SYLLABUS CMST 301i: Communication Across Cultures

Transcription

1 SYLLABUS CMST 301i: Communication Across Cultures Fall 2015, (Section 003) Ms. Arielle Semmel MWF 12-12:50pm; COMM 1022 Office: Comm. 2206; Hours: Wednesdays, 12:50 3:50pm Department mailbox: Comm Required Course Materials Sorrells, Kathryn (2010). Intercultural Communication: Globalization and Social Justice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications. (Two copies of the textbook are on reserve at Morris Library) Please plan on bringing you book to class each day. Course Description: This course is an introduction to communication between and among people from different cultures, and it focuses on the application of intercultural communication theory and research. Class lectures, discussion, assignments and exercises will examine everyday encounters (actual and mediated) with individuals from different races, ethnicities, nations, religions, gender, ages, sexual orientations and physical abilities. In our increasingly diverse and globalizing world, it is important to realize that human communication and culture are intricately linked. This course is designed to help us develop a better understanding of intercultural communication between and among people from different cultures. It balances theory with application. Along with lectures, film screenings and discussion, we will engage in class activities designed to increase intercultural sensitivity/competence. The different communication behaviors of people from different cultural backgrounds will be explored in order to better understand what occurs when different cultures come into contact with each other, and the communication processes that people go through when entering new cultures. Course Goals To provide students with theories and concepts of intercultural communication within the framework of social justice To promote students' understanding of their own cultural heritage To broaden students views on what diversity means in a globalizing world To increase students' understanding of the relationship between communication and culture and its impacts on interpersonal communication and relationships among culturally diverse individuals To promote students' understanding of the role of cultural patterns that affect or relate to individuals' verbal and nonverbal behaviors

2 To enable students to identify obstacles that may hinder the development of intercultural communication understanding and competence To develop students' practical skills for effective and ethical intercultural communication Assignments and Late Work Policy You must submit assignments at the beginning of class on the due date in order to be counted as on time. I consider materials that you submit after class on their due date as late. Assignments may submitted up to a week after the due date; late assignments will receive a 5% grade deduction per calendar day (even if turned in late because you were late for class). Most written work should be typed double-space (see "Writing Style" below). Unless specifically announced for a particular project, all assignments should be submitted via the appropriate dropbox on D2L. Only serious illness or a personal emergency is an excuse for missing an assignment. If you foresee a legitimate conflict with the assigned date (this does not include lack of preparation), consult with me in advance of the date in order to request a change, which I may grant at my own discretion. Graded Assignments (Most assignments will have an assignment sheet that I will hand out in class or post on Desire2Learn. What s listed below is simply a short description.) This course is made up of 1000 pts. Midterm Examination 200 pts. 20% Final Examination 200 pts. 20% Five Quizzes (20 points each) 200 pts. 20% Two Short papers (100 and 150 points) 250 pts. 25% Final Presentation 50 pts. 5% Attendance & Participation 100 pts. 10% Examinations The two examinations will consist of objective questions and short essay answers. Quizzes Quizzes will cover specific chapters from the textbook. Note: There are five quizzes but only 4 are listed on your course calendar. This means that one quiz will be unannounced, so be sure to stay on top of the readings. Two Short Papers Each student will write two short papers, the first one 5 pages long, and the second one 8 pages long. Details about these papers will be provided at a later date. Final Presentation This presentation will be 10 minutes long. You will be presenting the research that you will do for the second paper to the entire class.

