COM 120 Interpersonal Communication Spring
2007
Office: S-200D, D’town, N317 North Hrs: M 11-12, 1-3pm, W
11-12, TH 10:45-11:45
Instructor,
Karen Brown
lkbrown35@email.cfcc.edu Phone: (910) 362-7236
Website: http://cfcc.net/faculty/kbrown/
Course Description:
This course introduces the practices and principles of interpersonal communication
in both dyadic and group settings.
Emphasis is placed on the communication process, perception, listening,
self-disclosure, speech apprehension, ethics, nonverbal communication,
conflict, power, and dysfunctional communication relationships. Upon completion, students should be able to
demonstrate interpersonal communication skills, apply basic principles of group
discussion, and manage conflict in interpersonal communication situations.
Course Objectives:
The subject matter of the course consists of four areas: Communication about
the self and others, Communication spoken and unspoken, Communication in
context, and Communication through service learning.
Communication about
the self and others:
After successfully completing this
course, you should be able to:
·
understand the
characteristics of the process of interpersonal communication in both dyadic
and group settings
·
have a clearer
understanding of your self-concept
·
understand the
perception process
·
listen more
effectively
Communication spoken
and unspoken:
After successfully completing this
course, you should be able to:
·
understand why
we form relationships and the role of self-disclosure in interpersonal
relationships
·
demonstrate
speech apprehension and critical thinking skills
·
demonstrate
the ability to address the ethical and moral dimension of communication
·
understand the
power of nonverbal communication
Communication in
context:
After successfully completing this course, you should be able to:
·
manage
conflict constructively and use language with greater precision
·
understand the
nature of power in relationships
·
demonstrate an
understanding of dysfunctional communication relationships
· demonstrate and use guidelines for appropriate expression of emotion
·
demonstrate
understanding of supportive and defensive behaviors
Communication through Service Learning:
·
Learn through
reflective activities
·
Enhance
understanding of course content
·
Use critical
thinking skills
· Enhance self-awareness and self monitoring skills
·
Establish/Maintain
commitment to the community
Course credit and
contact hours: 3 credit hours, 3 contact hours weekly
Required texts:
Required text with
authors and publisher: Adler, Ronald B., Proctor, Russell F. and Towne, Neil, Looking
Out Looking In, 11th edition,
Materials required: One #2 pencil, one PC formatted 3½
inch diskette
Specific course
requirements: In addition to doing various assignments, which will be
explained by your instructor, and the final exam, all students are required
to participate in class activities.
Tests and other
assigned material: One major project , two additional projects, 20 service learning
hours, and some movie reviews are required for the course. A comprehensive final exam will be
given. These grades along with
attendance and participation make up the final grade.
Course meeting schedule:
Week Assignments
and Activities
Week
1 Class
orientation, Ch. 1 - A First Look at Interpersonal
Relationships
Week 2 Partners/Groups decide on topic to present to class
Week 3
Week
4 Project
1 presentations
Week 5 Ch.
3 - Perception: What
you See is What you Get
Week
6
Week 7
Week 8 Portfolio Listening Sessions
Week 9
Week
10
Week
11
Week 12 9 - Improving Communication
Climates
Week
13
Week
14/15 Portfolio Listening Sessions
Week
16 Power
Week
17/18 Review for final, reports/service
learning projects presented//Final
Grading Scale : A=92-100 D=68-75 WP=Withdrawal
Passing
B=84-91 F=0-67 WF=Withdrawal Failing
C=76-83 I=Incomplete
NC=No Credit
Attendance is mandatory on the day of speeches/presentations. If you are absent on the day another
person/group presents, your grade for that project will be lowered one letter
grade. In addition, your attendance will
be averaged as a grade worth 100 pts.
Plagiarism statement: Plagiarism is using as your own the words or ideas
of another, whether written or oral.
When you use material from a source, you must quote or paraphrase
accurately and properly cite the information.
Failure to do so is is considered plagiarism. Examples of plagiarism include word-for-word
copying without correctly indicating that you are quoting, inaccurate quoting
and paraphrasing and incomplete or missing documentation. Purchasing a paper or copying someone else’s
work and submitting it as your own is also plagiarism. Any misrepresentation of the source in your
writing or speaking would constitute a form of plagiarism.
