Course Syllabus


Print Syllabus
Course ID: COM263
Title: Elements of Intercultural Communication
Modality: Mixed Media
Credit Hours: 3.00

Course Section Information

Institution: Rio Salado College

Section: 22223

Term: Spring 2015

Start Date: 1/20/2015

Weeks: 12

Last date to withdraw: None

Instructor: Franklin Berry

Course Materials

Be sure that you have all the necessary materials prior to the start date of your course.

Required Textbook

Title: Intercultural Competence: Interpersonal Communication Across Cultures
Author: Lustig
ISBN: 9780558133238

Rio Salado College has developed a unique Textbook Savings Program that uses customized textbooks and saves students up to 50% off the original price of textbooks. This textbook is included in the Textbook Savings Program and has been customized specifically for this course at Rio Salado College by Pearson Custom Publishing so that it contains information most relevant to the course. Your course materials are available through the Rio Salado College Bookstore. All materials should be verified by ISBN before purchasing at the Rio Salado Bookstore (480-517-8710 or 1-800-584-8775 or http://learnatrio.com/RL-bookstore) or from another seller.

Course Description and Competencies

Official Course Description
Basic concepts, principles, and skills for improving oral communication between persons from different minority, racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.
Official Course Prerequisites
None
Official Course Competencies
  1. Identify the nature, elements, and impact of culture.
  2. Assess one's own cultural self-awareness in relation to comparative or contrast cultures.
  3. Identify and describe the basic elements of the communication process.
  4. Identify potential barriers to communication and describe how to avoid them or manage them in a variety of situations.
  5. Describe the relationship between culture and communication and explain its impact on interpersonal, group, and public communication.
  6. Compare similarities and differences universal to all cultures.
  7. Describe the process of perception and the perceptual problems most commonly found in cross-cultural encounters.
  8. Describe the nature of stereotyping and prejudice, explain how they edit or control one's behavior, and identify strategies to overcome them.
  9. Describe the nature of racism and ethnocentrism, explain how they edit or control one's behavior, and identify strategies to overcome them.
  10. Demonstrate skills and strategies for dealing with similarities and differences in perception.
  11. Identify communication breakdowns which stem from perceptual differences.
  12. Assess different learning styles and approaches to learning.
  13. Describe the impact of culture on how we think and respond to our world.
  14. Describe how culture impacts everything we do.
  15. Describe language as the verbal codes of behavior and explain problems related to language differences.
  16. Identify and describe similarities and differences in verbal and nonverbal behaviors across cultures.
  17. Demonstrate the skills necessary for effective cross-cultural interactions as a sender.
  18. Demonstrate the skills necessary for effective cross-cultural interactions as a receiver.
  19. Identify and describe the steps of culture conflict and culture shock.
  20. Identify cycles of adjustment.
  21. Describe issues and problems in intercultural communication.
  22. Identify the impact of intercultural communication and the role of training effective cross-cultural communicators.
  23. Identify changes in the national and global environments which necessitates the study of intercultural communication.

It is expected that students will complete the course competencies by also accomplishing the following college competencies:

College Level Reading Skills: The student will demonstrate comprehension of written materials through application of specific critical reading techniques appropriate to the type of written materials and purpose of the reading task.

College Level Writing Skills: The student will demonstrate the ability to write effectively as the means to higher order thinking and a more critical understanding of experience. In keeping with this goal, he or she will be able to follow directions, generate sufficient content, organize his or her thoughts coherently, adhere to the conventions of correct mechanics and sentence structure, and use correct terminology and rich vocabulary in the fulfillment at the college level of his or her writing assignments.

College Level Critical Thinking Skills: The student will demonstrate the ability to analyze information, evaluate material, use inference to draw conclusions, use deductive reasoning, and use inductive reasoning at a college level.

