This is the course blog for PH 663 - the theory-based, practical, action-packed Health Communication course for ace Health Promotion students in the Graduate School of Public Health at San Diego State University. Are we having fun or what!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Week 4 - Formative Research II, Presentation Skills
KEY CONCEPTS - Qualitative Research - Focus Groups - Active Listening - Types Of Responses - Communicating With Your Face
Overall I have enjoyed setting the backbone and foundation for Health communications and all the work that goes behind it. I have been surprised how much work it takes and have taken for granted all the programs implemented to improve health conditions and even failed attempts. As for the past class I thought it was interesting how we have the "three faces". I was thinking about it and going about my day yesterday, when I realized that I usually have my neutral face on and people react differently to it. When I am going home people seem to try to talk to me, but its on the street and I do not want to, so I just say hi and continue and people think that it is my angry face, where they do not realize that I am indifferent to them. While I am at work though, I have my open face on because in that realm I have to be available and I dont mind it. I never really gave it much thought before and now I notice. I also really enjoyed the section of active listening because it is important in communication and it was nice to refresh my skills that have gotten rusty.
This class came at just the right time. After a couple of years taking MPH classes and learning about everything EXCEPT how to really impact large-scale health behavior change, we are finally gaining some practical tools. Don’t get me wrong—we need the background knowledge in theory, epi, etc.. as well. But this is, well, very exciting. This first module has been, as Katie said, very eye opening. It takes so much work to make a health campaign that will really make a difference. It's daunting but exciting to finally be developing some skills we can put to use. The added bonus is that we have been learning a ton of skills that can help us in the other domains of our life. As Katie said, yesterday's discussion in the video "Face It" was completely mind-blowing. I have been so much more aware of my facial expressions for the last 24 hours. And the training in reducing the number of questions in order to really hear someone was invaluable. Shoot--this class might even make me a better wife! Can't beat that.
I just finished watching the video "story telling as best practice" and have to say that these videos that I'm watching in this class are extremely helpful in making me a better communicator in the future and this is exactly what I'm expecting to gain out of this class. Now back to the video we watched in class, I have to say that there was alot of truth in what I heard that I never really thought about before. For instance, how your face controls your voice. As Katie and kdh mentioned, I have also been paying attention to which one of the "three faces" I mostly use now. Since I work with the public, I try not to have my neutral or closed face. I also liked the statement mentioned in the video saying how "likeability wins and the key to likeability is the open face" so I try to have my open face most of the time especially around valentine's day (just kidding :p). In addition to this video, I found our exercise of active listening to be very helpful. I never imagined how challenging it can be to be the active listener. Now, I know to really pay attention to those close-ended questions and not to use them for our next "spill your gut" assignment. This class has been a great learning experience so far and I'm excited to apply my knowledge to real world settings.
I agree with others that Health Communication has been a refreshing class this semester, as we are not only learning tools that can help us APPLY our knowledge in public health, but are also learning ways to improve our communication skills in general. So far we have covered the application of theories in health campaigns and the importance of formative research and focus groups, which are imperative for effective messages and reaching the target audience. I found the last class particularly interesting as we learned the value of a good story when giving a presentation and the impact of facial expressions. The video on nonverbal communication was quite thought provoking, as it changed some of my perceptions of others and has made me more aware of my own expressions. The video touched on some past presidential candidates and how their facial expressions (or lack of) hurt their campaigns. Revealing my political bias, I feel Obama has conveyed great likability in his 'open face' with his charismatic smile and eloquent speeches. Switching gears... I thought the activity on active listening was very useful as I learned the impact of silence when having a conversation. In hesitating to reply for a moment longer than normal, the brief uncomfortable silence allowed for more in depth conversation.
Ditto what has already been said. I have not watched the story telling video as of yet. I have to admit I have in the past fancied myself a good communicator. This might not be the forum for self evaluation but here goes. There is no way having not ever had any formal training regarding formative research presentation skills and the like we seem to covering in class I could have ever been a "good communicator", let alone an effective communicator. I have done it for too long to have been lucky so the conclusion is I must have given 100s of ineffective presentations without knowing who the target pop was or how to speak to them inorder to foster change. ouch. I made them laugh I have been told they remember me! Well did they remember the message/objective. Very enlightening. I wish I could shake the thoughts of having done it wrong for thoughts of how to do it better. Sorry guys but I am in this reflective stage lately.
