Final Blog Post

Hello Class!

This will be my final post to this blog.  I hope that you have learned a bit over the course of the semester. My students never cease to amaze me. I think I learn just as much from my students, if not more, than my students learn from me. In short, I have had a great time with you this semester, and wish each of you a relaxing and happy Christmas break.

I want to thank each and every one of you for making this semester truly wonderful for me.  Teaching 6 online classes was quite difficult, but y'all made it an incredibly enjoyable experience.

As of a few days ago, everything should be entered into BB.  The final column in the gradebook adds up all of the points you have accrued in the class.  Take a look at your total points then compare that number to the following scale to see the grade you earned in Comm 10.

A 900-1,000
B 800-899
C 700-799
D 600-699
F 599 and below

I will post grades to mysierra in a couple of days. The mysierra system will release grades at its own pace.

Again, I have had a great time with you all this semester, and hope that you have a wonderful holiday break!

Signing off for the last time.....

The Blogging Prof

Final Exam Procedures

Hello Brilliant Students,

The final exam will open up at 12:01am tomorrow morning, and will remain open until 11:59pm on Saturday night.  Please follow these instructions and reminders to take the final exam:

1). Download the Proctor Form from the "Getting Started" tab on Blackboard.
2). Find someone to proctor your final exam who is a). NOT a part of Comm 10 at Sierra College, and 2). Over the age of 21.  You do not need to go to a testing center for the final exam, rather, you can ask a family member, friend, etc.....
3). Make sure the proctor watches you take the final exam to attest to the fact that you did not share questions or answers with anyone.  In short - the proctor is there to make sure you don't offer assistance or get assistance from another person.
4). Log onto BB and locate the final exam under the "Quizzes and Tests" tab.
5). Take the test - This is an open book/open notes test.
6). Submit the test within the time limit allowed (see BB for more info.)
7). Submit the SIGNED proctor form to me through email.  You can either scan it into the computer and send it to me, or you can take a HIGH QUALITY digital photo and email the picture to me.  Be sure to email the proctor form to one of my email address - preferably the gmail address.


Email me with any questions you might have.
TBP

Week of December 3 - 9

Hello Folks!

Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from BB for this week.  Please note that this is our last week of class, so make it count!!! 

Due this week:
*Participate in the discussion (see questions below)
*STUDY FOR FINAL EXAM - The final exam is scheduled on BB on Dec. 6th and 7th.  To take the final exam you will access BB as you have been all semester, and take the final exam.  There is one difference with this test - the final exam must be proctored.  This means that you are required to have someone who is over 21, and not a part of Comm 10, watch you take the final exam and attest to the fact that you did not share answers or questions with anyone else in the class.  I will post more about this the day before the final exam opens (Dec. 5th). 
 

Discussion Questions:
Answer one question in its entirety in each of your three separate posts, at least 12 hours apart. Please make sure you are creating a NEW POST for each question on your blog. You MUST WAIT at least 12 hours from the first post in order to create a second post. The same is true for the second and third post. I will record dates and time of your posts, so make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. EACH POST MUST BE 150 WORDS OR MORE. Each post is worth a maximum of 5 points.

1). (Regarding Chapter 13) - Which of the research methods listed on Table 13.3 seem the most interesting?  Assume you want to study some aspect of deception.  Frame a research question.  Which method would you choose to answer the question?  Why?

2). What concept/s in this class have you found most interesting?  What was it about that concept/s that you found interesting?

3). Pick one concept in the book that you feel needs further discussion. 

Comments - Remember to post ONE comment ON THREE DIFFERENT BLOGS between 12:01am on Monday and 11:59pm on Sunday. This means that you will log onto MY BLOG at: http://sierracomm10.blogspot.com/ to see a list of your colleagues blogs. Click on those blogs, read what was posted for this week and respond. You need to make sure you are responding to only what was discussed THIS WEEK (starting Monday and ending Sunday of the current week). Comments posted to blogs that were NOT within this week will not be counted for points. Each comment must be a minimum of 100 words and is worth a maximum of 3 points.

Note about comments: When you leave a comment on another blog, make sure you are logged into your blogspot account. In other words, you will need to make sure your "Display Name/Alias Name" shows up on the blog you are commenting on. I record the locations, dates and times of your comments. Please keep record of your posts and comments in case there I have questions about where they are located.

Grades have been entered

Hello Fabulous Students,

I have entered grade into BB.

As a reminder, it is your responsibility to check your grades often (at least once a week), and email me if you have any questions.

Have a great day everyone!
:)
The Blogging Prof.

Week of November 26 - December 2

Hello Folks!

Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from BB for this week. The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively. In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on BB.

Due this week:
*Read Chapter 13 - Methods of Discovery
*No discussion this week.
*Quiz Chapters 11 & 13 on Blackboard
*Study for final exam.  The final exam is scheduled for December 6 - 7th on Blackboard, and will cover Chapters 1-13.
*Turn on Graded Journals by December 2nd through email.

Week of November 19 - 25

Hello Folks,

There is only one thing to do this week:  Grade Journals.  I will put you into groups later tonight so that you can read 2-3 journals of your classmates.  You will then grade the journal entries. 

If you fail to grade the journal entries, you will earn a zero (0) grade on the journal regardless of how your classmates graded you.  I will give more detail in the email that I send you.

:)
The Blogging Prof.

Week of November 12 - 18

Hello Folks!

Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from BB for this week. The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively. In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on BB.

Due this week:
*Read Chapter 11 - Communication and the Mass Media 
*Participate in the discussion (see questions below)
*Write Journal #5.  Assignment can be downloaded from BB.
*Journal is due by November 18 @ 11:59pm.  Please email me your entire journal in one document.  Please do not send multiple attachments, rather, combine all entries into a single document.
 

Discussion Questions:
Answer one question in its entirety in each of your three separate posts, at least 12 hours apart. Please make sure you are creating a NEW POST for each question on your blog. You MUST WAIT at least 12 hours from the first post in order to create a second post. The same is true for the second and third post. I will record dates and time of your posts, so make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. EACH POST MUST BE 150 WORDS OR MORE. Each post is worth a maximum of 5 points.

1). Have you made friendships that exist exclusively in cyberspace?  If so, how are they different from f2f relationships?  If you have not formed cyber relationships, why not?

2). Do you agree with Marshall McLuhan that the medium is the message, i.e., that the format or logic of a medium is as important as its content and, in fact, determines what content will be broadcast through that channel?  Evaluate his idea that television is a cool medium.

3). Pick one concept from Chapter 11, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

Comments - Remember to post ONE comment ON THREE DIFFERENT BLOGS between 12:01am on Monday and 11:59pm on Sunday. This means that you will log onto MY BLOG at: http://sierracomm10.blogspot.com/ to see a list of your colleagues blogs. Click on those blogs, read what was posted for this week and respond. You need to make sure you are responding to only what was discussed THIS WEEK (starting Monday and ending Sunday of the current week). Comments posted to blogs that were NOT within this week will not be counted for points. Each comment must be a minimum of 100 words and is worth a maximum of 3 points.

