Northeastern State University

College of Liberal Arts

 

Summer 2005 syllabus for

Instructional Communication 4623/5623

 

Instructor: Amy N. Aldridge, ABD                             Office:  354 SH           Ext.:  3630

E-mail: aldridga@nsuok.edu                                        Office Hours:  TBA

 

Class Meetings:  MTWR, June 6-30, 216 SH, 9-11.40 a.m.

 

Required Texts:

 Bly, R. (2001). Getting started in speaking, training, or seminar consulting. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 

            ISBN:  0-471-38882-3

 

Jolles, R. L. (2001). How to run seminars & workshops (2nd ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

            ISBN:  0-471-39729-6

 

Description of Course:  This is a special topics course designed to give you practice in the communication of instruction.  These presentation skills are particularly useful for consultants, trainers, and teachers.

 

Pre-requisites:  none

 

Learning Outcomes:  By the end of the course, you will have…

  • Written an essay on topic selection and audience analysis.
  • Reviewed the basic tenants of effective delivery skills.
  • Planned a workshop and presented the beginning of it on videotape.
  • Analyzed the videotaped workshop footage.
  • Prepared and presented a keynote address.
  • Assembled a personal promotional packet.
  • Pitched a corporate training opportunity.
  • Attended class regularly (with penalties for more than three hours of unexcused absences) and have actively participated in your learning.

 

Class Attendance: You are allowed three hours of unexcused absences (i.e., three unexcused absences for a MWF class, two unexcused absences for a T Th class, or one three hour session in the summer or with an evening class).  For every hour of unexcused absence (or accumulated tardiness) over the limit, 20 points will be deducted from your final grade.  Absences will be excused only under the following circumstances:

  • Absence while under a doctor’s care (written documentation required).
  • Absence due to participation in an authorized college activity (written documentation required).
  • Absence due to attendance at legal proceedings requiring your presence (advance notification and written documentation required).
  • Absence due to the death or serious illness of an immediate family member (written documentation required).

All documentation for excused absences must be turned in by the class session prior to the final class session.

 

Missed/Late Assignments:

Written Work:  For each class session that an assignment is turned in late, you will be assessed a penalty of 10 points for that particular assignment.

E-mailing assignments/computer problems:  You will need to submit most of your assignments in hard copy.  On occasion, it will be possible to submit assignments via e-mail.  Please note:  your computer breaking, printer not working, etc. will never be accepted as an excuse for late work.  It is your responsibility to begin work early enough to accommodate unforeseen circumstances.  In addition, e-mailed work is recorded as “turned in” according the time stamp in the introduction to your message.  “I got your address wrong” or “my e-mail wasn’t working” will not be accepted as reasons for late assignments.

Presentations:  If you miss an assigned speech, we may not have time to allow you to present it later.  If you know you are going to miss an assigned speech, trade speaking dates with someone in the class, and let the instructor know about the change.  Failure to make a presentation will result in a zero for that assignment.

 

Class Participation: You are expected to attend class regularly and be prepared so that you may intelligently discuss assigned material.  Proper preparation means reading the assigned chapters and completing daily assignments.  Warning:  This instructor is well known for counting students absent when they are not prepared for class.

 

Classroom Climate:  The success of this course is directly related to the sense of community that we will develop in this classroom.  Participation is essential to this process.  I encourage you to share your views and listen to those of others.  Debate and discussion are an important part of the learning process.  While there will no doubt be disagreements, I expect the members of this community (including myself) to challenge ideas in a manner that reflects respect and recognition of opposing viewpoints without attacking individuals.  There is no doubt in my mind that controversial topics will come up during the course of this class.  They always do. If you are a person who is easily offended by the topics of sex, alcohol, abortion, the death penalty, racial stereotypes, and other potentially controversial topics, then it is advised that you enroll in another communication course not taught by this instructor.

 

Outline of Course:  This class will be divided into sections:  choosing a topic, delivery, workshop, keynote addresses, marketing, corporate training/consulting.  The expected course outcomes will be realized through a variety of instructional strategies.  Those strategies include, but are not limited to, the following:  discussion, demonstration, inquiry, critique, and group activities.  All of the following assignments and point totals are considered tentative and may change over the course of the semester due to your progress and interests.

 

Orientation to Class

 

Section 1:  Choosing a Topic & Audience Analysis (Bly Ch 1-3, Jolles Ch 1-4)

Major Assignment:  essay (100 points)

 

Section 2:  Delivery (Bly Ch 4, Jolles Ch 6-10, 12)

 

Section 3:  Workshops (Bly Ch 7)

Major Assignment:  workshop (100 points) and watch it on tape

 

Section 4:  Keynote Addresses (Bly Ch 5)

Major Assignment:  keynote (200 points)

 

Section 5:  Marketing/PR (Bly Ch 9-11)

Major Assignment:  promotional packet (100 points)

 

Section 6:  Corporate Training/Consulting (Bly Ch 6 and 15, Jolles Ch 11)

Major Assignment:  corporate training (200 points)

 

All students must take their final on their scheduled date.  Put this in your calendar. 