Unfortunately, I was unable to attend class this week. Apparently I missed out on some interesting topics. I did however do the spill your guts assignment and look over the story telling video and articles. These served as my lessons for the week. The two people I got to "spill their guts" were my hairdresser and a beauty product rep. at Target. A few things that surprised me were that I have had several encounters with these people, but I would never really say I know who they are, at least not until now. After a while of conversing I was able to get them to talk about themselves more personally. Which was weird, because when I travel I strike up conversations with people very often and right away get at those basic questions of who you are. But these two people that I have had frequent conversations with it was a bit harder to segway into a conversation we should've probably had when we first met. This assignment also made me realize that in our day to day (at least in mine) its getting so much harder to interact with people, especially have a conversation. At the bank we can use drive throughs, at the supermarket we can do self-checkout, on the public transportation people are either on their cell phones or are listening to music through earphones. No wonder conversations between people (in whatever context) have to offer more, like a story. Stories have a way of capturing peoples attention and creating this common ground between people. I really found the weblinks and video on storytelling useful and interesting.
Like many have stated, this week's topics couldn't have been timed better. The lessons learned were practical. I'm using them already. For example, the active listening exercise was a big one. It's an invaluable skill. But, because I'm a talker, it does require practice. Dealing with awkward pauses is uncomfortable, but it's amazing how it works if you can wait out the other person in silence. The Andy Goodman video was priceless as well. Though we didn't a chance to watch it in class yet, I did watch it and let me tell you - now whenever I prepare for a presentation, I think about how I can tell a story. This too is challenging because it's so easy to rely on the powerpoint. But, if we can go beyond the bullet points, I can only imagine the effect it will have on the audience. On another note, the bit on non verbal communication is so true and priceless. At work, there are so many faces that fit all 3 of the categories. But, by far, the open face would the best face to use. Even when I make a phone call at work or answer a contractor's questions, I consciously make an effort to make sure my open face is on. It's amazing how much of a difference it makes in a conversation. And, the formative research tips were great, too. I got to facilitate my first focus group the other week and while it was good practice, I wish I had acquired some of the skills and tips learned this week before I went in to the group. While the group participation was strong, I think it would have been stronger had I had the skills in my back pocket. So, if I get the opportunity to facilitate again, I'll definitely use them. Well, I could go on, but I think I'm going to go practice my skills. Like Kate said, this class might even make me a better [girlfriend]. And, she's right, you can't beat that.
I have been able to use what we have learned in this class in the ‘real’ world more in the first month than any of my other classes thus far. I think about the skills on a daily basis as I am constantly bombarded by communication messages. I find myself analyzing health messages to see if they are rational or emotional, if I solicited them or not or how they message is being delivered. Since Tuesdays class I find myself walking around with my eyebrows higher, smiling more. I want to have an open face all of the time but realize that I am guilty of going through the bustle of my life and either showing a neutral or closed face and that is no fun. Also since Tuesday’s class, I find myself saying the simple phrase of “tell me more…” quite often. I have found this powerful in my personal life and my professional life. By saying these three words you don’t close the person down to answering your question in a particular way, instead you let them answer how they want and what is truest to them. I can really see how the skills we learned in the first month of class are going to play an integral part in our group project. We will have to be active listeners with not only the consumers of interest but also with the organization we are working with. It is so exciting to be creating something that will actually be using the skills we have learned and also will actually be used by an established organization (talk about resume builder!). Needless to say, I am excited to gain more skills in the vast world of communication!
Story telling is definitely the best way to get a message across. I've had the chance to hear motivational speakers talk in the past and the most memorable ones are the ones that have stories in them. I would like to be a better public speaker so I could educate other individuals about health, higher education, and so much more. It feels good to help others, but we have to start by getting their attention. Thus, story telling is a great way to do this. I've always thought of myslef as a good listener. Hopefully this is true... I try to understand people and how they think by what they say and their experiences. Active listening is a skill that everyone should have. Sometimes we are so caught up in our own lives that we forget to listen and understand other people.
