COM 372 – Theory and Research in Intercultural Comm
Experience
Portfolio (Intercultural Artifacts): Assignment Sheet
Overview: This project replaces the weekly essays I have used for years in my summer version of COM 372. In form, they are much the same—an extended essay of a couple of typed pages (let’s say 2-3, but should be no more than 3). The writing style is less formal (e.g., contractions, “you,” and colloquialisms, even creative writing, allowed). What is important is that you provide practical application of class concepts.
At the
same time, it is different from class essays. In the essays, I have usually had
a guided option: You must choose either A or B. With the Experience Portfolio,
you have more freedom to choose anything from the week to write an application
of, though I will post suggestions on
the daily assignment modules as we go or within the actual “webpages.”
The first entry is re-doable for up to full credit, so that we can make sure we are on the same pages. However, I will also post some of my own applications as we go on my “intercultural blog.” Sorry—I’m not very high tech yet, so my blog will not be real polished until I can get some web training. I’ll probably just keep this on the Internet (where it is much easier to update than on Blackboard!).
To promote civic engagement, it is nice to adopt a cause in your local community (Boys and Girls Clubs; Big Brother/Big Sister; Home Sweet Home Mission; Partners in Reading; International Friends “Conversation Partners” with English Language Institue students, Alternate Spring Break, etc) and participate regularly in the same activity, writing all of your applications from that. I think that a consistent engagement in a cause or in someone’s life has more of an impact than an occasional “drop-in” into their lives. However, I will accept in addition to (or instead of) ongoing volunteer participation a variety of out-of-class experiences in which you do a variety of things out of the class. At least one of them (if not all) must involve some form of civic engagement or community participation—not just attending some seminar and sitting in the audience. I will mark the CE artifact in the gradebook; final grade for Experience Portfolio can be adjusted beyond the specific grades of each artifact, depending on the level of civic engagement (one meets the standards—less is below the standards, and more is above the standards). At least one artifact must be an evaluation of one of our theories, using appropriate evaluation terms (I recommend this for Artifact 4).
There should be a variety in the final set of entries—so, not all reflections of your trips around the world. Consider an international movie, attending a cultural event in your community, taking out an international friend, and so on, so that you have a variety of experiences in your “experiential” portfolio! J
The Specifics
v Artifacts (or Entries) (20 pt each, x 4): An artifact is an example of a class concept that occurs in everyday life. More specifically, it is an experience or text (e.g., video, news article) with an explicit application of class concepts. This semester, we will have four artifacts, which can be turned in at any time, but one each week. At the bottom of this link, I will keep a log of possibilities for out-of-class experiences that I learn about or that class members share with me, as well as possible application ideas that come to mind for various class concepts. But be creative—you can come up with your own ideas!
· Brief description, with relevant reference(s) of a concept covered in class
· A description of the artifact (event, advertisement, conversation, website, etc.
· A clear application that connects the concept to the artifact (e.g. provide an example of how the artifact illustrates the concept.
· Some artifacts will be “guided”—that is, with a specific topic! Watch the week’s announcements to be sure!
While each artifact will receive its own grade for completeness and appropriateness of application, I reserve the right to alter final 100-point grade to reflect overall effort of artifacts, diversity of artifacts and class concepts covered, and inclusion of civic engagement. A grading rubric appears below.
Objectives: Through this assignment, you should:
Practice and demonstrate your application skills (applying actual class concepts, terms, to your personal experiences, communication)
“Experience” intercultural communication in some way beyond the concepts (a goal is to get you away from your computer and out into the everyday world of message exchange, though you can also analyze computer-mediated communication!)
Be able to see elements of culture within communication all around you
Grading: Each assignment will be worth 10 points. Grading will be based on the grade sheet that appears below. You do not need to provide the grade sheet, as I tend to type my comments…since no one can read my handwriting.
Some
Notes:
Try to keep the artifacts on the topics we are concentrating on currently (e.g., within each 1/3 of the semester). That way, you can also use them for test prep.
The first artifact can be revised for up to full credit, as we come to an understanding of the detail and nature of the assignment.
I will allow these to be turned in electronically, though be sure to provide for me a copy of any text used or link to on-line text. I will try this for a while and see if it works. Be sure to keep copies of all graded assignments until your final grade is verified.
You can really gear the assignments for what you want out of the course or your major. For example, if you are a PR major, you can analyze some PR messages; if you want to do training in organizations, you can analyze a video segment of a small group in action, and so on.
Feeling a bit exhibitionist in your leanings? Create a blog for your journal (readers can read one another’s blogs but will not see any grading). This would also be a way to “participate” in class.
Please identify artifacts by ISUID only, rather than by name.
Some Artifact Ideas
·
Involved in volunteer work? Apply one of the
models of communication or the dialectic tensions to a specific interaction
(these should work even if the interaction doesn’t seem to be “intercultural”)
·
Attend a seminar or an event regarding culture
(see below). Imagine, for example, what “Black” culture would be if one used
each of the different types of definitions of culture. Which definition do you
think the speaker or presentation takes, and why?
·
Take one of the frameworks or values (e.g., Hofstede’s axes) and apply them to an interaction.
Preferably, this will be a current interaction, not something you remember from
your sophomore trip to Tijuana. For example, for your “civic engagement,” you
could sign up and get an “international pal” from the English Language
institute. Try to find out about the person’s culture and then reflect based on
what she or he tells you. Or go to the Nicaragua presentation (mentioned below)
and use the class handouts (that you receive W in class) to try to determine
from the explanations where Nicaragua might fall on each of Hofstede’s
axes.
Around Town
Every summer, there are lots of cultural events around ISU campus, in town, and, possibly, in your own community, if you are taking the course from beyond Normal. Rather than continually updating this link, I will post an on-line site for artifact ideas and cultural events in town! But please feel free to send me your own ideas! You can propose your own artifact ideas or tell others about events in town!
Here are important links:
· Baldwin’s (Inter)Cultural Blog: [Just a sample, so far!—and the on-line version has pics] http://www.ilstu.edu/~jrbaldw/372\InterculturalBlog.htm
· Artifact Ideas around Town: http://www.ilstu.edu/~jrbaldw/372/372Journal_Ideas.htm