Interpersonal Communication Syllabus for 2016-2017
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Instructor Information

Course Information

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

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If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a class must:

• consult with their instructor to obtain a signed academic withdrawal request form to submit to the AskAC department for processing
• consult with the financial aid office if receiving financial aid
• consult with the Veterans Benefit Coordinator if receiving veteran benefits
• consult with their academic advisor to determine how withdrawing may affect their enrollment in future semesters
  • NOTE:  The Texas Education Code stipulates that students attending Texas institutions of higher education for the first time fall 2007 and later may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career, including courses from which transfer students have withdrawn at other Texas institutions of higher education. (Senate Bill 1231) Rule 4.10.

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

SPCH-1318-HS06 Interpersonal Communication

Prerequisites

Course Description

Application of communication theory to interpersonal relationship development, maintenance and termination in relationship contexts including friendships, romantic partners, families and relationships with co-workers and supervisors.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

Online Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Messages, Joseph A. DeVito, 4th Edition, including the online component called “REVEL.”  You will use REVEL in this course for readings and activities.

Supplies

Student Performance

Course Description:

Application of communication theory to interpersonal relationship development, maintenance and termination in relationship contexts including friendships, romantic partners, families and relationships with co-workers and supervisors.

 

Learning Outcomes:

Through reading the current literature, researching recent communication findings, and participating in group and individual oral assignments, the student will:

1.      Define and explain basic communication terms and principles which undergird competent communication in personal, social, and professional settings.

2.      Analyze various communication contexts.

3.      Understand the process of perception and the part perception plays in communicating with others.

4.      Improve listening skills.

5.      Understand the process of intercultural communication.

6.      Apply communication principles and theory in diverse circumstances and demonstrate effective communication, distinguishing effective from less effective responses.

7.      Become aware of the stages of relational development and deterioration.

8.      Describe the influence of both verbal and nonverbal messages in communication.

9.      Demonstrate use of appropriate citations for all reference work used in papers and presentations.

10.   Participate in class and group processes.

11.   Demonstrate courtesy and respect for classmates.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact disAbility Services (located in the Student Services Center 119; phone number 371 5436) as soon as possible.

 

Every student is required to comply with the policies published in the “Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.”

 

Grading Criteria

Course Requirements:
NOTE:  Except for “Coffee Talks”, assignments will be due each week by Sunday at 11:30 PM.

Chapter Quizzes & Activities – 25%
Two papers (2-3 pages long) – 20%
Journal Entries – 10%
Discussions – “Coffee Talks” – 20%
Service Learning Assignment – 15%
Final Exam – 10%
TOTAL:  100%

Papers:

Two 2-3 page papers will be assigned during the semester.  Each paper will be worth 10% of your final grade.  Papers must be submitted to the Assignment Drop Box by 11:30 PM on the due date.
20 points will be deducted for each day the paper is late.

Journal Entries:

There will be periodic journaling assignments during the semester. These are meant to be private, and will only be seen by your instructor. This assignment is designed to allow you to go deeper into the IPC topics, and reflect on how they work in your life

These journal entries must be written using formal language (no slang or text language).  You can write as much as you want, but no less than 100 words (3 paragraphs).

“Coffee Talk” Discussions :

    We will have numerous on-line discussions during the semester.  Your participation in these discussions is crucial to your success in the class..   Everyone must contribute in order to ensure a lively discussion.

•    Your postings to the Discussion Forums and your replies to your classmates' postings will make up a significant portion of your grade in this class. Points are earned based on the quality of your responses and your compliance with the required number of discussion postings (at least one) and substantive replies (at least two.) In order to receive credit, for your discussion postings, you must respond to the discussion assignments with quality comments that demonstrate you have completed the online and textbook readings and have given significant thought to the questions.
Prompts for each posting (in other words, the question or questions you are supposed to answer or the topic you are supposed to discuss) are located within the respective Chapter for that week’s discussion.  You must read the chapter to find out what to post.

•    Postings should be approximately one to three paragraphs long. (Each paragraph should be about 4-5 sentences or approximately 150-250 words.) Proofread and spell check your work.
•    You must post by or before the specified deadline for each initial posting and reply within the specified time in order to receive credit for your comments.

•    You must post by or before the specified deadline for each initial posting and reply within the specified time in order to receive credit for your comments. Initial posts will be due on Tuesdays before 11:30 p.m. and replies will be due Wednesdays before 11:30 p.m. Review the class calendar for the posting dates.

•    Help out your fellow classmates and respond to the original question early so everyone will have something to comment on and discuss.
 

•    An "I agree" or "great answer" will NOT earn you participation points. Replies must have sufficient detail to merit credit. Students who attempt to meet the discussion postings quota by simply making posts such as "That happened to me too" or "I couldn't have said it better" are not really contributing to the discussion and will not receive points. They are certainly present but they are not contributing. Real online contribution takes time and work.
 

•    Quantity is not a substitute for quality, Take time to formulate your thoughts carefully, and then draft your responses.
 

•    Stay on Topic, Construct a quality response and use proper “nettiquette”. More information about “nettiquette” is available through Blackboard. 

     The introduction of irrelevant subjects is not permitted. Violators will be asked to leave the discussion and a grade of 0 points will be recorded for that assignment.

•    “Flaming” and controlling behavior are not permitted. "Flaming" is posting abusive or insulting messages.  Controlling behavior includes, but is not limited to, attempts to dominate a discussion by posting threads excessively, intentionally changing the discussion topic or exhibiting an inappropriate or argumentative attitude. Violators will be asked to leave the discussion and a grade of 0 points will be awarded.
 

