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Course Description
This course will help you write prose that is clear and informative. Clear thinking is the first step in reaching this goal. The class discussions, quizzes, and essay assignments have been especially designed to develop your critical thinking skills in this regard.
Anot
her key ingredient in the ability to write strong prose is active reading. You must be able to take apart a piece of writing and analyze it on an abstract level. Leonardo da Vinci would never have been able to paint his Mona Lisa if he hadn’t done his homework about human anatomy. The same goes for each of you–except you will be studying the flesh, blood, and bones of written prose. This active form of reading will help you when it comes time to do a little creating of your own on the printed page.
Average Workload Per Week
The average week in WR 122 will involve about 10-15 minutes per day of outside readings or watching video documentaries. There are only three essays. The first is a minimum of 2.5 pages long, the second is 3.5 pages long, and the third is 4.5 pages long.
Instructional Approach
This course is arranged chronologically and employs a modular design. Each week, students should complete all assignments listed in that week’s lesson module. These modules can be accessed by clicking the “Learning Modules” folder on the Course Menu.
Due dates
for each week’s assignments will be listed in the Course Calendar
link which is available on the Course Menu. All submissions will by due by midnight on the date specified. Assignments within the modules may direct students to use many of the tools contained in Blackboard, including the Assignment dropbox, Discussion Board, and Quizzes. These tools will be accessible both from within the weekly learning modules, as well as from the Course Menu.
Communication Guidelines
Communicate
by using the Blackboard e-mail system which can be accessed from the Course Menu. You can use Blackboard e-mail to send a private e-mail to your instructor and/or classmates. I will be checking email in Blackboard daily on weekdays. E-mail sent on weekdays will be answered within 48 hours. E-mail sent over the weekend will be answered the following Monday.
If your question or comment would be of interest to other students, please post it to the corresponding weekly Discussions
area or Chat
board. This way other participants can help answer questions, and all participants will benefit from the answers. Your first communication assignment is to introduce yourself in the discussion topic “Introductions.”
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the term, you should be able to use critical thinking to analyze, synthesize and evaluate ideas. Your essays and compositions will demonstrate whether or not you have achieved this goal.
Learning yow to write is not always a clean orderly activity. A blank page is always cleaner than one filled with ink Messes will be encouraged in this course, so long as they are not created out of carelessness or a lack of effort. Mistakes are a part of every good writer’s learning process. Much of the knowledge you gain will come from revising, editing, and proofreading your work.
If you successfully complete this course with a C or better, you should have learned how to do the following:
1. Write essays that
•: are part of a process of inquiry—a means of discovering new ideas and new ways of thinking
•: have a clear purpose and a controlling central idea
•: are organized coherently and purposefully
•: use voice, language and structure to respond to different rhetorical situations
•: integrate multiple points of view and distinguish your own voice(s) from others’
•: are part of a recursive and social process that involves multiple drafts and being able to articulate constructive critiques of your own and others’ writing through peer workshops and conferences
•: meet a minimum word count as specified for each assignment
•: use the conventions of standard academic English and the guidelines of MLA documentation
2. Read a variety of challenging texts and in the process
•: write a summary and analysis of a published article that identifies central ideas and supporting points
•: interact with texts through response, discussion and notes to arrive at a developed understanding of an article’s rhetorical strategies and reasoning
•: interpret and analyze concepts, knowledge, and evidence from other writers as a means of developing your own writing
•: use a variety of library and multi-media resources to locate, evaluate and interpret different sources of information
3. Engage in critical thinking that
•: reexamines received ideas and cultural frames of reference
•: is at once open and skeptical, receptive to new ideas, and yet careful to test them against previous experience and knowledge
•: probes what we know and what we are taught for underlying assumptions and contradictions
•: develops a perspective on the social construction of self and society
•: explores the role of language as a means of both shaping and challenging cultural frames of reference
•: demonstrates an ability to analyze historical precedents, hard evidence, and examples in conjunction with universal ethical standards that may transcend contemporary societal norms
Course Prerequisites
You should already have completed Writing 121 with a grade of “C” or higher. If you have not, please contact me immediately via course email. Required Texts
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, by John Perkins (ISBN 978-0-452-28708-2) [REQUIRED]
From Critical Thinking to Argument, by Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau. (ISBN 978-0-312-60161-4)
Third Edition only. [REQUIRED]
Little Seagull Handbook, by Bullock and Weinberg. (ISBN 978-0-393-91151-0) [REQUIRED]
A Pocket Style Manual, by Diana Hacker. (ISBN 978-0-312-66480-0) Fifth edition only. [Recommended]
Extra Credit [Optional]: Read one book from the list of five possible choices in the extra credit part of the course:
- Lolita by Nabokov (Only Part I is required for Lolita; the other books below require the entire books be read.)
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by Rowling
- Dracula by Stoker
- The Da Vinci Code by Brown
- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Larsson
- Brave New World by Huxley
- Nineteen Eighty-Four by Orwell
Participation Expectations
You are expected to enter the course on a weekly basis to work on the lessons, check email, and participate in discussions. Prompt participation in discussions is especially important when group work is involved since others in your group are depending on your input. Each time you log into the course be sure to check for any new announcements, email and discussion messages, and calendar postings.
