Prof Bob says ....
There is surely nothing more universally important to the teaching/learning process, whether in chemistry or political history, than an awareness of the challenges involved in communication between two or more people.
Even in everyday conversations between friends about mundane things, we so often hear (amongst those other people, of course) the exclamation "But I thought you meant ......!" And if one more person who is giving me instructions tells me "You can't miss it" I swear that I will .... [I'm trying to think what I will do] ....
And why didn't those who designed the directional signs on our freeways do a course in communication?
"Ah" they say "I know what I meant. It was obvious to me."
So much more probable is a communication mismatch between teacher and student, having such different levels of knowledge and exposure in the subject. As well as being so much more important!
There is surely nothing more universally important to the teaching/learning process, whether in chemistry or political history, than an awareness of the challenges involved in communication between two or more people.
Even in everyday conversations between friends about mundane things, we so often hear (amongst those other people, of course) the exclamation "But I thought you meant ......!" And if one more person who is giving me instructions tells me "You can't miss it" I swear that I will .... [I'm trying to think what I will do] ....
And why didn't those who designed the directional signs on our freeways do a course in communication?
"Ah" they say "I know what I meant. It was obvious to me."
So much more probable is a communication mismatch between teacher and student, having such different levels of knowledge and exposure in the subject. As well as being so much more important!
And so ....
The issue of achieving meaningful communication is so universal that in teaching/learning situations, awareness is just as important to the student as to the teacher.
So, I am hoping that my modules drawing attention to communication issues are as useful to students as to teachers.
Rather than publish each module twice (once in the teachers' area, and again as a student module), I will publish them as student modules (Section 27: Communicating Chemistry) and provide links here.
The issue of achieving meaningful communication is so universal that in teaching/learning situations, awareness is just as important to the student as to the teacher.
So, I am hoping that my modules drawing attention to communication issues are as useful to students as to teachers.
Rather than publish each module twice (once in the teachers' area, and again as a student module), I will publish them as student modules (Section 27: Communicating Chemistry) and provide links here.
Links to modules on the subject of Communicating chemistry: I knew what I meant:
2701
2702
2703 The jargon we use
2704
2701
2702
2703 The jargon we use
2704
I will acknowledge the source of the cartoon header above as soon as I track it down.