Course Syllabus
COMM-270: Intercultural Communication
Instructor:
Eileen Franzese Schiffer, Ph.D.
Preferred Email Method: Canvas Inbox: https://champlain.instructure.com/conversations
Secondary Email Method: eschiffer@champlain.edu
Phone(s): 727-808-4434
Office Hours: Available for real-time chat by appointment through e-mail. I check my email multiple times each day; this is definitely the quickest way to reach me. If you need to speak with me, please leave your number and some good times for me to reach you and I will reply with a confirmation and give you a call. Please always include your name and the name of the course you're in whenever you email me.
Course Description and Prerequisites
Students will explore some ways that culture is communicated verbally and non-verbally, and will interpret and understand culturally-specific communicative practices. They will also learn strategies to effectively establish, develop and manage relationships with culturally different peoples, as well as learn to recognize and overcome cultural stereotypes and prejudices.
This course builds on COMM-130: Interpersonal Communication, but with an emphasis on how to develop skills for communicating competently in an increasingly diverse society.
Prerequisite: COMM-130: Interpersonal Communication -OR- COMM-100: Foundations of Human Communication
Student Centered Learning Outcomes
This course works under the premise that in order for you to function effectively as an individual in any setting you need to understand how our attitudes and actions are influenced by the history and identity of various cultures and groups. People have different experiences based on the culture in which they were raised. These cultural experiences vary based on one’s gender, ethnicity, social class, religion, sexual orientation and even regional influences. This course explores the role that culture plays in the human communication process, as well as the challenges and promises of intercultural communication. Through our readings and online discussions, we will study the relationship between culture and perception, culture and thought, culture and language, and culture and behavior within interpersonal and popular culture contexts. Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
1. Understand the basic theories of intercultural communication and the ways they are applied to facilitate communication between people of different cultures.
2. Explore some ways that race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class, religion, culture and social status affect communication styles, attitudes, belief systems, perspectives, and identities.
3. Explain the ways your own attitudes, beliefs and values contribute to your perceptions and interpretations of verbal and nonverbal communicative messages from peoples of different backgrounds.
4. Identify and describe obstacles to intercultural communication and determine methods that might be used to improve intercultural competence.
5. Identify and apply communication competence and ethics in various multicultural situations.
Textbook(s) and Technology Requirements
Required Texts
Posted Readings, Videos and other Resources: Online in each Weekly Lessons module. There is no textbook for this course.
Topic Outline
- Week 1: Exploration of Culture
- Week 2: Personal Identity
- Weeks 3 - 4: Peer Presentations: Race, Gender, (Dis)Ability, Religion, Socioeconomic Status, and More
- Week 5: Gender & Sexuality
- Week 6: Intercultural Conflict
- Week 7: Reflections and Next Steps
Methods of Assessment
Your final grade will be determined based on:
| Graded Elements | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Discussions | 35% |
| Essays | 45% |
| Peer Presentation Exercises | 20% |
| Total | 100% |
| Extra Credit: IDEA Survey | 1% |
Discussions
Weekly discussions are an integral part of learning at Champlain College and represent a significant portion of a student's overall grade. In order to be successful, students should:
- Post a thorough, well-crafted initial response that fully addresses and develops all aspects of the prompt by the due date.
- Engage substantively throughout the discussion period by responding to others with questions or comments that demonstrate interest, build upon the ideas of others, and encourage elaboration.
- Apply and integrate concepts from this course as well as from quality resources including journals, websites, readings from another class, relevant work or life experience, etc.
- Demonstrate attention to style, structure, grammar, etiquette, and proper citation of references to maintain academic integrity.
Discussion grades are determined using the rubric below. The descriptions show what exemplary work looks like for each aspect of an overall discussion.
| Criteria | Description | Max Points |
|---|---|---|
| Application | Explicitly and thoroughly explains, applies, and integrates a) concepts from this or other courses, b) outside resources or research, c) life experiences, and/or d) processes used to solve problems. | 30 pts |
| Critical Thinking | Clearly articulates a desire to a) reflect, b) explore possibility, c) recognize ambiguity, d) question assumptions, and/or e) search for logical relationships among ideas. Selects, analyzes, and synthesizes relevant information to demonstrate original thinking. | 30 pts |
| Collaboration | Fosters collaborative learning while a) problem-solving, b) respectfully challenging others, and/or c) expanding thinking through responses and reflection with other learners throughout the week. Builds on classmate and instructor contributions to deepen the conversation. | 30 pts |
| Presentation | Demonstrates attention to APA/MLA style and structure, adheres to rules of grammar and etiquette, and properly cites references to literature and course materials. | 10 pts |
| Total Points: 100 | ||
The discussions are intended to expose you to new concepts and perspectives, help you prepare for the assignments, and enable you to demonstrate your ability to critically analyze and apply our course concepts. The discussions are NOT “chat” sessions, nor are they merely a venue for you to share your personal opinions and experiences, though those certainly add value to our discussions. Primarily, they are a learning forum, intended to provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate new insights gained in your analysis of the assigned readings/resources (including videos) and to increase your knowledge through collaborative learning.
The Canvas calendar due dates reflect the date the INITIAL post in each discussion is required. Continued participation throughout the week is also needed.
Assignments
All assignments must be submitted by the indicated due date.
Additional Information
Keys to Success in this Course
- Regular participation in the discussions as outlined.
- Review the posted resources, lectures, readings, videos, etc.
- Seek out new sources of information related to this subject and share with peers.
- Ask questions.
- Practice netiquette. Be respectful of other student's divergent opinions.
- Stay on top of assignments and schedule.
Student Resources & Policies
Academic Honesty Policy
Champlain College students are expected to be familiar with and adhere to the College’s policy for Academic Honesty. Academic honesty entails creating original assignments, using your own words, and when using the words and ideas of others, documenting those sources using the method specified in this course. Please consult with your instructor if you are in doubt. Violations of the policy could result in a grade of F on the assignment or in the course as well as dismissal from the College.
Grading Policies
| Student Resources | |
|---|---|
| Accessibility and Accommodations | Champ Support |
| Bookstore | Library Resources |
| Canvas Support | Online Tutoring (Smarthinking) |
| Career Services | Student Accounts |
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|