Course Syllabus
Welcome to CAS 100B: Effective Speech
Overview
| CATEGORY | INFORMATION |
|---|---|
| Credits | 3 |
| Prerequisites | None |
| Delivery | Web (Canvas, https://psu.instructure.com) |
| Dates | See the Calendar. |
| Instructor | See the Orientation module under the Modules tab. |
Description
This course represents one of three speech communication options required for all undergraduate students pursuing baccalaureate or associate degrees at Penn State. It is typically taught through resident instruction. The version in which you are enrolled has been specially adapted for delivery through the University's offerings in distance education via the World Campus. You will, however, have the same opportunities for developing your communication skills as students who enroll for the course as part of resident instruction. You will simply be approaching the subject matter a little differently.
This course is cohort based, which means that there are established start and end dates, and that you will interact with other students throughout the course. Since Communication Arts and Sciences 100B emphasizes communicating in groups, you will be completing the course as part of a group consisting of approximately five other individuals from the same class. You should come to know these individuals quite well by the end of the course (as well as the other students in the course), even though you may not encounter them in any face-to-face situations. The course requires that you and the others in your group participate in three discussions using tools in Canvas Groups. In order to prepare for these discussions, you will have to work with your group and make some decisions by communicating with them through the course Discussions tool.
Since CAS 100B is paced, it is important that all assignments be submitted by the indicated times in the course calendar. Due dates and times will also display on the schedule appearing later in this document.
The semester-long time span allows approximately one week (or less, for the summer semester) for each lesson activity and for each of the four "performance activities." The material covered in the first six lessons aims at developing your understanding of group process and of principles of communication in general. Lessons 7 and 8, respectively, involve preparation for an individual problem-solving speech and the presentation of that speech.
After Lesson 8, you will be moving into more intense group work for the remainder of the course. Prior to that, you will just be getting used to collaborating by doing informal activities with your group. For your group to accomplish its work, it is essential that every member of your group be at the same place in the course when the activities involving group work begin. You will have only six weeks to plan, prepare, and participate in the three group discussions that are required for the course. The discussions will be spaced at approximately two-week intervals. As you come to know one another and begin to engage in regular communication, you will find that planning and preparing become progressively less difficult; nevertheless, the course does not allow for much in the way of procrastination.
For every lesson in the course, you will have one activity on which you are to be evaluated. In ten cases, the evaluation will be based on your written work that grows specifically from assigned readings, and, in one case, you will be preparing a written assessment of a group discussion. For the remaining four lessons, you will be evaluated on a problem-solving speech that you give, your participation in a symposium, your participation in a problem-solving discussion, and your participation in a decision-making discussion. The preparation for these four lessons will be done via a private group forum. The group presentations will be via telephone conference call. Your individual speech will be submitted via YouSeeU, which is now Bongo. While we try to update all instances of YouSeeU you may still see the term YouSeeU used in places, this software is now Bongo.
Successful completion of CAS 100B requires both commitment and sustained effort over the entire semester. If you do the readings and related activities in earnest, you will find by the end of the course that you have learned a great deal about groups, the different types of tasks they perform, how to communicate in them, how to prepare for participating in them, and how to exercise positive influence on their performance. You will have a strong foundation both in theory and in practice. The foundation in practice, moreover, will derive from the combination of working with others to prepare and the actual formal participation in discussion. So welcome to the course, and I hope you have a profitable semester learning about and being involved in groups!
Objectives
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
- make clear, well-organized, and well-documented individual and group presentations concerning matters of social significance;
- work effectively in groups by understanding the factors that influence human interaction and being able to apply that understanding in situations requiring their participation;
- develop your research, analytical/inferential, organizational, critical thinking (including the weighing and weighting of information as applicable to conclusions), and presentational skills, as well as their ability to synthesize information and arguments; and
- be more adept in the interpretation and assessment of messages, including being able to distinguish rational and emotive appeals, what is well-reasoned and defensible, as opposed to what is unreasoned and unwarranted, and recognizing when assent or acquiescence is appropriate, as opposed to skepticism.
Organization
This course is made up of 15 lessons.
For a typical lesson, you will complete the following activities and assignments:
- Explore online course content.
- Read a few assigned readings.
- Complete either a written or spoken lesson activity.
Online Learning and Attendance
This course has been developed to promote asynchronous learning. The instructor and students do NOT meet on a designated day and time each week. For each lesson, there is a timeframe to complete all activities and assignments, and you may work at your own pace within that timeframe. However, you must adhere to the due dates outlined on the Calendar. (Due dates can also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) You should log into the course daily to check for updates, review lessons, and participate in activities.