3 Attendance and Participation Participation is essential. Throughout the semester, we will be engaging in activities during class time. If you are present for and engaged in the activity, you will receive credit for participation. If you are not, you will miss those points. You cannot make up in-class activities if you are absent. Most activities will not be announced in advance. However, in some cases, these activities will require some out-of-class preparation (such as reading articles and preparing questions before coming to class). In those instances, more details will be provided before each activity. I will take attendance regularly. Class activities will carry points for participation, and if you miss one... you miss it. The same goes for quizzes. You are allowed up to three absences. The first day of class does not count. Beyond that, there will be a 10 point deduction per absence from your total available attendance points. If you miss more than 30% of classes, you could fail this course. The decision for a make-up assignment will be made on a case-by-case basis, and I will need to see convincing documentation for your absence. Class participation is very important. Shared learning and involvement can help build a great learning atmosphere in the classroom. I evaluate class participation mostly according to the following criteria: attendance, active presence, involvement in class discussions, respectful communication with instructor and other members of this class, and coming to class prepared (i.e., reading assigned materials). Final Course Grades Each assignment will be awarded a point total. Your final course grade will result from adding together all of the point totals. I will post grades online as soon as I have each assignment graded. You are responsible for keeping up with your grade, and talking with me throughout the semesters if there are any questions or discrepancies. Quality of Work & Grade Expectations (as determined by class) A ( ) B ( ) C ( ) D ( ) F (599 & less) Show up ever day Be on time every day Do readings for class Complete homework all of it on time No late assignments Study Participate: listening, answering, responding No phones No cheating or plagiarism Show up most days On time most days Mostly pay attention Mostly like an A but not quite Average Late often Doing work, but just at the minimum No proofreading Printing, reading, etc. just before class, Un organized Not participating On phone Satisfied with just getting by Not following directions Coming to class drunk Poor attendance Sleeping in class Using phone ALWAYS Forgot to drop class Procrastinating Doesn t know instructor s name on the final day Office hours? Doesn t go Cheats poorly Not engaged Asking for help from instructor & other students Late work, especially the big assignments No book at all Don t do anything

4 Take notes Communicate with instructor Try best Engage Plagiarize Writing Style I will ask that you follow these standards for written work: 1. Type all assignments (unless otherwise noted). You should use Times New Roman 12-point font with 1 margins. All typed work should be double-spaced. If you are unsure how to do this on your computer, please see me. 2. Turn in your assignments on time. There are no certain exceptions to this. 3. Write and rewrite your work; proofread by reading your work aloud to yourself and/or a friend and make necessary corrections. Making a few corrections written on the final copy is acceptable, and preferable to turning in an un-proofed paper. If you know this is your weak point, PLEASE seek help with your writing. Make use of The Writing Center if you need help: 4. Use APA style for your writing assignments and for citing sources both in written form and in oral form. 5. Avoid plagiarism, over-reliance on quotation from the readings, and unattributed quotation from the texts. Comportment In accordance with University policy and the capacity to treat one another with decency, students in classrooms are expected to comport themselves as professionals engaged in serious intellectual pursuit while remaining respectful of differing perspectives. A college classroom is a professional learning environment in which mutual respect among and between students and the instructor is expected. Demonstrations of mutual respect include, but are not limited to: avoiding interrupting or cutting off others while they are speaking; being open-minded; lending value to someone else s opinion; agreeing to disagree at times; and avoiding blaming, attacking, or hating others for what they may think or know at a given time (and remembering we are all learning). The use of cell phones, tablets, laptops and other technology during presentations and class discussions/activities for reasons not related to class, except in the case of an emergency, demonstrates disrespect to the instructor and fellow classmates and may impact your participation grade. (If you are in the midst of an emergency that requires you to be on call, inform the instructor at the beginning of class and step out of the classroom when using your device.) In this classroom, we will be exploring a critical approach to communication theory, which means discussions concerning the issues of race, class, gender, nation, citizenship, religion, age, etc. is encouraged and expected. Please come to class with an open mind and expect your/our communicative conventions to be challenged. The instructor reserves the right to ask any student who is not comporting themselves in a professional manner and/or disrupting the learning of other students to leave the class. Student Responsibilities Unless otherwise noted, most assignments will need to be submitted through the appropriate dropbox on D2L.

