TOPIC 2:

By Dr. Audrey matere, PhD. (ONLINE)

COmmunICaTIOn PrOCess and mOdels Of COmmunICaTIOn

Introduction

The ability to effectively communicate at work, home and in life is probably one of the most

important sets of skills a person needs. What would life and world be like without

communication? We cannot get along without it. It is also not easy, and we all have probably

had experiences where our communication failed or ran into a barrier. So, if we can

understand the communication process better and improve it, we will become more effective

and successful communicators.

As teachers continue to reach their goals, specifically educational goals, communication

becomes increasingly more important. The ability to effectively communicate is a primary skill.

Poor communication can waste time and energy and cause conflict between parties involved

in the teaching and learning process. The more teachers become effective communicators

the more teachers become effective communicators the more likely they to achieve what

they want.

Meaning of Communication

The word ‘communication’ is derived from a Latin word “communis” meaning “common” and

“communicare”, meaning to share. Communication can therefore be defined as a process by

which we assign and convey meaning in an attempt to create shared understanding. This

process requires a vast repertoire of skills in intrapersonal and interpersonal processing such

as listening, observing, speaking, questioning, analysis and evaluating. The use of these

processes is developmental and transfers to all areas of life which include: home, school,

community, work, and beyond. It’s through communication that collaboration and cooperation

occur.

Effective Communication

A teacher’s challenge is not merely communicated with the learners, but to communicate
effectively. An effective communication means being clear on what one is communicating and
being understood by others as a consequence it involves:

i. A message being sent and received.

ii. The element of feedback to ensure that the message sent was received exactly as
intended.
iii. Shared meaning and understanding between the sender and the receiver of the
message. Meaning is an important element in communication since individuals
create their own meaning and interpretation in order to understand themselves and
the society they live in.
Note: Effective communication is therefore getting the message across to the receiver. It
should be the core of teaching and learning process in order for the instructional objectives
to be received.
Key Elements/ Strands/ dimensions of communication Process

1. Source/ Sender- In teaching and learning process the source is the teacher, media
or technology. As a teacher, originator of the message, he/she is required to transfer
information in communication process, the teacher has the following key roles to play.
 To determine what is being taught.
 To determine the most appropriate instructional methods for communicating
the pre- arranged content.
 To determine the best instructional media and technologies to be used.
 To perceive and react to the learner’s response.
2. Message
Refers to the information, task, content, subject matter, knowledge, attitudes, values,
beliefs and skills that are learned. The message has to be correct and adequate.
3. Channel
Anything that release message to the receiver is a channel e.g. Telephone, TV, Email,
face to face communication, written report, meetings assignments, radio, Projectors,
computers and laptops.

- It is the link that joins the sender and the receiver.

- It requires to be properly chosen for effective communication.
- It requires to be properly chosen for effective communication.
- The objectives of the communication, determines the type of medium to be used.
4. Receiver/ Environment/ Context
This is the person who receives the message of the other side. For effective
communication to take place, the receiver should:

 Be a good listener
 Follow instructions and take active part in the communication process.
  Be psychologically ready.
 Be ready for the task, in terms of maturity.
5. Noise/ environment/learner
Noise is any form of obstacle which intends to reduce the effectiveness of
communication, noise can be physical environment, psychological and Physical noise
-is any disturbance which is caused by the physical environment e.g. shouts, songs
etc. while Psychological is from ill health.
6. Feedback
Feedback refers to the available facts collected to determine the effectiveness of the
interaction between the sender and the receiver during the communication process.
 It completes the two-way process of communication.
 It ensures that the sender of the message has been received and understood.
 It can be demonstrated by a nod, a simile etc.

