Conversation Between Zuhre And Ayse
(Zuhre and her younger sister Ayse are sitting in the living room having a cup of tea whilst discussing school and University work)
Ayse: Thank God! It’s nearly Christmas I was sick of all these mock GCSE exams!
Zuhre: I don’t even get a break! I have this essay to do but don’t know where to start....
Ayse: You just done one essay didn’t you?
Zuhre: This is another one about how to design better conversational spaces... (Sighs) and I still don’t know how to define a conversational space or a conversation properly! Ayse: A conversation is just two people talking, stupid! (Laughs) Why are you even studying this topic it sounds stupid to me!
Zuhre: If only it was that simple! To have a conversation you don’t even have to speak! Conversation …show more content…
is very important in today’s life. A conversation can be seen as a type of exchange, not necessarily needing words. Thanks to Pablo we picture conversation ‘As being the centre of sociality, allowing people to talk and engage with each other, creating a community’.1 It is the key for nearly everything. In work, education, at home or even at shopping communication is essential. We are constantly receiving information through communication…
Ayse: How?
Zuhre: Look at what this article says... (She picks up an article from the coffee table and begins to read) ‘Receiving information is essential to our survival, both as individuals and also groups, whether that information is about an immediate threat,furture threats, or information on how to make life easier..’2
Ayse: The importance of conversation is really significant. What different types of communications are there?
Zuhre: Chat, conversation, dialogue and Socratic dialogue.
Ayse: What’s the difference between them? They all sound the same to me.
Zuhre: There not the same!
Wait this article might help me define conversation... (She flicks through the pages and finds the section relating to conversation and begins to read) here it says ‘ It’s an exchange of information with a seasoning of emotion and maybe opinion, and the emotion and opinion are what make it interesting’3, Thanks to Pablo we see ‘Conversation has an aim a bit like a predetermined conclusion’.4 A dialogue is different, more free and open and almost a form of learning, where ideas can be exchanged. (She places the article on the table and picks up another) David Bohm describes a dialogue ‘As a way of observing, collectively, how hidden values and intentions can control human behaviour’.5 Almost like sharing opinions and ideas on a certain matter.
Ayse: So like a debate?
Zuhre: Well I wouldn’t say a debate but just like Deborah Tennan explains people today approach everything as a debate which leads to fights and arguments and this is not what conversation should be used for. Pablo’s defines chat as ‘As informal exchange which is unpredictable, interesting but can lead no where’.6
Ayse: Socratic …show more content…
Dialogue?
Zuhre: A Socratic Dialogue….It’s used to ask a set of questions to participants developing their knowledge and understanding on a certain area. There is not necessarily a facilitator but everyone takes turns to ask and answer questions to further their knowledge and understanding… I can’t really explain it… but it’s based more around philosophical discussions
Ayse: Socratic Dialogue seems a little complex to me… One question does everyone participating in a conversation have to speak?
Zuhre: No not everyone participating has to speak. With the help from Ann Baker we see ‘A conversation can take many forms including; face to face, telephone, written texts, or in cyberspace. Also conversations are a process of interpreting and understanding human experience’.7
Ayse: So is texting a type of conversation?
Zuhre: Yes! (Smiles) I’m glad you understand! A conversation is much more effective than you could ever imagine! A conversation is tied in with trust and an exchange of sharing experiences. Some discussions we had in class covered issues such as people not willing to talk to strangers on a train journey or on the street, and this was because people don’t break the barrier of trust and stubbornness.... but if there was someone on a train carriage who said simple things such as ‘good morning’ or ‘how are you’? This may open up space for people to stop being so stuck up and actually converse, creating a better conversational space. This also links to the Tragedy of the Commons...
Ayse: Why do we need to talk to others on the train?
Zuhre: Ahh Ayse your driving me mad that was just an example... This is the whole point of designing conversational spaces, so people are more willing to converse in different situations or environments. I read this book called ‘Conversational learning’ and it talked about the benefits of conversation and how it can expand on new development within a person and widen their knowledge and learning. 8
Ayse: What’s the tragedy thing you mentioned earlier?
