Course Syllabus

Fall 2024 | COM-1030-VO02 - Intercultural Communication

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

Katherine Maynard
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Ashraf Alamatouri

General Education Requirements

CCV 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

This course examines the role that culture plays in the human communication process. Students will examine the various dimensions of communication in a culturally diverse society, including those in interpersonal, small group, organizational and mass media. Students will explore both the theories of intercultural communication and the verbal and nonverbal applications associated with becoming a competent and effective communicator.

Essential Objectives

1. Describe the central role that culture plays in all forms of communication and the important theories that provide the framework for understanding this field.
2. Explore the many factors that influence communication patterns within and across cultures, including those of race, class, gender, religion, age, abilities and sexual orientation.
3. Identify and reflect on cultural values that influence an individual’s perception and communication.
4. Interpret the social construction of verbal and nonverbal language, culture, and symbols.
5. Demonstrate communication competence through the awareness of intercultural dynamics and the effective application of verbal and nonverbal skills.
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 IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

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 2024 textbook details will be available on . 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

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS:

This class meets online. It is highly participatory, with many hands-on exercises and activities. I typically include the following in my approach:

1. Weekly Online discussion forums
2. Assignments & Learning Activities
3. Instructor Lecture/Demonstration Videos.
4. Skill Exercises that you can do with a friend or family member
5. Short "Engagement" papers (designed to foster deeper personal reflection on concepts under review)
6. Links to Films and video clips
7. Self-Assessments
8. Weekly Online Chapter Quizzes - note that these are un-timed, open book, and you get two tries. The highest score prevails.
9. A short oral report: A Cultural Research paper and presentation.

Evaluation Criteria

D. Criteria and Methods for Evaluating Students:

a). Class Participation: This score considers your substantive and thoughtful participation in online discussions and Module activities.

b). Quizzes

• Quizzes measure students’ basic comprehension, understanding, and application of selected theories and concepts introduced in Chapters in the text, lectures, and discussions. They are intended to measure knowledge and skill application across all the course learning objectives.
• Expect weekly Quizzes - to be completed online within the deadlines.
• Missed quizzes may not be made up. I drop the two lowest quiz grades.

c). "Learning Activities" & Engagements. These assignments help assess students' knowledge and skills about specific subject areas, and prompt students to self-evaluate and apply course concepts to daily life situations.

d). You will submit a short research paper focused on a non-western culture of your choice - details are provided in CANVAS under DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENTS

e). Oral Presentation. There will be one graded assignment focused on your area of research, in which you will share your findings. Each student will make a BRIEF presentation about your chosen culture. You will make a video recording of your presentation to upload into CANVAS using YUJA or a similar recording program.

f). A limited number of extra-credit assignments will also be available.

All assignments will receive a numerical raw score. Final letter grades will be based on your cumulative total out of 1000 total possible points.

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:

We will "meet" online, using CANVAS as our learning platform. There will be links in each week's CANVAS module directing you to things toRead/Watch/Listenwith specific assignments to complete each week.

1. For this course to be a successful learning experience for you and others, active participation in our Discussion FORUM is essential. See the section below on Participation Expectations.

2. According to CCV's attendance policies for online courses, to be counted as "Present" for the week, you must complete at least one assignment or activity in that week's Module. However, this alone will not earn you full points for that week.

3. If circumstances require you to miss, two absences are permissible. Not participating inthree weeksputs a student at risk of a lowered final grade or even failing the course. Not participating in four weeks usually results in an automatic fail barring extremely unusual circumstances.

4. Please complete and upload assignments and quizzes on time and in the format as directed.

5. Please review the expectations for creating a positive learning experience in our first Module.

Student Responsibilities:

Students should regularly participate in online class discussions.

At all times, work to ensure everyone can be heard and treated respectfully.

Expectations for creating a positive classroom experience.

Generally consider these guidelines:

Full participation requires active and thoughtful engagement in class each week. The following habits and skills are important. You'll also be able to self-assess and receive instructor feedback throughout the semester.

• Complete all of the week's reading and assignments for each week.
• Engage with the material and others with an open mind.
• Positively contribute to class online discussions. Practice civil discourse.
• Ask questions of the instructor and seek help when you need it.
• Challenge yourself to do your best work.
• Have fun!

Missing & Late Work Policy

MISSING AND LATE WORK POLICIES

FAQs: Policy on late assignments

Q: Do you take homework late?

A. There are some assignments I will take late and some I won't.

Assignments that I won't take late (I.e. once the submission link closes) include:

1. Quizzes - Reason: Completing the weekly chapter reading constitutes preparation for our Discussion Forum conversations. Quizzes are intended to motivate you to stay current with Module materials and the chapter assigned. Reminder: I drop the two lowest quiz scores.

2. Discussion Forums -Discussions online are by definition interactive conversations between classmates. These happen within a given Module week. Trying to do discussions "late" is like walking into an empty classroom after everyone else has left and trying to "have a discussion". You can see why this doesn't fly.

EXCEPT IN VERY EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES - alien abduction, etc. - I don't take work that is more than two weeks late.

REASON: I'd rather you focus on trying to stay current with us. Just cut your losses and move on.

So unless your situation is truly extreme, don't ask for a further extension.

Assignments that I can take Late:

Some assignments do allow for late submission up to two weeks after the due date. Late submissions are subject to standard point deductions as follows:

• Deductions:
  • An assignment turned in within the first week after the due date will lose 15% of possible points
  • An assignment turned in within the second week after the due date will lose 30% of possible points.
  • IMPORTANT: if you think you will miss the due date, but the link is still available, as long as the assignment parameters allow for late submission, you don't need to ask my permission. Just plan to accept the standard point deduction.

HOW CAN I TELL IF I CAN STILL SUBMIT AN ASSIGNMENT LATE?

You can tell if work can be submitted late by looking at the Availability Dates at the bottom of the assignment. For example, in the case of Engagement #1, at the bottom of the assignment description, once you open it, it shows this:

• This shows that the regular due date is Feb. 13, 11:59 pm.
• However, the link stays open for submissions between Jan. 31 and Feb. 27, at 11:59 pm.
• Once that final date of Feb. 27 passes, you can no longer submit that assignment.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
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