The key skills we will cover are active listening and non-violent communication which are important for understanding and communicating needs and for overcoming differences. We start with learning about our filters and how our lens impacts perceptions of the world around us, and our capacity to truly listen. We then learn and practise basic active listening skills. This is followed by a highly interactive series on Non-violent Communication. The aim is to communicate in a way that does not result in the erosion of relationships, and mediates multiple needs in a group setting.
Social Intelligence 1: Group Dynamics
This is a Level 1 course from Personal Development, part of the Open Bachelor’s programme. It is worth 6 ECTS and takes place in Term 1 in Lisbon.
Course Summary
What does it take to truly collaborate with others? This course invites you to explore the art and science of interpersonal effectiveness by developing core relational skills. Using tools like the MBTI and GRPI frameworks, you’ll gain insight into your own personality and communication style—and how these influence team dynamics. You’ll practise active listening, non-violent communication, and constructive feedback to build trust, navigate conflict, and foster dialogue. Together, we’ll explore how unconscious biases shape our relationships and shared environments. With a focus on collaboration, negotiation, and connection, this course empowers you to cultivate inclusive, resilient relationships in both personal and professional life.
Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)
| Description | Mapped to Human Intelligence | |
|---|---|---|
| CLO1 | Demonstrate the ability to strengthen interpersonal bonds through empathy, understanding, and non violent communication. | SEI3 – Effective Communication |
| CLO 2 | Demonstrate deep understanding of interpersonal bonds and dynamics to manage conflicts effectively, ensuring fairness and respect for all parties involved. | SEI5 – Collaboration |
| CLO 3 | Effectively and respectfully give and receive feedback in diverse team environments, demonstrating fairness and leadership. | SEI6 – Influence & Negotiation |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Weighting of Course Grade | Group Assessment? | Invigilated? | CLOs Mapped | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1 | Evaluative – Quiz | 20% | No | Yes | 1, 2,3 |
| Assessment 2 | Practical – role play | 40% | No | Yes | 1, 2,3 |
| Assessment 3 | Written – Reflection | 40% | No | No | 1, 2,3 |
- Assessment 1 Description: This short individual quiz will help students reflect on and check their understanding of key principles behind group dynamics including empathy, collaboration, and non-violent communication—core tools in building meaningful relationships with others. It introduces practical scenarios to begin applying these skills thoughtfully and with self-awareness.
- Assessment 2 Description: In this role play simulation, students will take part in a team scenario designed to surface common challenges in group collaboration—such as miscommunication, unequal participation, or conflicting work styles. Each student will be assigned a specific role within the team and a confidential brief outlining their interpersonal stance and goals. Throughout the simulation, students are expected to demonstrate their ability to strengthen interpersonal bonds through empathy, understanding, and non-violent communication. As tensions emerge, they will be challenged to manage conflict effectively while ensuring fairness and respect for all team members. The scenario also requires students to both give and receive feedback within a diverse group setting, highlighting their capacity for respectful communication and emerging leadership.
- Assessment 3 Description: The written reflection invites students to critically examine their performance and learning during the team role play simulation. Drawing on course concepts and personal experience, students will reflect on how they demonstrated empathy, collaboration, and non-violent communication to strengthen interpersonal bonds. They will evaluate how they contributed to managing conflict within the group, considering how fairness and respect were maintained across different perspectives. Finally, students will reflect on how they gave and received feedback within a diverse team setting, highlighting areas of growth in communication, self-awareness, and leadership. The reflection should show thoughtful integration of theory and practice, and a clear sense of personal development.
Indicative List
of Topics
Students improve their ability to work with peers through understanding one another’s communication style and building skills in giving and receiving feedback. Feedback is essential to social learning and future success. We tend to shy away from it or express it in ways that risk affecting our personal or professional relationships. Equally, receiving feedback can be difficult and there are ways to improve our capacity to do so. This module builds on non-violent communication to give you these skills.
We will use role play to learn about creating safety, active listening, empathic vs. non-empathic responses, and solution-finding when having difficult conversations. Having healthy discussions are key to the long term success of teams, here we will discuss creating safety in conversations, active listening and how to disagree or say no. Students learn the difference between empathic and non-empathic responses to others, and how we apply these responses in tense situations.