Zuhre: I am not sure how I can define The Tragedy of Commons but its where people act selfish and blame others… I’m trying to think of an example I can give you... errrm got it! For example if I was stuck in traffic and started complaining saying people should use public transport or walk, this makes me just as bad as all the other drivers
Ayse: So what has that got to do with conversation?
Zuhre: A lot! If people think ‘oh why I should talk to someone I don’t know’, then eventually people will never converse with strangers but if people try breaking these barriers more people will follow. Almost like falling dominoes…
Ayse: Ohhh I get it now but what I don’t get is how you can have a conversation without speaking?
Zuhre: In one of my lessons for this module we created a conversational space within the classroom with no facilitator and everyone began to talk about various things including; sweets, food, and public transport. Everyone voiced a thought or opinion in the discussion accept for me and Jyoti, but this did not mean we were not participating because my eye contact and nodding acknowledgement meant I was still taking part....
Ayse: So even listening without responding is still a conversation?
Zuhre: Yes exactly! A conversation can take many forms and can be seen as a performance. Anthony Howells created a conversational space called, ‘the pleasure of being: washing feeding and holding’. This conversational space simply consisted of people buying tickets to a theatre show but attending a hotel room, where you would be washed, feed and
hugged.
Ayse: Err Allow that! What’s that about I would never do that!
Zuhre: I had the same reaction as you when I first heard of it, but this was a successful conversational space that had no verbal communication…
(Ayse is looking a little confused)
Zuhre: Why you looking at me like that? There have been many others…. Some of the ones that really interested me and helped me develop my own idea were.... ‘Call cutta in a box’ which consisted of people buying theatre tickets again like a performance but instead of attending a theatre they were given a key to a room
Ayse: This is getting worse instead of better!!
Zuhre: (Shouting) Just listen!!!You would sit and wait for a phone to ring where you would be instructed with different tasks to complete. Going with this idea I wanted to create a conversational space using a phone...Another idea was ‘The hair cut before the party’ which consisted of a group of young guys giving people free hair cuts if they were willing to talk about the politics. This idea involved a two way exchange and I wanted my project to do the same that’s why we give free drinks in exchange for a conversation.
Ayse: Oh yeah I remember you mentioning this... So then you created your conversational space based in Costa right?
Zuhre: Yes that’s the one! To help develop our idea further I took into consideration some of Pablo Helguera points... Where he believes a conversation is not successful if there is a constant facilitator but would also break down if there is not someone there to direct the conversation. This is why I tried to balance it out in ours... He mentions ‘A greater level of direction and restriction of format in a speech act necessarily reduces the possibilities of interaction with an audience...’9 and I did not want to reduce any of this...
Ayse: So within yours do you have a facilitator and do you think having one makes a better conversational space...
Zuhre: I do not necessarily think it’s the facilitator’s presence or absence that makes the conversational space better... I think it’s the overall design and ethical considerations but I do have a facilitator figure at the start of the conversation. Ohhh yeahhh I forgot something really important social objects...
Ayse: Social object? What’s that?
Zuhre: The starter of the conversation the key element where the conversation kicks off…
Ayse: I don’t get it. What is the social object in our conversation then?
Zuhre: Tea
Ayse: How?
Zuhre: Hugh McLeod defines a social object as the ‘Reason two people are talking to each other, as opposed to talking to somebody else.10 Do you get it now?
Ayse: No!
Zuhre: Ahh! Well let me try again thanks to Nina Simon we see a social object as having the ‘Ability to spark a conversation.’11 ‘Social objects allow people to focus their attention on a third thing rather than on each other, making interpersonal engagement more comfortable’12
Ayse: Ohhh I get it now!!! (Excited) So even if there was too people who did not know each other very well the social object will be their area of interest which could spark the conversation? So like if we were strangers we could easily start a conversation about how much we like or dislike tea…
Zuhre: (Laughs at Ayse’s excitement of learning something new) Yes Ayse Exactly that! And all of these factors help develop a better conversational space. All of this is very complex to even understand let alone write 2500 word essay! Conversation in the 21st century is re-shaping and is more technology based so it’s hard to give it one precise definition.