Course Requirements

  1. You must complete all assignments in the course, at an acceptable level of quality, to get a passing grade.
  2. Exam: There are two required exams for this course, an At-Home Midterm Exam and an At-Home Final Exam. Please check your Grading Scale and Calendar of Due Dates.
  3. Note: You must earn an average of 60% on the midterm and final exams in order to pass the course.
  4. All assessments for this 12-week course must be submitted at a pace that follows the policies listed in the Course Syllabus section titled: Assignments and Due Date Policies.

Time Requirements

Remember that this is a three credit-hour class. As such, you will need to dedicate significant time to this course. Plan to spend at least three hours on course content and at least six hours on homework for a total of at least nine hours each week. Be prepared to double your weekly class and study time if you choose an accelerated calendar.

Grading Response Time Standards, Procedure and Scale

Grading Response Time Standards

Please read at the start of the course:

If you need to reach your instructor, you can also contact the Instructional Helpdesk, and they will call your instructor to request that he or she get in touch with you as soon as possible.

Grading Procedure

It is important to review the criteria forms that will be used for grading assignments and for assessing Journal Entries, so that you will understand how assignments will be graded. These criteria forms are included in the Appendix section of your course packet. We expect every students to produce his/her original, independent work for these assignments or a grade of 0 points will be given.

There are 500 possible points for this course.

Assignment 1 25 points
Assignment 2 25 points
Assignment 3 25 points
Assignment 4 25 points
Assignment 5 25 points
Journal Assignments 1-5 25 points
At-Home Midterm Exam - Objective Questions 50 points
At-Home Midterm Exam - Essay Question 50 points
Assignment 6 25 points
Assignment 7 25 points
Assignment 8 25 points
Assignment 9 25 points
Assignment 10 25 points
Journal Assignments 6-10 25 points
At-Home Final Exam - Objective Questions 50 points
At-Home Final Exam - Essay Question 50 points
Total Points Possible = 500 points

Grading Scale

Letter grades for assignments, examinations, and the course will be determined by the following scale:

450 - 500 points = A (90% - 100%)
400 - 449 points = B (80% - 89%)
350 - 399 points = C (70% - 79%)
300 - 349 points = D (60% - 69%)
0 - 299 points = F (0% - 59%)

Note to students: You must earn an average of 60% on the final exam in order to pass the course.

Please Note: The grading procedure for this course is based on the total number of points possible.

The grading scale is administered equally to all students in the course. Do not expect to receive a grade higher than that earned by your total points. There will be no “point adjustments” made for such things as “class participation” or other subjective factors. The policy of this course is that all assignments will be graded using the assignment criteria form.

There is no "Extra Credit" available for this course.

Assignments and Due Date Policies

There are only 3 specific due dates for this course, but there are 7 policies regarding active participation and the progress you need to make on completing assignments. You can choose specific due dates for yourself (as long as these dates reflect the following policies) that enable you to decide how to fit this course work into your busy life. You can accelerate the course work, and complete it before the 12th week of the semester, but you must finish by the 12th week. Students who want to accelerate faster than 6 weeks for the entire course need to makes sure they are following all course policies and must ask and receive permission for this acceleration from the instructor. If this permission is granted it will be based on several variables, including previous successful experience with online instruction, the assumption that quality original work will be submitted for every assessment, and the instructor’s discretion. The course cannot be completed and graded faster than 4 weeks without department approval. Work that is submitted at too fast a rate will be give 1 point as a place holder indicating the need for permission for acceleration before work is graded.

Special Note: We expect every student to produce and submit his/her original and independent work. (See Plagiarism policy below.)

