Lesson5.pdf

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
JOMO KENYATTA UNIVERSITY
OF
AGRICULTURE & TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL OF OPEN, DISTANCE AND eLEARNING
P.O. Box 62000, 00200
Nairobi, Kenya
E-mail: elearning@jkuat.ac.ke
HRD 2101 Communication Skills

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
This presentation is intended to covered within one week.
The notes, examples and exercises should be supple-
mented with a good textbook. Most of the exercises have
solutions/answers appearing elsewhere and accessible by
clicking the green Exercise tag. To move back to the same
page click the same tag appearing at the end of the solu-
tion/answer.
Errors and omissions in these notes are entirely the re-
sponsibility of the author who should only be contacted
through the Department of Curricula & Delivery
(SODeL) and suggested corrections may be e-mailed to
elearning@jkuat.ac.ke.
JKUAT: Setting trends in higher Education, Research and Innova-
tion
0

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
LESSON 5
Sources of Information & use of Technology
in Communication
5.1. Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this topic you should be able to:
• Outline the types of interviews
• Discuss the interview process - preparation and execution
by both the interviewer and interviewee.
• Prepare and use questionnaires to collect data.
• Apply observation and experimentation techniques in col-
lecting information for purposes of research.
tion
1

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
5.2. INTERVIEWS
As stated earlier, this is one of the survey methods of research.
They can be done face to face or by telephone. They are used
to make decisions about someone or something. There are two
interview schedules:
1. unstructured interviews: They are general and discus-
sion is wide ranging individual questions are developed as
the interview progresses.(questions are developed sponta-
neously)
2. structured interviews: Questions are written down be-
fore the interview session and are asked in order which
they are written down for all respondents. It has a spe-
cific objective and one can tell the respondents what the
tion
2

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
objectives are.
• It is very instructions to the respondents. a. Giving in-
structions from one topic to the next.
• One can also probe the respondent if you don’t get the
answers that you expect.
• At the end of the interview, the interviewer states closing
remarks.
Advantages of face to face interviewing
1. The response rate is high.(there is less bias in the data or
results that one gets back)
2. The interviewer can clarify questions.
3. Interviews work well with respondents whose reading and
writing skills are poor.
tion
3

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
4. Because the questions are standardized for all respondents,
the data obtained tends to be reliable.
5. The interviewer can observe non-verbal vi. An interviewer
can use visual aids in certain cases
Disadvantages of face to face interviews
The cost of interviewing can be high
5.2.1. face to face interviews
Definition 1. a face to face question and answer session whose
purpose is to solicit answers to questions; for the purpose of:
• Gaining knowledge about someone or something so that a
decision can be made about that person/thing.
• It is also a tool of communication from which both the
interviewer and interviewee gain much information.
tion
4

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
• It is a session when two parties meet to satisfy pre-determined
objectives by mutual interrogation.
• It is characterized by asking and answering questions.
• During the interview, both the interviewer and interviewee
have aims which they want to achieve.
Preparations by the interviewee
1. Learn about the company/org before going for the inter-
view i.e products, service provided, personnel, current ac-
tivities.
2. Prepare our testimonials i.e certificates, transcript, letters
of recommendation and put them together in a folder.
3. Take proper care of your appearance(clothing, grooming
etc) If the people who can determine have fixed views of
tion
5

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
how you can be dressed or groomed, then you have no
choice but to respect them.
4. Anticipate/think of certain questions you are likely to be
asked and try to come up with possible answers to them
i.e work experience, career, interests, hobbies etc.
5. Learn to put your-self at ease i.e going to an employment
bureau for them to conduct an interview with you.
At the interview
1. Arrive early before the time scheduled
2. During the interview, pay attention to what is going on
listen well and ask politely for a question in case you did
not get the interviewer i.e please repeat,will you kindly.
3. Be courteous during an interview.
tion
6

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
4. Speak audibly and clearly.
5. Answer questions fully.
6. Look at the faces of the people who are interviewing you.(mainta
eye contact).
7. Control your emotions.
The interviewer’s preparations
1. Determines the kinds of questions to be asked and puts
together the members of the pernel, assigning each one of
them their specific positions at the venue.
2. Prepares the venue of the interview i.e making sure the
sitting arrangement is right.
The interviewer at the interview
• Starts by putting the interviewee at ease in that at the
tion
7

