(Tuesday/Thursday, 9:30-10:45am, Hellems 251)

Overview

This is a senior seminar designed primarily for communication majors who have taken COMM 3210 (Human Communication Theory) or a similar course.  It also satisfies the College of Arts and Sciences Core requirement in Critical Thinking. 

The subject of Unit I will be Deborah Cameron's ethnographic analysis of the communication culture of contemporary society: our society's unprecedented preoccupation with communication; how everyday ideas about communication implicate concepts of identity, skill, empowerment, therapy, gender, and culture, and how these ideas have influenced the communication cultures of business organizations, call centers, schools, and intimate relationships. Unit II will focus on Eric Rothenbuhler's theory of ritual communication, the functions of ritual in all forms of communication ranging from mass media to everyday interaction, and Rothenbuhler's claim that ritual is a communication device that is necessary to humane living. In Unit III, we will explore several theories of dialogue, a form of communication that creates genuine relationships with others. Throughout the course we will emphasize application: observing, describing, and critically analyzing communication culture in various groups and practical situations. Learning will be assessed based on class and team participation, essays and quizzes, and a team field research project and presentation.

Collaborative Learning Goals

A "seminar" (from the Latin, seminarium, a seed plot) is a place for ideas to sprout. A true seminar requires the active participation of every member. Learning occurs through collaborative  research, critical and creative thinking, and discussion. In this process we deepen our understanding of the field while learning how to construct, understand, and respond to arguments; how to identify and assess tacit assumptions; how to gather and evaluate evidence; and how to communicate effectively in various formats.

Our overarching goal this semester is to collaborate as a true seminar. As such, we will pursue several broad learning goals: 

Textbooks

The following required texts have been ordered through the UMC Bookstore:

Online Resources

Three primary websites will be used in this seminar: 

Grading will be on a point system with the final grade determined by the percentage of total points earned (93%=A, 90%=A-, 87%=B+, etc.). 300 total points will be allocated as follows:

Students are expected to attend regularly, complete readings and other assignments on time, and participate constructively in seminar discussions and activities. 

Several short quizzes on assigned readings will be given during the semester. These "pop" quizzes will be used to evaluate your preparation for class and as discussion starters..

WebCT and the Internet will be used extensively in this course. Students are expected to check  email and WebCT at least twice a week, access on-line materials as needed, and post assignments on WebCT as directed. If you need technical assistance with anything, please ask. I'll be glad to help!

Teams

Teams of 2-4 students will be organized early in the semester.  Each team will be responsible for  presenting and leading two seminar discussions on assigned readings. In addition, the major team project will be the Team Field Research Presentation (see below). Team projects will be evaluated by the instructor, and teams will be asked to evaluate the participation of each member at the end of the semester. If you have (or would like to develop) web design skills, one way of participating would be to organize your team's project space on WebCT.

Team-led Seminar Discussions

Guidelines for leading seminar discussions: The team will be responsible for preparing materials, planning, and leading a 20-30 minute seminar discussion on the assigned readings. Materials can be brought to class on a floppy disk or uploaded to WebCT in advance. Materials can be created as PowerPoint presentations, web pages, or regular Microsoft Word or text documents, and can include multimedia or web links. (A laptop PC, data projector, and network connection will be available every day. You can also bring your own laptop if you want.)  The team should collaborate on a plan for managing time and conducting the class. Each member should have responsibility for preparing some portion of the materials. Materials can include such things as: outline of main points; definitions of key terms; relevant and thought-provoking examples that might serve as a basis for discussion; quotations from the reading or other sources (including online sources) that raise interesting points for discussion; questions designed to stimulate critical thinking about the readings or pose controversial issues for discussion; skits, role plays, or group exercises that will involve the class. If your team has selected a group to study for your field research project, you might find examples there to illustrate concepts and issues in the reading.

Each team will study the metadiscursive practices of some real-world group and present a formal report using PowerPoint, including your reasons for selecting the group, an overview of the field research process and your data, and findings including your description, analysis, critical assessment, and (optionally) practical recommendations regarding the group's communication culture. The group you select for study might be as big as a nation or as small as a set of roommates. It might exist at home, at work, or in public, in a particular locality (e.g. the CU campus) or virtually (e.g. online). Field research involves the systematic collection of data through observation, audio or visual recording, interviews, or collection and analysis of artifacts such as documents, websites or audio/visual materials. Your data will be submitted to me for inspection along with the PowerPoint presentation of your final report. Except for data collected from public sources (e.g. media or observation in public places, the PowerPoint presentation should protect the group's privacy. You are required to upload your PowerPoint presentation to WebCT no later than the presentation date. Data and other materials will be returned to you at the final exam if not sooner. 

Take-home essay exams will be given at the conclusion of Units I and II. Each exam will consist of a single essay question worth a maximum of 50 points. The purpose of the exams is to demonstrate that you are able to integrate and apply the material we have studied in each unit. The question will require you to analyze and critique theoretical arguments presented in the readings, or to apply course materials to argue for your own position on a key issue. Your essay should draw as widely as possible from different chapters of the assigned book and other readings, class discussions, and class resources on WebCT, as well as your own reflection and critical thinking about these materials. Your essay should be carefully written and professional in appearance, typed, double-spaced, 1200-1500 words (4-5 pages) in length. Essays will be scored based on comprehensiveness and accuracy in responding to the question, quality of critical thinking, organization, and writing. Sample study questions will be provided in advance and discussed in class. Exam questions will be distributed in class and due at the following class. 

The  final exam will be a closed book essay exam (you will need to bring a blue book) worth 50 points. It will consist of two questions, one on Unit III and one a review question related to Unit I and/or II. Study questions and specific guidelines will be provided in advance for each exam. 

Sample essay questions from past exams:

Policies

Classroom Behavior

Students are expected to arrive on time and not depart until the end of class. Unless by prior agreement with the instructor or in case of emergency, students should not leave the room during the class period. Disruptive classroom behavior will not be tolerated. For information about CU-Boulder's classroom behavior policy, see <http://www.colorado.edu/policies/index.html>. 

Equipment Check-Out

The Communication Department has equipment that is available for students to check out. Equipment includes laptops, digital VHS cameras, web cameras, wireless Internet cards, transcribers, tape recorders, and more. Please see http://comm.colorado.edu/tac/resources/  for more information.

Scholarly writing frequently quotes, summarizes, or otherwise uses materials taken from other sources. Writers are ethically required to disclose all assistance received and all sources of information used by following accepted practices of citation, quotation, acknowledgement, etc. Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism, a form of academic dishonesty. CU-Boulder has established an Honor Code to promote and enforce standards of academic honesty. See the Honor Code website <http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/Home.html> for further information. Browse to "Student Information and Links" for advice on how to avoid plagiarism.

If you have specific physical, psychiatric, or learning disabilities and require accommodations, please let me know early in the semester so that your learning needs may be appropriately met. You will need to provide documentation of your disability to the Disability Services Office in Willard 322 (phone 303-492-8671).

If you anticipate conflicts between religious observance dates and any requirements or activities of this course, please let me know well in advance so we can arrange appropriate  accommodations. 

Tentative Schedule