CMUN 4: Intercultural Communication, Section #4197

Gavilan College, Spring Semester 2008

Instructor:  Shelley Giacalone, Communication Studies Department

Course Information: Mondays and Wednesdays, 9:45-11:05AM, PB 1

Email: sgiacalone@gavilan.edu

Phone: 408-848-4800 Ext 5125

Office Location: PB 2 G

                                                                             Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays, 11:15AM-12:45PM

                                                                                                       Tuesdays 11:15AM-12:45PM

                                                                                                      Thursdays 11:15AM-12:15PM

Course Description

Intercultural communication (IC) skills are essential for sustaining our personal, academic, and professional relationships. Understanding how your own cultural histories and identities are intertwined with how you perceive other cultures and peoples is an important part of studying intercultural communication. In this course, you will be able to critically think about how you communicate culture with others.

Gavilan Course Outline: This course will explore the dynamics of communication as it applies to people from different cultures. Course content focuses on the application of theory and research to intercultural communication contexts. Increasing the awareness and understanding of diversity, the perception process, culture, verbal and noon-verbal communication and the obstacles that prevent one from becoming a competent intercultural communicator will be examined.

Course Materials

Martin, J. & Nakayama, T. (2008). Experiencing intercultural communication: An introduction (3nd Ed.).

Boston: McGraw Hill.

Course Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• Understand and recognize the dynamic relationship between culture and communication
• Acknowledge how your cultural identities and worldviews may be barriers to effective intercultural communication
• Demonstrate sensitivity to the communication practices of others (defined by concepts of race, ethnicity, age, gender, culture, sexual orientation, varying abilities, etc.)
• Increase your awareness and understanding of different cultures in a variety of settings
• Build your intercultural communication skills through activities, writing assignments, discussions and observations
• Engage in critical and analytical listening

Transferable: CSU; UC; CSU-GE: D3, D7; IGETC: 4G; GAV-GE: D2, F, Counts as an eligible class towards Communication Studies Certificate

Instructor’s Teaching Style:

This class is designed as a skill-building intercultural communication workshop. As the facilitator of this course, I will be using a variety of teaching methods such as: large group discussions, small group discussions, film analyses, role play scenarios, individual and group writing assignments, and much more! Your active participation in this course is essential if you want to pass. Please come to class with an open mind and a willingness to take risks each and every day.

Class Policies

Attendance and Participation:

• Intercultural communication is an intensive, skills-building class for most students—a class that involves and evolves from our collective discussions and risk-taking.  This means that it is in your best interest to attend and actively participate in each and every session. You must arrive on time and stay for the entire class.  However, should an emergency arise, please do everything in your power to contact me prior to missing class so that we might try to make alternative arrangements.

• I will be taking attendance each class period. In accordance with the Gavilan College attendance policy, you are allowed to miss one more class hour than the unit value for this course (this class is worth 3 units) before you may be dropped from this course without possibility of credit (www.gavilan.edu). This means that if you miss more than two class meetings, you may be dropped from the course.

• I will be taking attendance each class meeting and if you are late (arrive 10 minutes past the class meeting start time) to class 2 times, it counts as an absence.

Assignments:

• All assignments for this class should be turned in on time and in person to me on the specified due date. Please do not send assignments via email or place in other mailboxes on campus.
• Late Work Policy: No late work will be accepted.

Cell Phones/Electronics:

• In order to demonstrate respect for your classmates and your Instructor, please turn off your cell phones/electronics during class.
• If your cell phone or any other personal electronic equipment rings/vibrates/etc. during class, you will lose 5 Participation Points AND you will have to bring snacks/drinks for the entire class the next class meeting date/time.
• No text messaging during class.

Accommodations:

• If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information you feel you should share with me, or if you need special arrangements in case this building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible. You may also contact your counselor and/or the Disability Resource Center office.

Occupational/Vocational Students:

• Limited English language skills will not be a barrier to admittance and participation in this course.

Academic Integrity:

• Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at Gavilan College, and the Student Honesty Policy, requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. You should, therefore, submit your own, original work for this course.  I will uphold Gavilan’s policy on academic honesty.  Consequently, an instance of academic misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, cheating, taking credit for others’ work, submitting work for another course as work for this one, etc.) will likely result in disciplinary action, which may include recommendation for dismissal and a failing course grade.

Respect:

• Intercultural communication can be difficult and challenging for many students. Be patient with others in the class. If you cause a distraction because of whispering or talking or being otherwise unpleasant to the Instructor or any student, you will be dropped from the class. The sun shines brightly on those who are kind-hearted and nice to others.

On Format

Please format all assignments as follows:  Typed or word-processed (using a dark ink) in MLA or APA citation style, double-spaced, 12 point font, one inch margins on all sides.  Be sure to include your name, as well as a title for the assignment. 

                                                                           Tentative Course Calendar

Course Assignments

Assignments:

• Cultural Artifacts Presentation (25 points)                            
• Exam #1(100 points)                                                                     
• Exam #2 (200 points)                                                                     
• Reflection Assignments (450 points total/150 points per Reflection)
• Individual/Group Workshop Project (175 points)
• Participation (50 points)

TOTAL POINTS = 1000

Cultural Artifact Presentation (25 points): In order for us to learn about our class culture, we will be sharing a part of our identity with the class in the form of a short presentation. Detailed assignment requirements will be passed out in class.

Exams (300 points): You will have two cumulative exams during the semester. The format of each exam will be discussed in class prior to exam dates. You can expect a combination of essay, short-answer, and multiple-choice questions on the exams. Exams will be based on the readings in the textbook and class discussions.

Reflection Assignments (450 points total/150 points each): We must continue to be reflective in order to understand our own identities/cultures and the identities/cultures of others. Throughout the semester, you will be asked to respond to various aspects of the class – perhaps a class discussion, an intercultural communication experience, a film, website, a reading, or some other aspect of the class and/or readings. Each Reflection Assignment is worth 150 points and will be collected on the days designated on the course calendar. Reflection Assignments should be 4-5 pages in length and in accordance with the format policy of the class.

Group/Individual Workshop Project (175 points): You will be leading a class workshop either individually or with a group (your choice) one time throughout the duration of the semester. The workshop material will correspond with the syllabus course calendar. You will receive detailed instructions in the first few weeks of the semester.

Participation (50 points): This class involves small group work, discussions, activities, and much more – please participate and involve yourself in each class meeting!

Grade Monitoring Form

Presentations:              Cultural Artifacts Presentation=              _____  out of 25 points possible

                                       Individual/Group Workshop=                    _____  out of 175 points possible

Papers:                            Reflection #1=                                          _____  out of 150 points possible

                                          Reflection #2=                                          _____  out of 150 points possible

                                          Reflection #3=                                          _____  out of 150 points possible

Exams:                            Exam #1=                                                   _____  out of 100 points possible

                                          Exam #2=                                                  _____  out of 200 points possible

Participation:                                                                                       _____  out of 50 points possible

                                                                                                                TOTAL: 1000 points possible 

Your final grade is based on the following point scale:

A =  1000-940 points              A- =  939-900 points                            B+ =  899-870 points

B =  869-840 points                B- =  839-800 points                            C+ =  799-770 points

C =  769-700 points                D = 700-600   points                            F =  599 and fewer points