Purposive Communication eBook PDF

BatStateU Purposive Communication Page 1 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication A Module in GEd 106 – Purposive Communication This module was developed by Dr. Kristoffer Conrad M. Tejada, D...

BatStateU Purposive Communication Page 1 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication A Module in GEd 106 – Purposive Communication This module was developed by Dr. Kristoffer Conrad M. Tejada, Dr. Maria Luisa A. Valdez, and Dr. Ronel M. Sapungan, all of Batangas State University, Batangas City, Philippines, as part of the university’s transition to flexible, alternative mode of teaching and learning. No part of this module may be reproduced, reprinted, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission of the module developers or of Batangas State University, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. Page 2 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page 1 Table of Contents 3 Foreword 4 Brief Description of the Module 5 Course Description and Intended Learning Outcomes 7 Model Utilized 8 Lesson 1: Communication Principles and Ethics 9 Communication and Globalization 12 Ethics in Communication 15 Lesson 2: Local and Global Communication in Multicultural Settings 20 Communication Styles 20 Varieties and Registers of Spoken and Written Language 22 Lesson 3: Evaluating Messages and Images of Different Text Types 26 The Power of Words and Images 27 Multimodality 28 Lesson 4: The Rise of New Media and Technology Aids in 31 Communication Social Media Use 31 Language and the New Media 36 Communication Planning 39 Communication Strategies in Tech-based Communication 40 Lesson 5: Communication for Work Purposes 41 Part 1 - Oral Communication in the Workplace 41 Part 2 - Preparing the Cover Letter and Curriculum Vitae 46 Online interviews, physical/virtual meetings and etiquette 53 Preparing Correspondence via print or email 60 Preparing Letters and Email Messages with netiquette 64 Lesson 6: Communication for Academic Purposes 69 The Stylistic Elements of Good Academic Writing 69 Socio-political Analysis Paper 77 Position Paper 81 Research-based Documented Essay 86 References 94 Page 3 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication Foreword The global pandemic caused by CoViD-19 in the first quarter of 2020 has significantly disrupted the ways in which the general society operates. In the Philippines, the whole country was placed under a State of Public Health Emergency as early as March 08, 2020, which was followed by the declaration of an Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) over the entire Luzon effective March 17, 2020. This entailed restrictions in the movement of the general population and the temporary closure of non-essential establishments and businesses, with very few exceptions. Despite the measures established by the government, reinforced by magnanimous efforts of private groups and individuals, the number of individuals with confirmed COVID-19 cases continued to rise. This phenomenon has not only affected the economic conditions and socio-political landscapes of countries all over the world, but has also altered the way educational institutions deliver instruction and provide academic and administrative services. There is a wide consensus among experts and government authorities that schools should remain closed for students even after community quarantine protocols have relaxed, and so flexible and alternative modes of teaching and learning have been adopted. For these reasons, this module on Purposive Communication (PC) was developed, guided by Memorandum Order No. 325, s.2020 by the Office of the University President of Batangas State University. The general direction given was the continuous delivery of instruction (1) without compromising quality and the attainment of Intended Learning Outcomes, but (2) considering the various contexts of the faculty and students. After a survey was conducted among faculty and students, and after consultations with various stakeholders, the developers revised the existing PC syllabus, structured content, and designed activities intended to engage students and facilitate meaningful learning in a flexible learning environment. The inputs, learning activities, and assessment tasks cover realistic scenarios that would not simply provide the professor a basis for assigning a grade, but more importantly, give students additional opportunities to learn through experience. Guided by the educational theories of asynchronous learning and differentiated instruction, this module offers guidance and direction for students to learn at their own pace with contextualized options for receiving inputs and submitting outputs. It is hoped that this instructional material provides sufficient support to the students in acquiring the competencies to complete the course despite the prevailing social and economic conditions. This is staying true to the constitutional mandate, as specified in Article XIV, Sec. 1 of the 1987 Constitution, to “protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels… and take appropriate steps to make education accessible to all.” Page 4 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication Brief Description of the Module This module was developed in response to the call for continuous delivery of instruction, under the philosophy that learning should continue despite emerging challenges under the new normal. It is based primarily on the approved revised syllabus for Purposive Communication The module has seven lessons: Lesson 1 (Weeks 1-2) is about communication principles and ethics, including the concept of globalization as the worldwide integration of humanity. It also involves diversity and cultural sensitivity in communicating in a highly globalized environment. Lesson 2 (Week 3-4) includes communication in a multicultural world, focused on the various styles of communication and the registers of spoken and written language unique to certain cultures and in specific circumstances. Lessons 3 (Week 5) covers the power of words and images, and centers on the evaluation of messages and images of different types of text. It also introduces the concept of multimodality and how meaning is influenced by certain semiotic features of texts. Lesson 4 (Weeks 6-7) involves the rise of new media, as well as the various aids and strategies for communication using technology. It provides information, data, and statistics on social media use, and the complexities of language use in new media. It also enumerates the steps in effective communication planning, all of which segue to the topics on communication for work and academic purposes. Lesson 5 – Part 1 (Week 8) delves into the tenets and essential aspects of communication for work purposes, and lays down real-world challenges in professional, workplace communication and ways on how to address these. Midterm Exam Week (Week 9) Lesson 5 – Part 2 (Weeks 10 - 12) is a continuation of the discussion on workplace communication, but with focus on specific areas – from job application to communication in the actual workplace. This includes physical and virtual interviews and meetings, preparing correspondences, and observing netiquette in online communication. Page 5 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication Lesson 7 (Weeks 13 - 17) covers the different stylistic elements of good academic writing, which include the overall view, language, academic tone, academic diction, punctuation, academic conventions, evidence- based reasoning, thesis-driven, complexity, and higher order thinking, as well as the four key areas that may help students in refining their academic writing. The lesson also includes the guidelines in the preparation of socio-political analysis paper, position paper, and research-based documented essay. Final Exam Week (Week 18) This module presents a systematic program of study that attempts to link theory and practice. Since some of you may have weak or intermittent connectivity, the module was developed to be self-instructional to support offline, independent learning. In addition, this module presents only essential materials and activities; your professor may give additional lectures or activities from time to time. Page 6 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication Course Description Purposive Communication develops your communicative competence and enhances your cultural and intercultural awareness through multimodal tasks. These provide you with opportunities for communicating effectively and appropriately to a multicultural audience in a local or global context, in a physical or virtual environment. It equips you with tools for critical evaluation of a variety of texts and focuses on the power of language and the impact of images to emphasize the importance of conveying messages responsibly. The knowledge, skills, and insights that you will gain from this course may be used in your other academic endeavors, your chosen disciplines, and your future careers as you compose and produce relevant oral, written, audio-visual and/or web-based output for various purposes. Intended Learning Outcomes At the end of the course, you are expected to achieve the following outcomes: ILO 1 Describe the nature, elements, and functions of verbal and non-verbal communication in multicultural contexts, as well as the effects of global issues to communication and the impact of using culturally appropriate terms, expressions, and images. ILO 2 Create clear, coherent, and effective communication