Course Description:
One of the most valuable skills you will develop in college is the ability to communicate effectively. Such skills will be prized by all your college teachers and by your eventual employers. Communicating effectively involves four related activities: speaking, listening, writing, and reading. You will also need to be able to retrieve information through electronic and print sources and to use the computer to prepare documents and to analyze information. When you complete this course, you should feel more confident of your abilities in all these areas. Specifically, you should be able to:
1. Use word processing software for preparation of papers and outlines
2. Use electronic and print resources for research
3. Communicate information concisely, directly, and clearly
4. Demonstrate proper interviewing skills
5. Use effective verbal and nonverbal cues in oral communication
6. Listen for specific purposes
7. Read and analyze sophisticated texts of various kinds
8. Develop a clear and interesting thesis, collect supporting materials, organize ideas effectively, and use vivid, appropriate language
9. Adapt a message for a specific audience, occasion, and purpose
10. Use appropriate methods of rhetorical invention
11. Make appropriate inferences
12. Select and evaluate sources carefully
13. Practice both global revision and surface editing for clarity and correctness
14. Employ successful strategies for solving complex, real-world questions
15. Make connections between Communication Arts and other courses
Text and Materials:
Hacker, A Writer·s Reference (4th ed.) 2 HD diskettes (3.5in)
Axelrod & Cooper, Reading Critically, Writing Well (5th ed.) 4×6 notecards
A Student·s Guide to Communication Arts (with CD)
Grading Distribution:
Autobiography 10% Autobiography Speech 10%
Concept Essay 15% Panel Presentation (observations) 15%
Observation Essay 15% Other speeches 5%
Reflection Essay 15% Reflection Speech 15%
Quizzes & Activities 5%
Grading Scale:
A = 93-100 B- = 80-82 D+ = 67-69
A- = 90-92 C+ = 77-79 D = 63-66
B+ = 87-89 C = 73-76 D- = 60-62
B = 83-86 C- = 70-72 F = below 60
Guidelines for Assignment Submission:
All assignments are due at the beginning of the class period on the day specified on the syllabus. Late assignments, if accepted, will be lowered a letter grade for each day late. Students will not be given extra credit assignments or allowed to make up work that they have missed due to absence. Final papers must be submitted with all preliminary materials (including drafts, peer reviews, and self evaluations). All submissions must be original with sources clearly and correctly documented. Work previously submitted for other courses is not acceptable. Any student who represents the work of another as his or her own is guilty of plagiarism and will be subject to the penalties outlined in the Student Handbook, including expulsion from the course and the university.
Absences
Since a workshop depends on your active participation, you should attend every class meeting. Students who miss more than four classes in a TT section or six classes in a MWF section will receive an FA for the course. Students who must be absent due to university business should notify the teacher early in the course. Arriving late or leaving early from a class is disruptive; three tardies/early exits will be considered the equivalent of an absence. Students who come to class unprepared may be dismissed by the teacher and such dismissal will be counted as an absence.
Inclusive Language
Language—how it is used and what it implies—plays a crucial role in Samford University’s mission to “nurture persons.” Because verbal constructions create realities, inclusive language can uphold or affirm those whom we seek to nurture, while exclusive language can damage or defeat them. We therefore actively seek a discourse in our university community that supports the equal dignity and participation of men and women; we seek to avoid verbal constructions that diminish the equal dignity of all persons. It is an affirmative—and affirming—part of our mission to educate students, staff and faculty in the creation of a community of equality and respect through language.
Off-Campus Activities
Some of your activities will require traveling to locations that are not on the Samford campus and interaction with people who are not associated with Samford University. You should exercise caution and care when driving and walking to locations outside the Samford campus. If you drive, you must have insurance. When you walk to activities, you should be in the company of at least one other student. Ultimately, you are responsible for your safety when participating in off-campus activities. Do no take unreasonable risks. Consult your instructor if you are concerned with safety issues.
Communication Resource Center
The Communication Resource Center is located in the University Center Annex 308. The Center is a free service that provides help with all phases of speaking and writing. Several of your assignments will require you to visit the CRC. Drop in during the posted hours or call ext. 2137 to make an appointment.
Communication Arts 101
Service Learning Curriculum
Background
Required core course
Approximately 450 entering freshmen
About 25 sections; 14 different instructors
Pilot courses in taught in 1997 by Borden, Shipley, and Chapman
Faculty have spent extensive time in preparation:
Start-Up Workshop in May (7 days)
Follow-Up Workshop in June (1 day)
Wrap-Up Workshop in August (2 days)
All faculty received training on PBL and Service Learning
Ellen Sims from Belmont Univ. served as consultant on Service Learning
Each section has been paired with a community partner
Faculty made arrangements independently
All students will volunteer hours at the agency & use this experience in their writing and speaking assignments
All faculty will provide orientation to PBL methods for their students
Special consideration given to issues such as liability, public relations, diversity training, student·s code of conduct, website development, and the “call of stories”
All faculty received orientation to WebCT
Assessment plan to include effect of service learning & PBL on students, faculty, and community partners
Goals of the Program
1. Use PBL to further student communication skills
2. Provide an orientation for students to PBL approaches
3. Encourage students to begin a lifetime of service
4. Provide experiences with people of different backgrounds, ages, etc.
5. Understand the social conditions that contribute to individual problems
6. Understand the role that communication plays in identifying and solving social problems
7. Make a positive contribution to the Birmingham community
8. Promote lasting university-community partnerships
Service Learning at M-Power Ministry
Our class will be helping M-Power Ministries in the Woodlawn community. M-Power seeks to encourage mental and physical health, spiritual growth, educational advancement, community involvement, economic development and positive social interaction. Although M-Power has many volunteer needs, we will be working primarily with the after school tutoring program.
Service Learning Requirement
Each student will be required to work in the after school program at least twice during the semester. I will be going to the Center at least once each week, and you are welcome to ride with me. A sign up sheet with dates for you to sign up will be circulated to the class. If you cannot be involved in the after school program, I will provide some weekend or evening alternatives.
Observation Assignment
The service learning experience will be the basis for your observation paper and speech. You will not only be reporting on your experience, but also situating the local conditions you observe in a framework of large social issues and national concerns.
Convocation Credit for Service
If you wish to go beyond the required two hours of service, you may receive extra credit for community service. You will be required to attend an orientation sponsored by the Office of Community Service and to complete all forms and requirements of that program. For details, contact Jennifer Dunn at ext. 2345. You cannot receive credit for the hours of service that are part of the course requirement.
Guidelines for Your Interaction with the Program Participants
1. Approach your service with a positive attitude. You will gain as much from the experience as the people you are serving.
2. Act responsibly. Show up on time. Listen carefully to instructions. Show initiative in getting the job done.
3. Show kindness in your thoughts, words, and actions. Specifically, you will refrain from:
ÿ Physical abuse – strike, spank, shake, slap
ÿ Verbal abuse – humiliate, degrade, threaten
ÿ Sexual abuse – inappropriate touch or verbal exchange
ÿ Mental abuse – shaming, withholding of love, cruelty
ÿ Neglect – withholding food, water, basic care
4. If you find yourself in a situation where you feel out of control, seek help from a supervisor.
5. Reflect on your experience. Why did the program participants behave as they did? Why did you react as you did?
