THA 16B: Genius in Small Group Communication: Theory and Practice
SPRING 2017 – Jennifer Cleary, Senior Lecturer
Spingold #3, (781) 736-3377 –
Drop-In Office Hours: Tuesdays 1-3pm and Fridays 2-4pm.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The study of small group communication centers on placing the self as secondary and the group as primary, implementing the art of compromise and collaboration. The purpose of this course is to develop critical skills in communicating in public and within a small group context. In addition to grounding the practice in communication theory, this course will enhance a necessary skill set for the workplace across a variety of fields and settings.
Course meetings will introduce theoretical frameworks around small group communication and students will immediately put ideas into practice in class. Groups are formed for the entire semester and students must work together to complete 4 full group projects and presentations for the class. Students will be expected to internalize the theories and will show their understandings of connecting theory to practice on reflection papers, one analysis paper, and a final exam. This is an experiential learning course with required group work inside and outside of class.
People of various experiences, cultures, personalities, and opinions working together as a unit can pose challenges, but it is worth undertaking - think of everything you can learn from someone with different experiences than you. One aspect of studying small group communication, then, is learning how to embrace our differences of experience and opinion and to turn those differences into sources of strength, power, and group genius within our group work.
We will discuss the concept of cohesiveness in this course and how important it is to build community within our small group environments. Liking the people with whom we work makes not only the process but also the final result better. You do better quality work when you actually care about the others’ well-being in your group. In our hurried society with so much to get done, we often forget this vital step for success – we may start working on a task before even knowing each other’s names. This is what NOT to do.
We all have to find the balance in our lives between standing up for our own ideas and knowing when we need to step back for the good of other people and for the good of a project. We may have difficulty in our personal and professional lives with compromise and collaboration. We may sometimes want our own voices to be heard more than we want to listen to others, especially when they have differing opinions. We may have trouble putting our ideas and ourselves as secondary to those of others.
The study of working in small groups requires for you to look deeply at your own work in groups, and how you may contribute to both positive and potentially negative group experiences. We will ask tough questions in this course, and I will ask you to be honest with yourself and your group.
This course fulfills the Oral Communication Requirement.
Learning Goals:
· Develop an understanding of the key theories/principles/vocabulary of small groups.
· Understand our roles in an individualistic vs. collectivist society and how these roles contribute to our success in group work.
· Work on key skills in problem-solving, decision-making, time management, and organization.
· Understand the roles filled in small groups and which roles you tend to gravitate towards.
· Learn appropriate ways to assume a leadership role and try to do so.
· Develop your skills in understanding, analyzing, and evaluating your small group experiences.
· Learn how to effectively participate in a group project involving goal setting, planning, and presenting an organized presentation.
· As an Oral Communication course, hone your public speaking and presentation skills.
· Learn how to be self-reflective of your own work as a group member. What can you do better?
· Learn how to put in the time and commitment necessary to be a solid group member and to produce quality work.
· Learn how to be reflective of the power of social media and smartphones in your own lives and in both aiding and hindering our abilities to deeply connect with others in person, and how this power comes into play within our small group work.
COURSE POLICIES
If you cannot commit to attending every class meeting and having group assignments weekly outside of class, you should rethink taking this course.
Attendance and participation are crucial to your success and to our learning community. We meet once per week and absences are not permitted. You will lose a half-letter towards your final grade for any unexcused absence. Lateness twice will equal one absence. Be sure to let me know if you are traveling from another class.
**Important: If you miss class while your group is working on a project, your individual grade for that particular assignment will go down one ½ letter.
Four-Credit Course (with three hours of class time per week)
Success in this 4-credit hour course is based on the expectation that students will spend a minimum of 9 hours of study time per week in preparation for class (readings, papers, projects, etc.).
If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see me immediately.
You are expected to be familiar with and to follow the University’s policies on academic integrity. Faculty will refer any suspected instances of alleged dishonesty to the Office of Student Development and Conduct. Instances of academic dishonesty may result in sanctions including but not limited to failure in the course, failure on the assignment in question, suspension from the University and/or educational programs.
