page last updated  8/30/23

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THIS IS A WEB BASED COURSE & THIS COPY OF THE  SYLLABUS IS FOR INITIAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY.

ALL LINKED AND UPDATED COURSE MATERIAL IS LOCATED IN THE  CANVAS  COURSE.

Intercultural Communication [Reading/Writing Proficiency approved ]

COMM-2130

Fall 2023

Instructor Information

Instructor: Dr. E. Plummer

Virtual Office Hours:  by appointment: 11:00am-12:00pm                                  

Email:  evelyn.plummer@shu.edu  /or /  plummeev@shu.edu 

Faculty Webpage:  pirate.shu.edu/~plummeev

Course Description

COMM 2130 offers students an introduction to the process, theory, and skills of intercultural communication. This course examines the processes used by cultural communities to express identity, develop varied perspectives, and interact with others. Through the exploration of cultures as interconnected systems with influences on linguistic and nonverbal communication patterns, students can better appreciate their own worldviews as well as strengthen their abilities for ethical and equitable interaction in a diverse and evolving world.-updated 6/2022

 “A Seton Hall University reading/writing-intensive course will include a significant amount of formal and informal writing, several hours of academic and professional reading per week, all contributing to at least one-third of the total course grade.” Approved 8/17/22

Course Goals

The course will develop in three primary sections: context and background theories; conceptions of intercultural communication; and intercultural communication skills.  A midterm examination will take place halfway through the course, while a final examination will take place at its end.  By combining these activities with frequent quizzes, presentations, and some writing, the course targets the following goals:

1. Provide exposure to communication systems and patterns from a range of different cultures.

2. Provide a variety of ways to think about the relationships among culture, identity, and communication.

3. Enhance the ability to describe and comfortably deal with cultural differences.

4. Increase sensitivity to and awareness of cultural bias--especially with regard to students' own perceptions.

5. Explore ways to build community across cultures.

6. Improve your writing skills through intensive writing experiences.  All written work for this course will follow APA guidelines.

Course Learning Objectives (CLOs)

At the end of this course, students will be able to:

CLO 1: construct basic definitions for Culture, Co-cultural & Microcultural Identity, and Intercultural Communication

CLO 2: discern how culture is displayed via contextually interpreted verbal and nonverbal means  

CLO 3:  comprehend how culture is constructed, categorized, and classified through its institutions and practices

CLO 4:  understand the influence of Enculturation upon the development of world views, belief systems, and--ultimately--group identities  

CLO 5:  recognize sources and implications of conflict in intercultural communication and ways to manage and/or resolve

CLO 6:  apply research and course concepts to improve your pragmatic competence in intercultural situations

Course Materials

Required:

1 – Neuliep, J. (2020).  Intercultural Communication:  a contextual approach – 8e. Sage.  (available for purchase or rental)                          

      - The Student Resource site is accessible at the publisher's website: Sagepub.com.  You will need to set up a

        free account with Sage.  Some items will be specifically assigned.  Neuliep-Intercultural Communication                              Student Study Site 

   2 - Hall, E. T. (1977). Beyond Culture. New York: Anchor.   

 - various open access PDF copies available online:  Hall_Edward_T_Beyond_Culture.pdf (monoskop.org)

 - also available from an accessibility resource: Beyond culture | Open Library

Supplemental Course Materials:

- American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington, DC: APA. (note:  there are summaries & simplified versions issued by other entities.

- The Bedford Handbook (2019).  Bedford/St. Martin's (note: this is the same book used in the College English course) ISBN-10 : ‎ 1319182690 / ISBN-13 : ‎ 978-1319182694

Prerequisite Information

    _ COST1600 (Oral Communication)

    _ Technology proficiencies needed include: Microsoft Office [Word, Outlook, Teams, Powerpoint];

       CANVAS  

Expectations

Students are expected to:

·        use their Seton Hall email address when emailing the Professor and fellow students

·        review the how-to-get-started information located in CANVAS.  Start with “Begin Here”

·        sign & submit the Contract: “Statement of Understanding” by the deadline

·        review and follow the course calendar

·        introduce yourself to the class during the first week by posting a self-introduction in the designated discussion board forum

·        interact online with instructor/s and peers

·        submit assignments by the corresponding deadlines

The instructor will:

·        generally respond to discussion boards, creative webpage-type projects, and journal postings within 4-5 days. Themes may be grouped and summarized rather than giving individual responses.

