Syllabus


Description

The study of Organizational Communication examines the interactions of people and groups within organizations. During the course, students will examine communication principles and practices in organizations from a theoretical perspective as well as investigate methods of improving communication practices and review career opportunities in the field. The course will combine the theoretical perspectives of the field with practical applications of the course principles.

The BYU-Idaho standard expectation is for students to work 2 hours outside of class for every hour in class. As there is no “classroom” component of this course, anticipate approximately 9 hours of study and collaboration per week, or 1-½ to 2 hours a day.

Syllabus Quiz and Online Learning Tutorial

The quiz will be open-syllabus and include questions about general classroom policies, specific assignments, and classroom procedures. The 5-point quiz includes ten questions.

Grading

You may take the syllabus quiz as many times as it takes you to earn 100%. Once the quiz is completed, the learning materials for the first week will become available for you to begin working on.

Worth a Thousand Words Parts I and II

The Purpose

This assignment will serve as an introduction to your fellow classmates. This exercise will also help you become more comfortable with working in an online environment and some of the functions of I-Learn.

Part I

First, select 2 to 3 photos to introduce yourself, as well as write an explanation as to why you selected the specific photo, what is happening in the photo, or why this photo is important to you. These pictures can be of you, taken by you, or found online. I will provide an example online for you to examine.

Part II

The second part is to read all of the posts and make a list of individuals who share common interests, have similarities, or may be in a similar situation. In order to complete this section of the assignment, please create a word document entitled “Worth a Thousand Words <yourname>” As an example, “Worth a Thousand Words Adam Bair.”

Mini-Case Discussion

The Purpose

Each week you will be presented with a mini-case to help apply the concepts we are discussing in the course. Each case will be different but will require similar preparation activities and final products. The purpose of this assignment is to help you gain knowledge from your peers through posts and discussion.

The Assignment

This assignment requires two parts:

Part 1: Original Post is due before the middle of the lesson. Part 2: Group Discussion is due before the end of the lesson. See the Calendar for the exact due dates and times.

Part 1: Original Post

First, you will develop your own ideas from the current case instructions. You will need to use your own personal insights and what you have learned from the lesson readings. Post these thoughts to your group discussion board in the current lesson forum. Click Mini-Case Group Discussion and ad a new thread by clicking on “New Thread.” This post needs to be 2-4 paragraphs long.

Part 2: Group Discussion

You will then read all of the responses of your group members and respond to 3 students’ posts. This part is important in helping you to learn from your classmates. Make sure to put thought into all of your posts.

Grading

The assignment is worth 10 points. The grade will be based on the course grading rubric.

Learning Journal

The Purpose

One of the principles of the BYU-Idaho Learning Model is that students should ponder on learning experiences. As you reflect on learning experiences, you better understand what the most important elements are that you will take away from an assignment, how you learn best, and what you need to do in the future to improve your ability to learn.

The Assignment

To help you achieve the benefits of reflection, you will keep a learning blog with at least one entry for every week of the course. It could include insights you have gained after reading, an experience you had while completing group assignments, or any other information you have learned during the course. Each entry could be as short as a few paragraphs or as long as a few pages.

Grading

This assignment will be graded each week and is worth 10 points.

The due dates for all course assignments are at the end of week deadline unless otherwise noted (See Understanding Due Dates).

Late work will not be graded.

Semester Project Milestones

Milestones are due at the end of the week. (See Understanding Due Dates).

The Purpose

This assignment is meant to help you connect the subject matter to your own life and experiences. Each assignment will deepen your understanding of organizational communication principles.

The Assignment

Each week you will answer and fulfill the milestone checkpoints and submit them to I-Learn.

Grading

This assignment will be worth 10 points each week. The grade will be based on the assignment rubric.