Whether
intentional or unintentional, plagiarism is not acceptable. The Humanities and Fine Arts Department
adheres to the CFCC policy on cheating as stated in the Catalog and Student
Handbook which states that a student is going to receive an "F" on an
assignment if a student is found guilty of such misconduct. A
"written report of the incident stating the facts and the action” will be
taken to my department chair or immediate supervisor and to the Vice
President of Student Development (Carol Cullum in
Room A220). Note the time frame: ". . . within three (3) weekdays from
the time the incident occurred." If
a student appeals a grade, the student should remain in the class while the
appeal is being addressed. In general, a
student remains a member of a class as long as the student does not receive a
grade of "W," "WF,"
or "WP."
1st
Day Handout for Com. 120: Interpersonal
Communication
COURSE PHILOSOPHY: This
course is designed to help you increase your understanding of the processes
through which interpersonal relationships are established, maintained and
terminated. The course is also aimed at
helping students improve their own communicative competence. The course shows that successful
communication does not come from learning a collection of “techniques” that can be used “on” others,
but advocates gaining competence through developing a repertoire of skills and
then learning to choose the ones that are most appropriate and effective in a
given situation.
This course provides
opportunities for students to utilize knowledge gained from text and class
discussion to participate in related activities that are designed to help
students learn more about the topic.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Prompt and regular
attendance is important. Save absences for emergencies. Cape Fear Community College has a published
attendance policy, which states that students must attend 80 percent of the
class time in order to receive credit for the course. Absences totaling 20 percent of class time is
the maximum we can miss and still receive credit for the course. This rule is enforced. It is
your responsibility to keep a record of your own absenteeism. Please arrive on time to class. If you
are tardy 3 times, it counts as an absence.
If you arrive late, please see me at the end of the hour to makes sure
you are counted present. If, however, according
to the clock in the room or the instructor’s watch you are 25 or more minutes
late, you will be counted absent for a 50-minute class. If you must leave early, please inform the
instructor ahead of time. You must be in
class 25 minutes for a 50-minute class.
If you “over cut” or
miss more than 20%, you will receive a grade of “F”. Therefore, if you find you must “over cut” a
class, I suggest that you officially withdraw from the class, especially if you
have a passing average; a “WP” (withdrawal passing) does not affect the
grade-point average. You must withdraw
before you over cut in order to receive a “WP.”
You cannot receive a “WP” after midterm.
If you are absent, you are responsible for catching up; call
the instructor or a dependable classmate so that you can be prepared when you
return to class.
MAKE-UP POLICY:
Tests, projects, and
papers are due on assigned dates. If you
have a conflict with a due date or a set schedule, contact the instructor as
soon as possible before the
due date to see if rescheduling is possible.
If an emergency
occurs which prevents your meeting a deadline, contact the instructor before you return to class to
see if rescheduling is possible. No late work will be accepted.
Assignments may be
taken early but may not be made up unless you have a verifiable emergency. Presentations
must be given on the due date and may not be made up unless you have a
legitimate, verifiable emergency, such as being hospitalized, or a death in the
family. This is
a Communication Departmental guideline that all communication instructors
adhere to. We have a tight schedule
to maintain, and in real life, presentations must be given when the audience is
present in a specific place, on a specific date, and at a specific time.
Students choose 1 project from the
4 listed below. (100 pts. Each) Due:
MWF 1/29 TTH 1/30. You
are encouraged to present this aloud in front of the class. 1. Write 1 book report (oral or
written). Provide 2-pages typed relating
6 concepts from the text. Please hi-light the concepts in your
paper. 2. 3 journal article reports. Provide
2-pages typed relating 6 concepts from the text. Please
hi-light the concepts in your paper. 3. 1 creative project (will be
described in class). 4.
Come up with your
own activity.
Required
by all students: 1.
Classroom participation and attendance in all
communication/classroom activities. Occasionally,
there will be assignments completed and collected during class. If you are absent on a day when an
activity is done, you cannot make that up.
If you have perfect attendance, yet don’t listen and get involved in
the class, you may not get a “100” for this grade.
(100+points-attendance/participation.) 2.
An
interpersonal multi-media presentation project is required by all students
(100 pts.). There is no paper to
write with this assignment. Each
dyadic/group (2, 3, or 4 people) will choose a chapter from the text and select 3 of the following to use in
their presentation: ·
Find 2-3 movie/tv clips appropriate for
classroom use illustrating 2-3 concepts from your chapter. (There are movie suggestions at the
end of each chapter). ·
Play a
song or songs relating to your chapter. ·
Show a
cartoon relating to your chapter. ·
Have the class do 2 activities
related to your topic from the Portfolio Packet (this is required). ·
Give a
Power Point presentation about the chapter theory given out ·
Do a
drama/skit or a role play related to some aspect of your chapter. ·
Devise a
short game//quiz show related to topics from your chapter. ·
Share a
poem or excerpt from a book related to topics from your chapter. ·
Discuss
your chapter theory (will be given out) Due
dates will be according to class schedule.
