College of Arts and Sciences s12
OAKLAND UNIVERSITY
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Communication and Journalism
Collegiate Communication
COM 101
COURSE: Collegiate Communication DAY/TIME:
YEAR:
INSTRUCTOR: CLASS LOCATION:
OFFICE PHONE NUMBER: EMAIL:
OFFICE: OFFICE HOURS:
CREDITS: 1
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
A twelve-week, one credit course with a primary goal of teaching students how successful communication and relationship development can improve their chances of academic and personal success.
COURSE GOALS:
1. Students will learn how communication choices influence college success.
2. Student will be prepared to be responsible, productive and invested in their college experience.
3. Students will engage and connect with Oakland University’s community.
4. Student will learn to foster attitudes and skills to enhance academic, personal, and social success.
5. Students will explore multiple areas of self-discovery with an emphasis on understanding human difference.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students will learn how to professionally communicate and interview a faculty/professional or leader which will better inform their major/career and/or involvement choices via the personal interaction assignment.
Students will learn to investigate academic success skills that they will use and have the opportunity to create a guide that can assist them in the future by completing their mid-term project.
Students will learn how to navigate common first year situations and apply critical thinking and problem solving techniques via the group project assignment.
Students will reflect on the totality of information learned and summarize where they started and how they have grown as a college student in their final paper.
Students will read and discuss common issues facing first year college students and understand how to navigate their first year of college.
REQUIRED TEXT:
Gardner, J. & Barefoot B., Step by Step to College and Career Success, 6th Edition.
Additional Online Readings: CLICK HERE
COURSE FORMAT: Discussion, Class Activity, and Assignment Based
ASSIGNMENTS:
Assignment #1 Personal Interaction (Career, Major, Involvement Exploration)
Type of Assignment: Writing
Due Date: TBD
Points: 25
Details of Assignment: Students will write a 2 page paper that is in response to a personal interaction (interview) they had with a faculty member, someone working in their field of interest or someone who is involved as a student leader on campus. The paper should restate questions from the interview and summarize what was said as well as provide some reflection on what was learned.
Assignment Learning Outcomes: (Students will...)
· Develop and practice professional written and oral communication skills through the interview process
· Obtain information about major/career involvement choices from a professional leader
· Summarize interview responses
· Reflect on how interview responses impact decision making related to major/career and involvement choices
Assignment #2 Mid-Term Project (Student Success Skill Development)
Type of Assignment: Writing
Due Date: TBD
Points: 25
Details of Assignment: Students will choose a chapter (from chapters 4-6 from the course textbook) and then choose an academic skill that they believe they need to most develop. Students will practice the skills learned from reading and prepare a 1 page guide that outlines how to develop and use the skill they chose.
Assignment Learning Outcomes: (Students will...)
· Research a student success skill they believe needs improvement
· Summarize key concepts relating to chosen skill
· Practice and reflect on how skills is impacting student success
· Create a written guide on academic skill to be referred to in the future
Assignment #3 Group Project (First Year Common Experiences)
Type of Assignment: Presentation
Due Date: TBD
Points: 25
Details of Assignment: Students will complete a group project that is focused on applying student success strategies to common first year experiences. Students will be given one of multiple situations that are very common to the first year experience and students will present on how to successfully navigate those situations with the information they have learned in the class thus far. Common experiences to consider may include; money management, student conduct, transition issues, academic struggles, and personal discovery.
Assignment #4 Final Paper (Where you are now? Reflection Paper)
Type of Assignment: Writing
Due Date: TBD
Points: 25
Details of Assignment: Students will write a 2 page final reflection paper summarizing their growth during the course of the semester. Students will recall information they learned to describe where they were before the class began, where they are now and how they plan to have a successful college experience.
