Delivering a presentation on Communication theory; Dr. ABT Zachariah, the Deputy Registrar of the University for Development Studies mentioned that communication process is hinged on some elements. He mentioned the Source as one key element in the communication process. He said the source is the originator of the communication process and it begins the process by having a thought or an idea. He further said that the source may or may not have knowledge of who the receiver is and that in most cases, the source could be one person, a group of persons, an institution/organisation, etc.

Dr. Zachariah also mentioned the receiver as another important element in the communication process. He said the receiver is the target of the message and that it is the person who is expected to decode the message. The receiver, he said could be a person, a group, an institution, a large homogenous or heterogeneous group. He however explained that in interpersonal communications, a receiver is often known while in mass communication, a receiver is often unknown and added that in today’s communication, there are more receivers than senders; one sender can have his/her information been received by many people through radio, TV, internet, newspapers, extension education, etc.  

Another element that was mentioned is the Message. He said the message is the information being communicated and that the information could be an idea, a thought, an instruction, an advice, an attitude, etc. which the sender intends to send to, or to share with, the receiver. He stressed that until the message is communicated, communication is not initiated.

Feedback, which was one of the elements discussed is said to be the response(s) of a receiver that shapes the subsequent messages of the source. It is the reversal of the flow of communication. Dr. ABT Zachariah explained that in feedback, the original sender becomes the receiver, and the original receiver becomes the sender. He said feedback helps the source to know how he/she is performing in the communication process. He further said that feedback could either be positive or negative and that while positive feedback encourages the communication behaviour in progress, negative feedback can change or terminate the communication

Other elements in the communication process that were discussed included Channel, Encoding, Decoding and Noise

The second part of Dr. Zacharia’s presentation touched on Development Communication.

He explained that Development Communication is the attempt to use communication processes – mass media, interpersonal communication, traditional communication, etc. to bring about qualitative improvements in the lives of the people. He also said it is the attempt to use mass media and other forms of communication channels and sources to ensure the social and economic progress of a people in a community.

He traced the evolution of Development Communication and said it all started with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) also known as the World Bank – founded in Bretton Woods, New Hamsphire whose purpose was to provide support for the reconstruction of war-ravaged Europe. He said the formation of financial and international institutions saw the birth of modern development interventions.

He mentioned that communication for development has since the 1990’s focused on issues of gender, civic rights and responsibilities, democracy and good governance.

On tools for development communication, Dr. Zachariah mentioned that community radio and rural radio are intensely used for development messages in all parts of the Third World. He added that Television programming in developing countries has been focusing on neglected developmental issues. Other tools mentioned included Educational Television, Instructional Video and the Internet.

The Executive Secretary of GINKS, Mr. Inusah Ibrahim took participants through the purpose and use of the Dgroups. He explained that the Dgroups is a place on the Internet where individuals and organisations in the development sector can come together and interact with one another. He stated that the concept is a joint initiative of organisations such as Helvetas, ICCO, Hivos, IICD and Sula Batsu.

He further stated that the Dgroups envisages to provide open and accessible Internet spaces and services where members of the international development community can safely share information, collaborate and engage in dialogue and networking and to support the international development community to mobilize and apply its collective knowledge and expertise. 

Participants were taken through the process of logging in into the dgroup and also reading and posting messages to the group.  A demonstration was also done on how to access resources at the resource section of the dgroups.

Commenting on the demonstration, Mr. Norbert Apentibadek of ACDEP noted that the Dgroups has been of immense use to him and is hopeful that his project will hopefully create one to facilitate in house knowledge sharing.

Mr. David Asakitogum mentioned that the demonstration has been very useful and hoped to be signed onto the GINKS Projects Node Group.