·        respond to emails/messages within 1-2 days

·        grade assignments within 1- 2 weeks of the assignment deadline, whenever possible

Discussion Board Forums

Specific guidelines will be given for each Unit’s posts, but in general:

·        The approximate length of a response (i.e. 75-125words [or 8-10 lines]).

·        Sometimes, there will be an option to post a commentary via an audio or video format. However, no emoji!

·        Each week requires 2 postings: an initial one in response to the Professor’s prompt and a follow-up post which will be either based on a related topic, on something said in a classmate’s initial post, or a new prompt.   

·        Sometimes the schedule will need to be adapted to the semester’s calendar, but generally, new prompts will be updated Monday afternoon and generally no later than 7pm ET. The initial post is due by Wednesday and the follow-up is due by Sunday.

·        You can work on the Discussion Forum at any time of day, so think of the deadline times mentioned above as “no later than” rather than waiting until the last portion of the time period.  Look for the “Discussion” tab/section in the menu of the left side of your CANVAS screen.

·        A posting will be scored using these criteria: originality of insight, application of the material/readings being studied, verbal eloquence ( i.e. being succinct yet insightful).  You also may want to review the Professor’s general grading criteria/rubrics page.

·        Although the Professor will be reading and sometimes commenting within the discussion thread, the forum primarily is an opportunity for the students to exchange thoughts about the course materials & topics. 

·        If possible, student moderators will be assigned for some of the forums.

Adobe Webpage

Specific guidelines will be given for this three-entry assignment which is spread out throughout the semester. In general:

·        The Creative webpage -Project will blend the functions of a discussion board forum, a journal and multimedia explanation.

·        Spread out over the semester, students will post two example webpages + one peer commentary [@approx.  50 words]

·        These posts will focus on current event-based applications of a specified course concept (such as   comparing and contrasting instances of “equity” and “equality.”)

Written Papers & Exams – Summary

·        Journal Article Analysis

·        Film Selection Proposal Paper

·        Film Analysis Essay

·        Immersion Experience Proposal Paper

·        Immersion Experience Essay

·        Midterm Exam

·        Final Exam

Additional Assignments-&-Activities / Grading Policies

·        These items are explained with great specificity in Blackboard- including analyzing a journal article, a film, and an immersion experience,

·        There is no late/make-up opportunity for quizzes and exams and any such timed assignment. There is a nine hour cushion built into the written & the Discussion Forum posting assignments.  This is discussed in detail in CANVAS within the “Policies: Grading” section. 

·        There are few if any opportunities for extra credit. This aspect is discussed in detail in CANVAS within the “Policies: Grading” section. 

·         

Technology Service Desk

The first point of contact for any technology related question or problem is Seton Hall University's Technology Service Desk. Contact the Technology Service Desk by phone by calling (973) 275-2222 or via e-mail at servicedesk@shu.edu

The Technology Service Desk is staffed by IT professionals Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. through 11 p.m. The Technology Service Desk provides phone support for most University applications, including the Blackboard Learning Management System, Microsoft Windows, and the Microsoft Office suite.

For more tips and technical information, go to Seton Hall's Adobe Creative Campus Technology site:  Adobe Creative Campus - Seton Hall University (shu.edu)

Statement on Students with Disabilities

It is the policy and practice of Seton Hall University to promote inclusive learning environments. If you have a documented disability, you may be eligible for reasonable accommodations in compliance with University policy, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and/or the New Jersey Law against Discrimination. Please note, students are not permitted to negotiate accommodations directly with professors. To request accommodations or assistance, please self-identify with the Office for Disability Support Services (DSS), Duffy Hall, Room 67 at the beginning of the semester. (https://www.shu.edu/disability-support-services)

For more information or to register for services, contact DSS at:

Email: dss@shu.edu

Phone: 973-313-6003

Fax: 973-761-9185

Duffy Hall room 67

Academic and Professional Integrity Policy

Students are expected to follow the Academic and Professional Integrity Policy outlined in the Student Handbook in addition to the specific Academic and Professional Integrity Policy of his/her major school or college.