GRADING
Group Projects/Presentations (4): 60%
Class Participation/Attendance: 25%
Written Reflections: 5%
Communication Analysis Paper: 5%
Final Exam: 5%
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Selections from Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age by Sherry Turkle
Early Chapters will be made available on LATTE/On Reserve.
Selections from In Mixed Company: Communicating in Small Groups, 9th Edition by J. Dan Rothwell.
Early Sections will be made available on LATTE/On Reserve.
COURSE SCHEDULE - Subject to Change (as of January 22, 2017)
Week 1 (Jan. 23)
Community Introductions.
Experiences in individual and group conversation.
Journal Preparation. Group Project Brainstorming.
Assignment: Self-Awareness Questionnaire. Due Sun., Jan. 29th by Noon on LATTE.
Selected Turkle Chapters, on LATTE (Listed as Week 1 Turkle Readings).
Week 2 (Jan. 30)
Groups Assigned.
Group Activity – Cohesiveness/Memory.
Communication Competence. Empathy and Flight from Conversation.
Assign Group Project #1.
Assignment: In-Person Group Meetings/Prep for Project #1 (TWO WEEKS OF PREP)
Rothwell CH 5: Roles in Groups.
Week 3 (Feb. 6)
Roles in Groups. Presentation Skill Discussion. Group work in class.
Assignment: Complete Group Project #1/Presentation Practice
Week 4 (Feb. 13)
Group Project #1 Due/Presentations
Group Feedback in class. Groups as Systems.
Assignment: Group Project Self-Reflections/Group Reflections. Due Sun. Feb. 19 by Noon on LATTE.
Rothwell CH 3: Group Development.
FEB 18-26: OFF for FEBRUARY BREAK
Week 5 (Feb. 27)
Finish Group Feedback (if needed).
Group Development. PowerPoint Discussion.
Assign Group Project #2. Group work in class.
Assignment: In-Person Group Meetings/Prep for Project #2 (ONE WEEK OF PREP)
Week 6 (Mar. 6)
Group Project #2 Due/Presentations
Group Feedback in class.
Assignment: Group Project Self-Reflections/Group Reflections. Due Sun. Mar. 12 by Noon on LATTE.
Rothwell CH 4: Group Climate.
Week 7 (Mar. 13)
Finish Group Feedback (if needed).
Assign Group Project #3. Group Climate.
Assignment: In-Person Group Meetings/Prep for Project #3 (TWO WEEKS OF PREP)
Week 8 (Mar. 20)
Group work in class.
Assignment: Complete Group Project #3/Presentation Practice
Turkle, Selected Chapters TBD.
Week 9 (Mar. 27)
Group Project #3 Due/Presentations
Group Feedback in class.
Assignment: Group Project Self-Reflections/Group Reflections. Due Sun. Apr. 2 by Noon on LATTE.
Turkle, Selected Chapters TBD.
Week 10 (Apr. 3)
Finish Group Feedback (if needed).
Assign Communication Analysis Paper. Turkle Chapters.
Assignment: Communication Analysis Paper. Due Sun., Apr. 23 at 5pm on LATTE.
APRIL 8-18: OFF FOR PASSOVER/SPRING BREAK
Week 11 (Wednesday, Apr. 19 **Brandeis Monday**)
Assign Group Project #4
Assignment: In-Person Group Meetings/Prep for Project #4 (TWO WEEKS OF PREP)
Week 12 (Apr. 24)
Group work in class.
Assignment: Complete Group #4/Presentation Practice
Week 13 (May 1) **LAST CLASS**
Group Project #4 Due/Presentations
Group Feedback in class.
Assignment: Group Project Self-Reflections/Group Reflections. Due Sun. Apr. 30 by Noon on LATTE.
Final Exam Meeting – Tent. date/time: Tuesday, May 9, 1:30--4:30pm
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