 

Quizzes: Periodically you may be given quizzes over the lecture material.  Those are also worth 10 points and are typically short answer.  Quizzes cannot be made up—no matter the reason for the absence.  If a student misses the quiz as a result of a university-authorized absence, the missed quiz will not be calculated in the student’s final grade.  This policy is in compliance with Section 10.242 in the NSU Faculty Handbook.  (Amended 09.24.04)

 

Grading:  Your grade for this course is based on a point system.  Each assignment is worth a set number of points.  To determine a letter grade for each assignment, calculate 10% of the points and subtract accordingly.  For example, on an assignment worth 75 points, 67.5-75 is an “A,” 60-67.74 is a “B,” etc.

 

Work that meets the minimum requirements of an assignment, is completed on time and displays average involvement with the course content is deserving of a “C.”  Higher grades are awarded to work that goes above and beyond the minimum standards to produce papers and presentations that reflect superior intellectual effort, excellence in critical analysis and overall creativity in the approach towards any given assignment.

 

Here’s a place to keep your grades:

 

Assignment                               Due Date          Points Possible             Points Received

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                                                             Total = ___________   divided by __________ = _____%               

 

Percentage breakdown:  90-100% A; 80-89% B; 70-79% C; 60-69% D

 

Class Grievances:

I am willing to meet with you to discuss our class and/or particular assignments.  I ask that you please wait 24 hours after you have received a graded assignment to come see me.  Before we discuss your work, you are required to type out a document detailing what particular elements of your work you feel merit discussion. 

 

Students with Disabilities: If any member of the class feels that he or she has a disability and requires special accommodations, of any nature whatsoever, I will work with you to ensure that you have a fair opportunity to perform in this class.  Please advise me of such disability and the desired accommodations at the close of the first class period.  Students with disabilities who need accommodations to achieve course objectives should visit the Office of Student Affairs, Ext. 2120.

 

Plagiarism:  According to Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary (1983, 2nd Ed.), to plagiarize is “to steal or pass of ideas or words of another as one’s own…to use created productions without crediting the source…to commit literary theft…to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source” (p.1371).  Students in this course will be responsible for authenticating any assignment submitted to the instructor.  If asked, you must be able to produce proof that the assignment you submitted is in fact your own work.  Therefore, it is recommended that you engage in a verifiable working process on assignments.  Keep copies of all drafts of your work, make photocopies of research materials, write summaries of research materials, keep logs or journals of your work on assignments and papers, learn to save drafts or versions of assignments under individual file names on computer diskettes, etc.  In addition to requiring a student to authenticate his/her work, the instructor may employ various other means of ascertaining authenticity—such as engaging in internet searches, creating quizzes based on student work, requiring students to explain their work and/or process orally, etc.

 

NSU’s policy on Academic Misconduct (from http://www.nsuok.edu/policies/academic/misconduct.html): Academic misconduct includes cheating (using unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise), plagiarism, falsification of records, unauthorized possession of examinations, intimidation, and any and all other actions that may improperly affect the evaluation of a student’s academic performance or achievement, or assisting others in any such act or attempts to engage in such acts. Academic misconduct in any form is inimical to the purposes and functions of the University and therefore is unacceptable and prohibited.  Any faculty member, administrator or staff member may identify an act of academic misconduct and should report that act to the department head/college dean, Vice President for Academic Affairs or administrative supervisor.  Students violating the standards of academic honesty are subject to disciplinary action including reduction of a grade(s) in a specific course, assignment, paper, or project; a formal or informal reprimand at the professorial, dean, or academic vice president level; expulsion from the class in which the violation occurred; expulsion from a program; or expulsion from the University.

 

Inclement Weather/Disaster Policy:  The following are basic premises for the inclement weather policy at Northeastern State University:

1. Classes are expected to be held if at all possible.
2. It is the student's responsibility to receive the information when weather is questionable.
3. Neither students nor faculty are expected to risk life or limb.
4. Faculty members are obligated to hold classes if the University is not closed, unless the faculty member is unable to get to campus.

Policy: During times of inclement weather, decisions concerning day classes will be made by 6:00 a.m. in order for the media to be notified and for students to receive the announcement before they leave home. Decisions concerning night classes will be made by 3:00 p.m.

The following media will be notified regarding closing of the campus:

Radio Stations

Television Stations

KRMG 740 AM Tulsa

KJRH Channel 2 Tulsa

KAYI 107 FM Tulsa 

KOTV Channel 6 Tulsa

KTLQ 1350 AM Tahlequah

KTUL Channel 8 Tulsa

KEOK 102 FM Tahlequah

KFSM Channel 5 Fort Smith

KBIX 1490 AM Muskogee

Cable Channel 96 Tahlequah

KMMY 97 FM Muskogee

 

KVOO 1170 AM Tulsa

 

The automated attendant message on 918-456-5511 will be modified to include information concerning campus operations during inclement weather.

 

Additional information:

  • Please turn all cell phones/pagers on silent while you are in class.  Check your messages AFTER class and return the calls then.
  • Do not pack up before I dismiss you.  You never know when I may say something important or give a last minute assignment.  You’re going to want to have that pen and paper handy.

 

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