materials for various academic and work purposes, observing principles of structure, style, conventions, and proper referencing, and utilizing the appropriate varieties of spoken and written language. ILO 3 Adopt socio-cultural awareness, ethics, and sensitivity in the persuasive presentation of ideas through oral, audio-visual, and/or web-based or multimodal platforms for various audiences in local and global settings using appropriate registers and non-verbal cues. Page 7 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication Model Utilized The developers of this module adopted Fink’s (2003) Integrated Course Design (ICD) model to restructure your learning experience, enable you to respond at your own pace, and engage you in the learning process. You then become co-creators of your own learning. In addition, you are also given wider opportunities to work independently or with other members of the class – if the existing conditions permit – in promoting learning. The basic idea behind the ICD model is that lessons and activities are designed to be learning-centered and learner-centered, rather than simply developing a list of topics and then providing students with lots of information about each topic. In this model, several aspects were considered, founded on situational factors that affect teaching and learning activities, as well as feedback and assessment, are all anchored on desired learning goals. The interrelationships of these elements are shown in the figure below: Figure 1. The Integrated Course Design Model (Fink, 2003) In the context of this module, the situational factors that were considered included the professors’ and students’ contexts, since every situation is different under the current circumstances; the level of internet connectivity, familiarity with and availability of online learning platforms, the time required to cover the course based on existing guidelines, and the nature of the course. For the learning goals, the developers determined what you, the students, needed to learn vis-à-vis the course’s intended learning outcomes. Only essential topics were selected, so the identification of learning goals came hand in hand with the selection of the most significant topics and sub-topics. The learning activities were designed to allow you to explore and enable you to achieve the intended learning outcomes. As discussed earlier, these consist of simple yet meaningful and authentic tasks that could be accomplished even at home. Page 8 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication The platform and manner of communication between you and your professor shall be agreed upon at the beginning of the semester. Submission of requirements and feedback would be given through electronic or digital means, or through other mechanisms mutually acceptable between you and your professor. The alternative form of assessment covers realistic scenarios that would not simply provide the professor a basis for assigning a grade, but more importantly, give you additional opportunities to learn through experience. The major requirements are authentic, with clear criteria and standards, so you are guided as to what is expected of your submission. The development of this module also adopted the principle of constructive alignment (Biggs, 2003), which is the underlying principle that shapes both the curriculum and the module so that the inputs, teaching-learning activities, and assessment tasks align with the intended learning outcomes of the course. Page 9 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication Lesson 1: Communication Principles and Ethics Learning Outcomes At the end of the lesson, you are expected to achieve the following: 1. Describe the nature, elements and functions of verbal and non-verbal communication in various and multicultural contexts. 2. Explain how cultural and global issues affect communication, and why ethical communication is essential. 3. Appreciate the impact of communication on society and the world. Processes and Principles of Effective Communication Effective communication is a key interpersonal skill and by learning how you can improve your communication has many benefits. It sounds so simple: say what you mean. But all too often, what you try to communicate gets lost in translation despite your best intentions. You say one thing, the other person hears something else, and misunderstandings, frustration, and conflicts ensue. This is very true especially in the absence of physical, face-to-face communication. Communication is beyond simply putting words into thoughts and emotions. It is done effectively only when information is transmitted without changing both the content and the context of the message. Simply put, communication is the art of creating and sharing ideas for a specific purpose. It comes in many forms:  verbal communication, which includes the use of language, sounds, and tone of voice  non-verbal communication, which includes body language and facial expressions  written communication, such as through journals, emails, blogs, and text messages  visual communication, which involves signs, symbols, pictures, graphics, and emojis Effective communication is dependent on how rich those ideas are, and how much of those ideas are retained in the process. In order to be an effective communicator, a number of skills have to be utilized. Which skill one chooses greatly varies and is dictated by the situation, the content or the actual information a person needs or wants to convey, and the intended recipient of that information. DID YOU KNOW? Almost 91% of professionals from the world’s top 300 multinational companies said that communicating in English is important for work success, but only 7% of them indicate that their current level of English is sufficient for their jobs. This is based on “The Globalization of English” research study conducted by the McKinsey Global Institute. Audience Analysis A key element in effective communication is audience analysis. “Audience” here does not only refer to the people listening to you in a public speech. Rather, it refers to anyone who is expected to receive the message you are sending. Knowing the audience, understanding their level and how they need to receive the information – also known as skills on audience analysis – are extremely important in “packaging” the message and sending it across. Audience analysis is therefore one skill an effective communicator must have. It is imperative that you find out who the audience is – who will actually receive your ‘message’ – and what they need to know. Only in doing so can you properly adjust all the other elements of communication, such as your words or registers, your tone, and your expressions. Page 10 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication Another aspect that needs consideration in analyzing the audience is identifying and trying to overcome possible communication barriers. These are not confined to physical noise (cars passing by, someone pounding on the table) and physiological issues (an upset stomach), but could also include cultural difference, varying levels of expectations and experiences, and difference in perspectives and communication styles. Anyone might experience one or all of these barriers at any given circumstance, and that such barriers exist has to be recognized so that anyone who is trying to communicate can adjust and apply the proper tools and strategies to remove those barriers that prevent the message from getting across. Principles of Effective Communication Effective communication requires a certain level of connection between and among people, allowing a series of exchanges of thoughts and emotions, eventually leading to mutual understanding. In order for that to happen, the following principles must be observed. Clarity. This pertains to both the message and the purpose why the message has to be sent. The message should be clear by using appropriate language and communication channels, but equally important is that the reason for sending and receiving the message must be understood by both sender and receiver. Conciseness. The message should be as brief as may be required depending on one’s purpose, especially in most modern contexts in the business and academic fields where time is of the essence. It should be devoid of trivial details that would hinder communication. Completeness. Despite its conciseness, the message should still be complete and accurate. Whenever necessary, background information should be given to provide better context; facts and observations may also be helpful. Organization. Effective communication is usually planned in order to ensure the systematic flow of ideas and transition from one point to another. There are instances, however, when communication is impromptu, but this should not be an excuse for an organized presentation of ideas. Empathy. The sender of the message should be sensitive to the needs and interests of the receiver. In case of face-to-face communication, the speaker must always be conscious of the reaction of the listener and adjust his/her communication strategy accordingly. Flexibility. Different people have different communication styles, and consequently, different expectations. Effective communicators know how to adapt to the varying needs and expectations of their audience, and modify the message or the way the message is sent to avoid misunderstanding or misinterpretation. Page 11 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication COMMUNICATION AND GLOBALIZATION Motive Question: The