Bachelor of Elementary Education

Bachelor of Science in Information Technology

LEARNING MODULE

Module No: 001

Subject Code: GEC113
Subject Description: Purposive Communication
Term: (MIDTERM) 1st Semester, A.Y. 2022-2023

Lesson 6: Blogging

Initializing:

In today’s digital world, blogging has become one of the effective ways of
communicating and networking among students, professionals, businessmen, public
officials, etc. in other words, blogging has become an indispensable medium of
communication. In the same manner, blogging can be used effectively for academic
purposes. According to Richardson (2006), the use of blogs has been an engaging and
effective way to promote writing skills of primary students, particularly when student
peers provide feedback to the blog.

Concept Grounding:

What is Blog?

A shortened form of weblog, blogs are personal journal website on which a user
can type an entry add images, video and links to other websites. Usually, readers of a
blog can post comments.

Similar with essay writing there are effective ways of introducing a blog. Read
Michael Pollock’s blog at https://www.michaeldpollock.com/open-your-blog-post/

Remember to:

1. Be short and direct.

2. Ask a thought-provoking question
3. Ask a multiple-choice question.
4. Share a shocking fact or statistic.
5. Share something personal.
6. Withhold a compelling piece of information
7. Refute conventional wisdom
8. Lead with success story
9. Start with reader’s question
10.Share a quote

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Prepared by: Jesusa T. Alguno, MA.Ed

Jessa Mae M. De Vera, LPT, M.Ed
Assessments:

Lesson 6: Activity 6

Read the blog entitled “Mind Matters Most” by Tara Pinheiro Gibsone and write a
Reaction Paper.

Mind Matters Most

July 23, 2020 By Tara Pinheiro Gibsone
Source: https://www.findhorn.org/blog/mind-matters-most/

Among the many challenges arising from the

coronavirus is the impact of isolation on our
mental well-being. Confinement, diminished
social contact and worries about the world
present internal stressors for many of us as
we are forced to spend more time with
ourselves, exposed to the tumultuous nature
of our complicated minds.

For others, this period may also present itself

as a blessing in disguise. Much of the outside
stimulation that normally captivates us is
taken away. With isolation comes a slowed-down pace of life, a simpler existence freed
from the constant push and pull of our social commitments, desires, plans and
obligations.

Whether our experience of social distancing has positive or negative undertones, or

perhaps a combination of the two, there is an opportunity to get to know our thoughts
and become more aware of what’s happening inside our minds. We can use this time to
our advantage, to begin understanding the various ways we are limited or debilitated by
unhealthy mental habits.

Buddhism and certain schools of psychology have a lot to offer in the quest toward a
healthier state of mind. They demonstrate that by gaining a better understanding of our
thoughts and how they affect our emotions, we can start recognizing unhealthy
patterns that stall us in states of low self-esteem, anger, jealousy, worry, doubt, fear
and anxiety. By understanding the nature of our mind and how it generates negativity
in our lives, we can move toward dwelling in a more peaceful state of loving
acceptance.

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Prepared by: Jesusa T. Alguno, MA.Ed

Jessa Mae M. De Vera, LPT, M.Ed
 We may not realize the extent to which
our thoughts affect our feelings and
influence our sense of wellbeing.
Spending too much of our time in
negative states of mind—spanning
everyday worry, fixation, self-focus,
ambivalence, agitation and restless
desire—we are chased throughout the
day by our busy thoughts. We become
captive to the voice in our head that
constantly judges, speculates, complains,
compares, dislikes and condemns. Most
of our thinking is repetitive and often
useless. Whether reliving the past or rehearsing possible futures, we are caught up in
the ceaseless meanderings of our unruly minds. Our addiction to ‘thinking’ gives us a
false sense of pleasure.

The medical field has only touched the surface in documenting the benefits of
meditation that traditions of the East have promoted for centuries. For instance, in the
book Altered Traits, Goleman and Davidson explore cutting-edge research on
meditation, examining how it has the capacity to transform our mind, body and brain,
leading to lasting positive change at the higher levels of practice. They discover that our
brain stays just as busy when we’re relaxed as when we’re under some form of mental
strain. In other words, our minds’ ‘default mode’ switches on, even when we’re not
doing anything particular that requires effort or focus. This default mode continually
rescripts a storyline in which we each take centre stage, replaying particularly upsetting
or favourite parts over and over. When researchers at Harvard University asked
thousands of people to report on their mood and mental focus at several random points
throughout the day, they concluded that “a wandering mind is an unhappy mind”.

