COM 281 Communication in Small Groups
General Course Outline-Spring 2000
http://www.uky.edu/~drlane/groups
COM 281-001 Class meets: 3:00 - 4:15 p.m.
Monday/Wednesday FB B4
Instructor: Dr. Derek R. Lane;
drlane@pop.uky.edu; 238 Grehan Building; 257-4651
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday 2:00 p.m. -- 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday and
Thursday 1:00 p.m. -- 2:00 p.m..
(And by appointment)
Course
Description: A study of communication process and skills in small group
contexts. Topics include: conflict,
gender, culture, leadership, group roles, problem solving techniques, and
decision- making. Students will
participate in group discussions and develop skills analyzing group
performance.
Rothwell, J. D. (1998). In mixed
company: Small group communication, (3rd edition). Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace.
Lane, D. R. (2000). Interpersonal Small Group Dynamics
Student Handbook. Not in yet!
Other
supplemental readings will be
provided throughout the course.
Required reading material will be available in the Communication Reading
Room on the first floor of EGJ, or handed out in class.
Students
will also be expected to purchase two packages of Scantron Forms #882-ES from the UK Bookstore to be used when taking
chapter quizzes (readiness assessment tests).
Students not using a Scantron
form for quizzes will receive no score for that quiz.
Students
are required to obtain a “pop” email account by January 19, 2000.
NOTE: The benefits you receive in this class are
directly proportional to your efforts in keeping up with the assigned reading
and actively participating in class to build trust, cooperation, support and
mutual respect.
Competencies
and Objectives*
Small
groups are pervasive and as such, studying the communication of them is
important. However, the “group process”
is not a natural event. We have been
taught to learn and perform as individuals throughout our lives, but to become
a competent communicator in a small group setting requires significant work and
effort from you. This course will help
you gain skills you can use throughout your life. This course is designed to be experiential. Not only will you be exposed to small group
communication theory, but you will also be given the opportunity to explore
theoretical concepts in the context of your own group activities throughout the
semester.
COM
281 develops the Course Specific Competency for Oral Communication: To
communicate in a clear oral and nonverbal fashion and to employ active
listening skills. Specific objectives
include the ability to:
1.
Understand the principles of group communication.
2.
Explain and demonstrate team building.
3.
Improve conflict management skills.
4.
Learn appropriate ways to assume leadership roles.
5.
Develop skills to understand, analyze, and evaluate small
group communication.
6.
Understand individual group roles.
7.
Improve problem solving and decision making skills.
8.
Apply small group theory and research in a variety of team
contexts.
In addition, COM 281 addresses the
following University Studies Competencies:
1.
Writing: To communicate effectively using standard written English.
(Students
prepare individual papers and group manuals.)
(Class discussions and examinations cover assigned required
reading. Students complete research for
major group presentations.)
(Students complete research for major presentations on
contemporary topics that focus on specific national or local issues.)
*COM
281 can be taken to fulfill the Oral Communication Skills Requirement in the
University Studies Program (USP is a program designed to provide undergraduate
students with a comprehensive liberal arts education). If you have questions about this
requirement, contact Dr. Derek R. Lane at 257-4651 or the USP Office at 257-3027.
This
class will be organized into small learning teams. The majority of class time and several of the graded assignments
will involve working in teams. Class
activities include team quizzes, structured exercises, and workshops designed
and managed by the teams. All team
members will receive the same score on team exams and projects.
General Class
Requirements:
You
are expected to:
5. Submit all
written assignments TYPED at the BEGINNING of the class period on the
designated date using APA style (4th Edition). Assignments not typed will receive zero
points.
There
are certain basic standards of classroom civility that should be adhered to,
particularly in a communication course.
Civility does not eliminate appropriate humor, enjoyment, or other
features of a comfortable and pleasant classroom community. Classroom civility does, however, include
the following:
1. Displaying
respect for all members of the classroom community, both your instructor and
fellow students.
If
you have a special need that may require an accommodation or assistance, please
inform me of the fact as soon as possible and no later than the end of the
second class meeting.
ATTENDANCE
IS REQUIRED. Readings, class
discussions, group workshops, and in-class activities increase both your
understanding of small group theory and the development of your small group
communication skills. Class attendance
and participation are important in accomplishing the goals of this course. If you are going to miss a class it is your
responsibility to speak with me PRIOR to the class session you will be
missing. If you should have an
unanticipated EMERGENCY, please contact your team members and leave a message
at the main office (257-3621) or email me.