Note about comments: When you leave a comment on another blog, make sure you are logged into your blogspot account. In other words, you will need to make sure your "Display Name/Alias Name" shows up on the blog you are commenting on. I record the locations, dates and times of your comments. Please keep record of your posts and comments in case there I have questions about where they are located.

Grades updated in BB

Hello Fabulous Students,

I have entered grade into BB for a few items.

As a reminder, it is your responsibility to check your grades often (at least once a week), and email me if you have any questions.

Have a great day everyone!
:)
The Blogging Prof.

Instructor Wrap Up - Trenholm Chapter 8

Organizational Communication 

For this instructor wrap-up, I would like to do something a bit different.  I know that there is some great information in your course text, heck, I've read the text countless times at this point in my career.  However, for this instructor wrap-up, I will provide you with some outside information that you can read through at your leisure.  

What is Organizational Communication?  I'm glad you asked.  You can read about it by clicking HERE.

What are other instructors/professionals saying about Organizational Communication?  Again, I'm glad you are inquisitive enough to pose this question.  You can read a fun website HERE. 

If you want to read about the Communication Process for Virtual Organizations, click HERE. 

And finally, if the thought of majoring in Organizational Communication has crossed your mind at all, Middle Tennessee State University has a cool website dedicated to Organizational Comm.  If you scroll down, there is a list of career pertaining to those that have majored in Org. Comm.  Click HERE to read through it. 

It is my hope, that by providing these websites, you can see a very brief and limited overview of the field of Organizational Communication.  While it is a subset of the field of Communication Studies, it is an incredibly useful one.  

Email me if anything in this chapter, or these websites needs further explanation. 

Week of November 5 - 11

Hello Folks!

Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from BB for this week. The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively. In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on BB.

Due this week:
*Read Chapter 8 - Organizational Communication
*Participate in the discussion (see questions below)
*Continue to work on Concept Application Paper.  This paper will be due by November 11 @ 11:59pm. 
*Quiz on BB - Chapters 6 & 8.  Please log into BB to take the quiz.
 

Discussion Questions:
Answer one question in its entirety in each of your three separate posts, at least 12 hours apart. Please make sure you are creating a NEW POST for each question on your blog. You MUST WAIT at least 12 hours from the first post in order to create a second post. The same is true for the second and third post. I will record dates and time of your posts, so make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. EACH POST MUST BE 150 WORDS OR MORE. Each post is worth a maximum of 5 points.

1). How are organizations tied to the environment?  What is the relationship between the school you attend and the city or town in which it is situated?  What, if any, ethical obligations does an organization like a college or university have to the local community?

2). Review the etiquette rules suggested in the text.  Respond to each one.  Have you ever been bothered by cell phones, touch pads, laptops, computers, answering machines, or beepers?  What do you feel about call waiting?  Is it rude to put people on hold and take another call?

3). Pick one concept from Chapter 8, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

Comments - Remember to post ONE comment ON THREE DIFFERENT BLOGS between 12:01am on Monday and 11:59pm on Sunday. This means that you will log onto MY BLOG at: http://sierracomm10.blogspot.com/ to see a list of your colleagues blogs. Click on those blogs, read what was posted for this week and respond. You need to make sure you are responding to only what was discussed THIS WEEK (starting Monday and ending Sunday of the current week). Comments posted to blogs that were NOT within this week will not be counted for points. Each comment must be a minimum of 100 words and is worth a maximum of 3 points.

Note about comments: When you leave a comment on another blog, make sure you are logged into your blogspot account. In other words, you will need to make sure your "Display Name/Alias Name" shows up on the blog you are commenting on. I record the locations, dates and times of your comments. Please keep record of your posts and comments in case there I have questions about where they are located.

Grades have been updated

Hello Fabulous Students,

I have entered grade into BB for a few items.

As a reminder, it is your responsibility to check your grades often (at least once a week), and email me if you have any questions.

Have a great evening everyone!
:)
The Blogging Prof.

Instructor Wrap Up - Trenholm Chapter 6

"Our survival as social beings depends in large part on our interpersonal communication skills"

Interpersonal Communication theory is one of my favorite aspects of communication studies. When I was at school in the Midwest (for merely a semester), we conducted an experiment that went against interpersonal norms. For instance, we got in an elevator and faced the wrong direction to see how people would react. We also had 2 students go into a swanky department store, one dressed in sweats and the other dressed nicely, to see how the store attendants would treat each 'customer'. The results were as you would expect. The elevator riders became very uncomfortable when someone was facing the wrong direction, and the department store associates ignored the student dressed in sweats and offered help to the person dressed nicely.

Interpersonal communication has many facets. Your book covers dyadic communication, managing interpersonal communication, relational development (stages in intimate dyad's) which also includes Duck's Relational Dissolution Model (quite an interesting section), increasing relational skills (disclosure - always a great topic to study), managing interpersonal conflict, and becoming a more responsible communicator.

This chapter is, by far, one of my favorites in the book. Each of us engages in dyadic communication on a continual basis, and understanding some of these concepts might help to improve those relationships.

Personal Note: You all can probably see my passion when it comes to communication, but there is something special about interpersonal communication that draws me in. These are the weeks I wish that we were able to meet in person. Discussing personal experiences with interpersonal communication, conflict, etc... can really draw a class together.

When I was a graduate student at San Jose State University a number of years ago, I took Shawn Spano's graduate seminar on interpersonal communication. We studied many theories, covered many topics and shared many personal experiences. One of the major course assignments was about mediation (yet another facet of interpersonal communication). We had to mediate a disagreement between two people, and write a research paper about it. That assignment was one of the most interesting assignments I had completed in graduate school. It really showed the inner workings of a close, intimate relationship between two people, and it helped them to workout some issues they were encountering.

As you can see, interpersonal communication has many different facets. I hope that you all enjoy reading and discussing this week. I can't wait to read your posts and comments.

Week of October 29 - November 4

Hello Folks!

Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from BB for this week. The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively. In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on BB.

Due this week:
*Read Chapter 6 - Interpersonal Communication
*Participate in the discussion (see questions below)
*Write Journal #4:  Please download Journal #4, read through the assignment sheet and write the short essay assignment.  NOTE:  The entire journal will not be due until November 18th.  However, you should write your journal entries in the week I assign them.
*Continue to work on Concept Application Paper.  This paper will be due by November 11 @ 11:59pm. 
 

Discussion Questions:
Answer one question in its entirety in each of your three separate posts, at least 12 hours apart. Please make sure you are creating a NEW POST for each question on your blog. You MUST WAIT at least 12 hours from the first post in order to create a second post. The same is true for the second and third post. I will record dates and time of your posts, so make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. EACH POST MUST BE 150 WORDS OR MORE. Each post is worth a maximum of 5 points.