Activities, Assignment, and Assesments
During this term, you will be asked to participate in weekly discussions, submit peer reviews, compose essays, and complete quizzes
Evaluation of Assignments/Assesments
Grades
are based on your essays, peer review submissions, quizzes, and participation in class discussions. I will post grades within one week after the due date. Be sure to check the My Grades for individual scores and feedback.
Grading Criteria:
|
Activity |
Percentage |
Points each |
Total |
|
| Discussions (10) |
10% |
100 |
||
| Quizzes (8) | ||||
| Peer Reviews (2) |
15% |
170 |
||
| Essay1 |
18% |
180 |
||
| Essay2 |
22% |
220 |
||
| Essay3 |
25% |
250 |
||
|
Extra Credit Essay (analysis of approved novels from a sociological perspective) -or- Extra credit Discussion and Quiz (about the US economy) for 20 points extra. Students may not do both of these extra credit assignments–only one of them. |
[9%] [20] |
[100] [20] |
||
|
100% |
1000 |
Grading Scale:
| Letter Grade | Total Final Percentage |
| 900 – 1000 | |
| 800 – 899 | |
| 700 – 799 | |
| 600 – 699 | |
| < 600 |
Late Work & Make-up Policy
Assignments must be completed on time in order to earn full credit. (Late assignments will be graded upon the instructors discretion)
Name Changes
Kirk asks that you DO NOT ask other students to call you by any name other than what is in the system. Likewise, please do not use any other name than what is in your gradebook when posting essays (with headers). Sometimes Kirk prints out essays to grade by hand and he has no idea who you are if you use another name in the header than what is in the grade book. Thank you for understanding. For an online class in which people do not see your face, this method works much better and helps to avoid misunderstandings.
Instructor Availability
Generally speaking, the instructor will check e-mail and other assignments, such as participation in the discussions five days per week, normally Monday through Friday. The instructor does not work seven days per week, and will not check e-mail on weekends, unless he will be taking his two days off in the middle of the week on that particular week. Do not expect the instructor to check his e-mail on weekends. If the instructor is home and not out of town, he will check e-mail on weekdays. On most occasions, if the instructor will be gone for more than 24 hours during the week, he will post a “pop up” announcement to that effect. If he does take his two days off in the middle of the week, he will check his e-mail during that particular weekend.
Turnaround Time on the Grading of Essays
The instructor generally returns essays within eleven days of the posting due date for a particular essay assignment, and sometimes his turnaround time is quite a bit faster than that. He will not return essays within eleven days of when they were posted if they were posted early since he tends to wait until the due date and then grade the essays in batches, and not individually. The instructor will not take longer than fourteen (14) days to return essays, although it is quite rare for him to take that long and it only happens in case of a personal emergency, such as an extended illness that prevents him from grading papers within his 7-11 day standard turnaround.
Comments and Feedback on Essays
The instructor tends to provide comments on the first essay with more of an eye on grammar and style, although he does follow the grading rubric precisely (see the table of contents in this folder). On Essay Two, he focuses a little more on content and style, and will not always cite the precise reasons why the grammar portion of a student’s grade was docked if grammar is a problem–particularly if the student is not writing up to WR 90 standards, which emphasizes writing in complete sentences that are free of accidental fragments, comma splices and run-ons. If a student obviously uses a fragment for dramatic effect, that is not a problem since this style is utilized in contemporary journalism, although it should not be overdone in any single essay. When grading Essay Three, the instructor focuses primarily on the argument applied, and the soundness of the journalistic sources / hard evidence.
Comments about grammar and style frequently cite Hacker’s Pocket Style Manual for the student to “bone up” on academic concepts, such as comma splices or fragments. If the student did not buy a copy of Hacker’s text, the instructor will not spend a great deal of time explaining the concepts that are explained in Hacker’s style guide. He may ask the student to buy the textbook. If a student does own a copy of the text and diligently reads it, trying to understand the concepts and still does not, he or she should feel free to ask the instructor about the concepts until he or she is fully satisfied that he or she understands them completely.
The instructor does not read through entire rough drafts before they are posted to be graded. Essays One and Two can be rewritten, so this is the time for students to incorporate suggestions provided by the instructor in an attempt to earn a higher grade on an essay. Students are welcome to ask specific questions about passages in any essay they are writing. Questions about research, documentation, and content are also welcome.
Complaining about Course Theme: Not the Same Thing as Debating a Particular Point of View in a Discussion or an Essay
If a particular student lapses into “venting” about the course theme in a discussion or in an essay, that student will be asked to write the discussion or essay over again. “Venting” will not be graded or evaluated. Refuting a particular conspiracy theory through the use of hard evidence will be greatly valued. It’s also fine, of course, to agree with the conspiracy theory under discussion. Either way is fine, just so long as the student does not lapse into generalized statements about how he/she loathes politics, or can’t stand conspiracy theories in general. This type of generalization will not help to forward the learning process for anyone. Please see the section titled, “Disclaimer,” which appears at the bottom of the Table of Contents for the unit in which this syllabus appears, if you would like to read an in-depth clarification about the inappropriateness of “venting” about the course theme in assignments. This said, any student should feel free to email the instructor about anything at all in the course that makes him or her feel uncomfortable. That is entirely appropriate and certainly encouraged to help keep the learning environment vibrant and open.
