Syllabi for Bailey

SPC 1017

Interpersonal Communications, SPC 1017

Ronda Bailey

 

Contact Information: rbailey27@valenciacollege.edu

Office Hours: Check Canvas, and or Faculty Frontdoor

Office: Building 5, room 121

 Catalog Description: Students explore a range of communication concepts and topics from interpersonal communication, to small group communication, to public speaking. Students develop skills to put the communication principles to work.  (3 credit hours.)

Disclaimer: Information on this syllabus is subject to change and clarification at the discretion of the professor.

Required Materials:

  • Access to a computer with Internet access (to access research databases, Canvas).
  • Activated Valencia student ID card / library card.

Online Text: Open Educational Resource from the Open Textbook Library - Textbook this semester is online. The link is listed below:

Communication in the Real World: An Introduction to Communication Studies

Communications in the Real World: An Introduction to Communication Studies

Note: The textbook is free and each chapter is embedded in the weekly modules

  • Access to a computer with Internet access (to access research databases, Canvas, and additional textbook
  • Flashdrive
  • Access to Canvas for course materials, grades and submitting assignments and emails.
  • Microsoft Word and PowerPoint access (Google Docs)

Course Outcomes

  • Demonstrate a clear speaking goal as it related to audience and contextual analysis.
  • Develop, organize, and support the verbal message.
  • Observe the ethical responsibilities of both senders and receivers in an oral communication transaction.
  • Prepare and deliver an extemporaneous informative speech incorporating presentational aids.
  • Use critical thinking skills when preparing persuasive messages.

Core Competencies of a Valencia

Valencia faculty has defined four interrelating competencies (Think, Value, Communicate and Act) that prepare students to succeed in the world community.  Valencia’s Student Core Competencies are complex abilities that are essential to lifelong success.  Additional information is available in the College Catalog (http://valenciacollege.edu/competencies/).

This course will help you develop and demonstrate the abilities to

  • think clearly, critically, and creatively;
  • communicate with others verbally and in written form;
  • make reasoned value judgments and responsible commitments;
  • Act purposefully, reflectively, and responsibly.

Canvas:  Check Canvas for any announcements, prior to coming to class.  Your updated grades will also be posted on CANVAS.

 Attendance:

  1. Poor attendance will affect your grade for the semester. After 2 absences, you will drop a letter grade.
  2. Three tardies, or leaving early will equal an absence.
  3. You are expected to keep attendance by signing the attendance sheet during each class. You may not sign in once class has started.
  4. I expect you to be in class on time, period.  Generally, I do not expect or accept documentation for absences.  An absence does not excuse you from turning in assignments on the day they are due.  You assume the responsibility for contacting a fellow student to reconstruct the topics, handouts, and assignments covered.  If you must be absent from class, please e-mail me to let me know. 

 Attendance: This is a 3-hour credit course: How many hours a week should you study for a 3-credit class. A good rule of thumb is to dedicate six hours a week for each credit hour you take — so for a standard three-credit class, you can expect to spend 18 hours per week on it.

Attendance is required.

Face-to-Face: attendance is required. Students are allowed two excused absences in the semester. However, please note that you will not be allowed to make up missed work as I do not accept late work. If you miss a speech, you miss a speech. Assignments will be due on Monday/Wednesday, with the exception of 3 Sunday due dates found in the modules.

Mixed-Mode (MM): attendance is required. Students are allowed one excused absence in the semester. This is a mixed-mode course and attendance is required. If you are not attending class, and submitting work only online your assignments will not be accepted, as this is not an online class. Assignments will be due on Monday/Wednesday, with the exception of 3 Sunday due dates found in the modules.

Online: attendance is required and will be reflected in assignment due dates. Your class schedule is Monday/Wednesday and all assignments will be due on Monday/Wednesday, with the exception of 3 Sunday due dates found in the modules.