I missed last class but was able to go over the class material and other interesting videos on our weekly resources. I thought Goodman's video about storytelling and the importance of relaying the message effectively was very interesting. I have never been a good storyteller, I tend to bullet my speech like a power point and leave out what I think is superfluous, but thats the juicy stuff that actually captures the listeners attention. Im enjoying the experience given by this class to practice better communication skills and while I dont know if I will be better at it, I am more conscious of how I communicate and have some good tools I can improve with. The "spill your guts" exercise was harder than I thought. My two people, Debbie from Palm Springs and CAL Copy guy, had different reactions to my attempts at conversation. It was hard to shift modes from business to personal. I found that they were more apt to talk to me if we had something in common which therefore made it ok to just talk to a stranger. I will attempt doing this again using my "open" face this week and observe other people that I think are good communicators.
I like to smile. Alot. So often, people say to me "you are always smiling"! Unfortunately though, at the end of one of my undergrad internships, the feedback about my "open" facial expression wasn't so positive. I was told, in certain business situations, I need to be aware of when it is appropriate to smile. Like many of my classmates, I, too, found the video about nonverbal communication (specifically facial expressions) interesting. And I totally understand the presenters point about the importance of knowing the right time and place for certain expressions. A valuable lesson indeed.
Speaking of valuable lessons... I really liked the exercise in Active Listening, and again, I agree with my classmates that this lesson will be helpful in so many realms of life beyond focus groups. Learning about the research behind a good health communication has brought back for me memories of marketing courses long past. It is interesting to see that similar skills used to research how to market a pair of sneakers can also be used in formulating health campaigns.
As many others have mentioned, I have enjoyed learning and practicing the practical communication tools we've been exposed to so far in this class. Even though I've been to trainings on active listening, and like to think of myself as a good listener, I definitely have room for improvement. Listening is a vital skill needed for effective communication and is something that constantly needs to be worked on and improved. I've been more conscious this week of my interactions this week with various people and am trying to remember to keep refining those listening skills. I'm also paying more attention to what my face is telling people. I have been told many times that my face always gives away whatever I'm thinking. Knowing that and reflecting on the 'Face It' video, I need to be more aware of what my face is conveying. I'm trying to use an open face more often than a closed or neutral face, although it's not always easy. Having these tools and being aware of how I can improve my skills will hopefully allow me to be a more effective communicator with everyone I encounter.
I found in my "research" during the Spill Your Guts activity, you had to give up a little of yourself to get others to do the same. If you let people see that you have gone through something similar, or have felt similar feelings, they are much more likely to open up with valuable information. This is especially important during the warm-up phase of conducting a focus group, to let the group know that it is a non-judgmental arena to speak in. Active listening may feel a little awkward at first, especially during the silent moments, but out of these moments may come some very important, qualitative information.
Hello All! Watch out communication is all around us and affecting us everyday and in every way. This is how I would summarize the first module of our class. Before this class I never really considered all the different types of communication, nor the different functions of communication. But, now I pay more attention to the way I communicate with others around me. This was truly done with our active listening lab. For me it was easier to listen than to talk with my partner. As I was listening to my partner discuss all the stressors in her life I could see her becoming more comfortable, especially when I asked her a question that she was interested in. This ties in with the 2 paths of persuasion, central and peripheral. When I worked at a group home facility with at risk teenagers I was constantly applying my active listening skills...such as paraphrasing, asking open ended questions, and it was crucial for me to pay extra close attention to the verbal and non-verbal cues. Using these skills helped me solve problems quicker and kept me out of harms way when a resident became extermely upset. I did not know my experience with the kids would (possibly) later help me develope a health communication campaign.
Unfortunately I missed class this week due to our meeting with project SOl, and storytelling is a part of my family that serves as a main element in message conveyance. The story elements that "increase the chance of hooking an audience" as the Weil article mentions, are planted in my family's stories with a finesse that is admirable and that really hooks those lucky enough to be hearing them. Also, watching the Goodman video came at the perfect time. Currently working in a project that involves healthy eating and exercise habits, we have to develop a video/intervention and our goal is to creatively tell a story, while avoiding bullet-pointing and becoming preachy.