5 Once again, regular attendance is very important. Being absent will hurt your final grade and I will not be responsible for what you miss if you don t attend. If you miss class, you will be responsible for obtaining lecture notes or handouts from classmates. I will not repeat materials already explained. Please DO NOT be late to class. Every two lates will equal an absence. In addition, if you are more than 5 minutes late, you will not receive attendance credit for that day. You are expected to read, in advance, the chapters and/or reading materials assigned for each class meeting. Class participation is expected. Not acceptable - using cell phones, text messaging, checking s, and studying for different classes during this class. Using your cell phone during class for texting will lead to cancellation of attendance for that day. Keep an electronic or hard copy back-up of all your assignments. I strongly recommend taking advantage of your free OneDrive account (through your SIU ) or another cloud storage service (Dropbox, Google Docs, etc.) Incompletes will only be granted under the direst of circumstances, given reasonable justification. Departmental policy mandates that you complete at least 70% of course work with a passing grade to qualify for an incomplete. If you would like to discuss your grade with me, you must develop a sound reasoning as to why you feel you should have earned a higher grade, and submit this to me in writing (not e- mail). Please remember that a re-grading might lead to a higher or lower grade than before. If you have any specific needs please see me. I will do my best to help and accommodate you. Academic Integrity Materials that are clearly not your own work or which are not appropriately documented are considered academic dishonesty, and will be subjected to close scrutiny. All acts of academic dishonesty (Section II.A.), including cheating and plagiarism, will be treated as violations of appropriate student conduct and will be subjected to disciplinary action (Section IV. and Section VI.), as allowed for in the Student Code of Conduct: The best way to be sure you are citing correctly in the text of your paper, in the reference page, and verbally (for the group presentation) is to purchase and reference an APA style manual (6 th edition) or an MLA style manual (7 th ed.). However, you can also consult, for an abbreviated list of resources, the Purdue University Online Writing Lab: Please note that you should not rely on the OWL website for everything you may have to cite. This is simply a starting point. Accommodation/Accessibility If you think you need an accommodation for a disability, please let me know at your earliest convenience. Some aspects of this course, the assignments, the in-class activities, and the way the course is usually taught may be modified to facilitate your participation and progress. As soon as you make me aware of your needs, we can work with Disability Support Services to help us determine appropriate academic accommodations. Disability Support Services ( ; typically recommends accommodations through a small card they

6 prepare for the student and the student gives to their faculty. Any information you provide is private and confidential and will be treated as such. To best serve the student population, DSS requests that students contact the office at the beginning of the semester or at their earliest convenience. The Achieve Program also offers support (for a fee) to students with learning disabilities and can be reached at (618) or achieve@siu.edu. Emergency Procedures University s Emergency Procedure Clause: Southern Illinois University Carbondale is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for study and work. Because some health and safety circumstances are beyond our control, we ask that you become familiar with the SIUC Emergency Response Plan and Building Emergency Response Team (BERT) program. Emergency response information is available on posters in buildings on campus, available on BERT s website at Department of Safety s website (disaster drop down), and in the Emergency Response Guideline pamphlet. Know how to respond to each type of emergency. Instructors will provide guidance and direction to students in the classroom in the event of an emergency affecting your location. It is important that you follow these instructions and stay with your instructor during an evacuation or sheltering emergency. The Building Emergency Response Team will provide assistance to your instructor in evacuating the building or sheltering within the facility. GRADE MONITORING FORM - CMST 301i (Section 4) Bardhan/Fall 2015 Points Earned (Available) Class Activities/Quizzes (200) Two Short Papers + (250) Midterm and Final + (400) Presentation (50) Attendance (100) TOTAL (500)

