EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IS

Text Box:

Syllabus

for Speech 151

Welcome to

Small Group

Communication!

Great Quotes about the Power of Team Work

"Individual commitment to a group effort --that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work."

~Vince Lombardi

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world;

Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

~Margaret Mead

“Michael, if you can’t pass, you can’t play.”

~Legendary basketball coach Dean Smith, speaking to Michael Jordan

“Cooperation, not competition, clearly leads to higher academic achievement.”

~Johnson and Johnson

INSTRUCTOR’S INFORMATION

Email: roanathornock@earthlink.net

Home phone: 818-541-9905

OFFICE HOURS: As an adjunct instructor, I do not have an office. Please feel free to talk with me before or after class, by appointment, or by e-mail to discuss group projects, assignments and problems that may arise. SO MANY ISSUES AND PROBLEMS CAN BE SOLVED OR AVOIDED BY A LITTLE COMMUNICATION.

Academic Background: B.A. in Communication, University of Colorado

M.A. in Communication, University of Denver

Family: Husband, Jim Tannahill, network engineer at Walt Disney Company, and two golden retrievers Pooh Bear and Daisy Dee

Hobbies: Walking dogs, cooking, reading, listening to music, going to movies, scuba diving and traveling.

SPEECH COMMUNICATION 151

Course Information

¨ Each student is responsible for the information in this syllabus. Read it carefully, and make sure you understand what is expected and required.

REQUIRED TEXT (Must have by third class)

Our Groups, Our Roles by Jim Marteney, Professor of Speech Communication. (The book is around $30.00 and can only be purchased at the Los Angeles Valley College Bookstore). For bookstore hours call: 947-2313.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The primary purpose of this course is to improve students' understanding of the principles of small group communication so that they may function more effectively in groups. Specifically, this course is designed to (1) help students become familiar with major theory and research in group communication and (2), allow students to experience the challenge of learning how to improve their group communication skills through actual participation in groups. The knowledge gained about groups along with communication climate; conflict management; ethics in group communication; leadership; roles, diversity in groups, norms, status and power; and how to make small group presentations will give you a well grounded understanding in group communication.

THERE ARE SIX FUNDAMENTAL PERSONAL RIGHTS WE MUST RESPECT

IF WE ARE TO WORK EFFECTIVELY IN GROUPS AND HAVE MEANINGFUL

PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

Ø We have the right to choose,

Ø to have opinions,

Ø to be respected,

Ø to have and express feelings,

Ø to make mistakes (and to be forgiven),

Ø and to accept these rights in others.

FORMING GROUPS

Many of you may already work in a team at work. For those of you who don’t, you may someday find yourself being put into a team. Such companies as IBM, Disney, Motorola, 3-M, and Saturn utilize self directed project teams to develop new products and marketing strategies. The Japanese have successfully built their organizational philosophies around the values of collaboration and teamwork. You will have an opportunity to develop a winning team in this course.

Team organizing is usually done by the students, but can be done at the teacher’s discretion; Teams will be permanent for the length of the course.

SMALL GROUP PROJECT

You will work with your permanent group on a group project. You will be given class time to work on your project, so if you use that time wisely, you will probably not have to spend too much time outside of class. This will take commitment, flexibility and enthusiasm from all group members, if your group, is going to be successful.

This group project is a powerful experience and can be as positive as you decide to make it. This project takes equal participation from all members, so if you are someone who relies on others to do your work, or have too many work conflicts, this class may not be for you.

The description of the group project is under “DETAILS ON MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS” on this syllabus.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Attendance. Attendance is mandatory. You can’t miss a class for any reason, besides a documented illness. If you come up to me later in class to tell me about a wedding, workshops etc. I will tell you to drop the class.

Participation. You will earn 1 point for each weekday class and 2.5 points for each full day Saturday class you attend. You must sign in at the beginning and end of class. If your signature is not on attendance sheet, you will lose the participation points.

The reason there is an attendance policy: (1) You can’t do your best work by only being present part of the time. (2) Material presented in class lectures will be test material and is often supplemental to other assigned readings. (3) In the “real world” there is no attendance policy – if you want to keep your job showing up is a given. Consider showing up a given for earning a passing grade in this class also. (4) Regardless of the verbal message that accompanies an absence, the nonverbal message (the absence) is the one which communicates the most meaning about your desire of the student, has to excel in this course.

