Interaction across the Curriculum: A Model for the Development of Competence in Social Interaction.

A need exists for focusing on the development of social interaction skills across the college curriculum. Eight basic assumptions should be followed when attempting to develop students' skills: social interaction (1) is a major vehicle for learning; (2) assists students in developing a flexible range of effective behavior; (3) requires abilities that can be learned; (4) can be taught in and out of the classroom; (5) requires abilities that develop interdependently with abilities in communication, analysis, problem-solving, and valuing; (6) is enhanced by a shared framework of interaction concepts; (7) requires skills that are learned developmentally; and (8) requires skills that are learned and developed in context. These assumptions guided the development of a model of social interaction behavior in college students, by an interdisciplinary faculty team, with input from the entire faculty, at a small liberal arts college. Intended to help faculty understand the responses of students at different levels and to support student growth, particularly at transition points, the model is based on two primary individual skills--receiving information and responding to it--and six group skills, including defining roles, developing solutions, and managing conflict. This model has helped college students develop social interaction skills. (Tables illustrating the model are included. (DF)