LESSON 1.3
HOW WE COMMUNICATE
THE UNIVERSAL COMMUNICATION MODEL
Diagram 1.2:
The Universal Communication Model.
Key concepts:
The sender/receiver relationship, encoding/decoding (CODECs), types and examples of interference/noise
Semantic Interference:
This concept is the most often misunderstood by students, so here is a simple definition:
Semantic interference is when the sender and the receiver have different understandings of the same word. This could be because one is applying a technical meaning or using jargon that is not understood, but even more simply, the sender is using a slang word and the receiver does not understand the intended meaning. An example is calling a song fire.
In this lesson we will be breaking down the process of communication to its composite parts. From a text message to a sarcastic look, we are capable of encoding detailed, nuanced ideas and messages using a complex system that we rarely dissect.
The first communication model of this sort was outlined by Claude Shannon in 1949. Using a simple visual, it explained how information was sent and received, and what could go wrong. This was initially applied to telecommunications but as we will see, can be applied to basically all forms of communication, from waving to email.
In-class activity 1.3: Described drawing
Choose a partner and position your chairs back to back. Be sure to place your chair so that neither your partner or any other group is able to see your work. One partner will be the describer. The other will be the drawer. The describer will be given an image which they must describe to their partner. The drawer must listen to the description and reproduce the image as closely as possible to the original, without ever actually seeing the original. Once complete, compare the original and the copy. How close did you get?
WIX WEBSITE
Answer the following as a blog on your website.)
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Create a blog entry on your CommTech website that describes today's drawing activity.
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What are two things that made this activity difficult?
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What might have made the task easier or more difficult for other groups?
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If you were to do the activity again, what would you do differently?
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Using the UCM, and thinking about the drawing activity from class, identify the following:
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the sender
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the receiver
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the message
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the channel
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explain how information was encoded and decoded
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Explain what noise (or interference) is
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Thinking about the drawing activity from class, what type of interference had the most significant effect on your group?
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Give an example of semantic interference.