Application in Communication Studies
The Communication Studies major at San Francisco State University aims to have their students apply course content to personal, professional, and community contexts. I have engaged in many classes in which I have had to write an essay, curate a speech then deliver it, and even give performances. Application in the context of the Communication Studies major means taking course content that one has actively engaged with and putting it into operation.
Coming to the end of my time in the Communication Studies major, I have learned a plethora of skills relating to being a better communicator. For me I initially chose this major because I had a teacher who had inspired me through the way he taught and engaged with his students. He was confident, open and honest. He found ways to relate to his students in order to promote an active learning environment. It was my first public speaking class. From this moment on I made a choice to commit myself to the communication studies major. It has helped me in more ways than I could possibly put into a short essay. I looked up to my teacher and I wanted to carry myself in a similar manner being the reserved person that I am. I applied not only what I learned in the classroom directly to assignments; I also took things that I leaned and applied them into my personal life, professional settings and in my community— or as I like to say the “real world”.
The opportunity and ability to apply course content is important for the simple fact that it makes one become a better communicator. We communicate with one another daily. Whether that is through email, text, or face to face; we interact so often that to not apply course content to “real world” contexts would be a waste of expended brain energy over the years that were spent learning. Either way because of the things I have learned throughout the major, it has given me the tools to effectively express myself in relationships. Speech classes have taught me the importance of organization. Organizational communication has taught me how to communicate effectively in group settings and even business settings. For example, individuals that are telecommuters, or people who work remotely, the main mode of communication with their colleagues is via email. I learned what it looked like to keep an email precise, organized, and direct. It was a skill I acquired from that class. I want to stress the importance of being an effective communicator. We communicate daily. I feel as though the application of course content has made me a better communicator. I would go as far as to say that it has given me an upper hand on others. I have my own set of secret tools that I can use whenever I feel they are applicable. Applying course content makes us better communicators and creates opportunities.
One assignment that cuts across the board that exemplifies the application of course content in personal, professional, and community contexts in my life is a speech that I wrote in my upper division public speaking class. This speech was an impromptu speech that I had five minutes to prepare for the day of. It was a two to three minute speech. The point of the assignment was to promote active listening; showcase the ability to quickly organize thoughts in a compelling format, improve on the ability to critically evaluate an attempt to persuade, and finally provide practice advocating for a persuasive proposition. The speech was about how every student should be required to learn how to speak English to attend school. Now since this was a topic that I have never thought about and it was one that I did not agree with; I had to come up with quick ideas and play devils advocate in my mind. I applied quick organization by creating an outline for a speech in 5 mins. I had to organize my three main points in such a way that it flowed and made sense. The ideas related to one another; similarly, to the way a story is told. I had to critically evaluate other arguments that were made for the other side to effectively make my points. Finally, I applied course content to this speech by practicing advocating for a persuasive proposition. I did this through arguing my main points to the class and providing closure with a final thought to show the audience why it was in their best interest to do what I ask.
This assignment directly relates to personal, professional, and community setting in my life because it is a style of communication that can be applied in many different settings. Persuasion is a powerful tool. In my personal life the course content can be applied when I am talking to someone in my life. I’ll use the example of the time I tried to convince my parents into taking my vacation suggestion over theirs. This required me to look at both sides. Evaluate and assess the pros and cons of both then find a weak point in their argument. I used my points and ideas to get what I wanted. It has also helped me in my personal life to even just critically and actively listen to others when they are speaking about something that is meaningful to them. Course content that I took from this class I apply in business settings. When I went into a job interview I had to answer questions about the job and my experience. I was advocating for myself and framing my words in sentences that helped me come off as polished and organized. I believe that having the knowledge that I have and learning how to be a better communicator gave me an upper hand during my group interview. In community settings course content has been applied when I am participating in group outings like photography shoots when collaboration on ideas of places to shoot takes place. Again, persuasion is powerful tool. I use it in almost every faucet of my life. When it is mixed with the confidence to get in front of others and spill your ideas and thoughts it teaches you to think fast, be an active listener and judge things with a critical eye. That is how I have applied course content in the “real world”.
To have been a part of the Communication Studies major now for the past four and a half years I have learned so many tools on how to be a better communicator. I think the most important part to my success was learning is to be an active listener, questioning things I have learned, internalize meaning and then applying the tools I have been given into my life outside of school— personal, business, and in community contexts.
