- Your name
- Your major
- Tell us a little about yourself
- Rate yourself on a scale of 1-10 on how effective you are as a communicator, 1 being ineffective and 10 being effective.
- brain storm ways you can improve on your areas of weakness as a communicator
Monday, 12 September 2011
Assignment #1 for Blog
As your first blog post, you are required to introduce yourself. Please state the following:
Note of Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Communication Perspectives
Chapter Outline
I. Communication is the process of creating or sharing meaning in informal conversation, group interaction, or public speaking.
A. Participants: individuals who take turns assuming the roles of senders and receivers during an interaction
1. Sender: where the message originates
2. Receiver: where the message is received
B. Messages: verbal utterances and nonverbal behaviors to which meaning is attributed during communication.
1. Meanings: thoughts in our minds and interpretations of other’s messages.
2. Symbols: words, sounds, and actions that are generally understood to represent meaning.
3. Encoding: the process of putting our thoughts and feelings into words and nonverbal cues.
4. Decoding: process of interpreting another’s message.
5. Form or organization: how the message is arranged.
C. Contexts: settings in which communication occurs
1. Physical context: location, environmental conditions, distance, seating arrangements, and time of day.
2. Social context: the type of relationship that may already exist between the participants
3. Historical context: background provided by previous communication episodes
4. Psychological context: mood and feelings of each person
5. Cultural context: beliefs, values, attitudes, orientations and underlying assumptions prevalent among people in a society.
D. Channels: the route used to transmit messages and the means of transporting that message.
1. Face-to-face communication has verbal symbols and nonverbal cues
2. Online communication has verbal symbols and some nonverbal cues (it is missing movement, touch, and gestures)
3. Other sensory channels
E. Noise: any stimulus that interferes with shared meaning, whether physical or psychological.
1. Physical noise: includes the sights, sounds, and other stimuli in the environment that draw people’s attention away from intended meaning.
2. Psychological noise: internal distractions based on thoughts, feelings, or emotional reaction to symbols.
a. Internal noise: thoughts and feelings that compete for attention and interfere with the communication process.
b. Semantic noise: distractions aroused by certain symbols that take our attention away from the main message.
F. Feedback: a receiver’s reactions and response to a message.
G. Model of the communication process: illustrates the communication process between two people
1. Sender encodes messages based on their previous experience
2. Receiver decodes the speaker’s message from within the context of their previous experience
3. Feedback provides information on how well the receiver understood the message.
4. Context permeates process
5. Noise may occur at various points, affecting the participant’s ability to arrive at similar meanings.
6. The process becomes more complex when you include more than two people
II. Functions of communication
A. We communicate to meet social needs
B. We communicate to enhance and maintain our sense of self
C. We communicate to develop relationships
D. We communicate to exchange information
E. We communicate to influence others
III. Communication settings
A. Interpersonal: informal conversations between a small number of people who have relationships with each other.
B. Problem-solving group: participants come together for the specific purpose of solving a problem
C. Public speaking: one or more participants deliver a prepared message to a group
D. Electronically-mediated communication: participants do not share a physical context but communicate through the use of technology.
1. E-mail: electronic correspondence over a network, not in real time.
2. Instant messaging (IM): text interactions over a network in real time when they are online.
3. Text messaging: short, written text messages between mobile phones and other hand-held devices, exchanged in real-time or stored for later retrieval.
4. Listservs: electronic mailing lists through e-mail.
5. Chat rooms: web-based forums for multiple users who exchange messages in real time.
6. Weblogs or blogs: online journals housed on a website.
7. Online games: web-based sites for group real-time play.
IV. Communication principles
A. Communication has purpose
B. Communication is continuous
C. Communication messages vary in conscious thought
1. Spontaneous expression: spoken without much conscious thought
2. Scripted: phrasings we have learned from past encounters
3. Constructed messages: those messages we put together with careful thought when our known scripts are inadequate for the situation
D. Communication is relational
1. Immediacy: the degree of liking or attractiveness in a relationship
2. Control: the degree to which one person is perceived as more dominant or powerful.
E. Communication is guided by culture
1. Culture: systems of shared beliefs, values, symbols and behaviors shared by a relatively large group of people.
2. Culture has a strong affect on perception, verbal processes, and nonverbal processes.
F. Communication has ethical implications
1. Ethics is a set of moral principles and standards
2. Truthfulness and honesty: refraining from lying, cheating, stealing or deception.
3. Integrity: maintaining consistency of belief and action (keeping promises).
4. Fairness: achieving a balance between interests without showing favor to any side.
5. Respect: showing regard for others and their ideas
6. Responsibility: being accountable for one’s thoughts and actions
G. Communication is learned
V. Increasing our communication competence
A. Must be effective and appropriate
B. Depends on motivation, knowledge, and skills
C. Credibility and social ease are also important to communication competence.
VI. Developing communication skill improvement goals
A. State the problem
B. State the specific goal
C. Outline a specific procedure for reaching the goal
D. Devise a method of determining when the goal has been reached
Course Outline!!