Ayse: So are you trying to say conversational spaces are now created over the internet, like face book?
Zuhre: Well yes but face book already exist... The aim of this module is to enable us to think of more ways to create better conversational spaces this can be internet based or not. On the internet a conversational space can be as simple as opening a chat page where people can share jokes... Even Wikipedia is a conversational space
Ayse: How?
Zuhre: People can add or edit other people’s writings and people may respond, shaping a conversation. Thanks to David Bohm ‘We see that during the past few decades, modern technology, with radio, television, air travel and satellites, has woven a network of communications which puts each part of the world into almost instant contact with all other parts.’13 But now the easier it is to contact someone through technology the harder it has become to sit and have a face to face conversation.
Ayse: How did you come up with your conversational idea?
Zuhre: Well me and Jyoti done ours together and before we could start to think about how to design our idea of a better conversational space we had to be familiar with what a conversational space was. After researching we decided we wanted to base it in place where conversation already existed… And Costa was perfect for this…
Ayse: But then that’s not your own idea?
Zuhre: It is our own idea Ayse because people in Costa do not have and antique phone that you have an anonymous conversation on do they? Or a menu formatted instructions sheet? Or 5 images they have to start a conversation with?
Ayse: No they don’t…
Zuhre: Exactly so here is where the design idea takes place, we are not only designing the conversations but also the setting…
Ayse: These conversations where kept anonymous between two strangers weren’t they?
Zuhre: Yes they were…
Ayse: What will they even talk about?
Zuhre: Going back to social objects and Nina’s explanation ‘People can connect with strangers when they have a shared interest in specific objects…. And we connect with people through our interests and shared experiences of the objects around us’’14 Social object is what will begin to shape the conversation at the start then the five images we have will follow on… playing the role of a facilitator till the conversation takes its own form. Nina Simon describes these conversational starters as being ‘transactional, facilitating exchanges among those who encounter them’15
Ayse: Wow a social object really does most of them job then. So what’s the social object in your project?
Zuhre: A free drink!
Ayse: How did you ensure your project contained a better conversation?
Zuhre: I believe that trust and commitment are key within conversations so we set our project in Costa a worldwide known brand that people trusted. We then made sure there were hundred percent commitments from both sides; this is why we set a time limit of minimum thirty minutes. Ayse: But why is it kept anonymous?
Zuhre: These conversations can lead anywhere and someone who is feeling lonely or needing advice might feel the need to open up and share personal experiences and this may be easier when talking to a stranger. Our projects aim was to test the outcome of this. Just like a confession box everything is kept Anonymous…
Ayse: So is a confession box a conversational space?
Zuhre: Yes it is.
Ayse: Talking to you has helped me realise that conversation and communication is a huge part of human activity, And especially in today’s society where technology has taken the lead...
Zuhre: It sure has…
Ayse: Well Zuhre I think you should start your essay you have all the ideas you just need to get it down on paper!
Zuhre: I sure do! Wish I just recorded this conversation dam! Anyways I am off to do my essay. Tell mum I won’t be coming back down till it’s done....
(Zuhre goes upstairs whilst Ayse starts flicking through the television)
Bibliography:
Baker, Ann C, (2002), Conversational Learning: An Experiential Approach to Knowledge Creation, United States of America.
Bohm, D. et al (1994), ‘Dialogue – A Proposal’, http://www.david-bohm.net/dialogue/dialogue_proposal.html.
Bohm David, (1996) On Dialogue, New York, Rutledge
Helguera, Pablo, (2011), ‘Conversation’ in Education for Socially Engaged Art, New York, Jorge Pinto Books.
McLeod, Hugh (2007), http://gapingvoid.com/2007/12/31/social-objects-for-beginners/
Simon Nina (2010), The Participatory Museum, Santa Cruz, California,
(2013), Conversation tips, Just why is conversation so important anyway? http://www.conversationtips.org/conversation-tips/conversation-tips-just-why-is-conversation-so-important-anyway
Ayse: Thank God! It’s nearly Christmas I was sick of all these mock GCSE exams!
