Communicating successfully depends on effective use of communication strategies and behaviors. Words, facial and body movements, tone of voice, even clothing and situation, all form an intricate symbol system that must be quickly translated by those who want to communicate. It has been said that there is no communication unless a mutual sharing of meaning takes place. It has also been said that one cannot NOT communicate. These two ideas seem to oppose one another, but they are two sides of the same coin. A smile can have many meanings. And so can silence. This course will show you how to manage the conscious and unconscious codes of meaning we send to each other and to respond with appropriate codes in turn. This course explains and explores concepts of verbal and nonverbal expression including personal style, listening, relationship dynamics, self-esteem, conflict management, and cultural and gender communication differences. Examples, graphics, and theoretical models help clarify communication topics and simplify the process for effective communication in family, personal, and professional situations. Communicating is necessary. Knowing how to do it well is personally satisfying and professionally wise.
This course includes a knowledgeable and caring instructor who will guide you through your lessons, facilitate discussions, and answer your questions. The instructor for this course will be Laurel Bragstad.
Laurel Bragstad combines her understanding of communication theory and practical experience in shaping courses that appeal to students of all ages. With a Master of Arts degree in interpersonal communication and rhetoric, she enjoys teaching undergraduate courses in interpersonal communication, public speaking, journalism, public speaking, persuasion, and theory and research. She also helped design and taught a course in instructional design for graduate students. Her real-life examples help students of all ages grasp any course content and feel confident about using what they have learned. Laurel has written several articles for "ETC: The Journal for the International Society of General Semantics" and had one of those reprinted in "Classroom Exercises for General Semantics," a book published by the Society. She has designed summer seminars in interpersonal, gender and intercultural communication including a study trip to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. She's managed the writing and production of a college magazine and newspaper, and has just begun assembling the memoirs of her elderly cousin.