Appreciating communication and Culture

Activity no. 5

Culture can be defined as, learned behaviors that are communicated from one generation to another to promote individual and social structure.

https://wheelerblogs.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/wilf-logo.jpg

In our subject with Mr. Dacawe, I've learned a lot of things about Communication and Culture. I learned that it is also important that we know more about the nature of culture and communication and how culture may relate to communication or vice versa. Most people will agree that communication is the most important part of culture.

I also learned that Communication is also the main tool for social change. Social change is very important in a community because it changes people beliefs and practices. Through communication people are learning how to improve their lives and share something good to other cultures. But there has always been an obstacle in intercultural communication which is the language.

English is an important factor in globalization because it allows people from different places to understand each other. The rise of the English language helps us know more about other cultures. I won’t be able to understand them without the use of English.

For me as a teacher of the universal language, while I taught English to Japanese, Chinese, Arab, Thai’s and Korean students, I faced many difficult intercultural challenges, At first I didn't know what is good and bad in their culture, I have no Idea on how to avoid insensitive and rude questions. Sometimes I tend to hurt them unintentionally. And now I can say that I also learned from my students through communication.

English, whether you like it or not, is the chosen language of international communication. Speaking and understanding English can let a person more easily communicate with others and find more job opportunities not only in his or her home country, but around the world as well. Indeed, English has transitioned from being a culture-specific language to an essential inter-cultural communication tool used to conduct all transactions across cultures around the world.

I enjoyed this subject very much because; it made me realize how important communication to people of different cultures.

To work with different cultures, it is essential to realize the proper use of communication because it helps us to be more understandable. If we are members of different “cultures” and we truly want to understand and communicate with other cultures, we can! “If you want to do it, you can always find ways to do it”.

I've

learned different classifications of cultures and this subject gave me an Idea on how to improve the way I communicate to people with different cultures and beliefs.

I have used the PDF file given by Mr. Dacawe

posted on his blog. Ewacad@work

http://neildax.blogspot.com/

References:

Rising, B. (n.d.). Communication and Culture. Retrieved from http://www.upv.es/diaal/publicaciones/rising1.pdf

Communication For Social change!

Activity no. 4

http://www.sisgigroup.org/Institute_for_Social_Change.html

When we say social change, it refers to a variation in the social order of a society. Changes happen in the ways of living of human beings and our social relations get influenced by this. Changes are everywhere because all societies are in a constant state of instability. Each society, despite of being old-fashioned and traditional, is constantly undergoing change because “CHANGE” is an unavoidable and consistent law of nature. That is the reason why social change becomes a necessity; it is the revolution of culture and social organizations over time and it is an “ongoing process”. These changes cannot be stopped, Society is subject to continuous change, and it cannot be preserved in a museum to save it from the ravages of time.

The term social change is used to describe differences in social interactions, processes and social organizations. In explaining the concept of social change, they came up with some expressions like evolution, growth, progress, development, revolution, adaptation etc. discarding one in preference to the other.

In analyzing this, we find that social change needs “communication”. The role of communication in social change is to consider the importance of growth in the society. It plays a basic role in the existence and development of the society. As the time progressed, more developments were made in the field of communication which helped humans to better understand the fellow human beings.

Communications is used for sustainable social change and development. With the use of communication, we are able to improve inefficient systems, processes, or modes of production. We are also helping people to acquire knowledge and skills that they can use to improve their personal, social and economic status. Questions need to be raised so that, we can combine our ideas to achieve community goal.

Last semester with Mrs. Tagle, we learned about the Millennium development goals, it is for the improvement of living conditions in developing countries so that people will not move to other places that offer a better lifestyle. With this MDG’s people will be facing social change through communication. I believe that communication is the most essential tool in reaching Millennium development goals. With the use of media’s we can supply the public with information and communication that eventually will contribute to capability growth of poor men and women, to become principal actors in their own development, to get wider choices in their priority areas of concern, to increase their power as well as their material resources to make a better living. Every individual expresses its thoughts and carries out its affairs through the medium of communication. It could improve unproductive ways of living because sharing ideas and receiving information can create social changes.

