Communication
Studies 350
COMMUNICATION FOR
DESIGNERS
Th Hybrid | Fall,
2011
Instructor: Jen
Anderson
Phone: (425)
564-4185
Email: jeanders@bellevuecollege.edu or Vista Blackboard email
Office Hours: Before
or after class or by appointment
Text: Adler, R. and Elmhorst, J. (2010). Communicating at Work, Tenth
Edition
The purpose of this course is to
provide you with the knowledge and skills necessary for quality communication
in the workplace. This objective will be accomplished through the study and
application of interpersonal communication, small group, and public speaking
theory and concepts.
Course
Learning Outcomes:
·
Apply the basic
elements, process, and key principles of communication to a specific workplace
situation, demonstrating how each concept affects the outcome of the
interaction.
·
Analyze the
advantages and disadvantages of various face-to-face and electronic
communication channels found in the workplace and choose the most appropriate
and effective one given the situation.
·
Identify the
culture and co-cultures in a specific organization, field, or community and
describe how their norms and values shape communication in the workplace.
·
Describe the best
listening approaches you can use in a given situation to promote understanding,
accomplish your goals, and enhance your relationship with others.
·
Describe and
identify the types of language and nonverbal communication that will be most
effective within a specific organizational culture.
·
Describe
different approaches for negotiating solutions in work-related conflicts and
predict likely consequences of using each style.
·
Identify the
types of group roles, norms, and decision-making required to transform a group
of people into an effective team.
·
Design
and deliver an effective, organized, and professional public presentation on a
work-related topic.
Course Format:
This
course is designed to provide multiple ways for you to enhance your professional
communication skills and develop a more comprehensive understanding of the
communication processes therein. The
objectives will be met through the use of mini-lectures, readings, film
analysis, class discussion, personal reflection, online discussions, an
individual speech, and a group project.
Three exams will be administered throughout the quarter, assessing your
understanding of, and ability to apply, communication concepts covered in the
reading and in class. Given this format, students need to
commit to being active participants both in class and online. In
addition, this area of study contains complex theories and difficult social
science jargon. I will do
my best to assist you, but a college reading level and college writing level in
English is needed to
succeed in this course.
Course
Expectations:
·
This class is highly interactive and
will rely on your participation and self-exploration. It is imperative that you are prepared to
participate in class and actively involved online.
·
We will address a variety of
communication topics, many involving concepts that touch upon personal values
and beliefs. I encourage you to share
your thoughts, concerns, and opinions in class and online – we will have a
stimulating learning environment and a richer learning experience if we can
discuss a wide range of perspectives. It
is vital that everyone feels safe to share his/her ideas and opinions. Please
be sensitive and respectful to other viewpoints when making comments and
contributing to discussion.
·
All
written work will be turned in at the beginning of class on the day it is due
in order to receive full credit.
The decision to accept late assignments will be made on an individual
basis, taking into account the specific situation. All late work will receive a deduction in
points. No late assignments will be accepted after the last day of instruction.
·
College-level standards of grammar,
spelling and punctuation are expected. Please
type and proofread all written work.
Attendance/Participation
(A/P): Your attendance and
participation, both in class and online, are integral to the success of this
class. We only meet 11 times all
quarter, so it is imperative that you are in class each week, ready to
participate. I will take
attendance. We will do activities in
class that are worth points and you can ONLY earn those points if you are in
class, participating with us. You cannot pass the class with 5 or more
absences. I reserve the right to
deduct points from your A/P grade for late arrivals/early dismissals if they
become a problem. Your participation
online (i.e. hours spent on the class website, completion of posts, etc) will
factor into your A/P grade.
Cell
phone use (whether talking OR texting) is not allowed in my class. Please put your phones on mute and put
them away during class. Students
who ignore this policy will be asked to leave the classroom and will forfeit
participation points available for the day.
Laptop
Use in Class:
Feel free to use your laptop in class to take notes. When we are participating in class
activities, discussion, watching films, or during group projects, all laptops
should be put away. Please be respectful
of your classmates and me – focus on class and not on Facebook, your email, youtube, etc during class.
Grading
System: In order to allow for flexibility, I
may omit some assignments and add others during the quarter. I will keep you posted if changes occur and
how those changes will alter the following:
Quiz One 100
points
Quiz Two 100
points
Quiz Three 100
points
Quiz Four 100
points
Individual Presentation 100
points
Group Project (One Presentation with Supporting Materials) 150 points
Online Discussion Posts 150
points
Self-Critique of Individual Presentation 50 points
Interview 50 points
Homework/Pop Quizzes 50 points
Attendance/Online Participation (A/P) 50 points
Total 1,000 points
Grade
Appeals: You have the opportunity to appeal any
grade that you are given in this class.
All grade appeals must be typed, stating your reason for appeal. If you so choose, I will accept appeals via
e-mail. Grade appeals must be submitted no sooner than
24 hours after the grade has been issued...I will not discuss any grade on the
day the grade is administered. All grade appeals must be submitted within
2 weeks of me handing back the assignment.
Assigned
Reading: You will be assigned reading each week
and it is your responsibility to come to class prepared to participate in class
discussions regarding that reading.
While many of the concepts covered in the reading will be discussed in
class, there will not be enough time to cover every concept. All concepts covered in the readings are fair
game for the exams, so it is imperative that you keep up with the reading and
have an understanding of the communication concepts therein. Each section on the class website has additional
information included in the learning modules that does not appear in your
textbook. You are required to know this
information for quizzes and in class and online discussions.