I will do anything I can to help a student. I will even meet with students (students who come to class regularly and on time) before, and or after class if needed to provide personal help. However, if you miss something important because you are attendance challenged and you must ask me for what you missed, I will direct you to your syllabus and suggest you speak with a peer. SO PLEASE JUST COME TO CLASS, AND BE ON TIME! AND REMEMBER THE HABITS YOU ESTABLISH AS A STUDENT WILL FOLLOW YOU WHEREVER YOU GO – GOOD OR BAD!

EQUITY STATEMENT: All persons, regardless of gender, age, class, race, religion, physical disability, sexual orientation, etc., shall have equal opportunity without harassment in this course. Any problems with or questions about harassment can be discussed confidentially with your instructor.

PLAGARISM POLICY: Be forewarned: Plagiarism is grounds for probation and/or suspension from the university. Any student caught cheating on an exam, using someone else’s paper, notes, or lifting information from sources without citing those sources may result in an automatic “F” for the course.

If you are uncertain about the university’s policy on academic misconduct, refer to the Student Code of Conduct in your student handbook.

COURSE POLICIES

¨ All assigned written course work is due at the beginning of the class period on the deadline day. Work received after the beginning of class period is defined as late work.

¨ Quizzes will be given only during the class period designated for the exam. No make-up quizzes will be given. Exceptions will be allowed only in the case of extreme emergency that can be documented. Any make-up exam that is given will be considered late.

¨ There are no make-up presentations. If you don’t participate in the group project, you will not pass the class.

¨ All assignments turned in late will lose 25% off of the potential points.

¨ If you bring food or drinks into the class, please carry your garbage out with you.

¨ Please adhere to the time limit given for breaks.

¨ If you are disruptive, rude, or take calls during class, you may be asked to leave class and will lose all points involved with the class exercises.

¨ Have fun, participate, and put 100% into the class…and you will reap the rewards!

New ASSIGNMENTS

(See course schedule below for due dates for all assignments)

Partner Speech 5 points

Group introduction 7 points

Two exams (10 points each) 20 points

Seven in-class group exercises (5 points each) 35 points

Final group project 25 points

(20 points for Choice #1 and 5 points for Group action plan)

(20 points for Choice #2 and 5 points for workshop agenda)

Group evaluation form (handed out in class) 5 points

Group participation points given by group members 5 points

Participation points (given by instructor) 18 points

EXTRA CREDIT POINTS (WILL BE ON EXAMS) 5 POINTS

TOTAL POINTS 125 POINTS

Grading Scale

A = 112.5+ B = 100+ C = 87.5+ D = 75+

New COURSE SCHEDULE

This schedule and assignments may change based on needs of the class and or the time available.

WEEK ONE

Tues – Sept. 6

· Student information sheet, student introductions, syllabus quiz, course overview discussion

Sat. – Sept. 10

· autograph party, group exercise, group formation and group presentation

WEEK TWO

Tues – Sept. 13

· Lecture Chapter 1

· In class exercise #1

WEEK THREE

Tues. – Sept. 20

· Lecture Chapter 2

· In class exercise #2

Sat. – Sept. 24

· Quiz 1 (Chapters 1 and 2)

· In class exercise # 3 - Group project discussion

WEEK FOUR

Tues. – Sept. 27

· Lecture chapter 3

· In class exercise #4

WEEK FIVE

Tues – Oct. 4

· Lecture Chapter 4

· In class exercise #5

Sat. – Oct. 8

· Lecture Chapter 5

· In class exercise #6 - Movie : 12 Angry Men

· Group planning time (Must check in and out)

CLASS SIX

Tues – Oct. 11

· Quiz 2 (Chapters 3, 4 and part of 5)

· Group planning time

WEEK SEVEN

Tues. – Oct. 18

· Group planning time (Must check in)

Sat. – Oct. 22

· Group presentations

WEEK EIGHT

Tues. – Oct. 25

· Cultural Diversity Lecture; In class exercise #7

· Due: Group evaluation form

DETAILS ON MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS

GROUP NAME, MOTTO AND GROUP MEMBER INFORMATION PRESENTATION

Groups will create a group name, motto, and will design a group shield. The shield will include information about your group members, which will include their names, commonalties, skills they bring to the group.

Groups will be given time in class to do this project. All materials and more detailed instructions will be provided by instructor.