ANDREWS UNIVERSITY AFFILIATED AND EXTENSION PROGRAMS
UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN
1st SEMESTER 2011/2012 SCHOOL YEAR
COURSE # & TITLE: COMM 104: COMMUNICATION SKILLS
INSTRUCTOR: Roanna Mangah CREDITS: 3
OFFICE PHONE #: 662-2241 x 2515
COURSE DESCRIPTION
‚ COMM104: Communication Skills is the study of the human communication process: with oneself, with another person, within a small group, with other cultures, and within public speaking.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
< To produce students who are competent in using the skills of speaking, writing and reading to convey messages adequately
< To produce students who are able to construct and deliver public speeches
< To produce students who are prepared to function confidently in small-group discussion and problem-solving situations.
EXPECTED OUTCOME:
‘ All students will be expected, having met the objectives and having successfully completed all course requirements, as described on this outline, will obtain a passing grade. Students are responsible for their own learning. My role is simply to facilitate your learning experience through the use of lectures, in-class discussions, handouts, group and individual presentations.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
T Do all quizzes
T Keep a communication journal
T Attend class regularly
T Prepare and submit all assignments
T Participate in all group projects/presentations
T Prepare a 5 minute speech [topic must be approved by lecturer]
T Prepare a two page essay on chosen topic [topic given by lecturer]
T Prepare and participate in a group project [topic given by lecturer]
TEXT
Verderber, Rudolph and Kathleen Verderber. Communicate!. 12th ed. USA: Thomson Wadsworth,
2008
RECOMMENDED READING
Denny, Richard. Communication to Win. London: Kogan Page Limited, 2001.
Barker, Larry L. and Deborah A Gaut. Communication. 7th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1996.
DeVito, Joseph A. Human Communication: The Basic Course. 8th ed. New York: Addison Wesly, 2000
Forsyth, Donelson R. Group Dynamics. 3rd ed. Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1998.
LATE ASSIGNMENTS
‚ All assignments are expected at class time on the day they are due. Prompt and neat work done by students is a reflection of their seriousness as students and writers. However, each late assignment brought in a school day after it is due, a letter grade will be deducted. Assignments handed in 48 hours after it is due will not be accepted. All assignments must be delivered in person.
PLAGIARISM
! This is unacceptable by the standards of University of the Southern Caribbean and is illegal by law. Students who violate this instruction WILL automatically fail this course.
ATTENDANCE
i Class attendance is obligatory, it is required for a passing grade. Please note that Attendance Regulation will be in effect. If a student is absent for a total of nine (9) class sessions the grade F may be recorded. Please keep in mind that three (3) tardies equals to one (1) absence. Any inconsistency in attendance may result in the lowering of a student’s final course grade. Students are responsible for finding out and completing all class requirements, assignments given during their absence (See USC Bulletin p. 36 for attendance policy). This also means that you are to be on time for class. Students entering class fifteen (15) minutes after class has begun will be considered late.
DRESS CODE
) Students are required to comply with the University’s “Dress Code” as outlined in the Students Handbook and signed contracts at registration.
GRADE COMPUTATION
Quizzes 10%
Essay 10%
Attendance 5%
Journal 10%
Group Participation 10%
Informative Speech Pres. 20%
Group Presentation 35%
100%
GRADING SCALE
A (94-100) B+ (87-89) C+ (77-79) D (60-64)
A- (90-93) B (83-86) C (70-76) F (0-59)
B- (80-82) C- (65-69)
B- (80-82) C- (65-69)
COURSE SCHEDULE
MODULE 1:
T Foundation of Communication
T Perception of Self and Others
T Communicating Verbally
T Communication Nonverbally
MODULE 2:
T Developing a topic for Public speaking
T Organizing a Speech
T Adapting Verbally and Visually
T Overcoming Speech Apprehension
MODULE 3:
T Communicating across Cultures
T Communicating in Relationships
T Listening and Responding
T Developing Intimacy in Relationships
T Interviewing
MODULE 4:
T Participating in Group Communication
T Member roles in Groups
T Leadership roles in Groups
THINGS TO TAKE NOTE OF:
‚ You are required to source course information from supplementary reading texts available in the university library. You are also advised to read additional course material prior to class sessions in order to contribute to class discussions.
‚ Handouts will be given periodically
‚ You are advised to be punctual for all class sessions. If you arrive late and class is in session, please do not enter class while someone is speaking.
‚ Students arriving fifteen (15) minutes after classes have begun will be considered late.
ASSIGNMENTS AND THEIR SPECIFICS
< INFORMATIVE SPEECH: You will be required to give an informative speech approximately 5 minutes in length on a topic chosen. This speech will be presented in front of the class. Students are advised that they are not allowed to read their presentation; however, note cards are acceptable.
< ESSAY: A two-paged essay is to be done on a topic chosen by the student. Essay must be typed, double spaced, proceeded by the Standard USC cover page, and include a Reference page. Students are advised to indent on the first lines of each paragraph. Each page should be numbered on the top right hand corner of the page. Due September 30, 2011
< GROUP PRESENTATIONS: The class will be divided up into selected groups. Each group will be required to prepare a presentation between 35-40 minutes in length, on a topic chosen. Students are encouraged to be creative in their presentations. Students much prepare a 2-3 page handout on the main points covered in their presentation. This is due the class session prior to presentation.
< You will use www.wordpress.com for your online journal. You will need to submit your weblog link via email to your course instructor. No later than September 15, 2011
Revised: August 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)