Module One

Topic 1 - Introductions Chapter One: Introduce yourself to the class. (There is no grade for this Discussion Board.)

Topic 2 - Your Day to Day Communications Chapter One: How much of your day to you spend communicating? and How important is communication for success in your personal and professional dealings? (Four points)

Topic 3 - The Channel of Communication Chapter One: How important is the channel of communication? We will examine a hypothetical situation and assess which medium of communication is likely to be the best choice for that situation. (Four points)

Topic 4 - Perception Chapter Two:: In this chapter we will look at the three stages that constitute the process of perception. An exercise will explore how we look at paintings and perceive images. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, especially as that beholder selects, organizes and interprets an experience. (Four points)

Topic 5 - Perception and Culture Chapter Two: Perceptual Differences may be examined in light of our perceptual sets, physical characteristics, one's psychological state, gender perspective, and influences of mass media of communication. This topic will invite self reflection about how these factors explain differences, especially as we perceive persons from another culture. (Four points)

Topic 6 - Perception Checking Chapter Two: Our final discussion for this chapter will be a perception checking exercise based on the "Making Connections" box you can find on page 50. (Four points)

Topic 7 - Self-concept Chapter Three: First, we will distinguish the three key terms that are used in this chapter and apply them to ourselves: self concept, self image and self esteem. (Four points)

Topic 8 - Self-concept and Communication Chapter Three: We will explore the connection between self concept and communication by using theories related to communication apprehension, self-fulfilling prophecy and impression management. What kind of image do you choose to present? How did you present yourself in our first face-to-face class meeting? (Four points)

Topic 9 - Self and Gender Chapter Three: How does one's gender and culture affect self concept? (Four points)

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Module Two

Topic 10 - Language and Speech Communities Chapter Four: Describe your speech community. Linguists use that term to define a group of people who speak a distinct variety of a language. Informally, we refer to this as our "accent" or "dialect." When we grow up in a particular speech community, we learn the rules for making the sounds of the language, we develop rules for the meanings of words and we master the grammar for constructing phrases and sentences. (Four points)

Topic 11 - Unspoken Language Chapter Five: Nonverbal communication is enacted through an unspoken language that has its own set of vocabularies: paralanguage, facial expression, gestures, physical characteristics, touch, and use of space and time. Choose one of the topics on the page for this discussion to address how you communicate. (Four points)

Topic 12 - Nonverbal Communication and Culture Chapter Five: As we learn language in our speech community, so also do we learn the rules and norms for unspoken language. Post a description of your culture and how members of that culture use nonverbal communication. (Four points)

Topic 13 - Listening Chapter Six: Listening occurs as a six stage process of hearing, selecting, attending, understanding, evaluating, remembering and responding with feedback. Evaluate your listening or that of a conversation partner using the questions in the "Making Connections" box on page 147. (Four points)

Topic 14 - Improving Listening Skills Chapter Six: We will consider some concrete ideas for improving listening after reviewing Dr. Tony Alessendra's CARESS technique. Topic 15 directs you to Dr. Alessendra's Web page. Which of these listening techniques can you improve? (Four points)

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Module Three

Topic 15 - Contextual and Developmental Definitions of Interpersonal Communication Chapter Fourteen: What is distinctive about our personal, interpersonal relationships? We will use that distinction for our first discussion. Think of one of your closest relationships, how do the contextual and developmental definitions apply? What distinguishes the context of that relationship? How did you and the other person proceed through different stages? Use some of the terms you find in Chapter Fourteen drawn from models of relational development. You will see the same terminology used on the Allyn and Bacon Communication Studies Website for its definition of interpersonal communication. (Four points)

Topic 16 - Dealing with Conflict Chapter Fourteen: We will look at interpersonal conflict. It may be destructive or constructive. In any event, conflict is probably inevitable in most of our relationships. What have you learned about dealing with conflict so that it is a constructive growth experience in relationships? (Three points)

Topic 17 - Self Disclosure Chapter Thirteen: Our other activity for this chapter is to confront another tough, personal question. How willing are you to self-disclose? (Four points) Module Six

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Module Four

Topic 18 - Initial Planning Chapter Seven: We will explore topics for informational and persuasive speaking. In your posting for this topic, identify the subject that you are going to use. Then, note what the general and specific goals will be for your speech. Feedback from your classmates will be useful here to help you develop your speech. Feedback from others will help you tailor your speech to your listeners. (Four points)

Topic 19 - Audience Analysis Chapter Seven: We will examine our credibility along with demographic and psychological facets of audience analysis. Our personal reflections on these types of audience analysis will serve as the basis for this topic discussion. (Four points)

Topic 20 - Organizing your Message Chapter Nine: This time our discussion will provide a sounding board to discuss your plans for the organization of your speech. As each person posts ideas for an organizational plan, others in the class can give provide feedback and recommendations. (Four points)

Topic 21 - Methods of Delivery Chapter Ten: Here we'll sort out the choices among delivery options and discuss ways of managing the stress of speaking. (Four points)

Topic 22 - Analyzing Models of Informative and Persuasive Speaking Chapters Eleven & Twelve: While we are gearing up for the speech, we will also do a discussion of the sample speeches that are provided at the end of Chapters Eleven and Twelve. If you are doing an informative speech, check out the speech by Matthew Whitley on "Laser Paint," found on page 307. Persuasive speakers will analyze Holly Sisk's presentation entitled "Dirty Hands Across America" on page 343. (Foiur points)

Topic 23 - Speech Assessment Chapters Eleven & Twelve: After the speeches have been heard, we will do an assessment of our speeches, applying the principles of effective public speaking that we have been looking at in this whole module. (Four points) Module Five

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Module Five

Topic 24 - Choosing a Movie for the Group Project Chapters Fifteen and Sixteen: We will do a group project that is an analysis of the interpersonal communication issues demonstrated in films. For this topic, identify which movie you would like to analyze. (This topic will not be graded.)

Topic 25 - Discuss Interpersonal Issues First, brainstorm topics for analyzing the interpersonal dynamics. This is a matter of going back over Chapters Thirteen and Fourteen to determine which of these issues of interpersonal communication are demonstrated in the movie. You should be a frequent participator in this Discussion Board with at least five postings per week as you provide feedback to your fellow group members as you work collaboratively to plan the group presentation. Failure to participate may result in being dropped from the group. (Ten points)

Topic 26 - The Individual and the Group Chapters Fifteen and Sixteen: What are the relative merits of group versus individual work? We will look at the practical issues of productivity and the qualitative judgment about whether groups or individuals are ethically responsible in the way each solves problems and makes decisions. (Four points)

Topic 27 - Assessing the Group Project Did your group become a team? What did you learn about interpersonal and small group communication by doing this project? In making our assessments, we'll draw from concepts about small group communication developed in Chapters Fifteen and Sixteen. In particular, we will assess styles of leadership, individual roles, group norms, levels of cohesiveness and ways we negotiate group conflict. Since much of our work was done by way of electronic communication, we will also ask how cyber group interaction varies from face to face work. (Four points)

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Assess what you learned during the whole semester. How did you grow during the semester in terms of insights and development of communication competencies? What theores were most useful for you, and how can you apply what you've learned to your career? (Four points)

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