1). Which pattern (rigid complementarity, competitive symmetry, or submissive symmetry) do you think would be the most difficult to change? Why? Which would be the most damaging to a relationship? Which would be the most potentially damaging to the self-esteem of the individuals involved?

2). Think about the filters you use to eliminate people from consideration as potential romantic partners. What characteristics or behaviors lead you to judge others as unattractive? Does Duck’s theory make sense to you? Have you ever eliminated someone by using a sociological or pre-interaction cue only to reconsider them based on interaction and cognitive cues?

3). Pick one concept from Chapter 6, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

Comments - Remember to post ONE comment ON THREE DIFFERENT BLOGS between 12:01am on Monday and 11:59pm on Sunday. This means that you will log onto MY BLOG at: http://sierracomm10.blogspot.com/ to see a list of your colleagues blogs. Click on those blogs, read what was posted for this week and respond. You need to make sure you are responding to only what was discussed THIS WEEK (starting Monday and ending Sunday of the current week). Comments posted to blogs that were NOT within this week will not be counted for points. Each comment must be a minimum of 100 words and is worth a maximum of 3 points.

Note about comments: When you leave a comment on another blog, make sure you are logged into your blogspot account. In other words, you will need to make sure your "Display Name/Alias Name" shows up on the blog you are commenting on. I record the locations, dates and times of your comments. Please keep record of your posts and comments in case there I have questions about where they are located.

Week of October 22 - 28

Hello Folks!

Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from Blackboard for this week.

NOTE: The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively.  In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on BB.

Due this week:
*Read Chapter 7  - Group Communication
*There is no discussion this week
*Continue working on the Concept Application Paper.  This paper is due by November 11th @ 11:59pm.
*Test on Chapters 7 & 12.  Please log into BB to take the test.

Reminder:  I hold office hours of Tuesday's and Thursday's from 9:30am to 11:30am on Yahoo Messenger.  I can also chat with students over the phone during that time, or at your convenience.  We can always make an appointment to chat over the phone in case you need clarification about something in the class.  And of course, I'm always available through email.

:)
The Blogging Prof.

Instructor Wrap Up - Trenholm Chapter 12

Usually during my Comm 10 classes I assign a paper called the Cultural Event Paper. The assignment requires students to find and attend a cultural event in the area and write a paper about their experience. I have found that over the years students have had a difficult time finding cultural events depending on the time in the semester the paper falls.

The Cultural Event Paper is one that I love. The richness of our discussions in class easily highlight the diversity we have in our virtual classroom. The Cultural Event Paper takes this a step further by focusing on culture outside of the classroom.

As you can probably tell by this point, I absolutely love when students take concepts from the course outside the classroom. Thus the journal assignment and the Movie Analysis (Concept Application Paper). I require students to observe and participate outside the classroom because communication is not simply a 'classroom concept'. We engage in communication concepts every single day, and I want my students to make the connection between concept and application.

Comm 10 is an experiential course which requires.....well, experience! How do we do that? We go out and put communication concepts into action. Intercultural Communication is one of those concepts that we should put into action because we engage in IC quite often. Especially being in California, IC is quite important.

I can't wait to read your posts from this week - it's one of my favorites!

Week of October 15-21

Hello Folks!

Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from BB for this week. The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively. In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on BB.

Due this week:
*Read Chapter 12 - Intercultural Communication
*Participate in the discussion (see questions below)
*Write Journal #3:  Please download Journal #3, read through the assignment sheet and write the short essay assignment.  NOTE:  The entire journal will not be due until November 18th.  However, you should write your journal entries in the week I assign them.
 


Discussion Questions:
Answer one question in its entirety in each of your three separate posts, at least 12 hours apart. Please make sure you are creating a NEW POST for each question on your blog. You MUST WAIT at least 12 hours from the first post in order to create a second post. The same is true for the second and third post. I will record dates and time of your posts, so make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. EACH POST MUST BE 150 WORDS OR MORE. Each post is worth a maximum of 5 points.

1). Do you agree with anthropologist Ruth Benedict that we are "creatures of our culture" and that our habits, beliefs, and impossibilities are shaped by our culture?  If so, how can we break through the limits of our cultures? 

2). Do you believe in the rationality, perfectability, and mutability premises?  What social institutions and practices are based on these beliefs? 

3). Pick one concept from Chapter 12, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

Comments - Remember to post ONE comment ON THREE DIFFERENT BLOGS between 12:01am on Monday and 11:59pm on Sunday. This means that you will log onto MY BLOG at: http://sierracomm10.blogspot.com/ to see a list of your colleagues blogs. Click on those blogs, read what was posted for this week and respond. You need to make sure you are responding to only what was discussed THIS WEEK (starting Monday and ending Sunday of the current week). Comments posted to blogs that were NOT within this week will not be counted for points. Each comment must be a minimum of 100 words and is worth a maximum of 3 points.

Note about comments: When you leave a comment on another blog, make sure you are logged into your blogspot account. In other words, you will need to make sure your "Display Name/Alias Name" shows up on the blog you are commenting on. I record the locations, dates and times of your comments. Please keep record of your posts and comments in case there I have questions about where they are located.

Week of October 8 - 14

Hello Folks!

The only thing due this week is the Midterm Exam on BB.  Please log onto BB to take the exam.  It is open book, open notes and it covers Chapters 1-5, 9 & 10.  Remember that the midterm is timed, and it needs to be submitted by 11:59pm on Saturday night.  Please do not share answers or test questions with fellow classmates.

REMINDER:  Please start working on your Concept Application Paper.  This paper is due by Sunday, November 11th @ 11:59pm.

Have a good week everyone!
:)
The Blogging Prof.

Grades Updated in BB

Hello Fabulous Students,

I have entered grade into BB for the following items:


Discussion Week of Sept. 24-30

As a reminder, it is your responsibility to check your grades often (at least once a week), and email me if you have any questions.

Have a great day everyone!
:)
The Blogging Prof.

Instructor Wrap Up - Trenholm Chapter 5

I am very excited about this week's discussion. These are the weeks I wish I could talk to you all face to face so we could really get into a deep discussion about nonverbal communication and share what we have learned through our reading, and of course through our life experiences. While I was in school I participated in a Nonverbal Research Study as a research assistant, which was quite interesting. Although the statistics in that particular research study did not prove to be significant, my conjecture was that the sample size was too small.

Now that you are probably asking, "What was the study about?"....I'll tell you briefly in case you are interested.

Dr. Tim Hegstrom, who is the Dean of Social Sciences at San Jose State University, videotaped dyads to see if their body positioning matched each other during the course of their 10 minute conversation. Most of the participants did have matching body language at some point in the discussion (An example of this would be where one person crosses their arm, and the other follows shortly after. This could either be matching or mirroring with body positioning with legs, arms, etc...). I analyzed the videos one by one (I think there were 50 or so 10 minute videos) and recorded their body positioning to reflect matching, mirroring, or no correlation at all. I stopped the video every minute and recorded their body positions. Like I said, when we ran the statistics through SPSS (a statistical database), the results were not significant. But, had the research been done a bit differently, it absolutely would have produced statistically significant results. Had it proved significant, we probably would have been published in a Communication Journal, but alas, it was not written in the stars. :)

Needless to say, Nonverbal Communication interests me quite a bit. My husband's family is constantly trying to figure out if I'm analyzing them. A couple of years ago one of his family members looked over to a few people and asked me what their body language was saying. Of course this sparked a very interesting conversation between a few people, myself included.