Characteristics of good communication

The sender/communicator should:

i. Understand the message and the content plus the context of the message.
ii. The purpose of communication.
iii. Understand the objective of the lesson.
iv. Be confident.
v. Consider the audience of the leaners.
vi. Understand the learning environment.
vii. Consider the adequateness of learning materials.
viii. Be friendly, relaxed and seem to enjoy the interactions.
ix. Strive to remove the barriers by instituting good channels of communication.
 Types of Communication

1. Verbal Communication
This type of communication entails sending out messages by spoken words. The system
of verbal communication has been quite complex, with many countries having their own
languages and each language having million words.

It is the most commonly used type of communication by teachers in the classroom. For
verbal communication to be effective, the following aspects need to be considered by the
teacher:

i. Use of voice volume

The teacher should use appropriate voice volume to be heard clearly from all corners of the
classroom by all learners. The teacher should neither shout nor be too soft.

ii. Clarity of the voice. This has to do with the way words are pronounced. The
teacher should work on pronunciation with the aim of communicating effectively.
iii. Contact with the audience [ learners/students] – the teacher should face the
leaners when speaking to them. The teacher should also speak clearly and loud
enough while facing the leaners.
iv. Use of appropriate pitch/ tone- the teacher’s voice should carry the appropriate
pitch or tone. Too deep a voice is not audible and too high a voice will disturb
learner’s ears.
v. Language level- teachers should use simple language suitable to the level of
leaners being taught.
 2. Non-Verbal Communication
- Non-verbal communication involves exchanging or transmitting information without
the use of words. Examples include: gestures, facial expressions, eye movement and
use of pictorial representations.
- Teachers use non-verbal communication to show disapproval or give reinforcement to
the leaners. For example nodding the head or smiling sends a message to the
learners that their responses are good. While frowning displaying a blank face is a sign
of not being attentive or sending a message of disapproval of learner’s responses.
- Learners too use non-verbal communication to send messages to the teacher. For
example, looking down or frowning could also send a message to the teacher that the
leaner does not have a ready answer. The teacher therefore needs to watch the non-
verbal communication from the learner in order to regulate his/her teaching
accordingly.

 Models of Communication
Definition of a Model

A model is a pictorial/graphic representation of a reality. There are three major types of

models:

i. Linear models (Harold Lasswell 1948)

ii. Interactional models ( Schrammand and Wilbur 1954)
iii. Transactional Models ( Gamble and Gamble 1993)

i. Linear Model ( Harold Lasswell1948)

A "linear model (Harold 1948)" refers to the communication model developed by Harold
Lasswell in 1948, which is considered a classic linear model, focusing on five key questions:
"Who says what, in which channel, to whom, with what effect?" - essentially analyzing the
 communication process by identifying the sender, message, channel, receiver, and the
intended effect of the communication. It is a one way communication and does not allow
interaction between the source (teacher) and the receiver (learner)

Disadvantages of Linear Model

i. Learners are passive/ inactive thus they are not being engaged in the teaching and
learning process.
ii. No feedback, hence one cannot evaluate the communication process to find out
whether communication has been effective.
iii. A teacher cannot assess the effectiveness of the instructional methods, media/
technologies and himself/herself.
iv. It is teacher centered as students are not involved in the learning process.
v. There is rote learning or cramming while using this linear model.
vi. There is no exchange of ideas thus the leaner cannot become innovative or
creative in problem solving.
2. Interactional models ( Schrammand and Wilbur 1954)
When referring to "interactional models" in the context of Schramm and
Wilbur (1954), it typically means the Osgood-Schramm model of
communication, which depicts communication as a circular process where
both the sender and receiver actively encode and decode messages, taking
into account their shared "field of experience" to ensure
understanding; essentially highlighting the interactive nature of
communication where feedback is crucial.

