Learning skills

21ST CENTURY SKILLS

The term 21^st century skills refers to a broad set of knowledge, skills, work habits, and character traits that are believed—by educators, school reformers, college professors, employers, and others—to be critically important to success in today’s world, particularly in collegiate programs and contemporary careers and workplaces. Generally speaking, 21^st century skills can be applied in all academic subject areas, and in all educational, career, and civic settings throughout a student’s life.

        It should be noted that the “21st century skills” concept encompasses a wide-ranging and amorphous body of knowledge and skills that is not easy to define and that has not been officially codified or categorized. While the term is widely used in education, it is not always defined consistently, which can lead to confusion and divergent interpretations. In addition, a number of related terms—including applied skills, cross-curricular skills, cross-disciplinary skills, interdisciplinary skills, transferable skills, transversal skills, non-cognitive skills, and soft skills, among others—are also widely used in reference to the general forms of knowledge and skill commonly associated with 21st century skills. While these different terms may not be strictly synonymous, and they may have divergent or specialized meanings in certain technical contexts, these diverse sets of skills are being addressed in this one entry for the purposes of practicality and usefulness.

While the specific skills deemed to be “21^st century skills” may be defined, categorized, and determined differently from person to person, place to place, or school to school, the term does reflect a general—if somewhat loose and shifting—consensus. The following list provides a brief illustrative overview of the knowledge, skills, work habits, and character traits commonly associated with 21^st century skills:

·         Critical thinking, problem solving, reasoning, analysis, interpretation, synthesizing information

·         Research skills and practices, interrogative questioning

·         Creativity, artistry, curiosity, imagination, innovation, personal expression

·         Perseverance, self-direction, planning, self-discipline, adaptability, initiative

·         Oral and written communication, public speaking and presenting, listening

·         Leadership, teamwork, collaboration, cooperation, facility in using virtual workspaces

·         Information and communication technology (ITC) literacy, media and internet literacy, data interpretation and analysis, computer programming

·         Civic, ethical, and social-justice literacy

·         Economic and financial literacy, entrepreneurialism

·         Global awareness, multicultural literacy, humanitarianism

·         Scientific literacy and reasoning, the scientific method

·         Environmental and conservation literacy, ecosystems understanding

·         Health and wellness literacy, including nutrition, diet, exercise, and public health and safety

What are 21st century skills?

The 21st century skills are a set of abilities that students need to develop in order to succeed in the information age. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills lists three types:

Learning Skills

·         Critical Thinking

·         Creative Thinking

·         Collaborating

·         Communicating

Literacy Skills

·         Information Literacy

·         Media Literacy

·         Technology Literacy

Life Skills

·         Flexibility

·         Initiative

·         Social Skills

·         Productivity

·         Leadership

 

Learning skills

Etymology

In the term critical thinking, the word critical, (Grk. κριτικός = kritikos = "critic") derives from the word critic and implies a critique; it identifies the intellectual capacity and the means "of judging", "of judgment", "for judging", and of being "able to discern".^[4]

Definitions

Critical thinking is variously defined as:

·         "the process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information to reach an answer or conclusion"^[5]

·         "disciplined thinking that is clear, rational, open-minded, and informed by evidence"^[5]

·         "reasonable, reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do"^[6]

·         "purposeful, self-regulatory judgment which results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference, as well as explanation of the evidential, conceptual, methodological, criteriological, or contextual considerations upon which that judgment is based"^[7]

·         "includes a commitment to using reason in the formulation of our beliefs"^[8]

·         in critical social theory, it is the commitment to the social and political practice of participatory democracy; willingness to imagine or to remain open to considering alternative perspectives; willingness to integrate new or revised perspectives into our ways of thinking and acting; and willingness to foster criticality in others.^[9]

·         the skill and propensity to engage in an activity with reflective scepticism (McPeck, 1981)

·         disciplined, self-directed thinking which exemplifies the perfection of thinking appropriate to a particular mode or domain of thinking (Paul, 1989, p. 214)

·         Thinking about one's thinking in a manner designed to organize and clarify, raise the efficiency of, and recognize errors and biases in one's own thinking. Critical thinking is not 'hard' thinking nor is it directed at solving problems (other than 'improving' one's own thinking). Critical thinking is inward-directed with the intent of maximizing therationality of the thinker. One does not use critical thinking to solve problems — one uses critical thinking to improve one's process of thinking.^[10]

The Critical Skills Classroom

The Critical Skills Classroom is a comprehensive model that creatively and effectively integrates four powerful teaching methodologies into a coherent strategy:

§  Collaborative Learning

§  Experiential Learning

§  Problem-Based Learning

§  Standards-Driven Learning

The versatility of the Critical Skills Classroom model has made it highly adaptable and successfully implemented at all grade levels and in all subject areas.

Working together these methodologies provide teachers and students the means to simultaneously and intentionally:

§  Build and sustain a strong, supportive classroom learning community

§  Target the curriculum in ways that provide both a depth of understanding andmeaningful learning

§  Develop the critical skills and fundamental dispositions

§  Meet or exceed the demands of district and state frameworks and standards

Students in a Critical Skills Classroom:

§  Frequently work as learning teams and groups

§  Actively solve academic problems, scenarios, and real-world problems

§  Make public presentations and exhibitions of their learning

§  Systematically reflect on what they are doing and learning

§  Focus on standards of quality for their work

§  Take shared responsibility and ownership of their learning and for the classroom community

Critical Skills has become the measuring stick for every learning opportunity in my life and my classroom and my benchmark for quality learning and assessment at all levels! Debra Susi, Theater Arts Teacher, Warsaw Middle School

Teachers in a Critical Skills Classroom:

§  Model, guide, coach and support the learning process

§  Design learning activities that are carefully connected and built on one another

§  Incorporate targeted learning standards to guide the classroom culture, curriculum, and assessment

8 Skills for the Future Student 

So the report includes 8 skills–modern skills for modern students: 

1. Leadership

2. Digital Literacy

3. Communication

4, Emotional Intelligence

5. Entrepreneurship

6. Global Citizenship

7. Problem-solving

8. Team-working

The skills seemed like the traditional “21st century skills” so often called for by so many different organizations. The index seemed the most informative part to us, but we couldn’t figure out how to package it, so we moved on. Then we saw the image with the skills absolutely explode all over social media.