Have fun with this weeks discussion.

Week of October 1-7

Hello Folks!

Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from BB for this week. The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively. In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on BB.

Due this week:
*Read Chapter 5 - Encoding Messages:  Nonverbal Communication
*Participate in the discussion (see questions below)
*Study for the midterm (the midterm will cover Ch's 1-5, 9&10 and will be available next week)
*Write Journal #2:  Please download Journal #2, read through the assignment sheet and write the short essay assignment.  NOTE:  The entire journal will not be due until November 18th.  However, you should write your journal entries in the week I assign them.


Discussion Questions:
Answer one question in its entirety in each of your three separate posts, at least 12 hours apart. Please make sure you are creating a NEW POST for each question on your blog. You MUST WAIT at least 12 hours from the first post in order to create a second post. The same is true for the second and third post. I will record dates and time of your posts, so make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. EACH POST MUST BE 150 WORDS OR MORE. Each post is worth a maximum of 5 points.

1). Because nonverbal messages can be ambiguous, they are open to misinterpretation.  Have you ever been wrong about the meaning of someones nonverbal message?  Describe what happened.  How can people increase the accuracy with which they interpret nonverbal messages?

2). Although nonverbal messages are more universal than verbal messages, nonverbals do not always carry the same meanings in other cultures.  Can you give examples of some of the nonverbal displays that take on different meanings in other countries?  If you have moved around within this country, have you ever encountered regional differences in nonverbal meaning?

3). Pick one concept from Chapter 5, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

Comments - Remember to post ONE comment ON THREE DIFFERENT BLOGS between 12:01am on Monday and 11:59pm on Sunday. This means that you will log onto MY BLOG at: http://sierracomm10.blogspot.com/ to see a list of your colleagues blogs. Click on those blogs, read what was posted for this week and respond. You need to make sure you are responding to only what was discussed THIS WEEK (starting Monday and ending Sunday of the current week). Comments posted to blogs that were NOT within this week will not be counted for points. Each comment must be a minimum of 100 words and is worth a maximum of 3 points.

Note about comments: When you leave a comment on another blog, make sure you are logged into your blogspot account. In other words, you will need to make sure your "Display Name/Alias Name" shows up on the blog you are commenting on. I record the locations, dates and times of your comments. Please keep record of your posts and comments in case there I have questions about where they are located.

Instructor Wrap Up - Trenholm Chapter 4

Encoding Messages: Spoken Language 

Language gives us the power to affect and persuade others.  But language also exerts power over us.

Yesterday we looked at chapter 3 in the course text:  Decoding Messages:  Listening and Perception.  Today we are going to focus on the Spoken Language.  

The goals of this chapter are as follows:

1). Identify four important characteristics of language.

2). Explain what a symbol is.

3). Explain the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis and give examples of ways language affects thought.

4).  Identify and describe the four subsystems of language.

5). Explain the four levels of context described in CMM theory.

6). Describe how private discourses differ from one another.

7). Name the functions of conversational closings.

8). Identify differences between men's and women's communication.

9). Explain how ambiguity, abstraction, and metaphor use affects our interactions.

The chapter starts out by defining language.  According to your text, "language can be defined as a rule-governed symbol system that allows its users to generate meaning and, in the process, to define reality."

Page 68 covers the four important characteristics of language:

1). It is made up of symbols

2). It is a kind of knowledge

3). It is rule governed and productive

4). It affects the way we experience the world

Moving onto the second goal of the chapter - symbol..  The book states it best, so I'll skip over this area of the chapter in this post.  However, it's important that you understand the concepts within this section, so don't skip over it.   I'll wait while you go ahead and read that section.

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I'm waiting for you to finish.

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Good, are you done now?  Perfect, let's move on.  ;)

The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, or the linguistic relativity hypothesis, basically says that thoughts and behavior are determined by language. (Do a simple google search for either or both terms, and see what you find.  It's fascinating!!!).  

In short, the book describes it as two correlating ideas:  1). Linguistic determinism, and 2). Linguistic relativity.  Both are very interesting to read about, especially if you have done a 3 minute google search on the idea.  There are a lot of differing opinions surrounding this idea. 

Next we come to the four subsystems of language.  The four subsystems are:

1). Phonology

2). Semantics

3). Syntactics

4). Pragmatics

Table 4.2 on page 75 briefly describes these ideas.  The text, pages 74-78 has great explanation of these ideas.

The text then moves onto something called CMM theory.  CMM theory means Coordinated Management of Meaning Theory.  Basically, this theory "provides a framework for understanding how individuals use context to assign pragmatic meaning.  CMM theorists believe that to communicate successfully, we must take into account four levels of context: episode, relationship, life script, and cultural pattern."  While this theory is interesting, it's not where I want to camp for a few minutes. Between this theory and where I want to camp is the idea of discourse.

The next section covers different forms of discourse, and covers a number of different topics such as:
*Understanding conversation
*Describing classroom interaction
*Dimensions of discourse
*Interactive discourse
*Coordinating conversational moves
*Conversational closings
Very interesting stuff if you ask me.  But go ahead and read it for yourself.  You'll see.  :)


Where I want to camp for a little while is Language and Social Identity.  This section starts on page 85, and covers Gender and Language.  One of your dicsussion questions this week focuses on this area of the chapter.

The question I posed was this: "Do you agree that men and women use language in different ways?  In what areas?


I'm brilliant for posing that question, aren't I?  ;)  Honestly though, isn't this a fascinating idea?  This section covers an introduction to Gender and Language, then moves onto a discussion of The Development of Gender Differences, Research on Gender and Communication, Problems in Interpreting Gender Differences, and finally, Adapting to Gender Differences.  

Gender and Communication (or language and your book states), is fascinating.  Just look at Table 4.5 on page 89.  How cool is the information presented in this table? 


When you are sitting around with your friends, these are the types of things you can whip out in conversation at any moment. 


"Hey Mike, did you know that women tend to talk more about private matters than men do?"


"No Sabrina, I didn't know that.  I mean, I assumed that was the case, but I wasn't sure that was true."


"Yeah, it's true, and I've got the research to prove it.  Let's look at my Comm 105P book together so I can show you.  And by the way, isn't my Comm 10 instructor the coolest?"


Kidding about that last part, but you see where I'm going with this section.  Gender and language, such a cool idea to study.


I hope you liked this chapter as much as I did.  I'm kind of a geek about ideas like this. 


Until tomorrow......
The Blogging Prof.