Grading Scale:
Grading Scale: out of 100 points
4.0 95-100 points
3.9-3.5 94-90 points
3.4-3.0 89-85 points
2.9-2.5 84-80 points
2.4-2.0 79-75 points
1.9-1.5 74-70 points
1.4-1.0 69-65 points
CLASS POLICIES:
1. Academic conduct policy: All members of the academic community at Oakland University are expected to practice and uphold standards of academic integrity and honesty. Academic integrity means representing oneself and one’s work honestly. Misrepresentation is cheating since it means students are claiming credit for ideas or work not actually theirs and are thereby seeking a grade that is not actually earned. For more information regarding academic dishonesty please visit the student code of conduct at http://wwwp.oakland.edu/studentcodeofconduct/. Following are some examples of academic dishonesty:
a. Cheating on examinations. This includes using materials such as books and/or notes when not authorized by the instructor, copying from someone else’s paper, helping someone else copy work, substituting another’s work as one’s own, theft of exam copies, or other forms of misconduct on exams.
b. Plagiarizing the work of others. Plagiarism is using someone else’s work or ideas without giving that person credit; by doing this students are, in effect, claiming credit for someone else’s thinking. Whether students have read or heard the information used, they must document the source of information. When dealing with written sources, a clear distinction should be made between quotations (which reproduce information from the source word-for-word within quotation marks) and paraphrases (which digest the source of information and produce it in the student’s own words). Both direct quotations and paraphrases must be documented. Even if students rephrase, condense or select from another person’s work, the ideas are still the other person’s, and failure to give credit constitutes misrepresentation of the student’s actual work and plagiarism of another’s ideas. Buying a paper or using information from the World Wide Web or Internet without attribution and handing it in as one’s own work is plagiarism.
c. Cheating on lab reports by falsifying data or submitting data not based on the student’s own work.
d. Falsifying records or providing misinformation regarding one’s credentials.
e. Unauthorized collaboration on computer assignments and unauthorized access to and use of computer programs, including modifying computer files created by others and representing that work as one’s own
2. Add/Drops:
The university policy will be explicitly followed. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of deadline dates for dropping courses.
3. Special Considerations:
Students with disabilities who may require special considerations should make an appointment with Disability Support Services, 103A North Foundation Hall, phone 248-370-3266. Students should also bring their needs to the attention of the instructor as soon as possible. For academic help, such as study and reading skills, contact the Tutoring Center, 103 North Foundation Hall, phone 248-370-4215.
4. Athlete Excused Absences:
· Students shall inform their instructors of dates they will miss class due to an excused absence prior to the date of that anticipated absence. For activities such as athletic competitions whose schedules are known prior to the start of a term, students must provide their instructors during the first week of each term a written schedule showing days they expect to miss classes. For other university excused absences students must provide each instructor at the earliest possible time the dates that they will miss.
5. Students are expected to arrive on time and attend class every day. Students are allowed to two excused absences. Students missing more than two classes will automatically fail the course.
TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE
Week #1 Introductions/Expectations/Syllabus
Objectives: Students will review the syllabus in its entirety and classroom expectations will be established for the entire semester.
Readings: None
Class Activities:
Week #2 Why College?
Objective: Students will discuss why they are in college and what the philosophical and practical purposes of colleges were and are.
Readings: Chapter 1 (Gardner Book)
Class Activities:
Week #3 Understanding the Campus Landscape
Objective: Students will learn to have a better understanding of the general hierarchy (which will include faculty, staff and resources) of most college environments and how to navigate them to have a successful college experience.
Readings: (Online Reading: Your Complete Guide to College Success)
Class Activities:
Week #4 Connecting with the Campus Community
Objective: Students will learn about the multiple ways they can become involved on campus and how becoming involved equates to their success academically and socially.
Readings: Insider’s Guide: Getting Involved On Campus
Class Activities:
Week #5 Enhancing Time Management
Objective: Students will learn strategies to manage their time holistically, looking at both the micro and macro concepts.
Readings: Chapter 2 (Gardner Book)
Class Activities:
Week #6 (Mid-Term Assignment) Making Positive Financial Choices
Objective: Students will learn positive financial practices and be more informed on financial management which will include understanding general college financial aid processes, understanding how to budget, and managing personal credit.
Readings: Chapter 11 (Gardner Book)
Class Activities:
Week #7 Major and Career Exploration
Objective: Students will learn about the major/career exploration process which will include learning about personal interests, values, and skills and how they interact with career/major exploration.