Academic Integrity (rules about cheating, plagiarism, or sharing work)
Cheating is against Chemeketa policy. Cheating includes any attempt to defraud, deceive, or mislead the instructor in arriving at an honest grade assessment, and may include copying answers from other students or using unauthorized notes during tests. Plagiarism is a particular form of cheating that involves presenting as one’s own the ideas or work of another, and may include using other people’s ideas without proper attribution and submitting another person’s work as one’s own. Violations of the cheating policy will result in a grade of ‘0’ for the assignment in question, and may result in a failing grade for the course at the instructor’s discretion. For further information review the institution’s
Academic Integrity Policy
.
Students with Disabilities
Chemeketa is committed to supporting all students. If you plan to use academic accommodations for this course, please contact me as soon as possible to make arrangements. Accommodations are not retroactive, but begin when the instructor receives the OSD Approved Academic Accommodations form from the student (this form may be submitted via email). To request academic accommodations for a disability, please contact a counselor in the
Disability Services Office
in Building 2, Room 174. This office is located on Chemeketa’s main campus.
Attachments: sp115_winter_2013_syllabus_bb
1
Welcome to Intercultural Communication
SP 115, 4 credits
Chemeketa Community College
4000 Lancaster Dr NE, Salem, OR 9730
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Instructor Kimberly Burdon
Please use the private e-mail within this course to contact me. I will respond to your e-mail between
24/48 hours. If there is an emergency, the best way to reach me is through the e-mail. I check the
class web page at least once a day on Mon.-Sat. I do not check e-mail on Sunday.
Textbook
Textbook: Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2008) Experiencing intercultural communication: An
introduction. (4th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-340668-8
You could also use the 3rd edition of the textbook ISBN978-0-07-340679.
I would strongly encourage you to bookmark this website so that you can review the sample quiz
questions before taking the timed graded quizzes online. www.mhhe.com/experiencing3 The publisher
is no longer providing “free” access to the author’s study material for the fourth edition. If you
purchased a new book and have the code then you will be able to access the information from the 4th
edition. If you did not purchase a new book the material from the previous edition will provide you with
a good review before you take the timed quizzes.
http://www.mhhe.com/experiencing3
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The course is highly reliant upon having the correct textbook. You must have the textbook in order to
take the course. You may access the course textbook at http://bookstore.chemeketa.edu/home.aspx
or at Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/ or at www.bookbyte.com
Recommended
Prerequisites:
Recommended completion of WR115 with a grade of C or better, or equivalent test score placement
into WR1
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Writing Skills:
A research paper and project is required for this course. It is a good idea to have successfully
completed WR115.
Technical
Requirements:
This course requires students to possess basic computer and internet skills. Please be comfortable
with basic functions such as saving files, emailing, navigating the web, researching online sites, and
uploading and attaching files.
Technical Access:
Students must have access to a word processing software program for writing the assignments.
A Word processor such as Microsoft Word, or Claris Works, or Word Perfect. Regardless of
your choice of word processor, for assignments I only accept and .rtf files. I can not read
odt,wps or x. If you have MS Office 2010 or 2007 please save all documents in ,
or .rtf. Any document not saved in the correct format will not be counted.
Students must have regular and reliable access to an Internet connected computer. Please see
explanation of computer requirements at
http://learning.chemeketa.edu/orient/mod2/mod2_compreq.cfm
Technical Help
The Help Desk is open 24/7 503 399-7399 I can not help you with technical problems. Please contact
them for technical assistance.
Online Learning
Orientation
Chemeketa CC provides an online learning orientation at
http://learning.chemeketa.edu/orient/intro/intro.cfm
Please take the online learning orientation so that you are familiar with online learning. Your instructor
can answer specific questions about the course work. If you have technical questions, please become
http://www.umpqua.edu/bookstore
http://www.bookbyte.com/
http://learning.chemeketa.edu/orient/mod2/mod2_compreq.cfm
http://learning.chemeketa.edu/orient/intro/intro.cfm
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familiar with the types of support offered at http://learning.chemeketa.edu/orient/mod5/mod5_help.cfm
QM Qualification
This course has met the highest standards of instructional design quality based on national standards
of best practice, the research literature, and instructional design principles. All critical course
components—Learning Objectives, Assessment, Resources and Materials, Learner Engagement, and
Course Technology work together to ensure that students achieve the desired learning outcomes. “QM
is a leader in quality assurance for online education and has received national recognition for its peer-
based approach and continuous improvement in online education and student learning. (QM website,
FAQ: What is QM?).”
Course Description
This course focuses on the intercultural aspects of the communication process. The affects of cultural values on both verbal
and nonverbal behaviors are studied in order to better understand communication in a variety of contexts, including personal,
workplace and public. This course provides a balance between theory and practical application. The focus of this course is to
provide opportunities for students to understand cultural differences, cultural influences, and perceptions to expand their
abilities to become competent communicators. Students are provided with a variety of opportunities to learn and improve their
abilities to communicate with other people.
http://learning.chemeketa.edu/orient/mod5/mod5_help.cfm
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Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students should
be able to:
As Demonstrated by:
1 Identify and explain the key underlying dimensions of a culture. Quiz 1, & 3, Discussion Wk2
2
Define basic variables of intercultural communication: language, beliefs,
nonverbal communication
Quiz 4, Discussion Wk 4
3
Identify specific personal guidelines for contacting and communicating
with a new culture.
