Communication 15
COMPUTER-MEDIATED COMMUNICATION
Fall 2013

Instructor: Anna Martinez, M.A.
Office #: Soc 38 (southeast side of campus)
Office hours: Tuesday/Thursday 12:15-1:15, Friday 9:30-12:30
Phone #: 638-3641 ext. 3680    Email: anna.martinez@reedleycollege.edu
Note: I plan to respond to your emailed questions within 48 hours. 
Class web address: http://blackboard.reedleycollege.edu – find the Comm 15 class listing and click it.
Required Textbook 
Thurlow, Crispin, Laura Lengel, & Alice Tomic. Computer Mediated Communication: Social 
	Interaction and the Internet.  Los Angeles: Sage Publications, 2004. 
You may purchase this book at the bookstore on the Reedley College campus (available as soon as August 12).  However, if that is not convenient for you, you will likely find it on various book-selling websites.  Purchase it as soon as possible, or you will fall behind in class rapidly.  There will be a copy on reserve in the Reedley College library soon, but it must stay in the library and there is a limit on the length of time for which you may use it each time.
Course Advisory
It is recommended that you be eligible to take English 1A (already completed English 125) at the time you take this course.  This course involves substantial reading and writing and requires research and organization skills that will be an incredible challenge for you if you are not eligible for college-level English.        
Since this is an online course, it is also recommended that you have good basic computer skills.  It is expected that students in an online class have working knowledge on things like navigating websites, using search engines, word-processing, etc.  If you are in any way intimidated by computers or using the internet, please do not take this course until you have brushed up on these skills.
You will need access to a computer and an internet connection.  A dial-up modem with a minimum connection of 56K speed is required.  A DSL, broadband or T-1 line is preferred.  Assignments will be submitted using Microsoft Word .doc format or as Rich Text .rtf format.  If you do not have Microsoft Word, you can download Open Office Writer for free at http://www.openoffice.org/.  Using Open Office Writer, save your document as Microsoft Office XP with .doc as the format.                                        
Course Description and Outcomes 
From email to social networking to online dating, new communication technologies have changed the way people build and maintain relationships. The course explores several areas of study related to computer-mediated communication including historical perspectives, relationship formation online, online dating, hyper-personal communication, the sociology of social networks and online communities, families and online communication, privacy and safety issues, and the convergence of mass and interpersonal communication.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
A.	make effective use of the major online communication technologies including, but not limited to, social networks, email, blogs, and the 3D Web. 
B.	demonstrate the social implications of the changing face of interpersonal relationships maintained in part or in whole through computer mediated communication.
C.	collaborate effectively on tasks utilizing online tools.
Assignments
(For more details on these assignments, see the Assignments tab in Blackboard.  For due dates, see the Schedule under the Course Information tab in Blackboard.)	
Quizzes (50 points each for a total of 200 points) 
You will take six quizzes containing some mix of question types (short answer, essay, multiple choice, true/false, etc.) at various points in the semester.  These will be open-resources quizzes (you may use the book/notes/Blackboard lesson material) that will require you to think beyond traditional memorization of facts.  The specific chapters and material covered on each quiz will be announced to you when the quiz is revealed.  They are not timed, and you will always have the week to work on them (work, save your responses, come back, work, save, work, submit).  You will take the quizzes under the Quizzes section of the Assignments tab in Blackboard.   
Quiz #1 – Chapter and activity material -- 50
Quiz #2 – Chapter and activity material -- 50
Quiz #3 – Chapter and activity material -- 50
Quiz #4 – Chapter and activity material -- 50
Quizzes total 200 
Papers