Due Date Policies

  1. For effective teaching and learning to occur, you need to study a lesson and complete and submit an assignment every week before your end date. While it is up to you to decide which day and when this fits best into your schedule, it is not recommended to wait several weeks to submit an assignment or between submitting assignments. If this occurs, your instructor may then communicate with you the need to establish a set due date schedule, eliminating the offered flexibility.
  2. Assignments 1-5 and Journal Entries 1-5 must be submitted in order and are due to your instructor for grading and for return to you, before you take the At-Home Midterm Exam. This is required for good teaching and learning and is important for feedback that increases student learning. Students who do not submit any work for more than two weeks during the first half of the course will be considered inactive and must follow a specific due date plan from the instructor in order to pass the course with a grade of D or higher.
  3. The At-Home Midterm Exam must be taken by the last date indicated on the course calendar, unless another date was previously approved by the instructor. The At-Home Midterm Exam will not be graded and will not be considered as submitted on time if Assignments 1-5 and Journals 1-5 are not submitted and graded prior to the work on the At-Home Midterm Exam. Instructors need at least 3 days to grade these assignments before the student should submit the At-Home Midterm Exam.
  4. Assignments 6-10 and Journal Entries 6-10 must be submitted in order and are due to your instructor for grading, and for return to you, before you take the At-Home Final Exam. This is also important for feedback that increases student learning. Students who do not submit any work for more than two weeks during the second half of the course will be considered inactive and must follow a specific due date plan from the instructor in order to pass the course with a grade of D or higher.
  5. The At-Home Final Exam must be taken by the last date indicated on the course calendar, unless another date was previously approved by the instructor. The At-Home Final exam will not be graded and will not be considered as submitted on time if assignments 6-10 and Journals 6-10 are not submitted and graded prior to work on the At-Home Final Exam. If the At-Home Final Exam is taken before the other assignments are submitted and graded, the score on the At-Home Final will be deducted by 10%.
  6. A student who has not turned in the first assignment by the end of the second week of the course may be dropped as 'non-participating.'
  7. Students may NOT turn in more than two assignments at one time, and cannot be more than two assignments ahead of the instructor returning graded assignments and feedback back to them.

Final Grade Options

  • Letter grade (A, B, C, D, F)-awarded if the student completes all work, including the final exams.
  • Extension (in lieu of Incomplete grade) - Students may request an extension because of illness or other extenuating circumstances, if they have been doing acceptable work. The instructor will define the requirements and timelines to complete the course.
    Please Note: Instructors are not obligated to give extensions.
  • Withdrawal-Students may submit a withdrawal request on or prior to the “Deadline for Student to Withdraw with Guaranteed Grade of W” indicated in the college catalog.

    Students should not contact their instructor to request a withdrawal. A student wishing to withdraw from a class within the stated timeline must do so by visiting my.maricopa.edu or by calling Student Enrollment Services at 480.517.8540 (1.800.729.1197 toll-free). In extreme circumstances, students do have the option of requesting a complete withdrawal from the college by providing Student Enrollment Services with appropriate documentation.

  • Credit/No Credit Option (P/Z)-This course may not be taken on a credit/no credit basis.

Late or Missing Assignments

Assignments that have due dates are due on time according to the due dates. If you need to request an extension for an assignment, a request must be made to your instructor by voicemail at least one week prior to the due date.

Late points may be applied at the instructor's discretion.

Exams

There are two required at-home exams (At-Home Midterm and At-Home Final) for this course. Please review the "Grading Procedure and Scale" portion of your Syllabus for details. Your course materials may give specific information about these exams and make suggestions for test preparation.

Hints for Success

  1. Homework Labeling: Clearly label EVERY PAGE of your homework with your name, the course number, section number, your instructor’s name, and the homework’s name as it appears in the syllabus. Preferably, this labeling will occur in the top right-hand corner of each page. Make and keep copies of all your submissions.
  2. Homework Feedback: On your homework, your instructor may circle or highlight words, phrases, or sections that could be improved or corrected. It is your job to think through the possible reasons for a change/correction, referring back to your text, course guide, dictionary, or other grammatical reference material. This feedback focuses on the technical aspect of your message. You are to learn how to edit by examining the circled item and attempting to determine how it could be improved.
  3. Rough Drafts: Some of the lesson’s assignments (part A) serve as rough drafts for that lesson’s assignment. Take careful note which assignments will need feedback before submitting the corresponding assignment (final draft).
  4. Feedback Schedule: Student homework and exams are routed to your instructor on a weekly basis. This completed work is also sent back to you with instructor feedback on a weekly basis.

