I have provided basic syllabus and calendar information here. For the specific course syllabus which includes a course calendar, please access the link below:

Full Course Syllabus for Spring 2020: SPCH 2333-001 ONL Course Syllabus

Welcome to SPCH 2333: Discussion and Small Group Communication. In this course, you’ll work to improve your communication skills in a team environment. This course is designed around the theme of Being an Ideal Team Player. We will connect ideas in our text, in specified outside readings, and in our personal experiences to increasing emotional intelligence. With some effort, you’ll be amazed at what you can learn about group and team communication in this course.

Our course syllabus provides information you need to know about what we’ll do in this course and how we’ll go about doing it. I expect that you’ll use this document as a reference guide, rather than something you’ll need to memorize. When an issue comes up later in the semester, I’d like you to turn to your syllabus first to find the answer. I’ve provided topic headers that are highlighted in light orange to help you find information more easily.

Similarly, I have structured our assignments to give step-by-step directions to guide you along the way. I’d like you to read over the assignment once to get an idea of what’s expected. As you’re working through the assignments, I want you to reference the assignment instructions. Throughout the assignments, I have included “decision trees,” where I ask a question that’s designed to help you successfully complete the assignment. I want you to pause to think about that question while you’re working through the assignment. Based on your answer, I have provided instructions and resources to guide you through the next steps to success.

I look forward to working with you throughout this semester! – Kelly (or Professor Stockstad, whichever you prefer)

ALL Course Orientation assignments MUST be completed by Thursday, January 23, 2020, at 11:59 PM. This orientation includes three mandatory requirements:  1) complete About Me assignment, 2) sign up for virtual meetings , and 3) complete syllabus check quiz. If you fail to complete all orientation requirements, you cannot continue in the course and must withdraw by Tuesday, September 3, 2019, or I will drop you from the course.

You will choose from the following series of meetings. You will sign up for a series of meetings as part of orientation.

Grading System: This course uses a standard percentage grading for the course grades:

A = 89.5-100%

B = 79.5-89.4%

C = 69.5-79.4%

D = 59.5-69.4%

F = 59.4% or lower

Extra Credit: I do not offer extra credit in this course. Should I decide to offer extra credit, I will only do so for the class as a whole; I will not offer extra credit to individual students.

Grade Components: Every student who takes SPCH 2333: Discussion and Small Group Communication at Austin Community College must complete the following assignments, at a minimum: two (2) graded group projects, one (1) meeting project, one (1) graded demonstration of group communication skills, and two (2) exams. In this course, you will complete the following assignments for grades.

Course Assignments with Brief Descriptions:

1. Team Formation Meeting – 10% of your course grade

You will meet with your team to establish working relationships and to establish a meeting schedule.

2. Chapter Quizzes – 10% of your course grade, 1% per quiz

You will demonstrate knowledge of individual textbook chapters by completing chapter quizzes in Blackboard. Quizzes are mastery learning: each quiz may be repeated as many times as you would like to earn your target score. I will automatically drop your lowest 2 quiz scores in Blackboard.

3. Team Decision-Making Project – 20% of your course grade

You will demonstrate specific decision-making and team communication skills during a scheduled virtual meeting with a team. During this meeting, you and your team will determine the project that your team will complete in the Overcoming Group Challenges Project. The parts of this assignment are: 1) participate in decision-making with team during scheduled, recorded virtual meeting, 2) create team charter, and 3) submit team charter to assignment in Blackboard. This assignment is worth 15% of your course grade.

This assignment meets the departmental requirement of one graded demonstration of group communication skills. It is one of two assignments that meet the department requirement of two (2) graded group projects.

4. Overcoming Group Challenges Project – 15% of your course grade

You will plan and present a project that instructs an audience how to overcome one challenge of working in groups or teams. Your team is responsible for this project from start to finish,

This assignment is one of two assignments that meet the departmental requirement of two (2) graded group projects.

5. Project Planning Meeting – 15% of your course grade

You will plan and conduct a meeting to prepare for the Overcoming Group Challenges Project. The parts of this assignment are: 1) create agenda and submit it for grading, and 2) participate in working meeting during scheduled, recorded virtual meeting.

This assignment meets the departmental requirement of one meeting assignment.

6. Three (3) Exams – 15% of your course grade, 5% per exam.

You will demonstrate knowledge of textbook material by completing a 70-question multiple choice and true/false exam. You will complete one exam per unit of study: Exam 1: Coming Together, Exam 2: Working Together, Exam 3: Achieving Together.

The three exams required exceeds the departmental requirement of a minimum of two (2) exams.

7. Being an Ideal Team Player Reflections – 15% of your course grade, 5% per reflection

For the first reflection, you will apply concepts about the course theme of Being an Ideal Team Player to your personal experience by writing a reflection of at least 250 words. This reflection will be private. For the next two reflections, you will find a source that class members could use to assess or improve a specific aspect of being an ideal team player. You will provide the source documentation, an executive summary of the source, and a recommendation for who would benefit from this source.  You will complete three reflections: 1) Coming Together, 2) Working Together, and 3) Achieving Together, one per unit of study.

Required Textbook:

In Mixed Company, 10^th edition by J. Dan Rothwell (ISBN: 9780190919900)

Required Materials:

• Computer with reliable internet access – you may use a computer at home or one available in any ACC student computer lab.
• Word processing software that enables you to submit files that are Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) OR Adobe PDF
• ACCmail address (provided to every ACC student)
• Technology that allows you to record video and audio (most smartphones include this technology).
• Webcam - REQUIRED for attending virtual meetings and using video chat – you MUST be able to see and be seen during virtual meetings and video chat.
• Microphone, and headphones - REQUIRED for attending virtual meetings and using video chat – you MUST be able to hear and speak with MINIMAL background noise during virtual meetings and video chat. You may NOT use your computer, phone, or tablet speakers for sound during meetings.
  • RECOMMENDED: Headset with integrated microphone

All deadlines are Central Time. All readings are from our course textbook, In Mixed Company, 10^th edition, unless otherwise noted.

Orientation (Go to Bb: Course Work / Orientation)

You must complete ALL orientation assignments with a score of 30 points or higher (out of 35 possible points) to continue in the course.

Unit 1: Coming Together (Go to Bb: Course Work / Unit 1)

Unit 2: Working Together (Go to Bb: Course Work / Unit 2)

Unit 3: Achieving Together (Go to Bb: Course Work / Unit 3)

Course Objectives: What will you learn after completing this course?

1. Describe multiple theories about group formation, interaction, and communication. 
2. Use problem-solving approaches and discussion strategies to work effectively with a group. 
3. Recognize and competently perform various task and social roles when working with a group. 
4. Collaborate with group members to create and maintain a supportive, culturally sensitive climate for group discussion. 
5. Identify and use effective conflict management techniques to deal with difficult group members and complex situations.
6. Explain how effective leadership behaviors are used when working with a group. 
7. Identify your personal strengths and plan strategies to improve your effectiveness as a group member. 
8. Illustrate the skills involved in meeting planning, facilitation, and participation.

General Education Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course, you will demonstrate competence in:

• Civic and Cultural Awareness: Analyzing and critiquing competing perspectives in a democratic society; comparing, contrasting, and interpreting differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practices.
• Critical Thinking: Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information.
• Personal Responsibility: Identifying and applying ethical principles and practices; demonstrating effective learning, creative thinking, and personal responsibility.
• Interpersonal Skills: Interacting collaboratively to achieve common goals.
• Written, Oral, and Visual Communication: Communicating effectively, adapting to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.