Welcome to SPCH 1318 Interpersonal Communication, a Distance Learning online course! I am your instructor, Professor Jeff Stringer. I look forward to working with you this semester, and I hope you find this class to be both enjoyable and rewarding.

Course Rationale

Developing communication skills can give you a competitive edge in your professional and academic career. Not only are communication skills highly valued in the workplace, communication courses taken at ACC transfer to all colleges and universities in Texas. 

Communication skills are essential to personal and professional success. Personal and professional relationships are important in our lives. As Dr. Robert Waldringer, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, said in a November 2015 Ted Talk, “Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period.” Interpersonal Communication focuses on the communication skills we need to develop and maintain good relationships with others.

Course Description

Interpersonal Communication applies communication theory to interpersonal relationship development, maintenance, and termination in friendships, romantic partnerships, families, and workplace relationships. The course explores theories and practice in verbal and nonverbal communication with a focus on interpersonal relationships. This course emphasizes improving interpersonal skills and increasing communication competence in everyday social exchanges. Skills: E

• Credit Hours: 3
• Classroom Contact Hours per week: 3

Course Skill Levels

In accordance with H.B. 2183, students who enroll for ACC Speech courses are expected to demonstrate competent English speaking and listening skills:

• “Competence in speaking is the ability to communicate orally in clear, coherent, and persuasive language appropriate to purpose, occasion and audience.”
• “Listening at the college level means the ability to analyze and interpret various forms of spoken communication.”

As a student, they can expect to acquire these abilities only if they honor all course policies, attend class, participate in class exercises and complete assignments in good faith and on time. Students may vary on their achieved competency levels regarding theses abilities.

Instructional Methodology
This course utilizes Internet-based instruction to create a dynamic learning environment. The structure of this online course will require you to read the text and take short interactive quizzes covering the readings and vocabulary terms. In addition, you will watch a series of short film clips online and respond to questions about their content. You will also submit three written journal assignments reflecting on your own interpersonal skills.

This course also requires two oral assessments of your interpersonal skills. You will record your oral assessments using your webcam or smart device and upload them to Google Drive. You will also participate in a team-based discussion with other class members using the Zoom meeting platform. Finally, you will submit a final analysis assignment at the end of the semester. Since this course has a heavy writing component, good reading and writing skills are required. If you do not have strong reading comprehension skills, or you do not write at a college level, you should not take this course.

There is often a perception among students that online courses are easier than traditional classroom courses or that they will not have to devote as much time to an online course. On the contrary, most students report that they have had to work harder in this course than in many of their classroom courses. However, these same students acknowledge that this course is one of the most beneficial and rewarding courses they have ever taken. The amount of coursework required for this online course is exactly the same as that for a traditional classroom course. In other words, you will not have less work just because this is an online course. You do the same amount of work, although you are utilizing an electronic medium.

While the format of this course is designed to allow students to work at times convenient for them, there are deadlines by which assignments must be submitted. These deadlines are strictly enforced! This is to discourage students from getting too far behind. Falling behind and becoming frustrated is the number one reason cited when students don't complete this course.

I sincerely hope you enjoy this course as much as I have enjoyed developing and administering it!

Online Orientation

This course contains an online orientation component which you must successfully complete before you are allowed to begin submitting assignments. To begin the orientation, log on to the Blackboard site for this course using your ACCeID and password. Click on SPCH 1318: Interpersonal Communication under "My Courses." Carefully read all the information provided under the Course Syllabus, Instructor Information, and Course Schedule links, as well as instructions for completing and submitting the various assignments.

You will then need to record and submit an orientation video. See instructions under the Orientation link about how to do this. You must submit your orientation video by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, 1/19 or you will not be allowed to continue with the course! Students who have not submitted an orientation video by 11:59 p.m. on 1/19 will be dropped – no exceptions!

Course Textbook (First Day Access E-book)

Access to the e-book version is included in your tuition and fees for this course (First Day Access). Therefore, it is not necessary to purchase a separate textbook. Instructions for accessing the e-book can be found on the Blackboard course site. The textbook is also available in both paperback and loose-leaf versions. If you would prefer to opt-out of the e-book version and purchase a paperback or loose-leaf copy, you may do so by following the instructions on the ACC First Day Classes page. McCornack, Steven and Morrison, Kelly. Reflect & Relate: An Introduction to Interpersonal Communication. (6th edition). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2022. ISBN: 9781319247584 (Paperback) ISBN: 9781319395766 (Loose-Leaf edition) You will also need webcam or smartphone video capabilities to complete some assignments.