I too have found this class more than informative and practical in my everyday. People perceive you much more differently when you do have your open face on and look welcoming. I enjoyed the lab, although at first awkard and I felt as though someone was in my bubble it was refreashing and an invalable skill I wil continue to practice in my daily life
16 comments:
Overall I have enjoyed setting the backbone and foundation for Health communications and all the work that goes behind it. I have been surprised how much work it takes and have taken for granted all the programs implemented to improve health conditions and even failed attempts. As for the past class I thought it was interesting how we have the "three faces". I was thinking about it and going about my day yesterday, when I realized that I usually have my neutral face on and people react differently to it. When I am going home people seem to try to talk to me, but its on the street and I do not want to, so I just say hi and continue and people think that it is my angry face, where they do not realize that I am indifferent to them. While I am at work though, I have my open face on because in that realm I have to be available and I dont mind it. I never really gave it much thought before and now I notice. I also really enjoyed the section of active listening because it is important in communication and it was nice to refresh my skills that have gotten rusty.
This class came at just the right time. After a couple of years taking MPH classes and learning about everything EXCEPT how to really impact large-scale health behavior change, we are finally gaining some practical tools. Don’t get me wrong—we need the background knowledge in theory, epi, etc.. as well. But this is, well, very exciting. This first module has been, as Katie said, very eye opening. It takes so much work to make a health campaign that will really make a difference. It's daunting but exciting to finally be developing some skills we can put to use. The added bonus is that we have been learning a ton of skills that can help us in the other domains of our life. As Katie said, yesterday's discussion in the video "Face It" was completely mind-blowing. I have been so much more aware of my facial expressions for the last 24 hours. And the training in reducing the number of questions in order to really hear someone was invaluable. Shoot--this class might even make me a better wife! Can't beat that.
I just finished watching the video "story telling as best practice" and have to say that these videos that I'm watching in this class are extremely helpful in making me a better communicator in the future and this is exactly what I'm expecting to gain out of this class. Now back to the video we watched in class, I have to say that there was alot of truth in what I heard that I never really thought about before. For instance, how your face controls your voice. As Katie and kdh mentioned, I have also been paying attention to which one of the "three faces" I mostly use now. Since I work with the public, I try not to have my neutral or closed face. I also liked the statement mentioned in the video saying how "likeability wins and the key to likeability is the open face" so I try to have my open face most of the time especially around valentine's day (just kidding :p). In addition to this video, I found our exercise of active listening to be very helpful. I never imagined how challenging it can be to be the active listener. Now, I know to really pay attention to those close-ended questions and not to use them for our next "spill your gut" assignment. This class has been a great learning experience so far and I'm excited to apply my knowledge to real world settings.
I agree with others that Health Communication has been a refreshing class this semester, as we are not only learning tools that can help us APPLY our knowledge in public health, but are also learning ways to improve our communication skills in general. So far we have covered the application of theories in health campaigns and the importance of formative research and focus groups, which are imperative for effective messages and reaching the target audience. I found the last class particularly interesting as we learned the value of a good story when giving a presentation and the impact of facial expressions. The video on nonverbal communication was quite thought provoking, as it changed some of my perceptions of others and has made me more aware of my own expressions. The video touched on some past presidential candidates and how their facial expressions (or lack of) hurt their campaigns. Revealing my political bias, I feel Obama has conveyed great likability in his 'open face' with his charismatic smile and eloquent speeches. Switching gears... I thought the activity on active listening was very useful as I learned the impact of silence when having a conversation. In hesitating to reply for a moment longer than normal, the brief uncomfortable silence allowed for more in depth conversation.
Ditto what has already been said. I have not watched the story telling video as of yet. I have to admit I have in the past fancied myself a good communicator. This might not be the forum for self evaluation but here goes. There is no way having not ever had any formal training regarding formative research presentation skills and the like we seem to covering in class I could have ever been a "good communicator", let alone an effective communicator. I have done it for too long to have been lucky so the conclusion is I must have given 100s of ineffective presentations without knowing who the target pop was or how to speak to them inorder to foster change. ouch. I made them laugh I have been told they remember me! Well did they remember the message/objective. Very enlightening. I wish I could shake the thoughts of having done it wrong for thoughts of how to do it better. Sorry guys but I am in this reflective stage lately.