Clearly there is tremendous interest in 21st century skills, so we culled some of the interesting bits from the report into this post, and suggest you check out the full report to learn more.

7 Critical Skills That Predict Success

If you want to succeed in life, psychologists have figured out the skills you'll need. Since knowing is half the battle, see how you're doing and where you need to improve.

What skills do you really need to succeed? In school, they taught us history and algebra and if we got good SAT scores they said we'd succeed. But are those the skills we really need? Developmental psychologist Susan Engel researched the skills that actually predicted success. I'll give you a hint--differential calculus isn't on the list. Here are the 7 skills that are critical for success.

1. Reading.

Of course, you can read. If you couldn't you wouldn't be reading this. Engel defines reading as follows: "It means having the ability to read an essay or book and understand it well enough to use the information in some practical way or to talk about it with another person."

I'd like to ask a different question: Do you read? Do you apply what you've learned? Share it with others? People who read fiction, for instance, are more empathetic. That empathy can certainly help you be a better boss.

2. Inquiry.

If you're running a startup, you probably already have this skill down. After all, the purpose of every startup is to either solve a problem that exists or convince people that they have a problem so you can sell them the solution. But, the question is, do you allow your employees the same level of inquiry?

Are ideas encouraged? If they are, are they encouraged at all levels of your work force, or are they welcomed just from your senior team? The process of inquiry is the process that will lead your company to success. Keep asking those questions.

3. Flexible thinking and the use of evidence.

Sometimes we get focused on the solution we think is right, and we forget that there are many different angles for looking at each problem. When I taught political science courses, I'd have students write a persuasive essay on a controversial subject. Then, I'd have them write a second essay arguing the opposing viewpoint. There's a good chance you had a professor that required the same, but do you do this now?

Have you really looked at your decisions from all sides? Are you looking at evidence or are you rejecting anything that doesn't back up your predetermined conclusion? And when you find new evidence, you need to change your course of action.

4. Conversation.

Engel identifies conversation as a way that children gain not only the ability to communicate, but also pegs it as a way that children actually learn. "Children living in poverty are much less likely to hear and be part of such rich exchanges at home," Engel says. Have you put yourself into such an environment? Not that you aren't speaking with your colleagues daily. Of course you are. But, are you having rich conversations about a variety of subjects that expands your mind? If you're hyper-focused on your business, you just may have given up the conversations that can actually help you.

5. Collaboration.

Are you working together with others, or simply directing their work? Some people are natural-born collaborators and others of us prefer to sit alone. While the idea of the lone genius is interesting enough, you'll find yourself better off if you work in a collaborative mode.

6. Engagement.

How successful are you on a project that you hate and wish you could avoid? Not very, right? Do you have enough of interest going on that you can "immerse" yourself in work? Is there something that excites you?

What about your team? Are you making sure that employee engagement is high on your list of priorities? Because your company's success isn't just dependent on your engagement but on the engagement of your employees.

7. Well-being.

Remember, you're a human and your employees are human as well. It's critical to know if you and they are happy. And if you're not happy? It's time to change that. The children that Engel studies don't have a great deal of freedom in their own lives (after all, they are children), but you do. If things are not working out for you, you can change what you are doing.

Some circumstances we're stuck with. If you have a chronic health problem, it's not like you can just wake up one morning and say, "I'm not going to be sick anymore." But, you can choose your friends, your job, your method for getting to work, what you read, what you watch on television, and how you treat your dry cleaner. If you're not in a state of happiness, the best thing to do is to start making some changes.

CREATIVITIY

Meaning:

           All of us possess creative abilities every one of us are in a unique creation. That is why the degree of possession of creative ability is not uniform. Some possess high creative talents with that they move the world ahead by their discovering and inventions in the field of literature science, business, teaching and other fields of human accomplishments Gandhi, Buddha, Newton, Shakespeare etc., were the creative individuals who were endowed with creative abilities. A good education propels acre; provision of opportunities for creative repression inspires, stimulates and sharpens the creative mind. At this stage, parents, society and teacher are required to help their children for nourishing and utilizing their creative, abilities to the maximum degree. Therefore educational process should aim at developing creative abilities among children.

Definition

              According to Drevdal- “Creativity is the capacity of a person to produce compositions, products or ideas which are essentially new or novel and previously unknown to the producer”.

Herbert Fox:

            “Creative process in any thinking process solves a problem in an original and useful way”.

Burner:“Newness, Surprise and originality is creativity”.

Osborn: “Creativity in the ability to visualize, to see and to generate ideals”.

B.K.Passi:“Creativity in a multi-dimensional attribute, distributed differently among individuals and it includes chiefly abilities, fluency, flexibility, elaboration and originality.