Quiz 2, LM 1-2, Discussion Wk 2,& 3
4
Apply interpersonal communication principles, including verbal and
nonverbal skills, in various cultural contexts
Cultural Identity Research paper and Peer
review paper of Group Media Project
5
Identify how their own cultural filters influence their communicative
behaviors with others.
All quizzes, Discussion Wk 2 and Wk 4, and the
Cultural Identity Research paper
6
Use strategies to communicate more effectively and with reduced
anxiety when communicating with people from cultures other than ones
own.
Quiz 6-11, Discussion Wk 3,
7 Describe the role of power and privilege in communication contexts.
All Quizzes, Cultural Identity Research paper
and Group Media Project
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Describe the intersection between culture and globalization and the role
of US culture and policy on other cultures
Quizzes 5-9, Group Media Project, Discussion
Wk
7
9
Engage in introspection to discuss how their cultural perceptions,
attitudes, values and beliefs influence the communication process
Discussion Wk, 2, 3, 4, Cultural Identity
Research paper, and End of term reflection
paper
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Identify and compare beliefs, values, worldviews, and the social
organization of diverse people.
All Quizzes, Discussion Wk 3, Group Media
Project
5
List of Assessments
Discussions
DWk 2: Practice Discussion with three options for discussion question. Full Class
DWk3: Historical Context -Private Groups
DWk4: Values -Full Class
DWk 5: Rough Draft of your Cultural Identity Research paper due-Full Class
DWk 6: Peer review of CI paper –Full Class Cultural Identity Research paper due to the Assignment box
DW 7: Media Project- Private Groups
DWk 8: Peer Review of Media Project-Full Class, Individual APA annotated list of References
DWk 9: Media project due &, Peer and Self evaluations due,
DWK 10: Final Reflection paper
Quizzes
There will be at least one quiz each week. It will be a ten point multiple choice test, to keep you on track
with your reading. This is not an open book test and it will be timed. You have from Monday to Sunday to
schedule time to take your quiz. I strongly suggest you do not wait until Sunday night at 11:00 PM to take the
quiz. Computer problems, server crashes, and other issues can and do occur.
You may take each quiz twice (the quiz questions are randomly selected) your grade will be
determined by the highest of your two test scores.
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Quizzes must be competed by Sunday at 11:55 p.m. on the date it is due and will not be available
beyond the stated date. I understand that there are times when you miss a quiz deadline so there is an
extra quiz available just for this type of occasion. At the end of the term, the lowest quiz grade will be
dropped. Therefore, if you miss a quiz, just make sure to take the rest of the quizzes. You may not take a
quiz after the quiz is closed. No late quizzes, you have a
week to take it, plan your time accordingly.
Papers
Cultural Identity Research Paper
Peer and Self Evaluation of the Media Group Project
Annotated Bibliography
Final Reflection Paper
Project
Group Media Project
Advising and Counseling
Recent research indicates that community college students who seek out academic advising are more likely to
meet their educational goals. Meeting with an advisor can help:
clarify your academic and life goals,
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choose classes that prepare you for a career, and
ensure whether your credits will transfer to another institution.
Advising is available by making an appointment at Counseling and Career Services in Building 2 (503-399-51
20
or advising@chemeketa.edu). In addition, you may want to explore ePathways, an electronic educational
planning system at http://my.chemeketa.edu. Instructors are also available to discuss class, degree, and career
options. Start planning now for your success as a student.
Services and Resources for Student Success
Library Services: Bldg. 9, Rm. 200, 503-399-5043
Math Learning Center: Bldg. 3, Rm. 277, 503-399-3998
Open computer labs: Bldg. 6, Rm. 218 and in Bldg. 9/Library
Study Skills Center: Bldg. 2, Rm. 212, 503-399-5162
Tutoring Services: Bldg. 2, Rm. 210, 503-399-5190
Writing Center: Bldg. 9, Library, 503-399-7
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Free workshops for students: Study Skills Center, Bldg. 2/212 contact 503-399-5162
1. Managing time, Avoiding Procrastination, Taking Better Notes, Improving Test Scores, Taking Essay Tests,
Managing Test Anxiety and more…ALL FREE!
2. These FREE courses can be taken face to face or online for more information or to register go to:
http://www.chemeketa.edu/earncertdegree/advising/studyskills/studying/workshops.html
http://my.chemeketa.edu/
http://www.chemeketa.edu/earncertdegree/advising/studyskills/studying/workshops.html
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Diversity
We are enriched by the diversity of our students, staff, and community. We welcome diverse perspectives and encourage the
free exchange of ideas. Chemeketa provides an environment that celebrates the freedom to teach. In the celebration of
teaching and learning it is appropriate that individuals and groups be viewed with regard to their potential to contribute within
the learning environment. Each has dignity and value.
ADA
Students who need accommodations for a disability should contact this instructor or Disability Services in
Building 2, Room 174 or call 503-399-5192 (V/TTY). If you require specific instructional accommodations, please
notify me early in the course. If you are a student who has been allowed special accommodations from Disability
Services, please arrange these services, including a tape recorder for notes, alternate test times, and
arrangement for note taker. I am glad to provide any assistance you need in this area, but it is your responsibility
to initiate these measures and provide documentation that you are allowed these accommodations.