Zuhre: I don’t even get a break! I have this essay to do but don’t know where to start....
Ayse: You just done one essay didn’t you?
Zuhre: This is another one about how to design better conversational spaces... (Sighs) and I still don’t know how to define a conversational space or a conversation properly! Ayse: A conversation is just two people talking, stupid! (Laughs) Why are you even studying this topic it sounds stupid to me!
Zuhre: If only it was that simple! To have a conversation you don’t even have to speak! Conversation …show more content…
is very important in today’s life. A conversation can be seen as a type of exchange, not necessarily needing words. Thanks to Pablo we picture conversation ‘As being the centre of sociality, allowing people to talk and engage with each other, creating a community’.1 It is the key for nearly everything. In work, education, at home or even at shopping communication is essential. We are constantly receiving information through communication…
Ayse: How?
Zuhre: Look at what this article says... (She picks up an article from the coffee table and begins to read) ‘Receiving information is essential to our survival, both as individuals and also groups, whether that information is about an immediate threat,furture threats, or information on how to make life easier..’2
Ayse: The importance of conversation is really significant. What different types of communications are there?
Zuhre: Chat, conversation, dialogue and Socratic dialogue.
Ayse: What’s the difference between them? They all sound the same to me.
Zuhre: There not the same!
Wait this article might help me define conversation... (She flicks through the pages and finds the section relating to conversation and begins to read) here it says ‘ It’s an exchange of information with a seasoning of emotion and maybe opinion, and the emotion and opinion are what make it interesting’3, Thanks to Pablo we see ‘Conversation has an aim a bit like a predetermined conclusion’.4 A dialogue is different, more free and open and almost a form of learning, where ideas can be exchanged. (She places the article on the table and picks up another) David Bohm describes a dialogue ‘As a way of observing, collectively, how hidden values and intentions can control human behaviour’.5 Almost like sharing opinions and ideas on a certain matter.
Ayse: So like a debate?
Zuhre: Well I wouldn’t say a debate but just like Deborah Tennan explains people today approach everything as a debate which leads to fights and arguments and this is not what conversation should be used for. Pablo’s defines chat as ‘As informal exchange which is unpredictable, interesting but can lead no where’.6
Ayse: Socratic …show more content…
Dialogue?
Zuhre: A Socratic Dialogue….It’s used to ask a set of questions to participants developing their knowledge and understanding on a certain area. There is not necessarily a facilitator but everyone takes turns to ask and answer questions to further their knowledge and understanding… I can’t really explain it… but it’s based more around philosophical discussions
Ayse: Socratic Dialogue seems a little complex to me… One question does everyone participating in a conversation have to speak?
Zuhre: No not everyone participating has to speak. With the help from Ann Baker we see ‘A conversation can take many forms including; face to face, telephone, written texts, or in cyberspace. Also conversations are a process of interpreting and understanding human experience’.7
Ayse: So is texting a type of conversation?
Zuhre: Yes! (Smiles) I’m glad you understand! A conversation is much more effective than you could ever imagine! A conversation is tied in with trust and an exchange of sharing experiences. Some discussions we had in class covered issues such as people not willing to talk to strangers on a train journey or on the street, and this was because people don’t break the barrier of trust and stubbornness.... but if there was someone on a train carriage who said simple things such as ‘good morning’ or ‘how are you’? This may open up space for people to stop being so stuck up and actually converse, creating a better conversational space. This also links to the Tragedy of the Commons...
Ayse: Why do we need to talk to others on the train?
Zuhre: Ahh Ayse your driving me mad that was just an example... This is the whole point of designing conversational spaces, so people are more willing to converse in different situations or environments. I read this book called ‘Conversational learning’ and it talked about the benefits of conversation and how it can expand on new development within a person and widen their knowledge and learning. 8
Ayse: What’s the tragedy thing you mentioned earlier?
