Upon completion of COMM 7, Interpersonal Communication, students will be able to:

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1 Syllabus for: COMM-7, Interpersonal Communication - Online Semester & Year: Fall 2015 Course ID and Section Number: COMM-7 V8968 Number of Credits/Units: 3 Day/Time: Sept 8 Dec. 12 Location: Canvas ( Instructor s Name: Jill Alcorn Contact Information: Through Canvas or jill-alcorn@redwoods.edu Course Description (catalog description as described in course outline): Introductory survey communication course. Designed to increase interpersonal awareness and effectiveness in informal communication settings. Students will read, discuss, and apply concepts and principles while developing skills dealing with interpersonal communication the process of sending and receiving messages between two persons or among members of a small group. Student Learning Outcomes : Upon completion of COMM 7, Interpersonal Communication, students will be able to: 1. Identify competent and incompetent verbal and nonverbal communication behaviors. 2. Explain the relationship between self-concept and communication. 3. Analyze how communication affects relational dynamics. 4. Describe the role of perceptual frameworks in interpersonal communication. Special accommodations: College of the Redwoods complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act in making reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. Please present your written accommodation request at least one week before the first test so that necessary arrangements can be made. No last-minute arrangements or post-test adjustments will be made. If you have a disability or believe you might benefit from disability related services and may need accommodations, please contact Disabled Students Programs and Services at Academic Misconduct: Cheating, plagiarism, collusion, abuse of resource materials, computer misuse, fabrication or falsification, multiple submissions, complicity in academic misconduct, and/ or bearing false witness will not be tolerated. Violations will be dealt with according to the procedures and sanctions proscribed by the College of the Redwoods. Students caught plagiarizing or cheating on exams will receive an F in the course. The student code of conduct is available on the College of the Redwoods website at: Additional information about the rights and responsibilities of students, Board policies, and administrative procedures is located in the college catalog and on the College of the Redwoods homepage. College of the Redwoods is committed to equal opportunity in employment, admission to the college, and in the conduct of all of its programs and activities. Important CR Dates: Last day to drop without a W and receive refund: 9/4/15 Last day for Student and Faculty initiated withdrawal (no refund): 10/30/15

2 Welcome to COMM-7 (online): Interpersonal Communication General Information & Course Policies Instructor: Jill Alcorn, MA Location/Contact: The course is conducted through Canvas ( Textbook: Looking Out, Looking In (2014), 14 th ed., Ronald B. Adler and Russell Proctor II. Cengage Learning, Boston, MA. Note: Digital (etext) copy available through Cengage if preferred. Course Overview This course is designed to increase interpersonal effectiveness in informal communication settings. We will explore concepts and strategies that can enhance your relationships with family, friends and co-workers. Healthy interpersonal relationships are central to our happiness and well-being, and effective communication is critical to good relationships. This class, unlike some others you may take, pertains directly and immediately to your lives. Using collaborative and reflective learning methods, we will read, discuss, and apply concepts and principles dealing with how to communicate effectively (and not so) with others. The main goals of this course are to 1) help you gain an understanding of interpersonal communication theories, research and concepts and 2) give you opportunity to strengthen your practical communication skills as you apply these theories and strategies. Using the textbook, online discussions, and guided learning activities, you will develop enhanced relational sensitivity, increased awareness of your personal communication behavior and the ability to select the most appropriate responses in interpersonal situations so as to become more successful in your communication with others. My hope is that, through this formal study of communication, you will be able to more readily connect the conceptual material covered in this class with your real life communication experiences. Recommended Preparation: This course carries with it U.C. and C.S.U. equivalent transfer units. Students must be able to meet college-level reading and writing standards to successfully complete the course. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that students will have successfully completed English 150 or equivalent, or be eligible to enroll in English 1A or equivalent. Computer and Internet: Online courses require adequate computer skills and regular access to the Internet (with enough bandwidth to watch a video online). You should be able to navigate the course website, open and download files, create electronic documents and submit assignments in rich text format (.rtf). You should also feel comfortable using online library resources (you can find assistance at the CR Library) and trying new technology. I will provide step by step instructions for most required activities but you should have a basic comfort level with technology and a willingness to participate. Keys to Success in Online Courses: To be successful in this online course, use these suggestions: Discipline. An online class requires the highest level of student responsibility and discipline. This means turning in assignments on time and keeping up with required reading. Set aside time to attend class as you would a face-to-face course.

