Abstract
This chapter approaches the problematic of communication in teaching-learning activities in higher education during the crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors have proposed to present a theoretical and practical approach to the effective communication in teaching, with the objective of knowing which are the opinions of students on communication skills and motivation of them in the classroom. The study included a total of 261 students from different faculties at the University of Bucharest, who were a Likert-scale survey in the period May -July 2020. Results of the analysis of research data shows that students have seen their ability to concentrate and motivation to perform tasks affected, but they did not leave university. In this respect, most difficulties were in carrying out teamwork than individual. The adaptations made by the university during confinement have been positively appreciated. The research findings coming according to recent studies confirm that without communication the teaching and learning process will not take place.
TopLiterature Review
Communication can be defined as the process by which ideas, information, opinions, attitudes and feelings are conveyed from one person to another. The communicator or sender is the person who initiates communication by sending a message. The receiver is the person who completes the communication by receiving the message and responding to it. Communication is a vital skill for almost any profession, especially for teachers, in teacher-student relationship.
According to Fenn (2014) it is necessary that the process of communication is understood mutually by the teacher and the student to make the teaching-learning process effective.
The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines the word Communication as ‘the act of imparting, especially news’, or ‘the science and practice of transmitting information’. These definitions clearly show the link between ‘teaching’ and ‘communication’. Teachers impart new knowledge constantly, or transmit information to the students. In fact, the reverse also holds good especially in today’s context of enormous materials available to all through the Internet (apud. Fenn, 2014, 53).
Based on the literature and reviewing various studies about the profile university teaching staff, the qualities expressed by the research participants were grouped into eight dimensions, among which we find the relational competences - dialog with students, tutoring activities etc. (Duță, Pânișoară & Pânișoară, 2014).
How effective we are as teachers has a great deal to do with how we communicate. We communicate ideas, information and expectations in a variety of ways – through speaking, through gestures and other body language, and through the written word, for example.
We need to be aware of how we communicate because:
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Communicating effectively can help teachers have a “presence” in the classroom that motivates students and facilitates learning;
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We may send unintentional messages if we are unaware of things such as our body language;
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New technologies present new opportunities for communicating with students.
In March 2020, universities in the world transitioned to online education in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and intensified the focus on collaboration in online learning.
Today, the online communication is considered one which we need to embrace. Technology in education opens up a huge world of possibilities as to how we convey, share, and engage with students presenting different ideas, facts and theories. Innovative technologies not only have the potential to evolve pedagogical practice, but also completely transform entire learning environments. When technology is leveraged with a very strategic vision and change management plan, the results can be revolutionary (Groff, 2014).
As the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the world, requiring emergency management by health authorities and providers, it created flow-on crises and “crisis contagion” for schools and universities at the same time finding effective ways of communication.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Learning: Process of acquiring new, or modifying existing, knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences.
Reflective Practice: Ability to reflect on one's actions to engage in a process of continuous learning (Schön, 1983).
Classroom: Learning space, a room in which both children and adults learn.
Higher Education: Tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree.
Innovative Teaching: A new idea, creative thoughts, new imaginations in form of device or method; is something original and more effective.
Effective Communication: Is about more than just exchanging information. Involve understanding the emotion and intentions behind the information, it is necessary also listen in a way that gains the full meaning of what’s being said and makes the other person feel heard and understood.
Online Collaborative Learning: Is one of the accepted teaching approaches in online education. It involves participants working together, exchanging ideas and opinions, developing a shared understanding of specific topics, and constructing collaborative products (Magen-Nagar & Shonfeld, 2018).
COVID-19: Is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus, virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Information and Communications Technology (ICT): Use of computers to store, retrieve, transmit, and manipulate data, or information, often in the context of a business or other enterprise.