Therefore, students must learn how to imagine the unimaginable and hone their creative skills. Creativity expert Robert Epstein, a visiting scholar at the University of California, San Diego, has identified four competencies essential for creative expression:

1.      Capturing—preserving new ideas.

2.      Challenging—giving ourselves tough problems to solve.

3.      Broadening—boosting creativity by learning interesting new things.

4.      Surrounding—associating with interesting and diverse things and people.

Epstein says that the most important of these competencies is capturing. He suggests teachers provide students with a way to capture their ideas on a daily basis in an idea folder or idea box.

"So-called 'creative geniuses' are all strong with capturing. They jot down a new idea when it pops into their head. If they can't preserve it, they get frustrated," Epstein says.

Nurturing those skills in the classroom is an important task, but it does not have to be a daunting one. Educators can effectively implement strategies in their daily teaching to help students tap into their creativity.

"Teachers have the power to establish these creative habits. You're giving young people permission to have these ideas," Epstein says.

Guilford’s view of creativity

     Creativity is a pattern of traits that are characteristic of creative persons. Such traits or abilities are the following,

1. Sensitivity to problems: Creative people see problems where others do not, ability possibly related to curiosity.
2. Fluency: Those people who produce large number of ideas are more likely to have  significant ideas.
3. Novel ideas: Creative people have unusual but appropriate ideas.
4. Synthesizing and analyzing abilities: Creative thinking requires the organizing of ideas into larger, more inclusive patterns and symbolic structure must often be broken down before new ones can be built.
5. Complexity: Possibly related to synthesizing, complexity refers to the number of interrelated ideas an individual can manipulate at once.
6. Evaluation: At some point, the value of new ideas must be determined.

Possible negative traits of Creative students or Non-conforming behaviours

1.       Independent, anti-authoritarian.

2.       Divergent thinker.

3.       Generally considered intelligent

4.       Open to new ideas.

5.       Little tolerance for boredom.

6.       Willing to undertake stimulating challenges, curious and inquisitive.

7.       Self-actualizer.

8.       Aesthetically-inclined.

General characteristics of Creative individuals

1. Genuinely values intellectual and cognitive matters.
2. Values own independence and autonomy.
3. Is verbally fluent; can express ideas well.
4. Enjoys aesthetic impressions; is aesthetically reactive.
5. Is productive; get things done.
6. Is concerned with philosophical problems, for examples religion, values the meaning of life.
7. Has high aspiration level for self.
8. Has wide range of interests.

Ways of Fostering Creativity

1.      Provide self-initiated non-authoritarian learning

2.      Encourage over-learning

3.      Promote intellectual flexibility.

4.      Make more use of the questioning techniques.

5.      Provide opportunity to manipulate materials, ideas, concepts and tools.

6.      Encourage them to consider problem as a whole.

7.      Helping on individual to increase his motivation power, brainstorming ability and vision of thinking beyond problems.

8.      Provide informal and free atmosphere.

9.      Give more importance to the creative process rather than creation.

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Communication

      The ability to convey or share ideas and feelings effectively.

           Communications is fundamental to the existence and survival of humans as well as to an organization. It is a process of creating and sharing ideas, information, views, facts, feelings, etc. among the people to reach a common understanding. Communication is the key to the Directing function of the management.

         A manager may be highly qualified and skilled but if he does not possess good communication skills, all his ability becomes irrelevant. A manager must communicate his directions effectively to the subordinates to get the work done from them properly.

Communication Skills

 Definition:

·                     Latin “to impart, to share” is imparting, conveying or exchanging ideas, knowledge, etc.

·                     Transactional process in which messages are filtered through the perceptions, emotions and experiences of those involved.

·                     Communication is any means of contact between two or more people, out of which impressions are made attitudes, are created.

·                     “By communications, I mean the simple process of getting information known by one person to the attention of the other people who should have this information…”

Communications Process

           Communications is a continuous process which mainly involves three elements viz. sender, message, and receiver. The elements involved in the communication process are explained below in detail:

1. Sender

         The sender or the communicator generates the message and conveys it to the receiver. He is the source and the one who starts the communication

2. Message

        It is the idea, information, view, fact, feeling, etc. that is generated by the sender and is then intended to be communicated further.

3. Encoding

        The message generated by the sender is encoded symbolically such as in the form of words, pictures, gestures, etc. before it is being conveyed.

4. Media

        It is the manner in which the encoded message is transmitted. The message may be transmitted orally or in writing. The medium of communication includes telephone, internet, post, fax, e-mail, etc. The choice of medium is decided by the sender.

5. Decoding

       It is the process of converting the symbols encoded by the sender. After decoding the message is received by the receiver.

6. Receiver

        He is the person who is last in the chain and for whom the message was sent by the sender. Once the receiver receives the message and understands it in proper perspective and acts according to the message, only then the purpose of communication is successful.

7. Feedback

       Once the receiver confirms to the sender that he has received the message and understood it, the process of communication is complete.

8. Noise

          It refers to any obstruction that is caused by the sender, message or receiver during the process of communication. For example, bad telephone connection, faulty encoding, faulty decoding, inattentive receiver, poor understanding of message due to prejudice or inappropriate gestures, etc.

3 Main Types of Communication
        When communication occurs, it typically happens in one of three ways: verbal, nonverbal and visual. People very often take communication for granted. Communicators constantly exchange information, meaning people always seem to be either receiving or giving information. Understanding the different methods of exchanging information is important especially in business and professional settings. Many adults have chosen to go back to school and pursue a communication degree online to ensure they have strong communication skills for a competitive job market.

1. VERBAL COMMUNICATION

    Verbal communication seems like the most obvious of the different types of communication. It utilizes the spoken word, either face-to-face or remotely. Verbal communication is essential to most interactions, but there are other nonverbal cues that help provide additional context to the words themselves. Pairing nonverbal communication with the spoken word provides a more nuanced message.