Readings: Chapter 13 (Gardner Book)
Class Activities:
Week #8 Conflict Management
Objective: Students will understand the various aspects that surround conflict and how to manage and resolve conflict using interpersonal communication.
Readings: (Online Reading: Reflect and Relate: 245-247, 254-259, and 261-263)
Class Activities:
Week #9 Technology and Online Communication (Digital Identity)
Objective: Students will learn about the multiple ways technology impacts communication and identity development.
Readings: (Online Reading: Communication in Everyday Life)
Class Activities:
Week #10 Understanding Human Difference
Objective: Students will learn about connecting with others while considering the aspect of human difference.
Readings: Chapter 10 (Gardner Book)
Class Activities:
Week #11 Management of Health and Wellness
Objective: Students will learn practices for managing their health and wellness including managing stress, nutrition, weight, sexual health, and substance abuse.
Readings: Chapter 12 (Gardner Book)
Class Activities:
Week #12 (Final Paper Due) Final Class Activity/Wrap-Up
Objective: Students will discuss the summary of the course and how they have made progress throughout the semester.
Readings: None
Class Activities:
FULL DESCRIPTION OF EACH ASSIGNMENT with MARKING SCHEME/RUBRICS - (may include details of all assignments) - separate pages
Assignment #1
Personal Interaction Assignment Rubric
This assignment meets the following learning outcome: Students will learn how to professionally communicate and interview a faculty/professional or a student leader (please see instructor to define student leader) which will better inform their major/career and/or involvement choices via the personal interaction assignment.
Informational Interview:
1. Student organized meeting on their own with either a faculty member, professional in their field of interest or a student leader on campus. (2.5 points)
2. Student asked the following 7 questions to interviewee and asked an additional 3 questions that are different from this list. (5 points)
a. How did interviewee become interested in field or organization?
b. How did interviewee become involved with what they are currently doing?
c. What education level or involvement level is required to be at interviewee’s career or involvement level?
d. What does an average day look like for the interviewee in their field and/or organization?
e. What the mission, vision and values of the interviewee’s field/organization?
f. What advice does the interviewee have for interviewer on gaining success in their field of interest or organization?
3. Student gathered the contact information for the person they interviewed ( name, email and phone number) and included it in the final paper so instructor can verify that the meeting took place. (2.5 points)
Reflection Paper:
1. Paper is at least 2 pages long, 12 font, double spaced, 1.0 inch margin, proper spelling and grammar used and is students best work (5 points)
2. Paper summarizes responses from the 10 questions student asked the person in the interview. (5 points)
3. Paper includes the benefits and pros and cons of the student gathered from the interview about either the field of interest or leadership involvement (2.5 points)
4. Paper concludes with how student is feeling on field of interest and or involvement based on the interview choice (2.5 points)
Total: ______/25
Assignment #2 (Mid-Term Project)
Student Success Skill Development
This assignment meets the following learning outcome: Students will learn to investigate academic success skills that they will use and have the opportunity to create a guide that can assist them in the future by completing their mid-term project.
Students will select one skill they would like to further develop from chapters 4-6 and create a one page handout that outlines how the skill can be developed and used.
1. Getting the Most Out of Class
2. Reading for Success
3. Taking Exams & Tests
Handout: (Please see example on next page)
Handout to be at least one page in length (5 points)
Student will introduce topic and why they chose particular skill (5 points)
Student should highlight 4-6 main concepts discussed in the chapter (5 points)
Student should note how they have used highlighted concepts in their current coursework (5 points)
Students will note if using new skill has made impacts on their academic success (5 points)
Total: ______/ 25 Points
Assignment #2 Example
Introduction:
Describe area of growth and why it was chose. Description and reasons why should be one paragraph in length.
Main Concepts:
Describe 4-6 main concepts from the chapter you choose. Concepts should be a bullet list of a brief description of the concept covered.
Use of Concepts:
List 4-6 ways you used or plan to use concepts described in your current coursework. This list should be bulleted and offer a brief description on how you use or plan to use concepts listed.