Syllabus comm 3190 01.spring 2012
- 1. CCOMM 3190.01 Intercultural Communication Spring 2012 INSTRUCTOR: Bridget Sheffer, M.A. CRN: 24213 EMAIL ADDRESS: sheffer@dixie.edu TIME: 10:30 to 11:45 sheffer@dixie.edu PHONE: 435-879-4279 CLASS: HAZY 203 TEXT: 435-610-1049 OFFICE HOURS: by appointment FINAL EXAM: Thursday, May 3 @ 9:30 am TEXT Intercultural Communication in Contexts, 5ed. Judith N. Martin, Ph.D. and Thomas K. Nakayama, Ph.D. INSTITUTIONAL INFORMATION Academic Integrity: Scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent. You are expected to have read and understood the current issue of the student handbook (published by Student Services) regarding student responsibilities and rights, and the intellectual property policy, for information about procedures and about what constitutes acceptable on-campus behavior. A.D.A.: “If you are a student with a medical, psychological, or learning disability or think you might have a disability and would like accommodations, contact the Disability Resource Center (652-7516) in the Student Services Center. The Disability Resource Center will determine eligibility of the student requesting special services and determine the appropriate accommodations related to their disability.” DMAIL : Important class and college information will be sent to your Dmail account. This information includes your DSC bill, financial aid/scholarship notices, notification of dropped classes, reminders of important dates and events, and other information critical to your success in this class and at DSC. All DSC students are automatically assigned a Dmail account. If you don’t know your user name and password, go to www.dixie.edu and select “Dmail,” for complete instructions. You will be held responsible for information sent to your Dmail email, so please check it often. GENERAL COURSE DESCRIPTION This three-credit course is a core requirement for the Communication Baccalaureate degree. Course emphases include developing intercultural communication skills by defining and applying the following subjects: culture, the history of intercultural communication, value patterns understanding identities, culture shock, communication styles and patterns, conflict, popular culture, global identity and ethics. Course Objectives: 1. Demonstrate an understanding of fundamental intercultural theories and concepts. 2. Demonstrate confidence and competence in personal cross-cultural interactions. 3. Explain types of cultural behaviors, values, and perspectives 4. Demonstrate cross-cultural skills and knowledge through experiential learning. 5. Demonstrate sensitivity and respect towards cultural diversity. 6. Explore intercultural conflict and conflict resolution
- 2. EVALUATIONS & COURSE REQUIREMENTS Individual Presentations and Response Papers There will be 2 presentations with response papers. Chapter Presentations You, your dyad or your group will choose one chapter to teach to the class and provide 5 test questions to the professor for the test. Exams There will be 4 exams. Final The final will be a group project incorporating a research paper and a group presentation of the culture of your choice. Participation, Attendance & In-class Assignments Attendance is critical; and participation makes class more fun for all of us. In-class assignments are occasional random exercises with points. Evaluation criteria summary: Assignment Point Value Due Date Presentation 1: My Culture w/ paper 50 Presentation 2: The Film w/paper 50 Chapter Presentation 100 Exam 1 100 Exam 2 100 Exam 3 100 Exam 4 100 Final Project 300 Participation, Attendance & In-class Assignments 300 TOTAL SCORES 1200 Percentage/Grade Breakdown 94-100% = A 84-86% = B 74-76% = C 64-66% = D 90-93% = A- 80-83% = B- 70-73% = C- 60-63% = D- 87-89% = B+ 77-79% = C+ 67-69% = D+ Below 59 = F
- 3. ASSIGNMENT DETAILS: Individual Presentations and Response Papers There will be 2 presentations with response papers. For these assignments, you will be researching a topic, writing a response paper to what you learn and then presenting what you have learned to the entire class. The topics are listed below. The response paper needs to be at least 2 full, well-organized, and well-written pages. The presentation will be 5-7 minutes. THE TOPICS: 1. Introduce yourself through your culture. Bring a cultural artifact that represents your culture. 2. Watch a foreign film or documentary about a culture different than your own. a. How does the (“dramatized”) culture in the film differ from your own? b. What would be some points of “culture shock” for you? And/or points of conflict? c. What did you learn from the culture which would enhance your self-awareness? Chapter Presentations During the first week of classes, you will choose a partner or a group. You and the other(s) will choose and present a chapter from the text. Your group will also write 5 multiple-choice test questions from your presentation which will be included in the test. The purpose of this presentation is to provide deeper engagement in the course material. Your presentation will need to be 30 minutes long. Exams There will be 4 tests administered at the testing center. Each test will be worth 100 points. Final The final will be a group project incorporating a research paper and a group presentation of the culture of your choice. For this project, you will be writing a 10 page research paper and doing a 30 minute presentation. The paper and presentation need to answer the following questions: 1. What are the essential Cultural Value Patterns? 2. What are the keys to understanding this culture’s identity? 3. What are the major verbal styles? 4. What are the major nonverbal styles? 5. Is there evidence in this culture of intercultural conflict? Where and why? 6. What is this culture’s connection to globalism? 7. Are there other interesting, little-known details of this culture that would help us communicated better with them? Participation and Attendance Attendance is critical; and participation makes class more fun for all of us. Two-thirds of the information for this course will be coming from sources other than the text. This information will be included in the tests. If you choose not to come to class, your grade will inevitable suffer Reading This course requires completing regular reading, writing and research exercises both in class and out of class.
- 4. Writing Standards 1. Review and follow the guidelines regarding plagiarism. 2. Submit all formal writing word-processed, double-spaced, in 12-point type. 3. Conform to the APA standard academic citation style 4. Use standard word-processing fonts (Times Numeral Roman, Georgia or Century) Late or Make-up Work No late work accepted. For extenuating circumstances, please see me. TECHNOLOGY Cell Phones = silenced, texting . . . Laptops = no distractions, or you’ll be asked to shut them down COURSE CALENDAR Date Topic Reading Assignment Due 1.10 Welcome and Syllabus 1.12 Defining Culture Presentation #1; 1.17 My Culture Presentations Paper due 1.19 My Culture Presentations Presentation #1 1.24 My Culture Presentations Presentation #1 Ch. 1 1.26 Why Study Intercultural Comm.? Culture, Communication, Context & Ch. 3 1.31 Power Ch. 4 2.2 History & Intercultural Comm. 2.7 Exam 1 Understanding Identities Ch. 5 2.9 2.14 Culture Shock Ch. 6 2.16 Culture and Language Ch. 7 2.21 Nonverbal Codes & Cultural Space 2.23 Exam 2 Presentation #2; 2.28 Film Presentations Paper due 3.1 Film Presentations Presentation #2
- 5. 3.6 Film Presentations Presentation #2 3.8 Current Original Research 3.12-16 Spring Break Ch. 8 3.20 Understanding Transitions 3.22 Exam 3 Ch. 9 3.27 Pop Culture 3.29 Pop Culture, day 2 Ch. 10 4.3 Culture and Relationships Ch. 11 4.5 Culture and Conflict 4.10 Ethics 4.12 Global Identity 4.17 Exam 4 4.19 No Class-Research Day Final Group Presentations, 4.24 Final Presentations Paper Due 4.26 Final Presentations Final Group Presentations Final Group Presentations FINAL Thursday, May 3 @ 9:30 am Extra Credit Report Due Extra Credit For extra credit you may engage in a service project. Upon the conclusion of the service given, you are to write a one page, double-spaced report. For example—as a class—two opportunities were used: we donated to the Samoan relief fund; and we donated to the local cancer treatment center. The report will be due on the day of the final. The project will be worth 50 points. CANVAS: I will be using Canvas consistently! Log in today to make sure you have access and post to the board.