SEMESTER AT SEA COURSE SYLLABUS University of Virginia, Academic Sponsor

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1 Voyage: Summer 2014 Discipline: Media Studies SEMS : Interpersonal Communication Division: Lower Faculty Name: Amber Johnson Credit Hours: 3; Contact Hours: 38 Pre-requisites: None SEMESTER AT SEA COURSE SYLLABUS University of Virginia, Academic Sponsor COURSE DESCRIPTION Interpersonal Communication is the study of human symbolic behavior and its effect on people. This course emphasizes practical and theoretical implications of face-to-face interaction in social, business, professional, and intercultural settings. Students will (1) develop an improved understanding of the principles of interpersonal functioning, (2) experience directly the elements inherent in a positive interpersonal communication environment, (3) learn strategies for examining individual, family, group, and social communication processes critically and analytically, and (4) increase sensitivity to the nature and implications of interpersonal communication skills such as verbal and nonverbal messages, perception, decision making, and conflict management. COURSE OBJECTIVES At the end of this course: 1. The student will learn to recognize, analyze, and interpret verbal and nonverbal messages. 2. The student will learn to recognize and demonstrate appropriate emotions and feelings in a variety of communication situations. 3. The student will learn the use of assertive behavior for appropriate settings. 4. The student will learn how to appropriately handle conflict situations. 5. The student will recognize the importance culture plays in interpersonal communication. 6. The student will learn to explain concepts in communication theory. 7. The student will learn to illustrate the perception process. 8. The student will learn to recognize and use effective listening skills. 9. The student will learn to define self-concept and its relationship to communication. 10. The student will learn to recognize effective relationships. REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS AUTHOR: Steven McCornack TITLE: Reflect & Relate : An Introduction to Interpersonal Communication PUBLISHER: Bedford/St. Martin s ISBN #: DATE/EDITION: July 2009, 2 nd Edition 1

2 TOPICAL OUTLINE OF COURSE June 16: Depart Southampton June 17: Orientation C1-June 18: Introduction to Interpersonal Communication Questions: What is communication? How do we make it interpersonal? Activities: Sharing is caring? Getting to know each other as we prepare for our voyage together. C2- June 19: Introducing Interpersonal Theory Questions: What is Interpersonal Communication? What are the driving theories that push the discipline? Readings: R&R Chapter 1 C3- June 20: Considering Self Questions: Who are you? How does your self-concept, self-esteem, and self-awareness make you unique? How will your understanding of self contribute to your experience aboard Semester at Sea? Readings: R&R Chapter 2 June 21-24: Lisbon C4- June 25: Who am I? Presentations Using the Material from Chapter 2, put together a visual aid and explain to the class who you are. In this 2-minute presentation, you will demonstrate who you are to the class. DO NOT tell us a list of things that make you unique, or explain what you like to do. Be creative. Make sure your presentation has a beginning, middle, and end. Focus on cohesion and creativity. You will be graded on your ability to articulate who you are in a creative, clear, and concise way. This is an in-class presentation. Reading: None C5- June 26: Perceiving Others Questions: What is Perception? How does perception affect our ability to communicate, engage, and reflect? What have you perceived so far aboard the ship? Readings: R&R Chapter 3 June 27-30: Bilbao C6- July 1: Chapter Exam over chapters 1-3 C7- July 2: Experiencing and Expressing Emotions Questions: What types of emotions do we experience? How do we express them? How do we experience others emotions? How have your emotions changed or differed since arrival on Semester at Sea? 2

3 Readings: R&R Chapter 4 C8- July 3: Listening Actively Questions: What is listening? How does it differ from hearing? What is your listening style? How will listening affect your voyage aboard Semester at Sea? Readings: R&R Chapter 5 Homework: Interpersonal Communication Problem Due: This is a two part, mini project. Think of a communication conflict you ve had with another person. On a single sheet of paper, write the context of the situation, actual dialogue, and the outcome. You will exchange conflicts in class with another student so that you can complete the activity listed under C-11. July 4-7: Glasgow C9- July 8: Communicating Verbally Questions: What does it mean to communicate verbally? How does verbal communication help you build, maintain, and terminate relationships? What is at stake when we open our mouths to speak? What have you been saying these past 2.5 weeks aboard the ship? Readings: R&R Chapter 6 C10-July 9: Chapter Exam over chapter 4-6 July 10-13: Dublin C11- July 14: Interpersonal Communication in Action: Fix It In Class Activity On July 3 rd (C-8), you received another student s conflict in class. Take his/her conflict and do the following: paraphrase the situation to illustrate active listening, rewrite the dialogue to create a more effective encounter, and discuss the ways in which perception on behalf of all parties involved influenced the interaction. Please bring your response to class via electronic copy or on paper. Be prepared to share your findings with the class. C12- July 15: Communication Nonverbally Questions: What do our bodies say that our mouths cannot? How do we use our bodies, environments, and expressions to help articulate who we are? What does your cabin say about you? Readings: R&R Chapter 7 C13- July 16: Developing Interpersonal Competence Questions: Now that you know the terms, how competent are you? How do we get better at communicating in interpersonal encounters? Readings: R&R Chapter 8 July 17-20: Bergen and Oslo (Field Lab in Oslo on July 20) 3

