Communication 224 - Small Group Processes

COMMUNICATION 224 - SMALL GROUP PROCESSES

Winter 2010

Professor: Jennifer HaysOffice Phone: 650-2571

Class Location: AW406Office: CF 287

Class: T/R 2:00-3:50Office Hrs: M, W, R 10-11

Email: r by appointment

Note: *The most efficient way to communicate with me is face to face.

TA: Kendall Barnett Phone: 425-239-3649 Office Hours: TBA Email:

“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)

WELCOME TO SMALL GROUP PROCESSES. In this course, students will learn and practice the skills necessary to function effectively in work teams and civic and social groups, including effective member roles, leadership skills, problem solving and decision-making.

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND GOAL

This course will explore the dynamics of human interaction and diversity in small group settings. Group tasks will include the development of problem-solving, decision-making, diversity, critical thinking skills, and much more. The following will be learned in-class and through group projects, including direct community-based learning (CBL). Students will learn about small group processes through theory and application while working in a group setting (i.e. in-class and out of class). Students will learnhow to be more effective members of small groups by immediately practicing course theories. The class is designed to give students a diverse perspective while being a part of a team working on several group projects. Examples of topics covered in this course include verbal and nonverbal communication, culture, leadership, managing conflict, group discussions, observation, small group as a system, etc. By participating in class, students will have the communicative ability to work in diverse small groups, and apply the professionalism learned throughout the course and the community-based project.

NOTE: The instructor reserves the right to make changes to the course syllabus and content throughout the quarter; therefore, it is your responsibility to be current with updates made in class, via emails and on blackboard. All students are required by WWU to be present throughout the quarter and finals week. I will not permit anyone to leave early nor will I give students assignments or exams in place of the final exam.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. To acquire skills that contribute to successful small group participation and satisfaction.
2. To improve critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills in small groups during class and out of class.
3. To develop an understanding of current research, theories, and principles of small group processes to provide the basis of effective application.
4. To function as a participant-observer within a small group in order to improve skills and succeed in group work.

5. To gain direct hands on experience by working in small groups with a community partner.

REQUIRED TEXT

• Adams, K., Galanes, G. J. (2009). Communicating in Small Groups: Applications and Skills, 7th Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. *(Bring to class daily)

REQUIRED MATERIALS

• One 3-ring binder notebook and dividers for each group – for community-based project (optional)
• Journal
• Positive Attitude 

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY POLICY AND PROCEDURE

Academic integrity is demanded of students, and academic dishonesty at WesternWashingtonUniversity is a serious infraction dealt with severely. Students shall not claim as their own the achievements, work or arguments of others, nor shall they be a party to such claims. It is the instructor’s responsibility to confront a student and to take appropriate action if academic dishonesty, in the instructor’s judgment, has occurred. (Appendix D, WesternWashingtonUniversity)

PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is presenting as one's own in whole or in part the argument, language, creations, conclusions, or scientific data of another without explicit acknowledgement. Examples include but are not limited to: (1) Using another person's written or spoken words, (2) Using information from a World Wide Web site, CD-ROM or other electronic sources,(3) Using statistics, graphs, charts and facts without acknowledging the source of the ideas, and (4) Paraphrasing, which is using someone else's argument without acknowledging the source by imitating the argument using other words.(Appendix D, WWU; Western Washington University Library,

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

ADA Statement: the Americans with Disabilities Act requires that reasonable accommodations be provided for students with physical, sensory, cognitive, systematic, learning, and psychiatric disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are available for students who have a documented disability. Please notify the instructor and Office of Student Life during the first week of class of any accommodation(s) needed for the course. Late notification may cause the requested accommodations to be unavailable. All accommodations must be approved through the Director of Disability Resources, Student Support Services, David Brunnemer, Old Main 110, 650-3083.

EVALUATION CRITERIA:

The purpose of student evaluations is to inform students of their performance throughout the quarter by written and verbal feedback. Overall, the grading standard is as follows:

A= Outstanding/ Significantly exceeded all criteria

B=Above average/Exceeded portions of the criteria

C=Average/Met basic criteria

A= 100 – 94%A-= 93-90%B+= 89-87%

B= 86-84%B-= 83-80%C+= 79-77%

C= 76-74%C-= 73-70%D+= 69-67%

D= 64-66%D-= 63-60%F = 59% and below

*Note: Proofread all assignments submitted to the professor. Points will be subtracted for spelling and grammatical errors.