Unfortunately, I was unable to attend class this week. Apparently I missed out on some interesting topics. I did however do the spill your guts assignment and look over the story telling video and articles. These served as my lessons for the week. The two people I got to "spill their guts" were my hairdresser and a beauty product rep. at Target. A few things that surprised me were that I have had several encounters with these people, but I would never really say I know who they are, at least not until now. After a while of conversing I was able to get them to talk about themselves more personally. Which was weird, because when I travel I strike up conversations with people very often and right away get at those basic questions of who you are. But these two people that I have had frequent conversations with it was a bit harder to segway into a conversation we should've probably had when we first met. This assignment also made me realize that in our day to day (at least in mine) its getting so much harder to interact with people, especially have a conversation. At the bank we can use drive throughs, at the supermarket we can do self-checkout, on the public transportation people are either on their cell phones or are listening to music through earphones. No wonder conversations between people (in whatever context) have to offer more, like a story. Stories have a way of capturing peoples attention and creating this common ground between people. I really found the weblinks and video on storytelling useful and interesting.
Like many have stated, this week's topics couldn't have been timed better. The lessons learned were practical. I'm using them already. For example, the active listening exercise was a big one. It's an invaluable skill. But, because I'm a talker, it does require practice. Dealing with awkward pauses is uncomfortable, but it's amazing how it works if you can wait out the other person in silence. The Andy Goodman video was priceless as well. Though we didn't a chance to watch it in class yet, I did watch it and let me tell you - now whenever I prepare for a presentation, I think about how I can tell a story. This too is challenging because it's so easy to rely on the powerpoint. But, if we can go beyond the bullet points, I can only imagine the effect it will have on the audience. On another note, the bit on non verbal communication is so true and priceless. At work, there are so many faces that fit all 3 of the categories. But, by far, the open face would the best face to use. Even when I make a phone call at work or answer a contractor's questions, I consciously make an effort to make sure my open face is on. It's amazing how much of a difference it makes in a conversation. And, the formative research tips were great, too. I got to facilitate my first focus group the other week and while it was good practice, I wish I had acquired some of the skills and tips learned this week before I went in to the group. While the group participation was strong, I think it would have been stronger had I had the skills in my back pocket. So, if I get the opportunity to facilitate again, I'll definitely use them. Well, I could go on, but I think I'm going to go practice my skills. Like Kate said, this class might even make me a better [girlfriend]. And, she's right, you can't beat that.
I have been able to use what we have learned in this class in the ‘real’ world more in the first month than any of my other classes thus far. I think about the skills on a daily basis as I am constantly bombarded by communication messages. I find myself analyzing health messages to see if they are rational or emotional, if I solicited them or not or how they message is being delivered. Since Tuesdays class I find myself walking around with my eyebrows higher, smiling more. I want to have an open face all of the time but realize that I am guilty of going through the bustle of my life and either showing a neutral or closed face and that is no fun. Also since Tuesday’s class, I find myself saying the simple phrase of “tell me more…” quite often. I have found this powerful in my personal life and my professional life. By saying these three words you don’t close the person down to answering your question in a particular way, instead you let them answer how they want and what is truest to them. I can really see how the skills we learned in the first month of class are going to play an integral part in our group project. We will have to be active listeners with not only the consumers of interest but also with the organization we are working with. It is so exciting to be creating something that will actually be using the skills we have learned and also will actually be used by an established organization (talk about resume builder!). Needless to say, I am excited to gain more skills in the vast world of communication!
Story telling is definitely the best way to get a message across. I've had the chance to hear motivational speakers talk in the past and the most memorable ones are the ones that have stories in them. I would like to be a better public speaker so I could educate other individuals about health, higher education, and so much more. It feels good to help others, but we have to start by getting their attention. Thus, story telling is a great way to do this. I've always thought of myslef as a good listener. Hopefully this is true... I try to understand people and how they think by what they say and their experiences. Active listening is a skill that everyone should have. Sometimes we are so caught up in our own lives that we forget to listen and understand other people.
