Media Studies SAMPLE COURSE SYLLABUS Organization Signpost Each Speech And Provide Internal Summaries Clarity And Comprehensibility Are

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SAMPLE COURSE SYLLABUS

TEXT: Rothwell, In Mixed Company, Fifth Edition (c2004)

General Course Objectives

I. To provide students with a comprehensive knowledge of small group and team

communication processes.

II. To provide students with the ability to apply conceptual ideas about effective group

discussion techniques to practical communication situations.

III. To develop students’ communication competence in small group and team settings.

Assignments

I. Symposiums: the symposium format is a public discussion forum in which group

members (usually between 5 and 7) present short prepared speeches on a central

discussion question or topic (see Appendix A, In Mixed Company). Usually, the

audience participates in a question-and-answer session following the formal

presentation of speeches.

A. SYMPOSIUM ONE: Several options will be offered when class begins work on

the symposium projects.

1. Requirements: 4-minute speech per group member. Group time limit: 4

minutes multiplied by the number of group members

2. Grading (100 total points):

40% group grade:

a. Organization: division of labor among participants is balanced; division

of topic into sub-categories is reasonable (10 points)

b. Content: thorough treatment of topic (10 points)

c. Attention: effort is made to maintain interest and attention of audience

60% individual grade:

a. Organization: signpost each speech and provide internal summaries:

clarity and comprehensibility are important (15 points)

b. Content: all important facets of the assignment are discussed thoroughly

(15 points)

c. Attention: use attention strategies to maintain audience interest (15

points)

d. Style/delivery: use extemporaneous style; maintain eye contact; no

reading (15 points)

NOTE: Grading group as well as individual performance reaffirms the

importance of working together (We-orientation, not Me-orientation).

B. SYMPOSIUM TWO: critique an art form (e.g., special effects in movies, black-

and-white photography, comic books, types of music videos, body-building,

body art, impressionist paintings, etc.). Research the history of the art form,

searching for specific criteria central to an evaluation of that form. Establish a list

of criteria for evaluating the chosen art form. Document the relevance of the

criteria by citing testimony of experts (see Appendix B of textbook for proper

form of citation). Explain the criteria, then as a group, choose “good,” “bad,” and

“mediocre” examples of the art form and justify the evaluation in terms of the

criteria.

1. Requirements: 5-minute speech per group member. Group time limit: 5

minutes times total number of members in group

2. Grading (100 total points):

40% group grade:

a. Organization: division of labor among participants is balanced; division

of topic into sub-categories is reasonable (10 points)

b. Content: criteria are carefully explained and well-supported with

evidence; evidence properly cited; criteria are applied effectively to

good, bad, and mediocre examples of art form (10 points) Attention:

effort is made to maintain interest and attention of audience throughout

symposium (10 points)

c. Quality of performance (style/delivery): use extemporaneous style of

presentation; no reading and no memorization (10 points).

60% individual grade:

a. Organization: signpost each speech and provide internal summaries;

clarity and comprehensibility are important (15 points)

b. Content: provide substance which contributes to the successful

evaluation of specific examples of the art form; exhibit research effort;

provide plentiful evidence supporting critique (15 points)

c. Attention: use attention strategies to maintain audience interest (15

points)

d. Style/delivery: use extemporaneous style; maintain eye contact; no

reading (15 points)

NOTE: The art form symposium exemplifies the importance of the criteria

step in the Standard Agenda group discussion technique (see Chapter 8 of

text). This is an excellent assignment for helping students learn how to

generate and apply criteria when tackling a problem. It is a sophisticated

learning experience requiring critical analytical skills.

II. Cooperative Examinations

Cooperative testing allows students to work together in a group (5 to 7 members) on

examination questions that check knowledge of key concepts and points presented in

the text. This is a unique approach to testing students. Study guides for each exam

will be distributed at least one week prior to the exam.

A. COOPERATIVE TEST #1: this test will cover the first three chapters of the

text. The format will be multiple-choice and true-false. Multiple-choice questions

will have four possible answers. You will choose all answers deemed correct

1. Group cooperation: each group (5 to 7 members) will take the test together

without benefit of notes or text. Although each group member will be given a

copy of the test, one copy will serve as the group’s final answer sheet.

2. Grading: all members of the group will receive the score on the group test

unless individuals earn an insufficient score on the individual accountability

measure. Individual accountability is determined by a second test

(immediately following the group test) given to all group members working

separately without benefit of group interaction. The individual test is

composed of multiple-choice and true-false questions covering exactly the

same material as the group test with a proportionate number of questions

from each chapter of the text. Failure to score 80% or above on the individual

test will result in the reduction of that individual group member’s test score

as follows:

B. COOPERATIVE TEST #2: this test will cover Chapters 4-6. The same

procedure used for Test #1 will be used for this test except that any FALSE

answer on the True/False will require a reason to explain the false answer.

C. COOPERATIVE TEST #3: this test will cover Chapters 7 through 10. The

same procedure used for Test #2 will be used for this exam.

D. COOPERATIVE TEST #4: Twelve Angry Men comprehensive final exam

1. The movie Twelve Angry Men will be shown in class. All multiple-choice and

true/false exam questions will relate to this movie. Questions will ask you to

apply text and class material from the entire term specifically to the movie.

E. VARIATIONS for Final Exam:

1. Have students view the Twelve Angry Men video outside of class. Either the

1957 or 1997 version works.

2. Give the essay questions version of the exam.

3. Make this a take-home exam with options to complete the essay questions as

4. Give either the essay exam or the multiple-choice and true-false exam for the

movie The Dream Team.

Other Relevant Information

I. ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION: this is worth 50 total points. You are

allowed one week’s worth of absences without penalty (i.e., 3 absences for

MWF class, 2 for TTH class, 1 for a class that meets once per week). If you miss

more than the allowable number of classes for ANY reason, your grade will be

lowered. The more classes missed, the bigger becomes the penalty.

II. TERM GRADES: all term grades are computed on the standard 90-100

average= A, 80-89 average= B, etc.

VARIATION: A community project could be substituted for the critique of an art form

project for the second symposium. Groups would be instructed to choose a volunteer project to

help the local community (e.g., Habitat for Humanity, soup kitchens, beach cleanups, etc.).

Have the group videotape its participation in the project and show clips to the class explaining

what they did and how the project turned out. Student presentations could include:

1. Explain why the group chose this particular community project. What other projects

were considered? Why weren’t these chosen?

2. Explain the nature of the project in detail.

3. Provide substantial background on the specific organization/group chosen for the

4. Describe problems faced by the group in completing the project.

5. How did the group attempt to solve the problems faced by the group?

6. Videotape group members participating in the community project and show short

clips with narration provided by a group member/s.

7. Interview select individuals receiving assistance from the community

8. Assess the degree of success experienced by the group. Would the group do anything

differently? Explain.