       Improving your verbal communication skills can help you to foster better relationships with your coworkers and maintain a large network of contacts that you can call on when necessary. Consultants are one group of professionals that need to pay particular attention to this area of communication, as they need to constantly meet with new people and quickly communicate large quantities of important information.

2. NONVERBAL CUES SPEAK VOLUMES

         Non-verbal communication includes body language, gestures, facial expressions, and even posture. Non-verbal communication sets the tone of a conversation, and can seriously undermine the message contained in your words if you are not careful to control it. For example, slouching and shrinking back in your chair during a business meeting can make you seem under-confident, which may lead people to doubt the strength of your verbal contributions. In contrast, leaning over an employee’s desk and invading his or her personal space can turn a friendly chat into an aggressive confrontation that leaves the employee feeling victimized and undervalued.

3. VISUAL COMMUNICATION

    Visual types of communication include signs, maps or drawings as well as color or graphic design. These typically reinforce verbal communication, and they help to make a point. Visual aids can help a speaker remember important topics, give the audience something to look at, and generally help convey the message being presented.

Other types of Communication are as follows

1.  Listening Communication

    Listening is a mode where you are receiving and processing every other form of communication another person, or group of people, is putting forward.

2.  Written Communication

       Written communication is essential for communicating complicated information, such as statistics or other data that could not be easily communicated through speech alone. Written communication also allows information to be recorded so that it can be referred to at a later date. When producing a piece of written communication, especially one that is likely to be referred to over and over again, you need to plan what you want to say carefully to ensure that all the relevant information is accurately and clearly communicated.

        Communication through words may be in writing or oral. Written communication entails transmission of message in black and white. It mainly consists of diagrams, pictures, graphs, etc. Reports, policies, rules, orders, instructions, agreements, etc have to be conveyed in written form for proper functioning of the organization.

       Written communication guarantees that everyone concerned has the same information. It provides a long-lasting record of communication for future. Written instructions are essential when the action called for is crucial and complex. To be effectual, written communication should be understandable, brief, truthful and comprehensive. The main advantages and disadvantages of written communication are as follows: -

Merits of written communication

• It ensures transmission of information in uniform manner.
• It provides a permanent record of communication for future reference.
• It is an idealistic way of conveying long messages.
• It ensures little risk of unauthorized alteration in the message.
• It tends to be comprehensive, obvious and accurate.
• It is well suited to express messages to a large number of persons at the same time.
• It can be quoted as legal evidence in case of any disputes.

Demerits of written communication

• It is costly and time consuming.
• It becomes difficult to maintain privacy about written communication.
• It is rigid and doesn’t provide any scope for making changes for inaccuracies that might have crept in.
• It is very formal and lacks personal touch.
• It boosts red-tapism and involves so many formalities.
• It may be represented in a different way by different people.

3. Interpersonal Communication

       Interpersonal communication is the communication between one person and another (or others). It is often referred to as face-to-face communication between two (or more) people. Both verbal and nonverbal communication, or body language, plays a part in how one person understands another.

4. Family Communication

        Family communication is the study of the communication perspective in a broadly defined family, with intimacy and trusting relationship. The main goal of family communication is to understand the interactions of family and the pattern of behaviors of family members in different circumstances.

5. Political Communication

       Communication is one of the most relevant tools in political strategies, including persuasion and propaganda. In mass media research and online media research, the effort of strategist is that of getting a precise decoding, avoiding “message reactance”, that is, and message refusal. The reaction to a message is referred also in terms of approach to a message.

Importance of Communication

1. The Basis of Co-ordination

        The manager explains to the employees the organizational goals, modes of their achievement and also the interpersonal relationships amongst them. This provides coordination between various employees and also departments. Thus, communications act as a basis for coordination in the organization.

2. Fluent Working

     A manager coordinates the human and physical elements of an organization to run it smoothly and efficiently. This coordination is not possible without proper communication.

3. The Basis of Decision Making

      Proper communication provides the information to the manager that is useful for the decision making. No decisions could be taken in the absence of information. Thus, communication is the basis of taking right decisions.

4. Increases Managerial Efficiency

       The manager conveys the targets and issues instructions and allocates jobs to the subordinates. All these aspects involve communication. Thus, communication is essential for the quick and effective performance of the managers and the entire organization.

5. Increases Cooperation and Organizational Peace

     The two-way communication process promotes co-operation and mutual understanding amongst the workers and also between them and the management. This leads to less friction and thus leads to industrial peace in the factory and efficient operations.

6. Boosts Morale of the Employees

      Good communication helps the workers to adjust to the physical and social aspect of work. It also improves good human relations in the industry. An efficient system of communication enables the management to motivate, influence and satisfy the subordinates which in turn boosts their morale and keeps them motivated.

Characteristics Of Effective Communication

          The real meaning of communication is getting the receiver and the sender tuned together for a particular message. Communication takes place when one person transfers some understandable data to another person. It also includes the exchange of thoughts, opinions, sentiments, facts, and information between two or more persons. Feedback is very important as it assures that your message should be properly conveyed to the receiver.

The essential features of an effective communication system are keys for productive communication.