world has shrunk into a global village, but have we become more of ‘neighbors’ or more of strangers to each other? The notion of the world being a global village has been a hot topic ever since the idea was brought up, especially in light of the rapid advances in technology and digitization. Globalization has been regarded as the key to the worldwide integration of humanity, where there is an increased economic, political and cultural integration and interdependence of diverse cultures. In Southeast Asia, for example, the ASEAN Integration has been a buzzword among social communities, opening a wide array of discussion for future collaborations. For our part, we Filipinos have increased our awareness and acceptance of the notion that we belong to a diverse, global community. This is not confined to communication with people from other countries, but is inclusive of communication within our own societies, even with the minorities and the indigenous peoples. It is therefore imperative that WE learn to communicate effectively with people regardless of age, gender, race, ability, religion, sexual orientation, income, marital status, or ethnicity. Communication in the modern world must be anchored on the concept of diversity, since effective communication and the ability to understand cultural differences are skills that have become requisites not only for a meaningful social life but also for a successful professional career. Even professionals from the countries that are traditionally known for sticking to their native tongue (e.g. Japan, Korea, Vietnam) have started to learn English, as the internationally-recognized lingua franca, with the concept that learning English does not make theconversation.com/socialdiversity them less Japanese, Koreans, or Viets. In addition, digital technology has erased territorial boundaries among countries and among people with varying cultures. The notion of being a ‘stranger’ has been revolutionized as the people whom we used to treat as strangers are now our co-workers, classmates or friends – albeit some only in social media. Hence, there is a need to develop graduates and professionals who are multiculturalists – those who are engaged with and respectful of people with different cultures. These are not necessarily people from other countries all the time, since a country may have varying sub-cultures among its general society. In the Philippines, for example, there is no argument that people from Southern Tagalog have a different culture from the Bicolanos, and those from Zamboanga have different norms and beliefs from the Ilocanos. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT Are you ready to communicate in a global and multicultural environment? Assess your readiness to communicate effectively with people having different cultures. Simply write True or False after each statement. Page 12 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication 1. I enjoy communicating with persons who are like me in terms of interests and with the same socio-economic status, as much as I enjoy communicating those who are not ‘like’ me. __________ 2. I am equally sensitive to the concerns of all groups of society, and I genuinely care to the plight and issues surrounding them. __________ 3. I can tell when persons with different cultures do not understand me or are confused by my actions. __________ 4. I am not afraid of interacting with members of minority groups nor with members of a dominant culture. __________ 5. Persons from other cultures who do not actively participate in a conversation, debate or any form of discussion act that way probably because of their culture’s rules. __________ 6. Persons from other cultures have the right to be angry at members of my own culture. __________ 7. How I handle conflict or disagreements with persons from other cultures depends on the situation and on the culture they are from. __________ 8. My culture is not superior to other cultures. __________ 9. I am knowledgeable of how to behave when communicating or interacting with people having different cultures. __________ 10. I respect the communication rules of cultures other than my own. __________ Discuss your answers with your professor or your classmates. The greater the number of statements that are honestly true to you, the more prepared you are to welcome the opportunity of communicating and interacting with people from different cultures. This is a very important aspect in one’s personal life or professional careers, since avoiding intercultural communication is virtually inevitable in any organization. This is especially true in business organizations, when products can go global and the manner by which any product is communicated to the global market can make or break the brand. Here are a few examples of business miscommunication in a global setting:  In the past, Gerber dealt with issues in some cultures where women have low literacy rates such as Africa and the Middle East. The women in these cultures generally use pictures to tell them what food they are buying. When Gerber started selling their product in these countries, the women saw the picture of the baby and believed that there was a baby or part of one baby in the jar. Irish Mist is a brown whiskey produced in Dublin, Ireland. In Germany, however, “Mist” literally translates to “crap”.  Joni (read as “Yoni”) is a brand of skin product. However, Yoni means ‘uterus’ or ‘vagina’ in Sanskrit, and is an Indian representation of female genitalia, especially pertaining to the Hindu goddess Shakti. Page 13 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication Undoubtedly, globalization has affected the way people and companies communicate with each other. In some cases, cultural differences have accentuated cultural insensitivity, which is most felt in the business world. Since everyone is a consumer of particular business products, it is important to know the issues, etiquette, protocol, communication styles and negotiation approaches of people from different cultures using the business experience as example. Here are some instances when lack of cultural or linguistic sensitivity in global communication severely affected companies or products.  McDonald’s spent thousands on a new TV ad to target the Chinese consumers. This featured a Chinese man kneeling before a McDonald’s vendor and begging him to accept his expired discount coupon. The ad caused uproar over the fact that begging is considered a shameful act in Chinese culture.  Similarly, McDonald’s also unintentionally offended thousands of Muslims when it printed an excerpt from the Koran on its throwaway (take-out) hamburger bags. Muslims saw this as sacrilegious.  Some staff at the African port of Stevadores saw the supposedly internationally-recognized symbol for “fragile” (i.e. broken wine glass). Since in their culture, they treat the pictures printed on packages to be representation of what’s inside, they thought it was a box of broken glasses and threw all the boxes into the sea.  The film “Hollywood Buddha” caused outrage and protest on the streets of Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Myanmar (Burma) when the designer of the film’s poster decided to show the lead actor sitting on the Buddha’s head, which is an act of clear degradation against something holy.  Coors (beer) once had its slogan “Turn it loose.” translated to Spanish, but it became to mean “Suffer from diarrhea.” All of these examples are predominantly business-related, where companies failed to regard cultural differences in packaging and communicating their product to the global market. However, the cost of cultural insensitivity in global communication can be felt in everyday communication, as cultural misunderstandings often lead to misinterpretation and unnecessary tension between people. Here are some examples demonstrating this in a global setting:  Showing the sole of a shoe (by crossing one’s legs and pointing one’s shoes to the speaker, for example) means nothing to observers in most Western and Asian countries. In Muslim cultures (such as Saudi Arabia), however, the gesture is perceived as insulting. Similarly, crossing one’s legs while seated is customary for Westerners, but this is a social faux pas in Korea.  Blinking rapidly while another person is talking is normal for most people, especially during tense situations. For Taiwanese, this is considered impolite.  The Japanese view the business card as an extension of their body, while Americans view it simply as a business formality. Hence, when Japanese hand over their business cards with two hands and with great care, they get insulted when the person receiving just put it away with haste. Page 14 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication These are just some of the instances when miscommunication and misunderstanding can happen as a result of cultural ignorance and insensitivity in the global environment. In order to develop more meaningful relationships and establish productive interaction with people having different cultures, everyone should recognize and respond to such differences and nuances. In addition, people have to be mindful that not everyone from the same culture exhibits the same characteristics and habits in communication, so sensitivity is key to any successful communicative situation. In communicating in a highly global environment, the challenge that faces everyone is to learn to understand, accept, and address cultural – and communication – differences. ETHICS IN COMMUNICATION Effective communication is ethical communication. Communication is ethical only when it is genuine, open, cooperative and sensitive to one’s cultural and social beliefs and practices. If there is an intent to conceal the truth, or bring damage to any organization, group or individual person, communication is considered unethical. Even in situations when there is no intent to harm, but damage to a certain group is inevitable because of the message or the channel used to relay the message, it is still considered unethical. SIMPLE ACTIVITY: Reflective Analysis Analyze the following print advertisements and determine if these are ethical or not. Consider the following guide questions in your analysis. 