Instructor Wrap Up - Trenholm Chapter 3

Decoding Messages:  Listening and Perception

Listening is the forgotten part of communication, yet being able to listen well is one of the most essential communication-related skills.

Chapter 3 is an interesting chapter.  It's all about listening and perception, as the title states.  Listening is an interesting concept because as Comm majors, we've probably learned about listening numerous times.  But let's look at some of the more useful and interesting points in this chapter.

Page 42 starts out by explaining the definition of listening, which is "the process of receiving, constructing meaning from, and responding to spoken and/or nonverbal messages".  

Let's break this down a little:

Listening is "...the process of receiving..."......  we receive both verbal and nonverbal messages on a continual basis.  This can be in the form of a conversation, lecture, phone conference, etc....  There are many ways one can receive a message, wouldn't you agree?  But for the sake of this conversation, let's use a dyadic interaction as our basis.  When we have an interaction with another person, listening is a crucial part of the conversation.  Not just 'listening', but 'active listening'.  It is an active process.

Have you ever had a conversation with a person when you know they aren't listening to you?  Or better yet, they don't understand what you are trying to convey. This can be incredibly frustrating.

The next part of the definition is "...constructing meaning...".  What can we extrapolate based on these two words?  We construct, or build meaning based on what the other person in the conversation is saying.  How do we do that?  Through filters, through our personal life experience, and through our past interactions with the person we are having an active conversation with.  We actually construct, or build meaning!  The meaning that we build may, or may not be what was intended.  

Have you ever had someone misinterpret what you were saying?

And finally we come to the last part of the definition:  "...and responding to spoken and/or nonverbal messages." As we already are aware, communication is not just verbal, rather a combination of verbal and nonverbal messages.  The meaning of a statement can change drastically with tone of voice, facial expression, body language, etc...  So we must take both verbal communication and nonverbal communication into consideration when contemplating the definition of listening.

On page 42, it also talks about the difference between listening and hearing.  The book states that "Hearing is a physiological process that occurs when sound waves are translated into electrical impulses and then processed by the central nervous system.  Listening, on the other hand, is a social cognitive process."

These two are incredibly different. 

I won't reiterate everything the book covers, but there are some great ideas contained within the chapter.

For instance, page 44 starts a conversation about The Listening Process.  It would be incredibly easy to breeze through these pages, but resist the urge to skip through them.  The listening process is easy to grasp, so take some time to really absorb the material that is being given.  

Table 3.1 on page 45 is a great thing to review.  Very useful information.  

The rest of the chapter is fantastic.  It covers ideas like:

Voluntary and Involuntary Attention

Improving Attention

Interpretation

Using Cognitive Schemata

Becoming More Mindful

Improving Interpretation

Evaluation

Just to name a few......

Look out for another post tomorrow.

Until then......

The Blogging Prof.

Grades have been updated in BB

Hello Fabulous Students,

I have entered grade into BB for the following items:

Discussion Week of Sept. 10-16

As a reminder, it is your responsibility to check your grades often (at least once a week), and email me if you have any questions.

Have a great day everyone!
:)
The Blogging Prof.

Week of September 24 - 30

Hello Folks!

Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from BB for this week. The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively. In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on BB.

Due this week:
*Read Chapter 3 - Decoding Messages:  Listening and Perception
*Read Chapter 4 - Encoding Messages:  Spoken Language
*Participate in the discussion (see questions below)
*Public Speech Critique Due: on assignment #1 - Please email me your Public Speech Critique Paper by Sunday, Sept 30th by 11:59pm.  Please submit the paper to the class google email address.
*Write Journal #1:  Please download Journal #1, read through the assignment sheet and write the short essay assignment. (Journal entry #1 is not due this week, however, all journal entries should be completed within the week I assign them).


Discussion Questions:
Answer one question in its entirety in each of your three separate posts, at least 12 hours apart. Please make sure you are creating a NEW POST for each question on your blog. You MUST WAIT at least 12 hours from the first post in order to create a second post. The same is true for the second and third post. I will record dates and time of your posts, so make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. EACH POST MUST BE 150 WORDS OR MORE. Each post is worth a maximum of 5 points.

1). Is it possible to perceive others without in some way judging or categorizing them?  If so, how?  If not, how can we make the judgments we do make more fair?

2). Do you agree that men and women use language differently?  In what areas?  Discuss this in detail.

3). Pick one concept from Chapter 3 or 4, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

Comments - Remember to post ONE comment ON THREE DIFFERENT BLOGS between 12:01am on Monday and 11:59pm on Sunday. This means that you will log onto MY BLOG at: http://sierracomm10.blogspot.com/ to see a list of your colleagues blogs. Click on those blogs, read what was posted for this week and respond. You need to make sure you are responding to only what was discussed THIS WEEK (starting Monday and ending Sunday of the current week). Comments posted to blogs that were NOT within this week will not be counted for points. Each comment must be a minimum of 100 words and is worth a maximum of 3 points.

Note about comments: When you leave a comment on another blog, make sure you are logged into your blogspot account. In other words, you will need to make sure your "Display Name/Alias Name" shows up on the blog you are commenting on. I record the locations, dates and times of your comments. Please keep record of your posts and comments in case there I have questions about where they are located.

Week of September 17 - 23

Hello Folks!

Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from BB for this week.

NOTE: The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively.  In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on BB.

Due this week:
*Read Chapter 10  - Preparing and Presenting Public Speeches
*There is no discussion this week
*Quiz on BB - Chapters 9 & 10 (the quiz will be available from Tuesday through Saturday).
*Assignment #1 is due by Sunday, September 30th @ 11:59pm.  Please look out for a post to my blog this week with submission instructions.

Reminder:  I hold office hours of Tuesday's and Thursday's from 10am to 11am on Yahoo Messenger.  I can also chat with students over the phone during that time, or at your convenience.  We can always make an appointment to chat over the phone in case you need clarification about something in the class.  And of course, I'm always available through email.

Grades have been updated in Blackboard

Hello Fabulous Students,

I have entered grade into BB for the following items:

Discussion Week of Sept3-9

I normally will not email you individually regarding your grades.  It is your responsibility to check your grades often (at least once a week), and email me if you have any questions.

Have a great day everyone!
:)
The Blogging Prof.

Instructor Wrap Up - Trenholm Chapter 9

Public Communication 

Public communication does not belong to only the famous; - every day, all over the country, average people stand up and speak to audience and, in doing so, make a difference. pg. 234

This phrase is the very basis of the course project you are currently working on.  Public Communication - it's about much more than organizing, writing and presenting a speech.  It is truly about making a difference as the quote about states.  

After reading chapter 9, you should be able to:

1). Explain characteristics and purposes of communication in the public sphere.

2). Know the social functions and personal consequences of public communication.

3). Explain why it is important to understand audience beliefs, attitudes, and values.

4). Understand how credibility, attractiveness, and power enhance speaker effectiveness.

5). Use the Toulmin model to diagram and evaluate an argument.

6). Give examples of authoritative, motivational, and substantive appeals.