 The chief principles or characteristics of an effective communication system are as follows: -

1.       Clearness and integrity of message to be conveyed.

2.         Adequate briefing of the recipient.

3.       Accurate plan of objectives.

4.       Reliability and uniformity of the message.

5.        To know the main purpose of the message.

6.        Proper response or feedback.

7.        Correct timing.

8.        Use of proper medium to convey the message properly.

9.        Use of informal communication.

The following are some important guidelines to make communication effective: -

1.       Try to simplify your thoughts before communicating your message.

2.       You must analyze the intent of each and every message.

3.        Consider the overall physical setting whenever you communicate.

4.        You must discuss with others, where appropriate, in planning communication.

5.        Be careful while communicating, of the overtone as well as basic content of your message.

6.        Take the opportunity to suggest something of help or value of the receiver.

7.        Follow-up your communication.

8.        Prepare yourself for transmitting the message in a proper way.

9.        Be sure your actions support your communication.

10.    Seek not only to be understood but understand.

Barriers to Communication

         The communication barriers may prevent a communication or carry incorrect meaning due to which misunderstandings may be created. Therefore, it is essential for a manager to identify such barriers and take appropriate measures to overcome them. The barriers to communication in the organizations can be broadly grouped as follows:

1. Semantic Barriers

       These are concerned with the problems and obstructions in the process of encoding and decoding of a       message into words or impressions. Normally, such barriers result due to use of wrong words, faulty translations, different interpretations etc.

          For example, a manager has to communicate with workers who have no knowledge of English language and on the other side, he is not well conversant with the Hindi language. Here, language is a barrier to communication as the manager may not be able to communicate properly with the workers.

2. Psychological Barriers

       Emotional or psychological factors also act as barriers to communication. The state of mind of both sender and receiver of communication reflects in the effective communication. A worried person cannot communicate properly and an angry recipient cannot understand the message properly.

      Thus, at the time of communication, both the sender and the receiver need to be psychologically sound. Also, they should trust each other. If they do not believe each other, they cannot understand each other’s message in its original sense.

3. Organizational Barriers

     The factors related to organizational structure, rules and regulations authority relationships, etc. may sometimes act as barriers to effective communication. In an organization with the highly centralized pattern, people may not be encouraged to have free communication. Also, rigid rules and regulations and cumbersome procedures may also become a hurdle to communication.

4. Personal Barriers

       The personal factors of both sender and receiver may act as a barrier to effective communication. If a superior thinks that a particular communication may adversely affect his authority, he may suppress such communication.

Also, if the superiors do not have confidence in the competency of their subordinates, they may not ask for their advice. The subordinates may not be willing to offer useful suggestions in the absence of any reward or appreciation for a good suggestion.

7 C’s of Effective Communication

       We communicate all day long; at home, at work, with our next-door neighbour and at the sports club. We communicate verbally, non-verbally and in writing. Unfortunately, the message does not always come across as intended. NOISE! This can lead to miscommunication and (small) misunderstanding or the wrong impression.

   The 7 C’s of effective communication, also known as the seven principles of communication are a useful way to ensure good and business communication. The 7 C’s of Effective Communication provide a     useful check list as a result of which both written and verbal communication pass off in a clear, plain, target group-oriented and well-structured manner.

1. Completeness

          The message must be complete and geared to the receiver’s perception of the world. The message must be based on facts and a complex message needs additional information and/ or explanation. A good subdivision of subjects will clarify the message as a result of which there will be a complete overview of what is said.

2. Concreteness

Concrete business communication is also about a clear message. This is often supported by factual material such as research data and figures. The words used as well as the sentence structure can be interpreted uni-vocally. Nothing is left to the imagination.

3. Courtesy

         In addition to considering the feelings and points of view of the target group, it is also important to approach the audience in a friendly and courteous manner. Use of terms that show respect for the receiver contribute towards effective communication. The same goes for the manner in which you address someone. Not everyone will be charmed if you use a familiar form of address and use of a formal address could come across as too distant. By using the word ‘they’ a larger audience is immediately addressed.

4. Correctness

      A correct use of language has the preference. In written business communication, grammatical errors must be avoided and stylistic lapses or a wrong use of verbs are not sufficient either in verbal communication. A correct use of language increases trustworthiness and the receiver will feel that they are taken seriously.

5. Clarity

       Clear or plain language is characterized by explicitness, short sentences and concrete words. Fuzzy language is absolutely forbidden, as are formal language and cliché expressions. By avoiding parentheses and keeping to the point, the receiver will get a clear picture of the content of the message. Briefly-worded information emphasizes the essence of the message.

6. Consideration

      Communicating with the target group (Consideration). In order to communicate well, it is important to relate to the target group and be involved. By taking the audience into account, the message can be geared towards them. Factors that play a role in this are for example: professional knowledge, level of education, age and interests.

7. Conciseness

      A message is clear when the storyline is consistent and when this does not contain any inconsistencies. When facts are mentioned, it is important that there is consistent, supporting information. Systematically implementing a certain statement or notation also contributes to clear business communication. When statements are varied, they will confuse the receiver.
15 Qualities of Effective Communication
           When both the sender and the receiver perceive the meaning of communication almost, in the same way, it is called effective communication.

Effective communication requires some conditions or elements or factors.

These are discussed below:

1.         Pre-thinking
       Pre-thinking about the message is an important quality of effective communication. Pre-thinking enables the sender to develop a creative message and to transmit it efficiently.

2.         Specific Objective
       Communication occurs with specific objectives. Therefore, the communicator must know the objective of communication and must arrange the message accordingly.

3.         Timeliness
         Usefulness of any message depends on its timely transmission. If the message is not transmitted in appropriate time, its utility is lost. So the communicator should consider the time of communication.

4.         Conciseness
         Another important quality of effective communication is that the message should be concise. The concise message is one that contains only relevant and necessary facts, avoids repetition and organizes properly.

