Effects of Dehumanizing Communication Reified in Higher Institutions of Learning: Issues and Suggestions

Modebelu Melody Ndidi^1,

¹Department of Educational Foundations, College of Agricultural and Science Education, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria

Cite this paper:
Modebelu Melody Ndidi. Effects of Dehumanizing Communication Reified in Higher Institutions of Learning: Issues and Suggestions. American Journal of Educational Research. 2015; 3(5):570-575. doi: 10.12691/education-3-5-6

Abstract

This paper examines the effects of dehumanizing communication reified in higher institutions of learning, among undergraduates and lecturers. Dehumanization is the act of degrading people with respect to their best qualities and denial of humanness to others. On the other hand communication is human interaction and learning. Communication becomes rude when it is deliberately directed resulting in dehumanizing communication. The paper therefore examines dehumanizing communication in terms of its being intentional and unintentional and dehumanizing communication between lecturers and students and among students. It also took a swipe on the effects of dehumanizing communication on students and lecturers as well as proffer solutions to mitigating effect of dehumanizing communication between lecturer and students and among students. The suggested solutions among others include, inter-group dialogue programme among contending groups in the student community, establishment of multicultural centers on campus in order to bring contending groups together i.e. lecturers and students of all races and ethnicity. A compulsory course on “pedagogy of positiveness” is also recommended in the university curriculum to instill in the students the value of respecting people who may be different.

Keywords:
dehumanization intentional and unintentional communication reified lecturers undergraduates teaching and learning classroom

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