Course SyllabusTuesday6:30-9:20 p.m. (Fell 180)

Instructor:Cheri Simonds, Ph.D.Office Hours:MW2:00—3:00;

Office:427 Fell HallT4:00—5:00 or by appointment

Phone:309-438-7550

Email:

CATALOG DESCRIPTION

481 Seminar in Communication Education: Communication Pedagogy

Survey of Communication Pedagogy including the communication theories and research that inform teaching practice in communication.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course explores the theories and research that informbest practices in teaching communication. Although grounded in communication education theory, the course will also include an applied element. Two broad units of material will be covered in the seminar: (a) an examination of how theory and research inform practice, and (b) application of theory and research to a communication classroom.

REQUIRED READING

The instructor and members of the seminar will make course readings available on ReggieNet.

GRADING

Your grade for this course will depend on how many points you earn from an original teaching idea, class discussion, class activities, participation, and a final paper. NOTE: Failure to turn in any of the course requirements may result in failure of the course.

1. Teaching Presentations (100 points): You will create a lesson including presentation of content, instructional discussion, and an original teaching activity that can be implemented in the classroom. Teaching activities that can be used in any communication course (i.e., public speaking, hybrid, communication research methods, communication technologies, communication theory, family, gender, health, interpersonal, intercultural, mass, organizational, public relations, rhetoric, small group) are welcome. You will have an opportunity to implement your teaching idea and receive feedback from your classmates for your appraisal of the activity.

2.Research Summary (100 points): You will be responsible for a group presentation on the current state of research in communication pedagogy in one of three publication outlets: Communication Education, Communication Teacher, or The Basic Communication Course Annual. Each group will provide class members with one or two example articles, an annotated bibliography on the state of research, and a comprehensive outline thatoffers an original way of summarizing, analyzing, and interpreting a body of research literature. Rather than being a mere descriptive survey, a research summary goes beyond to develop insights, offer practical and theoretical implications, and provide recommendations, which can be the basis for subsequent research.

4.Research Paper/Project (200 points):

A research paper/project consists of an in-depth study/analysis focused upon a topic of the student's choosing and approved in advance by the instructor. You will conduct a study or do an applied project in communication pedagogy for submission to a national or regional conference and/or publication in Communication Education,Communication Teacher (Assessment Research), or The Basic Communication Course Annual.

Specifically, a study will include (a) a description of the purpose of the study, (b) a review of previous research directly relevant to your study question(s) which also provides a rationale for each question, (c) a description of the methods and procedures, including participants, data bases or measurement instruments, time frame, and a rationale for your choices, (d) a description (with appropriate tables or figures) of the results of your study, and finally, (e) a discussion section with implications, limitations, and directions for future research.

The goal is to produce a product acceptable for convention presentation and/or publication. As such, you will be responsible for securing IRB approval, if necessary, as soon as your proposal is approved.

Most journal and convention guidelines specify that papers should be no longer than 25 pages (excluding references, tables, etc.) I personally prefer a paper between 18-20 pages when possible. All work for this course should be written using APA (American Psychological Association) guidelines as this is the style required by most journals that publish communication research. If you do not have a copy of this manual, I recommend that you purchase it. Writing clearly and concisely is an ongoing learning process-none of us ever perfect it. However, I do want you to be concerned about your writing style and hope that as this course progresses your writing will also improve. Feel free to ask me to consult with you on your papers prior to grading. Each student will give an informal (brief) summary of his/her paper/project at the time of the scheduled final exam.

Sample Topic Ideas

  • Synthesizing the last 13 years of research in the Basic Communication Course Annual
  • Civic and Political Engagement Assessment
  • Development and Assessment of a Teaching Idea
  • Speech Lab Assessment
  • Critical Essay on a Communication Pedagogy Topic

5.Class Participation (50 points): You are responsible for reading the assigned material prior to class. You are expected to discuss the readings and your ideas informally each session. Because this course is a seminar, not a lecture class, your own involvement is imperative. In order for our discussions to be productive you will need to (1) show knowledge of readings and have given thought to what you have read, (2) articulate your ideas clearly and argue effectively for your positions, (3) contribute to a lively interchange of ideas, and (4) respond thoughtfully to the comments of others. Failure to contribute to class discussion, in a meaningful way, will negatively affect your participation grade. Physical presence is necessary, but not sufficient for participation.

6.Reviewing for COM 110 Teacher (50 points):To give you experience with the publication process, you will serve as a reviewer for various submissions to COM 110 Teacher. It is important to critically reflect on communication pedagogy as you hone your own teaching practices. Providing descriptive and constructive feedback to others’ teaching ideas will provide ample opportunities for you to reflect on and polish your own.

7.Summary of Grading:

Teaching Presentation100 points

Research Summary100 points

Paper/Project200 points

Participation 50 points

Review for COM 110 Teacher 50 points

Total500 points

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

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Professional Courtesy. As this is a graduate seminar, I feel it is unnecessary to emphasize issues such as respect for the class (attendance, turning assignments in on time, etc.) and the members of the seminar (respecting others' opinions, being respectful to those who are speaking, and working together in a spirit of cooperation rather than competition). I do, however, want to be clear about my expectations. I believe graduate school is an experience designed to bring professional individuals together to increase and expand knowledge. Thus, I will expect your behaviors and attitudes towards this course to reflect professional courtesy. If I believe a student is not meeting my expectations (e.g., excessive absences, inadequate work, disrespect for others, etc.), I will notify you immediately and a decision will be made concerning your need to drop the course.