General Education Competencies

• Communication Skills

Develop, interpret, and express ideas and information through written, oral and visual communication that is adapted to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.

• Critical Thinking Skills

Gather, analyze, synthesize, evaluate and apply information for the purposes of innovation, inquiry, and creative thinking.

• Personal Responsibility

Identify and apply ethical principles and practices to decision-making by connecting choices, actions and consequences.

• Social Responsibility (Civic and Cultural Awareness)

Analyze differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practices to include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.

• Teamwork

Consider different points of view to work collaboratively and effectively in pursuit of a shared purpose or goal.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Recognize the characteristics of competent communication in dyadic interactions
• Demonstrate the ability to assess the appropriateness and effectiveness of interpersonal strategies used in various interpersonal situations, including mediated and face to face interactions
• Demonstrate skill in selecting and using a variety of communication strategies and responses based on situational contexts, goals, and human needs
• Differentiate between theories that explain interpersonal interaction
• Recognize the ethical dimensions of interpersonal communication
• Recall how perception affects communication and the importance of perception-checking
• Demonstrate the ability to analyze and critique verbal and nonverbal messages in interpersonal interactions
• Evaluate listening habits and demonstrate effective listening skills
• Demonstrate effective interpersonal conflict management principles
• Recognize communication differences between individuals in cultures that affect interpersonal interactions and recall strategies for adapting to cultural differences
• Recall the nature and role of emotions in interpersonal interaction and competent strategies for expressing emotions
• Identify distinguishing characteristics of interpersonal relationships including family, friendship, romantic, and work
• Demonstrate critical thinking ability by effectively researching, evaluating, and applying communication theories in oral and/or written assignments

Course Assignments and Weight

Your grade in SPCH 1318 will be based upon online chapter quizzes, online written assignments, and recorded oral presentations. A description of each assignment and the weight assigned to it is listed below:

Exams (40%): There will be three exams given during the semester covering the chapters in the textbook. The exams consist of multiple-choice and short answer type questions and will be submitted in Blackboard. The exams are timed. You have 75 minutes to complete each exam.

Film Clips (20%): You will watch 7 short clips in Blackboard from feature films that highlight communication concepts discussed in the chapters. After you have watched the clip, you will answer a short set of questions that ask you to apply what you have learned in the chapter to the interactions you watched in the clip. Your responses should incorporate examples from the clip itself along with key terms from the corresponding chapter whenever possible.

Reflection Assignments (10%): The 3 Reflection assignments ask you to think about and analyze your own interpersonal communication behaviors in your everyday life. You will be presented with a set of questions from each chapter asking about your interactions with others in a variety of situations. Your responses should incorporate your own examples and key terms from the corresponding chapters whenever possible.

Skills Assessments (5% each = 10%): You must complete two oral skills assessments as part of the course requirements. You will record these assessments using your webcam or smart device and then upload the video to Google Drive. The first skills assessment will assess your ability to practice effective listening skills using paraphrasing and questioning. The second skills assessment focuses on your ability to use "I" language to express your feelings and make requests. Detailed instructions on completing this assignment and posting your videos can be found on the Blackboard site.

Team-Based Discussion (5%): For the team-based discussion, you will be grouped with other members of the class on Zoom and given a problem that must be solved. You and your group members must come up with a viable solution to the problem using the set of guidelines provided.

Final Analysis (15%): There is no formal final exam for this course. Instead, you will submit a final analysis that will assess your skill and understanding of the various topics covered throughout the course. Therefore, the Final Analysis is you final exam.

The Final Analysis assignment is a longer, more detailed version of the film clip assignments you will have completed throughout the term. For this assignment, you will watch four scenes from the TV program The Big Bang Theory. After viewing each scene, you will respond to a set of questions relating to the communication skills of the characters in the scene.

