PFCF Syllabus
PFCF Bulletin Board
About PFCF/PFF
PFCF Syllabus
Experiences
Partner Universities
PFCF Newsletter
PFCF Resources
Links, books, etc.
 

CJT 685 - Syllabus

CJT 685 - Resources

CJT 685 - Practicum


CJT 685
"Seminar in Preparing Future Faculty for the
Multicultural Communication Classroom"

Course description
This course is to prepare future communication faculty for facilitating and dealing with diverse student learning in an increasingly multicultural classroom context. The course will examine the dynamics of multicultural teaching and learning and appropriate theoretical frameworks, address several significant student differences, and focus on strategies for teaching sensitive topics. Students will complete readings on each of these major topics and prepare a major written project addressing a particular student difference and how to deal with it effectively in a particular classroom and institution. This course was developed as part of the Preparing Future Faculty initiatives and funded initially by a grant from the National Communication Association. It attempts to build on PFF initiatives on our campus and as a result of the grant, allows efforts to be specifically dedicated to the communication discipline. Resources will include not only printed and electronic sources but access to sister institutions and their faculty members included in the NCA PFF grant: Coventry University (United Kingdom), University for Peace (Costa Rica) as well as those in the state of Kentucky (Georgetown College, Lexington Community College, Murray State University and the University of Kentucky). Other nearby institutions may also participate in aspects of the course.

Required materials
Required readings will be available in the Communications Reading Room or linked to online materials.

Classroom Procedures
Each class session will meet for the scheduled two-hour time slot and obviously you will be expected to attend and participate actively in each. Many of our class meetings will take advantage of the variety of resources available to us both here on the University of Kentucky campus as well as from our sister institutions by bringing in experts in the topic for the day who will participate in a panel presentation followed by questions from the class. In no one session are we likely to complete the discussion but we hope each session to provide you with many ideas, resources, and teaching strategies so you can follow up on your own and begin to develop your skills in teaching these topics.

Tentative Class Schedule

  • [01/09/2001] Week #1 - Introduction
    Dealing with definitions of the communication context:
    – multicultural
    – cross-cultural
    – co-cultural and
    – international
    Why are the distinctions important? Should we use another term - e.g., diversity? How can we begin to understand, respect, and teach differences when we may not have experienced them?

  • [16/09/2001] Week #2 - Dynamics of Multicultural Teaching and Learning: Creating a Climate of Openness and Inclusion
    Privilege and Prejudice - general inequities
    Introduce concept of both formal and informal policies 'institutionalize' prejudice
    Dealing with our own ethnocentrism
    Readings:
    Frederick "Walking on Eggs"
    Gardner "Reframing Multiple Intelligences"

  • [23/09/2001] Week #3: Dynamics of Multicultural Teaching and Learning: Expectations and Teaching/Learning Styles
    Students - know who they are (domestic, international, etc.)
    Instructor - know yourself
    Teaching/Learning Styles - understand various frameworks for viewing teaching and learning
    Readings:
    Dwyer
    Grasha
    Kolb
    Perry

  • [30/09/2001] Week #4 Dynamics of Multicultural Teaching and Learning: Content and Methods
    Course Content - what we teach
    Curriculum of inclusion & representation of diverse perspectives
    Teaching Methods - how we teach
    Repertoire of teaching methods & multiple learning/teaching styles
    Fishbowls vs. debates
    Mind-mapping
    Importance of taking a systems approach to teaching and learning
    Discuss changing demographics of the university classroom and that these vary from campus to campus as well as from discipline to discipline
    Impact of learning styles on expectations
    Readings:
    Chism
    Cumber & Braithwaite

  • [02/06/2001] Week # 5 - Differences in Age, Student Status, and Academic Experiences
    Traditional/Non-traditional students
    Donovan scholars (students who are 65 or older)
    Part- & Full-time status
    Mandatory placement in classes
    Socialization into the college/university
    Where will teacher focus teaching in terms of student preparation?
    Readings:
    Lucas, Chapter 3

  • [02/13/2001] Week # 6 - Differences in Socio-Economic Class
    Dealing with language attitudes and impressions both on oral and written communication
    Readings:
    Crag, selected excerpts
    Andersen & Collins