GRADE DISTRIBUTION (100 POSSIBLE POINTS)

Group Name/Logo Presentation– 5 points

Quizzes – 10 for 10 points total

Journaling – 10 points (up to 5 pts each time turned in)

Chapter Presentation – 15 points

Community-Based Project – 35 points

15 pts – presentation; 5 pts – community partner;5 pts - project completion by deadline; 2.5 pts each – weekly emails to partner; weekly emails to TA; midpoint update presentation; invitation/thank-you letter to the partner

In-class video and discussion– 5 points

Class Participation and involvement – 10 points (includes attendance, group contract, thank-you cards)

Final Exam – 10 points

GRADING

Every effort will be made to grade and return course materials within a week of their completion. Research papers and exams will take extended time to grade. All assignments given to the instructor need to be stapled. The instructor will not be responsible for unstapled papers. It is the student’s responsibility to keep extra copies of all turned in and graded assignments. Word-processed, size 12 font, hard copy is required for all assignments and NO email and/or attachments may be substituted. Please proofread all assignments before turning them in. *Always review the syllabus, Bb, assignment requirements, and/or see me for clarification for assignments. It is the student’s responsibility to complete all assignments. The instructor has the right to change/alter point distribution throughout the academic quarter.

GOALS FOR DIRECT COMMUNITY-BASED LEARNING: *As a class we have a civic responsibility to serve others as team members, to learn from one another, and to be active learners. This assignment includes community service. All students will work in small groups with a non-profit agency. The project may include assisting the elderly or children, helping with an event, creating a manual, etc. The purpose of the project is to allow group members to observe their own interactions in non-academic settings as well as the interactions of the community partner organization.

Note: You are to implement small group communication concepts from class in every aspect of your community-based learning experience and other situations. Every student is expected to be professional. Professionalism includes,but is not limited to, being on time for every meeting, participating in all aspects of the group process, communicating your ideas effectively, and demonstrating respect for everyone. You are representing WWU therefore your performance at the C.B.L. agency must be professional. You are to join the community partner in your small group by providing service to citizens the agency serves. You are required to take theories learned and apply them, as well as, use the project as a way to better understand the concepts discussed in class and the text. You are providing a service to the organization and the organization is giving you the opportunity to gain experience and apply the small group theories. The goals of direct community-based learning are:

To effectively work with a community partner organization as a small group.

• To gain hands on experience with the community and gain knowledge of diversity.
• To identify communication styles, leadership, conflict management, and group formation.

NOTE:It is my expectation that your community partner provides you with a positive learning and working environment conducive to the development of your knowledge and skills. If you believe the items negotiated in your contract (e.g. goals, objectives) are not being upheld or if the working environment is less than satisfactory, it is your responsibility to contact me right away. This experience will give you great experience and will be a useful resource. It has many applications to life, not just this class. It is a resume builder, opportunity to network, and provides references for future endeavors.

Group Member Problems:Peer Dismissal/Fire

Teams are responsible to adjust to group issues just as you would in any class/job, but if a particular member(s) continues to be a problem and social loafer please notify the professor. This member may be fired by the team if the problem persists. Teams must document the student behavior and submit it to the professor in writing during a face to face scheduled meeting.

Assignments: See description below and the professor for more information. No make-up assignments.

Group Name and Logo:Each group will create an image which can use a variety of means (pictures, words, drawings, etc) to represent their group. You will also describe the meaning of your group name to the class. Each group will present a group logo image to the class, describe their group logo and discuss their first group meeting and fun activity. Each group member must take equal part in the presentation to receive points for this assignment. No make-up presentations will be scheduled.

Quizzes: There will be 10 quizzes over the course of the quarter. They will cover the text, syllabus, exercises and group discussion. They will take the place of a midterm. Each quiz will be worth 1 point of the 100 points that make up this class.

Journaling: Students are required to keep individual observation reflective notes of each team meeting in-class and out of class. The goal is to critically evaluate yourself each week based on your small group communication and course content. As you reflect, please be sure to integrate the chapters and your community project experience in order to get the most from this assignment and earn full credit for the journal entries. Each week’s journaling should be a minimum of 2 pages. If you wish to discuss other aspects of group work outside of our class please do so. Make sure to let me know when you are writing observations about other classes/situations. Your journal will be collected twice during the course of the quarter. There are also journal topics you may discuss on Blackboard.

