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Characteristics of Communication
Communication is a transactional process
Communication is intentional and unintentional
Communication involves simultaneous sending and receiving
of messages
Communication is fluid not static
Communication is more like a motion picture than a photo
album
Adler and Rodman (2006) pp 14-17
Physical/practical needs
Identity needs
Social needs
Communication is Symbolic
This means we overcome the arbitrary nature of symbols by
linguistic rules and customs ie we work to be clear about what
each other means eg dont be a pork chop
Types of Communication
Intra-personal
Dyadic/interpersonal
Small group
Public
Mass
Reflective Communication
Topic: Reflection and Reflective Practice
What does it mean to reflect?
Reflection is a key aspect of learning in social work.
Essentially, reflection is about looking at experiences as a way to
learn from them: past experiences of your own or of others, current
experiences as a student or in practice or anything else.
What is reflective practice?
Seeking to understand practice more deeply:
How you are reacting (what you are thinking, feeling, doing)
Why you are reacting that way
What is influencing you and those you are working with such
as past experience, taken for granted assumptions and values.
Overall developing self awareness and the capacity to change
behaviour for effective practice.
Reflective Practice : Schon
Schon was influential in developing ideas re reflective practice: A
continuous process that involves thoughtfully considering ones own
experiences and applying knowledge to practice This includes:
Differences between:
reflection on action reflection after the event
reflection in action the capacity to reflect during practice
either internally or externally.
Others add reflection before action.
Ideally, Schon suggested practitioners would become able to reflect in
practice, to make conscious what is happening, to draw on knowledge,
recognise assumptions during interactions which takes practice!
Reflection requires space in the present and the promise of space in the
future
Smith (1994) p.150
Critical Reflection
We will focus on this more in second semester, but essentially the
critical in critical reflection is about noticing the influence of the
context: your family, organizational and particularly the broader
social context.
Critical reflection asks: what assumptions are made in our culture
that we then take for granted?
How does this perpetuate existing differences in relationships, in
power and influence?
Reflective Cycle: Example One
Influences on communication- that we need to reflect on:
To be able to communicate effectively we need to be able to reflect on:
our sense of our selves, our self concept/identity,
including strengths and areas to work on
our own past experiences
life stage
the culture that we live in
how we are perceived by others
Influences (cont.)
roles that we have taken on
personality
the context
expectations and hopes and fears
degree of involvement and type of involvement with
other person
(mainly Adler and Rodman, 2006, 35 38).
Communication influences:
We also need to be able to see how others are influenced by all
these things and how we might then perceive each other different.
The idea of reflexivity suggests that how we see ourselves may not
be how others see us and vice versa.
So what helps with becoming reflective?
Conversations/ discussion with others which is why we spend a lot
of time in workshops doing that
Journalling
Supervision as workers
Stopping and taking time for reflecting/ contemplating.
Using journaling
way of reflecting and of learning
individual and personal
generally private (important for free expression)
can be written/used in way that suits personal style