CMST &210 Interpersonal Communication (#5190) –Winter 2025 - Lotze
Public Speaking Gator
Course Information
CMST &210 – Section 5190 Interpersonal Communication – Winter 2025 – (5) Credit Hours
Prerequisite: Eligible for ENGL& 101 or instructor consent
Instructor Information & Response Times
Sherry Lotze
Email: slotze@greenriver.edu
Response Time: Within 24 hours during normal business hours Monday – Thursday
Office Hours
Office hours are by appointment to accommodate student's needs. Please email me in Canvas to arrange a ZOOM session at a time that is mutually convenient.
Special Note:
Please use Canvas for all email correspondence with me. Using Canvas protects your privacy, marks all emails with your full name, class and section number and notifies me that I have an email to read.
If using your GRC student email address (and not Canvas) please include:
Your full name and/or nickname you asked me to use
The class name (CMST 210) Interpersonal Communication
Subject Line that briefly describes your question or comment
I cannot respond to non-Green River email addresses.
Please do not email any assignments directly to me. Assignments submitted to me via email will not be accepted and will be deleted.
Assigned Texts & Required Course Materials
McCornack, S. (2015). Interpersonal communication and you: An introduction. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins.
ISBN 978-1457662539
required text book.jpg
Required Materials
Canvas access for course supplements, information, assignments, and submissions.
Internet and other tools: Reliable Internet access for Canvas either from home or on campus.
Technical Requirements
Here is what most students need in order to take an online course, at a minimum:
Access to a computer at home or school.
The access speed should be very fast and through a TV cable or a high speed line or through a fast modem.
Comfortable e-mail user; skilled with e-mail attachments.
Comfortable downloading software or plug-ins
Able to save files in a variety of formats (.rtf, .docx, .jpg, .png, etc.)
Skilled at using Microsoft Word and word processing software for academic use
Ability to use the Canvas Learning Management System.
If you cannot do the above, then you are not a good fit for this online class. I do not provide any technical support or assistance with any of the above; you will need to know how to do them. Take some training before this class if you must, but if you come to the class not knowing how to use and access Canvas or how to do the minimum requirements, above, you’re setting yourself up for failure.
Course Description
CMST& 210 - Interpersonal Communication
Credits: 5
Provides insight into communication that occurs in personal relationships. Reviews the purpose and methods of interpersonal communication in order to better understand and control communication behavior, and thus more effectively manage communication outcomes in interpersonal relationships.
Eligible for ENGL& 101 or instructor consent.
Satisfies Requirement: Humanities/Fine Arts/English.
The goal of this course is to help you become a better communicator. We will explore interpersonal communication concepts and skills that can enhance your relationships with family, friends, and co-workers. You’ll be given the opportunity to hone these skills and apply these ideas through online activities, research, and reflective assignments.
Some of the topics we cover can be uncomfortable—we have to dig deep into real world issues and our emotions to get to the core of what makes us function in the world and in our relationships. I put a heavy focus on social media, gender, identity, and pop culture’s effects on interpersonal relationships. If you are not comfortable with this, then this is not the class for you. This class is heavily reflective.
Modality Statement
This course is a hybrid course which means part of the class will be held in person in a class room and part of the class will be online without a set time to attend. Classes will occur at the time listed in the class schedule (Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 - 12:00 am, in Cedar Hall room 205. This class requires your engagement and participation in activities and assignments.
Learning Outcomes
Campus-Wide Outcome
Critical Thinking - Critical thinking finds expression in all disciplines and everyday life. It is characterized by an ability to reflect upon thinking patterns, including the role of emotions on thoughts, and to rigorously assess the quality of thought through its work products. Critical thinkers routinely evaluate thinking processes and alter them, as necessary, to facilitate an improvement in their thinking and potentially foster certain dispositions or intellectual traits over time.
Program Outcome
The Communication Studies department has determined that students should:
Create messages appropriate to the audience, purpose, and context.
Course Outcomes & Assessments
Successful students should demonstrate the following by the end of the course.
Identify interpersonal communication vocabulary for self, perception, conflict, verbal communication, nonverbal communication, listening, conflict, and relationships.
Participation in discussions, written and creative assignments, and exams.
Summarize how and why humans communicate interpersonally.
Compare and contrast interpersonal communication choices.
Evaluate the communication process in interpersonal contexts.
Model competent (appropriate, effective & ethical) interpersonal communication.
Assignment Overview
Assignments and points are subject to change, to leave room for adjustment that best supports student learning. Please take responsibility for your education. Check Canvas to familiarize yourself with the assignment details, assessment criteria and due dates.
Quizzes The quizzes are based on the text for the course and designed to assess the learning objectives for the module. The due dates for quizzes and other information are listed in the assignment section in Canvas. You have one (1) attempt for each quiz with no time limit.
Self-Reflection Exercises: You will be provided with prompts to help you make meaningful connections between concepts learned in this course and your personal life. You will apply insights from course discussion, activities and readings to your real-life close relationships.
Discussions: One of the objectives of this course is to model competent (appropriate, effective and ethical) interpersonal communication. To that end, you will be provided with structured prompts based a variety of materials including videos, podcasts, assessments, and activities to help you make meaningful connections between concepts learned in this course and your personal life. You will be expected to model appropriate, effective and ethical interpersonal communication.
