Chapter 8 – Role of Communication
8.12. Learning Activities and Exercises for Students/Teachers
The learning activities can be completed by the Students on their own as a learning opportunity to integrate the materials from the textbook for assignments or tests/exams. Or, they may be used by the Teachers as learning activities in class, or for short answer questions on tests/exams.
Learning Activities for Students/Teachers
- Pair up with a partner. Think about what type of communication you prefer (person to person or virtual). Individually, write down your reasons for your choice. Share them with your partner.
- Individually, research the internet related to “communication as a two-way process.” What did you discover? Share with the larger group in class.
- Form a small group. Design a Communication Plan for a small project ($100,000.00.) The project is to complete a renovation in a friend’s home. There are 5 members on the team, and a Project Manager. The project is 6 months in total duration. Think about all the stakeholders involved. Who will communicate with whom? When? How Often? About what?
- Form a small group. You have been charged with the responsibility, as the Human Resources Manager, to develop an Onboarding Program for your company. You need to build a team. How many team members would you assemble? Who do you need to communicate with? How often? Develop a Communication Plan.
- Form into small groups. Divide the groups into 2 sides. One side is “in favour of the statement” and the other side is “against the statement.” Statement: “Virtual Communication has become mainstream in the last few years. It is better than face-to-face communication.” Each group will research the advantages and disadvantages of each approach. Each team will argue why their position is best. Each group is allowed a brief time to counter the argument. Each group will summarize their position (influenced to change given new information or position remains the same.)
- In a group, work together to develop a communication plan for a virtual team. Virtual teams may be more popular post COVID19. If you were the Lead in a virtual team for your Human Resources department, and you had 10 Human Resources Specialists across Canada in 9 provinces, what would be your first steps in setting up the team? What would your expectations be of the team? How would you manage the ongoing work of the team?
- Poole’s Model of small group communication is popular. In a small group, each person researches the internet. Find other small group communication models. Review your findings with your group members. What are the similarities with each model you found on the internet, and Poole’s Model? What are the differences?
These exercises can be completed by the Students to integrate learning materials for assignments/tests. Or they can be used by the Teachers in class to integrate learning or used on tests/exams.
Exercises for Students/Teachers
- Define Communications Management.
- How can Human Resources support a project team with communication?
- What is the difference between synchronous communication and asynchronous communication?
- What are the steps involved in setting up a Request for Proposal?
- What is Human Resources’ role in Request for Proposals, if any?
- What is the purpose of a code of conduct on a project?
- What problems could occur on a project if the Project Manager has not gained the trust of the team members? How could the Project Manager improve trust?
- Individually, make a list of the benefits of a communication plan to management? Employees? External stakeholders?