Attendance:  

Class Attendance/No Show Policy: Class attendance is critically important for your course success and meeting the learning outcomes. I highly encourage you to attend class and come ready to learn and engage in all face-to-face class activities. I also encourage you to complete all online activities in Canvas by their due dates to stay on track, as learning activities are designed to build upon each other in sequential order. 

You must attend during the first week of classes to avoid being dropped as a "No Show."  If you are withdrawn as a “no show,” you will be financially responsible for the class and a final grade of “WN” will appear on your transcript for the course.” You must attend and complete the required course assignment activity in order to not be withdrawn from the course. I will not withdraw students after the first week of class, this is the students' responsibility.

Withdrawal Policy: a student who withdraws from a class before the established deadline for a particular term will receive a grade of “W."  Students are not permitted to drop themselves after the withdrawal deadline, and I cannot drop students. The withdrawal deadline for a "W" grade can be found in Valencia Calendars online. Students may withdraw themselves by the deadline. After the deadline, students will receive the grade based on the course grading components as defined at Valencia. You will not be dropped for non-attendance after the first week, but missed work will get zero points, negatively impacting your grade. 

 

Expectations for quizzes:  Quizzes are scheduled and listed in Canvas.  You’ll want to study your class lecture notes, handouts, and assignments related to the quiz topics.

  1. Quizzes are online. Please check the weekly schedule and give yourself ample time to complete the quizzes.
  2. Please read the directions provided on the quiz and take your time.

Expectations for speeches: You are required to present extemporaneous speeches to an audiences of you peers. Speeches must be original work created by you, and not work from a previous course. Speaking assignments are assigned throughout the semester and details will be provided in Canvas. There will be an informative with an international topic speech, a persuasive speech and a special occasion speech and impromptu speeches; details will be provided in class.

  1. Speeches are due when they are due on the assigned date, see Canvas for those dates. Make-up speeches are not permitted.
  2. Recording: Please note that the professor will make a recording of some speeches so that you can evaluate your delivery and connection with the audience. You will need to bring a jump drive to class for this purpose.
  3. The final speech of the semester must be delivered on time or you will receive a zero (no make-ups).
    1. Note: Car problems, including accidents that did not occur at the time of the speech, are not acceptable excuses for missing a speech. Documentation is necessary.
  4. Be on time for speeches: Students who are late by more than 10 minutes to the class on the day they are to present their speeches will receive a 10 point deduction on their grade. The same goes for students who leave early.
  5. Speech outlines: you will complete 3 fully developed speech outlines. You are expected to address all the questions on the template. They will be due before class, as per the class schedule and turned in through Canvas as word doc or pdf.

Expectation for class activities and discussion for F-2-F, MM & Online:

  1. I want you to be successful. Come to class ready to learn and prepared to participate in interactive activities that involve your participation.
  2. Take notes. If you need instruction on a good note-taking style, please let me know and I will be happy to help you. Taking notes will be very helpful for you.  Please study these notes before you return to class.
  3. The expectation for this class is that EVERY STUDENT will ask and answer questions. This course is your opportunity to become a good communicator, so don’t hold back.  Even if it doesn’t come to you naturally at first, by the end of the semester our efforts will pay off.
  4. Participation requires good listening and a sincere effort to process what other people are saying. Please focus on the discussion and do your best to share your own view.
  5. Class discussion is crucial for the understanding of the concepts. Think of your attendance as proof of your engagement and commitment to this class. 
  6. Keep in mind that we will do a lot of group work and do not fall victim to distractions. For example, do not take out your phone or work for other classes.  You will be asked to leave.  Most importantly, you can learn from each other.
  7. There are no late entries on speech days. Once speeches have started, you may not enter the class at any time for the whole class session to be respectful for those who are speaking.

**Online and MM (Mixed Mode)

A discussion response to a classmate should be no lesss than 3-students and should continue to engage the disucssion further than I-agree, these statements will not earn your credit.