EXAMS

There will be three exams which will include true false, matching, multiple-choice and short essay. Material will be from class discussion and required course text.

GROUP EXERCISES

There will be five in - class group exercises that are worth 5 points each. To earn these points you must be in class and complete the exercise. There are no make-up possibilities on group exercises. If you are here and you participate, you get the points, if you aren’t you don’t.

Cultural Diversity Paper

You will write a 2-3 page paper using the MLA format. Details for paper will be provided in class. Must be typed, or you will lose all credit for the paper.

FINAL GROUP PROJECT

Groups have two options to choice from. See them below.

CHOICE 1: HOW COMPANIES USE TEAMS

This project consists of two parts a group action plan that is due a week before your final presentation, and a 30 - minute presentation.

General Overview

Your group will choose an organization (profit or nonprofit) that uses teams to achieve some or all of their goals. Your group will conduct research on that organization to learn specific information about what those teams do and how they function. You will also be analyzing the team’s corporate culture and norms, and reporting on how those affect the team’s performance.

While your aim is to clearly and thoroughly inform your audience about the use of teams in this organization, your goal is also to make the information useful, relevant and entertaining.

Examples of Teams selected by past groups: A local McDonald’s; A local fire department; A SWAT team; The Red Cross; A creative department within Universal Studios, Starbucks corporate with an analysis of how the local franchise’s teams operate; the Bush team; the NASA space shuttle crew; a local Habitat for Humanity team; The Los Angeles Times; The Los Angeles King’s Hockey Team; Los Angeles Valley College; and more.

Tip: Many students select a company that one of their team members works for. This makes it easier to get into the company to interview managers and observe meetings and other activities. If there isn’t a group member who has a company you can use, look for companies that are local. Make sure you have an open discussion about the choice of the company and that everyone has input. You might even consider having a vote to decide what company to go with.

PART ONE: THE TEAM PROJECT GROUP ACTION PLAN

An action chart provides needed structure to organize your group project. An action chart helps ensure that everybody is aware of what needs to be done and reduces the risk that nobody will do anything. The action plan is due one week before the presentation.

Step One: Write a one – two page paper covering the items below

1. Identify the project goal.

2. Identify the activities needed to complete the project.

3. Identify the sequence of activities (what should be done first, second, third, and so on.)

4. Estimate the amount of time it should take to complete each task.

5. Determine which group members should be responsible for each task.

6. Questions for your interview: If you are going to interview people within the company you are researching, you will want to develop questions before you go to the interview. Please include these questions in this plan.

PART TWO: THE TEAM PRESENTATION

This assignment involves four main tasks:

(1) Selecting an organization

(2) Gathering information about how this organization uses teams

(3) Develop a 30- minute oral presentation to the class that will inform us of your findings

(4) Using visual aids: PowerPoint slides, videos or posters, etc.

See details below:

(1) Select an Organization

As described above, you will be selecting a profit or nonprofit company. It would be ideal if you could find an organization that would give you access to visit, take a tour, and interview organizational members. The quickest way to get in touch with someone who can help you is to call the main number and find out who is charge of public relations. These people are paid to give out information about the company and arrange for interviews and public tours.

The nonprofit organizations are often more cooperative, as they want to get exposure for their organization in as many ways as they can.

Once you select the organization, you will need to decide if you are going to look at all the teams within the organization, or focus on one. It is often easier to focus on one team, as you can get into specific details that make for a more interesting presentation.

(2) Gather Information About The Organization

The following information is required for your presentation:

Ø An overview of what the organization does

Ø A brief history of the organization

Ø The organization’s mission statement

Ø Explain how members of your audience might be familiar or are exposed to this organization.

Ø What do teams do in this organization?

Ø How do they operate?

Ø Identify how the group norms developed

Ø What rules and group norms does the group operate by?

Ø Identify how individuals within the groups conform to the group norms

Ø Look at what happens when people in the group break norms

(3) Develop a Presentation

Once you have gathered all the information, your group will develop a 30 - minute presentation in which you inform the class of your research findings. Your goal is to make the information relevant and interesting. This means that you should strive for creativity in the way that information is presented.

You might consider how audio/visual aids, role-playing, audience participation, and other such choices in delivery could enhance your message. Preparedness by all members of your team during the presentation is paramount in importance. As a team, you need to appear enthused and ready-to-go. Your delivery will be well prepared and practiced. You can use note cards, but please be familiar with the material, so that you are not just reading your presentation.