You
will be allowed TWO ABSENCES (this is a total combination of excused and
unexcused) during the semester.
However, you cannot make up work missed for unexcused absences-—you
simply receive a zero. For each subsequent absence, 5% will be
deducted from your final grade (students not attending class will not be given
credit for any participation grade). For
example, if you finish the semester with a 91% average and have three absences
(one more than is allowed) you will receive an 86%, which is a B. If you are late for a class, it is YOUR
responsibility to make sure I have not marked you absent for the day. This must be done the day you are late. Notice that you are given two free absences
for situations in which you are really sick.
Do not use those “freebies” for blowing off the class and then come to
me after you have gone over the limit when you really need an excused
absence. Two freebies allow you to
miss; please don’t take advantage of the allowance.
For
any officially excused absence, you are
responsible for presenting official written documentation for the absence. For university-sponsored absences, this
notification is to be given to me prior
to the absence; for other excused absences, this documentation must be
presented within two weeks of the
absence. You are responsible for
arranging to make up missed individual work.
Missed group work cannot be made up.
In other words, to have an absence excused, you will need to give me
legitimate written proof from a recognized source explaining the absence.
Please
arrive on time. Tardiness is
unprofessional and is not fair to your classmates or to me. Consequently, if you are consistently late,
you can expect to receive a lowered Helping Behavior score. Moreover, do not expect me to cover any
missed material. Because of the nature
of this course, where emphasis is placed on behavioral development and
responsibility to one’s team, all absences will affect your individual
grade. Attendance is defined as being
in class within 5 minutes of the
start of class through the completion of
the class session. If you cannot
attend the class regularly, you should withdraw and re-enroll when conditions
for learning are more favorable.
If
you do miss class, please see a team member regarding class discussions and
assignments. NO MAKE-UP WORK IS
AVAILABLE for oral presentations, in-class exercises, quizzes, or exams, unless
I approve PRIOR ARRANGEMENTS.
The
quantity and quality of your contributions to class discussions and activities
will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
1. Are you
prepared for class discussions (e.g., completed reading, prepared for
discussion questions)?
1.
Individual
Readiness Assurance Tests – I-RATs. These will be ten short, T/F and multiple choice quizzes known as
RATs (approximately one at the beginning of each chapter). Failure of a student to complete a quiz on a
Scantron form will result in “0” points for that quiz.
2.
Group
Communication Analysis Paper – Each of you
will analyze the effects of roles, leadership, group decision-making styles,
and his/her own personal communication skills to better understand how s/he
effects a small group process. You will write an 8-10 page paper using theories
from the course text and beyond to explain: a) how you functioned in your
group, and b) your group’s processes.
This paper is about your current
group and the communication processes you have used. It is divided into 5 segments that will be
due periodically throughout the semester (see Tentative Class Schedule for
actual dates). The final typed
analysis paper is due April 24, 2000.
3.
Comprehensive
Final Exam – You will
demonstrate your command of course material via a final examination designed to
test your ability to apply theoretical concepts from the course text to “real
life situations.” You may refer to your
textbook and notes during the exam.
1.
Team Readiness
Assurance Tests – T-RATs. After the
individual RATs (I-RATs) are completed, each team will then complete the same
RAT. Each team member receives the same
Team RAT score. Failure of a team to
complete a RAT on a Scantron form will result in “0” points for that Team RAT. If you miss a T-RAT you will receive no points for that T-RAT. You may only make up missed I-RATs, with my approval.
NOTE: Your individual
grade from all group projects will be the simple average of two
grades: your group’s grade and your
individual-contribution grade. If you
receive below a C+ (77%) on your individual-contribution grade, then your
individual grade on the group projects will only be your
individual-contribution grade. For
example, if your group’s grade is 90 and your individual-contribution grade is
94, then your individual grade will be 92.
However, if your group’s grade is 90 and your individual grade is 70
(below a C+), then your individual project grade will be 70.
Your group’s grade depends on how well your group performs each of the projects detailed below. Your individual-contribution grade depends on how much you contribute to your group project. To determine your individual-contribution, I will observe you throughout the semester, and at the end of the semester I will ask each group member to evaluate each other group member’s contributions.
2.
Feedback/Peer
Group Evaluation Procedures – Each team
will develop an instrument and WRITTEN procedures for providing performance
feedback to team members. It should be
designed to foster individual growth and learning, while enhancing a team’s
overall effectiveness. Criteria must be
SPECIFIC so that team members know how to change to become more effective team
members. Team members will evaluate
each other numerous times during the semester. . Refer to description later in
this syllabus for additional specific details. Due February 2, 2000
3.