Relationship Analysis Paper: As a culmination of what you’ve learned throughout the semester, you will write a relationship paper that analyzes an important relationship in your life (friend, work, family, romantic partner) by applying relevant interpersonal communication concepts from text and class (additional research is not required).
Conflict Analysis Paper: As a culmination of what you’ve learned throughout the semester, you will write a comprehensive paper analyzing interpersonal conflict in a movie by applying relevant communication concepts from text and class (additional research is not required).
Please do not email any assignments directly to me. Assignments will be submitted in Canvas. Proper instructions and submission requirements are provided when the assignment is made and available on Canvas. Assignments submitted to me via email will not be accepted and will be deleted.
Participation
A hybrid class is not a “work at your own pace” class. You have attendance requirements each week to be an active participant in the group discussions (and avoid failing the course).
Participation is essential in this course. Your presence in class is vital for group success. If you fail to participate in discussions, fail to respond to others, you miss the community building aspect of this course – and you will not pass. Supportive, thoughtful involvement enhances your learning and provides crucial support for other students.
If you find something is holding you back from completing assignments, you need to let me know (such as an emergency, an accident, serious illness, etc.). I can provide assistance if I know about things in advance (proactive) rather than afterwards (reactive). I need to hold you to the deadlines and assignments in the class, but extenuative circumstances sometimes occur. (But just being unprepared is not an extenuating circumstance!)
I am able to track when you log on, for how long, and what you do in Canvas. Thus, if you tell me that you logged on for two hours a day, it’s pretty easy to verify.
If you have not participated for three weeks (not consecutively, but throughout the quarter), I will do my best to notify you that you are about to fail the course and that you should probably withdraw. A withdrawal is always better than a failing grade.
Attendance
I take attendance for administrative purposes and record keeping. Your attendance is based upon your attendance during class sessions and logging statistics from Canvas (when you log in, how long you’re logged in, etc.).
Late Work
All work is due before the date and time posted on Canvas. You are responsible for meeting the deadlines for assignments and quizzes as listed in the Canvas. You may submit late work once during the quarter. Beyond the one allowed late assignment, late work will not be accepted without prior approval. Please submit the Request to Submit Late Work form to request approval for your late work.
Extra Credit
Opportunities for extra credit are explained and a part of specific assignments, with more information provided on Canvas.
The philosophy behind extra credit is that it offers an opportunity for students to learn more about the discipline to further their interests in that field of study. Extra credit is not an entitlement, especially to make up for missed assignments, lack of responsibility for meeting deadlines, or poor academic performance.
You may accumulate up to 15 extra points during the quarter.
Online Communication and Learning
My Commitment
I am committed to communicating with you throughout this class. Our shared communication is vital since I will not likely see you in person. Therefore, I am online frequently. I am available by email weekdays, and my office hours are listed above. My goal is to respond to you within 24 hours during the weekdays.
Your Commitment
I expect that you will be online frequently for hybrid course. You should check the Canvas course daily, and your Canvas email at least every 48 hours. You should check your Canvas email or your @mail.greenriver.edu student email account every 24 hours during weeks that we have a major assignment due.
Learning in the Hybrid Course
Your Canvas course is set up into weekly Modules, which is designed to give you a multifaceted and thorough learning experience. Each week, you should start by checking the module for that week to see what you need to complete.
Grading Scale
Please use Canvas to keep track of your grades through the quarter.
Scores will be updated on Canvas, but not always in a timely manner, so please keep track of your own grades, participation, and attendance. Your grades are calculated at the end of the quarter for submission to registration.
Your GPA in Canvas may be misleading! Any missed or incomplete assignments are not “zeroed out” until the end of the quarter. Therefore, your grade may appear higher than it actually is.
Grading Statement: Grades will be assigned according to the course grade breakdown (see below). The total points earned as a percentage of the total points possible will determine a student’s final course grade.
Grading Scale
Decimal (%) grade
Scale Grade
Description
96 - 100
4.0
Superior knowledge of subject. Ability to teach subject. Very few errors. Can work with little supervision in subject area.
94-95
3.9
93
3.8
92
3.7
91
3.6
90
3.5
89
3.4
88
3.3
87
3.2
Above average knowledge of subject. Able to help others. Works with some supervision in subject. Few errors. Strives to improve.
86
3.1
85
3.0
84
2.9
83
2.8
82
2.7
81
2.6
80
2.5
79
2.4
Acceptable knowledge of subject. Understands the subject.
Some errors.
78
2.3
77
2.2
76
2.1
75
2.0
74
1.9
Knowledge and competency with only some areas of subject. Needs assistance to complete work
73
1.8
72
1.7
71
1.6
70
1.5
69
1.4
Problems with time issues, effort,
comprehension, and/or knowledge
68
1.3
67
1.2
66
1.1
65
1.0
Please review the information in the following link. If you need course accommodations. develop an accommodation plan with a counselor in Disability Support Services and then meet with me to discuss the program.
Course Policies, Procedures, and Resources utilized by every Green River College Course
This document is available in alternative formats to individuals with disabilities by contacting Disability Support Services at 253-833-9111, ext. 2631; TTY 253-288-3359; or by email at dss@greenriver.edu.Green River College is an equal opportunity educator and employer. Learn more at www.greenriver.edu/accessibility.