3 Ask Questions. Ask when material or assignment details are unclear. Do your part of the work (readings, check with syllabus, know assignment details) prior to asking questions. Contact me for more input; I am very happy to help you, that s why I m here. Structure. Students are most successful when they follow the same sequence for each learning module: Reading, discussion questions, activities, quiz (we have the same sequence for the core assignments each week). Stay Prepared. Do assignments and readings on time and prior to participation in discussion forums so your responses are informed and insightful. Participate. Engage in the online discussions and other activities with your class. Get to know your classmates. Contribute with respect and consideration for others. Do the work. Complete weekly discussion forums, quizzes and homework by the dates assigned - late submissions will not earn any points (only in extreme emergency and prior approval will late assignments be accepted; expect a late penalty). Use conventional spelling, complete sentences and an appropriately formal approach to assignments (meaning text language or abbreviations are not appropriate even for the Discussion Board forum). This course is a college course with scholarly standards and as such to meet these standards you need to do your best work Display Respect and Appreciation for Difference. Honor all cultural backgrounds, without prejudices, biases, or preconceived beliefs and ideas. Keep an open mind with a positive, proactive, constructive attitude. Communication Guidelines & Policies: In Class (Online): Effective communication is essentially about being other oriented and at minimum showing respect for both yourself and the other person. This class requires that students demonstrate mutual respect in their interactions. During the study of interpersonal communication issues may arise that are sometimes difficult and/or personally painful to students. As an academic community we share a mutual responsibility to create and maintain and supportive environment where students feel safe to speak out and apply new communication skills. Contact: Please feel free to reach out to me anytime you have questions or need help with the course. There is a Help Discussion forum on Canvas where you can post questions and get answers (and you are welcome to help your fellow students if you know the answer). I ll also post announcements regularly to keep in touch, highlight an example or concept and/or remind you about an upcoming due dates. You can contact me through Canvas if it s not a question relevant to the other students. I visit the class in Canvas everyday M-Thu at least once and will respond within 24 hours. I typically visit the class at least once over the weekend, but please allow up to 72 hours for a response. If you do not get a reply from me within those time frames assume I did not receive the and resend it just to be safe. Attendance & Participation: Regular attendance and active participation are essential to the success of a communication course whether it is face-to-face or online. A typical three credit course requires about nine hours per week of your time. Plan to attend class by logging in and participating in discussions, activities and reading several times a week. I have the ability to drop you from the class up until the tenth week of the term if I determine that you are an absent student due to inactivity online.

4 Assessments & Grading Policies: Grades are part of the teaching and learning process. Keep in mind that grades are earned, not given. I assess your work according to how well it meets class objectives, fulfills requirements, meets the assignment rubric, and reflects the academic skills expected of college students. It is your responsibility to understand why you have achieved a certain grade and what steps you can take to maintain or improve your grade. I encourage you to reach out to me if you need help with an assignment or wish to discuss a grade. Please note that I will not discuss a grade on an assignment until at least one full day after the assignment has been returned. Please take that time to review the assignment and the grading rubric in order to clearly present your concerns to me. Grading: Grades will be posted in the Canvas Gradebook so you will always know where you stand. Below is a breakdown of points to be earned during the course: Grade Breakdown: (Posted on Canvas) Possible Points (% of grade) Discussion Board (DB) Forums (11 x 10 pts) 110 points (20%) Chapter quizzes (15 pts x 10 quizzes) 150 points (27%) Final (proctored) Exam 100 points (18%) Identity Project 40 points (8%) Skill Builders (homework with peer review) 50 points (9%) Relationship Research & Analysis Paper 100 points (18%) Total: 550 points (100%) Grading Scale: At any point in time, you can determine your grade by dividing your earned points to date by total possible points to date (that will give you a percentage, such as 83%). A = % A - = 92-90% B+ = 89 88% B = 87 84% B - = 83 80% C+ = 79 78% C = 77 74% C- = 73 70% D+ = 69 68% D = 67 64% D- = 63-60% F = 59% and below Due Dates: Due dates for assignments are firm. Assignments and due dates are clearly posted in the weekly modules and follow a similar pattern each week. The benefit of being online is that you can submit your work early, take a quiz on a day you have time or take your work on the road with you if you need to travel (please note you cannot jump ahead to a different module, the whole class works on the same topic for the week). Quizzes will not available after the deadline (you get one exception to this policy). Do not wait until the due date to start an assignment technical issues occasionally arise back up your work! Computer issues are not considered legitimate excuses for missing a due date public computer labs are available at CR, HSU and local libraries. However, occasionally circumstances arise which are truly extenuating, meaning unusual, unanticipated, and completely beyond your control. Should such circumstances occur and cause you to miss a due date you should speak to me right away (expect a penalty if I approve a late assignment submission).

