Pedagogy & Communication 1

Pedagogy and Communication- Fall 2009

Instructor: Dr. Karen AndersonOffice: GAB 302

E-mail: Office Hours: Wed. 9am-11am

Phone: 940-369-7612(office)And by Appointment

E-mail is my preferred method of contact.

Please note that I do not reply to email on the weekend.

Required Texts and Materials:

Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York: Collier.

Fassett, D. L., & Warren, J. T. (2007). Critical communication pedagogy. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed: 30th Anniversary Edition. New York: Continuum.

hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to transgress: Education as the practice of freedom. New York: Routledge.

Jarvis, P., Holford, J., & Griffin, C. (2003). The theory and practice of learning, 2nd ed. London: RoutledgeFalmer.

Additional Course Readings will be provided on Blackboard Vista or in class.

Course Description:

Graduate course in pedagogy that addresses philosophical, theoretical and practical issues faced by the beginning college instructor.

Course Goals and Objectives:

The primary goal of this course is to provide instructional training and support for first year college instructors. This course explores a combination of philosophical, theoretical and practical issues experienced by first year college instructors. Thus, the following specific objectives will be achieved in this course:

Gain an understanding of students’ attitudes, behaviors, and motives.

Enhance teaching behaviors through clarity, immediacy, and communicator style.

Move from theoretical to applied—putting theory into practice.

Develop a reflective understanding of your identity as an instructor.

Develop a philosophical approach to teaching.

Course Policies:

Class Attendance and Participation

Attendance and participation is strongly encouraged. In order to be successful in this course you will need to come to class prepared, readings completed, and ready to engage in discussion. This course is a seminar and thus discussion will be the primary means in which information is processed.

Access Policy

We will cooperate fully with the University’s Office of Disability Accommodation to provide reasonable accommodation to students who require help. Students who wish to self-identity should register with the ODA no later than the second day of class.

Firearms Policy

It is unlawful to bring firearms on the campus of the University—even if you hold a permit.

Extra Credit

Extra Credit will not be offered in this course.

Handing in Work

All written assignments must be typed and double-spaced unless otherwise specified. Assignments, which do not follow these guidelines, will not be graded. Page length guidelines are based on 12 point Times New Roman Font 1 inch margins expectation (So if you want to use Courier New add a few pages to the requirements). Think hard about self-presentation and impression formation as you put together your assignments.

Late Work

Each student has an automatic extension of 48 hours on assignments. Thus, if the assignment is due on Monday at 6pm you can turn it in without penalty by Wednesday at 6pm. If you turn it in after the automatic extension you will receive a zero for the assignment. No other extensions will be considered. This is to help keep us on track.

Policy on Incompletes

An “Incomplete” will be award only in cases where 75% of the coursework has been completed AND the grade is warranted by an excuse (e.g., medical, military). Inability to complete coursework in a timely fashion does not constitute an acceptable reason for requesting or receiving an incomplete.

Code of Student Conduct

All persons shall adhere to the Code of Student Conduct regarding academic dishonesty, including acts of cheating and plagiarism.

Cheating. The willful giving or receiving of information in an unauthorized manner during an examination, illicitly obtaining examination questions in advance, using someone else’s work or written assignments as if they were your own, or any other dishonest means of attempting to fulfill a requirement of this course.

Plagiarism. The use of an author’s words or ideas as if they were your own without giving proper credit to the source, including but not limited to failure to acknowledge a direct quotation. Exact wording from a source must be identified by quotation marks and citation of the author. Concepts and ideas from sources should also be identified by citation of the author. Rules for citing quotes and ideas can be found in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th edition. (or the 6th if you have already converted!)

Punishments for cheating or plagiarism range from a grade of ZERO points on the assignment in question to failure of the course.

Disclaimer

This syllabus should not be construed as a binding contract between the instructor and the students. The professor reserves the right to change any aspect of the course without notice.

Assignments:

Participation: (100 points for 10% of grade)

This is a unique seminar course in that it incorporates class discussions (the standard seminar approach) with lectures and group and individual activities which are specifically designed to apply various teaching techniques/philosophies discussed in the readings in the classroom. Participation will be graded holistically based on your overall performance throughout the semester. Feedback on participation will be provided at midterm with the final grade assessed at the end of the semester.