Grades are calculated based on the weight of the assignments shown above. There will be no opportunities for extra credit. At the end of the term, your average will be converted to your letter grade as follows:

Distance Education

Online learning differs from face-to-face learning in many ways. In particular, strong time management and study skills are required to be a successful online student. If you are new to distance education (and even if you are not), you are encouraged to review the ACC Distance Education General Information page.

Attendance/Class Participation Policy

For online courses: “Regular and timely class participation in discussions and completion of work is expected of all students.  If attendance or compliance with other course policies is unsatisfactory, the instructor may withdraw students from the class.”

In situations where classes are cancelled because of weather, pandemic, or other emergencies: “The student is responsible for communicating with their professor during the closure and completing any assignments or other activities designated by their professor.”

Late Work/Missed Assignments

Many Distance Learning students erroneously believe that online courses are "self-paced," and thus they can submit assignments whenever they want to as long as they get all the assignments completed by the end of the term. THIS IS INCORRECT! This course is NOT self-paced. Every assignment has a specific due date listed on the Course Schedule. While it is permissible to submit assignments early ahead of the due date, deadlines are strictly enforced. Students who do not complete assignments by the due date are penalized, just as with an on-campus course. The make-up policy for assignments is as follows:

1. Exams, film clips, and reflection assignments submitted after the due date will receive an automatic 10% deduction – no exceptions.
2. Interpersonal skills assessments submitted after the due date will receive an automatic 10% deduction – no exceptions.
3. The team-based discussion CANNOT be made up. If you do not participate in the team-based discussion with your assigned group, you will receive a zero for the assignment.
4. The Final Analysis assignment CANNOT be submitted late. If you do not submit the Final Analysis by the assigned due date, you will receive a zero for the assignment.
5. Late assignments will not be accepted after the final withdrawal date.

Incompletes and Withdrawals

Incompletes will only be given in extenuating circumstances. In order to be considered for an Incomplete, a student must have completed a minimum of 75% of the semester’s work and maintained a C average or higher. Students who do not meet these requirements will not be considered.

If for any reason you are unable to complete the required work, you should withdraw. You are responsible for withdrawing yourself. The final drop date is Monday, March 6. If you do not withdraw by the final drop date, you will receive an F.

Note: Students who enroll for the third or subsequent time in a course taken since Fall 2002 may be charged a higher tuition rate for that course.

State law permits students to withdraw from no more than six courses during their entire undergraduate career at Texas public colleges or universities. With certain exceptions, all course withdrawals automatically count towards this limit. Details regarding this policy can be found in the ACC college catalog.

Virtual Etiquette and Distractions

Please refrain from distracting behavior during your virtual class session. Please do not use your cell phone, smoke or vape cigarettes, or eat a massive meal on camera unless permission is granted by the instructor. You are responsible for making sure distractions are minimized by silencing your phones, shutting your doors if possible, and not playing music in the background. If your behavior is a distraction to the class or instructor, the instructor reserves the right to remove you from the virtual class session for the day.

Course Evaluations

All course evaluations will be completed online.  Students may access the course evaluation when released by the college in the “Tools” section of their Bb course. Please encourage students to provide feedback on positive experiences in the classroom and any constructive feedback that would improve the experience for future students.

Student Technology Support

Austin Community College provides free, secure drive-up WiFi to students and employees in the parking lots of all campus locations. WiFi can be accessed seven days a week, 7 am to 11 pm. Additional details are available at https://www.austincc.edu/sts.

Students who do not have the necessary technology to complete their ACC courses can request to borrow devices from Student Technology Services. Available devices include iPads, webcams, headsets, calculators, etc. Students must be registered for a credit course, Adult Education, or Continuing Education course to be eligible. For more information, including how to request a device, visit http://www.austincc.edu/sts.

Student Technology Services offers phone, live-chat, and email-based technical support for students and can provide support on topics such as password resets, accessing or using Blackboard, access to technology, etc. To view hours of operation and ways to request support, visit http://www.austincc.edu/sts.

Contractual Agreement

• Your acceptance of the conditions and policies outlined in this document is implied by your continued enrollment in this course.

Note: All assignments are due no later than 11:59 p.m. on the date assigned.

College Policies & Student Support Services