Week 1 DQ1
The readings this week talk about about freedom of speech
and the First Amendment. What limits do you think there should be re. freedom
of speech? What do you think of “hate speech” laws? Review at least
one of the freedom of speech websites listed in this week’s reading materials
to help develop your response. Remember to also respond to the postings of your
classmates. Finally, let’s keep it civil! This is a potentially divisive topic,
but it can be discussed respectfully.
Week 1 DQ2
This week’s material has ten videos that comment on regional
speech. Please watch all the videos and share your reactions. How has regional
communication worked in your life?
Week1 DQ3
One thing that makes this course different from other
courses you’ve taken is that you need to record, save, and upload videos of
your speeches and interview. For some students, this will be easy because
you’ve either done this kind of thing before or you pick up on this kind of
thing easily. For others, this may not be the case. Therefore, please start
working on this skill set this week; don’t wait and take a chance on not
getting it and not submitting your first video correctly and on time.
Please record, save and upload a quick practice video on
YouTube. It can be very brief and on anything you want. It’s ungraded, but
please post a response here, including the link to your practice video, after
you’ve done it. If you want, you can delete it after this week. The important
thing is that you know how to do it. Also, don’t just upload an existing file.
Part of the process is recording, saving the recording as a distinct file, and
uploading.
Finally, please set your videos as Unlisted, not Private. If
they are Unlisted, only those of us with the link can view them, not the whole
world.
Week2 DQ1
This week looks at several areas of nonverbal communication
such as body movement, eye contact, touch, voice, and others. What is your
assessment of your nonverbal strengths and weaknesses? What are some nonverbal
behaviors you will pay more attention to now, both in yourself and others?
Week2 DQ2
Read this week’s material about the causes of poor listening
and complete the activity.
According to your results, what are the primary causes of
your listening challenges?
What can you do to be a more empathic listener? A more
attentive listener? A better active listener?
Week2 DQ3
Attached please find the electronic version of ‘s
Achiever magazine. There is an article titled “The Irreverent Voice of
Iran” about a graduate.
Achiever
You can also see a video clip of his appearance on The Daily
Show
Daily Show interview
What are you thoughts about using communication in this way?
Do you enjoy satire as a form of communication? Do you think
it can be an effective way to handle serious material?
Week3 DQ1
Please complete the Self-monitor Test, found in this week’s
material.
Self-Monitoring
After you complete the test and got your score, discuss the
following questions.
1. What was your score on the assessment? What does this
mean? Are you a high, medium, or low self-monitor?
2.Do you believe this is an accurate reflection of your
self-monitoring behavior? Why or why not?
3. Do you see yourself as adapting to the situation or do
you “act like yourself” regardless of the situation? Why or why not?
4. Why is the concept of self-monitoring important to
understanding interpersonal competence?
Week3 DQ2
Take a look at these questions suggested as starters in the
United States.
Questions for Reflection
How many of these do you use?
Do you believe these are effective conversation starters?
Why or why not?
Are there some starters that you would avoid?
When are you most likely to need conversation starters?
Week3 DQ3
In this discussion, please post a link to your Introduction
speech, the one you submitted as the first graded assignment. Please post early
in the week, as soon as you read this.
Also, please provide feedback to at least two of your
classmates. Tell them what you liked about their speech and what suggestions
you have for improvement. Include specifics and don’t be shy about making
suggestions. It’s the way we learn.
Please provide feedback to students who don’t already have
two reviews. If everyone already has two, you can be the third reviewer or
check back in a day or so.
Week4 DQ1
Please consider this week’s reading on Interviewing.
How can you apply this material in your own life? What do
you think are some of the key elements?
Week4 DQ2
Please consider this week’s material on groups and meetings.
How can you apply this material in your own life? What do
you think are some of the key elements?
Week4 DQ3
The following Web sites are useful sources for potential
speech topics.
Allyn & Bacon offers a topic selector tool.
Or go to Drucker’s My Virtual Encyclopedia at
http://www.refdesk.com/. Scroll far down to the “Top Reference Tools”
in the column on the right, then look under “Encyclopedias.” This
comprehensive site also includes hundreds of links to newspapers, TV and radio
sites, online publications, Census information, photos, reference and archive
materials, as well as how-to, entertainment, and a “potpourri” of specialized
information and trivia sites.
How Stuff Works at http://www.howstuffworks.com/ offers
feature articles plus a search under categories such as Auto, Science,
Entertainment, People, Computer, Electronics, Home, Money, and Travel.
What do you think your speech will be about? What are your
plans for research?