Communication is also a transaction because anything that occurs between 2 or more people is a transaction, whether these are ideas, opinions, etc. The process of transaction is facilitated by feedback. It is helpful information or criticism that is given to someone to say what can be done to improve something. Communities should be the agents of their own change. Communication for social change can be defined as a process of public and private dialogue through which people themselves define who they are, what they need and how to get what they need in order to improve their own lives.

There are a lot of examples of social change; one of the good examples, People has fewer children as society industrialized because role of family changes and technological advancements allow control of reproduction.

With the use of communication people are now aware that they have to control the population because of what they have seen, heard and read. Before couples don’t mind having a lot of children but now they are aware that it is difficult to sustain the needs of many children. We have known a lot of disadvantages of having over-population and I think that is one of the good examples of Communication for social change. The process of changing the way couples think gave an Idea on how to live a better life, and the most important instrument here is Communication.

Social change has many causes. It happens everywhere, but the rate of change varies from place to place; that social change is sometimes intentional but often unplanned; that social change may generate controversy; that some changes matter more than others do. I got major factors that highlight the causes of social change. Number one is culture, within a society; processes leading to change include invention and culture loss. Culture loss is an inevitable result of old cultural patterns being replaced by new ones. New ideas and modification of old ideas in a new perspective bring wide-scale changes in society. Demographic change is caused by an increase in birth and decline in death and migration of populations also leads to social change. It’s also caused by tension and conflict. Structural strain, deprivation, cultural revitalization has been the major causes of conflict. They also generate new identities and a new perspective. These characters that involve in social change use COMMUNICATION as the most important tool in improving way of lives.

References:
Figueroa, M., Kincaid, D., Rani, M., & Lewis, G. (2002, January 1). Communication for Social Change Working Paper Series. Retrieved from http://www.communicationforsocialchange.org/pdf/socialchange.pdf
What is Social Change? (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2015, from http://animatingdemocracy.org/place-start/what-social-change
Social Development: 5 Main Causes of Social Change. (2013, October 15). Retrieved March 17, 2015, from http://www.sociologydiscussion.com/society/social-development-5-main-causes-of-social-change/963

Legalizing Adultery? Are you kidding me?

What's happening?

Adultery is voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than his or her lawful spouse. The act of Adultery has been considered a crime punishable even by death by the religious people in different parts of the world. It is Immoral, and I can say that it is worse than Illegal.

Park Han-chul said that “It’s realistically impossible that all unethical acts face criminal justice,” I can understand a bit what he means. Maintaining prisons is costly and adultery is one of the common crimes committed but isn’t it right that law must help protect our traditional family values?

Marriage is sacred and rightful and it is protected by all religions. Through the sacrament of marriage, you are giving an assurance that you will love that person forever. If you love the person, you will consider his/her feelings. Do you think “adultery” doesn't give emotional stress?

Few people say that infidelity is outside the justice system and I am not really sure if Korea has a law against emotional abuse. One thing I am really sure of, Adultery can ruin a family, and it seriously harms you and the people around you. If someone commits suicide or loses his/her mind because of “adultery”, do you think adulterating husband/wife isn't responsible?

In my opinion if a person isn't sure of his/her feelings towards someone, it will be better not to consider “marriage”. Marriage means commitment for a life-time and for me, it means staying loyal. Most relationships fail because of lack of commitment if “adultery will be legalize” what’s the sense of getting married? And what is the sense of being committed to someone?

Anyway, I don’t have the right to tell the Korean Government not to legalize adultery since I am not a Korean. I am only being opinionated. Different people have different opinions. I was just intrigued by this trending “hot” topic that I have read recently. 

Reference:

France-Presse, A, feb.26.2015, Inquirere.net: South Korea Legalizes Adultery. Retrieve from http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/675530/south-korea-legalizes-adultery

Everybody wants to go to heaven.

