Interpersonal Communication (COM 120)

Module Author(s)

Emily Moore (Wake Technical Community College)

Course Description

This course introduces the practices and principles of interpersonal communication in both dyadic and group settings. Emphasis is placed on the communication process, perception, listening, self-disclosure, speech apprehension, ethics, nonverbal communication, conflict, power, and dysfunctional communication relationships. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate interpersonal communication skills, apply basic principles of group discussion, and manage conflict in interpersonal communication situations.

Number of Students Enrolled: 22

Student Global Learning Outcomes

1. Review at least four intercultural communication resources and cite at least two examples of cultural differences between the United States and a specific country within Europe and the European Union.
2. Identify at least three ways to practice effective interpersonal communication behaviors in a specific country within Europe and the European Union.
3. Create a digital artifact that demonstrates effective interpersonal communication behaviors as applied to a specific country within Europe and the European Union.
4. Analyze a current or past conflict faced by individuals in a specific country within Europe and the European Union and explain how this conflict meets Wilmot and Hocker’s definition of conflict (2014).

Module Description and Activities

Description of Module:

This intercultural communication module is designed to help students meet course outcomes in COM 120 while also increasing their global awareness. Each student will choose from a list of countries in Europe and will complete four activities designed to help them learn more about intercultural and interpersonal communication within a globalized context. Students will complete a resource review as they begin the module to help them learn more about the culture of the country they have selected. They will use this knowledge to identify several cultural differences between the United States and their selected countries. Next, students will complete an individual project designed to help them extend and apply their knowledge of three core interpersonal communication concepts previously introduced in the course within the cultural context of their selected country. After completing the individual project, the students will be assigned to a small group. Participation in the group will require students to further practice and develop the interpersonal and intercultural communication skills they have learned in the course. Each group will create and share a digital artifact (video, podcast, virtual bulletin board, infographic, etc.) designed to enhance awareness of this region. Finally, students will analyze a current or past conflict faced by individuals within their selected country and will reflect on how what they have learned about interpersonal conflict during the course might be applied in a different cultural setting.

Note: This world region was selected because most of Wake Tech’s current study and travel abroad opportunities involve travel to this region. The list of countries that students will choose from will be based on upcoming study and travel abroad trips, which will hopefully help promote these opportunities as well. This module could easily be expanded to additional world regions.

Global Learning Activities:

Activity 1: Review resource
Activity 2: Intercultural Communication Consultant Report
Activity 3: Intercultural Communication Travel Briefing
Activity 4: Conflict Case Study

For an overview of the module with related resources, please view the COM 120 Interpersonal Communication Globalized Course Module Padlet.

Student Global Learning Activity 1: Resource Review

Objective: Students will review at least four intercultural communication resources and will use what they have learned in the course about cultural dimensions to cite at least two examples of cultural differences between the United States and a specific country within Europe and the European Union.

Procedure: Students will select one country from a list of European countries that are current study or travel abroad options for students at the college. Students will use the COM 120 Global Module Resources Padlet and Wake Tech library resources to learn more about their selected country and its most prominent cultural values and norms. As part of this assignment, students will have the opportunity to interact with an embedded librarian through Wake Tech’s library. After reviewing at least four of the provided resources, students will complete a Resource Review template to document what they learned, including at least two cultural differences between their selected country and the United States.

COM 120 Global Module Resources Padlet (created with assistance from the UNC World View program):

Plain text url: https://padlet.com/WakeTechCandT/com-120-global-module-resources-3q6bpon94cblmk5r

Follow-up and Assessment: Each Global Module Resource Review will be assessed using the criteria noted below.

Study Abroad Cultural Orientation Samples Resource Review (0-25 points)

Review at least one of the resources included in the Study Abroad Cultural Orientation Samples section of the Padlet. Provide an MLA citation of the resource you reviewed. Use a citation builder if needed. Identify at least one thing you learned from reviewing the resource.

Resource from Selected Country Review #1 (0-25 points)

Review one of the resources included in your selected country’s section of the Padlet. Provide an MLA citation of the resource. Use a citation builder if needed. Using the information included in this resource, identify at least one cultural difference between your selected country and the United States.

Resource from Selected Country Review #2 (0-25 points)

Review a second resource included in your selected country’s section of the Padlet. Provide an MLA citation of the resource. Use a citation builder if needed. Using the information included in this resource, identify at least one cultural difference between your selected country and the United States.

General Resources Review (0-25 points)

Review at least one of the resources included in the General Resources section of the Padlet. Provide an MLA citation of the resource you reviewed. Use a citation builder if needed. Identify at least one thing you learned from reviewing the resource.

Student Global Learning Activity 2: Intercultural Communication Consultant Report

Objective: Students will be able to identify aspects of culture and communication in a specific European country. Students will select and recommend effective communication behaviors and skills for travelers to this country to utilize when visiting.

Procedure: Students will combine the information they learn from the Intercultural Resource Review (Activity 1) and other research sources with information on cultural and co-cultural norms and values previously taught in the course to identify at least three communication recommendations for travelers to their selected country. Students will write a “communication consultant report” to share their findings.

Students will identify the most prominent cultures and co-cultures within the selected world region and country and identify where their values most likely fall within the cultural dimensions of:

High vs. Low Context
Individualism vs. Collectivism
Power Distance
Uncertainty Avoidance
Achievement vs. Nurturing

Students will also research other unique cultural aspects, values, and norms of the selected world region and country.

Based on this information, students will provide at least one communication recommendation in each of the following areas:

verbal and nonverbal behaviors
perception
self-awareness

Follow-up and Assessment:

Each Intercultural Communication Consultant report will be evaluated based on the categories noted below. Completion of the Intercultural Communication Consultant assignment will be the student’s “ticket” to join a group for Activity 3.