I missed last class but was able to go over the class material and other interesting videos on our weekly resources. I thought Goodman's video about storytelling and the importance of relaying the message effectively was very interesting. I have never been a good storyteller, I tend to bullet my speech like a power point and leave out what I think is superfluous, but thats the juicy stuff that actually captures the listeners attention. Im enjoying the experience given by this class to practice better communication skills and while I dont know if I will be better at it, I am more conscious of how I communicate and have some good tools I can improve with. The "spill your guts" exercise was harder than I thought. My two people, Debbie from Palm Springs and CAL Copy guy, had different reactions to my attempts at conversation. It was hard to shift modes from business to personal. I found that they were more apt to talk to me if we had something in common which therefore made it ok to just talk to a stranger. I will attempt doing this again using my "open" face this week and observe other people that I think are good communicators.
I like to smile. Alot. So often, people say to me "you are always smiling"! Unfortunately though, at the end of one of my undergrad internships, the feedback about my "open" facial expression wasn't so positive. I was told, in certain business situations, I need to be aware of when it is appropriate to smile. Like many of my classmates, I, too, found the video about nonverbal communication (specifically facial expressions) interesting. And I totally understand the presenters point about the importance of knowing the right time and place for certain expressions. A valuable lesson indeed.
Speaking of valuable lessons... I really liked the exercise in Active Listening, and again, I agree with my classmates that this lesson will be helpful in so many realms of life beyond focus groups. Learning about the research behind a good health communication has brought back for me memories of marketing courses long past. It is interesting to see that similar skills used to research how to market a pair of sneakers can also be used in formulating health campaigns.
As many others have mentioned, I have enjoyed learning and practicing the practical communication tools we've been exposed to so far in this class. Even though I've been to trainings on active listening, and like to think of myself as a good listener, I definitely have room for improvement. Listening is a vital skill needed for effective communication and is something that constantly needs to be worked on and improved. I've been more conscious this week of my interactions this week with various people and am trying to remember to keep refining those listening skills. I'm also paying more attention to what my face is telling people. I have been told many times that my face always gives away whatever I'm thinking. Knowing that and reflecting on the 'Face It' video, I need to be more aware of what my face is conveying. I'm trying to use an open face more often than a closed or neutral face, although it's not always easy. Having these tools and being aware of how I can improve my skills will hopefully allow me to be a more effective communicator with everyone I encounter.
I found in my "research" during the Spill Your Guts activity, you had to give up a little of yourself to get others to do the same. If you let people see that you have gone through something similar, or have felt similar feelings, they are much more likely to open up with valuable information. This is especially important during the warm-up phase of conducting a focus group, to let the group know that it is a non-judgmental arena to speak in. Active listening may feel a little awkward at first, especially during the silent moments, but out of these moments may come some very important, qualitative information.
Hello All!
Watch out communication is all around us and affecting us everyday and in every way. This is how I would summarize the first module of our class. Before this class I never really considered all the different types of communication, nor the different functions of communication. But, now I pay more attention to the way I communicate with others around me. This was truly done with our active listening lab. For me it was easier to listen than to talk with my partner. As I was listening to my partner discuss all the stressors in her life I could see her becoming more comfortable, especially when I asked her a question that she was interested in. This ties in with the 2 paths of persuasion, central and peripheral. When I worked at a group home facility with at risk teenagers I was constantly applying my active listening skills...such as paraphrasing, asking open ended questions, and it was crucial for me to pay extra close attention to the verbal and non-verbal cues. Using these skills helped me solve problems quicker and kept me out of harms way when a resident became extermely upset. I did not know my experience with the kids would (possibly) later help me develope a health communication campaign.
Unfortunately I missed class this week due to our meeting with project SOl, and storytelling is a part of my family that serves as a main element in message conveyance. The story elements that "increase the chance of hooking an audience" as the Weil article mentions, are planted in my family's stories with a finesse that is admirable and that really hooks those lucky enough to be hearing them. Also, watching the Goodman video came at the perfect time. Currently working in a project that involves healthy eating and exercise habits, we have to develop a video/intervention and our goal is to creatively tell a story, while avoiding bullet-pointing and becoming preachy.
I too have found this class more than informative and practical in my everyday. People perceive you much more differently when you do have your open face on and look welcoming.
I enjoyed the lab, although at first awkard and I felt as though someone was in my bubble it was refreashing and an invalable skill I wil continue to practice in my daily life
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