1.  Journals (25 points each for a total of 150 points) 
You will write several one-page “journal” entries of your interpersonal experiences at home, work, school, etc. that are related to concepts from our class topics.  You will benefit more from these writings if you analyze the interaction, instead of simply reporting what happened. You can also write on your reflections of the online class discussions and exercises. Examples of what to discuss in your journals will be covered at the start of the week in which they are do.  You MUST cite at least one quote from the book in each entry to supplement your writing (including the page number) – relate the quote to your life experiences.  There will be a total of six (6) different entries due at various times during the semester. You will turn these in to me in the Journal section of the Assignments tab in Blackboard.  Each entry is worth 25 points and should be one complete page in length, double-spaced (about 400 words).  
2.  Term Research Paper (125 points) 
This is a 4-5 page, double-spaced research paper (about 1600-2000 words) applying some aspect of computer-mediated communication to your life.  Examples of topics to explore will be given to you as the due date approaches.  A minimum of 4 references is needed. References include books, scholarly journal/periodical articles, magazines, credible websites, etc. Topics must be approved by the instructor.  I consider this paper to be the culmination of what you will have learned up to the due date for this assignment (and in some cases, an exploration beyond into what we have not yet covered) so I expect it to be thorough.  You will turn this paper in under the Term Paper folder via the Assignments tab in Blackboard.
3.  Group Project Analysis (75 points)
     After the group project is completed, you will turn in a 2-3 page (800-1200 words), double-spaced paper detailing the pros and cons you experienced working online with your group.  The paper should include things that went well, problems you had, unexpected surprises, etc.  You will turn this paper in under the Group Project folder via the Assignments tab in Blackboard.	
Papers total 300
Projects  
1.	Individual Project (150 points)
You will be given several project ideas from which to choose.  Some will involve creating, some will involve analyzing, some will involve writing, some will involve interacting with others not in your class, and some may involve any or all of the above and more.  You will engage in the project activity and report out to your classmates on your experiences.  These will be turned in under the Individual Project folder under the Assignments tab in Blackboard.
2.	Group Project (150 points)
You and your group members will create a webpage for a specific communicative purpose using some fairly easy, free webpage creation sites I will announce later.  You will have several categories/types/themes from which to choose when you design your site.  After creating the site, you will make it available to the rest of the class.  These will be turned in under the Group Project folder under the Assignments tab in Blackboard.    
Projects total 300
Participation 
To reap the benefits of this class, “attendance” online is essential.  You will likely need to login to the class at least 3-5 days each week and spend a good amount of time in discussions, lessons, and activities.  This portion of your grade includes adequate “presence” online completing activities, maintaining a professional demeanor, etc. as well as all discussion forums.  Therefore: 
•	Students are expected to participate in classroom learning activities as assigned and participate in class discussion forums.  Specifics on how and how often you should be posting to the discussion forum will be posted under “Participation” when you click the Assignments button in Blackboard. 
•	Students are expected to read other students’ forum postings and class work as appropriate. 
•	Students are expected to give feedback and comments on certain assignments that their peers have completed.  
•	Rude online behavior is unacceptable.  Any student who engages in “flaming” (online name-calling, hate speech, etc.) toward the instructor or another student will find this behavior has a detrimental effect on your participation grade, as well as your right to remain in this class.  Opinions are welcome, but they must be posited appropriately.  I reserve the right to block you from discussions or ask you to not post if your online behavior becomes disruptive. 
•	Students are required to adequately complete all assigned readings, exercises, assignments, and discussions. 
Participation total 200
Additional points (Optional – Max. total of 50)						
You will be given the opportunity to do an additional point assignment for your grade.  Several assignment options will be given to you, and you may choose any one of them.  The assignment will be due at the end of the semester.  Additional points are privileges given to students by instructors, not rights.  WARNING:  Your eligibility to do one of these assignments will be revoked if you do not turn in all three of the major assignments of the class (e.g. individual project, group project, research paper).
Grade Distribution 
Final grades will be based on the following scale:
900 & above=A, 899-800=B, 799-700=C, 699-600=D, 599 & below=F.
You will always be able to check your current grade in the class on the Blackboard website. 
Late Assignments
	MY LATE ASSIGNMENT POLICY IS A STRICT ONE!  I do not waste valuable time dealing with reasons or excuses for late work.  Good news: I will accept late work within a certain time frame.  Bad news: Regardless of reason, late work will be given a penalty.  In other words: even if your computer or internet connection stops working, you are sick, on a college-sponsored trip, or dealing with hard times at work or home, you WILL receive a penalty if any of your work is late.  If you find yourself turning in a few late assignments this semester, I advise you to take advantage of an additional point assignment.  Specifically:
o	Some assignments (such as quizzes and the group project) will be “locked” after a certain amount of time forbidding you from posting to or accessing them.  In the interests of security and fairness, if you do not complete the assignment in the given amount of time, there will be no other chances for you to do so, and you will miss out on these points.  If the group project is late, all members will receive a zero on the assignment.
o	I grant a grace period of one week (with a 10% reduction in grade for the assignment) for all individual assignments (papers, individual project, discussion forums, etc.).  If these assignments are not turned in before this grace period is over, there will be no chance to earn these points.
Since many online students do their work on the weekends, most of your assignments will be due on Sunday evenings.  I will always let you know on the website specifically when your work is due, and you can check all of the dates anytime by looking at your Schedule document under the Course Information tab in Blackboard.
Drop Policy
	If you fail to post your introduction message to the discussion forum by the end of the first week of class, I will drop you from the course and add someone from the waitlist.  Additionally, within the first nine weeks, if you do not access the website for more than two consecutive weeks of class without notifying me that you still desire to be in the class, I will drop you from the course.  
Advice
The college’s policies regarding student conduct in classes, including cheating and plagiarism, are located in the college catalogue and the schedule of courses.  You should be aware of these policies and abide by them.  Be aware that I may run your paper through anti-plagiarism software (e.g. Turnitin.com, SafeAssign, Google) if I suspect plagiarism.  If plagiarism is detected, I may also go back to re-evaluate work you have previously submitted for the course.  
Students with disabilities are reminded that it is your responsibility to identify yourself to the Reedley College Disabled Students Services and to your instructor(s) so reasonable accommodation for learning and evaluation within the course can be made.
Extra help 
Please feel free to visit our Writing Center online.  The nice thing about it is that the tutors offer online assistance – you won’t even have to go in!  Their website is: http://www.reedleycollege.edu/index.aspx?page=500. 
Also, if you find yourself needing help with Blackboard, they have a 24-hour telephone help line.  The phone number is in the top header always present in Blackboard: 1-866-401-7784.
A Note on My Teaching Style
In an online class, I expect students to assume total responsibility for informing themselves on announcements, lessons, and assignments.  It is also your responsibility to monitor your progress in this class.  I do not email students individually to inform them of their grades or hound them to turn in late work — I expect that they are checking their grades and upcoming assignments themselves.  It is a good idea to keep all graded assignments that I send back to you as proof of your status, at least until you receive your final grade at the end of the semester (that’s good advice for all of your classes).

Let’s become better communicators!