Social
Activity/Group Experience Manual
–
Each group will be responsible for selecting an activity in which they have
never participated together and learn this activity together as a group
“out-of-class.” This activity is one
that requires groups to spend a substantial amount of time together planning
and preparing for the event. Teams will
turn in a group experience manual with photographs explaining the experience
and discuss what they have learned in a 10-minute oral presentation to the
class. Due February 7, 2000.
4.
Problem
Solving Assignment – Each group
will choose a current problem (with my approval). Each group will then analyze their problem, discuss solutions,
and choose and implement the best solution.
Your research will result in both a written document (Due April 17,
2000) and oral report (TBA) for which you will receive a team grade.
5.
Team Workshop – Each team will design and manage a team workshop on
specific concepts related to one of the following five major topics (to be
assigned by me).
The team
presenting will include a workshop packet for each other class team and the
instructor, containing the following: 1) a one page synopsis of the major
conceptual issues; 2) a demonstration of key concepts; 3) a brief annotated
bibliography (of at least ten resources not included in the textbook) to be
incorporated into the workshop. The
workshop organization will provide the opportunity for questions from the class
and instructor. Keep in mind that a
workshop IS NOT simply an
informative presentation, but a “hands
on” experience to help enrich students’ lives.
By the end of the workshop, students should feel they have learned
something substantial that they can apply to their lives. A workshop IS NOT SIMPLY A REVIEW OF THE BOOK CHAPTER. Each student in the team will present at least one recent
communication research article to support the workshop. Handouts about
workshops are provided later in this syllabus.
HELPING BEHAVIOR
In addition to
Peer Evaluations done periodically throughout the semester, each individual
will rate the helpfulness of all of the other team members prior to the final
exam. Individual helping behavior
scores will be calculated using the mean of two scores: a) the average of the
points you receive from the members of your group; and b) the participation
score you receive from me. Assuming
arbitrarily that: 1) helping behavior is worth 10 points, and 2) that there are
five members in a team, an example of this grading procedure is as
follows: Each individual must assign a
total of 40 points to the other four members in your group without giving the
same score to every member. Not all
group members contribute equally. Some
members are more motivated or more communicative than others. For this reason raters must differentiate
their ratings. This means that each
rater would have to give at least one score of 11 or higher (with a maximum of
15) and at least one score of 9 or lower.
The instructor will assign a participation grade for each of the members
and this score will be added to the average score from the group members to
derive a composite helping behavior score.
Helping behavior scores produce differences in grades only within a
team. As a result, group members cannot
help everyone in their group to earn an A by giving them a high peer
score. The only way for everyone in a
group to earn an A is by doing an outstanding job on the individual and team
exams and projects. Although rare,
should a problem arise with anyone’s group participation, we will address the
problem discreetly, but directly.
GRADING CRITERIA
Scores in
three major performance areas will determine grades: Individual Performance,
Team Performance, and Helping Behavior.
This course consists of several assignments, each of which must be
completed. There are no optional
assignments. Course completion is
accomplished when all necessary assignments (RATs, Analysis Papers, Exams,
Group Experience Manuals, Workshops, and Problem Solving Assignments) have been
finished.
Individual
Performance (45% of grade)
Individual Readiness Assurance Tests
(I-RATs) 100 pts
Group Communication Analysis Paper
200 pts Due
April 24, 2000
Drafts
A - D (100 Points)
Final
Analysis Paper (100 Points)
Comprehensive Final Exam
150 pts Monday,
May 1, 2000
8:00
a.m.
Team
Performance
(45% of grade)
Team Readiness Assurance Tests
(T-RATs)
100 pts
Feedback/Peer Group Evaluation
Procedures 50 pts
Written Documentation (20 Points) Due February 2, 2000
Monthly Evaluations (30 Points) 2/16; 3/1; 4/5
Social Activity/Group Experience
Manual 100 pts
Oral 50 pts Due
February 7/9, 2000
Written 50 pts Due
February 7, 2000
Team Workshop 100 pts Beginning
2-23-2000
Problem Solving Assignment
Presentation 100 pts Due April 17, 2000
Oral 50 pts
Written 50 pts
Helping
Behavior
(10% of grade)
100 pts Due April 26, 2000
Total possible
points 1000 pts
Grading Scale
A = 1000 – 900 Students who attain 599 points or
B = 899 – 800 less
will receive a FAILING GRADE
C = 799 – 700 of
E.