*The following excerpt is taken from the posted policies for The College of Communication and the Arts downloaded 7/11/22

"Cheating and plagiarism in any form will not be tolerated in any Communication and the Arts course and will be dealt with severely. Cheating on any test, paper, or other project will, at the discretion of the instructor, result in failure for that assignment, no-credit [ zero] for that assignment, failure for the course, and/or further disciplinary action at the program, College, and/or University levels. Such further action may include expulsion from the College of Communication and the Arts after review.

 "Record of failure of a course because of cheating or plagiarism will be kept on file by the Dean's Office. Subsequent cheating or plagiarism will result in a recommendation of expulsion from the University."

The College of Communication and the Arts' policy defines academic dishonesty as including, "but not limited to, cheating on tests and other course assignments and providing or receiving information without acknowledging the source. Cheating by plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, copying of text or research assignments, using another person's papers, research or assignments without citation, and representing work as the student's own, which is, in actuality, another's work."

Web material which is not fully credited is considered plagiarized.  Content checkers (such as Turnitin & Safe Assign) are used in this course. Additionally, written assignments will contain specifications  to our course materials thus making the kind of general writing produced by generative AI applications noticeably inappropriate (e.g. ChatGPT, etc.)

>>>>> 

Please be advised I treat these issues seriously. I do not tolerate and immediately report all instances of cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, plagiarism – including the incremental copy-&-paste type, or the re-use of old or "filed" papers/speeches.  I expect you to read, understand, and follow the Department of Communication's Policy on Academic Honesty. 

Here are some additional points concerning academic dishonesty. In an on-line course, students are occasionally tempted to misrepresent their authorship, commit self-plagiarism or to arrange for someone else to impersonate them as a test taker- however, in this class certain steps will be taken to help protect you from making such errors in judgement: (a) major exams will utilize the  Honorlock proctoring system  in which case you will need to show an ID and will be completing the test while on camera. (b) Since your assignments are being submitted through CANVAS, they will be subject to the “Turnitin” content checker review system—either automatically or when the Professor notices certain “red flags”.   By continuing in this class and submitting the “Statement of Understanding” document, you are acknowledging that actions which constitute academic dishonesty are grounds for failure- either for the assignment or for the course—at the Professor’s discretion.

>>>>>>> 

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Planned Schedule & Calendar (F’23) ver: 8/21/23

 [ “week” = Monday through Sunday ]

All submissions due 11:59pmET   

     *Lecture links to be updated by approx. 6:00 pmET on Mondays   

Aug. 28 - Sep. 3 (week1)

Unit 1: What is Intercultural Communication?       

Learning Objectives: To learn basic definitions for Culture and Intercultural Communication

   Unit 1 LECTURES*  Intro to Course  & Chapter LECTURE    [links to be updated]

Sep.4-10 (week2)        [ Labor Day = 9/4/23 | Add/Drop ends = 9/5/23 ]         

Unit 2: Culture through the Lens of Context

       Learning Objectives: To apply basic structural perspectives commonly used to classify cultures’ ways of being.

Unit 2 LECTURE *        [link to be updated]

Sep.11-17 (week3)           

Unit 3: Microcultural dimensions

 Learning Objectives: To recognize the implications of hyphenated identities

Unit 3 LECTURE*  &  SlideShow:  EXPECTATIONS FOR YOUR ANALYTICAL WRITING     [links  to be updated]

        Sep. 18-24 (week 4)

Unit 4:  Influences from Environment and Space – part 1

            Learning Objectives: To contrast influences and implications in natural and/or constructed environments

Unit 4 LECTURE * [link to be updated]

          Sep. 25-Oct.1 (week 5)

Unit 5: Influences from Environment and Space – part 2

            Learning Objectives: To distinguish world view influences in cultural patterns in how we live  

Unit 5 LECTURE *  [link to be updated]

            Oct. 2-8 (week 6)

Unit 6: Contextual Influences on Perception

            Learning Objectives: To recognize the relativeness of reality and belief systems. It’s a “collective hunch”.

