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INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
FALL 2008
Central Maine Community College
6:00-8:50 P.M. Wednesdays 9/3-12/17/08
Instructor: Nancy A. Henry, JD
Email: nahenry61@yahoo.com
nhenry@cmcc.edu
Office hours by appointment
COURSE WEBSITES:
Nancy’s Educational Blog
Nancy’s YouTube Videos
Nancy’s Links
Blackboard
Class Scribd documents
COURSE SPECIFICATIONS
Total class hours 45
Lab or shop hours 0
Estimated hours for outside work 90
Total estimated student work time 135
Course semester credit hours 3
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After completing this course, the student will be able to:
1. experience greater confidence in interpersonal encounters,
2. understand interpersonal processes,
3. recognize nonverbal communication patterns,
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4. improve listening skills and develop/demonstrate empathy,
5. improve speaking and self-disclosure skills,
6. recognize and cope with ethical dilemmas that may arise in the context of interpersonal
communication.
REQUIRED TEXT: Adler and Proctor, Looking Out, Looking In, 12th Edition
Late Work Policy: A student may turn in one assignment up to one week late without
penalty. Other late work will not be accepted. If you must be absent from a class, your
work must be turned in electronically by the beginning of the class period of that date.
Classroom etiquette: No use of cell phones, laptops or other electronic devices is
allowed in class unless instructor explicitly directs you to use them. That said, there
will be at least one class during which you will be asked to use your electronic devices.
Apart from the aforementioned exception "electronic chat" during class will result in
dismissal from that class period.
Team Project: A presentation of no less than 20 minutes will be required. This will be
primarily a creative, rather than a written, project. Students will work in groups of 3-4
depending on class size. Further information about this assignment will be provided to
you by Week Two.
Student Journal: Each student will keep a notebook or journal for the purpose of
recording reflections on the readings, class exercises, and class materials. Some
reflections will be assigned, but the notebook is for broader work and response than just
the assigned questions. Aim for 10 handwritten pages or 3-4 single-spaced typed pages
per week. If you elect to respond to issues on the blog, this will count towards your
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journal total. You will turn these in twice during the semester. YOUR JOURNAL MAY
BE ELECTRONIC.
Class Participation and Homework: You are an important part of this class, and I have
provided many avenues for you to participate and interact with your classmates. Given
the unique nature of this class, participation and attendance are especially crucial. If you
must miss class please let me know immediately, as you will have group members
depending on your attendance and I may have to rearrange class exercises. I do not give
“excused absences”—what I do is work with you to make a plan to cover the
material you will miss. I retain the right to lower the grade of any student who does not
address attendance and absences in a responsible, adult manner. I will also inform a
student’s advisor if their academic work or attendance indicates that they may be having
difficulty meeting course requirements.
Cancellations:
Please check your email AND OUR BLACKBOARD SITE sometime in the afternoon
of every Wednesday class day in case there has been some need to cancel. In the event of
ANY sort of cancellation, WE WILL HAVE A VIRTUAL CLASS, not a “make-up” class.
There is an abundance of excellent instructional material online and I have more than
enough of this for several classes. Blackboard and the blog provide a forum for class
interaction when it is not possible to be physically present in the classroom. This online
work will be required and will count for classroom instructional time—it is not
“additional homework”.
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intellectual work of others are not acceptable and will be subject to severe disciplinary
actions up to and including dismissal.
Time Management:
It is reasonable to expect to spend two hours of class work outside of class for each hour
of instructional time. I have “mixed it up” so that there are assignments to appeal to every
learning style: video, podcast (be sure to use your mp3 player if you have one!), blog,
PowerPoint, popular films, journal, and of course reading in our excellent text. If you
spent an average of 5-6 hours studying these materials outside of class every week,
complete class assignments, and make a sincere effort, you should be able to pass this
course with at least a “C”.