COM 202: Interpersonal Listening: Theory and Application

Transcription

1 COM 202: Interpersonal Listening: Theory and Application Number of Credits 3 Instructor Sara Seibert Kiser Catalog Description Theories of listening as they relate to variety of interpersonal relationships and settings. (Formerly COM 311; implemented SP10) Required Materials Worthington, Debra L., and Margaret E. Hauser. Listening: Processes, Functions, and Competency. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, ISBN: Student Learning Outcomes After completing this course, students will be able to identify the importance, challenges, and benefits of effective listening; describe listening behavior; apply and integrate interpersonal listening theory and concepts to real-life situations; examine and report on scholarly research related to interpersonal listening; identify listening concepts and theories; analyze listening situations through case studies; and develop and practice listening skills using HURIER model. First Week of Materials/Assignments December 28: Chapters 1 and 2 December 29: Chapter 3 December 30: Chapter 4

2 December 31: Exam 1 Chapters 1-4 January 1: Holiday (no class) Course Details Most class periods include discussion or participation activities. Many of these are graded and cannot be made up if you are not in class. Research on higher education suggests that class participation positively influences course grades, and I have found this to be true in my classes. Please note: There is no distinction between an excused and unexcused absence; however, in the event of acute illness, emergencies, or school-sponsored responsibilities, points for absences may be recovered at the instructor s discretion. Excessive absences for any reason, even school activities, will likely have adverse effect on course grade. If you do have to be absent, you are responsible for asking another classmate to copy any handouts or notes from that day. Please review the full attendance policy posted on the WebCampus. Other Assignments and Participation: Additional short, written, and participative assignments will be periodically assigned throughout the session. Some participation exercises are in-class, group or individual activities. Students must be in class on the day of the activity to earn these points. Some participation activities are individual assignments on WebCampus or paper. Participation assignments will be specified in lectures or on WebCampus. These assignments contribute 10 percent toward the final course grade. Late assignments might not be accepted, or might be accepted for partial credit at the instructor s discretion. Course Policies WebCampus: This course utilizes WebCampus for communication, participation assignments, exams, and assessment. I expect you to be competent using WebCampus. Any changes to the course syllabus and schedule will be posted on WebCampus; students are expected to monitor the course page on a regular basis. If you are unfamiliar with WebCampus Learn, you should attend the free workshops for students through Instructional Design Technology. Contacts for these workshops can be found on the WebCampus login page. You may also direct WebCampus questions to the Help Desk at (775) If you have not already done so, you must activate your NetID and set up your account during the first week of class. Communication with Instructor: Please be sure that you have a current on file through MyNevada, since I use to communicate important class announcements. You can me through WebCampus. I make every effort to respond to student s in a timely manner; however, it may take 24 hours or more for me to respond. If you have not received a response, please do not assume that I have read or received your . Written assignments will not be accepted via unless specified otherwise in the assignment guidelines. Academic Climate: This class works best if we utilize a combination of lecture, discussion, and participation activities. I hope you will contribute ideas and opinions. Please be courteous and respectful of your peers and instructors by attending to the following practices: Please silence your cell phone and do not text or talk in class.