5.         Completeness
        Effective communication transmits a complete message so that the receiver can understand the full meaning of the message. The sender should not sacrifice completeness to attain conciseness.

6.         Correctness
       The effective communication contains only the correct messages. False, manipulated, and exaggerated information irritates the receiver and makes the communication ineffective.

7.         Persuasiveness
       Persuasiveness is an important quality of Effective communication. It helps to develop a positive attitude of thy receiver towards the message.

8.         Concreteness
        Business communication becomes effective- when it excludes irrelevant facts. Concreteness is essential to express the communicator’s view to the receiver unambiguously.

9.         Feedback
         Effective communication always keeps the provision of feedback. Feedback ensures that the message has reached to the intended receiver.

10.     Mutual Interest
       When communication considers the interest of both sender and receiver, it is treated as effective communication. If the message ignores the interest of the receiver, communication may fail to attain its goal.

11.     Use of Appropriate Language
          Effective communication always uses appropriate language. Appropriate language avoids ambiguous and complex words, misleading non-verbal cues, technical jargons, poetic words etc.

12.     Considering the Receiver
          An effective communicator thinks about the receiver’s knowledge, ability, interest, origin etc. This increases the utility and acceptability of communication.

13.     Use of Appropriate Media
           Selecting suitable media is essential for successful communication. The sender should select the written or oral media depending on the nature and importance of the message, availability of time, cost, receiver’s ability etc.

14.     Emphasizing on Informal Relationship
         The communicator requires giving attention to establishing informal relationships with the receiver along with formal relationship as it ensures the success of communication.

15.     Effective Listening
         The communicator is also an effective listener. He has to listen attentively to the response of the receiver. Therefore, the sender should possess the ability to hear the receiver’s response attentively with due patience.

Elements of Communication Skill

Communication

Communication is a continuous or two-way process of reaching mutual understanding, in which participants not only exchange (encode-decode) information, news, ideas and feelings but also create and share meaning.

“Communication is simply the act of transferring information from one place to another.”

In general, communication is a means of connecting people or places. In business, it is a key function of management an organization cannot operate without communication between levels, departments and employees.

Components of Communication Process

The main components of communication process are as follows:

1.     Context: -

Communication is affected by the context in which it takes place. This context may be physical, social, chronological or cultural. Every communication proceeds with context. The sender chooses the message to communicate within a context.

2. Sender / Encoder: -

Sender / Encoder are a person who sends the message. A sender makes use of symbols (words or graphic or visual aids) to convey the message and produce the required response. Sender may be an individual or a group or an organization.

3. Message:-

Message is a key idea that the sender wants to communicate. It is a sign that elicits the response of recipient. Communication process begins with deciding about the message to be conveyed. It must be ensured that the main objective of the message is clear.

4. Medium:-

Medium is a means used to exchange / transmit the message. The sender must choose an appropriate medium for transmitting the message else the message might not be conveyed to the desired recipients. The choice of appropriate medium of communication is essential for making the message effective and correctly.

This choice of communication medium varies depending upon the features of communication.

· Written medium is chosen when a message has to be conveyed to a small group of people, while an oral medium is chosen when spontaneous feedback is required from the recipient as misunderstandings are cleared then and there.

Recipient / Decoder:-

Recipient / Decoder are a person for whom the message is intended / aimed / targeted. The degree to which the decoder understands the message is dependent upon various factors such as knowledge of recipient, their responsiveness to the message, and the reliance of encoder on decoder.

5. Feedback:-

Feedback is the main component of communication process as it permits the sender to analyze the efficacy of the message. It helps the sender in confirming the correct interpretation of message by the decoder. Feedback may be verbal or non-verbal. It may take written form also in form of memos, reports, etc.

COLLABORATIVE SKILLS

Collaborative skills are the behaviors that help two or more people work together and function well in the process.

         Teachers can train their students in the skills of collaboration so they will be able to accomplish group tasks, not just in the classroom but also in work settings, social settings and other aspects of life.

CHARACTERISTICS OF COLLABORATIVE TEAM

1. INTEGRATION:  Truly collaborative team members are bound together and understand that “they are all in this together”-which implies that they either succeed as a group, or they come up short.

2.ACCOUNTABILITY   Collaborative teams outline roles and responsibilities inside the team. Each team member  ought to perceive their position and what is needed from them. In an exceedingly cooperative environment, they take responsibility and assure consistent out come.

3. STRUCTURAL EXECUTION:  Collaborative teams build a clear road map on how to proceed, saving them from future risks and delays.

4. COMMUNICATION: Collaborative teams develops a means of communication and include everyone on the team, avoiding duplication of efforts. Keeping everyone on the same pace, enables team members to re-direct their efforts as needed.

5. MEASURABLE GOALS: Collaborative teams set measurable and realistic goals. This keeps individual efforts aligned with desired outcomes. Goals are re-evaluated, if needed, to keep them transparent and focused.

Here are some of the characteristics of a highly effective team, according to scientific research.

·                     Each Team Member Has Emotional Intelligence.

·                     A Good Mix of Introverts and Extroverts.

·                     They Share and Understand Their Common Goals.

·                     They Make Time for Humor.

·                     They Communicate Proactively.

·                     Strong Leadership at the Helm.

10 Top Qualities of a Great Collaborator

1. Team focused

          While there are plenty of aspects that make a person a team player, there's a really simple test. A team-focused individual thinks about "we" rather than "I". He/she makes sure to keep the team focused on group goals and group success rather than individual agendas.

2. Generous

       A great collaborator is willing to take the first step and pitch in, even if they won't get the spotlight. Generosity is also an incredible desirable leadership characteristic.