Materials
Texts
The following texts are required:
- Galanes, G. J.& Adams, K. Effective Group Discussion: Theory and Practice, 15th edition, 2018, McGraw-Hill. ISBN: ISBN: 978-1260130928
- Video camera is required to record the individual speech in this course.
Library Services
Penn State Libraries provides a wide variety of services and resources. To learn how to take advantage, refer to the Online Student Library Guide at http://guides.libraries.psu.edu/onlinestudentlibraryguide. This guide serves as your starting point for access to all that Penn State Libraries can offer you as an online student. Use this guide if you have questions on library services offered to you, how the library can help you, how to use the library, or what resources you can access via the library! The guide will connect you to important pages and resources within Penn State Libraries and save time from you searching for the information you need.
Course Reserves
Electronic resources on reserve for this course that can be accessed through the Penn State Libraries. To access your Course Reserves, select Library Resources in the course menu.
For any questions you may have about searching, viewing, or printing your Course Reserves, refer to the Viewing/Printing Electronic Reserves page at https://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/reserves/usingreserves.html.
Grading
Final letter grades will be assigned based on the scale below.
Scale
| LETTER GRADE |
MINIMUM PERCENT |
|
|---|---|---|
| A | 95 | |
| A- | 90 | |
| B+ | 87 | |
| B | 83 | |
| B- | 80 | |
| C+ | 75 | |
| C | 70 | |
| D | 60 | |
| F | 0 |
Due Dates
All assignments are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the date indicated on the Calendar. (Due dates can be also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) Please be aware that Canvas follows the Eastern Time (ET) time zone. Assignment due dates adhere to this time zone, and it is your responsibility to submit assignments accordingly. If you are outside of the ET time zone, you can set your Canvas account to sync to it. Refer to the Set a Time Zone article in the Canvas Guide at https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-2891.
As a general rule, you will NOT be able to go back and make up missed assignments. It is your responsibility to keep up with your assignments. Students with an excused absence (e.g. hospitalization, jury duty, family emergency, or military service) may be asked to produce proper documentation in order to make up graded work. All make-up work is at the discretion of the instructor.
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g. upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, disabilities, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Notes
- To Do List: Some assignments may not appear in the To Do list under the Home tab. Use the Calendar or Syllabus to ensure that you are fully aware of assignment due dates.
- Late Assignments: Late work will not be accepted unless arrangements have been made with the instructor prior to the due date, at the instructor's discretion. If an emergency arises that prevents you from completing your work on time, please let your instructor know as soon as possible before the due date so that arrangements can be made for you to keep up in the course. Note that because of the interactive nature of some assignments, it is only possible to make up written work, not group discussions. If the instructor agrees to accept a late assignment, a penalty of 15% will be assessed on assignments submitted up to a week late, and a 30% penalty will be assessed on assignments submitted up to two weeks late. Work more than two weeks late will not be accepted.
Assignments
Basic information about each assignment group is provided below. For detailed directions about an individual assignment, see the assignment information under the Modules tab.
You can expect meaningful feedback on assignments within 5-7 days of their due date.
| ASSIGNMENT GROUP |
Percentage |
|---|---|
| Written Assignments | 40 |
| Written Evaluation | 10 |
| Individual Speech | 10 |
| Symposium Discussion | 10 |
| Problem Solving Discussion | 15 |
| Decision Making Discussion | 15 |
| Total | 100 |
Written Responses to Questions for Assigned Readings
Value: 40% total
Written Evaluation of a Group Discussion
Value: 10% total
Individual Speech (recorded video)
Value: 10% total
Participation in Symposium Discussion
Value: 10% total
Participation in Problem-Solving Discussion
Value: 15% total
Participation in Decision-Making Discussion
Value: 15% total
The basis on which your instructor will evaluate the lesson activities is explained in the lessons where the activities are assigned. The final course grade is the letter equivalent of the sum of each letter grade assigned times its weight for the fifteen lessons. Failure to complete Lesson 5, 8, 11, 13, or 15 carries the added penalty of one letter off the course grade. The instructor reserves the right to make subjective judgments about the quality of student participation and products. (In other words, quantity does not equate to quality.)
University Policies
Academic Integrity
Penn State defines academic integrity as the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner. All students should act with personal integrity, respect other students’ dignity, rights and property, and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their efforts. (See Faculty Senate Policy 49-20 (Links to an external site.) at http://senate.psu.edu/policies-and-rules-for-undergraduate-students/47-00-48-00-and-49-00-grades/#49-20.) Please note, if you are suspected of academic misconduct, you will not be permitted to drop the course until those suspicions are dropped. If you drop the course before that time, you will be returned to the course, and you may not have an opportunity to make-up missed work.
