Verbal Sketch of Professor XXX's Office
Most students will, at some point before the completion of their program, find themselves having to visit their professors in an out-of-class setting to seek academic information, counseling or clarification. These encounters will most often occur in the professor's office. However, judging from my own experience, and the experiences of a number of colleagues close to me, it would be safe to say that most students dread such interactions. This week's lesson has opened my mind to the possibility that this kind of fear for student-faculty out-of-class interactions could be caused by the interior environment of a professor's office. The interior space of an office is a form of nonverbal communication. It sends instant images to visiting students, leading them to develop certain perceptions and impressions about the occupant. If these perceptions are negative, the possibility of the student making future visits to the professor is severely hampered. I visited the office of one of my professors to assess how true this argument is. The subsequent sections present a verbal sketch of the office and the perceptions that I developed about her thereof.
Architecture: the office contains an integration of soft and hard architectural characteristics, creating an utterly inviting and open atmosphere. The architectural situation was characterized by:
i) Sufficient natural lighting from the single large window that stretches just above the surface of the professor's desk
ii) Adequate indirect lighting from table and floor lamps to supplement the natural light
iii) Fully carpeted floor (beige color) and decorated, beige-colored ceiling. The beige color was the first things I noticed, and I felt like it evoked some form of cheerfulness, security and comfort in visitors, unlike the dull, grey walls we were used to in the class environment
iv) A rectangular table, with a swivel, high-back chair with wheels and armrests for the professor, and a low-backed chair with no armrests and fixed legs for the visitor
v) Solid walls save for the single window, with the professor's desk placed instinctively in a corner (back against the wall). I felt like this particular placement sent an instant message of reduced accessibility, and created some form of distance between the professor and her visitor
vi) The professor's desk has a solid front, which hides her lower body and makes it impossible for a visitor to take note of her lower gestures, and thereby get an idea of what she thinks about something
vii) Additional chairs to ensure comfort in case the professor was required to serve a group of students
Artifacts:
i) pictures of the professor and some of her best students hanging on the wall; but these are limited in number given the professor's years of experience and the space available
ii) Green plants were present just next to the window; but these appeared to be withering; and there were a couple of soil-filled containers just outside the door -- a sign that there were more plants in the room originally
Tidiness:
i) Moderate clutter -- working spaces were covered with stacks of books, papers, and files although these were somehow neatly-arranged. The fine arrangement of books on the labeled shelves indicated that there was some form of visual organization so I could not give a low-clutter score. Nonetheless, I did not give a high-clutter score given that the professor had to push some books away and stack some on top of others to create a clear desktop once I entered the office. I, however, excused him for this given that I came in just after another student left, and since the end-of-semester examinations were ongoing, I figured that the professor may have been dealing with an abnormal number of consultations.
Furniture Arrangement: furniture arrangement has to do with how the professor's desk is placed relative to the student's chair.
i) The office made use of the traditional model of furniture arrangement (also referred to as the desk-between arrangement), where the professor's chair and the student's chair are placed on opposing ends of the table.
ii) The teacher's desk was placed at the far right corner of the door, adjacent to the window, with their chair facing the door (back against the wall) -- the closed door placement
Part Two: Conclusions that could be drawn about the professor
One can derive a number of perceptions about the professor from the internal design of her office. I personally got the impression that she is an introverted...
Nonverbal Communication Skills In in-person or face-to-face communication approximately 60% of the meaning is an outcome of non-verbal behaviour." We have actually all heard-- and stated -- "physical actions speak louder than words." Actions have been so essential to our communication that analysts have estimated that within face-to-face communication as much as 60% of the social meaning is a result of nonverbal behaviour. In other words, the meaning we appoint to
This expose the fact that non-verbal communication is imperative and effective because the eye, voice, or even touch sense is being used in a general conversation that are a part of non-verbal communication (Calero 2005). Sending and receiving silent gestures on a constant basis is the regular and unconscious practice during general interactions. This demonstrates that all the non-verbal behaviors of an individual during the general conversations such as the
Nonverbal Communication Skill Although there is no consensus about the exact definition of "nonverbal communication" among experts, it is generally regarded as any communication conveyed through body movements (the "body language") and the intonations and emphasis that are given to words (also called the "paralinguistics"). The term "nonverbal Communication" may itself be relatively new but its importance has long been realized. Martin Luther, the 16th century protestant reformer, often advised his followers,
Nonverbal / Demonstrative Communication Nonverbal Communication The functions of nonverbal communication, according to Professor Mark Frank, include: a) nonverbal communication actually defines communication by "providing the backdrop for communication" (for example, a dimly lit room means communication should be subdued but a brightly lit room with cheerful colors offers a chance for loud talking, laughter and even frivolity); b) nonverbal communication can "regulate" how verbal communication takes place (when the listener nods
Gestures whether voluntary or involuntary can be used to support a message or call attention to specific points in a delivery. Generally those gestures that appear natural and relaxed are more likely to send a message of self-confidence and less likely to detract from the speaker's message than those that are extreme. The authors suggests that rubbing or clenching hands may signify tension or anxiety and should be avoided
Nonverbal Communication Interpersonal communication, which plays a large role in business and personal relationships, refers to the ability to relate to people by using verbal and nonverbal communication. Good communicators are perceived as those who are able to deal with different people in different situations, and make people feel more comfortable with them. When we think about communication, we usually think about words and the way that people use language. However, most
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now