Summer 2010/Pasadena
Two-week Intensive: August 16-27
CO500
L. Lamb

CO500: COMMUNICATION (Two Units). Lisa Lamb.


DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to introduce students to a Christian theory and practice of the art of communication, and to help them develop their individual skills and gifts as communicators. While we will focus on various forms of spoken address, attention will also be given to interpersonal communication skills.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: Communication is a crucial dimension of leadership, and those who seek to serve and lead the church must develop the skills to communicate effectively, with integrity, creativity, and excellence.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students who successfully complete the course will have demonstrated that they have

  1. developed a biblical framework for communicating with integrity and competence;

  2. identified personal strengths and weaknesses in their own communication style;

  3. grown in their ability to organize ideas and craft language well toward the purposes of informing, persuading, and inspiring audiences, taking into account the unique context of the audience;

  4. developed skill in integrating creative elements and slide-ware into presentations;

  5. improved their physical presence and vocal performance through practice, peer feedback, and observing recordings of their speeches.

COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet daily for two-hour sessions for two weeks. Lectures will be brief, with most of class time spent in the practice of communication, whether in small groups or in speaker-audience settings. Class attendance is mandatory.

REQUIRED READING:
O'Hair, Dan, Hannah Rubenstein, and Rob Stewart. Pocket Guide to Public Speaking. 2nd ed. Bedford/St. Martin's, 2007. (Assigned Portions)

Schultze, Quentin J. An Essential Guide to Public Speaking: Serving Your Audience with Faith, Skill, and Virtue. Baker Academic, 2006.

Students will be required to interact with two websites:
AmericanRhetoric.com (http://www.americanrhetoric.com/)
SilvaRhetorica (http://humanities.byu.edu/rhetoric/Silva.htm)

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT: Each student will give 4 prepared speeches that are five to ten minutes in length (60%), and each student will participate in speaking development in the area of impromptu speaking (5%). Each student will evaluate his or her own communication style in self-evaluations of two of his or her prepared speeches, showing evidence of watching a recording of it (10%). Students will do the reading and will write a three page paper reflecting critically on the reading assigned (15%). Punctuality, attendance and participation in various communication exercises will count for 10%, though penalties will also be assessed for persistent lateness/absence.

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in Preaching and Communication (MIN 2). The practicum may be taken for credit more than once, but no more than one preaching or communication practicum may be taken in any two-week period.

This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (Posted April 21, 2010)