•    Do not type in all capital letters.  IT IS LIKE SHOUTING!

•    Never copy someone else's writing without permission or citation. Failing to credit your sources within emails or discussions is a form of plagiarism, which are grounds for receiving a 0 on the assignment.
 

•    Students required to leave a discussion will be notified of this consequence in a private email.

Chapter Quizzes & Activities:

Each week we will study a new Interpersonal Communication topic. All of the readings are located in Revel. You will find this linked to the course content.

You need to read the chapter and take the smaller self tests and quizzes as you go. There is a Chapter Quiz at the end of each chapter.

Your scores for each week’s activities and quizzes will be worth different point values, but will count for 25% of your total grade. 

Final Project: Service Learning and Self Analysis:

The Final Project is worth 15% of your final course grade.  This assignment will require you to contact a non-profit organization or charity and serve as a volunteer for at least three hours.  During this time, you will observe some of the interpersonal communication principles, methods and theories we learned about during the semester as they apply to the "real world".

After you have completed your volunteer hours, please have the person you dealt with at the organization complete the Service Learning Contract for verification and evaluation.

Next, you will write a 4-5 page paper that consist of your reflections on your time as a volunteer and the interpersonal communication skills you observed during that time.  Include IPC skills you used yourself as well as examples of IPC skills you noticed among the other people around you. The paper must be typed in 12 pt. New Times Roman with 1 in. margins.

Please include at least three examples of topics and/or theories discussed during the semester from our online reading, online discussions or from the text.  Information retrieved from the text or from online reading and on-line discussions must be cited.  

The last discussion topic of the semester will be a summary of your paper that includes your choice of non-profit and the insights and observations you gained from this experience.

This assignment is worth 15% of your final grade. Don’t wait until the last minute to arrange your volunteer time.

Final Exam:

The final exam will be comprehensive and worth 100 points. Check course calendar for due date.

Evaluation (Grading) Scale:

A= 90-100

B= 80-89

C= 70- 79

D= 60-69

F= 59 or below

 

Extra Credit:

Students may write up to 4 papers during the semester to earn extra credit.  These 2-page papers are worth an additional 5 points to an assigned paper or test.

The papers may be turned in at any point in the semester but no later than the week scheduled for final projects.    Make sure you allow enough time to complete class assignments before you focus on extra credit papers.

Each paper should be two pages long, typed and double spaced using 12-point font.  Please proofread your papers, run spell-check if you are using a computer and ask a friend to check it over for spelling and grammatical errors.  Papers that do not meet the assignment criteria or that are not satisfactory college-level work will not qualify for extra credit.

No administrative withdrawals will be initiated by the instructor.  It is each student’s responsibility to drop a class or withdraw from school in the event he/she decides to quit attending class.

Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact disAbility Services (located in the Student Services Center 119; phone number 371 5436) as soon as possible.

Every student is required to comply with the policies published in the “Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.”

Attendance

Attendance will be recorded daily. After more than 2 absences, points will be deducted from your participation grade regardless of the reason for the absence. Points will also be deducted for coming to class late, or leaving class early. No explanation is needed for tardies or absences.

 

The following criteria will determine the attendance portion of your grade.

No more than 2 absences - 100%

3 absences- 90%

4 absences 80%

5 absences 70%

6 absences 60%

7 absences 50%

8 absences 40%

More than 8 absences 0%

 

Essentially, this translates to raising your grade for terrific attendance and participation in class. More than eight absences will result in final course grade deduction of approximately two full letter grades.

Calendar

Additional Information

Office Hours: Regular office hours are Monday and Wednesday 1:00-3:00 pm. I am also available at alternate times by appointment.
*Please do not hesitate to call or email me with questions or concerns.

Technical Assistance:  If you have questions about the course material, assignments, due dates etc. please contact me.  If you need technical support contact the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) student help center located in the Library on the Washington Street campus Suite 205. Or call  (806)-371-5992.

Hours of operation for CTL:

Monday – Thursday        8am – 5pm (WARE Student Commons Room 111)

Monday – Thursday        5pm – 9pm (Library Research Desk on the 4^th Floor)

Friday                              8am – 5pm (WARE Student Commons Room 111)

To Access REVEL from your Blackboard Course:

Start from your Blackboard course.
1.  Select a content area (perhaps called Content or REVEL) from the left navigation.
2.  Select Open REVEL.If you have a Pearson account, enter your username and password. Otherwise, create a new account. Note:
3.  If you are also registering for a Pearson MyLab (like MyMathLab or MyVirtualChild) this term, you must register for the MyLab first, in order to use the same username and password for REVEL.
4.  When your accounts are linked, select an access option:
(a)  Redeem an access code purchased from the bookstore
(b)  Buy access using a credit card or PayPal
(c ) If available, get temporary access
5.  Your REVEL content appears.
6.  To go back to Blackboard, look for the Blackboard tab or window in your browser.

That’s it. Throughout the semester, please access your REVEL content through Blackboard.

To upgrade temporary REVEL access to full access:

1. To upgrade your access before your temporary access expires, select the link in your confirmation email.
2. Once your temporary access expires, when you open REVEL from Blackboard, you’re prompted to upgrade your access. Redeem a pre-purchased access code, or buy access using a credit card or PayPal.

Need help?

1. If you have trouble getting access, make sure your laptop or other device is set up to work with REVEL.
2. Visit Pearson Support at https://support.pearson.com/getsupport.
3. Dedicated REVEL support line for students: (855) 875-1801