Reaction Papers (each worth 100 points for 40% of final grade):

Prepare four 5-6 page reaction papers. You will complete a reaction paper for each Unit in the course. Each paper should briefly summarize a key point(s) related to the readings (max 3 pages of summary) and provide your reaction to the material. The goal of each paper is to apply the concepts or theory connected with the readings to your actual teaching experience or understanding of your identity as an instructor. I am looking for insightful reflection, which include personal observations of human behavior. Don’t pick everything we discussed in that unit—be selective -- focus in depth on an important concept that sparks your interest. Feel free to relate your discussion to previous readings. Please provide appropriate citations in APA format. While there is not an expectation that you will go beyond the reading assigned on that day to complete this assignment, if you use material to clarify your understanding of a topic please provide the appropriate citation.

Due Dates:Unit 1: Sept. 21, 2009

Unit 2: Oct. 5, 2009

Unit 3: Nov. 2, 2009

Unit 4: Nov. 23, 2009

Course and Assignment Development: (100 points for 10% of grade)

Please select a course you hope to teach in the future and prepare a syllabus including a detailed course schedule, two major assignments (with grading criteria/rubric), and one lesson from the course. The lesson should include: lecture material for one week (prepare power points with notes or prepare lecture notes in outline format), activities for the lesson, and exam questions for the lecture material. Additionally, you should include a reference page that includes all materials consulted including textbooks, previous syllabi, and assignments from courses. Due Date: Sept. 28, 2009

Teaching Evaluation Papers: (Each worth 75 points for 15% of grade)

You will complete two teaching evaluation papers (peer- and self-evaluation). Each evaluation will include a focus on:

  • Instructional Techniques- content, structure, use of examples
  • Presentational Skills- rate, volume, eye contact
  • Classroom Management-preview of material, transitions between topics, addressing questions regarding assignments, time management
  • Classroom Climate- student-teacher interaction, nonverbal and verbal immediacy behaviors.

Each evaluation should be 3-4 pages (typed double spaced). Please videotape your class to complete self-evaluation paper—you must turn in your videotape as part of the assignment. Due Date: Nov. 16, 2009

Final Paper (250 points for 25% of grade):

Write a 10-12 page typed double spaced paper that synthesizes material from the entire semester. The paper should explore how you approach pedagogy—it should outline your educational philosophy. You should present a coherent approach to pedagogy and communication. As you read during the semester continually keep this paper assignment in mind and look for connections of the material across areas. You must incorporate at least eight readings from the course in your paper. Outside research is strongly encouraged. Due Date: Dec. 7, 2009

Overall Grading Summary:

Assignment / Point Value / Your Score
Course and Assignment Development (10% of grade): / 100
Participation (10% of grade): / 100
Reaction Papers (40% of grade):
Reaction Paper #1 / 100
Reaction Paper #2 / 100
Reaction Paper #3 / 100
Reaction Paper #4 / 100
Teaching Evaluation Papers (15% of grade):
Self-Evaluation Paper / 75
Peer-Evaluation Paper / 75
Final Paper (25% of grade) / 250
Total / 1000

Final Grade Calculation:

900-1000 A

800-899 B

700-799C

600-699 D

599 and belowF

Tentative Course Schedule and Discussion Questions:

Week 1 (August 31, 2009): Introduction to the Course—Three Paradigms of Pedagogy and Communication (Please read articles before first class!!)

We will discuss the key aspects of the syllabus as well as the major assignments of the course. We will also discuss the format of the course and begin to define key concepts such as: Communication Education, Instructional Communication, Pedagogy and Critical Communication Pedagogy.

Sprague, J. (1992). Expanding the research agenda for instructional communication: Raising some unasked questions. Communication Education, 41, 1-25.

Sprague, J. (1993). Retrieving the research agenda for communication education: Asking the pedagogical questions that are “embarrassments to theory.” Communication Education, 42, 106-122.

Sprague, J. (2002). Communication Education: The spiral continues. Communication Education, 51, 337-354.