The following is a suggested organization pattern for your presentation, based on 30 minutes.

Introduction (5 minutes)

1. Capture the attention of the audience

2. Stimulate our interest by showing us how knowing this information will be relevant

3. Preview your main ideas

4. Provide a transition into the body of the presentation

Body (20 minutes)

1. Using your research as a base, give an overview of what the organization

does. Include a brief history of the organization, along with the organization’s mission statement. Explain how members of your audience might be familiar with or exposed to this organization.

2. Describe what teams do in this organization. Provide illustrations or examples of

the specific tasks that these teams complete. Your audience should be able to

imagine what it would be like to be working on one of these teams as a result

of your discussion.

3. Describe how these teams work. In this part you’ll discuss such things as the

norms and procedures that teams follow, what members are like, the philosophies under which they operate, and how different teams in the organization collaborate with one another. This section then is more or less an analysis of the teamwork in this organization.

Conclusion (5 minutes)

1. Begin your conclusion by summarizing the main points of your presentation

2. Reinforce again how knowing this information has been significant for the

audience

3. Conclude in a manner which provides psychological closure

(4) Create Visual Aids

Using some form of visual aid is required for your presentation. Overhead slides and PowerPoint slides are easy to make and have great impact in a presentation. Most equipment you might need for your presentation will be available. Please let me know what you need at least one week before the presentation.

CHOICE TWO: SMALL GROUP TOPIC WORKSHOP

Overview

This is your project. You may handle it as creatively as possible. You must produce a 30 - minute workshop. You may generate a video, slide presentation, play, symposium, debate, TV game show, etc. Topic must be an innovative presentation of a concept, theory or practice of small group communication. AT LEAST 10 – 15 MINUTES OF THIS WORKSHOP SHOULD BE AN ORAL PRESENTATION WHERE YOU GIVE BACKGROUND ON THE THEORY OR CONCEPT YOUR WORKSHOP IS FOCUSED ON.

This assignment involves five main tasks:

(1) Select a topic that focuses on a concept, theory or practice of small group communication

(2) Gather information about this topic

(3) Develop a 30 - minute workshop to the class that will inform us of your findings

(4) Develop a Workshop Packet/outline of oral presentation to be turned into the instructor the day of your presentation

(5) Using visual aids: PowerPoint slides, videos or posters, etc.

(1) Select the Topic

The topic should focus on a concept, theory, or practice of small group communication. Each group is responsible for selecting the topic, fully researching the current literature on the topic, and presenting that information to the class in a creative and participatory manner. Each individual in the group is responsible for helping to research the topic and develop the workshop. Topics from past presentations: Gender communication; encoding and decoding; and nonverbal communication.

(2) Gather information about this topic

You can use the class text for ideas, or other resources that the instructor will bring to class. Also, your group can take class time to do research at libraries or someone’s home.

(3) Develop a 30 – minute presentation

· The delivery of your workshop should be extemporaneous. It is OK to have note cards, but you should not “read” to your audience.

· Most important, your presentation should reflect considerable effort and creativity on your part.

Below are guidelines to assist you in developing and presenting your workshop:

Your workshop should be creative and MUST involve an original audience activity, which your group develops. While some lecture may be necessary, the majority of your presentation time must involve audience members participating in an activity (or activities) and a discussion following the activity/activities. You may generate a video, slide presentation, play, or TV game show as part of the assignment.

In presenting your workshop, you need to indicate why your topic area is an important one and what relevance it has for your classmates. This should be brought out at some point(s) in the presentation, as in the opening (introduction) and the discussion. Discussion should focus on the links between your activity and how your audience can apply what we’ve learned from this activity to other small group situations.

(4) Develop a Workshop Packet/Oral Presentation Outline

(This is due the day of your presentation)

Your group will need to turn in a Workshop Packet to the instructor before their presentation. The packet MUST include the following:

a. An agenda for the period of the workshop

b. Detailed content outline of workshop activity title of activity

· overview or summary of the activity (what is the purpose of the activity? What small group communication topic area is it designed to address?)

· any handouts or information needed in order to conduct the activity

c. Develop an outline of your presentation. It should include the names of the group members and the part of the presentation they are responsible for, and the following:

* Introduction: Attention getter

* Body: Main points

* Conclusion: Wrap-up and summary

(5) Create Visual Aids