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COM 283 Course Materials
Communication is central to the teaching/learning process. Knowledge is valuable in itself, but no matter how much one knows, there is no guarantee he or she can teach that knowledge to others. Communication is the crucial link between a knowledgeable teacher and a learning student. From the vantage point of a professional educator, then, the difference between knowing and teaching is communication in the classroom (Hurt, Scott, & McCroskey, 1978).
Course SyllabusMonday and Wednesday 4:00 (Fell 152)
Instructor:Cheri Simonds, Ph.D.Office Hours:MW2:00-3:00 p.m.
Office:427 Fell HallPhone:309-438-7550
Email:
Course Goals
- To improve the communication competencies of students (pre-service teachers) in an academic setting. That is to develop one’s knowledge, skill, motivation, and judgment with regard to message choices and likely outcomes with colleagues, students, administrators, and parents. (Illinois Professional Teaching Standard 6—Oral Communication)
- To introduce students to the edTPA context for learning and tasks or the ADDIE instructional model.
- To develop the student’s (pre-service teacher’s) awareness of the dynamics of classroom interaction. Specifically, to understand and put into practice the communication principles that support a positive classroom environment. (IPTS 4—Learning Environment)
- To improve the student’s (pre-service teacher’s) ability to synthesize and communicate clearly instructional content to a diverse audience. Specifically, to develop teaching skills in verbal interaction by practice as well as collaborative relationships. (IPTS 1—Teaching Diverse Students, 2—Content and Pedagogical Knowledge, 3—Planning for Differentiated Instruction, 5—Instructional Delivery, 8—Collaborative Relationships)
- To increase the student’s (pre-service teacher’s) understanding of the variables significant to students in a traditional, nontraditional, and multicultural environment. Also to sharpen their ability to analyze and evaluate the communication of others in a diverse environment. (IPTS 1—Teaching Diverse Students)
- To support Illinois State University’s historic and enduring commitment to prepare teachers who will be responsive to the ethical and intellectual demands of a democratic society. This course contributes to this mission by providing a framework for understanding culture in the classroom throughout each topic of discussion, by allowing multiple voices to lead and facilitate discussions, and by considering the ethical implications of teachers in the classroom. (IPTS 1—Teaching Diverse Students, 9—Professional Leadership and Advocacy)
Texts
Simonds, C. J., & Cooper, P. J. (2011). Communication for the classroom teacher (9th ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Required Materials
3 Ring Binder (1 or 1 ½ inch)
Card Stock Pocket Folder (not slick)
A working ilstu.edu email address
A video recording devise
Course Policies
Attendance: Regular attendance is expected. Being absent will deprive you of valuable class discussions and will also prevent you from fulfilling certain graded in-class activities/quizzes that cannot be made up. Excessive absences will affect your participation grade in this class. You are expected to come to class prepared to discuss and participate in activities associated with the readings. I will not lecture over the material you have read; rather you will be assigned to synthesize one chapter of the material into discussions and activities. You are always responsible for all material distributed in your absence. Also note, any/all materials are handed out only once. If you are not in class to receive them, you should obtain the information from a fellow student.
Tardiness: Participation/Attendance sheets will be distributed at the beginning of each class session. If you are late (and please try NOT to be), you are responsible for completing this sheet immediately after class or you will not get attendance credit for that day.
Absences due to Student Bereavement: Students who experience the death of an immediate family member or relative as defined in the University Student Bereavement Policy will be excused from class for funeral leave, subsequent bereavement, and/or travel considerations. Students are responsible for providing appropriate documentation to the Dean of Students office and for contacting the instructor as soon as possible to make arrangements for completing missed work. More information is available in the Student Bereavement Policy at
Exams: There will be one midterm exam and a comprehensive final exam. Exams will assess your understanding of communication concepts and theories, as well as your application and integration abilities. (IPTS: Assess all IPTS standards addressed in chapter discussions)
Assignment Due Dates: All major assignments and exams must be completed on the date assigned. If you are unprepared to deliver a presentation on your assigned day (you sign up for your own dates) or do not come to class on an exam day, you will receive a ZERO for that assignment unless an alternate due date has been previously approved or documentation has been provided for extreme circumstances.
