What is Communication?
Communication is the continuous, two-way exchange of information, whether verbal or nonverbal. Its effectiveness is measured by the similarity between the idea transmitted and the idea received.
Basic Elements of Communication
The communication process is composed of three interrelated elements:
- Source: The sender, speaker, or writer.
- Symbols: The words or gestures used.
- Receiver: The listener or reader.
Note: The channel is the method of communication.
Encoding and Decoding
Converting thoughts into symbols like words or gestures is an internal process called encoding. Conversely, receivers translate these symbols back into meaningful thoughts, a process known as decoding.
Feedback
To optimize communication, instructors should consistently gauge learners’ feedback, which often comes nonverbally.
Learners also need feedback from instructors on how they are doing. Positive feedback boosts confidence and reinforces desirable behaviors, while negative feedback should be tactfully delivered and in private.
Characteristics of Effective Communicators
A communicator’s effectiveness hinges on three key factors:
- Their attitude when delivering the message.
- Their ability to choose symbols meaningful to the receiver.
- If they communicate from a rich, accurate, current, and engaging knowledge base.
Technical knowledge is useless if the instructor fails to communicate it effectively.
Characteristics of Receivers
Three characteristics of receivers need to be understood:
- Their viewpoint and background (cultural differences)
- Their attitude (resistance or willingness)
- Their past experiences and motivations (transferable knowledge and desire to learn)
Barriers to Effective Communication
Confusion Between the Symbol and Symbolized Object: Words and symbols might not carry the same meaning for everyone.
Overuse of Abstractions: Abstract terms may not elicit the intended images in listeners’ minds. More concrete (specific) terms are preferred.
Interference (External Factors): Disruptions in the communication cycle can truncate or distort the message.
Types of interference:
- Physiological: Biological problems that inhibit symbol reception, such as hearing loss, injury, or physical illness.
- Environmental: External physical conditions, such as the noise level inside many small aircraft.
- Psychological: How the participants feel. For example, a lack of commitment inhibits the flow of information.
Lack of Common Experience: This is the greatest barrier to communication. Instructors should tailor their dialogue to match the varying experience levels of different pilots.
Developing Communication Skills
Communication skills must be developed through experience and practice. For instructors, this means role-playing, the use of effective listening and questioning techniques, experience in actual instruction, and continued professional development.
Role-Playing Techniques
Role-playing provides aspiring instructors with experience in instructional communication. The instructor candidate assumes the teaching role, instructing their peers as if they were learners.
Listening Techniques
Hearing is a passive but constant process. Listening is an active process (hearing with comprehension).
Effective listeners:
- Take notes.
- Maintain eye contact.
- Listen for the main ideas.
- Guard against daydreaming.
- Listen to understand rather than refute.
Everyone has two ears, two eyes, and one mouth. They should be used in that order and proportion.
Guarding Against Daydreaming
Since most people can listen faster than someone can speak, listeners may start daydreaming. To counteract this, listeners can internally paraphrase or summarize what’s being said, leading to better information retention.
Types of Listening
- Reactive: Reacting to an attention-grabbing sound, the most basic type of listening.
- Intensive: Listening for shades of meaning in words, used when learning a new language.
- Responsive: Listening for a response to a posed question.
- Selective: Sorting through the sounds being heard for main ideas.
- Extensive: Trying to understand the information being communicated.
- Interactive: Involves communicating and listening simultaneously.
Questioning Techniques
Effective questioning can determine how well the learner understands what is being taught. It also shows the learner that the instructor is paying attention and is interested in the response.
An instructor should ask focused, open-ended questions (“why” or “how”) and avoid closed-ended questions (“yes” or “no”).
Instructors should prepare relevant questions before each lesson, supplementing with spontaneous questions as the lesson unfolds.
Perception Checking
Perception checking is a questioning technique where the receiver verifies the correct interpretation of a message, significantly reducing the potential for misunderstanding and conflict.
Perception checking has three steps:
- Restate the message (e.g., “When you said […].”).
- Provide two possible interpretations of the message (e.g., “I think you meant […] or […].”).
- Request clarification (e.g., “Does that sound right?”).
Instructional Communication
Instructional communication informs listeners during the teaching-learning process. This type of communication requires instructors to be knowledgeable about the subject matter and present content in a way that is engaging and tailored to the needs of their learners.
Suggestions to Enhance Instructional Communication
- Teach Familiar Subjects: Instructors should focus on topics they are knowledgeable about and confident in teaching.
- Incorporate Personal Experiences: Using personal experiences can make instructions more relatable, but excessive anecdotes or “war stories” should be avoided.
- Clarify “How“ and “Why”: Instructors should explain not only the procedures but also the underlying principles and reasons behind them.
Instructional Enhancement
Instructional enhancement states that instructors’ knowledge depth directly influences their confidence, engagement, and productivity in teaching. Aviation instructors can pursue professional development through seminars, membership in professional organizations, and online courses.
A good instructor never stops learning.