Expectations for electronics and participation courtesy: If you choose to attend class, then you must do your best to maintain the learning atmosphere of the class.  Work with people in the classroom – not outside the classroom!

  1. Again, participation requires good listening and a sincere effort to process what other people are saying.  Please focus on the discussion and do your best to share your own view.  When speaking, project your voice so everyone involved may hear.
  2. No matter what we are doing – lecture, group activity, etc. – you may NOT text or otherwise use your cell phone.
  3. You will be asked to turn off your laptop if you choose to do anything other than take notes.
  4. All other electronic devices are a distraction.
  5. In the event of an emergency, STEP OUT IN THE HALL to deal with the message.

Online & Mixed Mode, please do not respond to calls and/or have phones going off during meetings and presentations.

Expectations for the discussion forum:

  1. The expectation for this class is that EVERY STUDENT will engage in the discussion forum each week that it is assigned. This course is your opportunity to become more competent communicators and one of the ways to do this is to practice appropriate, ethical, and effective communication with your classmates.  For this reason, you will be placed into a discussion forum group, and these are the people you will interact with online. 
  2. A new discussion post/question will be given at the beginning of each week. Your initial response needs to be substantive and reflective in nature. You are also required to respond to at least 1 of your classmates’ posts.  These responses must be more than “I agree” or “I can see what you are saying” to receive credit.  Examples of a strong response are asking to follow-up questions, elaborating on what a peer has said, or adding your own experience to their point. You should include the word count of your post at the end.  A rubric is posted in the Discussions.
  3. We will use the 13 Principles of How To Treat Each Other to guide our discussions.

Late Assignments/ Make up Policy
No Late work.

Cell Phone

Phone use in class is not permitted.  Phones must be put away (out of sight) and silenced.  The first two violations of this policy will result in a warning.  Upon the third violation, the student will be referred to the Dean of Students in violation of the Student Code of Conduct.  Failure to respect this policy will result in an immediate call to security, who will be asked to remove the student from class for obstructing the learning environment of other students.

In an online class, during a F-2-F meeting and/or a presentation, silence your phones.

Summary of Important Policies:

  • Attendance is mandatory. You are permitted two excused absence. After those two absences it will be a grade drop for every class missed.
    • Even in an Online, assignments are expected two days a week and will close.
  • Special note about attendance on day’s presentation days: ALL students must be present. If you are not present, and it is a day you are to present, you will not be allowed to make up your speech. If you are absent on a day you are not presenting, but classmates are presenting, you will lose up to 25 points on your own speech.
  • I do not accept late work. (Late means 60 seconds past the official class start time.)
  • Speakers must wear appropriate attire on presentation days.  Minimum requirements: no revealing garments (good: a shirt with collar and sleeves; bad: strapless tops, tank tops, plunging necklines, etc.); no exposed midriffs; no visible underwear; no shirts with words, slogans, pictures, or logos; no hats; and no sunglasses.  Think business casual.
  • I do not calculate grades for you. Check Canvas, it is right there for you.
    • My grading is efficient and generally done weekly, you do not need to email me and ask me to grade an assignment for you.
  • I do not offer extra credit to individual students.  You should focus on successfully completing the work assigned throughout the session rather than waiting for a windfall at the end.
  • I use Atlas e-mail & Canvas to contact students.  You should check your account frequently and/or forward your Atlas e-mail to the account you use regularly.  If you send me an e-mail, write in Standard English (don’t “text” me), use spell check, and create an appropriate subject line.
    • In online I use announcements frequently, check it several times a week.

 

Late Assignments/ Make up Policy
No Late work.  

 

Course evaluation and Grading

Grades will be calculated and weighted in Canvas using percent’s.