Photo Source: Personal Photo
Coming to the end of my time in the Communication Studies major, I have learned a plethora of skills relating to being a better communicator. For me I initially chose this major because I had a teacher who had inspired me through the way he taught and engaged with his students. He was confident, open and honest. He found ways to relate to his students in order to promote an active learning environment. It was my first public speaking class. From this moment on I made a choice to commit myself to the communication studies major. It has helped me in more ways than I could possibly put into a short essay. I looked up to my teacher and I wanted to carry myself in a similar manner being the reserved person that I am. I applied not only what I learned in the classroom directly to assignments; I also took things that I leaned and applied them into my personal life, professional settings and in my community— or as I like to say the “real world”.
The opportunity and ability to apply course content is important for the simple fact that it makes one become a better communicator. We communicate with one another daily. Whether that is through email, text, or face to face; we interact so often that to not apply course content to “real world” contexts would be a waste of expended brain energy over the years that were spent learning. Either way because of the things I have learned throughout the major, it has given me the tools to effectively express myself in relationships. Speech classes have taught me the importance of organization. Organizational communication has taught me how to communicate effectively in group settings and even business settings. For example, individuals that are telecommuters, or people who work remotely, the main mode of communication with their colleagues is via email. I learned what it looked like to keep an email precise, organized, and direct. It was a skill I acquired from that class. I want to stress the importance of being an effective communicator. We communicate daily. I feel as though the application of course content has made me a better communicator. I would go as far as to say that it has given me an upper hand on others. I have my own set of secret tools that I can use whenever I feel they are applicable. Applying course content makes us better communicators and creates opportunities.
One assignment that cuts across the board that exemplifies the application of course content in personal, professional, and community contexts in my life is a speech that I wrote in my upper division public speaking class. This speech was an impromptu speech that I had five minutes to prepare for the day of. It was a two to three minute speech. The point of the assignment was to promote active listening; showcase the ability to quickly organize thoughts in a compelling format, improve on the ability to critically evaluate an attempt to persuade, and finally provide practice advocating for a persuasive proposition. The speech was about how every student should be required to learn how to speak English to attend school. Now since this was a topic that I have never thought about and it was one that I did not agree with; I had to come up with quick ideas and play devils advocate in my mind. I applied quick organization by creating an outline for a speech in 5 mins. I had to organize my three main points in such a way that it flowed and made sense. The ideas related to one another; similarly, to the way a story is told. I had to critically evaluate other arguments that were made for the other side to effectively make my points. Finally, I applied course content to this speech by practicing advocating for a persuasive proposition. I did this through arguing my main points to the class and providing closure with a final thought to show the audience why it was in their best interest to do what I ask.
This assignment directly relates to personal, professional, and community setting in my life because it is a style of communication that can be applied in many different settings. Persuasion is a powerful tool. In my personal life the course content can be applied when I am talking to someone in my life. I’ll use the example of the time I tried to convince my parents into taking my vacation suggestion over theirs. This required me to look at both sides. Evaluate and assess the pros and cons of both then find a weak point in their argument. I used my points and ideas to get what I wanted. It has also helped me in my personal life to even just critically and actively listen to others when they are speaking about something that is meaningful to them. Course content that I took from this class I apply in business settings. When I went into a job interview I had to answer questions about the job and my experience. I was advocating for myself and framing my words in sentences that helped me come off as polished and organized. I believe that having the knowledge that I have and learning how to be a better communicator gave me an upper hand during my group interview. In community settings course content has been applied when I am participating in group outings like photography shoots when collaboration on ideas of places to shoot takes place. Again, persuasion is powerful tool. I use it in almost every faucet of my life. When it is mixed with the confidence to get in front of others and spill your ideas and thoughts it teaches you to think fast, be an active listener and judge things with a critical eye. That is how I have applied course content in the “real world”.
To have been a part of the Communication Studies major now for the past four and a half years I have learned so many tools on how to be a better communicator. I think the most important part to my success was learning is to be an active listener, questioning things I have learned, internalize meaning and then applying the tools I have been given into my life outside of school— personal, business, and in community contexts.
Photo Source: Personal Photo
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