INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

CMST 227 9:30am Class

Winter 2017

Instructor: Lawrence Massey Course Website: http://faculty.spokanefalls.edu/AutoWebs/default.asp?id=2437

Class Meetings: 9:30am - 10:20am; Daily, Jan. 3 Mar. 22, 2016
Office Hours: Bldg. 24/241: Weds, 11:30-1:00 and by appointment
Email: larry.massey@sfcc.spokane.edu (this is the best way to reach me)

Washington State Student Rights and Responsibilities Rules: http://spokanefalls.edu/Resources/StudentLife/StudentConcerns.aspx?

page=PV4

Required Textbook:
Samovar, Porter, McDaniel and Roy. 2017. Communication Between Cultures (9th Ed). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
(ISBN: 978-1-285-44462-8)

[There are two copies of the text available in the library at the Course Reserve desk, in-library use only. They can be checked
out for up to two hours.]

C O U R S E L E A R N I N G O U T C OM E S

Students who successfully complete this course will:

Learn to honor and share their own culture while developing a capacity to be inclusive of many other cultures
Progress from an ethnocentric toward an ethno-relative state of understanding and acceptance of cultural differences
View cultural differences objectively and understand that differences are not hierarchical
Identify and appreciate the beliefs, values, and norms of their own culture, and recognize and articulate differences and
commonalities in dominant cultural patterns
Demonstrate increasing ability to communicate with non-native speakers, as well as persons who exhibit a different
worldview, value system and communicative style
Analyze and synthesize large amounts of disparate information to produce relevant, insightful presentations
Seek out information from a variety of sources, including print, media, personal interviews and site visitations such as
the internet, museums, restaurants, schools and organizations
Evaluate information gathered about a culture in light of its being valid or stereotypical in nature
Show respect and interest in the activities of guests and other class members
Equally share the responsibility for group presentations

Course Requirements:
College-level reading and writing skills, regular participation, and effective communication skills in English are essential to
success in this course. As this is a reading intensive course, a COMPASS reading score of 80 or higher or an ASSET
reading score of 40 or higher is recommended.

G R A D E S A N D A S S IG N M E N T S

Grading Criteria: All grades that you receive on assignments in this class will be rendered as a numerical grade on the 4.0
scale. To ensure that you understand what scores mean in this class, you should use the scale below:

Percent % ~ 4.0 Scale Comparisons

A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D F
93/4.0 92/3.9 89/3.6 85/3.2 80/2.9 79/2.6 75/2.2 72/1.9 69/1.6 65/1.2 <63/0
91/3.8 88/3.5 84/3.1 79/2.8 78/2.5 74/2.1 71/1.8 68/1.5 64/1.1
90/3.7 87/3.4 83/3.0 78/2.7 77/2.4 73/2.0 70/1.7 67/1.4 63/1.0
86/3.3 76/2.3 66/1.3
 There are four graded aspects of this class:

Graded Elements Course Value

Class preparation and participation 30%
Cultural Identity Paper 25%
Group Project 25%
Section Exams 20%
Total 100%

Class Preparation and Participation: (30%)

I strongly believe that 200-level classes should involve a high level of student responsibility and commitment. So . . .
Participation is an essential and required part of this course. In order for class to be productive and interesting, you must keep
up with reading assignments. Your class preparation/participation grade will be calculated based on your performance on
Chapter Quizzes on reading assignments, (worth 65% of participation grade), and your informed contribution to class
discussion of course concepts and involvement in impromptu in-class activities (worth 35% of preparation/participation
grade). Obviously, poor attendance would preclude doing well in your participation grade.

The Chapter Quizzes will ask you to recall a key aspect of that chapters reading assignment in our text
prior to our discussion/lecture about it in class. As the quizzes will contribute 20% of your total course
grade, doing well on them makes doing well in the class as a whole a much more likely outcome. You
should expect one for each chapter we cover. All ten Chapter Quizzes throughout the quarter will be in
short answer format. Your lowest grade on the Chapter Quizzes will be dropped, with the remaining nine
averaged for your quarters quiz grade. You can effectively prepare for the Chapter Quiz question by
keeping up with the reading assignments by the time they are due.

Success in this class is absolutely dependent upon keeping up with the assigned reading by the date it is due.

Cultural Identity Paper: (25%)

Six to eight-page, double-spaced paper on how your culture/s shapes you and your communication. This paper is designed to
allow you a member of possibly many cultures, co-cultures, and social groups an opportunity to examine how your own
cultural and social identities affect you and your communication behavior. You will be required to decide how your own
cultural, social, and personal beliefs, values, and norms affect the ways you communicate with others, and to tie your findings
to course concepts. Your paper will be evaluated based on your level of insight, your demonstrated understanding of course
concepts, and the quality of your writing. Further details will be discussed in class.

Group Project: (25%)

The project is designed to investigate cultures that we, as a class, believe should be better understood. You will be assigned to
groups of 4-5 people based on which culture(s) you prefer to study. Each group will read information about its culture of
interest, interview members of that culture, if possible, and observe cultural displays in order to determine the ways in which
the culture affects its members communication. Each group will give a 30-45 minute presentation that includes a presentation
of cultural components and conclusions that the group has drawn regarding how the make-up of that culture influences its
communication. Your group presentation will be evaluated based on the completeness, nature and quality of the information
you present to the class, as well as the quality of the presentation itself. Further details will be discussed in class.