Week5 DQ1
Search YouTube for your favorite media interviewer (search
their name and interview) and watch a clip. Consider the following:
What types of questions did the interviewer ask? Did you
hear open questions that encourage an answer that is longer than a word or
brief phrase (e.g., “So what happened next?”), closed questions that
ask for a brief answer (“Did you see anyone else flee the scene?” ),
or both?
How did the interviewer show nonverbal interest and support
to the interviewee? Did the interviewer maintain eye contact? Did the
interviewer and interviewee show synchrony in their nonverbal movements?
Who talked more, the interviewer or the interviewee? Did the
balance of talking time appear appropriate?
Were there interviewer behaviors that were potentially
unhelpful, such as giving advice on a matter of personal choice or preference,
rather than helping the interviewee arrive at his or her own conclusion?
Given what you now know about interviewing, do you think
this person is an effective and ethical interviewer?
Week5 DQ2
This week’s material has links to many terrific sites, and I
know that not everyone will have time to visit them all. Please select one of
the links, check it out, give a brief summary, and tell your classmates what
you think of it. Was the information helpful? If you viewed a speech, did it
help you understand something new? Since there are such a variety of links
available, your commentary will depend on its purpose.
I do ask that each student do something different.
Considering the variety of links available, that shouldn’t be a problem
Week5 DQ3
Please post a link to your interview as a response to this
discussion.
Please watch the interviews of at least two of your classmates
and give them some feedback. Try to give both positive and constructive
comments. Consider things like the questions used, use of follow up questions,
nonverbal communication, etc.
I want everyone to have at least two reviews, so post your
link early in the week. When doing your reviews, select students who have fewer
reviewers so that it balances out.
Week5 DQ4
Based on this week’s material. how will you prepare for your
persuasive speech? How will you adapt your speech to your audience?
Consider the attitude/background of your listeners towards
your topic and how you plan to approach the assignment. Read ahead to see the
assignment guidelines in Week 7 so that you have a suitable topic.
Week6 DQ1
Please post the outline for your persuasive speech.
Classmates should review at least two outlines and provide feedback. I suggest
posting the outlines early in the week to allow time for feedback and possible
changes.
When you are ready to give feedback, please choose a student
who doesn’t have at least two feedback postings yet. If everyone already has
two, then you can be the third responder or come back the next day to see if
there are any new postings.
Week6 DQ2
Please post your PowerPoint slides to get feedback before
you submit the assignment for grading. Same guidelines apply as for the
outlines: two feedback responses, etc. Based on the feedback from your
classmates, you might decide to make some changes before you submit the slides.
Be sure to give feedback on both the design and the content
of the slides.
I realize that not everyone plans to use PowerPoint when
delivering the persuasive speech, but developing the slides is good practice
for other times, such as when you give a presentation at work. During your
actual persuasive speech, if you don’t use PowerPoint, plan to use some other
visual aids such as a poster or flip chart.
Week6 DQ3
Please post a link to your informative speech.
Please watch the speeches of at least two of your classmates
and give them some feedback on their speech. Try to give both positive and
constructive comments. Consider things like the content, organization, and the
delivery.
I want everyone to have at least two reviews, so post your
link early in the week. When doing your reviews, select students who have fewer
reviewers so that it balances out.
Week7 DQ1
Choose a persuasive speech from any other public figure,
watch a video, and evaluate the speech based on the factors such as these:
appropriateness for the occasion and the audience
vocal quality
body language/gestures
language used
persuasive strategies used and their effectiveness
What do you think was the main goal of the speaker? Do you
think there were secondary goals? How well do you think the goal/s were
achieved?
Week7 DQ2
I assume that most students are now aware of at least one
public figure who has “blanked out” during an important speaking
situation. Has this ever happened to you? If so, what do you think may have
contributed to it? What can you do to lessen the chances of it happening?
Week8 DQ1
By now I think you are all familiar with the peer review
conference topics. Please post the link to your persuasive speech. Please watch
and review at least two of your classmates’ speeches. Choose a student who has
fewer than two reviews. (If, by the end of the conference dates, everyone
already has at least two reviews, then go ahead and be the third reviewer for
someone). Be sure to watch the speech with an analytical eye. It’s nice to tell
your classmates that they did a great job, but in order for us to grow and
improve, we need to know our areas to work on.
Week8 DQ2
As you prepare your Reflection Paper, think about what
you’ve learned about speech communication. What are some of the most important
things you’ve discovered? What did you learn about your strengths? What are the
areas you need to keep working on? What progress have you made since the class
started?
Week8 DQ3
Now that you’ve complete Foundations of Oral Communication,
I’m interested in your feedback.
Are there content areas that you would like to see covered
in more detail?
Are there areas that we didn’t cover but you think should be
included?
Please add a link to any valuable resources that we might be
able to add to future sections of SPCH 100.