  • [02/20/2001] Week # 7 - Differences in Area of Origin and Subcultures
    International students
    High/Low Context Cultures
    Urban/Rural distinctions
    Appalachian students
    Religion
    Bonaventure House
    Readings:
    Adelman & Frey

  • [02/27/2001] Week # 8 - Differences in Gender
    Inter-gender issues in the classroom
    Power in the classroom related to gender
    Interruptions
    Talk time
    Appropriateness
    Gender issues vary across cultures/nations (not only U.S./Western perspective)
    Sexual harassment issues
    Use of alternative media by women
    Readings:
    Wall, C.
    Friedrich & Ragan
    Kreps Sexual harassment in the communication discipline
    Andreger

  • [03/06/2001] Week # 9 - Differences in Race and Ethnicity
    African American
    Hispanic
    Native American
    Asian American
    Caucasian
    Readings:
    Wieder & Pratt
    Web sites

  • [03/20/2001] Week # 10 Race and Ethnicity
    Concern that person becomes spokesperson for all of same race/ethnicity
    [Use "A Tale of O" videotape to focus discussion]
    Readings:
    $100 Misunderstanding

  • [03/27/2001] Week # 11 - Institutionalized Racism/Prejudice
    Policies that disadvantage any group
    Stereotypes and expectations that affect the classroom
    Legal issues and ramifications
    Impact of course texts and materials
    Readings:
    Lucas, Chapters 1 & 6

  • [04/03/2001] Week # 12 - Differences in Ability/Disability
    Services and opportunities
    Invisible/Visible disabilities
    Legal issues
    Ramifications for the classroom, course syllabi, and course materials
    Readings:
    Braithwaite
    Braithwaite & Labrecque "Responding to the Americans with Disabilities Act"
    Hart & Williams "Able-bodied instructors and students with physical disabilities"

  • [04/10/2001] Week # 13 - Differences in Sexual Orientations and Sexuality
    Use of language and examples/illustrations in the classroom
    Readings:
    Selections from Jeff Jones and other panel members
    Olson & Edson

  • [04/17/2001] Week # 14 - Use of Technologies in Multicultural Instruction
    Readings:
    Lane & Shelton
  • [04/24/2001] Week # 15 - Summary - Bringing it All Together...
    ...and preparing for future, yet unknown, differences...

>>TOP


Resources

Books & Chapters

Andersen, M. L., & Collins, P.H. (Eds) (1999). Race, class and gender: An anthology. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Gonzalez, A., Houston, M., & Chen, V. (Eds). (2000). Our voices: Essays in culture, ethnicity, and communication, 3rd Ed. Los Angeles, CA: Roxbury Publishing Co.

Kreps, G. L. (1993) Sexual harassment: Communication implications. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.

Lucas, C. J. (1996) Crisis in the academy: Rethinking higher education in America. New York: St. Martin's PressArticles/Chapters

Brewer, M.B., von Hippel, W., & M. P. Gooden. (1999). Diversity and organizational identity: The problem of entree after entry. In D. Prentice & D. Miller (Eds.) Cultural Divides, (pp. 337-363). New York: Russell Sage.


Chism, N. (1999) Taking student social diversity into account. In W. J. McKeachie. (Ed.) Teaching tips: Strategies, research, and theory for college and university teachers, 10th Ed, . (pp. 218-234). New York: Houghton Mifflin

Gardner, H.E. (1999). Multiple approaches to understanding. In C.M. Reigeluth (Ed.) Instructional-design theories and models (pp. 69-89). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Grasha, A. E. (1996) Identifying the elements of teaching style. In Teaching with style (pp. 1-48). Pittsburgh, PA: Alliance Publishers.

Kolb, D. (1987). Learning styles and disciplinary differences. In A. Chickering & Associates (eds.) The Modern American College. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Olson, C. E., & Edson, B. E. (2000). Case Study 3: Coming Out: Telling a most important story. In D. O. Braithwaite & J. T. Wood (Eds) Case studies in interpersonal communication: Processes and problems (pp. 36-43). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Perry, Jr., W. P. (1987). Cognitive and ethical growth: the making of meaning. In A. Chickering & Associates (Eds.) The Modern American College. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Weider, D. L., & Pratt, S. (1990) On being a recognizable Indian among Indians. In D. Carbaugh (Ed.) Cultural communication and intercultural contact (pp. 45-75). Hillsdale, NJ: LEA.

