I have difficulty approaching the lecturer to get him/her to improve the lectures/seminars (D8, G9).
Listening and observing in a systematic way can be used in as input for a variety of feedback aims. It can be an input for the evaluation of presentation skills. It can be used to receive feedback either individually or from a group. Listening can in a particular way also function as input for your own argumentation and writing skills.
Listening to give constructive feedback
Constructive communication is ‘owned’, not ‘disowned’ (Whetten et al, 248). It requires that individuals that engage in giving feedback do this as involved person with an own opinion (“I think”), rather than as an uninvolved ‘judge’ with a statement (“we think”, “it is”). Owned communication is assertive communication (B2). It focuses on the problem (an effective presentation for instance), not on the person. The art of giving constructive feedback to others requires that one is capable of listening and observing in a systematic and constructive way. Systematically listening to a lecture also provides input for your own speech-giving skills. Constructive feedback always consists first of a number of more or less neutral observations, followed by a personal assessment of the effectiveness of the message. For your observations, you can use very detailed analysis schemes for this, but basically you (1) try to figure out whether you could distinguish a clear opening, argument and conclusions, and (2) whether that was supported by verbal and non-verbal behaviour as well as the effective use of tools. For your personal assessment you ask yourself: is it clear what the presenter wanted to get across, did it raise my interest and was I inspired by the presentation.