D = 699 – 600
Determination of Final Grades
The final grade will be determined by adding the total
points earned for each of the assigned projects and referring to the grading scale.
SPELLING/VOCABULARY/GRAMMAR
Students are
expected to use correct spelling in all written work and appropriate grammar in
all oral work. Throughout the course
you will expand your personal vocabulary through the study of terms related to
this course. To help you and your team
members improve your oral and written skills, you may submit written work and
present oral work to me for a preliminary grade BEFORE THE DUE DATE FOR THE
SPECIFIC ASSIGNMENT. You can then use
my feedback and input to improve your work.
All papers must be typed and double-spaced with one-inch margins using
APA style (4th Edition).
Papers will be evaluated on the quality of discussion, writing style,
and mechanics. All papers are graded
for both content and form, which includes, but is not limited to, spelling,
grammar, organization, clarity and sentence structure.
MAKE-UP ASSIGNMENTS AND QUIZZES
All
assignments are due on the designated due dates. Assignments turned in after the due date will be penalized
50%. No assignments will be accepted
beyond the class period following the due date. Missed RATs can only be taken at my discretion.
DOING YOUR OWN WORK
As a scholarly
community, we expect that all of the individual assignments you complete for
COM 281 (and all of your other courses, as well) are always your own work. We find, however, that many students are not
sure exactly what “your own work” means.
This is especially important when paraphrasing others’ ideas in both
oral and written presentations. You
must know the correct method for citing someone else’s ideas no matter how you
use them. So, please read again the information on plagiarism and cheating from
your UK Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook or visit the website at http://www.uky.edu/StudentAffairs/Code/;
and be familiar with using APA (4th Edition) style.
The sanction
or punishment for a student who has either plagiarized or cheated is a minimum
of an “E” grade for the entire course, but may involve suspension, dismissal,
or expulsion from the University. As
you can see, these are extreme measures for academic offenses that we believe
are serious. If you have any questions
about whether you may be plagiarizing in your work for COM 281, please be sure
to contact me well in advance of the due date for your assignment.
Share Names, Telephone Numbers, and Email
Addresses
Create a Team Name
Develop Peer Evaluation Procedures and
Criteria – DUE February 2, 2000.
Share
individual goals
Create
team goals that subsume individual goals
Follow
instructions carefully!
Decide on Activity for Group Experience –
DUE February 9, 2000
Organize Team Workshop – DUE Beginning
February 23, 2000
PEER
EVALUATION PROCEDURES AND CRITERIA/FEEDBACK
DUE February
2, 2000
INSTRUCTIONS: Develop a system for providing performance
feedback to the members of your team.
This system
should include:
1.
A statement of the objective(s) that you intend to achieve.
2.
A description of how you intend to collect the data on which
the feedback will be based. Be sure to
include copies of any data collection instrument(s) you intend to use.
3.
A description of the feedback process you intend to
use. Please specify: a) when feedback will be given (2-16, 3/1;
4/5; 4/26); and b) who will give it.
4.
An assessment of the difficulties that you are likely to
encounter in implementing your performance feedback system and how those difficulties
will be overcome.
5.
A form on which you will evaluate each other’s performance.
6.
Enough forms for each team member to use during
pre-determined evaluation days. (Save
this until your document and form have been graded in case you are required to make
changes to the form).
NOTE: Parts 1-5 should be submitted in written
form (e.g., a narrative report that details specific procedures and criteria
you will be using to evaluate one another's contributions to the team and
overall attitude towards helping to achieve team goals). Part 6 is the actual evaluation form that
will be used by the team.
GRADING: The performance feedback systems will be
evaluated using the following criteria:
1.
Is the group collecting data they will need to support the
achievement of their objective(s)?
2.
Will the procedures they intend to use support the
achievement of their objective(s)?
3.
Are the procedures they intend to use practical (i.e., can
they be implemented effectively given the specific situation in which they will
be used)?
4.
Have they accurately anticipated the problems they are
likely to encounter in implementing their performance feedback system and
provided a mechanism for prevention of these problems?
GROUP
EXPERIENCE MANUAL/SOCIAL ACTIVITY
DUE February
9, 2000
ASSIGNMENT: As a small group, you are expected to
decide on a particular out-of-class activity which none of you have
participated in together and that you are able to learn and do
together. The activity should require
you to spend a substantial amount of time together planning and preparing for
the event. Activities you might
consider include: line dancing, hiking and a cookout, completing a ropes
course, self-defense courses, rock-climbing, camping, or fishing.