Seeking for answers!

http://about.g2crowd.com/assets/questions.jpg

I believe that God is REAL since it is natural to believe that God created the universe though, there is a tiny bit of ambiguity in the bible. The bible says that God’s love is Genuine but why does God allow anybody to go to hell?

Hell is a place of suffering. It’s a place to torture someone till eternity. (Colossians 1:16) says that “Everything that ever was or is or will be is created by God, including hell”. If God created everything, why did he create Hell? In Matthew 13:42, Jesus says: "And shall cast them into a FURNACE OF FIRE: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." Oh, I had Goosebumps when I have read this. God’s love is better than anyone’s love. Isn’t it? But why do you think God will let us experience such a scary thing?

I know that people can avoid hell by following God’s order. And I am pretty sure that I am not a bad person. I am just a bit confused why many of us say that there is no such Love better than God’s love. I always hear that God is all-powerful, loving, and perfect but why does he allow all these things? I guess Earth is already a place of suffering. People are not that bad, criminals are not that bad. I think situations make people bad. Why are bad people blessed and why do bad things happen to good people?

My mom had a best friend, and her best friend has a daughter. Her daughter was a prostitute in Hong Kong, of course she earns a lot of money and buys everything that she wants. Ooops (I can read your mind right now) I know being blessed doesn’t mean being rich that is the reason why I became more confused. Whenever her mom receives money from her daughter knowing that it came from “her JOB” she always says that they are being blessed by God. What does that mean?

Anyway, please don’t judge me. I am just seeking for answers, I am not an atheist. I was born as a CHRISTIAN and I know that I will die as a CHRISTIAN. I just hope that before I leave this earth, I will have clear answers to these questions. I don’t want to go to hell just because I am questioning God’s love. One thing I am only sure of, GOD IS REAL and HE IS NOT DEAD!

So please help me. I don’t want to go to hell.

We all know that it is difficult to understand and believe something you've never seen, but I really believe that God exists! that's why I am seeking for answers because I want to be closer to him and love him with no but's, no maybe's and no why's. SO DON'T JUDGE!

Cultural competency

Why cultural competency is Important?

http://www.empactconsortium.com/training-course/cultural-competency/

Cultural Competence is a set of values, behaviors, attitudes and practices within a system, organization, program, or among individuals that enables them to work effectively across cultures. Cultural competence refers to the ability to honor and respect the beliefs, language, interpersonal styles and behaviors of children and families receiving medical care, as well as those of the staff who are providing such care. Cultural competence is a dynamic, ongoing developmental process that requires a long term commitment and is achieved over time.  Being culturally competent in which involves being aware of and sensitive to other cultures, ethnicities, genders, and beliefs—can help you establish a good rapport with them. In this case, you’d know not to shake hands, but to bow or nod your head. People with different culture will value your effort to understand each of them.

For me as a Teacher of the universal language, when I meet students for the first time, I am aware that their beliefs and practices may differ from my own. Understanding our culture is important so that we understand how we interact with individuals from cultures that are different from ours. This understanding helps us see our students more clearly, and shape policies and practice in ways that will help our students to succeed. So, I try to learn as much as I can about the students’ life and how they view the world. It is important to understand the different cultures of my foreign students. I can be an effective teacher if I have the ability to understand cultural differences that make each student unique. It will be better if teachers like me will provide an environment of respect and reciprocity of ideas and let students learn from each other’s culture. The impact of having educators who have the ability to challenge and motivate diverse student populations can dramatically improve our educational system and student outcomes. That’s the reason why Cultural competency is very important.

Cultural competency is very important not only for teachers like me but also for members of different organization. Culture is in our minds. Cultural competency is about understanding and working effectively with people who have cultures that is different from ours. The advantage of using a cultural competence approach is that you can identify the cultural competence gaps that need targeting what members of an organization need to know in order to work more effectively together.