1. What is the message of the ad? 2. How is the message underscored? What semiotics are used (text? images? others?) 3. Is there any individual or group that may be offended by the ad? 4. Is there another way of presenting or delivering the message? 5. Do you think the ad is ethical? Reflective Analysis. Briefly explain your assessment of the ad, with focus on the five questions. __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ thesocietypages.org Page 15 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication Did you notice the placement of the “before” and “after” texts? Did you notice that the “before” text was right under the colored woman, while the brown-skinned model is at the middle, and the fair-skinned woman is at the far right, below the text “’after”? How does this relate to the product tagline, “Visibly more beautiful skin…”? Can you relate this with the popular yet stereotypical Filipino belief that “white is beautiful” hence the proliferation of whitening products, such as soap and lotion? Try to reflect on this next advertisement, which was found to be sexist by most observers: Reflective Analysis. Briefly explain your assessment of the ad, with focus on the five questions in the previous page. __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ ibtimes.co.uk/bodyshamingadverts __________________________________ PERFORMANCE TASK Do you know other print or television advertisements that are non-ethical because they are discriminatory, stereotypical, and/or sexist? Spot these ads in magazines, newspapers, social media networks, Youtube, or any other platform. Share these in class and discuss: a. why you think the ad is unethical; b. how it could possibly be received by certain groups; and b. what could be a better way of presenting the ad. Take note of the following rubric in assessing your response: Content (4 pts.): Your material is spot-on and obviously well-researched. Reasoning (4 pts.): Your line of reasoning is logical and justified. Organization of Ideas (2 pts.): Your ideas are well-presented and highly organized. Page 16 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication How Past Experience and Prejudice Affect Communication Most people bring their past experiences into a communication situation. Sometimes, they pitch in existing information because they learned in the past that adding information makes the communication more successful. There are times when they do not contribute anything because of a possible past experience when their inputs were not considered or valued. In any case, people enter into a communicative situation with certain expectations, and they behave or react accordingly. Past experiences inevitably affect people’s communication styles in the future. When their audience responded positively to their message, chances of them repeating the same style are relatively high. However, when they were turned down or given negative feedback, this will definitely influence how they deliver the message next time. Past Experience Effect to Communication Your parents reacted negatively when you You hesitate to discuss the topic with them opened up about your interest for a certain despite your rich potential to that craft. craft. Your colleague has forgotten some very You give him/her reminders every now and then important information many times in the past. to avoid messing up again. You don’t ask for your subordinate’s opinion A subordinate in a group that you lead anymore, even if he might agree with you this disagreed twice in your suggestions. time. Your professor ignored your inputs last session. You don’t provide inputs in class anymore. Your teammates reacted positively to your You use the same strategy in a similar strategy. situation. Prejudice, on the other hand, when people take their past experiences and make certain assumptions that the same experience will happen with the same people, given the same context. Prejudices may be attributed to culture or personal preferences. Not all prejudices have a negative characteristic, as a person might consider all members of a group to be smart even without meeting them individually. It must be noted, however, that effective communicators should avoid prejudice because it influences the communication process even before it begins. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT To have an idea how this happens, complete the phrases below, and discuss it in class. If you don’t have sufficient personal experience to complete a phrase, think of a possible stereotype you might have heard from someone:  Old teachers in school are…  Male professors who speak good English are…  The athletes and performers in school usually…  Most supervisors in multinational companies are…  The lowest form of job in the workplace is…  Working with homosexuals usually…  Muslims, Buddhists, or people with other beliefs are…  Disabled people in the workplace should… Prejudices happen when people isolate an experience with one “type” of person or one group of people, then behave as if all encounters with people of the same “type”, or at least with the same characteristics, will lead to the same experience. This eliminates a people’s personal identity and individuality. There can be prejudice as regards to age, gender orientation, religious belief, race, social-economic status, and physical conditions. Effective communicators view people as separate from any preconceived notions others may have about them. They see the value of the individual as a person of worth, and thus will respect that individuality. Page 17 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication Showing commitment and genuine interest A key component of ethical communication is showing commitment in the communicative situation. Being committed means giving sufficient time and resources to any discussion or conversation, and being open about any issue that may arise. Commitment also involves volunteering important information, even if it puts a person’s own short-term interests at risk, as long as it is for the benefit of the majority especially in the long run. Encouraging a communicative environment of trust can go a long way in promoting ethical communication in any academic or business setting. “Naval Language” or The Belly Button Psyche It is clear that the two major elements affecting ethical communication are the use of words or language, and one’s behavior or body language. The second element – body language – may be enhanced through the ‘Belly Button Psyche’, or the belly button rule, which is believed to communicate true interest while engaging in face-to-face communication. The origin of this “rule” dates back to the 1930s and since then, numerous scientists and body language experts have honed the theory. Most notably, Dr. Albert Mehrabian, professor of Psychology at UCLA said that the belly button rule is the most important indicator of reading a person’s intention. Simply put, the belly button rule means the direction of a person’s navel reflects his/her true interest. Here is a basic explanation of the rule: luscumaperi.wordpress.com/behavioral science/newbodylanguage When people are interested in you and what you have to say, they will point their belly button squarely at you as you talk. That shows they are engaged and they are focused on what you have to say. Although we do this without thinking, the fact is that we can consider this rule when we are having conversations with people who are special to us. If you are uncomfortable with a conversation and you may have to discuss something that is not easy to discuss, start with sitting the listener in a way where your belly button is pointing directly toward theirs. This shows you are focused on talking to them, and even though they may not be aware, the listener will at least begin by being focused on you, as their body language and attention is directed toward you. When we work to put our focus on listening and valuing what the other person has to say, then secondly getting our message across, we can take big steps in a short amount of time at building better communication. Page 18 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication PERFORMANCE TASK: NAVAL LANGUAGE Who among the people in the picture show more commitment and interest in the conversation or discussion? Briefly discuss your answer using the belly button rule. http://www.theprojectbox.us/2010/07/body-language-you-say-more-than-you-think/ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Your answer will be assessed using the following rubric: Content (4 pts.): Your answer demonstrates accurate and deep understanding of the concept. Reasoning (4 pts.): Your line of reasoning is logical and justified. Organization of Ideas (2 pts.): Your ideas are well-presented and highly organized. Respecting socio-cultural beliefs and practices of others The concept of globalization is not new, but people somehow fail to realize that this is not confined to technology or bridging the world and making it a virtual community. Globalization also entails changing the way people communicate to others, especially those with different norms, cultures and belief systems. This involves all types of communication, whether face-to-face, chatting via email, or using various forms of mass media, such as the two ads shown on pages 16 and 17. It is hoped that in the previous activity with the advertisements, you were able to identify how both ads put women in a bad light, in a state where they are objectified – that they are beautiful only when they have fair skin or an ‘hourglass’ body. Ethical communication requires people to respect socio-cultural beliefs and practices of others, while at the same time avoiding all kinds of stereotypes. Page 19 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication Lesson 2: Local and Global Communication in Multicultural Settings Learning Outcomes At the end of the lesson, you are expected to achieve the following: 1. Describe the styles in communication considering various multicultural settings. 