 3. Curious

       They’re good at asking the right questions. A great collaborator is always looking for the root of the issue. They don’t interrogate; they simply follow their natural curiosity because they want to understand.

4. Appreciative

       The best collaborators express sincere appreciation for all that team members have contributed. They’re not shy about expressing this appreciation to the entire team and they give credit where credit is due.

5. Listens to understand

        Great collaborators listen actively to what is being said. But more importantly, they listen to understand. How can you tell someone is a great listener? Check out check out this    from Stephanie Lee  at Life Hacker.  

6. Seeks to find and answer the bigger questions

      Projects are rarely just about the task in front of you. It's important to make sure that every project contributes to a company's high level strategy. Highly effective collaborators make sure that the team is working towards the right goals.

7. Connects the dots or creates the dots

      Natural collaborators are dot-connectors and/or dot-creators. They are either deeply knowledgeable in a specific subject, or they know how different pieces work together. Collaboration is equal parts bringing the right knowledge and the right people to the same table.

8. Gives and expects trust

      More than anything, highly successful teams are built on safety and trust. Great collaborators help create and maintain that trusting environment. They give their trust freely and expect to receive your trust in return.

9. Builds relationships; breaks down walls

        Collaboration is all about working together. Great collaborators know someone in every department. They have a pulse on the entire company, and they usually have great external networks too. When you need help from someone outside of the team, the natural collaborator knows just whom to ask.

10. Diplomatic

        The best collaborators are diplomats. They know that relationships are built on mutual respect, and that being liked is not always the most important thing. Great collaborators also know that building consensus and establishing buy-in are musts for successful projects. That's why they're great at managing both up and down.

And of course, a great collaborator has a favorite collaboration tool. If you're looking for a tool to help simplify the way you work, give us a try and sign up for a free account. Or see our collaboration tool comparison and get a breakdown of the different kinds of collaboration apps.

6 SKILLS NEEDED FOR EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION

1. COMMUNICATION

         One of the most crucial factors in collaboration is communication. Your team members need to be able to express themselves clearly to each other and successfully manage channels of communication with regards to their project. All individuals need to understand their responsibilities and report on them regularly to others. If everyone on your team has good communication skills, they will all be on the same page, working towards a common goal, all the while aware of current challenges encountered and milestones reached.

2. AUTHENTICITY

        One of the reasons why collaboration is such a successful tool, is because it brings people from different walks of life together and harnesses the different strengths of each individual personality. This means that the ability to be authentic and true to one’s self, is an important skill to have when collaborating. Effective collaboration will only be achieved if each team member is bringing their unique perspectives, talents and feedback to the table.

3. COMPROMISE

         For any team to work together in harmony and collectively solve problems, all individuals on the team need to have the skill of compromise. Not every battle has to be fought. If your team can compromise with each other, they will be able to reach the best possible solutions from an amalgamation of ideas. The ability to compromise is extremely important not only for results but also for team dynamics and work happiness. If there is someone on your team who does not know how to compromise, their stubbornness may be hindering the overall productivity and morale.

4. TOLERANCE

         Everyone on your team must have the ability to be tolerant and accepting of others. Creating a team, means grouping individuals together who more than likely have an endless list of differences. Members may have different values, culture, perspectives, work methods as well as diverse ways of handling conflict and stress. It is vital that everyone involved can put differences aside and practice tolerance towards each other. Without tolerance, effective collaboration will not take place.

5. TEAM PLAYER

         For effective collaboration to occur, every person involved needs to be a team player who is focused on reaching a common goal. Individuals who are looking out for their own interests will not contribute to team efforts. Good collaborators need to be able to work well with others and conduct themselves in a way that adds value to the socially shared work task. Ability to work as part of a team is key for any collaborator – and it’s unfortunately not a skill that everyone possesses naturally!

6. RELIABILITY

        Collaboration requires trust, and trust comes from reliability and consistency. Each and every collaborator has to have the skill of being consistent and being reliable. Members on the team need to have faith in each other in getting tasks done and in trust among one another when sharing ideas and giving feedback. If your team aren’t reliable, your results will be unpredictable and often disappointing. Make sure that they are actively working on reliability and putting measures in place that keep them from dropping the ball.       

How to Develop Collaboration Skills

1. Gain Cooperation

·         Share your vision and intentions to get everyone on the same page.

·         Demonstrate respect for the opinions, expertise, and experience of others.

·         Address negativity with empathy. Preserve dignity in a group setting; follow-up in private.

2. Encourage Teamwork

·         Engage those who are hesitant to participate.

·         Connect people who otherwise may not have an opportunity to work together.

·         Share information freely—keep people informed and up-to-date so they have every advantage to bring their best.

3. Push for Solutions

·         Collaboration is beneficial only when it leads to an outcome.

·         Keep progress moving forward—know when it is time for debate versus when it is time for action.

·         Identify possible solutions without becoming attached to them.

·         Focus—address tangential ideas and off-topic discussions before they steer you off track.

Expand Your Definition of Success

·         Success is when all parties involved can benefit in some way.

·         Don’t hoard your knowledge—share your own expertise with others so they are in a better position to accomplish group goals.

·         We all like to be recognized for our efforts—give credit generously and often, but with sincerity. The more you give recognition, the more likely it is to come back to you.

·         Get rid of the silo mindset—help and support others in their work to contribute to overall organizational success.