Zuhre: I am not sure how I can define The Tragedy of Commons but its where people act selfish and blame others… I’m trying to think of an example I can give you... errrm got it! For example if I was stuck in traffic and started complaining saying people should use public transport or walk, this makes me just as bad as all the other drivers
Ayse: So what has that got to do with conversation?
Zuhre: A lot! If people think ‘oh why I should talk to someone I don’t know’, then eventually people will never converse with strangers but if people try breaking these barriers more people will follow. Almost like falling dominoes…
Ayse: Ohhh I get it now but what I don’t get is how you can have a conversation without speaking?
Zuhre: In one of my lessons for this module we created a conversational space within the classroom with no facilitator and everyone began to talk about various things including; sweets, food, and public transport. Everyone voiced a thought or opinion in the discussion accept for me and Jyoti, but this did not mean we were not participating because my eye contact and nodding acknowledgement meant I was still taking part....
Ayse: So even listening without responding is still a conversation?
Zuhre: Yes exactly! A conversation can take many forms and can be seen as a performance. Anthony Howells created a conversational space called, ‘the pleasure of being: washing feeding and holding’. This conversational space simply consisted of people buying tickets to a theatre show but attending a hotel room, where you would be washed, feed and
hugged.
Ayse: Err Allow that! What’s that about I would never do that!
Zuhre: I had the same reaction as you when I first heard of it, but this was a successful conversational space that had no verbal communication…
(Ayse is looking a little confused)
Zuhre: Why you looking at me like that? There have been many others…. Some of the ones that really interested me and helped me develop my own idea were.... ‘Call cutta in a box’ which consisted of people buying theatre tickets again like a performance but instead of attending a theatre they were given a key to a room
Ayse: This is getting worse instead of better!!
Zuhre: (Shouting) Just listen!!!You would sit and wait for a phone to ring where you would be instructed with different tasks to complete. Going with this idea I wanted to create a conversational space using a phone...Another idea was ‘The hair cut before the party’ which consisted of a group of young guys giving people free hair cuts if they were willing to talk about the politics. This idea involved a two way exchange and I wanted my project to do the same that’s why we give free drinks in exchange for a conversation.
Ayse: Oh yeah I remember you mentioning this... So then you created your conversational space based in Costa right?
Zuhre: Yes that’s the one! To help develop our idea further I took into consideration some of Pablo Helguera points... Where he believes a conversation is not successful if there is a constant facilitator but would also break down if there is not someone there to direct the conversation. This is why I tried to balance it out in ours... He mentions ‘A greater level of direction and restriction of format in a speech act necessarily reduces the possibilities of interaction with an audience...’9 and I did not want to reduce any of this...
Ayse: So within yours do you have a facilitator and do you think having one makes a better conversational space...
Zuhre: I do not necessarily think it’s the facilitator’s presence or absence that makes the conversational space better... I think it’s the overall design and ethical considerations but I do have a facilitator figure at the start of the conversation. Ohhh yeahhh I forgot something really important social objects...
Ayse: Social object? What’s that?
Zuhre: The starter of the conversation the key element where the conversation kicks off…
Ayse: I don’t get it. What is the social object in our conversation then?
Zuhre: Tea
Ayse: How?
Zuhre: Hugh McLeod defines a social object as the ‘Reason two people are talking to each other, as opposed to talking to somebody else.10 Do you get it now?
Ayse: No!
Zuhre: Ahh! Well let me try again thanks to Nina Simon we see a social object as having the ‘Ability to spark a conversation.’11 ‘Social objects allow people to focus their attention on a third thing rather than on each other, making interpersonal engagement more comfortable’12
Ayse: Ohhh I get it now!!! (Excited) So even if there was too people who did not know each other very well the social object will be their area of interest which could spark the conversation? So like if we were strangers we could easily start a conversation about how much we like or dislike tea…
Zuhre: (Laughs at Ayse’s excitement of learning something new) Yes Ayse Exactly that! And all of these factors help develop a better conversational space. All of this is very complex to even understand let alone write 2500 word essay! Conversation in the 21st century is re-shaping and is more technology based so it’s hard to give it one precise definition.