2. Determine varieties and registers of spoken and written language. 3. Adopt cultural an intercultural awareness and sensitivity in communicating ideas. 4. Develop a sense of appreciation on the richness and diversity of registers used in written and spoken communication. COMMUNICATION STYLES IN VARIOUS MULTICULTURAL CONTEXTS As mentioned in Lesson 1, each person has a unique style of communicating, which may depend not only on his/her linguistic ability but also on his/her cultural and social context. Some are outspoken; some are more quiet yet on point. Some always seem formal, while some have a lot of introduction before getting to the main point. Communication style refers to the choices people make and the strategies or tools they use in the process of communication. A style may sometimes depend on the demands of the communicative situation, as well as on the needs and requirements of the target recipients of the information. Each style has two dimensions: the (1) assertiveness level and the (2) emotiveness level, which is shown in the Communication Styles Matrix below. The Communication Styles Matrix Page 20 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication The model, developed by Dr. Eileen M. Russo, shows four different communication styles (direct, spirited, systematic and considerate), categorized further into two different dimensions (level of assertiveness and level of expressiveness). All of these must be considered because people with different cultural contexts tend to have varying levels and styles of communication. People who are categorized within the assertive communication level tend to tell or instruct others what to do and sometimes even how to do it, while the less assertive styles usually tend to be on the receiving end, often asking for guidance, instructions or directions. On the other hand, people who fall under the expressive level usually show their real feelings and emotions through facial expressions, tone of voice, or language use. The less expressive ones tend to either hide their feelings or exert some effort for these feelings not to show. The combination of these levels result to the basic communication styles: Spirited = High Expressiveness + High Assertiveness Considerate = High Expressiveness + Low Assertiveness Direct = Low Expressiveness + High Assertiveness Systematic = Low Expressiveness + Low Assertiveness Tips for People with a Spirited Communication Style 1. Respect decisions and agenda that have been agreed upon, as well as time limits during meetings or any communicative situation. 2. Try to limit your sharing of personal anecdotes that may take the discussion off-topic. 3. Make sure you are allowing others to contribute their ideas and suggestions – and that you are genuinely listening to them. 4. Be certain that any request you make is clear and that you convey the reason for such request. 5. Communicate your appreciation for others’ work and input. Tips for People with a Considerate Communication Style 1. Recognize that other people’s opinions about a topic are separate from their opinions about you. 2. Realize that not everyone is comfortable discussing personal topics with colleagues. 3. Allow others to open personal matters before asking questions of that nature. 4. Respect your own opinion as you respect that of others’. 5. Recognize that you don’t have to be friends with everyone, but you should treat others – and be treated – professionally. Tips for People with a Direct Communication Style 1. Make an effort to listen carefully to others. Avoid interrupting. 2. Allow time for ‘chatting’ at the beginning of a meeting. 3. Recognize that others may also feel the need to express themselves. 4. Recognize that brainstorming can be effective and is not a waste of time. 5. Take some time to show your appreciation for others’ contributions. Tips for People with a Systematic Communication Style 1. Recognize that for good working relationships, consideration for others’ feelings is important. 2. Learn to ask qualifying questions that will help you get the information you need. 3. Make sure you understand the background of the discussion or scope of the conversation so no time is wasted. 4. Politely ask other questions about themselves if you want to build rapport. 5. If you need to ask for more time to know, analyze or discuss something, explain the benefit of the information you need to know. Page 21 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication VARIETIES AND REGISTERS OF SPOKEN AND WRITTEN LANGUAGE In a multicultural society, people must use culturally-appropriate terms, gestures, expressions and images in any communicative situation. The ‘I Love You’ Map Language Varieties Also called “lects”, these refer to the different variants of a language that can be sufficiently delimited from one another in terms of social, historical, or geo-spatial factors, thus forming language clusters. In addition, language varieties may also be grouped in the following classifications: a. Pidgin. It refers to a new language that develops into situations where speakers of different languages need to communicate but do not share a common language. Examples are Chavacano in the Philippines and Bislama, a language spoken in Vanuatu. b. Creole. It is a pidgin that becomes the first language of the children, or the mother tongue of a certain community. Examples are the Gullah and the Patwa, is a creole in Jamaica. c. Regional Dialect. It is not a language that is not distinct from a national language, but rather a variety of a language spoken in a particular area of a country. Examples are as Cebuano, Waray, Ilocano, and Hiligaynon in the Philippines. d. Minority Dialect. This is a variety used as a marker of identity, usually alongside a standard variety, by the members of a particular minority ethnic group. Examples are the Sinama of the Badjaos in the Philippines and the London-Jamaican variety in Britain. e. Indigenized Varieties. These are spoken mainly as second languages in former colonies with multilingual populations. A classic example is Singlish (or Singaporean English). Page 22 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication POINT FOR DISCUSSION How do you classify the ‘conyo’ language in the Philippines? What do you think are the unique characteristics of this language variety? How do you feel about people using this variety? Discuss your answers in class. https://www.eaglenews.ph/taglish-or-mother-tongue/ Language Registers A language register is characterized by the way a speaker uses language differently in different social circumstances. These are determined by such factors as social atmosphere, purpose of communication, audience, and the general context of the discourse. Generally, language registers can be classified as (1) formal, (2) casual, (3) intimate, (4) frozen, and (5) consultative. a. Formal. These registers are used in professional, academic, or legal settings where communication is expected to be respectful, uninterrupted, and restrained to specific rules. Slang is never used and contractions are rare. Examples are registers used in research paper, government documents, business letters, and in business presentations. b. Casual. These registers are used when communicating with friends, close acquaintances, colleagues, and family members. These are used in birthday parties or family gatherings. c. Intimate. Intimate language registers are reserved for special occasions, usually between only two people and often in private. Examples are an inside joke between two high school friends or sweet nothings whispered to your “special someone.” d. Frozen. It refers to historic language that is intended to remain unchanged. Examples are the registers used in the Philippine Constitution and the Holy Bible. e. Consultative. It is used in conversations when people are speaking with someone who has specialized knowledge or is offering advice. Tone is often respectful, such as the use of honorifics or courtesy titles, but may be more casual if the relationship between or among the communicators is friendly. Examples are registers used in local television broadcast or in a conversation with a doctor during medical examination. Language registers can also be classified as Formal, Informal, or Neutral. Formal language registers are appropriate for professional situations, such as when speaking to a supervisor or writing an invitation letter. Informal language registers, on the other hand, are conversational and appropriate when speaking or writing to a friend or to someone you know quite well. Page 23 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication The use of one or a combination of these registers highly depends on the audience (person/s for whom the message is intended) and the context (nature of the communicative situation). Using the proper registers show respect, interest, and a certain level of professionalism, hence enhancing harmonious personal and professional relationships. These are also used in writing short notes, personal journals, or diaries. Lastly, neutral language registers are non-emotional and laden with facts. These are most appropriate for research or technical writing. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT Most cultures experience evolutions in the use of registers or words in both formal and informal settings. In the Philippines, for example, some linguistic phenomena have taken the country by storm, affecting the way people communicate with each other. This is briefly explained in the excerpt below. The modern generation has ushered a new era of language users who have consistently challenged the traditionally accepted, conventional notions on linguistic structures and grammar. Truly, language has inevitably evolved with the influence both of social sub-groups and of language theorists who somehow “create” their own rules on grammar and syntax. This is evident in most societies, and is very much apparent in the Philippine context. One obvious example is the use of a different set of words, meanings and sentence structures by the members of various sectors of society. It was only in the first few years of the 21st century when terms such as ‘chugbak’ (die/death), ‘keber’ (do not care), ‘eklavu’ (false, lie) and many more were introduced in the Philippine working vocabulary. Although the formal inclusion of such words to the corpus of Filipino language is still doubtful, it would not be surprising if in the future, these linguistic structures are printed on Filipino dictionaries, as these are continuously being used in the streets, in the mass media, and in many social circles. Their use and predominance are probably inescapable, even when some purists and conservatives are not keen to using such language. In the past, one of the strongest and creative linguistic features that emerged in the Philippines is word reversal, where people reverse the way words are uttered. It originally intended to be a convenient way to hide meanings within a clique or social circle, as if it were a code, but its massive popularity prompted its proliferation. Primary examples are “repapips” (pare, or friends), “ermats” (mater, or mother), “erpats” (pater or father), “yeko” (okey or okay), “yosi” (first and last syllable of ‘SIgarilYO’ or cigarette), and many more. This was a linguistic phenomenon in the Philippines in the early 80s up to the late 90s, and has seen a recurrence in late 2016, with terms such as “lodi” (idol) and “petmalu” (malupit, or tremendous) taking the entire country by storm. (an excerpt from the academic paper “Modern Linguistic Phenomena in the Philippines” by Tejada, K. 2017) What do you think is the next linguistic phenomenon that will evolve in the Philippines? Why do you say so Improving one’s Ability in Communicating in a Multicultural Setting Everything should start with a personal desire and strong conviction to relate more effectively with persons having different cultural backgrounds. This will not only create positive personal relationships, but also open more opportunities for professional growth. Limiting one’s reliance on preconceived notions and established stereotypes is also a major leap towards effective intercultural communication. The following specific guidelines can enhance your ability to handle situations involving intercultural communication, and better prepare yourself to meet the communication challenges in an increasingly global environment. Page 24 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication  Refrain from forming expectations based solely on your culture. Knowing and accepting the validity of cultural differences are key in communicating with people having diverse communication styles. Being an effective communicator requires allowing yourself to be immersed in the multicultural society and embracing diversity.  Remove personal biases or any stereotype that may impede understanding. You do not want to be at the receiving end of a biased judgment, right? You don’t want people avoiding you just because of how they see other members of your group or culture. Determine how much your family, friends and colleagues have ‘dictated’ how you view or feel about other people or other groups, and identify which among these pre-judgments are stereotypes that can damage relationships.  Make a personal commitment to develop communication skills appropriate in multicultural settings. Your ability to develop intercultural communication skills largely depends on how many – and how much – of these promises you are willing to make: o I will make a commitment to seek information from persons whose cultures are different from my own. o I will try to understand how the experiences of persons from different cultures leads them to develop perspectives that differ from mine. o I will pay attention to the situation and the context when I communicate with persons from different cultures. o I will make every effort to become a more flexible communicator. o I will not insist that persons from other cultures should communicate with me on my terms. Page 25 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication Lesson 3: Evaluating Messages and Images of Different Text Types Learning Outcomes At the end of the lesson, you are expected to achieve the following: 1. Evaluate multimodal texts critically to enhance receptive skills (i.e. listening, reading, viewing). 2. Convey ideas through oral, audio-visual and/or web-based presentations for different target audiences in local and global settings using appropriate registers. 3. Adopt awareness of audience and context in presenting ideas. EVALUATING MESSAGES AND/OR IMAGES OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF TEXTS REFLECTING DIFFERENT CULTURES As discussed in Lesson 1, the advancements in digital technology paved the way to innovative modes and platforms of communication. The massive and rapid developments in digital communications ushered in a new era of communication that does not simply rely on words, but also on images and other semiotics of the channel used to convey the message. The effects of cultural and global issues to communication were highlighted in previous discussions, as well as the impact of effective communication to society and the world. This has highlighted the importance of exploring the concept of World Englishes, or as defined by Celce- Murcia (2014), the regionally distinct varieties of English that have arisen in parts of the world where there is a long and often colonial history of English being used in education, commerce and government. There is no debate that the English language has become the most widely used language for most purposes of communication in international diplomacy, business, science, education and entertainment. Over time, this widespread use of English – spoken side by side with local languages – has given rise to local varieties of English with their own standards. Examples of World Englishes are Indian English, West African English, Singapore English, and Filipino English. One major issue that has been raised with respect to these established varieties is that they are often not fully intelligible to users of other varieties of English. For example, a Filipino ordering food in a restaurant in Singapore for the first time would be confused when he is asked, “Having here, or take away?” because in the Philippines, they are more accustomed to “Dine in, or take out?” Kirkpatrick (2007) proposes a scale with two extremes that characterize this problem: Extreme 1: The goal of national or regional identity. People use a regional variety of English with its specific grammar, structure and vocabulary to affirm their own national or ethnic identity (e.g. Only Filipinos use the terms “senatoriable”, “congressman”, “chancing”, and “bedspacer”, among others, and use these when communicating with other Filipinos). Extreme 2: The goal of intelligibility. Users of a regional variety should ideally still be readily understood by users of English everywhere else in the world to fully participate in the use of English as an international language (e.g. Users of Filipino English have to understand that they have to use “bin” instead of “trash can” or “lift” instead of “elevator” when in a country using British English). Page 26 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication The challenge is to find a good balance between the identity-intelligibility extremes. Hence, speakers of the English language may resort to code-switching (i.e., using English and another language in the same statement). For example, Filipinos may use a strongly local version of Filipino English to communicate with fellow Filipinos using English as medium, but they should use a weaker and more formal version when communicating with users of other varieties of English, especially when international intelligibility is necessary. The Power of Words and Images Look at the illustration on international arrivals below. Answer the five key questions that follow. Five Key Questions: 1. What is the message? 