4 C14- July 21: Field Program Debriefing: Scavenger Hunt in Oslo C15- July 23: Managing Conflict and Power Questions: What is conflict and how do we deal with it strategically and effectively? What types of conflict have you had aboard the ship? At different ports? What can we learn from our experience so conflicts are avoided and/or handled more efficiently? Readings: R&R Chapter 9 C16- July 29: Chapter Exam over chapters 7-9 July 24-28: St. Petersburg C17- July 30: Relationships with Romantic Partners Questions: What constitutes romance? How do we develop romantic relationships? How does communication affect the development and maintenance? Readings: R&R Chapter 10 C18- August 4 Relationships with Family and Friends Questions: What constitutes family? What constitutes friendship? How do we develop these types of relationships? How does communication affect the development and maintenance? What types of things have helped you maintain contact with family from this far away? What types of friends have you gained aboard Semester at Sea? Readings: R&R Chapter 11 July 31- August 3: Stockholm C19- August 5 Relationships in the Workplace Questions: How do workplace relationships differ from other relationships? What role does communication play in maintaining those boundaries? Readings: R&R Chapter 12 August 6-9: Helsinki C20- August 10 Chapter Exam over chapters C21- August 11 Preparing for an Interview Questions: How do you build interpersonal competence suitable for the workplace? What is appropriate versus inappropriate subject matter? How do you dress, speak, engage your interviewer? 4

5 August 12-15: Gdansk C22- August 16 Resumes and Cover Letters Questions: What do employers look for in resumes and cover letters? How do you sell yourself as a potential candidate? How does nonverbal and verbal communication cues affect your chance of getting a job before you even show up? C23- August 17 Interview workshop: Each student will prepare a resume and cover letter for a prospective job. You will participate in a group interview with 5 rounds of question and answer, and 1 round of questioning. Each student s responses will be graded, and a winner will be selected at the end of the process. Business attire is required. C24- August 19: Final Exams FIELD WORK Field lab attendance is mandatory for all students enrolled in this course. Please do not book individual travel plans or a Semester at Sea sponsored trip on the day of our field lab. I. Field Lab: Title Oslo Scavenger Hunt Port Oslo Date July 20 Tourist Attractions in Oslo III. Academic Objectives: 1. Be able to discern between nonverbal and verbal communication 2. Be able to distinguish between different relationship types because on nonverbal and nonverbal communication 3. Engage in self-disclosure within interpersonal settings IV. Field Lab Description: Students will venture into Oslo in teams of 4 with their first bingo style scavenger hunt list. Make sure at least one student has a smart phone or camera in the group. Students will be asked students to identify very specific things, and record an image of that thing with his/her smart phone or camera. Some of the items will be directly visible, other items students will have to ask and speak to people in order to find. Everything will be present in the spaces we visit. We will meet together for lunch at the midpoint of the scavenger hunt, and for dinner at the end to discuss the day s explorations. V. Associated Assignments: Once students complete their scavenger hunt, they will write a 3-5 page paper detailing their experiences and using concepts from the textbook and in class materials. Students will be graded on ability to discern and capture scavenger hunt items, and their ability to apply course material to their experience in their written essay. Total experience is worth 20% of the grade, or 20 points. 5

6 METHODS OF EVALUATION / GRADING RUBRIC This course will utilize the following instruments to determine student grades and proficiency of the learning outcomes for the course. 1. Presentations individual oral presentations and in class activities 2. Field Program: students will be graded on ability to obtain all facets of scavenger hunt. 3. Exams written tests designed to measure knowledge of presented course material 4. Class Participation daily attendance and participation in class discussions. Students are required to be in class both physically and intellectually. Plan accordingly. Grading Matrix Assignments Points Possible Percentage Who Am I? Presentation Field Program Chapter Exam Chapter Exam Chapter Exam Chapter Exam Fix It: Perception, Listening, & Speaking Class Participation/Attendance TOTAL POINTS Grade Determination: Grading Points Scale Possible Percentage A % B % C % D % HONOR CODE Semester at Sea students enroll in an academic program administered by the University of Virginia, and thus bind themselves to the University s honor code. The code prohibits all acts of lying, cheating, and stealing. Please consult the Voyager s Handbook for further explanation of what constitutes an honor offense. Each written assignment for this course must be pledged by the student as follows: On my honor as a student, I pledge that I have neither given nor received aid on this assignment. The pledge must be signed, or, in the case of an electronic file, signed [signed]. 6