Breakfast: An Excellent Tool for Bilateral Communication During the Lecture Hours

Introduction

Education at the higher level is fundamentally centered around the core activity of learning. This involves the convergence of students and faculty within a scholarly community, actively participating in the pursuit of knowledge. Universities are dedicated to maintaining an atmosphere that cultivates and facilitates the process of active learning. To fulfill this role, they must undertake various measures [1].

The philosophy of teaching encompasses fundamental communication principles, which include

a) Passion and Communication

b) Fairness, involving an understanding of students as both individuals and learners

c) Critical Thinking, wherein educators are encouraged to present course materials from diverse angles.

d) Humor and Enjoyment, fostering approachability to instill determination in students, inspiring both students and lecturers alike. Effective communication during teaching enables students to connect concepts with their own lives, applying classroom learning to the broader world [1].

Importance of Bilateral Communication in Lectures

Effective communication is a crucial component of the learning process, contributing significantly to learner achievement. Unfortunately, in modern classrooms, there appears to be a need for more communication between educators and learners. Recognizing that communication is interactive rather than one-dimensional, learners must actively engage in their learning experiences. For teaching and learning to be meaningful, skillful and effective communication is essential in the classroom [2].

For effective communication between educators and learners, it should enable learners to master educational outcomes and acquire skills for the future. Educators, by the nature of their profession, must convey meaningful information to learners, and the success of their teaching depends on their ability to communicate effectively. Whether through one-on-one interactions or group settings, educators employ various means of communication, including verbal, non-verbal, and written methods. Therefore, the success of any communication activity hinges on educators’ capacity to convey information clearly and succinctly [2].

Feedback holds significant importance in the communication process, ensuring that the exchange is progressing in the correct direction. At the conclusion of this process, it serves to inform the source that the message has been successfully delivered, received, and understood by the recipient. In the culinary realm, feedback plays an indispensable role. For instance, when serving guests in the culinary industry, chefs actively seek feedback through both indirect and direct methods to ensure that everything is proceeding according to plan [3].

Role of Food, Particularly Breakfast in Communication and Learning

Food is perceived as a form of nonverbal communication, functioning like a language. The primary rationale for categorizing food as a mode of communication lies in its profound interdependence with culture and rituals [3].

In recent years, substantial new evidence has emerged, establishing a connection between breakfast consumption and learning. Recent studies reveal that the prevalent practice of skipping breakfast among children in industrialized nations is linked to measurable adverse effects on academic, cognitive, health, and mental well-being [4].

Previous research has revealed that students who skip breakfast or consume nutritionally deficient breakfasts due to factors such as waking up late, laziness, or weight loss concerns experience adverse effects on their educational performance and alertness. This can be detrimental, leading to a reduced ability to sustain attention and diminished cognitive capacity. The act of skipping breakfast creates a state of hunger, defined as both a physiological and psychological need for food to meet immediate energy requirements. Hunger, in turn, can negatively impact the ability to sustain attention and learn from new experiences [5].

According to the Small World Communication Survey, students who attend school without having breakfast, as perceived by their teachers, commonly exhibit characteristics such as laziness, a diminished ability to sustain attention, and behavioral problems. These factors are believed to contribute to lower educational performance and achievement. Teachers report that students who arrive at school without having breakfast face challenges in overcoming learning activities [5].

Acknowledgement

None.

Conflict of Interest

None.

References

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• Fredericks B, Alexander G (2021) A framework for improved classroom communication in the South African schooling context. Heliyon 7(3): e06382.
• Mortezaei V (2020) Is food a communication medium? Master's Thesis: 1-185.
• Murphy M (2007) Breakfast and Learning: An Updated Review. Current Nutrition & Food Science 3(1) :3-36.
• Arshad N, Umair Ahmed (2014) Impact of Breakfast Habits on Education Performance of University Students (A Study Conducted on University of Sargodha, Pakistan). International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development 3(1):271-286.