It is through these ruminations that we construct our sense of self from the mosaic of
our experiences, memories, plans, hopes and dreams. We become the centre of the
universe as we know it, fully believing and accepting our subjective, self-created
narrative.

By applying the right kind of awareness or

mindfulness, we can deconstruct the story that we
are continuously creating. It starts with a
conscious shift in our perception—the way we
view ourselves and the world around us.
Teachings from Buddhism can aid in unpacking
the flaws in our thinking that lead to a skewed
understanding of our reality.

Begin by simply becoming more aware of your

thoughts. Observe how the continuous chatter
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Prepared by: Jesusa T. Alguno, MA.Ed

Jessa Mae M. De Vera, LPT, M.Ed
impacts your emotions – a constant stream, a bewilderingly rapid parade, unpredictably
changing and tirelessly repeating the same stories. By stepping back and observing the
volatility of your thoughts, you don’t need to take them all that seriously. The intention
is to reduce the power given to thoughts, delegitimizing their control and pervasive
presence by witnessing them as an objective observer.

Meditation plays a fundamental role in this process. It isn’t the only way, but it is a
valuable tool to begin understanding, investigating and transforming mental formations.

A general mindfulness practice begins with noticing our thoughts impartially, without
judging or condemning whatever arises. In practice, it typically requires focusing on an
object of meditation. This may vary from maintaining attention on the breath, observing
the sensations in the body or mentally repeating a mantra. Thoughts themselves can
even be objects of concentration (bearing witness to the stream without getting swept
away by the current). Whichever object you choose, the intention is the same: to
repeatedly bring your mind back to the present. It doesn’t matter so much what you
focus your attention on, rather that you recognize when a loss of focus occurs. There is
a difference between thinking and awareness of thinking!

A common misconception is that the mind must be completely quiet, that if you don’t
switch off the thoughts you are not meditating. This isn’t the case. You can’t force your
mind to be still. With sustained attention the chatter will become quieter, receding into
the background. Many factors influence our mental state and some days this will be
more difficult than others. The task is in learning how to observe without judgment or
emotional reaction, no matter how still or busy your mind may be.

Start by sitting comfortably, closing your eyes and observing how it feels to simply be.
It’s important to remember to be kind, compassionate and gentle. If the mind wanders,
smilingly bring it back, understanding that it is the nature of the mind to wander.
Acceptance is key – acceptance of whatever may arise. Just observe and remain aware.
Simply witness reality as it is, not as you would like it to be. If the mind is busy, the
mind is busy. If the mind is still, the mind is still.

By dedicating the time to explore your mind, you will begin to see that much of life’s
suffering is unnecessary, self-created and avoidable. Understanding how your thoughts
create reality is one of the most valuable insights you can attain. Through the
wholesome acceptance of the mind, it is possible to transform reality and cultivate a
more positive way of existing in this world.

Critiquing
Write a Reaction Paper about the blog using the following Guide Questions:
 What do you think of the visual features of the blog, specifically the images?
 What is the topic of the blog?
 What message is the blog communicating to the readers?

Reaction Paper must have an introduction, body, and conclusion.

(Minimum of Five Paragraphs)

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Prepared by: Jesusa T. Alguno, MA.Ed

Jessa Mae M. De Vera, LPT, M.Ed
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IX: References:

Purposive Communication Using English English in Multilingual Concepts

Published in 2018 by C&E Publishing,Inc.
Marilu Ranosa Madrunio and Isabel Pefianco Martin
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Prepared by: Jesusa T. Alguno, MA.Ed

Jessa Mae M. De Vera, LPT, M.Ed
A Course Module for PurposiveCommunication Published by Rex Bookstore
By: Jonna Marie A Lim, Ph. Irene Blanco-Homada Ph.D Elen Joy Alata MaEd

English for Purposive Communication (A Modular Approach By: Jaime Gutierrez,

Ang,Dem)

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Prepared by: Jesusa T. Alguno, MA.Ed

Jessa Mae M. De Vera, LPT, M.Ed