Summer 2013/Pasadena

CO500

Nason

CO500: COMMUNICATION. Doug Nason.

DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to develop communication skills, especially in the preparation and delivery of spoken messages. Attention will be given to speaking situations frequently encountered in ministry: speeches to persuade and to inform, self-introductions, sharing of Christian experience, and biblical messages. Emphasis will be placed on the creation of original material for delivery, writing for the ear instead of for the eye. Questions about voice, gesture, nonverbal communication, and speech anxiety will be considered. The course will use videotape recording. Enrollment is limited to ten students.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND 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.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Course objectives are that students would grow (1) in their understanding of Christian communication; (2) in their understanding of the differences between written and oral communication; (3) in their understanding of the sources of speech anxiety and how to move beyond it; (4) in their ability to prepare and deliver spoken messages clearly and relevantly to a contemporary audience; and (5) in their ability to assess both their own speaking and that of others.

COURSE FORMAT: This class will meet daily for two-hour sessions for two weeks. There will be opportunity for individual conferences with the instructor outside of regular class time to evaluate the video tapes. 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 which develop due to dropped registrations.

REQUIRED READING:

O’Hair, Dan, Hannah Rubenstein, and Rob Stewart. A Pocket Guide to Public Speaking. 4th. ed. Bedford/St Martin’s, 2013. ISBN: 978-1457601842, Pub. Price $31.95 [368 pp.].

Schultze, Quentin J. An Essential Guide to Public Speaking: Serving Your Audience with Faith, Skill, and Virtue. Baker Academic, 2006. ISBN: 978-0801031519, Pub. Price $14.99 [114pp.].

Additional brief readings may be assigned primarily as a basis for class discussion.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT: Four brief oral presentations will be prepared and delivered, each approximately five to ten minutes in length.

  1. There will be a Statement of Christian Experience (ungraded).

  2. A Speech to Inform (15%).

  3. A Speech to Persuade (15%).

  4. A Biblical Message (15%). Outlines will be submitted for three of those messages

  5. and self-assessments for two of them. Each self-assessment will count 15% of the final grade (total 30%)

  6. In addition students will prepare an independent study project in communication, which will count 15% of the final grade.

  7. Regular class attendance, preparation for class, and participation in discussions and classroom activities are required.

  8. Those in-class activities will count 10% of the final grade. All assignments must be completed to receive a passing grade. Any absences must be excused and will require some additional work.

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in Preaching and Communication (MIN 2).

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.


NOTE: This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. Textbook prices are set by publishers and are subject to change.