Unit 6 LECTURE *  [link to be updated]

           Oct. 9-15 (week 7)          [ Fall Break = 10/9 & 10/10}

Unit 7: Culture & Identification: Contextual influences on group identity

            Learning Objectives: To understand the influences of Enculturation upon the development of group

           identities  

Unit 7 LECTURE*  [link to be updated]

        Oct. 16-22 (week 8)  probably: Last week to request course withdrawal with professor/dean approval

Unit 8: Verbal Language & Meaning

            Learning Objectives: To perceive the role of messages and meaning in culture and intercultural

            communication 

Unit 8 LECTURE * & Introductory Insert [links to be updated]

        Oct. 23-29 (week 9)

 Unit 9: Nonverbal Communication 

Learning Objectives: To be able to discern nonword-based cues, behavior, and synchrony in cultures and intercultural communication 

Unit 9 LECTURE * [link to be updated]

Oct. 30-Nov. 5 (week 10)

Unit 10: Context & Meaning: Verbal and Nonverbal

Learning Objectives: To comprehend Semiotics and how signs, symbols, and contextual cues function in cultural situations – including Basic Archetypal Situations

Unit 10 LECTURE*  [link to be updated]

 Nov. 6-12 (week11) 

 Unit 11: Cross Cultural Communication Dynamics

Learning Objectives: To explore components and patterns of relationships across cultures including the influence of ethnocentrism

Unit 11 LECTURE * [link to be updated]  [w/ embedded poll]  [video MIGHT contain an embedded poll; if it does not work,  simply re-click the "play" button to continue viewing video]

Nov. 13-19 (week 12)   

Unit 12: Intercultural Problems and Solutions

Learning Objectives: To understand sources and implications of conflict in intercultural communication and ways for managing and/or resolving

Unit 12 LECTURE * [link to be updated] [video MIGHT contain an embedded poll; if it does not work,  simply re-click the "play" button to continue viewing video]

 Nov. 20-26 (week 13)   [this week includes: Thanksgiving)

Unit 13: Intercultural dynamics in “real world” contexts

 Learning Objectives: To recognize the impact of cultural communication in professional contexts

Unit 13 LECTURE * [link to be updated]

Thanksgiving Recess

Nov. 27-Dec. 3 (week 14)  

Unit 14: Intercultural Adaptation—not always easy

Learning Objectives: To apply research and course concepts to pragmatic communication situations

Unit 14 LECTURE * [link to be updated]   ignore January reference]

 Dec. 4-10 (week 15)  

Unit 15: Experiencing cultural boundaries, cultural extensions, and the cultural box

Learning Objectives: To gain pragmatic exposure to one sub-area of intercultural research

 There is no lecture for Unit 15

Dec.11-19 (week 16 & exam week)   {“Reading Day”= Dec 12}

Unit 16: Intercultural Capstone

 Learning Objectives: To gain pragmatic exposure to one sub-area of intercultural research

 There is no lecture for Unit 16 

  Hall_Edward_T_Beyond_Culture.pdf (monoskop.org)

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F.Y.I. Summary: 

Although there will be some adjustments  along the course of the semester, here’s a summary of the regularly occurring “deliverables”. You may want to print this out for reference throughout the semester:

On Mondays – That week’s video lecture is posted- linked to the Semester Calendar – usually by 6-7pm, but sometimes later.

On Mondays– That week’s initial Discussion topic is posted via the Discussion Bd/Forum tab – usually by 6pm, but sometimes later.

On Wednesdays – Students’ posting to initial prompt is due by 11:59pm-ET

On Thursdays  – a Midweek reminder announcement is posted- usually by early afternoon

On Thursdays – That week’s follow-up Discussion topic is posted via the Discussion Bd/Forum tab – usually no later than  6pm.

On Fridays – A timed quiz will be posted via the Quizzes & Exams tab – usually by early afternoon

On Sundays – The timed quiz closes by 11:59pm-ET

On Sundays – Students’ posting to follow-up  prompt is due by 11:59pm-ET

On Sundays – Most major written assignments (such as Reviews, Proposals, Essays) are due by 11:59pm-ET.  Drop off slots are all linked to the bottom portion of the page linked to the “Assignments…” tab.

Please realize that holiday weeks, etc. sometimes will cause changes to this rhythm. Also the Midterm Exam, Final Exam, & Capstone postings will use a different pattern—Those dates are already listed in the Semester Calendar.

There’s a brief grace period built into the deadlines for Disc board items & the longer Written assignments, but not for the quizzes & the Exams.

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