7). Distinguish arguments from cause, sign, generalization, and analogy and identify the kinds of fallacies associated with each.

This chapters starts out by defining Public Communication.  It is a one-to-many form of communication wherein a single speaker addresses a large audience.  

Applicability - We may not recognize all of the ways in which we engage in public communication.  However, for the Public Speech critique assignment, I have asked you all to find a public presentation to evaluate.  Chapter 9 will help to inform your essay, based on the speech that you observe, analyze and evaluate.  You will then use Chapter 9, among other chapters in the course text to inform your paper.  (Using quotes from this and other chapters in the text, etc... then draw conclusions).  I will post more about this another day.

The book then moves onto a discussion about Social Functions of Rhetoric.  Here are some examples from the text:

*Discovering Facts

*Testing Ideas

*Persuading Others

*Shaping Knowledge

*Building Community 

*Distributing Power

Applicability - When you write your Public Speech Critique paper, you should consider some of these concepts.  What was the purpose of the speech you observed?  Does it fit into one of these categories?  I won't go into too much detail for fear of being redundant with the course text, but you can read more about these on page 238-239.

Page 240 moves onto a discussion about Evaluating Public Communication.  Does this ring a bell?  If not, it certainly should.  This is what your first paper is all about - evaluating, analyzing, critiquing, observing, etc... a public presentation.  Consider the following sub ideas in the text:

Physical setting

Medium 

Occasion

History as context 

Rhetorical Situation

These ideas can greatly affect a public presentation.  If we were in a f2f (that's face-to-face) classroom setting, we would probably have a lengthy discussion about how each of these can influence the message of a speaker.  

Applicability - If you review the assignment sheet, it asks you to choose concepts to cover in your essay.  The ideas above are all on there.  ;)  

The text then moves to a discussion about The Audience-Speaker Relationship (pg 242).  Wow, this is a cool section.  I'm going to geek out about this for a second........

The Audience-Speaker Relationship, as written in your course text is quite important.  There are a number of different facets that are involved in this.  

Audience Attitudes and Change

Beliefs

Attitudes

Values

Source Characteristics and Audience Response (logos, pathos, ethos)

Internalization, credibility, identification, attractiveness, compliance, power

And on and on and on......  But get this - these are things that can greatly influence an audience.  How do these things relate to the public presentation you are going to observe, or have observed for the coming project? 

The book then moves onto the Toulmin Model on pages 250-251.  You can read a bit about Stephen Toulmin by clicking on his name.  Here is a comprehensive explanation of the Toulmin Model as noted by About.com.  In short, this model has a number of different steps.  Your book outlines these steps as:

1). Claim (what the speaker wishes the audience to accept)

2). Qualifier (indicates the strength of the claim)

3). Data (audience members want data to support claims)

4). Warrant (connecting link between data and claim is called the warrant)

5). Backing (additional evidence)

6). Rebuttal or Reservation (this is a statement of the conditions under which the claim does not hold true)

Page 252 does a great job of explaining how to use the Toulmin Model in everyday argumentation.

Applicability - Can you figure out the steps of the Toulmin Model in the Public Presentation you are observing for the first project?  Since quite a few of you are observing a church service to fulfill the requirements of this assignment, it would be particularly interesting to see if you can break down a church service into a manageable explanation?  This is an interesting observation for a lot of folks when taking on assignment such as the one I have given you.  Public Presentations whether they are in a classroom setting, church, or otherwise, have some common components that we rarely evaluate or pay attention to. 

The text goes on to explain Types of Arguments.  

*Authoritative Argument

*Motivational Argument

*Substantive Argument

Can you classify which type of argument your public observation falls into?

What a cool chapter.  I know I'm a bit geeky about this chapter, but I really do love the idea and purpose of Public Communication.  I can't wait to see how y'all critically analyze your respective presentations.

Week of September 10 - 16

Hello Folks!

Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from BB for this week. The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively. In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on BB.

Due this week:
*Read Chapter 9 - Public Communication
*Participate in the discussion (see questions below)
*Start working on assignment #1 - Public Speech Critique


Discussion Questions:
Answer one question in its entirety in each of your three separate posts, at least 12 hours apart. Please make sure you are creating a NEW POST for each question on your blog. You MUST WAIT at least 12 hours from the first post in order to create a second post. The same is true for the second and third post. I will record dates and time of your posts, so make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. EACH POST MUST BE 150 WORDS OR MORE. Each post is worth a maximum of 5 points.

1). Have you ever been influenced by a speaker?  Think of the best speaker you've ever heard.  What was it about that speaker that made his or her communication memorable?  Think of the worst speaker you've ever heard.  What do you remember about his or her message?

2). Consider a well-known speaker, for example, the current President of the United States.  What is this speakers strongest characteristics as a speaker?  Is it credibility, attractiveness, power, or all three?  In what ways could the speaker build ethos in these areas?

3). Pick one concept from Chapter 9, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

Comments - Remember to post ONE comment ON THREE DIFFERENT BLOGS between 12:01am on Monday and 11:59pm on Sunday. This means that you will log onto MY BLOG at: http://sierracomm10.blogspot.com/ to see a list of your colleagues blogs. Click on those blogs, read what was posted for this week and respond. You need to make sure you are responding to only what was discussed THIS WEEK (starting Monday and ending Sunday of the current week). Comments posted to blogs that were NOT within this week will not be counted for points. Each comment must be a minimum of 100 words and is worth a maximum of 3 points.

Note about comments: When you leave a comment on another blog, make sure you are logged into your blogspot account. In other words, you will need to make sure your "Display Name/Alias Name" shows up on the blog you are commenting on. I record the locations, dates and times of your comments. Please keep record of your posts and comments in case there I have questions about where they are located.

Public Speech Critique Paper

Hello Brilliant Students,

I have been chatting with a few folks in the class about the Public Speech Critique Paper.  In past semesters I have required that students critique a speech that they attend in person.  However, it seems some folks are having a bit of an issue with finding public presentations to attend.  Therefore, you are permitted to watch a speech online if you'd like.  That means that you can watch the MLK speech, a speech from the Republican or Democratic National Conventions, or any other highly publicized speech that you find online.  A great place to look is the American Rhetoric website. 

No need to send me an email for approval.  With the change in speech types (online versus attending in person), I no longer need to approve your speech topic.

HOWEVER - please make sure that you include a link to the speech that you view on your reference page.

Have a great weekend everyone!
:)
The Blogging Prof.

Grades have been updated in Blackboard

Hello Fabulous Students,

I have entered grade into D2L for the following items:

Created Blog - this means that you created and sent me your information by the due date.  If you have received no credit for this item it is because you did not send me your information by the deadline.

Discussion Week of Aug 27 - Sept. 2 - This will be entered by tomorrow night at the latest.  Check back for an update.

I normally will not email you individually regarding your grades.  It is your responsibility to check your grades often (at least once a week), and email me if you have any questions.

Have a great day everyone!
:)
The Blogging Prof.