Students are responsible for maintaining academic integrity. Violations include cheating on exams or CANVAS quizzes, talking to others during an exam or CANVAS quiz, getting help from others on CANVAS quizzes, having notes accessible during exams, looking at another student’s answers during an exam or CANVAS quiz, removing exams from the classroom without consent from the instructor, plagiarizing, and dishonesty in any aspect of course participation. Violations of academic integrity may result in a grade of F for the course as well as other penalties. (See Faculty Senate Policy 49-20 (Links to an external site.) at http://senate.psu.edu/policies-and-rules-for-undergraduate-students/47-00-48-00-and-49-00-grades/#49-20.)
When you write papers, remember the ABCs to avoid plagiarism: Always place copied information within quotation marks, include information about the quoted or paraphrased source in a Bibliography, and Cite the source in the body (in the text) of your paper immediately after the quoted or paraphrased information. When in doubt, cite in the text and include the source in a bibliography.
Please note that several note-taking/note-sharing companies approach students about "jobs" (including "jobs" that appear to be connected to PSU). If this is something that you want to do, you MUST talk with the instructor first. You may not share, upload, post, or send any information from this course (including notes and assignments) without the permission of the instructor. This includes online note-taking/note-sharing services. (See Penn State Administrative Policy AD-40 (Links to an external site.) at https://policy.psu.edu/policies/ad40.) Unless you have the permission of the instructor, you risk academic sanctions related to charges of plagiarism as well as disciplinary sanctions.
Disability Access
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources website provides contact information for every Penn State campus (Links to an external site.) at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/disability-coordinator. For further information, please visit the Student Disability Resources website (Links to an external site.) at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources.
In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation (Links to an external site.) described at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/applying-for-services. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Counseling and Psychological Services
Penn State's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office offers residential and distance-based Penn State students non-emergency mental health services in the form of case management, community resource referrals, supportive listening, care giver support, and much more.
Students may request assistance from CAPS regarding a variety of common mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and stress. CAPS services are designed to enhance students' ability to fully benefit from the University environment and academic experience. Call CAPS at 814-863-0395 (8 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday EST) or submit an inquiry online (Links to an external site.) at https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/form/caps-contact-form to schedule an appointment with a mental health advocate, who can help you address mental health concerns that may interfere with your academic progress or social development. This appointment will include a one-on-one session that can be conducted via telephone, teleconference (Skype, FaceTime, etc.), or locally at Penn State University Park. For more information on services provided through CAPS, please visit the Penn State CAPS website (Links to an external site.) at http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/counseling/. Students enrolled at the World Campus are also encouraged to visit its Mental Health Services page (Links to an external site.) at http://student.worldcampus.psu.edu/student-services/mental-health-services.
Reminder: These services are for non-emergencies only. If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis situation, please call your local crisis center or 911.
Nondiscrimination
Penn State is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University's educational mission, and will not be tolerated. For further information, please visit the Affirmative Action Office website (Links to an external site.) at https://www.psu.edu/dept/aaoffice/.
Reporting a Bias Incident
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage (Links to an external site.) at http://equity.psu.edu/reportbias/.
TEACH Act
The materials on the course website are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.
University Emergency Procedure
In the event of a University-wide emergency, the course may be subject to changes. Exigent circumstances may require alternative delivery methods, class materials, and interactions with the instructor and/or classmates. In addition, there may be revisions to grading policies and the Calendar, including assignments and their due dates.
In the event of a University-wide emergency, please refer to the Canvas website at https://psu.instructure.com for specific information related to the course. For more general information about the emergency situation, please refer to the Penn State website (Links to an external site.) at https://www.psu.edu or Penn State News website (Links to an external site.) at https://news.psu.edu.
To register with PSUAlert, a service designed to alert the Penn State community when situations arise that affect the ability of a campus to function normally, please go to the PSU Alert website (Links to an external site.) at https://psualert.psu.edu/. Subscribers can receive alerts by text message to cell phones, and also can elect to have alerts sent to an email address.
Syllabus Subject to Change
The class will likely adhere to the information outlined in this Syllabus and the Calendar, but adjustments may be made based on what actually transpires during the semester. Remaining in the course after reading this Syllabus will signal that you accept the possibility of changes and responsibility for being aware of them.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|