Course Overview. To be successful in this course:

Transcription

1 1 SDS 4410: 2089 Canvas Online Course Interpersonal Communication Skills Spring 2015 Instructor: Nadine Isaac, M.A., Doctoral Candidate Counselor Education Office: Norman Hall 1313C Office Hours: By appointment only (via Skype or in Office) Course Overview This course and the activities contained herein have been developed to help you explore the many dynamics of human interaction as well as to help identify examples of these dynamics in your own interactions with others. Course Objectives To examine the elements and dynamics of interpersonal, intrapersonal, and small group communication. To facilitate personal reflection and increase awareness of self in order to enhance conscious, deliberate communications. To explore how technology and media influence communication. To broaden our abilities to relate in a multicultural world. To learn how to create more effective and healthy communities through empathic communication. To apply the concepts of interpersonal communication to chosen careers. To be successful in this course: Complete every assignment. Pay attention to announcements. Keep track of due dates. Take your time when completing exams and coursework. You are allowed to use your available resources on exams (e.g., text) so take advantage of this and achieve maximum points! Be a team player- Support your classmates! System Requirements: The computer you use to access this course must have a browser that is supported by Canvas and Connect. Check these sites for lists of supported browsers. More info on Canvas & Connect below.

2 2 Online Resources: There are multiple online resources that we will be utilizing for this course. The first online resource is the canvas website. You can access this website from UF s main page ( with your Gatorlink login information. The link is located in the upper right corner of the page. This website contains your syllabus, discussion boards, and gradebook. The second online resource is Connect. This website has been developed by the publishers of your text (McGraw-Hill) and contains chapter activities you are to complete each week as well as your exams. You will need to create a login and have an access code. If you elect to use a trial version beware that it will expire shortly before our first exam. A link to our section on Connect will be available on our canvas page and here: The fourth online resource is Skype. We will use this application for office hours. Required Text: Interpersonal Communication, 2 nd Edition by Kory Floyd (2011). *There are a few options for acquiring your text (bear in mind that you will need access to Connect, the online resource available through McGraw-Hill, your book's publisher): You can buy/ rent a new text which includes an access code for you to access Connect for free. You can buy/ rent a used text which may or may not include an access code to Connect. If it doesn't include this code, you will have to buy access through McGraw- Hill's website for $35 (as of price subject to change). You can purchase the Connect Plus version of the text through McGraw-Hill's website which includes an e-book (electronic version of the text) plus an access code for Connect. The cost for this is $74.50 (as of price subject to change). There is also a version for Kindle. If you wish to purchase this, ensure that it comes with access to Connect. Announcements From time to time I will post announcements which will be forwarded to the address you have on file through your Gatorlink account. These announcements will include information on assignments, exams, etc. You are responsible for the material contained in the announcements. Course Structure During this semester, we will cover the 12 chapters in your text. There will be a total of 12 sets of assignments and material will be divided into three modules. At the end of each module there will be an exam on the material covered (3 exams total). Exam 3 is not cumulative.

3 3 For each module you will be responsible for: Reading assigned chapters: Chapter assignments are listed in the calendar below. Completing Chapter Exercises on Connect (120 points): For each chapter, there will be an assignment containing a series of multiple choice questions to assess your knowledge of the material. You may answer these as many times as necessary to achieve the highest possible score- Your scores will be averaged over the number of attempts (e.g., if you earn a 50% on your first attempt and a 100% on your second attempt, you will earn a 75%). Be sure to take your time to earn maximum points. Completing LearnSmart Activities on Connect (120 points): For each chapter there will be a corresponding LearnSmart activity (these are basically online flash cards). Discussion Forum (50 points): There will be four discussion group forums. o An Introduction Forum In this forum you are required to introduce yourself, respond to the syllabus quiz and indicate what you re looking forward to learning in this course. o Module Group Discussion Questions - For each module (3) there is a group discussion question that requires the participation of all group members. Each student is assigned to a group. A rubric is provided to guide you on the requirements for posting and participating. Each module s assignments will be available on the Connect website until the assigned deadline. You may complete your work on Connect at any time before the deadline. You must complete your assignment(s) on Connect before 11:59pm on the day that the module s work/ exam is due. The work will no longer be available for you to complete after this time. All work is due by the end of each module. The weekly breakdown on the schedule is merely a set of guidelines for you to follow. Other Items Exams (120): There are 3 exams, one for each module. Exams are not timed but allow only one opportunity to submit (unlike your homework assignments which allow multiple opportunities to submit). You may use course materials while you take your exams (e.g., texts, recorded lectures, etc.). You may not ask for assistance from any person during the exam. You are NOT allowed to take the exam in the same room as another class member unless you are supervised by an official monitor approved by the instructor. Personal Relationships Paper (40 points): Pick two personal relationships in which you are or have been engaged. These can be relationships with a family member, a friend, a co-worker, boss, roommate, significant other, etc. Please pick one relationship that you would categorize as strong and healthy and one that you