Copyright Acknowledgements

Some images used in courses are licensed as follows: Accunet/AP Multimedia Archive, http://www.clipart.com, http://www.jupiterimages.com, EBSCO Image Collection.

Untitled Document

Submitting Assignments

All assignments are listed under the "Reading Assignment" box and in the "Assessing Your Learning" section.

Note to students: Keep a copy of everything that you submit. That way if your work is lost you can submit your copy for grading. If you don’t receive your graded assignment or quiz results within two or three weeks after submitting it, please contact your instructor.

The due date listed in your course calendar is the last date on which an assignment can be delivered to the Course Support Office, or postmarked.

Distance Learning Drop Box

Distance Learning students can now drop off class assignments (in an appropriately addressed envelope) and return library books, videotapes and/or cassettes at the Distance Learning Drop Box.

The Drop Box is conveniently located along the curb in front of the Rio Salado building at 2323 W. 14th  Street in Tempe.

Mailed Assignments

All mailed assignments must be properly addressed and mailed with adequate postage. Please remember all correspondence to Rio Salado College must have a return address, an addressee, and the correct postage. The U.S. Postal Service may refuse delivery if any of these three are missing. All items placed in the Rio drop box must have a return address and an addressee. Please keep a copy of all work turned in to your instructor. Assignments will not be accepted if postage is due. If you are unsure of the postage required, take the item to the post office and have it weighed.

Include the course section number and assignment identifier on the envelope below your name and return address. Envelopes that are labeled incorrectly can cause a delay in processing your work. Address your envelope as shown in this example:

From:

Your Name:  Jane Q. Doe
Your Address:   1234 Anywhere Street, Anytown, AZ
Course and Section Numbers:   GPH111, Section ______
Assignment Identifier:   Essay 1

To:

The Course Support Office Rio Salado College
P. O. Box 63310
Phoenix, AZ 85082-3310
Attn: (Write your instructor’s name here)

Your section number can be found in your "Welcome Letter".

The Course Support staff cannot answer questions about the receipt of specific mail-in assignments. Only your instructor can do so.

Note to students: Please submit only one assignment in each envelope. The special envelopes provided to you by Rio Salado are only for computer answer sheets. Please mail all other assignments in separate envelopes.

Note to students: The U.S. Post Office no longer offers Sunday or holiday mail posting, and pick-up does not automatically mean that your envelope will be posted the same day. To be safe, allow extra time: mail early.

Faxed Assignments

Assignments may be faxed to (480) 377-4728 for print and mixed media courses. Your name, your instructor's name, and the course name and section numbers must appear at the top of every page. When the Course Support Office receives assignments, they are sent to your instructor for evaluation. Once your instructor has graded your assignment, he or she will return it to you.

Protect your hard work. Again, clearly label every page of your assignment with your name, the course and section numbers, your instructors name, and the name of the assignment as it appears in the syllabus.

Course Completion Policy

A student who registers for a Print or Multimedia course is assigned a start date and an end date. It is the student's responsibility to note due dates for assignments and to keep up with the course work.

Students may request an extension because of illness or other extenuating circumstances, if they have been doing acceptable work. The instructor will define the requirements and timelines to complete the course.

Please Note: It is the prerogative of the instructor to decide whether or not to grant the request.

Library Services

The Rio Salado Library is committed to student success and provides a variety of materials and services to enhance student learning.  Utilizing Rio’s online library for your research is the best way to ensure that your sources are validated, authoritative, and appropriate for college-level coursework. Librarians are available to help you at all times via our Ask a Librarian live chat service. You can access all library services at www.riosalado.edu/library.

Academic Misconduct

Academic Misconduct includes cheating, conspiring to cheat, soliciting to cheat, attempting to cheat, plagiarism, fabrication on an assignment, or other forms of dishonest presentation.