3 If you bring a computer to class, please use it for taking notes only; most other activities are distracting to your instructors and classmates and will also prevent you from listening to the course material. Please arrive on time and stay until class ends. Please do not engage in side conversation. If you have questions, please address them to the instructor. Please do not eat smelly or noisy food in class. Please demonstrate respect and active listening toward others to create a positive communication climate. Please participate in activities, ask questions, and help us have enjoyable, insightful discussions. Assignments Exams: There will be three exams, which assess student knowledge from reading material, videos, handouts, and lectures. Each exam is worth 20 percent of the final course grade. The format for exams is a combination of multiple-choice, fill-in, true/false, matching, and short answer questions administered through WebCampus. The exams will be graded according to the accuracy, clarity, detail, and insight of the answers. Please review the exam preparation materials on WebCampus. Each exam will be available online through WebCampus during a limited period of time. You may take the exam at a time of your choice during this period. Please note the schedule below. To earn full credit, exams must be submitted on or before the due date and time. Exams not submitted by the due date may not be accepted or may be accepted with a point reduction, regardless of the reason for the late submission. I strongly recommend that you use on-campus computer resources to take your exams so that you have access to technical support should you need it. Response Paper: There will be one response paper, worth 20 percent of the course grade. This assignment will present you with a specific question to be answered in words. Your answers should incorporate material and vocabulary from course lectures and readings, as well as personal observations. Papers should be error-free and written in academic tone and style with appropriate citation. Response papers should include a thesis statement, cited support from the book assigned for the class, proper paragraph and sentence construction, and in depth analysis of the course material. A detailed description of this assignment will be posted on WebCampus. Attendance: Attendance is integral to the communication process and crucial to success in most courses. I expect you to attend each class meeting. Attendance accounts for 10 percent of the final course grade. Roll will be taken every morning, and each class meeting is worth 8 percent of the total attendance grade. Please try to arrive on time; more than twenty minutes late is recorded as half of an absence. Each class meeting in Wintermester equates to about a week of a regular semester. Late Assignment Policy Late assignments will not be accepted due to the length of the Wintermester term. Grading The percentage distribution for the course is:

4 Assignment Percentage Three Exams 60 Response Paper 20 Attendance 10 Participation Activities 10 Total 100 Grading System and Philosophy Part of a college teacher s job is to assess and report student performance. In order to do so, we have devised objective measures to assess performance at multiple levels. Exams measure students abilities to retain, analyze, and intellectually apply course material. Assignments measure student s abilities to practice and apply course material. Graded participation activities measure students degree of involvement and effort in this course. Attendance records are objective reports of students presence. Effort and competence in each of these components is necessary for success in this course. Grades for this course will be based on successful completion of (1) three exams, (2) attendance and participation activities, (3) a group project, and (4) a response paper. There are no extra credit assignments or additional points for this course. WebCampus grade book: Periodically, grades will be posted on WebCampus for your reference. The WebCampus grade center is not an official grade report and may not always be a current indicator of your grade. Official grade reports will be posted through MYNEVADA at the end of the semester. If there are discrepancies between WebCampus grade center and MYNEVADA entries, the official grade will prevail, except in the case of clerical errors. Please do not hesitate to direct any questions you may have about your grades to me throughout the semester. Please do not, however, contact me at or near the end of the semester to ask for extra credit, special consideration, or grade manipulation. A = % B = 85-89% C = 75-79% D = 65-69% F = Below 60% A- = 90-94% B- =80-84% C- = 70-74% D- = 60-64% Please review the following standards so you understand the philosophy and foundation for assigning grades in this course. A/A- = Exceptional, above-average performance. An A student has exceeded the basic requirements and shown especial initiative in this course. This student has put extra time and effort into study and projects that are thought-provoking and excellent in mechanics and content. All assignments have been completed with excellence. Exams, quizzes, and attendance are nearly perfect. B/B- = Superior, above average performance. A B student has completed all assignments with a minimum of errors and has exceeded the basic requirements. Projects are complete and well executed. Exams and quizzes reflect thorough knowledge of subject material. C/C- = Average, adequate performance. A C student has completed the majority of assignments in a satisfactory manner. A C is an average, passing grade, which indicates that a student has sufficient knowledge of subject material. D/D- = Incomplete, below-average performance. A D student has completed enough assignments acceptably to pass the course but is deficient in some areas. Missing

5 assignments or improperly or haphazardly completed assignments indicate failure to adequately prepare for and participate in this course. D scores early in the course should be a warning to this student that performance in insufficient for satisfactory progress. Please meet with me for help. F = Failure to meet the requirements of the course. Missing or incomplete assignments, cheating, plagiarizing, or excessive absences will result in a failing grade.