2. What is the purpose of the message? 3. How is the message conveyed (by the text and/or image)? 4. Who is the target audience of the message? 5. What other ways of presenting the message are there? Before effectively engaging in multicultural communication, people have to be ready and knowledgeable for situations such as the one demonstrated in the illustration. If anything unplanned or unanticipated comes up, there must be alternative ways of communicating the same message without being offensive. The illustration above sends a relatively vivid and powerful message not just through the use of a careful juxtaposition of text and illustration, but also because of the other semiotics or elements such as color combinations. This is called a multimodal presentation. Multimodality Multimodality is a fairly new concept in the general academic setting, but can be a very powerful tool in light of digital and multicultural communication. A text or output is considered multimodal if it uses two or more communication modes to make meaning. It shows different ways of knowledge representations and meaning-making, and investigates contributions of semiotic resources (language, gestures, images) that are co-deployed across various modalities (visual, aural, somatic, etc.). Most importantly, multimodality highlights the significance of interaction and integration in constructing a coherent text Page 27 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication A multimodal text can either be one of the following:  Paper (books, comics, posters, brochures)  Digital (slide presentations, blogs, web pages, social media, animation, film, video games  Live (performance or an event)  Transmedia (A story is told using multiple delivery channels through a combination of platforms, such as comics, film, and video games all working as part of the same story with the same message.) The creation of multimodal texts and outputs requires a creative design concept that orchestrates the purposive combination of text, color, photo, sound, spatial design, language, gestures, animations and other semiotics, all with the unitary goal of bringing meaning to life. SIMPLE ACTIVITY In class, discuss how the following multimodal texts are not effective in delivering the intended message, or how an incorrect use of a semiotic feature changes the meaning of the text. Page 28 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication The following are examples of posters that showcase good multimodality. This is a poster entitled “Run for Rio”, a run-for-a-cause event organized for the benefit of the Philippine International Volunteers for the 2013 World Youth Day which was held in Rio de Janeiro Brazil. The inclusion of the multi-colored bird, the official mascot of that year’s World Youth Day, is crucial in juxtaposing it with the actual text on top of the photo. Since Blue is used as the poster’s dominant color, the multi-colored symbol is highlighted that even if the onlooker fails to read the text, the purpose of the event will still be obvious. The same reason goes with the use of the silhouette of a man running (suggestive of the nature of the event) and the Christ the Redeemer statue on top of mountain (the symbolic representation of Rio de Janeiro.) The use of Red in the text for the amount aand the running distance puts attention to the event details without overshadowing the other details. The inclusion of the biblical quote and the cross also add to the religious motive of the event, thus making it coherent. https://runforrio.wordpress.com/ The poster is titled “Concert for Kids”, which is fund-raising concert for the New Jersey (NJ) Kids Foundation in the U.S. The dominant photo is that of a guitar, suggesting the music-inclined nature of the event. The use of candies is suggestive of the concert’s beneficiaries, who are kids with special needs. The use of various colors adds to the notion on the playful nature of kids. The font used is also playful rather than sharp, and the dominant color of light blue is light on the eyes, as well as the other color palettes used in the poster. Both posters, Run for Rio and Concert for Kids, demonstrate purposive use of semiotics to forward a specific message. These are successful in meaning making through the interplay of various elements. http://do512.com/events/2016/10/8/hush-hush-music-bash Page 29 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication In creating a multimodal text, the Purpose, Audience, Context must all be considered.  As to purpose, the creator of the text must be clear on the message and the reason(s) why the message has to be delivered.  As to audience, the nature, interests and sensitivities of the target audience must be considered so the text will not be offensive and hurt people’s sensibilities.  As to context, the message should be clearly delivered through various semiotic resources, and in consideration of the various situations where and how the text will be read by different people having different cultural backgrounds. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT Evaluate the message or themes/ sub-themes of any of the following advertisements by Ligo, a local brand of sardines in the Philippines. Discuss how the semiotic features (text, photo, color, etc.) affect the message – both superficial and subliminal – in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. Do not forget to answer the five key questions posed on page 27. Reflective Analysis. Briefly explain your assessment of one of these Ligo ads, with focus on how the semiotic features add to the message. __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ In class, you may have an interactive discussion of your answers. You may also look for other real-world, multimodal texts and how the semiotic features provide more meaning and purpose to the intended message. Page 30 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication Lesson 4: The Rise of New Media and Technology Aids in Communication Learning Outcomes At the end of the lesson, you are expected to achieve the following: 1. Identify the proper strategies in communication using social media and other advancements in technology. 2. Evaluate language in new media and adopt an awareness of proper use of language in these media platforms. 3. Develop an appreciation on the importance of proper communication planning. SOCIAL MEDIA USE Social media has undoubtedly altered the world operates. The rapid and vast adoption of new media platforms have changed the way people relate and communicate with each other in the social, economic, and political arenas. Though there are minor social media platforms available since the 90s, the social media that we know today – the one with millions of active and interactive users - started with MySpace in 2004, when it reached a million active users. Since then, other sites started mushrooming, and people began getting hooked to these new media. Some media platforms have been so popular that the number of users rise at such an exponential rate. TikTok, for example, became such a craze in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people were mostly at home and thus have “nothing to do” because of the worldwide call to “Stay Home”. It was launched in 2016, and had half a billion users by 2018. This number even got higher in mid-2020, with over 800 million active users within that time span. However, not all social media platforms last. For example, in 2008, Hi5, MySpace, and Friendster were close competitors to the social media giant, Facebook. In 2012, all three had virtually disappeared as shown by very poor performance of market shares. Interestingly, the social media platforms that survived did so because of their continuous evolution and response to the needs and interests of its users. For example, Twitter used to disallow the uploading of videos or images, but because of the high demand and the stiff competition, this feature was allowed in 2011. Today, more than half of the content that can be seen in Twitter includes photos and videos. The exponential rise in the use of social media can be partly attributed to the emergence of technologies that enable modern communication (that is, FAST, CONVENIENT, INTERACTIVE communication). These include computers, laptops, and smart phones, among others. In addition, the rise of social media is a unique manifestation of how quickly and drastically patterns of social behaviors change. Page 31 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication Some Interesting Statistics on Social Media Use Here are a few interesting statistics on social media use. All data are extracted from statista.com as of July 2020. Global digital population Active internet users – 4.57 billion Unique mobile internet users – 4.17 billion Active social media users – 3.96 billion Active mobile social media users – 3.91 billion Most popular social networks worldwide, ranked by number of active users 1. Facebook (2.6 billion) 2. Youtube (2.0 billion) 3. WhatsApp (2.0 billion) 4. Facebook Messenger (1.3 billion) 5. Weixin/ Wechat (1.2 billion) 6. Instagram (1.1 billion) 7. TikTok (800 million) Most popular social networks worldwide, ranked by reach/ active usage penetration 1. Facebook (63%) 2. Youtube (61%) 3. WhatsApp (48%) 4. Facebook Messenger (38%) 5. Instagram (36%) 6. Twitter (23%) 7. Snapchat (13%) Countries with most number of Facebook users 1. India (290 million) 2. United States (190 million) 3. Indonesia (140 