Perspectives on Human Communication – 2005 Dr. Willard Uncapher Monday 1/10/ Frameworks

What is communication? Linking together  Broadcast model of Information theory: sender, encoding, message, channel, decoding, receiver; noise, feedback [Claude Shannon, 1948]  But then what makes people want to ‘transmit’?  How does communication change over time?  How do we become ‘receptive’? Expression of meaning  What are you inside? [More next week]

Why communication study now? Era of Great Media Change - but more so now than before?  How will we know if it is a revolution - history  New - Global Networks, Blogs, Wireless, Need to understand principles of communication in all your endeavors Need to become a great communicator oneself

Why Communication now? Ongoing Changes – new jobs, opportunities and art forms. Fusion of Entertainment, Information, and Computing Environments Changes in: Privacy, Centralization, Ownership Need to have good (timeless) communication skills

Who I am Researcher of new communication technologies:  Montana, Virtual Communities, Ethnographies Interest in media history and the arts:  Technocultural Studies, Theorist of:  Hierarchy, Scale, Complexity, & Power in Network Society Writer/Editor:  Emergence, Columbia Review, etc. Teacher:  “Network Society”, “Globalization & Communication,” “History of Communication from Paleo-Anthropology to Cyberspace,” “Information Society,” “Digital Arts.” Ex-student:  UPenn -Annenberg, UT-Austin Personal:  Bike rider, hitch hike the Himalayas, Meditation, Indic and Iranian Philosophy

Who are you? Please fill out on page or half page Name Grade Level Academic Interests/Majors Personal Interests ? Where have you come from?

While at the University: Manage your time – learn a bit each day [it can take two times to learn something!] Get involved in activities – this is where you meet people! Meet faculty and researchers – even if you are not taking classes – you are part of a community – now enjoy its privileges! Visit the library and labs

While at the University 2 Stephen Covey: From dependence to independence to Interdependence Covey: 1. Be Pro-active (work on the vision thing, and write it out); 2. Begin with the end in mind; 3. Put first things first; 4. Think Win/Win; 5. Seek first to understand then to be understood; 6. Synergize; 7. Sharpen the Saw

While at the University 3 Boice: 1. Wait; 2 Begin Early; 3. BRS; 4. Stop; 5. Moderate Negative and Positive If too much: 1. Small Steps; 2. PMA (Positive Mental Attitude); 2a. “Never Philosophize During Finals”

Class Information Site Go to: [for now] [to become main site] You will find: Course Syllabus Assignments Course Schedule Links Lecture notes Suggestions or

The textbook – Providing Models Susan Trenholm (2005). Thinking through Communication: An Introduction to the Study of Communication. Boston: Allyn & Bacon  Tool kit of ideas and frameworks  [Learning the trade - Like the Dyer’s Guild, Merchant’s Guild, Conjuring]  More difficult than it might seem – work in examples, read twice

Syllabus Disability Religious Holidays Campus Closure Academic Honesty and Appropriate Behavior Due Dates and Late Penalties Incomplete Policy Attendance

Syllabus continued - Requirements Exams – 3 (2 50 questions, and a Final) Papers – 3 (3-5 pages) Attendance/Participation

Finally, relation of text to class? We will cover most material from the text in the class We will cover extra material that will be important to know (eg. Panini, Media History).  I will try to make it clear what you must know, and what you should know Ask questions, listen to responses Again, give professor a “head’s-up” ahead of time if there is going to be a problem

Fields of Study Culture – Anthropology – what brings a group together Society – Sociology – what separates a group from each other Communication – to study and promote: social-technical organization of meaning  Speech Communication – meaning, interpersonal, - more intimate  Mass Communication – social organization; statistics