Week 2 (September 7, 2008): Labor Day- No Class

Unit 1: Communication Education (Week 3 and 4)

Topic areas include classroom management techniques, presentational management techniques (lecturing, leading discussion, designing and processing activities), dealing with diversity, and course development (how to put together assignments, syllabus, etc.).

Week 3 (September 14, 2009): Best Practices in Teaching

Civickly, J. M. (1990). Creating a new course. In J. A. Daly, Gustav W. Friedrich, & A. L. Vangelisti (Eds.), Teaching Communication: Theory, research, and methods (pp. 53-66). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Darling, A. (1990). Instructional models. In J. A. Daly, Gustav W. Friedrich, & A. L. Vangelisti (Eds.), Teaching Communication: Theory, research, and methods (pp. 267-278). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Gorham, J. (1990). Individual differences in classroom dynamics. In J. A. Daly, Gustav W. Friedrich, & A. L. Vangelisti (Eds.), Teaching Communication: Theory, research, and methods (pp. 207-222). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Plax, T. G., & Kearney, P. (1990). Classroom management: Structuring the classroom for work. In J. A. Daly, Gustav W. Friedrich, & A. L. Vangelisti (Eds.), Teaching Communication: Theory, research, and methods (pp. 223-236). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Sprague, J. (1990). The goals of communication education. In J. A. Daly, Gustav W. Friedrich, & A. L. Vangelisti (Eds.), Teaching Communication: Theory, research, and methods (pp. 19-38). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Week 4 (September 21, 2009): Instructional Strategies

Book, C. L. (1990). Extended discourse. In J. A. Daly, Gustav W. Friedrich, & A. L. Vangelisti (Eds.), Teaching Communication: Theory, research, and methods (pp. 279-292). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Chesebro, J. L. (2002). The big picture: “Putting it all together” to communication more effectively with students. In J. L Chesebro & J. C. McCroskey (Eds.), Communication for Teachers (pp. 202-206). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Cooper, P. J., & Simonds, C. J. (2003). Communication for the classroom teacher, 7th ed. (pp. 113-219). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Dallimore, E. J., Hertenstein, J. H., & Platt, M. B. (2004). Classroom participation and discussion effectiveness: Student-generated strategies. Communication Education, 53, 103-115.

Nyquist, J. D., & Wulff, D. H. (1990). Selected active learning strategies. In J. A. Daly, Gustav W. Friedrich, & A. L. Vangelisti (Eds.), Teaching Communication: Theory, research, and methods (pp. 337-362). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

UNIT 1 REACTION PAPER DUE

Unit 2: Instructional Communication (Week 5 and 6)

Topic areas include nonverbal and verbal immediacy, teacher clarity, communicator style, humor, student learning outcomes, students’ willingness and motives to communicate, and student motivation.

Week 6 (September 28, 2009): Immediacy, Teacher Clarity, and Student Outcomes

Christophel, D. M. (1990). The relationships among teacher immediacy behaviors, student motivation, and learning. Communication Education, 37, 323-340.

Frymier, A. (1994). A model of immediacy in the classroom. Communication Quarterly, 42, 133-144.

Powell, R. G., & Harville, B. (1990). The effects of teacher immediacy and clarity on instructional outcomes: An intercultural assessment. Communication Education, 39, 369-379.

Simonds, C. J. (1997). Classroom understanding: An expanded notion of teacher clarity. Communication Research Reports, 14, 279-290.

Titsworth, B. S. (2004). Students’ notetaking: The effects of teacher immediacy and clarity. Communication Education, 53, 305-320.

COURSE AND ASSIGNMENT DEVELOPMENT DUE

Week 6 (October 5, 2009): Motivating Students

Edwards, C., Edwards, A., Qing, Q., & Wahl, S. T. (2007). The influence of computer-mediated word-of-mouth communication on student perceptions of instructors and attitudes toward learning course content. Communication Education, 56, 255-277.

Myers, S. A., Mottet, T. P., & Martin, M. M. (2000). The relationship between student communication motives and perceived instructor communicator style. Communication Research Reports, 17, 161-170.

