​​Personal Learning and Communication Introduction In this Topic, you will learn about the community aspects of GCU. Being a GCU student makes you a part of the GCU community. Since you are a part of the community, you will need to know how to properly communicate with others; that is what this Topic is all about. In addition, you will learn how your personal learning and intelligence style impacts your communication with others and your capacity to learn. The objectives for this Topic, listed on the syllabus, state that after completing this Topic, you will be able to:           Identify and use effective and formal communication.           Identify types of learning and intelligence styles.           Identify resources available in the online learning environment. To help you accomplish these objectives, this lecture has been provided as a guide, along with specific assignments and main forum activities. Learning Styles A learning style indicates how one learns, taking into account how people perceive, or notice events and process or deal with experiences and information. Perceiving information generally falls into two categories: concrete experience, where a person absorbs information through the senses, and abstract conceptualization, where a person can separate him or herself from the topic and think about it. Regarding the preference for processing information, this too falls into two categories: In active experimentation, a person jumps right in and takes risks to make sense of the subject, whereas a person who favors reflective observation will stand back, observe, and think on the subject before offering ideas (Ellis, 2011). There are essentially three types of learning styles related to these preferences for perceiving and processing information: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Visual learners use images, color, maps, graphs, and diagrams when attempting to gather and preserve information. Visual learners visualize objects, plans, and outcomes in their mind's eye and have good spatial sense. They need a tidy visual space. In classroom or online settings, visual learners respond best when instructors use graphic PowerPoint slides, computer animation, video, software demonstrations, etc. Auditory learners use listening as the primary means to gather and preserve information. Examples include speech, spoken words, conversation, etc. Auditory learners often learn best by reading written text aloud. In a classroom setting, auditory learners respond best when instructors use audio recordings, guest speakers that engage the classroom in conversation, group activities that require significant interaction between students. In an online setting, auditory learners respond best in discussion groups where significant online conversations occur or through imbedded video. Kinesthetic learners (sometimes called tactile learners) prefer to learn through movement, that is, touching, feeling, or manipulating items. This does not mean that kinesthetic learners cannot benefit from lectures, discussions, or reading assignments. Rather, learners who recognize that they need to incorporate doing into their learning process can develop strategies that enable them to create their own kinesthetic experiences. Communication Expectations In the GCU courses you will take, there are many different ways you will need to communicate with others. Some of these include collaborating with others on group projects, answering main forum questions and replying to other students' posts, sending e-mails to your instructor, calling the library and other support staff, etc. Examples of these different forms of communication are provided in the Communications Expectations Resource document found in the topic materials for this Topic. Effective Communication by e-Mail and Phone There will be times that arise while you are a GCU student that you will need to communicate with your instructor, the library staff, or other support personnel. Most often this communication will be done through e-mail or over the phone. Communicating effectively through these two mediums is essential. When communicating via e-mail, make sure you thoroughly examine what you are saying. You need to be as clear as possible about the problem or concern you are experiencing so that others can help you solve it. Do not assume the person you are sending the e-mail to knows all about your situation. Explain the situation in detail so it can be understood fully. Before you send the e-mail, read through it to make sure it communicates exactly what you need it to communicate. When writing, be sure to use proper grammar and spelling. Check the spelling and look for typos when reading through it before you send it. Do not use abbreviations that you might use for text messages. The way you write is a reflection of yourself. If you do not take your writing seriously, then others will not take you seriously. Many of the above principles apply when you are communicating on the phone. Before you make the call, know what you are going to say, so you will come across as someone who knows exactly what is needed. Speak clearly so you are understood. Be courteous; do not come across as rude or demanding. You will have an assignment about effective communication in this Topic. Make sure to keep all these things in mind as you complete that assignment. Collaborative Learning Communities (CLC) You will not participate in a group project in UNV-103, but you will have group projects in many of your other classes at GCU. Group projects are called Collaborative Learning Communities (CLC). When working in groups, it will be important to communicate with each other constantly so everyone is clear on where they are at with the project and what is required of everyone. In your career and in other aspects of your life, you need to be able to work with groups to accomplish tasks. The collaboration you do with other students in your GCU courses is a perfect training ground to develop the skills necessary to work well in a community. Do not slack off and make others pull your weight while working in groups. Dive in and tackle the assignments; doing so will make you grow as a person and prepare you for life.  Conclusion At this point, you can see that being a GCU student involves being a part of a community. Even though you are an online student, it does not mean you are on an island by yourself. There are instructors, counselors, librarians, other students, and many others that are all a part of the GCU community with you. We hope you take full advantage of this time in your life to develop your community building, communication skills, and leveraging your learning style. There is no better time than college to do this! References:Question :This topic discusses the importance of communicating. One of the goals of GCU is to help you effectively communicate throughout your life. Read the Topic 4 Lecture and review the "UNV-103: Communication Expectations" located in your course materials under the resources tab. All of these resources discuss how to communicate effectively with others. Why is it important to communicate effectively with others? In what ways will effective communication skills help you in your personal, professional, and educational endeavors? Give examples. Why do you think GCU emphasizes quality discussion posts and proper etiquette in the Discussion Forums? ​​PLS NOTE: this assignment is only 5 poi Ellis, D. (2011). Becoming a master student (13th ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.