Course Summary What's next? | Communication theory | edX Series

Summary

This course explores communication as a dynamic process of meaning creation through interaction and symbolic message exchange. It delves into theory as a structured explanation of reality and emphasizes the continuous cycle of theory testing and building. The course distinguishes between objective and interpretive research, highlighting seven traditions in communication theory. It invites students to apply these theories to real-life situations and promises to enhance interpersonal and group communication skills, covering persuasion, public speaking, media influence, social media, public relations, and critical traditions, culminating in applying theory to practice.

Takeaways

• 📚 Communication is defined as the process of meaning creation through interaction and symbolic exchange of messages within different contexts.
• 🔍 Theories are abstract, structured explanations of reality, composed of a set of mutually linked concepts.
• 🔄 The research cycle involves continuous theory testing and building, with participants being part of this cycle even in everyday life.
• 📈 There are two main groups of theories: objective, which seeks single truth, and interpretive, which provides interpretations and understanding within specific contexts.
• 🌐 Seven traditions of communicative topology are identified: cybernetic, social psychological, sociocultural, critical, rhetorical, phenomenological, and semiotic.
• 🤔 The script encourages students to consider which approach is most relevant to their recent communicative problems and to reflect on their understanding of communication.
• 📝 The course includes homework, discussion boards, tests, and essays to enhance understanding and reflection on the course material.
• 👥 Week two focuses on interpersonal communication, exploring how to build, maintain, and develop relationships effectively.
• 👥👥 Week three is about group communication, addressing how to make groups tighter, improve decision-making, and the role of leadership in group work.
• 🗣️ Week four deals with persuasion and public speaking, discussing how to construct persuasive messages and choose appropriate communication channels.
• 📺 Week five examines media influence, looking at early media effects, cultivation effects, and the selectivity of media consumption.
• 🌐💬 Week six is dedicated to social media, discussing online communities, user engagement, and the impact of social media on society.
• 👥🏢 Week seven covers public relations, exploring theories and practices of relationship building between organizations and the public.
• 🤔🌐 The critical tradition, focusing on ideology and discourse, is explored over two weeks, aiming to understand communication patterns within society.
• 🔚 The final week is a summary, applying theory to practice, with an emphasis on real-life examples to show the relevance of communication theory.

Q & A

What is the definition of communication according to the course?

Communication is defined as the process of meaning creation through interaction and symbolic exchange of messages within different contexts.

What does the course describe as theory?

Theory is described as an abstract, structured explanation of reality through a set of mutually linked concepts.

What is the ongoing research cycle mentioned in the course?

The ongoing research cycle refers to the continuous process between theory testing and theory building, which never stops and involves everyone, even in common sense or working theories.

What are the two main groups of theories discussed in the course?

The two main groups of theories are interpretive and objective. Objective research seeks a single truth, while interpretive research provides interpretations and focuses on understanding specific situations within a given context.

What are the seven traditions of creative topology within communicative theory?

The seven traditions are cybernetic, social psychological, sociocultural, critical, rhetorical, phenomenological, and semiotic.

How does the course encourage students to apply theory to their own communicative problems?

The course encourages students to think about which approach is more related to recent situations they've been confused about and to consider how theory can solve communicative problems.

What is the homework format for the course?

The homework includes answering questions related to the course content, participating in discussion boards on a Facebook group for feedback and questions, and occasionally writing essays that will be peer-reviewed.

What is the focus of week two in the course?

Week two focuses on interpersonal communication, discussing how to build, maintain, and develop relationships, and the key variables and points of focus in interpersonal interactions.

What will be covered in week three regarding group communication?

Week three is about group communication, addressing how to make a group tighter, make better decisions within the group, and the role of leadership in group work.

What is the main topic of week four in the course?

Week four is dedicated to persuasion and public speaking, focusing on building persuasive messages and choosing accurate channels for message delivery.

What is the purpose of discussing media effects in week five?

The purpose is to explore the early effects of media, such as television and radio, on communication and information dissemination, and to discuss the cultivation effect of media and the selectivity of perception in media consumption.