Key points about the Osgood-Schramm model:

 Circular process:
Unlike linear models, this model shows communication as a continuous
back-and-forth exchange between participants.
 Field of experience:
This concept refers to the shared knowledge and understanding between
the sender and receiver which impacts how messages are interpreted.
 Encoding and decoding:
Both the sender and receiver actively encode (translate thoughts into
messages) and decode (interpret messages)

Advantages of Interactive Models

i. It makes feedback the main feature of communication process rather than an

optional extra added unto a one directional based framework.
ii. It includes context, this means that a message may have different meanings
depending on the specific context or setting.
iii. The model takes into account the culture of the society where communication is
taking place.
3. Transactional models -Gamble and Gamble 1993
The transactional model of communication, as described by Gamble and Gamble in 1993,
emphasizes the dynamic and reciprocal nature of communication. In this model,
communication is seen as a continuous process where both sender and receiver are active
participants. Here are some key elements typically associated with the transactional model:

1. Simultaneous Sending and Receiving: Both parties in a conversation send and

receive messages at the same time, rather than one person speaking while the other
listens.
2. Contextual Influences: The context in which communication occurs—such as
cultural background, social relationships, and situational factors—plays a significant
role in shaping understanding.
3. Feedback Mechanism: Feedback is integral to the process; it allows communicators
to adjust their messages based on responses from others.
 4. Shared Experience: Communication is influenced by shared experiences or
backgrounds that both parties bring into the interaction.
5. Noise: Various forms of noise (physical, psychological, etc.) can disrupt or distort
communication.
This model highlights that effective communication goes beyond mere transmission of
information; it involves interpretation, feedback, context awareness, and mutual influence
between communicators.

BarrIers Of effeCTIve ClassrOOm COmmunICaTIOn

At any point in the communication process, a disturbance can arise leading to misunderstanding

or no understanding at all. This becomes a barrier to the entire process. Barriers keep us from

understanding other ideas and thoughts. Recognizing barriers to effective communication is the

1st step in improving the communication process. The teacher needs to deal with various barriers

in order to realize effective communication.

Barriers to communication can be viewed from different perspectives. They include the following:

towards each other, problems at home, lack of common experience, sickness and fatigue.

i. Leaner Based Barriers

- These include all kind of illness such as headache, toothache, heartburn, hunger etc.
- The age gap of students- the teacher should give examples that are within the range of the
leaners.
- Attitudes, anxieties – Negative attitude and anxieties from the learner may hinder teaching
and learning process.
ii. External Barriers

These are barriers that do not have their origin in the sender or receiver of communication. Their

origin can be traced in the context or the environment where the communication is taking place
they include the following: Physical barriers which include noise from the environment, a radio

playing in the background, another person trying to enter a conversation and any other distractions

that prevent the receiver from paying attention.

iii. Lack of effective communication skills

The learner is less likely to understand the message if the teacher has trouble choosing the precise

words needed and arranging those words in a grammatically- correct sentence. On the other hand,

the learner should possess effective communication skills to enhance feedback.

iv. Insufficient knowledge of the subject

If the teacher lacks adequate content, the learner will likely receive unclear or mixed message. The

leaner will still have questions after “communication” encounter or experience. For example, after

a 40 minutes lesson in secondary school Geography on relief rainfall and the concept of ‘the higher

you go the cooler it becomes’, a learner still questions whether it would become cooler if one

climbed a tree.

v. Information overload

If you receive a message with too much information, you may tend to put up a barrier because the

amount of the information is coming so fast that you may have difficulty in interpreting that

information. For example, if the teacher is explaining a concept with overwhelming features, it is

wise to pick a few important features to emphasize instead of overloading the learner with an

information valance.
 vi. Teacher Based Barriers

 Poor class management

 Use of technical terminologies.

 Fatigue, stress in the teacher.

 Lack of establishment of eye contact with the leaner while teaching.

 Negative attitude by the teacher hinders effective teaching and learning process.

vii. Media/ technological based barriers

 Pre-mature use of media, that is media used at the wrong stage/phase of teaching/learning

process.

 Inappropriate media.

 Faulty media/ technology.

 Power blackouts.

 Visibility of media to all learners.

 Use of media that doesn’t involve learners

 Use of old-fashioned media.

 Poor design and production of media