Ayse: So are you trying to say conversational spaces are now created over the internet, like face book?
Zuhre: Well yes but face book already exist... The aim of this module is to enable us to think of more ways to create better conversational spaces this can be internet based or not. On the internet a conversational space can be as simple as opening a chat page where people can share jokes... Even Wikipedia is a conversational space
Ayse: How?
Zuhre: People can add or edit other people’s writings and people may respond, shaping a conversation. Thanks to David Bohm ‘We see that during the past few decades, modern technology, with radio, television, air travel and satellites, has woven a network of communications which puts each part of the world into almost instant contact with all other parts.’13 But now the easier it is to contact someone through technology the harder it has become to sit and have a face to face conversation.
Ayse: How did you come up with your conversational idea?
Zuhre: Well me and Jyoti done ours together and before we could start to think about how to design our idea of a better conversational space we had to be familiar with what a conversational space was. After researching we decided we wanted to base it in place where conversation already existed… And Costa was perfect for this…
Ayse: But then that’s not your own idea?
Zuhre: It is our own idea Ayse because people in Costa do not have and antique phone that you have an anonymous conversation on do they? Or a menu formatted instructions sheet? Or 5 images they have to start a conversation with?
Ayse: No they don’t…
Zuhre: Exactly so here is where the design idea takes place, we are not only designing the conversations but also the setting…
Ayse: These conversations where kept anonymous between two strangers weren’t they?
Zuhre: Yes they were…
Ayse: What will they even talk about?
Zuhre: Going back to social objects and Nina’s explanation ‘People can connect with strangers when they have a shared interest in specific objects…. And we connect with people through our interests and shared experiences of the objects around us’’14 Social object is what will begin to shape the conversation at the start then the five images we have will follow on… playing the role of a facilitator till the conversation takes its own form. Nina Simon describes these conversational starters as being ‘transactional, facilitating exchanges among those who encounter them’15
Ayse: Wow a social object really does most of them job then. So what’s the social object in your project?
Zuhre: A free drink!
Ayse: How did you ensure your project contained a better conversation?
Zuhre: I believe that trust and commitment are key within conversations so we set our project in Costa a worldwide known brand that people trusted. We then made sure there were hundred percent commitments from both sides; this is why we set a time limit of minimum thirty minutes. Ayse: But why is it kept anonymous?
Zuhre: These conversations can lead anywhere and someone who is feeling lonely or needing advice might feel the need to open up and share personal experiences and this may be easier when talking to a stranger. Our projects aim was to test the outcome of this. Just like a confession box everything is kept Anonymous…
Ayse: So is a confession box a conversational space?
Zuhre: Yes it is.
Ayse: Talking to you has helped me realise that conversation and communication is a huge part of human activity, And especially in today’s society where technology has taken the lead...
Zuhre: It sure has…
Ayse: Well Zuhre I think you should start your essay you have all the ideas you just need to get it down on paper!
Zuhre: I sure do! Wish I just recorded this conversation dam! Anyways I am off to do my essay. Tell mum I won’t be coming back down till it’s done....
(Zuhre goes upstairs whilst Ayse starts flicking through the television)
Bibliography:
Baker, Ann C, (2002), Conversational Learning: An Experiential Approach to Knowledge Creation, United States of America.
Bohm, D. et al (1994), ‘Dialogue – A Proposal’, http://www.david-bohm.net/dialogue/dialogue_proposal.html.
Bohm David, (1996) On Dialogue, New York, Rutledge
Helguera, Pablo, (2011), ‘Conversation’ in Education for Socially Engaged Art, New York, Jorge Pinto Books.
McLeod, Hugh (2007), http://gapingvoid.com/2007/12/31/social-objects-for-beginners/
Simon Nina (2010), The Participatory Museum, Santa Cruz, California,
(2013), Conversation tips, Just why is conversation so important anyway? http://www.conversationtips.org/conversation-tips/conversation-tips-just-why-is-conversation-so-important-anyway