Posting assessments on an unauthorized web site, soliciting assessment answers and the unauthorized acquisition of assessments, assessment answers, or other academic material is cheating. Turning in content created by essay generators or other types of artificial intelligence platforms is also academic misconduct.

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the use of paraphrase or direct quotation of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling or sharing of term papers or other academic materials. Information gathered from the Internet and not properly identified is also considered plagiarism.

We expect every student to produce his/her original, independent work. Any student whose work indicates a violation of the MCCCD Academic Misconduct Policy at https://district.maricopa.edu/regulations/admin-regs/section-2/2-3#11 (including cheating and plagiarism) can expect sanctions as specified in the college catalog.

Rio Salado College uses software that uncovers plagiarism from student to student and other data sources on the Internet. If a student is found to have plagiarized content, grade consequences will be applied in accordance with departmental policies.

Civility Policy

The faculty of Rio Salado place a high value on the importance of general ethical standards of academic behavior and expect that communication between students and instructors or among students shall maintain the level of formality and mutual respect appropriate to any college teaching/learning situation.

Language or behavior that is rude, abusive, profane, disruptive, or threatening will not be tolerated. Activity of this type is Academic Misconduct as defined in MCCCD Policy AR 2.3.11. Students engaging in such behavior will be removed from the course with a failing grade. Additional sanctions may be applied pursuant to AR 2.3.11.

Requirement for Active Class Participation

Please note that students may be withdrawn from class for non-participation.

If you receive financial aid of any kind, it is your responsibility to protect your eligibility to receive financial aid by meeting the active participation requirements of this class.

Change of Address

Please notify Course Support at (480) 517-8243 1-800-729-1197 or by email at course.support@riosalado.edu. Please include your name, student number, phone number, and new address including city, state, and zip code.

Classroom Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) and its associated colleges are committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities to students with documented disabilities (e.g. mental health, attentional, learning, chronic health, sensory, or physical). Visit district.maricopa.edu/mandatory-drs-title-ix-syllabus-statements for more information.

Religious Accommodations

Rio Salado College will reasonably accommodate the religious needs, observances, and practices of their students, when requested and the requests are made in accordance with the procedures set forth in ND-4. Any student may request a religious accommodation by making a written request for an accommodation to the appropriate faculty member using the Religious Accommodation Request form. To the extent possible, requests must be made at least two (2) weeks before the requested absence from class due to religious holiday or day of observance.

Disclaimer

Course content may vary from this outline to meet the needs of this particular group.

Student Solution Center

Rio Salado College is dedicated to a quality learning experience and has provided the Student Solution Center webpage, https://learnatrio.com/3DGKHTz, as a resource for students to raise issues to our attention. We look forward to the opportunity to provide an equitable solution to all involved parties. For grading or instructional issues, students should first contact their faculty member(s) in accordance with the Instructional Grievance Process at district.maricopa.edu/regulations/admin-regs/appendices/students/s-6, as published in the college catalog. For non-instructional complaints, students may contact Institutional Integrity and Compliance by submitting the non-instructional complaint form, emailing studentcomplaints@riosalado.edu, or calling 480-517-8505. Students may also contact their state regulatory agency (www.riosalado.edu/about/research-planning/state-authorization/Pages/Agency.aspx); the Arizona SARA Council at azsara.arizona.edu or by email at ldueck.azsara@riosalado.edu; and/or the Higher Learning Commission by telephone at 1-800-621-7440, or email at complaints@hlcommission.org to escalate their concerns.

Contact Rio Salado College

Advisement 480-517-8580, Fax: 480-377-4899
http://learnatrio.com/RL-advisement

Bookstore 480-517-8710 or 1-800-584-8775 Fax: 480-517-8356

The RSC Bookstore does not accept credit cards over the phone. If you want to purchase textbooks with a credit card, including a Citi Prepaid Visa Card, you must either order your books online (http://learnatrio.com/RL-bookstore) or visit the store in person. The bookstore is located in the Conference Center at 2323 W. 14th St., Tempe, AZ 85281. (Major cross streets are Broadway and Priest).