Advantages of collaborative Teaching:

1. It has been shown to have a positive effect on student learning when compared to individual or competitive conditions

2. It has the potential to produce a level of engagement that other forms of learning cannot

3. Students may explain things better to another student than a teacher to a class. Students learn how to teach one another and explain material in their own words

4. Questions are more likely to be asked and answered in a group setting

5. Positive interdependency is achieved as individuals feel that they cannot succeed unless everyone in their group succeeds

6. Interpersonal and collaboration skills can be learned in a cooperative learning activity

7. Cooperative learning has the potential to meet more learning style needs more of the time than individualized direct instruction

8. Sends the symbolic message that the class is egalitarian and classless

9. Higher ability students are in a position to be experts, leaders, models and teachers; lower ability students get the benefits of having higher ability students in their group.

Disadvantages:

1. A burden is making the students responsible for each other’s learning apart from themselves

2. One study showed that in groups of mixed ability, low-achieving students become passive and do not focus on the task

3. Depending on an individual’s motivation and interest on a particular subject that will determine how well they would learn

4. The goal of scaffolding is for students to become independent and able to think by themselves, without the help of others

5. High stakes create increased chances for conflict and therefore need for conflict resolution skills

6. It is difficult for the teacher to be sure that the groups are discussing the academic content rather than something else.

7. Higher ability students may not experience the stimulation or challenge that they would with other higher ability students.

8. Lower ability students may feel perpetually in need of help rather than experiencing the role of leader or expert relative to the others in their group

Definition

Collaborative skills are the behaviors that help two or more people to work together and function well in the process. Teachers can train their students in the skills of collaboration so they will be able to accomplish group tasks.

Examples

Basic skills of collaboration are similar to skills of communication, which can be taught to younger children. The University of Vermont's Department of Education has identified a list of skills of collaboration for the classroom. They require students to learn how to:

·         Begin a conversation

·         End a conversation

·         Ask for help

·         Ask a favor

·         Give a compliment

·         Join in

·         Accept criticism

·         Follow directions

·         Ask questions

·         Say 'thank you'

·         Say 'no'

·         Accept 'no'

·         Encourage others

·         State feelings

·         Negotiate

·         Express concern for others

·         Listen

·         Take turns

·         Take responsibility

Collaboration is the act of working together for a common goal. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills says that mastering collaboration skills requires the ability to work effectively with diverse teams. It also requires the ability to "be helpful and make necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal."

Time for productive collaboration is a must in today's classrooms.

·         Phillip Schletchy identifies qualities of the work teachers give students that affect engagement. Affiliation, that is, opportunities to work with others, can be a positive influence on student engagement.

·         A study on cooperative learning found that "subjects who worked cooperatively spent more time working on practice exercises and reported greater satisfaction than those who worked individually."

·         "Studies have shown that groups outperform individuals on learning tasks, and further that individuals who work in groups do better on later individuals assignments as well (Barron, 2000b, 2003; O'Donnell &Danserau, 1992)."Powerful Learning by Linda Darling-Hammond, page 19.

·         Having the capacity to collaborate is an important component in project-based learning and an essential personal and professional skill.

·         The Partnership for 21st Century Skills, a national organization formed by government, corporations, associations, and individuals, has developed a framework that fuses the 3 Rs with the 4Cs. The 4Cs are:

o   critical thinking and problem solving

o   communication

o   creativity and innovation 

o   collaboration

Working effectively with others is an extremely complex endeavor. Collaboration skills are complicated to learn because they are actually people skills. Learning these skills takes guided practice and quality feedback. Teacher's shouldn't expect their students to work together effectively without explicitly teaching and modeling collaboration skills. These skills include:

·         Active listening

·         Respect

·         Manners

·         Positive Attitude

·         Focused

·         Social Awareness

Simply telling students to work together won't lead to productive collaboration. Teachers need to develop activities and projects where students have reasons to collaborate. We must teach students how to be good group members through modeling, role playing, discussion, and facilitating. Collaboration can be taught and learned by

·         Assigning clear responsibilities

·         Showing students examples

·         Assigning a leader

·         Encouraging self-direction

·         Charting progress

·         Conducting group and self evaluations

·         Designing rubric to measure the process and product

Class norms represent the behavior expectations that support the core concepts of trust, sharing, belonging and respect. Collaborative skills are the specific ways in which students are expected to behave in order to achieve class norms. After norms have been developed, collaborative skills are assessed, prioritized and taught.

Collaborative skills that we have identified as promoting the core concepts and supporting class norms are listed below. This list of collaborative skills has been used successfully by instructional teams to identify skills that address the ways students and teachers should interact to realize class norms. The list is not exhaustive and some classrooms may have to add skills to fully meet their needs.

Students can be involved in identifying and prioritizing collaborative skills by, for example, discussing and listing behaviors which support the norms or by working jointly with the teacher to select skills from the list. Selecting a collaborative skill to teach is really just a matter of choosing a place to begin. The class norms that students have not already mastered, as well as the collaborative skills that support them, must eventually be taught and incorporated into students’ repertoire of skills.

The instructional team should set aside a 20-30 minute block of instructional time each week for initial instruction on collaborative skills. The goal is to introduce one new skill each week. The team should also identify one or more daily interactive activities (partner activities, small group activities) during which the students can practice using the collaborative skill. The activity can be from any curriculum area (e.g., science, math, art, music, and reading) as long as it provides students opportunities to practice the collaborative skill. Following each interactive activity, an additional 5 minutes is needed for the students to process how well they used the skill during the activity and to set goals for improvement, if needed.

Defining and describing what collaborative skills look and sound like make the skills concrete and “real” to students. The description provides a specific guide of how students are to behave and defines how the model behavior should look and sound. A T-Chart is a graphic organizer, which can be employed to describe what a collaborative skill “looks like” and “sounds like.”