Words: 1543
Managerial Communications syllabus part II – Fall 1 2013 Instructor Beverly Pierce Contact Information Email: Please use the “Course Messages” function within the Blackboard site to reach me via email. Do NOT send messages to my Davenport email address. Phone: 708-788-6204 Availability: This is an online course, so please contact me by email first. If you do need to call regarding something urgent, please keep in mind that you are calling my home. See information below.
Public Questions for the instructor: If you have a general question about course procedures or assignments, and you don’t mind if your classmates read it, please use he “Help Desk” discussion forum. I encourage you to use this forum, as other students may have the same question. Private Questions: If you have a private question, please send me an email using the “Course Messages” function within the Blackboard site. Do NOT send messages to my Davenport email address. I typically check for messages at least once a day (and sometimes more often).
Hardware/Software Requirements Please review the information on the “Technical Support” page on the course site for information regarding the computer hardware and software requirements for Davenport University Online courses. Or visit http://www. Davenport. Du/du-online/ student-resources/hardwaresoftwarerequirements (for hardware requirements) and http://www. Davenport. Du/du-online/strenuousness’s/technology/software- requirements (for software requirements).
To protect everyone in the virtual classroom from the potentially devastating effects of computer viruses, it is essential that each participant has and uses an up-to-date antivirus program or regularly scans for viruses using a web-based program, such as http://housecoat. Antivirus. Com. This is a good (free) site for a drive/disk scan. An additional note: The Blackboard platform sometimes does not work well when accessed using the Internet Explorer browser. I recommend that you use the Firebox r Chrome browser to access Blackboard.
Time Requirements This online course is divided into seven weekly sessions; it will require at least twelve hours per week to complete the course assignments. Please note: you may require more (or less) time depending on your personal level of experience with the material, level of experience with computers and the speed of your Internet connection. The online format provides a great deal of flexibility in terms of when you choose to work on the course. However, it is a mistake to think that it will require less time or is easier than a traditional campus-based class.
You will need to make a commitment to work on course materials on a regular basis in order to be successful in this environment. Participation: Successful online learning environments are highly collaborative. Attendance and participation are critical parts of any dynamic learning experience, in school as well as on the Job. Making it a habit to contribute to the activities and discussions on a regular basis will enhance your learning experience and keep you current on information and announcements posted by the facilitator. This strategy is found to be most effective in promoting success�a little every day gets the Job done!
PAP Style & Formatting For listing research sources and creating in-text citations for cited material, Davenport University uses PAP style, based on the 6th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (PAP), which was issued in July 2009. PAP style also stipulates how assignment papers should be formatted. Unless otherwise indicated, all assignment materials submitted by students for this course must follow PAP guidelines for style and formatting. There are excellent resource materials available online through the Davenport Lunch (library). Go to http://www. Pavement. Du/Library/research-services/pap-help. Included are detailed guides, templates and examples. Please familiarize yourself with these materials, and follow the guidelines EXACTLY. Do not lose grade points unnecessarily because your references or in-text citations are listed incorrectly, or your paper does not meet the PAP formatting standards. Methodology Emphasis in this course will be on text readings and resources, active participation in the discussion board (forum), the completion of the required weekly assignments, a weekly Journal entry and a final synthesis paper.
Evaluation & Assessment of Student Learning Students are evaluated on their participation and the quality of their work in completing the following assignments: Weekly Forum Topic Responses & Interactive postings Weekly Journal entry Weekly assignment papers Final synthesis paper Page 3 60 points (weeks 1-6) 40 points (week 7) As an MBA student, you are not only responsible for your own learning, but also responsible to contribute to the learning environment by bringing research, analysis and examples that help everyone construct a deeper understanding of the content than they could do on their own.
Each week you will be asked to contribute to the knowledge base on two (2) assigned topics related to the readings and/or resources for the week. You are expected to go outside the course materials provided and conduct research, and then provide analysis, examples and support for your findings and opinions on the topic. Your contribution to Topic 1 will be due by Day 2 each week, and your response to Topic 2 will be due by Day 4. All postings should meet professional standards in content, grammar / punctuation / writing style and the use of PAP guidelines for reference listings and citation of sources.
Postings should run approximately 300 words (3 paragraphs). Several criteria must be met in order to receive full credit: 0 Your responses must be posted by the due date. 0 Your responses relate directly to the assigned Topic and contribute new information to build our understanding of the concepts. 0 You develop your point(s) with examples and/or appropriately documented research, and exhibit sound research skills employing various tools and library resources such as surveys, Internet sources, databases, etc. (Please note: Wisped is not a valid source. 0 Your responses include original thought-synthesizing information and do not simply copy material from another source. Your responses are written clearly and correctly and follow proper PAP format for references and in-text citations. Topic responses should include at least two (2) previewed reference sources, with appropriate in-text citations. Peer Interaction & Contributions to Discussion Interaction is defined as your contributions to the ongoing “conversations” in the Forums (Discussion Board) each week.
You are expected to provide additional insights, explore differing opinions and present soundly supported, well-reasoned comments that build upon ideas presented by others in the class. The instructor will be looking for insightful analysis, probing questions, and constructive suggestions to each other. Keep thinking from the perspective: How can I add something useful? It may be an experience you’ve had, or a quote from an article you read that relates to the topic under discussion – be creative and use critical thinking skills! Use the following as guidelines for interaction expectations. Your contributions develop the ideas further and bring in new research and/or examples to further develop the topic. Do not waste time by simply agreeing with or repeating another posting. A minimum of two substantial interactive contributions are expected each week to meet the minimum requirements of the class. 0 The postings are to be respectful and supportive in tone. Interactive postings must be completed by Day 7 of each week (except Week 7вЂ?no interactive postings are required in Week 7). Please review the grading rubric provided for the Forum Responses (available on the “Syllabus” page) carefully.
I follow this rubric closely when I grade your Forum Topic responses and your interactive postings each week. It will help you to understand how you can maximize the benefit of participation in the Discussion Board and the read points you receive for your efforts. Weekly Journal Entry 10 points (weeks 1-6) At the end of each week (except Week 7), you will post an entry in the online class Journal. A topic is provided each week for reflection and discussion. Your Journal entry should be about 200-300 words in length and must be submitted by Day 7 each week.
The link for submitting your Journal entry is in the “Learning Hub” menu under “Journals. ” Weekly Assignments, Case Studies and Analytical Papers Descriptions and specific requirements for these written assignments may be found in the “Weekly Materials” page for each week of the class. Grading rubrics for each assignment also are posted on these pages. The points available for these assignments vary each week. Papers should be submitted using the link found in the “Written Assignments” folder on the main menu. When your paper is successfully submitted for grading by the instructor, an exclamation mark (“l”) will appear in the Graybeard.
After your paper is graded, the number of points earned will appear in the Graybeard, and you may click on that number to view instructor comments about your paper. Powering Presentation 80 points You will be expected to prepare and submit a Powering presentation during Week 6 f the class. You will be evaluated on the content of the presentation, the professionalism of the Powering slides, and the speaker notes that outline the verbal presentation you would use to accompany your slides. Final Paper: Art or Science? 100 points The description and specific requirements for the final paper may be found in the weekly page for Week 7.