Extra Credit Opportunities: You may receive 3 extra credit points for participating in any of the studies in the School of Communication’s Research Pool. The extra credit points will be added to your final grade, and may not necessarily appear in the gradebook immediately upon your completion of the opportunity. There are no guarantees for extra credit, and it is each student’s responsibility to be aware of and take advantage of such opportunities. You may receive extra credit for participating in any of the studies in the School of Communication’s Research Pool. The Research Pool is updated as research studies are opened/closed, and it is your responsibility to access the Pool and be aware of available opportunities. The Research Pool can be accessed via:
The course instructor will get evidence of participation from the researcher(s) who administer the research studies at the conclusion of the semester; however, it is your responsibility to make sure that the researchers have the necessary evidence of your participation at the time of the study. Before participating in a study, please be sure to have your name, ULID (i.e., the part of your email before @ilstu.edu), instructor name, and course and section number ready, as you will need to provide these to receive credit. Research Credit can only be applied to one course for each study, unless specified otherwise in the Research Pool. After the final exam there will be no further opportunities for extra credit or to otherwise improve your grade.
Please also be aware that federal guidelines indicate that instructors offering extra credit for research participation must offer a reasonable alternative (such as a research paper) for students who want to earn extra credit but do not want to participate in a study.
Professional Courtesy: Professional courtesy includes respecting others' opinions, not interrupting in class, being respectful to those who are speaking, and working together in a spirit of cooperation. I expect you to demonstrate these behaviors at all times in this class. With that in mind, sleeping, reading materials irrelevant to class purposes, texting, or disrupting the class will not be tolerated and will result in the student being considered absent for that particular class period.
Presentation Etiquette: On presentation days, you have dual responsibilities as a speaker and an audience member. When you are presenting, you will dress appropriately. When you are an audience member, you will be attentive and ask challenging but constructive questions when the presentation is finished. Because most people are nervous when they present, you will be supportive both verbally and nonverbally. You will never enter or leave the room while a presentation is in progress.
Cheating/Plagiarism: Evidence of plagiarism or cheating on papers, presentations, or exams will result in an F on the assignment and/or the course and possible dismissal from the university. The University Handbook contains the plagiarism policy that will be followed in this course and all ISU courses. Read it and understand it.
Participation: Because Classroom Communication is a skills-based, developmental course, participation is essential. Participation is a function of attendance, demonstration of having read the material, asking questions that extend the thinking of the class and instructor, contributing relevant examples, and demonstrating respect for the contributions of classmates.
Electronics: This class is not a lecture and your notes will be done ahead of time so as a result, no laptops will be necessary. Additionally, your phones should be on silent and put away at all times during class (unless you are using your phone to record your presentation).
Special Needs. Any student needing to arrange a reasonable accommodation for a documented disability should contact Student Access and Accommodation Services at 350 Fell Hall, 438-5853
(voice), 438-8620 (TDD).
Mental Health Resources:Life at college can get very complicated. Students sometimes feel overwhelmed, lost, experience anxiety or depression, struggle with relationship difficulties or diminished self-esteem. However, many of these issues can be effectively addressed with a little help. Student Counseling Services (SCS) helps students cope with difficult emotions and life stressors. Student Counseling Services is staffed by experienced, professional psychologists and counselors, who are attuned to the needs of college students. The services are FREE and completely confidential. Find out more at Counseling.IllinoisState.edu or by calling (309) 438-3655.