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
beginning the interviewee may be nervous hence this may
hinder the interview session.
• Start with a friendly talk.
• Greet the interviewee and and show them where to sit.
• Make the purpose of the interview clear to the interviewee.
• Allow the interviewee to talk more.
• He/she should guide the interviewee but do not put words
in their mouth.
• Avoid leading questions.
• Keeps a record by making notes during the interview.
• After all the questions have been asked, end the session
by asking whether the interviewee has any questions.if
tion
8

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
not,thank them for applying and attending the interview.let
them know when they will hear from you.
For the interviewee.
• Be prepared for the interview.
• Make a good appearance.
• Show that you are interested in what is going on Answer
questions correctly,completely and honestly.
• Be courteous.
For the interviewer
• Prepare the venue.
• Prepare the questions.
• Putting the interviewee at ease.
Type of questions
tion
9

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
1. Open ended questions: they do not require a specific
answer and all the interviewee to talk at length on what
asked. One taks more and takes control of the session(advantage
2. Closed questions: they require binary/specific answers
i.e yes or no It can make a session turn into an interroga-
tion session(disadvantage).
3. Mirror questions: they reflect an answer that you have
given previously.it is tricky and meant to catch you.
4. Probing questions: they arise from an answer given ear-
lier or and require you to explain that answer further.
5. Leading questions: they are asked in such a way that
the interview gets the answer that he/she wants.(usually
in such a way that you agree with his/her opinion.)they
tion
10

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
are unfair to the interview and should be avoided.
Ways of finding a job that you are looking for
1. In national daily newspapers: in the advertisement section
where certain jobs and sectors are advertised on certain
days.
2. Professional journals: these are journals written by pro-
fessional in different areas.
3. Television and radio.
4. Job centres: on windows or display boards.
5. Private employment bureaus they act agents(brokers)between
the employer and the job seekers
6. By the word of mouth: someone might tell ou about the
existence of a vacancy because they want you to use their
tion
11

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
name(this is known as name-dropping).
7. Self advertisement: when on your own inintiative write a
letter of application without seeing any advert.
5.2.2. Stages of an interview.
1. Pre-interview stage: an interview fills in an applica-
tion form or writes an application letter. You do a job
analysis noting job description, requirements and qualifi-
cations for the job. The interview determines the style
of the interview i.e whether it is a one-day interview or
whether they have stages i.e 1,2,3,4....... The interviewer
formulates question to be asked he/she makes a short list
of candidates to be interviewed.
2. Opening interview: an interviewer tries/attempts to
tion
12

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
create a friendly atmosphere by greeting interviewee’s by
name and introducing the members of the panel by their
names and designation. He/she states the purpose of the
interview and what to achieve at the end meanwhile the
interviewee is paying attention.
3. Body interview: the interviewer starts by asking simple
questions to put interviewee at ease and eliminate ner-
vousness. also to build confidence in the interviewee. The
interviewer ask questions about the work experience, per-
sonal, education etc.
4. Closing interview: the interviewer asks questions while
writing the points down and asks the last question. The
interviewer thanks interviewer for sending application and
attending the session. States what is to happen after the
tion
13

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
interview.
5. Post interview: the panel evaluates the interviewees’
responses qualifications, experience Panel makes compar-
isons on the interviewees’ details and the needs of the com-
pany. The marks given by each member of the panel are
added up. This helps to make comparisons. NB:confidentiality
of the outcome of the interview is observed during this
stage.
5.3. Questionnaires.
Definition 2. A Collection of structured questions which are
answered in the field.
It is self-administered.(the researcher comes up with ques-
tions and give them to the respondents who respond them).
tion
14

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
It may have open-ended questions. It falls under the survey
method of doing research like the interview. Many times when
a researcher uses the questionnaire, he/she does not go to the
field. They are used to research on:
1. Behavior patterns
2. Opinions
3. Social attitude
4. Personal preference
• It is used in order to reach many people at the same time.
• It is used when the respondents reads and answers the
questions separately from the interviewer.
• Each one of the question on a questionnaire should have
some variance,relationship to one of the variable(a concept
tion
15

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
that can be measured)being studied.the variable can be
measured e.g age,education,status.
• One should let the respondents know what he/she wants
to know.
• Ask questions related to the study.
• Make the questions simple in order to receive simple an-
swers from.
• It works very well when one pre-test (give the question-
naire to some people who are not in your actual/final
study).
Reason for Pretesting
1. To identify whether the questions are clear.
2. Give it to the people in the same population as to that
tion
16