Chapter Team Discussion Leaders (DL):Students (depending on class size) will be responsible for presenting an organized discussion based on the chapter/article reading. In other words you are responsible for including the class in a 40-45 minute interactive discussion. Each leader must 1) discuss how the chapter or article best relates to self, group work, and personal experiences and should include examples from community-based learning; 2) ask questions of the audience regarding the chapter; 3) cover three aspects of the chapter that were most interesting or important; 4) bring in outside resource material or literature if necessary; and 5) implement an applied activity (no more than 10 minutes). Points will be deducted if you merely present the text material. Find your own unique approach to the subject matter – apply it to us, you, other small groups, previous presentations, etc. Keep it simple. Be sure to identify the purpose of your presentation (including chapter topic), discuss text terms and concepts (as necessary), include an introduction and a conclusion, and be familiar with any diagrams in the chapter that might enhance your presentation, but also look for examples from other areas (i.e. video clips, other texts, etc.). You will be required to evaluate team members. This is due the day after your presentation.

Community-Based Project (CBP):Your small group will be responsible for working as a team to complete a project that fulfills aspects of small group communication and requirements needed by the community partner. This assignment requires you apply what we have covered in class as you complete your work for the community partner. It also allows you to practice the role of participant-observer which is a goal for this class. Further explanation can be found under the Community-Based Project section, Grade Distribution, and on Blackboard.

In-Class Film Analysis:We will show one film during the course of this class. On the specified day, a film will be shown for the class period. We will spend a portion of the next class discussing the video and how it ties to the readings and class discussions. This is primarily an in-class assignment and part of your participation grade. In order to get the full 5 points you must be present for the film, complete the exercise sheet, and actively participate in the discussion. Do not plan to be absent.

Exam: One in-class final will focus on integration of the following: lectures, community project, application, skills, concepts and vocabulary learned from the text, articles, analysis, in-class discussions, film, video clips, etc. The exam will combine multiple choice, T/F, fill in the blank, and short answer and essay. We will not cover everything studied throughout the quarter; rather highlight the most important material. You will be provided a study guide prior to the exam.

Participation: Students are expected to participate daily…in class discussions, exercises, feedback to discussion leaders, past & personal experiences, activities assigned, role plays, skills, and most importantly…professionally present yourself daily. Due to the nature of this class, punctual attendance is important for in and out-of-class meetings. You have one "free" absence but two points, per class, will be deducted after the first absence. Arriving late to or leaving early from class may result in points deducted from the participation portion of your grade. Please remember that the one “free” absence does not excuse you from missing an exam, activity or assignment. There is a document called “In Class Participation Criteria” on Blackboard under the documents section. Please read it to understand how you may earn the full points awarded for participation.Point break down for participation is as follows: 5 points for attendance, 2 points for group contract, 1 point for group member thank-you cards, and 2 points professor discretion.

COURSE OUTLINE:Complete readings by the first class meeting of each day. Discussion leaders will be responsible for presenting on their assigned day. Students are responsible for all chapters and articles that may not be discussed in class. It is the students’ responsibility to review all assignments. Keep in mind that chapters are not read in order.

Week DateChapter/Topic

Turn cell phones and I-pods off before entering the classroom.

11/5*Orientation: Course, expectations, get to know each other

Discuss: Syllabus, policies, questions/comments per chapter reading, projects, especially the Community Project, & rationale.

Assign: Chapter 1 is due next class.

1/6*Schedule and Preference list due to me via email by 5:00pm

1/7*Groups: Assign and break up into groups. Chapter presentation dates.

Assign: Group name and logo activity - due 1/19. Fun activity due by 1/19

Group Contract due 1/19. Must have list of questions for partner due 1/12.

Chapter 2 is due next class.

1/12Due: Meet with your community partner. Chapter 2
Discuss: Group name/logo presentation. Assign: Chapter 3 due next class.

1/14Due: Chapter 3

Assign: Group Name and Logo Presentation and Group Contract due 1/19.

31/19Due: Group name and logo activity (10 minute presentation), GroupContract.

Assign:Work on your group’s chapter. Chapter 11 prelim outline due 1/21.

1/21Due: In-Class work on Chapter Presentation. Chapter 11 prelim outline due.

Assign:Chapter 11 presentation due next class.Chapter 4 prelim outline due 1/26

4 1/26Due: Chapter 11 Presentation. Chapter 4 prelim outline due.

Assign:Chapter 4 presentation due next class. Chapter 5 prelim outline due 1/28

1/28Due:Chapter 4 presentation. Chapter 5 prelim outline due.

Assign:Chapter 5 presentation due next class. Chapter 6 prelim outline due 2/2

52/2Due: Chapter 5 Presentation. Chapter 6 prelim outline due.

Assign:Chapter 6 presentation due next class. Chapter 7 prelim outline due 2/4

Journals due 2/4.

2/4Due:Chapter 6 presentation. Chapter 7 prelim outline due. Journals.