Plax, T. G., Kearney, P., McCroskey, J. C., & Richmond, V. P. (1986). Power in the classroom VI: Verbal control strategies, nonverbal immediacy, and affective learning. Communication Education, 35, 43-55.

Richmond, V. P., McCroskey, J. C., Kearney, P., & Plax, T. G. (1987). Power in the classroom VII: Linking behavior alternation techniques to cognitive learning. Communication Education, 36, 1-12.

Schrodt, P., Witt, P. L., & Turman, P. D. (2007). Reconsidering the measurement of teacher power use in the college classroom. Communication Education, 56, 308-322.

UNIT 2 REACTION PAPER DUE

Unit 3: Educational Philosophy & Critical Pedagogy (Week .7, 8, 9, and 10)

This unit explores various philosophical perspectives about pedagogy. The first week explores the various approaches to learning and serves as an overview of perspectives. The remaining three weeks explores the works of Dewey, Freire, and hooks. Each author provides insight into the complex considerations which shape our roles, responsibilities, and objectives as educators.

Week 7 (October 12, 2009): The Theory and Practice of Learning

Jarvis, P., Holford, J., & Griffin, C. (2003). The theory and practice of learning, 2nd ed. London: RoutledgeFalmer.

Week 8 (October 19, 2009): Dewey

Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York: Collier.

Week 9 (October 26, 2009): Freire

Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed: 30th Anniversary Edition. New York: Continuum.

Week 10 (Nov. 2, 2009): hooks

hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to transgress: Education as the practice of freedom. New York: Routledge.

UNIT 3 REACTION PAPER DUE

Unit 4: Critical Communication Pedagogy (Week 11, 12, and 13)

This unit exploresthe intersection of Communication Education, Instructional Communication, Educational Philosophy, and Critical Theory by exploring the way in which we as instructors-students understand and create our relational selves in collusion and collision with theories and methodologies that explore identity as a socio-cultural creation that are inherently ideological.

Week 11 (Nov. 9, 2009): What is critical communication pedagogy?

Fassett, D. L., & Warren, J. T. (2007). Critical communication pedagogy. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Peer and Self Evaluation Due—Turn in your papers and your tape!

Week 12 (Nov. 16, 2009): Identity and Marginalized Voices

Bell, E., & Golombisky, K. (2004). Voices and silences in our classrooms: Strategies for mapping trails among sex/gender, race, and class. Women’s Studies in Communication, 27, 294-329.

Hendrix, K. G., Jackson, R. L., II, & Warren, J. R. (2003). Shifting academic landscapes: Exploring co-identities, identity negotiation, and critical progressive pedagogy. Communication Education, 52, 177-190.

Johnson, J. R., & Bhatt, A. J. (2003). Gendered and racialized identities and alliances in the classroom: Formations in/of resistive space. Communication Education, 52, 230-244.

Vargas, L. (1999). When the “Other” is the teacher: Implications of teacher diversity in higher education. Urban Review, 31, 359-383.

Week 13 (Nov. 23, 2009): Epistemology and Power

Fassett, D. L., & Warren, J. T. (2004). “You get pushed back”: The strategic rhetoric of educational success and failure in higher education. Communication Education, 53, 21-39.

Nainby, K. E., Warren, J. T., & Bollinger, C. (2003). Articulating contact in the classroom: Towards a constitutive focus in critical pedagogy. Language and Intercultural Communication, 3, 198-212.

Rodriguez, J. I., & Cai, D. A. (1994). When your epistemology gets in the way: A response to Sprague. Communication Education, 43, 263-272

Sprague, J. (1994). Ontology, politics, and instructional communication research: Why we can’t just “agree to disagree” about power. Communication Education, 43, 273-290.

Wood, A. F., & Fassett, D. L. (2003). Remote control: Identity, power and technology in the communication classroom. Communication Education, 52, 286-296.

UNIT 4 REACTION PAPER DUE

Week 14 (Nov. 30, 2009):Research & wRiting

If you would like an individual meeting to discuss your final paper please set up an appointment by Monday Nov. 16, 2009.

Week 15 (Dec. 7, 2009):Final Papers Due