negotiations

in problem solving, negotiations is a big part.  Most people have a hard time trying to come to an agreement. The thing about negotiations is that people need to sacrifice on both sides in order to get things done.  But, i think that most people don't want to give up anything.  for example, in a group project, you might have only  a certain amount of time to say what you need to say in your presentation.  so, at times, you need to cut out stuff to make the time manageable.  People might have a different opinion about what is important to cut out and what isnt.  it's important that people know how to compromise and learn how to give a little to get a little.  in some cases, especially in some that i have seen, groups dismantle because they can't come to agreements on both sides.  a real life example, was when the referees were on strike.  the referee's were trying to bargain with the owners on how much they were going to make.  in the end, both couldn't comprise on what to give up, so they split.  in the end, both sides were hurt.  the fans were upset at the nfl and the referees were out of a job.  it's real important that both sides know how to give a little but without having to lose a lot.

5 cultural barriers to creativity

1)  language

2)  rules

3)  laws

4)  family

5)  habits

i feel that language is the most common cultural barrier to creativity.  people are sometimes ashamed of their accent that they don't say anything at all.  I know that in filipino culture, they get teased a lot by filipino americans all the time.  they call them FOBS.  They get ridiculed for their language barrier that it may affect them from sharing.

another problem i could see are rules.  rules can play a big issue because in asian culture, we view silence as being respectful.  We tend to not speak out because as students must stay the role as students and we must obey and listen.  it is weird for most middle eastern people to come to america and speak because in some cultures they weren't allowed to voice their opinion.  in ways, it would be illegal to do so.  so , if you have one of those exchange students, a rule barrier might take place in effect.  

Lastly, family might be a problem as well.  sometimes the way we are raised has a lot to do with how we interact.  some people have are taught at home to speak their mind while others are taught to be quiet.  

Example of Creativity

An example of creativity that i have used in the past has to deal with my karate students.  When we train, we usually go through the same process.  We warm up, we stretch, we drill, then we spar.  Now, what we do is not only usual, but also can be very mundane.  So, what i like to do to mix it up is cross train.  I'll take some of the drills that we do and combine it with some track and field work outs to create a totally different work out that not only consists of our regular routine, but a new workout that hasn't been done yet by them.  What ends up happening is we get essentially two workouts for the price of one.  This allows the students to get a variety of a workout and be introduce to other ways of conditioning.  I think this is important in a sport aspect because sport-specific drills are only good for just that, your exact sport.  At least when you add a different dimension to your workouts, you incorporate other muscles that you may not usually workout, thus creating a better workout.  Now, i am not saying your whole routine every time should be a cross train, because it is important to work the basics and fundamentals for your sport, but every now and then you should add that little something-different to bring a different focus to the group.  Sometimes, when it's repetitive, we may get bored.  So, mixing it up is good every once in a while.

Manipulative Verbs

"When we decide to alter, multiply, eliminate, divide, or transpose, we are using manipulative verbs to change the way we view a particular process.  Changing a verb can alter the sense of a statement and can have a dramatic effect on preconceived meanings."

I use manipulative verbs to help create a better relationship with my group.  It's a good way to help motivate a group and encourage them.  A couple of words from the list would be words like; unify, integrate, modify, add, and symbolize.  Words like this can help create a healthy dialogue within the group.  For instance, If we take your idea and UNIFY it with this idea, we can create an even better idea.  Or, i think if we ADD this to your idea, it might be better.  And, we can INTEGRATE this idea into your idea.  All these words are words that are positive in helping create and encourage more ideas.  If we just straight up tell them, no, your idea isn't good enough, you may lose a member in your group.   It is important for people to keep each member of your group engaged and have a positive attitude, we can create better synergy within the group.  it is up to the leader to keep the group in check and make sure to keep people who are negative towards the group in check when being negative towards another group member.

The difference between cmc and f2f

there is a lot that differentiate between cmc and f2f.  CMC allows people to be more open and gives people more confidence and the willing to talk without the added pressure of stage fright or being shy.  instead, it allows people to hide behind a screen and able to think about what they can say so that it becomes a carefully stated sentence.  some people can't think that quick on their feet so they freeze up when in front of their group.  also, cmc allows people to pick and choose times they can meet without having to move from the comfiness of their bedroom.  on the other hand, f2f is great because first it is more traditional. from the beginning of our lives, we as kids have to go to elementary, middle, and high school. so we are used to having that interaction, so we have at least 13 years of experience in that. second, it allows groups to become more in sync with each other and allows for group cohesion, therefore making better judgement because there are more heads to think about it.

anoynominty, group size, proximity

How does anoynominty, group size, and proximity influence participation and communication in cmc groups?  I think group size in cmc is not a big factor like all the other ones.  i say that because there are plenty of things that can reach to the masses.  First, we have chat rooms that allow everyone to be "there" at the same time.  Second, people can now video chat and video conference with the group.  So, with technology we can bridge the gap between distances.  people from all over the world can have a conference through the internet.  Proximity is also not a big issue again because of technology.  as long as people have an internet connection, a webcam, and fast internet service, people can meet and discuss anywhere.  The downfall with any of these uses is that we miss out on face to face interaction.  as we try to bridge the gap between distances, we may never achieve that because nothing replaces having someone there.  We can measure body language and mood when we are in the same room.  But, we may not be able to gage that with cmc.  Therefore, we lose a lot of chemistry and synergy that we could get when being in f2f. 

Social Networking Through Facebook

i believe facebook can be a positive outlet for most people.  "Use of Facebook is known to positively influence an individual's social-psychological well-being, self-esteem, and sense of satisfaction with life."  Facebook can be a great way to communicate to the world.  But, i think the use of facebook has changed.  People use facebook to air out dirty laundry as well.  People will discuss how unhappy one might be with their relationship towards anyone, or how bad they are being treated.  I also believe people on facebook are fake with what they write one their as well.  we all have friends on our facebook who seem have these philosophical perspective of life and act totally different in person.  I have friends who go on and put how they should act and have these ways of life and how to act in life but act totally different in person.  it makes them look fake.  i have no problem when people want to post things that are positive, but people need to stop acting like they have the secret keys of success to life.