CMST&220 Public Speaking 14683
Summer 2026
Instructor Information
Instructor’s Name: Rod Mattson
Instructor’s Office (Bldg – Room): 16-03
Instructor’s Office Hours/Student Hours/Drop-In Hours: Zoom by appointment
Instructor’s Email Address: rmattson@highline.edu
Instructor’s Office Phone: Email only
The best way to contact me is email, I will respond within 48 hours
What are Office Hours/Drop-In Hours
I am on Campus this Summer on Wednesdays only 12:30-4:00PM. I am in the classroom 12:45
to 3:45, if you want to visit, come before or after class in room 14-101. Also, you are welcome
and encouraged to email me for a zoom appointment.
Course Information
Note: This is a Summer class 2026. We will complete an eleven week course in eight weeks.
Watch carefully for due dates. Don’t get behind because we have no time to “catch up.”
Department: Communication Studies
Item (Section) #: 14683
Class meets (days - times): Online June 22, 2026 through August 12, 2026
Class Meeting Location: Online
International Student In-Person Class Component
To comply with the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) requirements for F-1
international students, this class is not fully remote. Rather, there will be an in-person
component, as follows: one in- person meeting with the instructor or a designated faculty
member, which will be from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on July 22, 2026 in 14-101. Attendance is
optional. All students in the class are invited to attend.
2
Course Description
Students will develop practical presentation and deliver a variety of speeches suitable for
many settings such as the workplace, community and school. Speaking competence is
developed including use of audio-visual materials. Note: If taking this course online, please
note that recording of speeches with others will be required. Public Speaking (CMST&
220) aligns with Highline’s Effective Communication Core Competency.
Placement Eligibility English 101
Course Note Completion of CMST& 101 with at least a 2.0 can be used for eligibility.
Course Overview
Practical presentation skills in which students develop and deliver a variety of speeches suitable
for many settings: job, community and school. Speaking competence is developed including use
of audio-visual materials. Note: If taking this course online, please note that recording of
speeches with others will be required.
If you said it, it doesn’t mean they heard it.
If they heard it, it doesn’t mean they understood it.
If they understood it, it doesn’t mean they will remember it.
This foundation of this course is based on the following values:
• Empathy
• Cooperation
• Humility
You must be able to “buy in” to these values for this course to be successful for everyone.
You will engage is several activities to increase your Public Speaking and communication skills. We (the
Students and the Instructor) will create a “safe” environment in which you will learn and practice the art
of Public Speaking. You will read, understand, and observe communication skills. The foundation for
this course is theory, practice, and observation. You will practice the skills in a “lab” setting. This course
will develop any current skill level to a higher level. The growing process of this course will result in
competent demonstrations of Public Speaking to your classmates and increased self-confidence.
Course Purpose
Communication is the essence of everything we do.
This course is designed to give you a basic understanding of Public Speaking and how it affects
human interaction. Good communication skills are highly prized in STEM fields in addition to
family, friends, work, and in the community. After successfully completing this course, you will
gain self-confidence, self-efficacy, and real life experiences in your improved skills of Public
Speaking.
Course Key Learning Points
✓ The ability to “speak up” is a skill that must be practiced for maximum effectiveness.
3
✓ Good ideas go unshared and poor decisions are made because of poor communication
skills.
✓ Elements of communication are important in all areas of our present and future lives.
✓ Effective Public Speaking can lead to better grades, better jobs, job promotions, and raises.
“A man who has the knowledge but lacks the power to express it clearly is no better off than if he
never had any ideas at all.”—Pericles, 5th Century BC Athens
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will successfully construct research-based, audience-centered informative and
persuasive presentations.
Students will effectively deliver non-researched speeches of various types and lengths.
Students will implement strategies to manage speaking anxiety.
Students will apply delivery techniques to enhance audience engagement and comprehension.
Students will effectively incorporate appropriate audio-visual aids into their presentations.
Students will analyze and critique their own and others' performances, based on objective
criteria.
Course Prerequisites
READ 091 min 2.0 or ENGL 091 min 2.0
Course Text(s) and Other Required Materials
Required:
No textbook to purchase. We will use an open sourced textbook:
I will post a PDF of the entire text book in the Week One Module
Optional:
Harnessing Your Fear of Public Speaking, Mattson
It is available on Amazon and BVT Publishing: www.bvtpublishing.com
Computer & Canvas access.
If you do not have your own computer, then there are a number of labs on campus,
including in the Library and the Computer Center in Bldg 30. The Library also loans
laptops. This course is supplemented with the campus-wide database called Canvas. You
will find PowerPoints, assignments, and other course resources on our Canvas site. There
are Canvas apps available for mobile devices.
Recording Device.
Since this is an online class, the speeches will be delivered using technology—Canvas. And
other times recorded using your own recording device (camera, cell phone, tablet, laptop,
4
or desktop). This class does require access to a camera for recording speeches (i.e. laptop,
cell phone, tablet, or computer lab on campus). You will also need to have a location in your
home to deliver the speeches without distractions.
How to Succeed in this Course (Expectations for Students)
Students often ask me, “What do I need to do for a successful experience.”
I tell them, three things: You must look at and read “Announcements” often, read assignments,
and follow instructions.
These are non-negotiable. This is college.
Announcements: During the weeks, I post “Announcements” often. If I see a trend in
assignments not going well, I will post clarifications. If I change due dates, I will post in
Announcements with plenty of lead time, but if you don’t read them right away, you get no
lead time. It is how I communicate with the class on a weekly basis.
Reading Assignments: Reading and writing are core skills needed for college degrees. Most all
of your university transfer courses and all your major courses at the university require lots of
reading and writing. I pay special attention to these skills so you are better prepared to be
successful at this level and the next.
I assign chapter reading and post reading materials in the modules. You must read them so you
are able to complete the assignments successfully; however, I can easily tell when you don’t do
your reading by your performance and/or questions. Do yourself a favor, avoid unnecessary
stress, and do your reading.
Follow written instructions: Last, is the ability to follow instructions. It is a very important skill
for your lifetime in the organizational world. As a former business owner and manager at a two
major corporations, the ability to follow instructions cannot be underestimated. It is a key
value of all organizations. You must be able to read, comprehend, and follow instructions. If
something isn’t clear to you, ask questions until it is clear. You can be a very skillful person on
the job, but if you can’t follow instructions, you are of no more value to that organization than
if you didn’t show up.
I provide templates and rubrics for assignments. The instructions are clear, follow them. When
I post instructions to not change a template, don’t change it. If I ask you to not bold or use
italics, then don’t use them, if I ask you to number your questions, then number them, if I ask
you to say, “according to” before each citation, then do so. You get the idea. If you can do your
reading and follow instructions, you will earn the grade you desire without a lot of stress.