Deadlines. All assignments must be completed on schedule and must be handed in when due. No makeups or extensions will be permitted unless the student contacts the instructor prior to the due date and has a verifiable excuse. One letter grade will be deducted for each day that any assignment is late.

Academic Misconduct. All University Policies concerning academic misconduct will be upheld in this course. Of particular concern in a course with written and oral assignments is the issue of plagiarism. Plagiarism is defined by Webster's (1989) as "the appropriations or imitation of the language, ideas, and thoughts of another author, and representation of them as one's original work" (p. 1100). In other words, plagiarism is stealing. You must cite your sources accurately and consistently in both your oral and written assignments.

Special Needs. According to the Americans with Disability Act (Title 7), students with special physical or academic needs are invited to notify the Office of Disability Concerns during the first week of class so that any necessary accommodations can be made promptly.

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

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.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

SEMINAR IN COMMUNICATION PEDAGOGY

Week 1Orientation/Laying the Foundation

  • Simonds, C. J., Buckrop, J., Redmond, M., and Hefferin, D. (2012). National Communication Association Resolution on the Role of Communication in General Education. Adopted by the NCA Legislative Assembly, November 17, 2012.
  • Simonds, C. J. (2013). NCA task force report Steven Beebe’s NCA presidential initiative on strengthening the basic course (with others).
  • Five Years Out at

Week 2Defining Communication Education

  • Friedrich, G.W. (1989). A view from the office of the SCA president. Communication Education, 38, 297-302.
  • Sorensen, G.A., & Christophel, D.M. (1992). The communication perspective. In. V.P. Richmond & J.C. McCroskey (Eds.), Power in the classroom: Communication, control, and concern (pp. 35-46). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
  • Simonds, C. J., & Hunt, S. K. (2016). Internal threats to communication education and the implications for basic course scholarship. The Basic Communication Course Annual, 28, 1-6.

Assign tasks for Week 3

Practice writing discussion prompts for Hunt et al.

5 teams

Week 3Communication Education

  • Book, C.L. (1989). Communication education: Pedagogical content knowledge needed. Communication Education, 38, 315-321.
  • Sprague, J. (1993). Retrieving the research agenda for communication education: Asking the pedagogical questions that are “embarrassments to theory.” Communication Education, 42, 106-122.
  • Hunt, S. K., Wright, A. M., & Simonds, C. J. (2014). Securing the future of Communication Education: Advancing an advocacy and research agenda for the 21st Century. Communication Education, 100th Anniversary Issue, 449-461.

Assign tasks for Week 4

Assign research summary teams

Practice writing reading objectives and discussion prompts

3 teams according to research summary assignments

Week 4Example Research Summaries and Pedagogical Content Knowledge

  • Staton-Spicer, A. Q., & Wulff, D. H. (1984). Research in communication and instruction: Categorization and synthesis. Communication Education, 33, 377-391.
  • Hunt, S. K., Novak, D. R., Semlak, J. L., & Meyer, K. R. (2005). Synthesizing the first 15 years of the Basic Communication Course Annual: What research tells us about effective pedagogy. Basic Communication Course Annual, 17, 1-42.
  • Sprague, J. (2002). Communication Education: The spiral continues. Communication Education, 51, 337-354.
  • Friedrich, G. W. (2002). The communication education research agenda. Communication Education, 51, 372-375.

Week 5Leading Activities & Instructional Discussion

  • Gray, P.L. (2008). Leading classroom activities. In Hugenburg, L. W., Morreale, S., Worley, D. W., Hugenberg, B., & Worley, D. A. (Eds.). Best practices in the basic communication course: A training manual for instructors. (pp. 81-90). Dubuque, IA: Kendall-Hunt Publishing Company.
  • Cooper, P. J., & Simonds, C. J. (2009). Leading classroom discussions. In Communication for the classroom teacher, (9th ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Pearson.
  • Carver, M. M. (2008). Creating dialogue in the classroom. In Hugenburg, L. W., Morreale, S., Worley, D. W., Hugenberg, B., & Worley, D. A. (Eds.). Best practices in the basic communication course: A training manual for instructors. (pp. 81-90). Dubuque, IA: Kendall-Hunt Publishing Company.

Assign tasks for Week 6

Week 6Advancing the Basic Course in Communication Education

  • Valenzano III, J. M., Wallace, S. P., & Morreale, S. P. (2014). Consistency and change: The ®evolution of the basic communication course. Communication Education, 100th Anniversary Issue,63(4), 355-365.
  • Simonds, C. J., & Valenzano, III, J. M. (2016). Teaching communication to college and university students: The basic course in higher education (pp. 653-698). In P. Witt (Ed.), Handbooks of communication science, 16. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.

Week 7Work Night for Research Summaries

Week 8Research Summary (Communication Teacher Assessment Research)

Week 9Research Summary (The Basic Communication Course Annual)

Week 10Research Summary (Communication Education)

Week 11Teaching Presentations

Week 12Teaching Presentations

Week 13Teaching Presentations

Week 14Work Night for Research Presentations

Week 15Research Presentations

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