Veterans’ Services
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Returning Veteran students who have concerns about their benefits, the GI Bill etc. should contact Lupe, Bruce or Chelsea.
Veterans’ Services, Building 2, veterans@chemeketa.edu, 503-399-5004
Veterans’ Lounge opens fall term 2012 in 2/223 (Lupe is the contact person)
Disability Services, Building 2, disability@chemeketa.edu, 503-399-5192
Counseling Center, Building 2, advising@chemeketa.edu, 503-399-5120
Course Framework
Transformational learning, according to Mezirow (1991), “Involves an enhanced level of awareness of one’s
beliefs and feelings, a critique of their assumptions, an assessment of alternative perspectives, a decision to
negate an old perspective in favor of the new one, an ability to take action based on the new one, and a desire to
fit the new perspective into the context of one’s life.”
Keeping the above in mind recognize
1. Seeing our own culture is like seeing air—it is simply there, so familiar, so much a part of our environment that
we assume it is ALL that there is. Breaking through that perceptual barrier takes effort and time.
2. We are all bound by our own cultural, racial, and ethnic perceptions and experiences. Truly understanding the
experiences of others whose lives and experiences are different from our own does not come naturally. It
mailto:veterans@chemeketa.edu
mailto:disability@chemeketa.edu
mailto:advising@chemeketa.edu
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requires effort that, for all intents and purposes, demands that we unlearn thousands of years of socialization that
helped us to indentify ourselves in terms of communities where we are defined by our similarities.
3. Embracing cultural difference is a journey of discovery that will continue for one’s entire lifetime, and that is
perhaps the most exciting and rewarding thing about it. There is so much to learn and so many people to learn
from that one never really “arrives.”
4. Knowledge of oneself as a cultural being is the primary place to start when studying intercultural
communication. If you don’t know what you believe and value and how those beliefs and values influence your
perceptions and reactions to people and events around you, it is extremely difficult to approach interaction across
differences with an open mind and heart. We are only able to step back and examine responses to events if we
are mindful of the sources of those responses (Martin & Nakayama, Instructor’s Manual, p.2).
In short, this course will challenge you to examine your identities both confirmed and unconfirmed; it will
encourage you to reflect deeply on your assumptions of the world around you. A wise Chilean biologist defined
the term reflection in this way.
“The moment of reflection…is the moment when we become aware of that part of ourselves which
we cannot see in any other way.” (Change your questions, change your life. Nelson, p. 6)
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Ground Rules for Civil Discourse
The Moral Basis of Civility
The word civilité shares the same etymology with words like civilized and civilization. Quite simply, the root word
means to be “a member of the household.” Just as there are certain rules that allow family members to live
peacefully within a household, so there are rules of civility that allow us to live peacefully within a society. We
have certain moral responsibilities to one another.
Civility also acknowledges the value of another person.
Recognizing that each of us comes from a different background and worldview, all postings will adhere to discuss
issues in a sensitive manner that does not hurt, insult, or otherwise offend others, but instead tries to get at real
understanding of the others’ perspectives.
1. Ask open ended, objective Socratic questions for clarification.
2. Try to see the other person’s view point. Agree when you can, and provide feedback about what you are
hearing.
3. Respectfully disagree, and explain why you disagree.
4. Express your point of view; back it up with evidence, without backing someone else into a corner.
5. Refrain from name-calling, swearing and other forms of inappropriate language, and using put downs.
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In addition to the above basic rules of civility we will also adhere to rules of netiquette.
Netiquette: This is a communication course. Clear well thought out writing, including proof-reading, and spell
checking is necessary to make sure you get your point across. Additionally, the perception you create Online will
be influenced by your knowledge of and adherence to rules of politeness. Click here to assess your level of
netiquette. http://www.albion.com/netiquette/netiquiz.html
In short, “Poor writing is equivalent to someone speaking with spinach stuck between their teeth. Listeners and
readers concentrate on the spinach; not what is being said” A very astute Netizen from www.netmanners.com
Course Expectations
1. Openness to learning and growing- this involves becoming more aware of yourself as a communicator and
appreciating the communication differences in others.
2. Participation-Each of us is to be fully and actively involved in the course. I expect each of us to be open to try new
experiences and gain confidence using a variety of communication skills. You are required to log on several times
throughout the week to participate in the full class discussion board or small group discussions.
3. Responsibility-Each of you are responsible for the success of this experience. On some occasions, you will be
asked to reflect on your individual communication experiences. On other occasions you will be asked to participate
http://www.albion.com/netiquette/netiquiz.html
13
with others in facilitation of the discussion experience. Be respectful about sharing and maintain a policy of
confidentiality about self disclosure.
4. Role of Instructor-As a teacher my function is to facilitate learning, act as a resource, learn from you and with you,
and evaluate your performance.
5. Your role as a learner- The primary responsibility for learning resides with you. I will provide a comfortable learning
environment as stated above, however; the degree of your personal motivation will determine how much personal
satisfaction and knowledge you gain from the course.
6. Academic Honesty-Do your own work! Using someone else work as your own or using information or ideas without
proper citations can lead to your failing the assignment or the class. Plagiarism and cheating are serious offenses.
