The Impact Power Has on the Communication Process Between Teachers and Their Students.
There are many factors that influence the effectiveness of the communication process between teachers and students. This essay will discuss the factor of power and status. It will first discuss the elements of; power, communication and the relationship of teacher and student. Then it will explain the impact power has upon the communication process. Lastly, this essay will identify and explain three guiding principles that will assist teachers to provide quality communication. The setting for this essay will be the classroom.
The word power has many meanings, “...rich in both political and personal associations.” [ (Manke, 1997, p. 3) ] Wrong (1995) claims where you are in the social order (your status) will influence your understanding of power. Geelan (2001) writes about Michel Foucault, one of the most influential thinkers about power of our time. He uses an analogy that a central argument of Foucault’s was that power is like mass energy in physics; it can “... be neither created nor destroyed, but only transformed and transferred.” (p.6) While there may not be a common understanding of what power is, Fadon (1985 cited in Manke, 1997) states that power can never really be seen, when some people are doing what others want, despite their own wishes, he said that power is at work. “Communication is a very broad and complex concept...” [ (Tyler, Ryan, & Kossen, 2002, p. 32) ] Basically, it is a process where a message is sent from one person (sender) to another (receiver). The message is interpreted by the receiver and then transmitted back to the sender. Along the way, many variables affect the message that is sent, received and interpreted. [ (Groundwater-Smith, Ewing, & Le Cornu, 2003) ] A more advanced view of communication that includes the relationship between the participants of the message is the transactional model. It involves the idea that the meaning of the message is negotiated between the people in the relationship. Each person will
The word power has many meanings, “...rich in both political and personal associations.” [ (Manke, 1997, p. 3) ] Wrong (1995) claims where you are in the social order (your status) will influence your understanding of power. Geelan (2001) writes about Michel Foucault, one of the most influential thinkers about power of our time. He uses an analogy that a central argument of Foucault’s was that power is like mass energy in physics; it can “... be neither created nor destroyed, but only transformed and transferred.” (p.6) While there may not be a common understanding of what power is, Fadon (1985 cited in Manke, 1997) states that power can never really be seen, when some people are doing what others want, despite their own wishes, he said that power is at work. “Communication is a very broad and complex concept...” [ (Tyler, Ryan, & Kossen, 2002, p. 32) ] Basically, it is a process where a message is sent from one person (sender) to another (receiver). The message is interpreted by the receiver and then transmitted back to the sender. Along the way, many variables affect the message that is sent, received and interpreted. [ (Groundwater-Smith, Ewing, & Le Cornu, 2003) ] A more advanced view of communication that includes the relationship between the participants of the message is the transactional model. It involves the idea that the meaning of the message is negotiated between the people in the relationship. Each person will
References: Cooper, P., & Simonds, C. (2009). Communications for the classroom teacher. Retrieved March 16, 2009, from Learning @ Griffith: https://learning.griffith.edu.au/ Geelan, D Groundwater-Smith, S., Ewing, R., & Le Cornu, R. (2003). Teaching (2nd Ed). Southbank, Victoria: Thomson. Heathcote, D., & Bolton, G. (1995). Drama for learning : Dorothy Heathcote 's mantle of the expert approach to education. Portmouth, NH: Heinemann. Manke, M. P. (1997). Classroom power relations : understanding student-teacher interaction. Mahwah, N.J: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. O 'Toole, J. (1991). Oracy, The forgotten Basi: A provocation. Retrieved April 4, 2009, from Learning@Griffith: https://learning.griffith.edu.au O 'Toole, J., & Dunn, J Tyler, S., Ryan, C., & Kossen, C. (2002). Communication: a foundation course 2nd ed. Chp 2, "What is communication theory?". Retrieved March 11, 2009, from Learning @ Griffith: https://learning.griffith.edu.au Warner, C Warren, K. (1992). Hooked on Drama:Theory and practice of drama in early childhood. Sydney: Macquarie Unitversity. Wrong, D. (1995). Google Book Search. Retrieved April 13, 2009, from Preview this book: Power: Forms, Bases and Uses: http://books.google.com.au/books