Social Interaction: Groups and Communication in Education

The Group

A group is a set of two or more individuals in a common process of social interaction.

Types of Groups

• Category: A group of individuals who share certain characteristics that describe them as common (e.g., University of Madrid).
• Aggregate: A category of persons who share relations in the same space and time (e.g., University of UCJC).
• Functional: People who share a common objective or goal and are involved in an ongoing process of social relationships (e.g., students in the same class).

Ways to be Part of a Group

• Area: The individual's decision is not taken into account. It is decided for them (i.e., you do not choose your family or school).
• Acquisition: The subject decides to take part in it and is accepted by the group.

Characteristics of Groups

• Permeable: These are easily accessible groups (e.g., an aerobics group).
• Waterproof: Groups in which there are great difficulties to be part of them (e.g., Socio-Madrid subscriber).

Other Dimensions of Groups

• Primary: Those where interpersonal relationships are conducted in an atmosphere of intimacy, are open, and the atmosphere is relaxed and informal (e.g., friendship relations).
• Secondary: Those where contacts are more formal, the climate is impersonal and much more closed (the goal predominates, not friendship).

Other important features include group belonging, group size, homogeneity/heterogeneity, and structure (rules and roles).

Communication and Education

Definition of Communication

The exchange of meanings between people. This exchange is possible to the degree to which individuals are pooling expertise, procedures, desires, and attitudes.

Universal Communication System

1. Issuer: Sends the message.
2. Receiver: Receives the message.
3. Message: Information.
4. Channel: The transmission medium (visual, auditory, verbal, etc.).
5. Environmental Noise or Interference: Something physical or mental that interferes with communication (noise of an airplane, thinking about something else, etc.).

Elements of Communication Applied to the Teaching-Learning Process

• The roles can be exchanged.
• The channel should be made attractive to better reach the message.
• Interference should be reduced.

Steps in Teaching and Learning Communication

Teacher

1. Selection and organization.
2. Expression.
3. Production and broadcast of the message.

Student

1. Perception and assimilation.
2. Retention.
3. Message reception.

Feedback

Feedback is very important for communication; it is a booster.

Images

• Concurrent: During execution.
• Terminal: Just at the end of the operation.
• Delayed: After the execution.

Forms

• Descriptive: Describes the implementation comprehensively and analytically (that is, objectively, and gives a general description of how it has been done, step by step).
• Evaluative: Issues an opinion of value (good, bad, fair).
• Comparative: Relates performance to previous performance (but does not compare with peers, only with oneself).
• Explanatory: Explains the cause and effect of the implementation (this helps to find solutions and not take everything for granted).
• Prescriptive: What to do step by step.
• Affective: Expresses approval or disapproval (positive or negative reinforcement) (similar to evaluative, but this goes to the emotional aspect).

General Information on Education

1. The information has to be objective.
2. The amount of information contained in a message should be sufficient.
3. The information should be organized.
4. The form of expression used to provide information must conform to a standard of adequacy.