You should select something that can be
done locally or within a relatively short distance of Lexington. Everyone should be interested in this
activity and be able to participate.
The activity should be advanced enough that it challenges all the
members, but not so challenging that it is dangerous or overextends the time,
talents, and abilities of team members.
Careful planning and preparation should be done. After you decide on the activity, your group
will prepare a Group Experience Manual that includes the following:
1. A description
of the activity
2. How you
learned the activity as a team
3. The resources
used to learn the activity
4. A description
of the team members
5. How your
activity contributed to the cohesiveness of your team
6. Photographs or
a video of all the team members participating in the activity
7. What you would
do differently as a team if you were to do this activity again
8. How this
activity ties in with what you are reading and learning about small group
theory from class, the textbook, and related discussions
9. Include
individual responses and a team response to the preparation and performance of
the activity
COM
281 WORKSHOP ASSIGNMENT
Each
team will be responsible this semester for researching, designing, and managing
one 60-minute workshop based on one of the five designated chapters in the
Rothwell textbook.
Your
workshop should be creative and interesting --- you should have fun
planning and presenting it and your fellow class members should appreciate and
enjoy what you create and present. It
is not merely a group-lecture on the assigned readings for the chapter but
should be lively and interactive and ultimately enhance
our knowledge and understanding of that particular chapter content. How you “enhance” this knowledge is up to
you --- working within the boundaries of good taste, of course. You may want to use a video clip, role-play,
in-class activity or simulation, or whatever seems to you to best meet the
goals of the assignment. Since the RAT
will be given the class period prior to your presentation, your audience will
be geared to interact fully with you throughout your presentation.
Each
member of the team is to participate actively (and as close
to equally
as possible) in the workshop. All
members are to be prepared for questions from the class and the instructors.
Each
workshop is to include:
-- a complete written agenda identifying each component of the workshop, indicating when each will occur, and who is responsible for each;
-- a one-page synopsis of the major conceptual issues your workshop will treat;
-- a brief discussion/demonstration of key concepts involved in this context;
-- a brief annotated bibliography of two recent communication research
articles each (preferably
since 1997) representative of the content included in the workshop
(minimum of ten); These
communication research articles must be
discussed during the workshop (e.g., incorporate theory and research into topic discussion);
-- a complete copy of the entire
article (including references) for each article in the bibliography;
-- a video clip of not more than five minutes in length (include these
on your bibliography;
-- a major simulation/activity which allows class members to build a
sound understanding of the concepts
(include detailed directions for the instructor); and
-- be prepared to answer questions from the class and instructors.
I
expect to see a preliminary draft of your agenda at least two days prior
to your presentation date. If you need
help to ideate creative simulations, plan enough time to see me before you
finalize your workshop presentation.
On
the day of the presentation, provide one copy of the following items for
each team, for Dr. Lane and for any visitors you know may be
attending class (i.e., a total of six copies of each item): the one-page synopsis, the annotated
bibliography, and any material(s) needed to process the simulation or
activity. In addition, submit the
copies of the representative research articles to me.
See
the attached Sample Workshop Procedures page.
The
workshop will be evaluated on
clarity, accuracy, comprehensiveness, participation of all group
members, and creativity. Each of the
teams will complete the same evaluation form I use. The team scores will be averaged for one-half of your grade; my
score will be the other half of your grade.
SAMPLE WORKSHOP PROCEDURES
I. Workshop Agenda submitted to Dr. Lane at least two
days prior to workshop presentation.
A.
Identify major workshop components (not necessarily in the following
order)
1. Introduction/overview of the context
2. Major issues
3. Key recent research related to the theories
in the context
4. Video clip
5. Application activity
6. Debriefing/Discussion of importance of the
application activity
B. Identify when and who
will be responsible for each part.
II. Synopsis (one page)
A.
Identify major conceptual Issues of this context
B.
Brief explanation of the legitimacy of the context as a whole
C.
Definition of any new terms/concepts
III. Discussion/Demonstration of key terms and
issues
Your goal is to integrate materials from the chapter content as a whole as well
as the
research articles included in your
annotated bibliography. Incorporate the
theory and
research from the articles contained
in the annotated bibliography.
A. Be brief (since we should know this)
B.
Be clear
C.
Be organized.
D.
Make it interesting--be creative
IV. Video Clip
A.
Provide any introductory information needed to set up the clip
B.
Show the clip
C.
Analyze and debrief the clip
1. Explicitly connect the clip to the chapter
concepts
2.
Generate class discussion
V. Application/Simulation Activity (ies)