Seward County Community College/Area Technical School
Course Syllabus

1. TITLE OF COURSE: SP1103 - Interpersonal Communications
2. COURSE DESCRIPTION: Three credit hours.  (Three hours lecture.)  IPC or Interpersonal Communications is a special oral and non-verbal communications course which places special emphasis on communication tactics between and among individuals, small groups and speaker audience relationships.  Interpersonal Communications probes the various genres of communication interactions. Pre-requisite: none
3. DIVISION/DEPT/PROGRAM MISSION STATEMENT:
   • Division Mission Statement: The mission of the Humanities and Social Sciences is to foster an appreciation of the role that the humanities and social sciences has played in the evolution of civilized society and to explore the ways that an understanding of theory and practice in philosophy, the social and behavioral sciences, the fine arts, and written and oral expression will enable students to participate thoughtfully in a global society.
   • Program Mission Statement: The Speech Department of Seward County Community College/Area Technical School helps students develop and enhance their communication skills in order for them to contribute more effectively to their academic, community, and work environments.
4. TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS: McCornack, Steven. Reflect & Relate. 2nd. ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010.
5. SCCC/ATS OUTCOMES AND ASSESSMENTS:
   • Graduates of Seward County Community College/Area Technical School should demonstrate the ability to:
     • Outcome 3: Communicate their ideas clearly and proficiently in speaking, appropriately adjusting content and arrangement for varying audiences, purposes, and situations.
       • Students will work with the interpersonal communications model which mostly involves informal circle (round table) communication.
       • Students become better listeners by learning listening techniques and strategies used by research specialists.
       • Students present informal presentations that correlate and exemplify the various communication course probes.
     • Outcome 5: Demonstrate the ability to think critically by gathering facts, generating insights, analyzing data, and evaluating information.
       • Students will engage in various interaction activities based on each communication probe, and explore various problem solving techniques.
       • Students will analyze handouts and data and evaluate various problem solving methods.
   • Mastery of these outcomes will be substantiated by the successful completion of the course with a grade of 76% (C) or better.
6. GENERAL COURSE OUTCOMES AND ASSESSMENTS:
   • Demonstrate knowledge of the Western World basic values beginning with Ancient Greece and to identify major types and classifications of value systems.
     • Students will have this information on the class hand outs, and they will explore these issues through group interaction and examinations.
   • Understand the meanings of self-identity and self-disclosure and correlate the models of the FIRESIDE MODEL and the JOHARI WINDOW.
     • Students will explore these concepts through class interaction activities and computer research analysis.
     • Students will be tested over these areas on the mid term examination.
   • Identify the human perception process of thinking, conditioned responses, lateral thinking, and sublimation.
     • Students will explore these on class hand outs and outside research assignments.
     • Students will interact in games regarding these concepts.
     • Students will be tested over these areas on the mid term examination.
   • Explore various imagination concepts, hypnotism and creative imagination patterns.
     • Students will engage in interaction activities involving these studies.
     • Students will put together (synthesize) these patterns of human behavior.
   • Name various types and patterns of listening behavior.
     • Students will listen to video and audio tapes on this subject and interact later.
     • Students will be tested over these concepts on the final examination.
   • Identify the basic nine areas of non-verbal communication.
     • Students will study hand outs regarding non-verbal communication research.
     • Students will be tested on the final examination over these study areas.
   • Recognize various traits of prejudice and peer pressure in our society.
     • Students will study hand outs regarding these two probes and engage in interaction experimentation games.
   • Understand the messages presented in conflict management situations.
     • Students will view various videos involving conflict management styles.
     • Students will engage in small group dynamics and work out problems involving conflict management.
   • Demonstrate basic knowledge and understanding of the various IPC probes presented during the course of the semester.
     • Students will be tested on these probes on the final examination.
7. TOPICAL COURSE OUTLINE:
   • Self-esteem, Self-identity, Self-disclosure
   • Perception
   • Lateral Thinking
   • Peer Pressure
   • Prejudice
   • Conflict Management
8. INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS:
   • Class hand outs
   • Computer research
   • Textbook resources
   • Audio/video tapes
   • Guest speakers
   • Interaction activities/games/serendipity
9. INSTRUCTIONAL AND RESOURCE MATERIALS:
   • Textbook
   • Handouts
   • IPC Projects
10. METHODS OF ASSESSMENT:
    • Class written examinations
    • Class interaction responses
    • Class attendance/participation
11. ADA STATEMENT:
    • If you believe that you are entitled to special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Dean of Student Services at 620-417-1016 or visit the office located in the Hobble Academic Building.
      
    (Revised 1/2011)