Instructor Wrap Up - Trenholm Chapter 2

Definitions, Models and Perspectives - Why do I care??????

 "Communication is a complex process that can be viewed in many ways." Pg. 17

You read through Chapter 1 last week, arguably, an incredibly interesting chapter!!!!  I know most people don't think about where current communication theory began, but being a Comm major (obviously), this chapter was incredibly interesting.  The same can be said for the current chapter in the Trenholm text.  What should you care about Definitions, Models, and Perspectives?

I'll tell you why - - - - in the most simple terms possible, because it provides context for the rest of the semester.  The chapters starts out on page 17 by giving you the origin of the word 'definition'.  It means "to determine, bring to an end, or settle".

We must first define communication in order to understand it.  However, by doing so, we immediately put boundaries on the concept.  The course text talk about how definitions can either be thought of as discoveries or constructions.  The Trenolm book takes the view that definitions are constructions.   This perspective lends itself to creativity.  Definitions as constructions is a definition that is useful - and there can be several definitions for a single phenomenon (see Table 2.1 on page 19).

Another way to understand Communication is to build models of it.  This discussion starts on page 22.  We must remember, however, that while models are useful to aid in our understanding, not all models are perfect.  They can be incomplete, and contain hidden assumptions.

When the assumptions we make about the phenomenon form a coherent set and embody a single philosophy, they are called perspectives.  The Trenholm text discusses four perspectives:
1). Psychological Perspective:  sees communication as message transmission.
2). Social Constructionist Perspective:  sees communication as a process of world building.
3). Pragmatic Perspective:  views communication as patterned interaction.
4). Cultural Studies Perspective: views communication as a tool for creating and maintaining power relations within cultures.

We can learn a great deal from each of these perspectives.  No matter one's perspective, a key to understanding communication is observing interaction, as our book states.



The Blogging Prof.

Week of September 3 - 9

Hello Folks!

Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from BB for this week. The schedule for the entire semester, and the discussion questions for the entire semester are listed on the Schedule and Participation Pages, respectively. In case you do not want to wait for the "Monday Post", you are more than welcome to get started by looking at those two pages on BB.

Due this week:
*Read Chapter 2 - Definitions, Models and Perspectives
*Participate in the discussion (see questions below)
*QUIZ on BB, Chapters 1&2.
*Email instructor for approval of your topic for the first paper:  Public Speech Critique (available for download from BB)


Discussion Questions:
Answer one question in its entirety in each of your three separate posts, at least 12 hours apart. Please make sure you are creating a NEW POST for each question on your blog. You MUST WAIT at least 12 hours from the first post in order to create a second post. The same is true for the second and third post. I will record dates and time of your posts, so make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. EACH POST MUST BE 150 WORDS OR MORE. Each post is worth a maximum of 5 points.

1). Consider the social constructionist perspective.  How do we "build worlds" through communication?  Think of some ideas we talk about in our culture that may not exist in other cultures.  How do these concepts contribute to our happiness or success (or the lack of these) in our culture?

2). Consider the pragmatic perspective.  Does it make sense to think of communication as patterned interaction?  How is communication like a game?  How is it different from a game?

3). Pick one concept from Chapter 2, not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

Comments - Remember to post ONE comment ON THREE DIFFERENT BLOGS between 12:01am on Monday and 11:59pm on Sunday. This means that you will log onto MY BLOG at: http://sierracomm10.blogspot.com/ to see a list of your colleagues blogs. Click on those blogs, read what was posted for this week and respond. You need to make sure you are responding to only what was discussed THIS WEEK (starting Monday and ending Sunday of the current week). Comments posted to blogs that were NOT within this week will not be counted for points. Each comment must be a minimum of 100 words and is worth a maximum of 3 points.

Note about comments: When you leave a comment on another blog, make sure you are logged into your blogspot account. In other words, you will need to make sure your "Display Name/Alias Name" shows up on the blog you are commenting on. I record the locations, dates and times of your comments. Please keep record of your posts and comments in case there I have questions about where they are located.

Trouble Commenting?

Hello Folks,

If you have trouble commenting on posts, please follow these directions:

1). Make sure you are using Firefox as your web-browser (download HERE)
2). Open up Firefox as your web-browser and log into your blog.
3). Open a new tab in the web-browser and link to my blog, and start reading other students blogs (student blog tab is at the top).  Once you have found a blog you want to comment on, click "comment" below the post.
4). Type in your comment and then click on the drop down menu where it says "Comment As".
5). Choose "Google Account"
6). Since you are already logged into your blog in one of the open tabs, you should have no problem seeing your comment.

You can certainly experiment by leaving a message on one of my blog posts if you'd like.
:)
The Blogging Prof.

How to Contact Your Instructor

Hello Folks!

As you are getting established in the class, I will direct you to a few things. The first being how you contact me. If you haven't already, please review the entire syllabus. The syllabus can be downloaded from BB.  Please download the syllabus and read it thoroughly.

You can contact me a few ways:

1). I normally hold office hours on Tuesday's and Thursday's from 10:00am to 11:00am. You can contact me in 'real time' through Yahoo Messenger. See photo below for an example of where to find my listed office hours:

2). During office hours I am readily available through email. I check my email often during office hours, because hey, I'm on my computer anyway, right? :)

3). Appointment: We can always chat over the phone by setting up an appointment ahead of time. I can also chat almost immediately during my office hours. Some students are intimidated by chatting with their professor over the phone. However, I assure you that I chat with students over the phone every semester, so it's common practice for me.

FAQ

Some of you have emailed me with questions and I thought it would be helpful if the entire class saw the answers. Here you go:

1). Q- Do I have to post on 3 different blogs? Or can I post two or three times on the same blog as long as they are different posts?
A- You should comment on 3 different blogs if possible, but will not be deducted points for commenting on the same blog..

2). Q- How do you keep track of our posts and comments?
A- I keep track of every post and comment on a spreadsheet every week we have a discussion. Each post you make on your blog will have a date and time stamp and I keep track of them to make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. Then, I check all comments made for that week. I will record the location of your comments.

3). Q- If I comment on someones post from last week, will I get credit?
A- No, I only check the blog posts for that week. Make sure you are checking the dates of the posts you are commenting on and of course, the content of the question to make sure it is an appropriate post.

4). Q- Do comments have to be at least 100 words?
A- Yes, while posts require 150 words, comments need to be at least 100 words. I do word counts on all posts and comments to make sure you are reaching the word minimum. Of course you can post more than the minimum amount of words required, but please meet the minimum.

5). Q- Should I keep track of the location of my comments?
A- Yes. Please keep track of comments and locations in case there is a discrepancy in recording or grading.

6). Q- What do I post as a comment?
A- Whatever you'd like as long as it has to do with the content of the post and related to the question I have asked. You can agree, disagree, add to the comment, ask thoughtful questions to the poster,give feedback, etc.... The comment content is up to you as long as it relates to course material, and of course the post itself.