We are now in a competitive world. Changes in one part of the world affect people everywhere. Considering our increasing diversity and interconnected problems, working together seems to be the best strategy for accomplishing our goals. Because social and economic change is coming faster and faster, organizations understand the need for cultural competence. There are many benefits of cultural competency; it helps us to overcome our fear of mistakes, competition, or conflict. For instance, by understanding and accepting many cultures, everyone is more likely to feel more comfortable. If they feel more comfortable in an organization or group, they will be more creative and productive.

http://www.ncjfcj.org/cultural-competence

Can it make a difference?

Building culturally competent organizations means changing how people think about other cultures, how they communicate, and how they operate. It means that the structure, leadership, and activities of an organization must reflect many values, perspectives, styles, and priorities. Changing how an organization looks is only the first step.

 A culturally competent organization also emphasizes the advantages of cultural diversity, celebrates the contributions of each culture, encourages the positive outcomes of interacting with many cultures, and supports the sharing of power among people from different cultures. To really change, an organization has to commit to continuing programming, evaluation, and the creation of a place that is inclusive of all cultures and celebrates diversity.

In an organization, if people are culturally competent, they tend to be more open about their opinions based on who they are. Cultural competence is non-threatening because it acknowledges and validates who people are. It removes the need to place blame and assume guilt because everyone is involved in the process. Valuing diversity means accepting and respecting differences between and within cultures so, there will never be wrong suggestions.

People from different places with different culture might share historical and geographical experiences, it is one of the reasons why cultural competency is very important because they can learn from one another and they can come up with good ideas. With the use of communication members of the organization will learn the dos and don’ts of different cultures, so they will become more aware of the organization's way of doing things and can help it adjust to other cultures and that could create a magic that happens when people are truly working together; understanding one another deeply, and in total agreement about their beliefs and goals, at least as far as their work goes. When you recognize, respect, and value all cultures and integrate those values into the system, culturally competent organizations can meet the needs of various groups.

There are many benefits being in an organization in which people have different culture because there will be a great source of alternative ideas on how to do things, creating multicultural organizations makes us deal with differences and use them to strengthen our efforts. This can lead to success and survival in an organization.

We all know that “Communication” is the basic tool of an organization, we can use it to unite people. If you learn to listen for what is being said and not what you want to hear, you will be a culturally competent person.

References:

Building Culturally Competent Organizations Chapter 27 n.d, retrieved from http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/culture/cultural-competence/culturally-competent-organizations/main

Cultural Competence for Educators n.d. Teaching Strategies retrieved from http://www.nea.org/tools/30402.htm

Has Facebook become your worst enemy?

Real Talk: 

http://www.coverphotolibrary.com/digital-art/envy-facebook-style/

You need to work on your own happiness. If you find yourself looking at others’ achievements, you are letting them control the way you feel about yourself. Envy removes our understanding that being glad for another’s success and happiness does not affect or weaken our personal accomplishment and contentment.

We are all aware that Facebook causes envy that can lead to depression. Facebook is a social networking site that allows everybody to stay connected with others and to share interesting and important aspects of our lives. However, at this moment I noticed that Facebook is being used to brag about achievements, relationship and financial status. We can also say that, it is one of the causes why we feel dissatisfied with our lives. I also must admit that I was one of these people who became addicted to Facebook since I always post pictures of dates with my boyfriend, at first I don’t mean to brag at all until I realized that this is how I look like to others and this is how others look like to me.

Facebook can be a fun and healthy activity if users take advantage of the site just to keep in-touch with family and old friends and to share interesting and important events in our lives.” But If Facebook posts changes your positive mood into a negative one every day because you can see others’ travel experiences, promotion, happy relationships, and financial status, sometimes even beautiful faces, then I guess you should try not to check your news-feed every now and then. If you can’t control yourself, I think the best thing to do is to delete your Facebook account and stay away from your gadgets for a while until you overcome your insecurities.

So if you use Facebook often but you always compare yourself to others and gives you hurtful feelings then Facebook is not a good idea to stay connected with your friends. It is important for us to be aware that this site has many risks that can give us negative feelings.