Articles

Braithwaite, D. O. (1991). "Just how much did that wheelchair cost?": Management of privacy boundaries by persons with disabilities. Western Journal of Speech Communication, 55, 254-274.

Braithwaite, D. O., & Labrecque, D. (1994). Responding to the Americans with Disabilities Act: Contributions of interpersonal communication research and training. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 22, 287-294.

Cumber, C. J., & Braithwaite, D. O. (1996). A comparative study of perceptions and understanding of multiculturalism. Howard Journal of Communications, 7, 271-282.

Dwyer, K. (1998). Communication apprehension and learning style preference: Correlations and implications for teaching. Communication Education, 47, 139-150.

Hart, R.D., & Williams, D. E. Able-bodied instructors and students with physical disabilities: A relationship handicapped by communication. Communication Education, 44, 140-154.

Lane, D.R. & Shelton, M. W. (2001). The centrality of communication education in classroom computer-mediated communication: Toward a practical and evaluative pedagogy. Communication Education, 50

Lepage-Lees, P. (1997). Exploring patterns of achievement and intellectual development among academically successful women from disadvantaged backgrounds. Journal of College Student Development, 38. 468-478.

Matthews, D. B. (1991). The effects of learning style on grades of first-year college students. Research in Higher Education, 32. 253-267.

Web sites

http://www.cyg.net/~jblackmo/diglib/styl.html
This website contains information about adult learning styles including Kolb and Gardner along with other ideas about using learning styles in pedagogy.

http://www.cs.buffalo.edu/~rapaport/perry.positions.html
This is a website that outlines Perry's "9 positions" that students move through. It's not very comprehensive but provides some basic guidelines on his theory and links to other sites.

>>TOP


Practicum

Currently the University of Kentucky has a PFF practicum in place across a variety of disciplines. The proposed course in for the communication discipline only. As such it is:
  • Designed so that graduate students create a learning experience at a
    host institution that will strengthen their credentials.

  • The graduate student is paired with a mentor faculty member at a
    sister institution; they choose among an array of activities to participate
    in together.

  • The exact nature of the practicum is tailored to the needs of the
    host institution, the participating faculty member, and the desires of the
    student.

  • The faculty mentors and graduate students should interact in a
    manner that is mutually beneficial and based on collaboration and
    partnership.

  • The activities in a practicum experience may include:

    1. attending faculty meetings
    2. participating in a course taught by the mentor
    3. teaching a course as an adjunct student advising
    4. participation in faculty development activities at the host institution

Each practicum will be designed for the particular student and institution, so it will be essential to complete a Learning Contract indicating precisely what is expected of the student, the faculty mentor at the host institution, as well as the Director of Graduate Program in Communication at the University of Kentucky.

The practicum experience strengthens student's credentials in the job market by
giving experience in being a faculty member. Participants often have an edge as they are seen as having taken an active role in their professional development and proactive planning for a faculty career. Only 5-10% of new faculty positions are in Research I institutions. In comprehensive universities, liberal arts colleges, community colleges, religious colleges and other institutions, faculty experience different expectations and play different roles than do faculty in Research I institutions. Preparation for faculty life requires developing the skills and experiences that will help students be successful in a future faculty position.

The practicum is a learning experience at a host institution that is designed to strengthen their credentials as a future faculty member and provide experience in the entire range of faculty experience (teaching, service, governance, advising, etc.) On-line (distance education) practicum experiences are also available. Graduate students are paired with mentor faculty members at a sister institution and participate in an array of activities with their mentor and others at the host institution. The exact nature of the practicum is tailored to the needs of the host institution, the participating faculty member and the desires of the student.

Currently participating institutions from the PFF grant include:

  • Georgetown College
  • Lexington Community College
  • Murray State University
  • Coventry University (England)
  • University for Peace (Costa Rica)

And, we anticipate other geographically close institutions may be participants in the future.

>>TOP