Evaluation
Class Participation (includes attendance, punctuality,
class discussion, and daily activities ...... TBA
Any Old Bag Speech...... 10pts
Instructional Discussion...... 100pts
Lecture and Activity Lesson...... 150pts
edTPA or ADDIE Reflection...... 10pts
Mid-term exam...... 100pts
Portfolio...... 100pts
Final exam...... 100pts
The grading scale is a standard ten-percentage point scale:
90-100% = A; 80%-89% = B; 70%-79% = C; 60-69% = D; below 60% = F
Course Assignments and Assessments
See Attached Assignment Sheets and Evaluation Forms
Any Old Bag Speech
Instructional Discussion
Lecture and Activity Lesson
Portfolio
COURSE SCHEDULE
DateTopic/ActivityAssignment
August
22 (M)Introduction to the CourseAssign Top 3
24 (W)"Any Bag" Presentations
Instructional Discussion Assignment
Portfolio Assignment ______
29 (M)Facilitating Instructional Discussion Video
Assign ID Chapters
31 (W)Lecture and Activity Assignment (LA)
Lecturing and Leading Activities
Introduction to edTPA and ADDIE
______
September
5 (M)Labor Day
7 (W)Instructor Model of LA
______
12 (M)Leading Classroom Discussion Read Chapter 6
Instructor Model of ID Chapter 6 (IPTS: 1A, 1E, 4D)
14 (W)Lecture and Activity 10
______
19 (M)Classroom CommunicationRead Chapter 1
Chapter 1 Discussion (IPTS: 1A, 1C, 1E, 2G, 4J, 4I, 6C, 6E, 9I)
21 (W)Lecture and Activity 9
______
26 (M)Interpersonal CommunicationRead Chapter 2
Chapter 2 Discussion (IPTS: 1A, 1C, 1E, 1F, 6C, 6E, 8D, 8P, 8Q, 9L)
28 (W)Lecture and Activity 8 ______
October
3 (M)ListeningRead Chapter 3
Chapter 3 Discussion (IPTS: 1A, 1E, 6C, 6E)
5 (W)Lecture and Activity 7
______
10 (M)Discussion Verbal and Nonverbal ComRead Chapter 4
Chapter 4 Discussion (IPTS: 1A, 1E, 4J, 4I, 4L, 6C, 6E)
12 (W)Lecture and Activity 5
______
17 (M)Sharing InformationRead Chapter 5
Chapter 5 Discussion (IPTS: 1A, 1E, 2E, 4J, 5A, 5B, 6L)
19(W)Lecture and Activity 4
______
COURSE SCHEDULE, CON'T
______
24 (M) Review for Midterm
26 (W)Midterm Exam
______
31 (M)Small Group CommunicationRead Chapter 7
Chapter 7 Discussion (IPTS: 1A, 1E, 4B, 8F)
November
2 (W)Lecture and Activity 3
______
7 (M)Com Reading and StorytellingRead Chapter 8
Chapter 8 Discussion (IPTS: 1A, 1E, 6A, 6B)
9 (W)NCA—No Class ______
14 (M)Influence/EthicsRead Chapter 9
Chapter 9 Discussion (IPTS: 1A, 1E, 9B, 9C, 9H, 9I)
16 (W) Lecture and Activity 2
______
21 (M)Fall Break—No Class
23 (W)Fall Break—No Class
______
28 (M)ConcernsRead Chapter 10
Chapter 10 Discussion (IPTS: 1A, 1D, 1E, 8I)
30 (W)Lecture and Activity 1
Discuss Portfolio and Philosophies
______
December
5 (M)Review for Final
7 (W)Portfolios Due
Review for Final
______
*Note slight shift in order for scheduling purposes.
ANY OLD BAG WILL DO
ASSIGNMENT SHEET
Note
Adapted from M. Buchanan. (1995). The Speech Teacher.
Purpose
To provide students with the opportunity to "get to know each other" so that they may feel more comfortable with their audience for future presentations. To begin the process of audience analysis as well as to "break the ice" of completing the first "speech". Finally, to provide students the opportunity to see what it is like to stand in front of an audience.
Assignment
Students will bring to class 3 items in a bag of their choice (no book bags). The items should be a personal reflection of the student and allow that student to share information about themselves. The students will conclude their presentation by explaining why they chose the bag they brought and how it reflects them personally. Be creative!
Evaluation
This assignment is worth 10 points. You must stand in front of the class for at least 1 minute (no longer than 2 minutes please). If you finish the explanation of each item before the time limit, then the class can ask you questions to finish your allotted time. (Remember one of the objectives of this assignment is to get a "feel" for standing in front of the class.) Basically, if you bring in 3 items in a bag, and stand in front of the class for at least 1 minute, you will receive 10 points. Easy enough!
Hints
Practice working with your items. You'd be surprised how difficult it can be to talk and manipulate items at the same time (especially if you are nervous). Make sure you know exactly what you want to say, when you want to say it, and (most importantly) how you want to finish it. Make sure that your presentation is at least 1 minute long. Silence can be very uncomfortable.Most of my former students say that this is the most difficult assignment of the semester, so from here on out is smooth sailing. Good luck!