You will present when the chapter related to your project is being
covered. We will have a sign-up
sheet for these after the first few weeks of class. This must be an interesting hi-energy
presentation! 3. There will be a “Stages of
Relationship Development” activity done during the chapter about
Relationships (Ch. 8). This
assignment will be discussed and executed during thre relationship chapter.
A writtten assignment is due MWF 3/26 TTH 3/27. 4. A Personal Self-Examination Portfolio
(notebook) will be created from various assignments, activities, and
projects done in and outside of class.
The portfolio should contain a minimum of 10 entries (100
pts.). Grades are
based on creativity (25 pts.), neatness (25pts.), and ability to relate
activities to class topic in a on-one meeting with the instructor(
75 pts.) (see further description at end of
handout). This is one of the major
projects for this class. The final
product should exhibit excellence (50pts).
(250 points total). Due:
1st ½ week of MWF 2/26 TTH 2/27, 2nd ½ week of MWF 4/16_TTH
4/17 (This must be turned in during your scheduled meeting time and
date. to receive credit for this
project.!!) See page attached. You are not allowed to make up a
class unless: ·
You talk to me before you
plan to be absent ·
You contact me personally via
phone/email before or during your
scheduled class & stay the entire class period Failure to comply with these
rules will result in non-exemption from the exam. 7. There
will be some short movie reviews worth 25 points each.
A
Note: Please,
no eating, drinking in class; it’s CFCC’s policy. Please!
INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACHES:
Reading, Writing, and ACTIVITIES--Students
should be continuously and actively involved in each of these activities. Reading activities can be used in a variety
of ways to stimulate critical thinking skills and raise conscious levels
regarding topics covered in class.
Writing and activities (games, role-play, informal group work) will be
in a variety of forms. Not all
assignments need to be “graded” activities.
Some are for purposes of interaction.
Classroom participation and
discussion is vital in this course.
Assignments Pt. Values
Bumper
Sticker 10
Group
Project 100
Project
1 100
20
hours of Service
Learning 100
Relationship
Paper 50
Movie
Reviews 25 (each)
Portfolio 250
Attendance/Participation 100
Final
Exam 100
PERSONAL COMMENT: If
you want it to, this course can change every area of your life: personally, educationally,
physically, and professionally! Go for
it!!!!
Interpersonal Presentation Topics
Chapter
2______________________________________________________
Chapter
3______________________________________________________
Chapter 4 ______________________________________________________
Chapter 5______________________________________________________
Chapter 6
_____________________________________________________
Chapter 7 _____________________________________________________
Chapter
8 _____________________________________________________
Chapter
9_____________________________________________________
Chapter 10
____________________________________________________
Portfolio explained further:
You will have an individual one-on-one meeting with the
instructor for her to evaluate your portfolio.
At that time, I will do what is called an “authentic assessment” on what
you have learned on each chapter. The first ½ of the chapters will be due on
the week of MWF Feb. 26 TTH Feb. 27.
I will have a 5 min. meeting. It
will be first come, first serve basis on the day of the sign up for meeting
times. There assessment time will be
approximately 5 minutes per person.
The 2nd half of the portfolios will be due April 16 for MWF and April 17 for TTH classes. It will be first come, first serve basis on
the day of the sign up for meeting times.
·
10 entries -
Each chapter should be represented created from various assignments,
projects, activities (from portfolio packet), textbook (Invitation to Insight
from each chapter in text), internet,/magazines tests
or exercises (100 pt.)
·
In
the individual meeting with me, this is what I will be looking for: explanation/comments
showing what you got from this assignment that someone that hasn’t ever been in
this class wouldn’t know? (75 pts.)
o
relating the activity to something from
a specific chapter from the text –
(you will state which chapter by name on your page)
o
tell specifically what you learned from
this chapter, text and class discussion
o
what will help you in life from this
chapter
o
use terminology from the text
·
creativity/neatness (25pts.) colorfulexhibits excellence (50pts) - A project to save and always keep!
·
(250 points total). __________________.
Service Learning explained further: See handout to be given out in class
1. COM 120 will incorporate some or all of the
following General Education Competencies:
|
Written
Communication |
Understanding
Social Structure |
|
Oral
Communication |
|