Final Project

Final Project

You will write a paper in which you will analyze a real organization with which you are familiar. You should present a description of the organization, as well as a discussion of real problems existing within it, and your analysis and diagnosis. The key to successfully completing this final project will be to identify the organization early in the semester. Successful projects will show a great depth of analysis and completeness. Feel free to use pictures, diagrams, etc. Please use your imagination and have fun, but REMEMBER—this project takes the place of your final exam! I will use it to determine the depth of your understanding of and ability to use the principles discussed in class, so please use them in your paper. One student's project actually ran more than 100 pages long. Most typically are 10–15 pages. There will be weekly checkpoints along the way to help you stay focused and on task. If you complete these weekly checkpoints, you will find yourself doing your final project in small bites all semester long. Then, at the end of the semester, all you have to do is write up your notes. Easy! If you procrastinate, however, this project will kill you. So don’t procrastinate. You will also be given a checklist toward the end of the semester, that will guide you and help you make sure you are covering everything you need to cover.

Midterm Project

Lesson 08 is dedicated entirely to completing a midterm project. For the midterm, you will be asked to develop a “research presentation” from one of the topics found in the first six lessons of the course. You will select a topic from the first half of the course and do a “deep dive” into that material. You could create a narrated presentation (PowerPoint), develop a portfolio, or create an essay document.

Whatever format you choose to submit it in, make sure you check with your instructor to see if they can open the file you turn in. Your work needs to be completed by you and demonstrate your effort in digging deeply into the materials. Feel free to review the materials in the previous lessons as you make your selection. You are required to go beyond the materials presented in class.

Learning Model Architecture

All of the learning materials and activities for each topic are contained within a lesson folder. When the lesson begins, its folder will appear in the Lessons area of the I-Learn course. Each lesson includes activities that encourage you to Prepare, Teach One Another, and Ponder & Prove your new knowledge.

Most of the lessons last for one full week. All of the lessons have a Mid-Week due date and an End of Week due dates.  Refer to the Weekly Patterns document and Understanding Due Dates in the Welcome Folder to learn more.

There are two lessons that are designed to last for 2 weeks long, and it will take additional time to complete the activities. You will need to complete some preparatory readings/media and post to both the group discussion and class discussion before the first due date. The rest of the activities (including the continuing group & class discussions, a case write-up, a personal application project, and a personal journal) are all due at the end of the lesson.

This course relies heavily upon your interaction with your peers, so be prepared to return to the course frequently to review the new posts and further the discussions in the class and your group. Readings and activities have been carefully selected and designed for you to examine the world around you and collaborate with fellow students. We will work together to create an environment where all members of the class contribute as both teachers and learners. Each student will have personal experiences and examples that relate to many of the course topics; your experiences and examples will greatly enrich and benefit your fellow students and the instructor.

Prerequisites

Required Materials

Grading Policies

Intro Week 25
Mini-Case Discussion Forums (10 x 10 points each) 100
Learning Journal (11 x 10 points each) 110
Lesson Introduction and Preparation (10 x 6 points each lesson) 60
Midterm Project 50
Semester/Final Project (including weekly milestone submissions) 150
Mid Course Evaluation 1
Total Course Points 496

93% and above A

90% - 92% A-

87% - 89% B+

83% - 86% B

80% - 82% B-

77% - 79% C+

73% - 76% C

70% - 72% C-

67% - 69% D+

63%-66% D

60% - 62% D-

59% and below F

“A” represents outstanding understanding, application, and integration of subject material and extensive evidence of original thinking, skillful use of concepts, and ability to analyze and solve complex problems. It also demonstrates diligent application of Learning Model principles, including initiative in serving other students.

“B” represents considerable/significant understanding, application, and incorporation of the material that would prepare a student to be successful in next-level courses, graduate school, or employment. The student participates in the Learning Model as applied in the course.

“C” represents sufficient understanding of subject matter. The student demonstrates minimal initiative to be prepared for class. Sequenced courses could be attempted, but mastering new materials might prove challenging. The student participates only marginally in the Learning Model.

“D” represents poor performance and initiative to learn, understand, and apply course materials. Retaking a course or remediation may be necessary to prepare for additional instruction in this subject matter.

“F” represents failure in the course.