Second Presentation Review

 

03/15/2025
Alejandro Rodriguez

    Like the first presentation, I consider that all three groups did a great job on this second presentation. Group I, which is my group, covered chapters 1, 2, 7, and 8, and the theme of our presentation was Mental Health and Education. Chapters 5, 15, 16, and 17 were done by Group II, and their theme was Social Life and Family. The final group was Group III, and their presentation theme was Economy and Potential Careers. In my opinion, all groups showed great knowledge of their topic.

    Group number 1's chapters were all about communication and the perception of ourselves and others. Chapter 1 defined what communication is and how we communicate with others. In this chapter, we learned the essence of communication. First, communication for humans is based on the messages we create and receive. The interpretation of messages in communication depends not only on the message but also on the context. The intention of the person also plays a crucial role in communication. Depending on the intention and the specific use of words, a message can be interpreted either as a compliment or an offense. Chapter 2 talks about the perception of ourselves and others. Social perception — that is, how we see others and ourselves in society — plays a major role in communication. The perception that we have of ourselves is called self-perception, and it includes both self-esteem and self-concept. While self-concept is the perception that we have of everything related to our skills and knowledge, self-esteem is the evaluation that we make of ourselves based on our self-concept. Both self-concept and self-esteem are shaped by cultural norms. For example, in individualistic cultures such as the United States, people tend to value independent self-perception. On the other hand, in collectivist cultures such as China, interdependent self-perception is more important. Independent self-perception is based on the belief that traits and abilities are internal to the person and applicable to all situations. On the other hand, interdependent self-perception is based on the belief in maintaining and enhancing relationships through appropriate ability and personality. The last two chapters of Group 1 are Chapter 7 and Chapter 8. Chapter 7 is all about interpersonal communication. Interpersonal communication refers to all the interactions that occur between two people. These interactions are made with the objective of starting, maintaining, ending, or redefining their relationship with the other person. Interpersonal relationships are formed through verbal and non-verbal communication via face-to-face and mediated channels. Chapter 8 is about how interpersonal communication works. For example, confirming communication messages are meant to make the other person realize that we care about them. On the other hand, dis-confirming communication messages are interpreted as a lack of regard for the other person. Finally, the group conducted research about mental health and education, where many different topics were discussed. For example, the position of the United States regarding the problems that take place in the country concerning mental health and education. For example, there has been a worrying trend where science-related topics have shown a dramatic downfall. At the same time, mental health has shown a rising trend. All these problems were acknowledged in the work, and many solutions were given to address them. Some of the suggested solutions include increasing the salaries of professors to improve the quality of education and shifting the focus of education from memorization to a more engaging experience with greater use of practical examples.

    The Second Group started by talking about Chapter 5. Chapter 5 is all about non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication consists of cues that we send with our body, voice, time, and space to modify a verbal message. The use of non-verbal messages is so important in communication that studies suggest more than 60 percent of meaning comes from it. Therefore, it is crucial to understand and respond appropriately by interpreting non-verbal messages. Non-verbal communication is used as a more rapid and effective replacement for verbal communication. Chapter 15 is about the importance of volunteering and how it can help students grow professionally and personally. Volunteering is a great way to engage with the local community. It also helps to understand issues that affect society, such as homelessness, and gives a chance to meet all kinds of people. Volunteering helps people feel more connected and aware of the social problems that the community is facing. Volunteering is also a civic responsibility for all members of society. Chapter 16 is about effective communication. The audience will find a theme interesting if it is intellectually stimulating. Also, the use of statistics helps to show and make your audience understand what your point is. Description is also a technique used to create a detailed representation of something that provides an answer for your audience. The final chapter that Group II covered is persuasive speaking. Persuasion is the process of influencing others' beliefs, values, and behaviors. Effective persuasion involves strategies such as logos, ethos, and pathos. Persuasive messages are everywhere in daily life, which is why understanding persuasive messages is crucial for developing critical thinking. Finally, Group II talked about everything related to family and social life. In order to have a healthy relationship, it is crucial to openly communicate about issues and concerns that are affecting the relationship with that person. Communication presents common barriers such as misunderstandings, emotional barriers, generation gaps, and many others that can present problems in creating healthy communication with that person. Communication in society can be formal communication, social communication, digital communication, and non-verbal communication. The government promotes social communication through many laws like the truancy laws that push children and teens to go to school and socialize. The government also gives economic incentives to encourage socializing outside.

    The third group presentation was about how the economy has been changing in recent years and potential career opportunities. In the last five years, there has been a rising cost of living, inflation, and an increase in the demand for remote work opportunities. In order to protect small businesses from rampant inflation, the government has created several stimulus programs and aid packages. The job market has also changed considerably, particularly in healthcare and the economy. Additionally, technology is replacing a lot of manual labor, increasing unemployment. The demand for various healthcare fields, such as behavioral therapy, has increased considerably. COVID-19 left several economic problems that, even five years later, still affect the economy in a drastic way. Lock downs and travel restrictions caused massive disruptions in supply chains, leading to inflation. Around 200 million jobs were lost during the 2020 pandemic, causing a 10% decline in the total global workforce. After the pandemic, businesses needed to adapt, which led to an increase in remote work, technological adoption, and the use of artificial intelligence. Some suggestions to boost the economy include investing in job training programs to teach skills for emerging industries. State governments should provide scholarships or apprenticeships in fields such as healthcare, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing to create a more productive and competent workforce. Additionally, the government should support small businesses through tax incentives, simplified regulations, and improved infrastructure.

    To conclude, all groups did a great job in my opinion, and I believe I have learned a lot thanks to everyone’s presentation.