In Unit 2, we examined why listening often breaks down—not because people don’t care, but because barriers interfere with attention and understanding. We explored four major types of listening barriers: physical barriers like noise and technology issues; physiological barriers such as fatigue, illness, or hunger; psychological barriers including stress, emotions, defensiveness, and preoccupation; and semantic barriers that arise from language differences, jargon, or missing context. We also challenged the myth of multitasking, learning that divided attention increases cognitive load and lowers comprehension. The key takeaway is that while barriers can’t always be eliminated, they can be recognized and managed through strategies like mindful listening, reducing distractions, empathic reframing, and paraphrasing—helping you listen with greater clarity, focus, and intention in real-life situations.

Unit 2 focuses on the barriers and challenges that interfere with effective listening, emphasizing that even strong listeners encounter obstacles that affect understanding. This unit introduces four main types of listening barriers—physical, physiological, psychological, and semantic—and explains how environmental conditions, physical states, emotions, cognitive overload, bias, and language differences can disrupt comprehension. Students learn how internal and external distractions, multitasking, and emotional reactions limit attention and increase listening effort, while research shows that focus and attention are finite resources. The unit also highlights practical, research-based strategies—such as mindful listening, metacognitive awareness, environmental control, and empathic reframing—to help recognize and manage barriers, leading to more effective communication in academic, professional, and personal contexts.

This episode explores the barriers and challenges that interfere with effective listening, emphasizing that listening is an active skill influenced by both internal and external factors. It introduces four main types of listening barriers—physical, physiological, psychological, and semantic—and explains how each can disrupt comprehension, from environmental noise and fatigue to emotional reactions, bias, and language differences. Drawing on research from communication, psychology, and neuroscience, the lecture highlights why multitasking is a myth, how cognitive load limits attention, and how emotions and perceptual filters shape what we hear and understand. It also presents practical, research-based strategies such as mindful listening, metacognitive awareness, environmental control, empathic reframing, and paraphrasing to help listeners manage barriers and improve focus, understanding, and connection in academic, professional, and personal settings.

In this bonus episode, Dr. Sunny explains how you will be graded, the different types of assignments, and the course latework policy, as well as time expectations.

COMM 1035 is built around the idea that listening is an active, learnable skill that shapes how we learn, work, and connect with others. The course includes eight units, each following a clear, consistent structure that guides you through learning, applying, and reflecting on key listening concepts—without exams or high-stakes surprises. All work must be completed through the Modules page in Canvas, where content is organized in sequence. You’ll learn primarily through podcast-style recordings, a required audiobook, and expert videos, supported by a Toolbox of resources designed to help you succeed. Throughout the course, you’ll develop practical listening skills by analyzing theories, evaluating messages and credibility, applying concepts to real situations, and building adaptive listening strategies. Success comes from steady engagement, thoughtful effort, and reflection over time.

In this recap episode, we review the key takeaways from Unit One. You learned the difference between hearing and listening, explored the stages of the listening process, and examined how attention, perception, schemas, and memory shape what we understand and remember. We also connected these concepts to real-life situations in school, work, and relationships, showing why active listening matters. In the next unit, we’ll build on this foundation by exploring the challenges and barriers that interfere with listening—and how to overcome them.

This lecture introduces listening as an active, cognitive process rather than a passive act of hearing. Students explore the key differences between hearing and listening, the three stages of listening (receiving, understanding, and remembering), and the roles of attention, perception, memory, and schemas in meaning-making. Through everyday examples and current research, the lecture highlights why effective listening matters in academic, professional, and personal contexts, emphasizing that active listening builds comprehension, connection, and trust.

Unit 1 introduces listening as an active process rather than a passive skill. Students learn to distinguish between hearing and listening by examining attention, perception, memory, and prior experiences that shape meaning-making. Through videos, knowledge checks, and applied activities, students practice the stages of listening and reflect on real-world communication. The unit concludes with an analysis of a real-life listening scenario, helping students develop practical skills they can use in academic, professional, and personal contexts.