million) 4. Brazil (130 million) 5. Mexico (89 million) 6. Philippines (76 million) 7. Vietnam (64 million) 8. Thailand (50 million) 9. Egypt (42 million) 10. Bangladesh (38 million) In a 2017 report by the Global Web Index, around 42% of people use social media platforms to stay in touch with what their friends are doing, while 39% said they want to stay up-to-date with news and current events. The other top reasons for using social media are filling up spare time, general networking with other people, looking for entertaining content, sharing photos or videos, sharing one’s opinion, meeting new people, and researching or finding out products to buy Responsible Use of Social Media Social media has grown in popularity over the years, with hundreds of options for sharing your thoughts, photos, and videos and for interacting with friends and family. The more it grows, Page 32 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication the more we discover about the do's and don'ts of social media. The same rules apply to all social media playgrounds, regardless of which site is your favorite. There are some practices for engaging in responsible social media use and best practices for social site etiquette. We all have a social responsibility. We all have friendships and professional relationships that can either be helped or hindered by our social media presence. Imagine you post inappropriate selfies of your weekend activities on Instagram. Have you considered what your boss will think? What if you say something spiteful after a fight with a friend and then realize they saw it before you could delete it? You may have just lost a friendship over social media silliness. You are 100 percent responsible for everything that appears on your social media accounts, from your status updates and comments to pictures, videos, and links you share 1. You may not agree with everything or everyone you encounter on social media networks, but treat each person with dignity and respect. The Golden Rule of treating others how you want to be treated is a good practice. 2. Do not turn to social media as a way to harass, demean, or bully someone else. Sitting in front of a computer screen does not give you license to embarrass, intimidate, or spread hurtful rumors about others. 3. Regardless of your privacy settings, keep in mind that anything can possibly be seen by anyone at any time, even by that person that you did not want to see it. Pause before you post, think before you click. 4. Whether you're concerned with maintaining good friendships or future job prospects, be responsible in what you post and how it could affect your reputation. Many employers now check up on job candidates' social media accounts for evidence of bad behavior. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT Reaction Paper Task Sheet: Prepare to React and Act 1. Read the article “The Flight from Conversation” written by Sherry Turkle and published in The New York Times on April 21, 2012. 2. As you read, ask yourselves the following guide questions (answers need not be written down): a. How do you feel about what was written? Do you agree or disagree with the points raised? b. Can you identify with any of the situations presented in the article? Do you have any experience related to any of the examples given? c. Does the article prompt you to do something, or change any previous belief you might have? Or does it reinforce/ support your existing stand on the topic? 3. Prepare a Reaction Paper, with the following basic parts: a. Introduction i. State the title and author of the article you read. ii. Write a two-sentence summary of the article (what it is about). iii. State your thesis, which is a sentence that highlights your main point or argument. Page 33 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication b. Body i. Provide statements or details that would support your thesis. Three to four paragraphs will suffice. ii. Each paragraph is expected to have a topic sentence, supporting detail, direct quote/ line lifted from the article, and explanation. iii. You may use sentence prompts, such as 1. I think that… 2. In my opinion… 3. It is my firm belief that… 4. It seems that… 5. I truly feel that… iv. Organize the paragraphs and provide smooth transitions using proper devices (In addition, Furthermore, Moreover, However, etc.) c. Conclusion i. Restate your thesis sentence, or summarize your main point/ argument. ii. You may end with a call to action, a major comment, or a prediction, as long as no new information or reaction is presented. 4. Proofread your work to ensure that: a. there are no glaring grammatical or typographical errors that might affect your message. b. all sources have been properly cited. c. the first person perspective is used, since you are writing your personal reaction. d. your paper is not simply a summary of the article. Reminders:  Limit the reaction paper to 2 – 3 pages (short bond paper).  Use Times New Roman, font size 12, with 1.5 spacing and 1” margin on all sides.  Your paper will be scored using the DISCO rubric: Diction The words used throughout the composition are precise and appropriate for the audience and purpose. You avoided redundancy, jargon, and flowery language. Idea Development The thesis and topic sentences are clear. You support each point/argument concretely and vividly. Sentences vary in structure and length. Style The language and tone of the composition are well suited to the purpose for writing. The writing shows passion. Clearly, the essay is original; it belongs to this writer and to no other. Conventions Spelling, punctuation, capitalization and grammar are correct. Organization. An inviting lead draws the reader in; a satisfying conclusion brings proper closure. Sentences follow a logical sequence and each idea is smoothly linked to the next. The number of points for each criterion is dependent on your professor. This will be discussed to you in class. Page 34 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication Something to Ponder on Social media have become a very powerful communication tool and platform in the new era of technology and globalization. In the early beginnings of social media, the usual reaction would be, “I have ideas or feelings and I can share these to the world through social media as a platform.” Today, however, most millennials would claim, “I have access to social media, so I have to have an idea. I have to have a feeling or emotion that I can share with the world.” This attitude has led to the proliferation of fabricated or exaggerated emotions, with the hope of getting many ‘likes’ or receiving many ‘comments’, which have become the norm for social acceptance. What can you say about this? Consider this article in reacting to this phenomenon: While is it true that we have real friends whom we can rely on in the real world, there is that ubiquitous itch that we have to post something, with the hope of ‘friends’ liking it, sharing it, or commenting on it. A hundred likes and a few comments would suffice; couple these with shares and threads and it would be ecstatic, even if those who supposedly liked or commented on it remain detached to how we actually feel. Social media give us friends who will tell us who we are based on how we project ourselves in that virtual environment. The technology that is supposed to help us connect and communicate with people by showing the ‘real us’ is the very technology that prompts us to give others a false impression of who we really are. Is this the purpose of social media? Are we using this powerful platform appropriately? (an excerpt from the article “Refusing to be Alone Together” by Tejada, K. 2017) Modern Communication? Think about it. Page 35 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND THE NEW MEDIA Question: Does the language we use dictate the language of new media, or do new media shape the language that we use? Let me rephrase that: Are we using new media, or are new media using us? What is new media? New media refer to highly interactive digital technology. These are very easily processed, stored, transformed, retrieved, hyper-linked, searched for, and accessed. Generally, these can be classified as: Blogs Social media Online newspaper Virtual reality Computer games Language in new media is sometimes referred to as Computer-mediated communication (CMC), though it may also be called any of the following: Netspeak Computer-mediated discourse Digital discourse Electronic discourse e-communication Digitally mediated communication Keyboard-to-screen communication The Internet is the largest area of language development we have seen in our lifetimes. Crystal (2011) said that only two things are certain: it is not going to go away, and it is going to get larger. Hence, we must be prepared for its inevitable expansion. Digital discourse illuminates social and cultural processes, which is under the domain of sociocultural linguistics. The primary concern is not with abstract, grammatical linguistics, but rather the everyday functions and uses of language. This type of discourse or computer-mediated communication can be described as: Vernacular Interpersonal Spontaneous Dialogical Page 36 of 98 BatStateU Purposive Communication CMC is Vernacular, which means it uses language that is common to people regardless of age, social class, gender, or race Examples Acronyms (Lol, yolo, fomo, bae) Initialisms (atm, rotfl, brb, btw, hbd, idk, jk, af, nvm, tmi, tldr, ftw, g!) Emoticons/ Emojis Expressive Punctuations o Hello? VS Hello?!? o No. VS No? VS No!!! o