Course Syllabus

Fall 2026 | COM-1020-VR01 - Interpersonal & Small Group Communication

In Person Class

Standard courses meet in person at CCV centers, typically once each week for the duration of the semester.

Faculty

Carol Tashie
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Collin Lee

General Education Requirements

Communication

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

Theories of effective communication will be examined and practically applied. Emphasis will be placed on active listening, observation, reflective responses, and the use of clear language in interpersonal and small group situations.

Essential Objectives

1. Identify barriers to effective communications and apply strategies for overcoming them.
2. Evaluate communication styles and their relative appropriateness in different situations.
3. Describe and apply, in a variety of situations, reflective listening, assertiveness, and negotiation skills.
4. Describe common roles for participants in small group situations.
5. Identify, describe, and evaluate different forms of decision-making in small groups.
6. Prepare a formal presentation that demonstrates proficiency using the CCV Oral Communication Rubric.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV computer recommendations Support page.

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

This course uses one or more textbooks/books/simulations.

Fall 2026 textbook details will be available on 2026-05-18. On that date a link will be available below that will take you to eCampus, CCV's bookstore. The information provided there will be specific to this class. Please see this page for more information regarding the purchase of textbooks/books.

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Artificial Intelligence(AI) Policy Statement

CCV recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI tools are widely available and becoming embedded in many online writing and creative applications.

Prohibited: The use of generative AI is not allowed in this course, with the exception of spellcheck, grammar check and similar tools. This course rests in the value of students engaging in the learning process without relying on AI-generated content. Students will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills independently, owning their learning journey from start to finish. If you use these tools, your actions would be considered academically dishonest and a violation of CCV's Academic Integrity Policy.

Methods

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK

Messages: The Communication Skills Book, by Matthew McKay, Martha Davis, and Patrick Fanning

We will use this book starting on Day One. So please make sure you bring your copy to the first class.

METHODS

This in-person class will involve a mix of the following:

• Readings
• Videos
• Class Discussions
• Presentations
• Journaling
• Writing Assignments and Quizzes

Expectations:

• This is a college class and college-level behavior, attention, and engagement are expected of all students.
• Respect for all students, the professor, and all points of view and opinions are essential components of this class.
• Effort and active participation are expected of all students at all times. Active participation includes contributing to all discussions, assignments, and group projects.
• Stretch yourself. The more you put into this class, the more you will get out of it.
• This is an inperson class and attendance is essential. Please plan on attending all classes this semester.
• You will find all homework assignments on Canvas each week. All assignments have clear due dates and students should strive to get all assignments in on time.
• You can email Carol (Carol.Tashie@CCV.edu) at any time if you have questions. You can also send Carol a message through the Canvas Inbox (found on the left side of Canvas in the green sidebar).

CLASS DISCUSSIONS AND LESSONS

This course is named Interpersonal and Small Group Communication for a good reason. Together, we will work on the skills and knowledge necessary to be more effective communicators in college and in life. We cannot learn communication skills simply from reading a book - we have to engage and learn from one another. As such, this is a practical class with the expectation that all students will participate in class discussions and lessons as a way of learning and practicing communication skills.

Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation and Grading:

The following percentages will be used in evaluating your performance in class.

• Attendance and Active Participation: 40%
• Required Assignments (Written and Oral): 45%
• Final Presentation: 15%

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

Attendance and Active Participation Policy:

Attendance is expected for all 15 weeks of the semester. More than two absences a semester may result in the student not being able to pass this class.

Active Participation requires students to engage with their professor and classmates during all class lessons, discussions, and activities. All students will be expected to actively participate in all classes this semester.

Attendance and active participation are worth 40% of your final grade.

Missing & Late Work Policy

1. All students should strive for submitting all assignments ON TIME.
2. The only way to get full points for an assignment is to submit it on time.
3. Anytime an assignment is not submitted on time, it will be marked with a zero (0) in GradeBook.
4. Once the assignment is submitted and accepted (based on the criteria below), a grade will replace the zero.

Will Late Work be Accepted?

In the first half of our semester (week #1 through week #7), late submissions will be accepted only under these conditions:

• Email Carol before the due date to ASK if a late submission of an assignment will be accepted.
• If Carol agrees to a late submission for that assignment, a new due date will be assigned.
• If the late assignment is submitted on or before the new due date, it will be accepted but points will be deducted for lateness.
  • The number of points deducted will be based on how many days past the original due date the assignment is submitted
• If the late assignment is not submitted on or before the new due date, it will not be accepted at all.
• Decisions regarding acceptance of late work will be based on a student's circumstances and how often that student has asked for an extension before.
• A student who consistently submits late assignments may be denied a new due date for future assignments.

In the second half of the semester (week #8 through week #15), it will be much harder for a late submission request to be accepted. Decisions will be made based on a student's work in the first half of the semester and what extenuating circumstances the student is experiencing.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/student-support/accessibility-services/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity

Apply Now for this semester.