Post Three

I really feel that I was able to learn a lot throughout this semester. When I first began this class, I was very unsure of what to expect. I was pleased to find that I was able to learn concepts that could be applied directly to my own life. Learning to manage conflict is not like learning dates in a history class. Rather, once you understand that conflict is a working process, it is something that is not easily forgotten. In learning that conflict is a process, I found myself applying different strategies from our book to my conflicts with other people. Often, I wished that the people I was experiencing conflict with had taken this same class. In addition to learning how to handle conflicts more appropriately and more effectively, I also learned some basic skills, such as, how to use PowerPoint and how to blog. This was a new experience for me. I am happy that I was able to follow at pace with this class, even though many of these concepts were new to me.

Post Two

2). Summarize what you liked most and what you liked least about this class.  In other words, what were the strengths and weaknesses of this class?  Would you recommend this class to other students?  Why or why not?

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I have taken many online classes in the past. I have learned over the past few years that there is a bit of a learning curve in every online class because every teacher seems to have a slightly different style of teaching over the internet. To be honest, I was a little bit afraid when I found out that we would be “blogging” in this class. The words “Twitter” and “Facebook” are relatively foreign to me and I was not looking forward to this aspect of the class. However, after I got the hang of blogging, I found that it was not very difficult to write in a blog, and was maybe even easier than using the school’s online learning website. I really loved how every week the professor updated her blog to let the class know exactly what to expect. While all of this information was in the syllabus, it was actually very helpful to have the reminder and know for sure, that I wasn’t overlooking some assignment or due date. What I liked least about the class was probably the fact that most of our postings had to be at least twelve hours apart. While I understand the reasoning for this method of instruction, it was also difficult for me at times when I was unable to post. I take online classes because I have a very erratic and sometimes unpredictable schedule and I am out of town frequently. For this reason, I found myself at coffee shops late at night a few times to use their internet for a few minutes, just to satisfy the twelve hour waiting requirement. Overall I would definitely recommend this class to others, because the class is very organized, expectations and requirements are extremely clear, and the professor is helpful, timely, fair, and friendly. For as many online classes as I have taken, I should know, that this is a rare occurrence in an online class.

 

Chapter 16: Post One

1). After reading Chapter 16 in its entirety, answer the following question: Why do you think people have such negative views of conflict?  Do you think that as people know more about conflict, they fear it less?   Why or why not?

I think that our book explores very clearly, the reasons why people have negative views of conflict. I believe that people have negative views of conflict because they have many negative experiences with others when they do not handle conflict properly; we are then conditioned to believe that conflict is always a painful and negative experience. I think that most people don’t view conflict as a process and that there is no way that conflict could have positive benefits to their relationships. I think that as people learn more about conflict, not only do they understand conflict in a different way, but they also fear it less. Viewing conflict as a process can makes conflict appear more approachable and manageable because people have an idea of what steps they can take to resolve their conflicts, and also what strategies they can use to communicate more effectively in their relationships with others. Understanding conflict and knowing how to approach it correctly can improve our relationships, and change our perceptions of conflict for the better.