You may also purchase textbooks using the online ordering system.

Cashier's Office 480-517-8334, 480-517-8330, Fax: 480-517-8359

College Safety 480-377-4555 (www.riosalado.edu/about/news-resources/Pages/Safety.aspx)

Computer Labs 480-517-8450 (www.riosalado.edu/locations/Pages/labs.aspx)

Information about Rio Salado College computer labs located throughout the valley. The computer labs are open to registered students and have a variety of software available. Computer courses can also be taken from your home or office if you have the appropriate hardware and software. Some RSC locations have either Knowledge Commons or staff-supported and monitored Computer Labs.

Counseling 480-517-8785 (www.riosalado.edu/counseling)

Counseling for personal concerns that are interfering with your academic success, scholarship information, career planning, job hunting skills, and information or referrals to community services.

Course Support 480-517-8243

Course Support produces and distributes introductory materials such as welcome letters and instruction on how to access their courses to distance learning students and faculty.

Dental Hygiene 480-517-8020 (www.riosalado.edu/programs/dental_hygiene)

The facility is located at 2250 W. 14th St., Tempe, AZ 85281.

Disability Resources & Services 480-517-8562 (www.riosalado.edu/disability_services)

Provides support and services to students with documented disabilities.

Financial Aid Toll-Free: 1-855-622-2332 Fax: 480-377-4702 (http://learnatrio.com/RL-fin_aid)

Grants and scholarships are available to assist eligible students with college expenses. To be eligible for federal financial aid, students must meet application criteria and select a program of study. Applying for financial aid will take at least eight weeks, so begin early!

Grades (www.riosalado.edu/grades)

Honors 480-517-8656 (www.riosalado.edu/honors)

Includes the President's Honor Roll, Phi Theta Kappa, and Honors Program classes with award stipends for eligible students.

Instructional Helpdesk 480-517-8380, Toll Free 1-866-511-8380 (www.riosalado.edu/help/instructional/Pages/default.aspx)

Available to answer questions about your course, help you contact your instructor or your faculty chair, provide Successful Start information, and to help you work through instructional issues that may arise during your course.

Library Services 480-517-8424, Toll Free 1-800-729-1197, Fax 480-517-8449 (http://learnatrio.com/RL-libr)

Library books, DVDs, online databases of magazine and newspaper articles, online encyclopedias, image collections, e-books, reference assistance (phone, in-person, or e-mail).

Registration & Transcripts 480-517-8540, Toll Free 1-800-729-1197, Fax 480-517-8199 (www.riosalado.edu/registration)

Public Safety 480-377-4555

Student Enrollment Services/Student Affairs 480-517-8540 (www.riosalado.edu/current)

Ask for a Student Enrollment Representative to assist with general college information, registration and records information, tuition and fee payment information, transcript requests, pre-requisite approvals, basic course selection, or waivers.

Ask for a Student Enrollment Advisor for assistance with: educational goals and objectives, transcript evaluation, disability services and resources, advisement issues, scholarship and financial aid options, program and admissions information.

Sun Sounds 480-517-8300 http://www.sunsounds.org/

Technology Helpdesk 480-517-8600 http://learnatrio.com/RL-help

Available to help you work through any technological barriers that may come up during your "Online Experience."

Testing 480-517-8560 or Toll Free 1-866-517-8560 http://learnatrio.com/RL-testing

Distance learning midterm/final exams; testing sites, directions, business hours and schedules; exam proctoring for out-of-county students; disability services; placement testing; GED; prior learning assessment; national exams: CLEP, DANTES; degree specific exams.

Testing Information (recorded), 480-517-8558

Tutoring Services 480-517-8247 http://learnatrio.com/RL-tutoring

Tutors help Rio Salado Community College students prepare for tests, learn new concepts, improve study techniques, and answer questions about assignments.

Veteran Affairs 480-517-8153 https://learnatrio.com/RL-military-advisement