Bibliographies (called “works cited” in MLA or “References” in APA) and in-text citations are required whenever you
use outside sources, including the use of the Internet.
Class Routine
The class routine is different than in a face to face class it is also different from a correspondence course. Students
and the instructor may make postings to the course around the clock. Regular participation in the discussions board
and all other parts of this course is mandatory. There are also deadlines, and due dates which need to be met, unlike
a correspondence course. In the Online environment your frequent and intelligent contributions will not only enhance
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your learning experience, but will also enhance your classmate’s experiences as well. There is a virtual classroom for
this course where you and those assigned to your group will interact. For you to succeed you must be willing to visit
the classroom and participate with your assigned group members while you are there. This is not a self paced class.
Monday- Each week starts on Monday. Check the course calendar/course at a glance for each week’s
activities, quizzes, assignments, and readings. There will be at least one quiz each week
Tuesday-Friday- You have more flexibility on these days. Complete the readings in the textbook, Learning Modules,
reading your classmates papers and other outside links. Prepare responses to discussion questions, and/or write
your papers. By Wednesday, 11:55 p.m. you should post your response to the discussion question/ and/ or post
your paper for review. Thursday-Saturday you should be responding to a minimum of two of your assigned group
members’ postings on the discussion board using Socratic questions to deepen the discussion and further engage
those in your group. If you don’t have a minimum of two responses to the discussion by Saturday 11:55 p.m. it is
late. There will be two times during the term where you will be engaged for a discussion over two weeks so that you
are able to complete the group assignments. The same requirements as above apply to those weeks as well. You will
also have one week where the whole class will post their papers to receive feedback from peers. During this week
you are required to submit your paper read ten papers and reply to five of your peer’s papers.
Please Note: If you continually wait until the last second to submit your answers or your responses that will be noted
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as detrimental to the group and your grade will be affected. Alternatively, if you want to participate more and be
involved in a full class discussion, that’s great, as long as the involvement is enhancing the learning climate. Just as
little involvement will be negatively reflected in your grade, conversely, greater participation will have a positive effect.
Travel: If you do plan a trip during the course, please plan for internet access during your trip and/or post your
assignments ahead of time. It is your responsibility to plan ahead. If you anticipate being out of town and know you
will need to post discussion responses, perhaps you can find a classmate who is willing to work ahead and post their
contributions early so that you can respond. This would be an appropriate use of the Cultural Café discussion thread.
In the case of emergency, please contact me right away so we can jointly determine solutions to help you be
successful in the course. The sooner you contact me the more options we have for solutions.
Due Dates
There are several due dates each
week.
All Quizzes are due on Sunday
Submission postings are due on Wednesday
Response postings are due on Saturday
Assignments (papers and projects) are due on Sunday
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Discussion Postings
Discussion Board:
You will be using the discussion board area in which you will be integrating terminology, theories, and concepts learned
through the textbook and other Online resources to provide intelligent well thought out responses and critiques. I will be
looking for a correlation between your own thoughts, what the textbook says, and what you see in the world around you.
In other words, how you applied the concepts to your life, what examples or experiences have you had or that you have
noticed in the world around you that applies to the concept we are discussing.
Please note: Like any class, your writing quality will be noticed and evaluated accordingly. Texting language is
not appropriate to use within this course. I recommend you type your submission, or assignment in Word (or
another similar program) and save it before posting it to the discussion board or the assignment tool.
To post to the discussion board, copy your assignment into a blank bulletin board message (highlight the text you want
to be posted, click copy, then go to the discussion board message, put the cursor in the body and click paste). The
subject line should be the title of the discussion.
You will be posting two types of messages on the discussion board; submissions and responses. Submission
Postings will usually take the form of answers to the discussion question assigned to your group for that week.
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Submission postings should be more than a quick surface response to the question. Also note that most of the
discussion questions have several parts to them. Make sure you adequately address all parts of the question
for full point value. After a careful review of the examples I have provided you will note, submission postings should
definitely be a more than two paragraphs and include terms from the textbook (with in-text citations) and also your own
personal experience. A less effective submission posting does not adequately answer the question, it may be late,
difficult to understand, or it may be missing application of the concepts. I have provided you with examples of effective
and less effective submission postings on the Home page under the “Student Work Samples”. The effective submission
and response postings are signified by Professor Dumbledore.
Response Postings are the comments you make to other postings which your group members have made. A good
response serves the purpose of adding to the discussion. I have also provided you with examples of response postings
that are effective and less effective. The less effective examples are signified by Mr. Grinch and included under the
“Student Work Samples” on the Home page. Be sure to review both types of examples so you know what I am looking
for. One way to add to the discussion is to use Socratic questions to help your classmates think more deeply about
the topic area. Another way to provide a good response is to add your own experiences as a way to relate to the other
person you are responding to. It is not very helpful to the discussion to say “yeah I agree” or “That’s so cool.” You are
required to post a minimum of two responses to your group by Saturday. You may also post questions for the instructor
in the discussion board under the heading; “Questions for Kimberly.” Questions posted in this section of the discussion
board are public and can be answered by anyone. Questions posted to me within the class e-mail are private. If you
have questions about your grade or want further clarification about a grade be sure to use the private e-mail rather than
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“Questions for Kimberly”.
