Spring 2008/Pasadena
CO503
Gordon

CO503: ADVANCED COMMUNICATION (Two Units). Carolyn L. Gordon.


DESCRIPTION: This advanced course is designed to help seminarians develop professional communication skills, especially in the preparation and delivery of spoken messages. Students will develop skills in lecturing, debating and rhetorical discourse and in media/technology usage. Special attention will be given to the use of audio and visual technology in public presentations. Enrollment is limited to ten students.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Course objectives are that students would grow

  1. in their understanding of Christian communication;

  2. in their understanding of the differences between lecturing and common public oratory;

  3. in their understanding of how media and technology usage can enhance oral presentations;

  4. in their ability to prepare and deliver spoken messages clearly and relevantly to a contemporary audience; and

  5. in their ability to debate issues and handle public rhetorical discourses in a Christian manner.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: The spoken witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ has always been a primary means of communicating the faith. It continues to be a powerful tool for planting and nurturing faith in Christ.

COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet once a week for two-hour sessions. There will be opportunity for individual conferences with the instructor outside of regular class time to evaluate the video-taped presentations. PLEASE NOTE: Class attendance is mandatory. If the class is over-subscribed, the first two persons on the waiting list should attend the first class session in case there are openings due to dropped registrations.

REQUIRED READING:
Brown, Sally. Lecturing: A Practical Guide. Rutledge Falmer, 2002.

Fortner, Robert S. Communication, Media, and Identity: A Christian Theory of Communication. The Communication, Culture and Religion Series. Rowman & Littlefield, 2007.

RECOMMENDED READING:
Whalen, Joel. The Professional Communication Toolkit. Sage Publications, 2006.

ASSIGNMENTS: Three oral presentations will be prepared and delivered:
  1. One lecture (30 minutes)

  2. One rhetorical discourse on a contemporary issue impacting Christianity and/or the church (10 minutes).

  3. Participation in a formal debate (30 minutes) (60%).
Outlines and self-assessments will be presented for each of the presentations (20%). Regular class attendance, preparation for class, completion of reading assignments, and participation in discussions are required (20%). Any absences must be excused and may require some additional work.

PREREQUISITES: CO500.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: The sequence of CO500 and CO503 together meet the Communication requirement (COMM) in MA programs.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.

This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (1/08)