Introduction (0-20 points)

Introduce the country you will feature in your report. Identify where cultural values within the selected country would most likely fall within the cultural dimensions introduced in our textbook. Be careful not to over-generalize. Note differences between different co-cultural groups within the country.

Verbal and Nonverbal Behaviors (0-20 points)

Based on your knowledge of effective intercultural communication skills, identify at least one recommendation for someone who might travel to your selected country in terms of how they might adjust their verbal or nonverbal behavior.

Perception (0-20 points)

Self-Awareness (0-20 points)

Conclusion (0-20 points)

Conclude by adding one or two additional “Dos and Don’ts” for a traveler to your selected country to keep in mind. These tips can be related to any area of intercultural awareness and understanding. Be careful not to over-generalize when describing cultural differences within your selected country.

Student Global Learning Activity 3: Intercultural Communication Consultants Travel Briefing

Objective:

Students will work with peers to create a digital artifact that demonstrates effective interpersonal communication behaviors as applied to a specific intercultural setting.

Procedure:

Students will be assigned to a group based on the country they selected for their Intercultural Communication Consultant Report. Each group will have the opportunity to review the reports contributed by each member. Then, each group will decide how to combine this work into one creative and cohesive intercultural communication travel briefing that can be shared online. This might be an infographic, a PowerPoint, a video, a podcast, a virtual bulletin board (Padlet), or something else. Each group will decide together how to best present the material as if they were intercultural communication consultants providing information for a group of students preparing to travel abroad.

Follow Up and Assessment:

Each Intercultural Communication Consultants Travel Briefing will be evaluated based on the categories noted below, which mirror the individual portion of the project.

Introduction (0-20 points)

Introduce each member of the group. Introduce the country you will feature in your briefing. Identify the most prominent cultures (and/or co-cultures) within the selected country and identify where their values most likely fall within the cultural dimensions introduced in our textbook. Be careful not to over-generalize. Note differences between different co-cultural groups within the country.

Verbal and Nonverbal Behavior (0-20 points)

Identify at least three recommendations for the study abroad students who will travel to your selected country in terms of verbal or nonverbal behavior.

Perception (0-20 points)

Identify at least three recommendations for the study abroad students who will travel to your selected country in terms of perception.

Self-Awareness (0-20 points)

Identify at least three recommendations for the study abroad students who will travel to your selected country in terms of self-awareness.

Final Tips and Conclusion (0-20 points)

Conclude by adding at least three additional “Dos and Don’ts” for the study abroad students who will travel to your selected country to keep in mind. These tips can be related to any area of intercultural awareness and understanding.

After completing the Intercultural Communication Consultants Travel Briefing, students will be asked to reflect on their experiences completing the group project. In this paper, students will reflect on the project as a whole, describing what they learned as they worked with peers to complete this assignment. The following guiding questions and associated point ranges will be used to assess student work on this part of the activity:

How did you use what you have learned in this course during the group project? Discuss how you used skills you’ve developed in at least three of the following areas: (40 points, 3-5 paragraphs)

Communication Channels
Intercultural Communication
Perception Checking
Empathy
Non-verbal Behaviors
Listening
Emotional Intelligence
Assertive Communication
Conflict Management

What worked best for your group? (20 points, 1-2 paragraphs)

What was most challenging for your group? (20 points, 1-2 paragraphs)

What would you do differently if you had to do this project again with the same group? (20 points, 1-2 paragraphs)

Student Global Learning Activity 4: Conflict Case Study

Objective:

Students will analyze a current or past conflict faced by individuals in a specific country within Europe and the European Union and explain how this conflict meets Wilmot and Hocker’s definition of conflict (2014).

Procedure:

Students will review Hocker and Wilmot’s (2014) definition of conflict as “a struggle between at least two interdependent parties who perceive incompatible goals, scarce resources, and interference from the other party in achieving their goals.” Then, using what they have learned previously during the module, or by conducting additional research, students will complete an analysis of a current or past conflict faced by individuals in their selected country.

Each student’s analysis will include the identification of at least two interdependent parties, at least one perceived incompatible goal, at least one scarce resource (or fundamental difference), and at least one way that the parties perceive interference from each other in achieving their goals. Students will also cite at least one credible source. Finally, students will apply what they have learned about conflict in the course to reflect on how the conflict might have been prevented and/or how the conflict might be resolved.

Follow Up and Assessment:

Students will answer the following questions to complete the analysis and reflection. Their work will be assessed using the point ranges listed below.

What credible source(s) did you use to complete this assignment? (10 points)

Use MLA citation format to identify at least one credible source that you used to complete this assignment. Use an MLA citation builder if needed.

Who are the parties in the conflict? (10 points)

Identify at least two interdependent parties and provide a brief description (1-2 sentences) of each party.

What goal(s) of the parties are perceived to be incompatible? (10 points)

Identify at least one perceived incompatible goal of the parties involved in the conflict and provide a brief description (1-2 sentences).

What scarce resources (or fundamental differences) are contributing to the conflict? (10 points)

Identify at least one way that scarce resources or fundamental differences apply to the conflict and provide a brief description (1-2 sentences).

How do the parties perceive interference from each other in achieving their goals? (10 points)

Identify at least one way that each party in the conflict perceives/perceived interference from the other party in accomplishing their goals and provide a brief description (1-2 sentences).

How might this conflict have been prevented and/or how might this conflict be resolved? (50 points)

Provide your own personal reflections on this conflict, drawing on

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