*Note: Review the “Student Work Samples” and the “Socratic questions” on the home page.
Discussion Questions: To find the discussion question that you are to be focusing on for the week, go to the Learning
Module for that week. At the bottom of the learning module, you will see all of the discussion questions. Each week we
have discussions you will be randomly selected into different groups. To determine the group you are in you can click on
Student Groups From the course menu on the left hand side. These are private groups you will only see your group and
the people who are in your group. The instructions for your discussion topic will be listed by title and number. Generally
there are four groups. You will need to click on your groups number and title to read the instructions so you know which
question to address. One other reminder make sure you are creating “Threads” not forums. All discussions must be
conducted in the discussion board of the class! Private e-mail back and forth between group members will not be
accepted as part of your participation grade for the week. I will grade what I see and what I can read based on the
rubric. Be sure to review the rubric for the discussions so you know exactly what I expect and how your grade will be
determined. The discussion rubric is located on the Home Page of this course. Discussion responses and submissions
are worth 30 points unless otherwise specified on the discussion board.
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Writing Standards For Papers & Projects
In this course, you will be learning from each other as you read each others reflections and personal experiences with
the course, thus providing you with multiple perspectives into the course material. The writing assignment has two
parts.
1) Posting a first draft of your written paper, reading 10 others and replying to 5 other papers this is worth 5 points.
2) Based on the feedback received decide what changes, should be made to your paper, make the changes and then
post your final paper in the Assignment section under Cultural Identities. You will receive points for the content (quality
of your paper) in the Assignment sections.
Make sure your papers are double-spaced, 12 point font, APA style; including your references. At minimum,
your paper should include the three reference articles, your textbook and one other source of research. This is
a research paper not a reflection paper. This part of the assignment is worth 24 pts.
The papers are to be about 2.5 pages in length, double spaced, 12 point font, and proof-read for accuracy in
spelling and grammar. Instructions for this paper are located in the Learning Module for that week. You will post your
paper in the discussion section, read other student papers, and then respond to another student papers all in the
discussion board.
Under Week Five Discussion Cultural Identities Research paper:
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Write a 2.5 page paper and post
Read at least 10 other papers
Respond substantially to five other papers.
Please read at least 10 other student posts as the goal of this approach is to learn from the perspectives of the other
students. Other students will find different concepts within the chapter meaningful and share examples that are pertinent
to their lives. By reading the perspectives and thoughts of other students, you may have the opportunity to understand
course ideas in new ways.
Each student will also compose an extended response to the papers of five other classmates. Responses should be a
minimum of 1/2 page (125 words) and demonstrate critical thinking and knowledge of content as well as be supportive
and insightful.
For the 5 points your participation must be consistent, on time, and of high quality. This means:
1. Each of you will read the chapter (s) assigned, and any other supplemental material, do the assigned activity, and
provide a 2 page paper on the topic by Wed (11:55 p.m.) of each week that a paper is due.
2. Each of you will read 10 of your classmate’s papers and post a substantial reply to at least 5 papers by Saturday
(11:55 p.m.) of each week.
3. Each of your contributions should reflect knowledge of the text concepts and reflect thoughtful and considered
opinions in relation to the course material and other student comments.
4. Please, see the Writing Rubric for specific writing criteria. Your papers and responses to classmates’ papers will be
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graded according to these criteria. I will be looking for you to use citations in each paper and provide your
references at the end. In most cases, there should be a minimum of 3-5 references.
5. I will also check to see that each student is reading at least 10 of the other student posts.
Note: In order to earn points for the week, you MUST post your paper by 11:55 p.m. Wednesday and your
responses by 11:55 p.m. Saturday. If you miss a deadline, points will be deducted since your classmates
cannot respond to your paper if it is not posted on time.
APA Citation Style is required. If you are unfamiliar with APA style, and or would like some samples to refresh your
memory, click here http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01
You can also make use of the excellent resources of Chemeketa’s writing center at
http://www.chemeketa.edu/services/writingcenter/onlinetutoring.html.
Please note: If you make an appointment with the writing center on campus or, if you use their online services and
provide me proof 2 extra credit points will be given for each paper where you get writing advice.
I have included a sample paper that was submitted to the writing center so that you are able to see the type of help that
they can provide for your paper. This paper is located on the Home page under “Student Work Samples”
Additionally, please note that Wikipedia should NEVER be used as a source for this class! On that note, consider your
audience and what might or might not be accepted as a credible source. For example, unless you know the credibility of
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01
http://www.chemeketa.edu/services/writingcenter/onlinetutoring.html
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a “Blogger”, most readers would consider the writing suspect or mere opinion. Please refer to the Writing Rubric on
the home page to read sample papers and to see exactly how you will be graded on this paper.
Tip: To make this easier, you may want to write your papers in Word (or whatever word processing
program you use as long as you save them in rich text) and then attach your papers when you post to the
discussion board. When you get ready to submit your work for the CI Research Paper copy all of your
papers rough draft, final draft, peer responses, and your responses to others into ONE document and
submit the single document to the Assignment section.
Late Work
Deadlines, Late Papers, Missed Quizzes and Discussions: Please notify me if you are unable to attend class,
take a quiz, or turn in an assignment on time. Assignments are due on the date and time assigned. Late work will
face a grade reduction.
