body language

• Be aware of your body language often there is a
  contradiction between what you say and what your
  body tells
• Some examples which may well be culturally
  biased??

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Signals defence and insecurity despite the smile
Confident, committed and confidence-inspiring
Superior and self-confident dont turn your back
to the audience
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Defensive and keeping his distance
A little nervous holding a pencil or a pointing
device will look more natural
Aggressive, determined
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Cautious and a little insecure
Open and honest
Insecure, holding his own hand
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Nervousness . . . . . . .

• Everyone is nervous, insecure and/or exited - the
  only thing that helps is practice.
• Prepare
• Rehearse
• In front of friends
• In front of mirror
• Write introduction conclusion

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Lecture On reflection and learning

1. WHAT is reflection?
2. WHY use reflection?
3. HOW to reflect?
4. Introduction to cross-group work

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WHAT is reflection?

• Examples of reflection
• A student is reflecting when
• She notices that important information is missing
  in a text, thinks about possible reasons for
  leaving out the info and looks up the info in
  other places.
• She realises that the given math exercise is
  different from the standard exercises in the
  book, identifies the difference and knows what to
  do differently.
• He looks back at an overruled time plan,
  identifies the time-consuming activities and
  makes allowances for these kinds of activities in
  the next time schedule.

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WHAT is reflection?

• Oxford English Dictionary
• The action, on the part of surfaces, of throwing
  back light or heat (rays, beams, etc.) falling
  upon them
• But also
• The action of turning (back) or fixing the
  thoughts on some subject meditation, deep or
  serious consideration.
• From the examples
• Notice
• Think about
• Look back at
• Identify
• Plan based on experience

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WHY use reflection?

• Engineers of today need methodological
• competencies, such as
• Flexibility and capacity for change.
• Such competencies are closely connected with
  lifelong
• learning which can be achieved through awareness
  about
• learning processes. Awareness about learning
  processes
• can be achieved through reflection upon learning
• processes.

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HOW to reflect?

• Make conscious observations by asking questions
• WHAT went well in P0? and WHY did it go well?
• WHAT went wrong in P0? and WHY did it go wrong?
• The reflection is embedded in the WHY? questions
• Reflection as a tool for development and
  improvement of methodological competencies can be
  used in connection with learning processes within
  all areas of engineering but in the POPBL course
  we focus upon learning processes in the area of
  project organised group work.

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Introduction to cross-group work

• Start out with a round of presentation, giving
  name, P0-project topic and supervisor
• Do a series of rounds describing how your project
  group organised the following Project
  management, team work, co-operation with your
  supervisor.
• Do a series of rounds of analysing and assessing
  your project process, taking your point of
  departure in the questions
• WHAT went well in P0? and WHY did it go well?
• WHAT went wrong in P0? and WHY did it go wrong?

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Introduction to cross-group work (cont.)

• 4. From the answers to the above questions
  generalise in the following format
• What we will continue to do in P1
• What we will do differently and better in P1
• Give Good advice to yourself and your fellow
  students (and possibly also to your supervisors)
  aimed at improving the project work process in P1
• Write down the Good advice on a slide (e.g.
  Power Point) and prepare a short presentation in
  room B2-109.

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and now the cross-group work!

• At 3 p.m. the presentation starts please select
  one member from each cross group to present your
  slides.

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Deadlines for personal portfolio

• A first version of the personal portfolio should
  be sent to Lars Peter Jensen lpj_at_es.aau.dk not
  later than november second (2/11-2007)
• The final version of the personal portfolio
  should be sent to Lars Peter Jensen
  lpj_at_es.aau.dk not later than december 13th
  (13/12-2007)