4 4 would categorize as poor or needing much improvement. Write a MINIMUM of 2 pages, essay format (NOT bullet points) addressing the following: o For the strong and healthy relationship reflect on: What makes this a strong/healthy relationship? Examples of how communication has added to the strength of this relationship What aspects of this relationship facilitate positive communication? o For the relationship that needs improvement, reflect on: How did communication (or lack of communication) lead to difficulties in this relationship? In what ways was communication affected by the relationship? How could a change in communication improve this relationship? If you have any technical (computer/internet) problems during an exam, you must call the UF Canvas Help Desk at 392-HELP ( ) immediately and acquire a ticket number in order to verify that you have had difficulty and may need accommodations. You can also help@coe.ufl.edu. If you are registered with the Office of Disabilities, have them contact me as soon as possible to help make the necessary arrangements for you. They may send a letter to me at Norman Hall 1215 (Attn: Nadine Isaac) or an nisaac@ufl.edu. Course Policies Attendance: Although we do not meet face-to-face each week, you will not be successful in this course unless you spend a few hours working on it each week. Everything is due the week that it is posted and as you will see below, late work is not accepted. The class begins each week at on Monday morning at 8am and ends each week on Sunday at 11:59pm. You must complete your work for each chapter during this time period. Make-up Work: You are expected to complete your exams and weekly assignments on Connect within the time allotted. Opportunities to make up work will be handled on a case by case basis. I encourage you to review the calendar to identify any possible issues for you during the semester. If you have an illness which inhibits you from completing your work you must provide documentation to support this claim to be allowed to make up the work. Extra credit: There is no extra credit offered in this course. Plagiarism & Cheating: The University of Florida has an honor code that will be respected in this class. Plagiarism or cheating in any form will not be tolerated. I take the issues of plagiarism and cheating very seriously and will randomly select students work to check for

5 5 these issues. Plagiarizing or cheating may result in academic probation, suspension, or expulsion from University of Florida. Instructor Access To contact me, send me an at While there are multiple places to comment on canvas, to guarantee that I get your message send me an at nisaac@ufl.edu. Please allow me time (up to 48 hrs) to respond to your s. I will do my best to respond to you as quickly as possible. I do not check my as often on weekends or holidays. I encourage you to become a proactive learner. If you have a particular question about the information in this course, I encourage you to utilize your available resources to find the answers you need. Be mindful that there are more than 100 students taking this course and that others may have similar questions. Feel free to create discussion board topics to get the help you need. Also, I am also available to meet for office hours via Skype by appointment. Course Schedule Week 1/6-1/11 8am Wednesday -11:59pm Sunday MODULE 1 (Chapters 1-4) 1/12-1/18 Assignments Course Overview and becoming familiar with Canvas and Connect Introduction Discussion Forum Ch. 1: About Communication Chapter 1 assignment on Connect Chapter 1 LearnSmart activity on Connect 1/19-1/25 1/26-2/1 2/2-2/8 Ch. 2: Culture and Gender Chapter 2 assignment on Connect Chapter 2 LearnSmart activity on Connect Module 1 Discussion forum opens Ch. 3 Communication and the Self Chapter 3 assignment on Connect Chapter 3 LearnSmart activity on Connect Module 1 Discussion forum Ch. 4 Interpersonal Perception Chapter 4 assignment on Connect Chapter 4 LearnSmart activity on Connect