Participation in late Discussions: After the week long discussion has occurred and we have moved on to the
next week it is not possible to make up those lost participation points. If you have missed a deadline within the
same week please contribute, having some points is better than having none. I have built in one extra
assignment and a few extra credit opportunities (see above) to make up some points. If extraordinary
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circumstances warrant, we may be able to jointly discuss possible alternatives. This rare exception will only be
granted on a case by case basis and must be arranged with me, usually in advance.
Needing to be out of town or choosing to go on vacation does not warrant extraordinary circumstances. Since
Internet access is widely available, travel will not be considered a reason for missing due dates. If you do plan a
trip during the course, please plan for Internet access during your trip and/or it may be possible for you to post
your assignments ahead of time. It is your responsibility to plan ahead. If you anticipate being out of town and
know you will need to post discussion responses, perhaps you can find a classmate who is willing to work ahead
and post their contributions early so that you can respond.
Due to the nature of group work, the Media group project can not be made up.
Grading and Incompletes
Participation in Course
Discussion 30 pts each
60 pts.
Eleven Quizzes 10 pts
each (lowest quiz
score will not be
counted)
100
pts.
Syllabus Quiz 16 pts.
Participation
discussion points
10 pts.
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Cultural Identities
Research Paper
24 pts.
Read 10 CI papers,
Respond to 5
5 pts.
Group Media Project 40 pts
Draft of Media Project 5 pts.
Peer Evaluation of
Media Project & Grade
of Group Prezi
20 pts
Individual APA Style Annotated
Bibliography
5 pts
Final Reflection paper 10pts
Writing center review 2
pts (Optional) Optional
Discussion 3 pts. Total
possible 5 pts.
Totals 295pts.
Grading system
A= 295-268 A=91-100%
B= 267-239 B=90-81%
C= 238-207 C=80-71%
D= 206-177 D=70-61%
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Incomplete: Incomplete grades are not granted in this course.
Misc. Requirements
I cannot read Word Perfect Files, Open Office Files or Word 2007 files. Please save your files in Word, (doc), or rich text (rtf).
This includes any documents submitted for full class review.
Please put your name on your assignment, in the subject line on your posting to the discussion board and e-mails.
To Do Well In This Course
In order to keep up with the coursework, each week you will need to:
Read at least one chapter (sometimes more)
Take at least one quiz over the chapter(s)
Post a through submission posting to the discussion board addressing all of the questions. Or post rough
drafts in a timely manner so as to get feedback from your classmates.
Read 10 other posts, and
Post a minimum of 2 replies to other students
Check the Learning Module tab on the left to find the weekly Discussion Board Question
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Check the Schedule/ Course Calendar/ Course at a Glance
Check the Assignment and Quiz sections often for due dates
This course is challenging in that it requires you to read and keep up with weekly assignments. It requires fairly
strong writing skills and the ability to cite using APA (There are instructions for how to cite using APA available and
you should have many examples to help you if you haven’t used APA in the past.)
Please do alert me as soon as possible if you find a quiz or assignment that is not yet available when the syllabus
says it should be or if you find conflicting due dates.
Extra Credit Options
One way to get some extra credit would be to submit online or review in person your CI research paper at the writing
center. This will earn you 2 extra credit points. A sample of a paper is included under the “Student Work Samples”.
Another way to pick up 3 more points is to answer the extra credit discussion option on the DB. Just as with any
discussion you must post an adequate submission with at least 2 minimum replies to peers. Total extra credit
available 5 points.
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Quizzes
Much of the learning in this class is based on student interaction and discussion of the course concepts from the
textbook. In order to contribute to the discussions, it is important for each student to be well-versed in the concepts.
To prompt study of the text, a 10 point quiz will be available each week covering the chapter or chapters for that
week.
Since students invariably miss a quiz at some point, an extra quiz is included in the course. Your
lowest score will be automatically dropped, so if you miss a quiz, the zero for that quiz will be dropped.
In other words, a make-up quiz is built into the course. There are no other make-up quizzes so please do
not ask. Please make sure you take the quiz early in the week so there are so there are no issues with
deadlines or technology problems.
I will not reopen quizzes for any reason, including technology issues. Experiencing a technology glitch
is one of the reasons I have added the extra quiz into the course.
Please do not wait until the quiz is due to take it. In order to insure that you have time to overcome
any access or technical difficulties, I suggest you take the quiz at least a day before it is due. The
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quiz may be taken twice and the highest quiz score will count.
Quizzes must be competed by Sunday at 11:55 p.m. on the date it is due and will not be available
beyond the stated date. You may not take a quiz after the quiz is closed. No late quizzes, you have a
week to take it, plan your time accordingly.
Questions
If you don’t understand something about the course or the content, go to the Discussion button on the Website
“Questions for Kimberly.” and post your question there. Questions posted in this section of the discussion board are
public and can be answered by anyone. Questions posted to me within the class e-mail are private. If you have
questions about your grade or want further clarification about a grade be sure to use the private e-mail rather than
“Questions for Kimberly”.
It is highly likely that if you don’t understand something, someone else in the class has the same question. If
clarification could benefit the entire class, I will summarize your questions and my answers and post an
Announcement for the whole class so that the information is available for all students.
If you want to ask me something more personal, please email me using the Mail button.
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