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
you are going to study; this helps one to generalize about
the answers one is likely to receive.
3. They help one to know whether the objectives that he/she
has have been covered in the questionnaire.
dvantages of a questionnaire
• It is a relatively cheap method of collecting data.(it is said
to be).
• The questions are standardized (the same) for all respon-
dents The results are likely to be reliable due to this.
DISADVANTAGES
• It is an impersonal way of getting information.(one can
not get the body language of respondent).
• If one does not get back all the questionnaires or maybe
tion
17

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
there are blank spaces,the results are not reliable or valid.
5.4. Observation
• It is a primary method in filed research.it starts with field
observation and is not the casual look/ordinary seeing and
watching in the context of doing research.
• It is planned and is methodical(done in a certain way).
• It is intendeted to get meaningful information about the
social world.
• It involves direct observation and takes place in a natural
setting and not in some man made/laboratory situation.
• It is less structured than what is done in a lab.the re-
searcher actively participates in the social setting that is
tion
18

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
being studied/observed.
It has two extremes/ends:
1. Non-participant observation:the observer is passive and
intentionally unobstrusive(do not interfere)
2. Participant observation:the participant is active and
intentionally involved in what is being observed.
• The non-participant observer is an eavesdropper(some
one who attempts to observe some people without inter-
acting with them and the people being observed do not
know that they are being observed.
• It is used in early stages of field research when a researcher
is examining/inspecting an area before he/she goes in to
a detailed/intensive study.
tion
19

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
• It is like a stage of preparing oneself before starting his/her
detailed study.
• An example of the non-participant observation is the army
which does a reconnoiter.
• Psychologies also use it a lot.
• Non-participant observation involves selection and record-
ing of behavior that the researcher has.
• After writing down what the researcher has,he/she en-
codes(simplifying the records that you have put down)i.e
using frequency(the no of times that behavior has been
done).
• It is used in conjunction with participant observation.
• In participant observation,the observer participates actively
tion
20

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
in the social setting for an extending period of time.
One should be in area for at least one year(recommended)
• The participant participates in the people’s daily lives and
the situations being observed.
• He/she should live and work among them.
• He/she should try to become part/accepted member of
the people being studied,should be able to speak their lan-
guage,learn their slang,jokes,empathize with them and de-
velop a report.
• He/she should share the situation of the people i.e fu-
neral,weddings etc.
A thin line between non-particpant and participant observation
The two of them can be regarded as poles/extremes/ends on a
tion
21

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
continuum. continuum (Non participant (participant observa-
tion) Observation) (one can mark the intensity and decrease at
which something is being done)
• At one extreme is the participant observer who becomes
completely observed in the group under observation and at
the other end is the non-participant, who tries to remain
a loof to the group under observation.
• Participant is therefore is a question of how much partici-
pation one is doing.
• An observer participates in an alien setting a desire to be-
come accepted, but at the same time there is a separation
from those being observed.
• Observers have ended up being native to the areas that
they have been observing. Participant observation is used
tion
22

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
to obtain qualitative data.
• It also provide a holistic perspective and in-depth perspec-
tive of the people being observed/studied.
A committed classic participant should be committed to the
following
1. A long term study for at least a year.
2. Personal involvement and immersion into the affairs of the
community being study.
3. A holistic study which tries to explore the following fea-
tures of a community i.e
• Economic
• Social
• linguistic
tion
23

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
• political
• cultural
5.5. Experiementation
• The researcher does not depend on respondent to get in-
formation.
• He/she conducts experiments in order to get information.
• There are several designs based on the the principle of
causation for experimentation.
• A researcher conducts experiments to determine either the
cause of a problem or the effect of the treatment.
• Either, he/she selects a group of persons or an area of
study.this group is know as the experimental group and
tion
24

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
the area,the experimental area.
• The research examines the experimental group before a
treatment is administered and records what is observed.
• The researcher then administers the treatment to the ex-
perimental group after the treatment and records what is
observed/examines the experimental group after the treat-
ment and records what is observed.
• The difference before and after the treatment is regarding
as the effect of the treatment.
• Or, the researcher can take two groups/areas of study;
examine both groups before administering a treatment and
records what is observed. the researcher then administers
the treatment to only one group or area and leaves the
tion
25

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
other group/area without treatment.
• The group without the treatment is known as the control
group.
• Both groups are then left under identical conditions during
the entire period of the experiment. they are supposed to
be left under identical conditions for the success of the
experiement.
• After the treatment, the researcher examines both groups
or areas and observes what has happened. he/she then
calculates the results.
• There are two difference in the pre-treatment and post-
treatment results. the difference of the experimental group
and that of the control group are subtracted i.e (dii-diff
tion
26