  • Quizzes 20%
  • Informative Speech 25%
  • Midterm 15%
  • Final 15%
  • Participation 25%

                                                100%

 

  • Grading Scale: 100-90 (A); 89-80 (B); 79-70 (C), 69-60 (D); 59-below (F)

 

**See Canvas course for week-to-week schedule, office hours and grading criteria.

No Show Policy:  It is assumed that a student who has not attended the first two classes of the course is a “no show” and will be dropped from the roll.

Withdrawal Policy: The withdrawal deadline can be found in Valencia Academic Calendar, https://valenciacollege.edu/academics/calendar/. You may withdraw yourself from the course until that date. Keep in mind that dropping a course may affect your financial aid or status for international students. Please consider speaking with the instructor about your options before withdrawing. 

Speech Communication Department Academic Honesty Policy:

All forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited at Valencia.  Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism (purposeful and accidental), cheating, furnishing false information forgery, alteration or misuse of documents, misconduct during a testing situation, and misuse of identification with intent to defraud or deceive.

All speeches and assignments must be your original work.  Any sources used in any assignment must be properly cited (this includes both direct quotes as well as information that you synthesize and report in your own words).  Consequences according to Valencia Policies and Procedures include: (http://valenciacollege.edu/generalcounsel/policy/default.cfm?policyID=193&volumeID_1=8&navst=0

  1. Failure of the assignment
  2. Failure of the course
  3. Being reported to the Dean of Communication which may result in expulsion from the college

 

Student Code of Conduct

2014-2015 College Catalog) Valencia College is dedicated not only to the advancement of knowledge and learning but it is concerned with the development of responsible personal and social conduct.  By enrolling at Valencia College, a student assumes the responsibility for becoming familiar with and abiding by the general rules of conduct.  The primary responsibility for managing the classroom environment rests with the faculty.  Students who engage in any prohibited or unlawful acts that result in disruption of a class may be directed by the faculty member to leave the classroom.  Violation of any classroom or Valencia’s rules may lead to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from Valencia.  Disciplinary action could include being withdrawn from class, disciplinary warning, probation, suspension, expulsion, or other appropriate and authorized actions.  You will find the Student Code of Conduct in the current Valencia Student Handbook.

You are expected to do all of your own work on all tests.  Giving or receiving information concerning exam content is considered cheating.  In NO instance will cheating of any type be tolerated.  All work must be your own; any student involved in cheating or plagiarism (including the use of another student’s work) may receive a grade of “F” on a specific assignment, examination, or project, or may be assigned a grade of “F” for the course.  The instructor(s) reserves the right to determine penalties within Valencia College's academic honesty policies.

 

Students with disability                          

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) is committed to the fulfillment of equal educational opportunity, autonomy, and full inclusion for students with disabilities. The OSD exists to determine and ensure appropriate accommodations for qualified students with documented disabilities, to assist students in self-advocacy, to educate the Valencia community about disabilities, and to ensure compliance with the ADA, ADAAA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation ACT.

In order for the OSD to accommodate students at Valencia College, students MUST register with the OSD. Students are responsible for 1) providing appropriate documentation of the disability and how it limits participation in courses, programs, services, activities and facilities; 2) following the OSD procedures to request accommodations in a timely manner; 3) presenting a Notification to Instructors (NTI) form each term to professors; 4) meeting and discussing accommodation needs with faculty.

Student documentation Guidelines: http://valenciacollege.edu/osd/DocumentationGuidelines.cfm

 

Academic Honesty: Each student must do his or her own work.  Although collaboration is useful and generally helpful, it is not designed to let you avoid completing an assignment yourself.  Research is required for most assignments, so we will cover the appropriate way to document a source on an outline and in a presentation.  In addition, all presentations and assignments must consist of original work developed specifically for this class.  If I suspect you have plagiarized, used a source without acknowledgment, used sources that are inappropriate for a college-level class, or used previously developed materials, I will address the matter appropriately.  Consequences begin at a zero for the assignment in question and could end with your suspension from the college.  Multiple incidents of academic dishonesty will be referred to the dean.