INSTRUCTIONAL DISCUSSION
ASSIGNMENT SHEET
Purpose
To aid students in identifying the necessary steps in planning and presenting content material in conjunction with large group discussion in the classroom. To provide students the opportunity to utilize and budget class time for implementing a given objective. To allow students the opportunity to facilitate and participate in a discussion.
Assignment
Students (in teams) will be responsible for presenting a chapter's major concept and relevant issues to the class. The prologue of the instructional discussion should provide an overview of the material in the chapter as well as provide transitional links from one point to the next. Try to emphasize not only what is in the text, but why it is in the text. Also, how does the information contribute to a teacher's body of knowledge? Students will use and budget 60—70 minutes of class time for their presentation and discussion. Students will lead a constructive class discussion in order to synthesize and analyze the contents of the chapter. Give us something to talk and "think" about. An outline and typed list of questions that will guide the class discussion should be given to the instructor.
- Introduction (5 minutes)
- Attention Getter: What rhetorical device will you use to capture our attention?
- Set Induction: What have we learned before that will inform us now Review/Transition?
- Objective: What will the students be able to do when the discussion is completed?
II. Overview/Synthesis (10 minutes)
- In a nutshell, what are the authors stressing in this chapter? What ideas, concepts, and instruction are important (hint: what major topics are covered and why?)
- How do these things relate to each other and why are they included in this chapter?
- How does the information provided in this chapter relate to and/or help us as future teachers? Give some real-life applications.
III. Class Discussion (30-45 minutes) Refer to chapter 6 for guidelines.
Reading ObjectivesDiscussion Questions
(Student Preparation)(Teacher Preparation and Prompts)
X.1 Include the Reading Objective Question here:- Provide a bullet point list of the answers to the reading objectives here.
- And answer…
Structure: Provide a structure comment statement here. Example: There are a variety of instructional strategies that teachers may choose from including lecture, activities and instructional discussions. Let’s talk about some of the advantages and disadvantages of the discussion method.
Discussion Prompt: Start with the discussion prompt from the chapter. Example: How will you decide when to use the discussion method in your own class? Are there certain subjects that lend themselves to the discussion method?
Additional Question: Add in a few higher order questions here. Example: What ethical guidelines should be discussed with students prior to participating in a discussion?
X.2 New Line of Questioning based on X.2 RO to the left.
IV. Conclusion(3-5 minutes)
- Please take mental notes of the progression of the discussion and summarize the main ideas covered.
- You’ll also want to provide a memorable close.
Related Concepts
Lecture Strategies
Planning the Discussion (Chapt. 6)
Ethical Guidelines for Discussion
Evaluation
Criteria for evaluation are attached. Each behavior is worth 10 points using the following scale: C=meets requirements of assignment; B=well integrated and organized; A=Creative, unique, and captivating.
IPTS
1—Teaching Diverse Students (1B)
2—Content Area and Pedagogical Knowledge (2C, 2K)
3—Planning for Differentiated Instruction (3F)
4—Learning Environment (4D, 4K, 4M)
5—Instructional Delivery (5F, 5L, 5M, 5Q, 5R)
6—Writing and Oral Communication (6R)
8—Collaborative Relationships (8B, 8K, 8N)
9—Professionalism, Leadership, Advocacy (9N, 9O)
Teacher/Trainer______Score______
EVALUATION
INSTRUCTIONAL DISCUSSION
Presentation
To what degree was the introduction interesting and appropriate?
(excellent) ______(weak)
To what degree did the teacher/trainers provide an overview/synthesis of the chapter?
(excellent) ______(weak)
To what degree did the teacher/trainer demonstrate an understanding of the major concepts of chapter?
(excellent) ______(weak)
To what degree did the teacher/trainer demonstrate an understanding of the concepts involved in writing discussion questions for inducing critical thinking?
(excellent) ______(weak)
To what degree did the teacher/trainerfacilitate the discussion using principles from Chapter 6?
(excellent) ______(weak)
To what degree did the speaker appear at ease?
(excellent) ______(weak)
To what degree did the teacher/trainer use class time appropriately?
(excellent) ______(weak)
How well did the teacher/trainer conclude the discussion?
(excellent) ______(weak)
How would you describe the overall effectiveness of the discussion?