7). Q- If I comment back to someone on my blog, do I get credit for it?
A- In short, no. You will only get credit for your three posts and three comments on other people's blogs. However, when someone asks you a question face to face, do you ignore them or give them the courtesy of an answer?

8). Q- How do you grade posts?
A- Content, answering the question in full, expressed thoughtfulness of course content and of course word count.

9). Q- Can I post to my blog and comment at the same time?
A- Yes. You only need to worry about posting 12 hours apart on YOUR blog. You can comment anytime as long as it is within our discussion week (12:01am on Monday through 11:59pm on Sunday). You can post to your blog and then comment at the same time.....or you can do all three comments at the same time. As long as the posts on your blog are 12 hours apart, go ahead and make three comments on three different blogs at any point during our discussion week. Make sure you comment on a qualifying post on the other persons blog. This means you must comment on a post that was made during the current discussion week.

Week of August 27 - September 2

Hello Folks!

Here is what is listed on the Participation Page from BB for this week.  If you haven't already, please get to know the materials well, that I have uploaded to BB.  It is recommended that you keep a binder for this class, and print out the materials on BB so you can have them close to you at all times.

Due this week:
*Read Chapter 1 - The Communication Tradition
*Participate in the discussion (see questions below)
*Start looking for Public Speeches that would qualify for Assignment #1 - Public Speech Critique.  This assignment is downloadable from BB.


Discussion Questions:
Answer one question in its entirety in each of your three separate posts, at least 12 hours apart. Please make sure you are creating a NEW POST for each question on your blog. You MUST WAIT at least 12 hours from the first post in order to create a second post. The same is true for the second and third post. I will record dates and time of your posts, so make sure they are at least 12 hours apart. EACH POST MUST BE 150 WORDS OR MORE. Each post is worth a maximum of 5 points.

1). Think of a speaker you admire (please do not use the President of the United States as an example).  Does his or her power to persuade come from ethos, pathos, or logos?  Think about your own ability to persuade others.  What personal qualities do you have that make you persuasive?  Does Aristotle's classification scheme work for them, or do they fit into another category?

2). The Greeks believed that to be an orator, an individual had to be morally good.  Comment on whether you agree or disagree.  What, if any, is the connection between goodness, truth, and public communication?

3). Pick one concept from the reading this week and discuss it in detail.

Comments - Remember to post ONE comment ON THREE DIFFERENT BLOGS between 12:01am on Monday and 11:59pm on Sunday. This means that you will log onto MY BLOG at: http://sierracomm10.blogspot.com/ to see a list of your colleagues blogs. Click on those blogs, read what was posted for this week and respond. You need to make sure you are responding to only what was discussed THIS WEEK (starting Monday and ending Sunday of the current week). Comments posted to blogs that were NOT within this week will not be counted for points. Each comment must be a minimum of 100 words and is worth a maximum of 3 points.

Note about comments: When you leave a comment on another blog, make sure you are logged into your blogspot account. In other words, you will need to make sure your "Display Name/Alias Name" shows up on the blog you are commenting on. I record the locations, dates and times of your comments. Please keep record of your posts and comments in case there I have questions about where they are located. 

In case there is any confusion, here is how you create a new post:

*Log into your blogger account
*Click "New Post"
*Type a Title
*Type your post into the big box
*Click "Publish Post"

If you do not Publish Post, your post will not become public.

For the upcoming discussion week, you will do the same thing for each question I pose, but you will write and publish your posts at least 12 hours apart. (See the "Participation Page" on BB for more detail about participation in this course).

Blogging

Hello All!

This is probably repetitive for most folks, but please read through it just in case.

How to post to your blog:
Sign into your blogger account and hit "new post". This will create a new blog post. DO NOT HIT CREATE NEW BLOG - this will actually create a whole different blog. You are simply POSTING to your blog, NOT creating a new blog.

Commenting:
When you comment on a classmate's blog, or even my blog for that matter, your Display Name should show up. This is how I track blog posts and comments. You must be logged into your blogger (blog spot) account in order for your Display Name to show up. Whenever you leave a comment, please make sure you are logged into your blogger account and then comment so your Display Name shows up. I usually sign into my blog, then open up another browser window to make sure my Alias/Display Name shows up.  This works best in FIREFOX.  If you haven't downloaded Firefox, you can do so by clicking HERE.  I don't normally use Explorer for my web-browser, but last semester some students had issues with their Display Names not showing up.  So for simplicity sake, use Firefox - it works. 


The Blogging Prof.

Emailing the Instructor

Hello Brilliant Comm 10 Students,

I just returned to my office from the Bay Area. I had a faculty meeting at SJSU, where I teach full-time, and needed to be down there most of the day yesterday.  I've got tons of emails to return from my online students (this class and another online class at Sierra College plus 4 online classes at SJSU), and I'm trying to make my way through them.

Usually I try to return student emails multiple times a day, meaning that I will usually check my email a few times throughout the afternoons during the week. Since this is the first week of class for both Sierra College and SJSU, I may be a little behind in returning emails. Hang tight folks, I promise I will get back to you ASAP.

In the meantime, please make sure that you send me the following information per the information under the "Getting Started" tab on Blackboard (BB) if you haven't already:

1). Full Name
2). Alias Name (Check your 'Display Name' - see the "Getting Started" page on BB)
3). A link to your blog (check it to make sure it works please)
4). A contact phone number



I can't wait to get the semester started!
:)
The Blogging Prof.

Welcome Students

Greetings Students!

As most of you know the semester starts on August 20th. Most students are scrambling to fill their schedules for the coming semester, and with the shortage of classes, this is no easy task.

I want to make sure each of you were aware of a few things about Communication 10 online, Survey of Communication Studies, before the semester begins:

1). The class you are enrolled in for Comm 10 is an online class. This means that most coursework is completed online and not in a classroom setting. This has confused some in the past.  There will be no face-to-face meetings for this course.

2). I will hold office hours online through Yahoo Messenger on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the semester from 10am to 11am. I will also answer email consistently.

3). If you need to contact me at anytime from this point forward, please use the following email address: cperez22 at sierracollege dot edu OR sierracomm10 at gmail dot com

4). Please bookmark my blog address: http://sierracomm10.blogspot.com/

I will make announcements, post class updates, and generally keep in touch with the class as a whole through my blog and through mass email. So bookmark my blog, and check it often.


Some of this information may seem a bit foreign to you, and will make more sense once you are able to access the class through Blackboard. Until Blackboard opens up for access, which should be a the day the semester begins, use the email addresses I have listed here, and check my blog for updates. During the semester I update my blog numerous times a week. Prior to the semester I will update periodically.

Again, if there are any questions about the course, please contact me at: cperez22 at sierracollege dot edu OR sierracomm10 at gmail dot com and please bookmark my blog address at: http://sierracomm10.blogspot.com/ and be sure to check it often!

I look forward to sharing this semester with you, and hope that your break has been an enjoyable one.

:)
Carol-Lynn Perez, M.A.