 

Assignments: I do not accept late* work, regardless of the excuse.  (*Late is defined as 60 seconds past the official class start time.)  Any computer problems you may experience are not grounds for turning in late work.  You should always have extra ink cartridges, enough paper, a Valencia copy card with a couple of dollars on it, and your work saved on a CD or flash drive in case you need to print elsewhere.  Assignments must be word-processed using the MLA-style guidelines that follow in this syllabus.  Do not e-mail assignments to me.  I do not accept unstapled papers, which are a sign of last-minute work.  Furthermore, I do not carry a stapler for your use.

 

General Classroom Policies: I expect you to behave in a manner that is consistent with the Valencia Code of Student Conduct at all times. 

           

No food is allowed in the classroom; you may drink from a container that has a lid.  Arrive prepared for class with the textbook and other appropriate materials.  Do not deliver a speech with chewing gum in your mouth or with a hat or sunglasses on your head.  Turn off all cell phones when class begins.  If your phone rings, vibrates, and/or interrupts class, you will lose 25 points off your final grade.  If your phone distracts or interrupts a student speaker, you will lose points on your own presentation (minimum 25 points.) 

 

Participation Policy: Participation points will made-up of various in-class and out-of-class assignments and activities, as well as attendance and punctuality.

 

Final Exam Policy: It is your responsibility to know when and where the final examination is scheduled and to be present and on time.  Valencia College places the final examination schedule online at http://valenciacollege.edu/calendar.   You may be absent from a final examination or deviate from the examination schedule only with approval of the professor.  If you do not take the required final examination and do not have an approved absence, you will receive a grade of F for the course.  The final exam in this course requires your participation in the group project.

 

  General Presentation Information:

  • Your speech topics must be approved by me and you must provide a word-processed sentence outline and reference list in MLA format on the day you are scheduled to present in order to be eligible to present the associated speech. I will give more specific information on topic choices at the appropriate time.
  • Firearms, other weapons, alcohol, and animals are not permitted on campus; therefore, they cannot be used as visual aids.  Consult me about the appropriateness of a particular visual aid.
  • Time limits are designated for each presentation.  You must stay within the assigned time limit; I will deduct 1 point for each 10 seconds you are over or under the time limit.
  • On presentation days, students are expected to attend class and to participate as audience members.  As audience members, you should refrain from distracting behavior, including sleeping, doing homework for another class, texting and/or fiddling with your cell phone, or talking with classmates.  If I must address your behavior, you will receive a deduction on your own presentation grade.  Your cell phone’s ringing/vibrating/shimmying during a presentation will result in up to a 25-point deduction.

 

BAYCARE STUDENT ASSISTANCE SERVICES

Valencia College strives to ensure all our students have a rewarding and successful college experience.  To that purpose, Valencia students can get immediate help with issues dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, adjustment difficulties, substance abuse, time management as well as relationship problems dealing with school, home or work.  BayCare Behavioral Health Student Assistance Program (SAP) services are free to all Valencia students and available 24 hours a day by calling (800) 878-5470. If needed, the counselor may refer the student to appropriate resources or to speak face-to-face with a licensed counselor.

 

**  See Canvas course for week-to-week schedule, office hours and grading criteria.

 

**Syllabus subject to change

Syllabus Disclaimer: Having read and gone over this syllabus and by remaining enrolled in the course, you are entering into a contract to complete the course requirements and respect classroom policies.  The above information, as well as the course calendar, is subject to written or verbal change at the discretion of the professor. Changes made to course requirements or the course schedule will be announced in class.

Part of exercising the Act Core Competency at Valencia is taking full responsibility for yourself and for your work.  Communication with your instructor is of the utmost importance should you encounter personal issues, computer problems, or health problems that prevent your regular attendance or timely work.  I am happy and eager to help you succeed in this course, but ultimately you and only you are responsible for your success in this course.

**Syllabus subject to change