7 University s Emergency Procedure Clause Southern Illinois University Carbondale is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for study and work. Because some health and safety circumstances are beyond our control, we ask that you become familiar with the SIUC Emergency Response Plan and Building Emergency Response Team (BERT) program. Emergency response information is available on posters in buildings on campus, available on BERT s website at Department of Public Safety s website (disaster drop down) and in the Emergency Response Guideline pamphlet. Know how to respond to each type of emergency. Instructors will provide guidance and direction to students in the classroom in the event of an emergency affecting your location. It is important that you follow these instructions and stay with your instructor during an evacuation or sheltering emergency. The Building Emergency Response Team will provide assistance to your instructor in evacuating the building or sheltering within the facility. Students With a Disability: Instructors and students in the class will work together as a team to assist students with a disability safely out of the building. Students with a disability will stay with the instructor and communicate with the instructor what is the safest way to assist them. Tornado: During the spring semester we have a Storm Drill. Pick up your belongings and your instructor will lead you to a safe area of the basement. No one will be allowed to stay upstairs. Stay away from windows. The drill should not last more than 10 minutes. You must stay with your instructor so he/she can take roll. Students need to be quiet in the basement as the BERT members are listening to emergency instructions on handheld radios and cannot hear well in the basement. Fire: During the fall semester we have a Fire Drill. Pick up your belongings and your instructor will lead you to either the North or South parking lot depending on what part of the building your class is in. You must stay with your instructor so he/she can take roll. As soon as the building is all clear, you will be allowed to return to class. These drills are to train instructors and the Building Emergency Response Team to get everyone to a safe place during an emergency. Bomb Threat: If someone calls in a bomb threat, class will be suspended and students will be asked to pick up their belongings, evacuate the building and leave the premises. Do not leave anything that is yours behind. We will not allow anyone back into the building until the police and bomb squad give us an all clear. DO NOT USE YOUR CELL PHONES. Some bombs are triggered by a cell phone signal. Shooter in the Building: If it is safe to leave, move to a safe area far from the building away from where the shooter is located. If anyone has any information about the shooter, please contact the police after they have gone someplace safe. If it is not safe to leave, go into a room, lock the door and turn out the lights. Everyone should spread out and not huddle together as a group. Don't stand in front of the door or in line of fire with the door. Students' chair and desks

8 should be piled in front of the glass and door as a barricade and the teacher's desk, podium and anything movable can be pushed against the door. This is intended to slow down any attempts to enter the classroom. If it looks like the shooter is persistent and able to enter, make a lot of noise and have the students use everything in their backpacks to throw at the shooter to distract him. Silence all cell phones after one person in the room calls the police and informs them of their location and how many people are in the room. Be quiet and wait for the police to arrive. The police are looking for one or more shooters, and they have no way of knowing if the shooter is in the room people are hiding in. For this reason, when the police enter the room, no one should have anything in his/her hands and each person MUST raise his/her hands above his/her head. Earthquake: In the event of an earthquake, you are advised to take cover quickly under heavy furniture or crouch near an interior wall or corner and cover your head to avoid falling debris. Outside the building are trees and power lines and debris from the building itself that you will need to stay away from. In the building, large open areas like auditoriums are the most dangerous. Do not try to escape on a stairway or elevator. Do not hide under a stairway. We do not recommend that you stand in a doorway because the door could shut from the vibrations and crush your fingers trapping you there. Rave Mobile Safety Alert System: We recommend that you sign up for the Rave Mobile Safety Alert System. It is a new system that replaces the WENS system to alert you through emergency text messages on your cell phone and s for emergencies on campus, weather reports and emergency school closures. You have to sign up. If you were signed up for WENS it does not roll over. You have to sign up for Rave Mobile Safety Alert System. Go to Saluki Net, go to my records tab, under SIUC Personal Records, click on View My SIUC Student Records, Under Main Menu click on Personal Information, click on View and Update Addresses and Phones, in the middle of the page click [Update Addresses and Phones], under phones click Primary: This will take you to Update Addresses and Phones Update/Insert, under primary phone number for this address put in your cell phone and submit. For more information, visit dps.siu.edu, contact SalukiTech at or salukitech@siu.edu. CPR/Defibrillator and First Aid Class: If you would like to take a CPR/Defibrillator and/or First Aid class, contact LaVon Donley-Cornett, lavong@siu.edu or call Women's Self Defense Classes are offered to female students faculty and staff by the Department of SIU Public Safety. For more information contact Officer Mary Stark marys@dps.siu.edu.