Online Discussion Posts: You will participate in a variety of online
discussions throughout the quarter.
These discussions can be accessed through the Discussion icon
(thumbtack) in the menu on the class website.
You will answer one question and respond to at least one of your
classmates’ posts almost every week.
Please be sure to read “Posting a Good Discussion” in the Getting
Started module on the website.
Group Project:
Students will
be assigned to a small group of 4-5 people at the beginning of the quarter. Groups
will be evaluated on the quality of the presentations as well as the quality of
time spent in your group. Group
presentations will be further discussed during the third week of class. At that time, groups will be developed and
topics discussed. Your individual grade
will be computed by taking into consideration both the grade the group receives
as a whole and your participation in the group as evaluated by you and other
group members.
Note: Students who contribute inadequately
to their group project (or group meetings) can be voted out of the group at any
time during the quarter. If a student is voted
out of his/her group, he/she will research and write a 15 page paper on a
Business Communication topic of my choice. The research paper will have a
minimum of 15 cited journal sources and a
bibliography. The student will present his/her paper and findings to the
class in a 10-15 minute presentation.
Students can only earn up to 75% of the points available for that
project.
Academic
Integrity: Plagiarism and cheating will not be
tolerated in this class. Plagiarism
includes, but is not limited to, submitting projects, assignments, undocumented
quotations, computer-processed materials, or other material as one’s own work
when such work has been prepared by another student or individual. Anyone caught cheating or submitting
plagiarized work will receive a “0” for that assignment or exam and will be
subject to other consequences as determined by the instructor and/or college.
Adaptations or Special Accommodations
Alert:
The Disability
Resource Center serves students with a wide array of learning challenges and
disabilities. If you are a student who has a disability or learning challenge
for which you have documentation or have seen someone for treatment and if you
feel you may need accommodations in order to be successful in college, please
contact the DRC as soon as possible. The DRC office is located in B 132 or you
can call the reception desk at 425.564.2498.
Instructor Availability:
One of my favorite things about hybrid classes is the inherent
flexibility that comes with the online component of the class. I do appreciate the fact that we can
communicate both in class and online on a regular basis. With that in mind though, it is important to
set up some parameters in terms of communication. I will reply to emails within 24 hours. I will be available Monday – Friday, but will
not regularly check the site on weekends.
So, if you email me late on Friday or on the weekend, you can expect to
hear back from me on Monday.
Final
Note: I am excited to work with you this
quarter and delve into the many concepts that surround communication in the
workplace. I look forward to learning
more about your personal and professional goals. Some concepts covered in class may be
sensitive topics for discussion. Please
remember to keep others’ feelings and dignity in mind when choosing to comment
on an issue or prior statement made by one of your classmates or me. Any comments that denigrate the worth of an
individual because of his/her race, religion, background, lifestyle, or gender
are inappropriate and unacceptable in my class.
I look forward to getting to know you this quarter! I look forward to learning from you as I
believe that you have a great deal to teach your classmates and me. You can count on me to put a great deal of
time into making this class both educational and enjoyable. I will rely on you to assist in making the
class fun and educational and firmly believe that you will get out of this
class as much as you put into it. Good
luck!
Communication
Studies 350 | PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION FOR INTERIOR
DESIGNERS
Tentative Schedule
Fall, 2011
Date Central
Topic Reading
Week
One
9/19 Syllabus
and Website Tutorial
9/20 Introduction Post Due (See Discussion
Tab for this assignment)
9/21
9/22 Syllabus/Chapter
One Chapter
One
9/23 Chapter One Discussion
Due
Technology
Plan/Hope to Learn Assignment Due
Week
Two
9/26 Chapter Two Discussion Due Chapter Two
9/27
9/28 Chapter Two Response Due
9/29 Cultural
Diversity in the Workplace
9/30 Quiz
One (Chapters One/Two) available
online 9/30 – midnight on 10/3
Week
Three
10/3 Chapter Three/Four Post Due Chapter
Three/Four
10/4
10/5 Chapter Three/Four Response Due
10/6 Listening/Verbal/Nonverbal
Communication
10/7
Week
Four
10/10 Chapter Five Post Due Chapter Five
10/11
10/12 Chapter Five Response Due
10/13 Communication
Climate and Conflict
10/14 Quiz
Two (Chapters Three-Five) available
online 10/14 – midnight on 10/17
Week
Five
10/17 Chapter 10-12 Discussion Due Chapters
10-12
10/18
10/19 Chapters 10-12 Discussion Due
10/20 Presentation
Preparation
10/21
Week
Six
10/24-26 Presentation
Prep
10/27 Individual Presentations
10/28
Week
Seven
10/31-11/2 Presentation
Prep
11/3 Individual Presentations
11/4 Quiz Three (Chapters 10-12) available
online 11/4 – midnight on 11/7
Week
Eight
11/7 Chapter Eight/Nine Discussion Due Chapters
Eight/Nine
11/8 Self-Critique of Presentation Due
11/9 Chapter Eight/Nine Response Due
11/10 Small
Group Communication
11/11 Happy
Veteran’s Day!
Week
Nine
11/14-16 Interviewing Assignment Online Chapters
Six/Seven
11/17 Interviewing
11/18 Quiz Four (Chapters 6-9) available online
11/18 until midnight on 11/21
Week
Ten
11/21-22 Work on Group Projects Online
11/23 Interview Assignment Due
11/24 Happy
Thanksgiving – No Class!
11/25
Week
Eleven
11/28-11/30 Work on Group Projects Online
12/1 Group Projects
Week Twelve
(Finals)
12/6 Group Projects