5 Assignment Overview: Accomplishment of course outcomes will be evaluated based on the following: Quizzes: In order to effectively participate in online discussions and be successful with all other activities and assignments, it s important you read and understand each chapter in a timely manner. To assess your understanding of the basic concepts, there will be short (15 questions; 20 minutes) quizzes on the assigned reading for the week (note: see course calendar for chapters and quiz dates). These timed quizzes will be available on Canvas throughout the week and must be completed by Sunday at 11:59pm please plan accordingly (I offer a one time get out of jail, I totally forgot to take the quiz, can I get an extension until Monday card!). All will be a combination of multiple choice and true/false. I encourage you to review the questions and key terms listed at the end of each chapter as a study guide. Final Exam: The final exam will be in Canvas, but must be completed in a proctored location (which means it cannot be taken at home). You ll be able to take the exam at any CR campus testing center. It will be a closed note/book exam made up of a combination of multiple choice, true/false and/or short answer questions. More details on exam and proctored locations will be provided. Discussion Forums: Join your classmates each week to discuss what you re reading and what you think about it! Participation in weekly discussions is an important part of your learning, therefore, you are required to post weekly to the forum through Canvas s discussion feature. Each week, I ll post a discussion question or questions related to that week s topic (and chapter reading). You are to respond to the question by Thursday at 11:59pm of that week and later respond to at least two fellow classmates posts to keep the conversation going (by the following Sunday at 11:59pm). Postings must be substantial, original and submitted on-time. One or two sentence posts (to the initial question) are unacceptable. Emphasis should be placed on discussing the concepts and theories presented in the text and personal experience should be used as examples of course-related material. Incorrect grammar and spelling will lower your points (no texting style typing!). Full requirements are described in the Discussion Forum Instructions and grading rubric on Canvas. Please read this before you get started. Identity Project: The first part of the course explores the impact communication has in shaping our identity as well as how this view of self then shapes our communication with others. You ll create a brief digital presentation that helps you explore your identity and communication. More details will be provided. Skill Builders: Certain weeks you will find skill builder assignments in your module. These assignments are to help you practice the communication skills discussed in that chapter. You will complete the skill builder worksheet on your own then post to the Skill Builder Page in the module where you will work with a few other students (3-4) to discuss/review your responses. You ll earn full credit by completing the worksheets with a sincere effort to grasp the concept or technique and for providing relevant feedback to your peers. Your answers do not have to be perfect to get full-credit as these are meant to be a time to practice these communication techniques. More information will be provided. Relationship Research & Analysis Paper: As a culmination of what you ve learned throughout the semester, you will write a final paper that analyzes an important relationship in your life (friend, work, family, romantic partner) by applying relevant concepts from the course and related research. The paper will be approximately 5 pages in length, typed in standard MLA or APA format. A formal bibliography will also be required. More details and a grading rubric will be provided.

6 Tentative Course Schedule* Fall 2015 *Instructor reserves the right to change the schedule to accommodate the needs of the class Dates Weekly Topic Work Due Week 1 Begins Tuesday 9/8 Introductions & Class Orientation Week 2 Begins Monday: 9/14 Weekly Deadline Patterns: Discussion Board: Initial response to questions due by Thursday at 11:59pm; min. of 2 responses to others by Sunday at 11:59pm Quiz due Sunday at 11:59pm Skillbuilders worksheet due by Wednesday at 11:59pm; peer feedback by Sunday at 11:59pm (select weeks) Purchase Textbook; read syllabus and assignment details Practice Discussion Board (DB) Introduce yourself (see questions) Respond to at least two other students posts to try out the features of Canvas and get to know your fellow classmates Interpersonal Communication Read: Chapter 1 Week 3 9/21 Communication & Identity Read: Chapter 2 Identity Project due Sunday, 9/27, 11:59pm Week 4 9/28 Perceiving Others Chapter 3 Week 5

7 10/5 Experiencing & Expressing Emotions Week 6 10/12 Communicating Verbally Form Groups Read: Chapter 4 Read: Chapter 5 Week 7 10/19 Communicating Nonverbally Read: Chapter 6 Week 8 10/26 Listening Actively Read: Chapter 7 Week 9 11/2 Dynamics of Relationships Read: Chapter 8 Start thinking about your final paper! Week 10 11/9 Communication Climate Read: Chapter 10

8 Week 11 11/16 Managing Conflict Read: Chapter 11 Week 12 11/23 Thanksgiving! Close personal relationships Read: Chapter 9 (should be useful for your relationship paper) No quiz work on your paper and eat Turkey Please note that Chapter 9 will be testing more heavily on the final exam in lieu of quiz. Week 13 11/30 Wrapping Up Week Relationship Paper & Bibliography due Wed. 12/2 by 11:59pm Week 14 12/7-12 /11 Finals Week Final Exam; papers returned Proctored Final Exam (must be taken at an approved proctored site such as CR Testing Center)