6 6 Module 1 Discussion forum 2/9-2/15 8am Monday -5pm Friday MODULE 1 EXAM (CHAPTERS 1-4) Module 1 Discussion forum closes (11:59pm Sunday 2/15) MODULE 2 (Chapters 5-8) 2/16-2/22 2/23-3/1 3/2-3/8 9) 3/9-3/15 10) 3/16-3/22 8am Monday - 11:59pm Sunday Ch. 5: Language Chapter 5 assignment on Connect Chapter 5 LearnSmart activity on Connect Module 2 Discussion forum opens Ch. 6: Nonverbal Communication Chapter 6 assignment on Connect Chapter 6 LearnSmart activity on Connect Module 2 Discussion forum SPRING BREAK Ch. 7: Listening Chapter 7 assignment on Connect Chapter 7 LearnSmart activity on Connect Module 2 Discussion forum Ch. 8: Emotion Chapter 8 assignment on Connect Chapter 8 LearnSmart activity on Connect Module 2 Discussion forum 11) 3/23-3/29 8am Monday - 5pm Friday MODULE 2 EXAM (CHAPTERS 5-8) Module 2 Discussion forum closes (11:59pm Sunday 3/29) MODULE 3 (Chapters 9-12) 12) 3/30-4/5 8am Monday - 11:59pm Sunday Ch. 9: Interpersonal Communication in Friendships and Professional Relationships Chapter 9 assignment on Connect Chapter 9 LearnSmart activity on Connect Module 3 Discussion forum opens

7 7 13) 4/6-4/12 8am Monday - 11:59pm Sunday 14) 4/13-4/19 15) 4/20-4/26 Ch. 10: Interpersonal Communication in Romantic and Family Relationships Chapter 10 assignment on Connect Chapter 10 LearnSmart activity on Connect Module 3 Discussion forum Ch. 11: Interpersonal Conflict Chapter 11 assignments on Connect Chapter 11 LearnSmart activities on Connect Extra Credit Work Due Module 3 Discussion forum Ch. 12: Deceptive Communication Chapter 12 assignments on Connect Chapter 12 LearnSmart activities on Connect Module 3 Discussion forum 15) 4/27-5/1 8am Monday -5pm Friday MODULE 3 EXAM (CHAPTERS 9-12) Module 3 Discussion forum closes (11:59pm Sunday 5/1) Grading Your grades will be generated using a point system. Below is a detailed breakdown of points for your assignments. The points from your Connect assignments will not automatically appear in the Gradebook on the canvas page. I will manually enter these in and will do so at the end of the week once the assignment has closed. Item Points x Number of Items Total Possible Points Exams 40 x Weekly Chapter Assignments 10 x LearnSmart Activities 10 x Personal Relationships Paper 40 x 1 40 Discussion Board Total Points Possible 450

8 8 Grading Scale (in points): A: A-: B+: B: B-: C+: C: C-: D+: D: D-: F: 59 or less Considerations for Taking Online Courses For this course all of your communication with your instructor and peers will be conducted online. This may present problems for more interactive types of learners. I therefore encourage you assess early at the beginning of the semester to determine if the online format of this course is a good fit for you. If you find it is not, speak to your academic advisor about finding another course offering which will better meet your needs. To be successful in this course, you will need to have a basic understanding of internet navigation. If you are able to access your account and social networking sites, you should not experience much difficulty. On a personal level, you will need to maintain a level of discipline to ensure that you are keeping up with your assignments and completing the work which is expected of you. This may prove challenging as you will not have face to face time with your instructor or classmates. I encourage you to utilize the resources available to you (e.g., your text, discussion boards, etc.) to make this class experience meaningful. When communicating online (with your instructor, peers, and on discussion boards), please be considerate. This is an academic course, and thus profanity is not permitted. Respect for your peers must be shown at all times. Be patient with your peers and instructor. Although the speed of the internet can make for quick communication, technical glitches will occur. Computers will crash, servers will go down, items will be lost, etc these things happen and we will deal with them when they do. If you have a problem or concern, please bring it to my attention as soon as possible. Although you will not actually see me on a regular basis, I am here to assist you in this process in the best way that I can. Best, Nadine Isaac