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
control)and one gets the result (effect) of the treatment.
Exercise. Discuss the following as sources of information and
list their advantages and disadvantages:
• the library
• the internet
1. The library
2. Internet
Exercise 1. Describe the type of questions to be used
in an interview
Example . Advantages of questionnaires
Solution:
They permit respondents time to consider their responses
carefully without interference from, for example, an interviewer.
tion
27

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
Cost - It is possible to provide questionnaires to large num-
bers of people simultaneously.
Uniformity. Each respondent receives the identical set of
questions. With closed-form questions, responses are standard-
ised, which can assist in interpreting from large numbers of re-
spondents.
They permit anonymity. It is usually argued that anonymity
increases the rate of response and may increase the likelihood
that responses reflect genuinely held opinions.
5.6. Technology in Communication
5.7. Introduction
Communication is as old as mankind. Over the years man has
always had some method of communicating his intentions, feel-
tion
28

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
ings and ideas.
In the early days man did not only use words to communicate
but also signals like smoke, light (from fire), sounds like drums,
trumpets etc. Over long distances messages had to be relayed
by word of mouth from one individual to another moving in the
direction to which the message was intended. This was slow and
very cumbersome.
Through the decades man has invented better methods of
communication. Technological inventions and advances have
seen communication undergo a series of evolutionary phases-
simple telephone technology to the modern highly computerized
communication. These developments include such things as :
1. The telephone- fixed landlines, pages, radios, public ad-
dress systems to mobile phones commonly used today.
tion
29

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
2. Telegraphic written messages- telegraphs, facsimile (fax)
to e-mails, facebook twitter.
Objects like phones, fax machine computers, satellites dishes,
just to mention a few, have greatly facilitated exchanges and
sharing ideas through what is commonly known as Information
and Communication Technology (ICT). The
Role of Technology in Communication
Technology therefore has played a significant role in communi-
cation. It has enabled people from different parts of the world
share info easily and quickly. It has produced both highly posi-
tive and negative effects on communication in the process.
Positive Effects
1. Increased accessibility to information.
tion
30

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
2. Increased speed of sending and receiving information.
3. Information has become of better quality.
4. Large volumes of information can be condensed and stored
in electronic forms thus occupying very little space.
5. Improved the quality of knowledge and capacity of infor-
mation users.
6. Easier sharing of information by different people at dif-
ferent locations at the same time eg several people can
connect to the same website at the same time.
7. Access to information has led to shorter and quicker de-
cision making process thus leading to higher productivity
by business.
8. Increased competition among business organization has
tion
31

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
led to better quality products.
9. Use of facilities like televisions and videos enhance quicker
understanding and learning as one can easily combine both
verbal and non-verbal aspects of communication
10. It has led to faster social and economic development as
new knowledge can be easily transferred to different parts
of the world Negative Effects
Despite the many good roles technology plays in communication,
there are nonetheless some adverse effects:
1. Electronic fraud e.g. in the case of banks where financial
fraud occurs.
2. Moral decadence like in the addiction to pornographic ma-
terials in the internet
tion
32

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
3. Plagiarism- people use other people’s knowledge as though
it is theirs (in academics)
4. Computer hacking – where people illegally access informa-
tion not meant for them.
5. Unemployment especially among the youth – one com-
puter can replace several people at the work place.
6. Laziness among the youth – they would prefer watching
tvs, chatting with friends on facebook or twitter to work-
ing.
Exercise. Explain how the negative effects of technolgy in com-
munication can be counteracted.
tion
33

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
Solutions to Exercises
Exercise 1.
Open ended questions: they do not require a specific an-
swer and all the interviewee to talk at length on what asked.
One taks more and takes control of the session(advantage).
Closed questions: they require binary/specific answers i.e
yes or no It can make a session turn into an interrogation ses-
sion(disadvantage).
Mirror questions: they reflect an answer that you have
given previously.it is tricky and meant to catch you.
Probing questions: they arise from an answer given earlier
or and require you to explain that answer further.
Leading questions: they are asked in such a way that the
tion
34

JKUAT
SODeL
c
2017
JJ II
J I
J DocDoc I
Back Close
interview gets the answer that he/she wants.(usually in such a
way that you agree with his/her opinion.)they are unfair to the
interview and should be avoided. Exercise 1
tion
35

Lesson5.pdf

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Lesson5.pdf

Similar to Lesson5.pdf (20)

Lesson5.pdf