Those students who achieve the most success in this project are those who accept the nature of group responsibility and who
prepare, communicate, and perform effectively in their group work. As in other realms of the real world, groups in this
class have the ability to fire non-productive or unreliable members.

Section Exams: (20%)

There will be 3 section exams throughout the quarter on the dates indicated in the syllabus. These exams will cover the
chapters in Communication Between Cultures that have been assigned by that point in time. The Section Exams will consist
of approximately 50 true/false and multiple choice questions. A Scantron form and No. 2 pencil will be needed to take the
exams.

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 POLICIES

Academic Integrity & Classroom Conduct: You should know that plagiarism and cheating of any other kind are serious violations
of your contract as a student and will be treated severely. The minimum consequence of plagiarism or any other form of
cheating is failing this course; with a report filed with the Dean of Students. It is important for you to understand that
plagiarism is any representation of another persons words or ideas in a manner that makes it appear as if they were your own.

Students are expected and required to act in class and toward other students and instructors in a manner that demonstrates respect
for the collegiate environment and toward the other people in it. For more on plagiarism, classroom conduct, and all other issues
of student behavior and responsibilities see The Washington State Student Rights and Responsibilities Rules:
http://spokanefalls.edu/Resources/StudentLife/StudentConcerns.aspx?page=PV4

Cell phone use, in any mode, is not permitted at any time in the classroom.
This includes before class begins. Students who ignore this policy will be asked to leave the classroom for the day. This policy is
designed to help develop a class community. It has succeeded each quarter so far

Assignments: All written assignments (other than pop-quizzes) will be typed, using one-inch margins, 11pt. Arial or Times New
Roman fonts, double-spaced, with page numbers, stapled, and printed on one side of the paper only, with your full name and class
time in the upper right corner. Effective use of paragraphs is also a requirement in college-level exposition and for acceptance of
work in this class. No papers with page-long paragraphs will be accepted. Theyre torture to read and almost impossible to grade.
Assignments not meeting the above criteria, or minimum page requirements, will not be accepted and will be marked as
late while being redone. Assignments must be submitted in class. They will not be accepted via email.

Late/Missed Assignments: Assignments not turned in by the end of class on their due dates will be assessed one full grade (e.g.,
from 4.0 to 3.0) penalty for being up to one day late.
Assignments will not be accepted more than one day late.

For obvious reasons, class exercises, pop quizzes, and presentations cannot be made up, regardless of excuse. As in the working
world, what counts in this class is accomplishment, not intentions. If you anticipate date conflicts, alternate arrangements for
exams can be made in advance.

The Cultural Identity Paper and the Group Project must be completed in order to receive a passing grade in this course.

Attendance: SFCC has a policy that daily class attendance is expected. This course, in particular, requires student preparation and
participation, and those who do not accomplish both will not do well. You are responsible for your attendance and for finding out
what you may have missed during an absence from your classmates. I do not see your absence as grounds for duplicating lectures
that I have given or for extending privileges that are not shared by those who attend daily. Missing class more than five (5) times
this quarter will almost certainly result in being dropped from the course. Arriving late to class is disruptive and appears
inconsiderate of those who are on time.

Due to its disruptive and voluntary nature, chronic tardiness will be treated as absence. See Student Rights and
Responsibilities Handbook.

Cultural Sensitivity: Due to the unusually sensitive and personal nature of culture and cultural identity and interaction, it is
expected and required in this class that all participants consider the impacts of their words and opinions on their classmates. This
does not mean that we are expected to avoid difficult issues and controversies; on the contrary, we will especially want to grapple
with the thorny issues of our times. It does mean that all class members will be expected to voice their views in a respectful
manner that is academically and socially supportive of each other. It is expected that we will differ, those differences should never
be given abusive voice.

Students with Disability: Disability Support Services provide classroom accommodations and advocacy for eligible students with
disabilities. If you have a health condition or disability which may require accommodations in order to fully participate in this
class, please contact me after class or contact Disability Support Services in Building 17-201, at: (509) 533-4166, or (509) 533-
3838 TTY; http://www.spokanefalls.edu/Resources/DSS/Home.aspx?page=PV2&subpage=SPV1; for authorization and
assistance. Information about disability will be regarded as confidential.

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 CLASS SCHEDULE

[Note: The schedule below is an ideal. It is expected that there will be changes as we go through the quarter and we all
respond to the daily dynamics of real life.]

WEEK DAY CLASS FOCUS READING / ASSIGNMENT [Due on date listed]

All reading assignments are from
1 Mon. Sep. 19 Orientation, Policies, Syllabus
Communication between Cultures, our text.
Tue. Jan. 3 Autograph Hunt
Wed. Jan. 4 Class Introductions, Syllabus Quiz Know the syllabus

Thu. Jan. 5 Studying Intercultural Communication Ch. 1; Everybodys Ethnic 21 min.

Fri. Jan. 6 Communication and Culture

2 Mon. Jan. 9 Human Communication Ch. 2, up to p. 60

Tue. Jan. 10 Elements of Culture
Wed. Jan. 11 Outsourced 50 min.
Thu. Jan. 12 Deep Structure of Culture Ch. 3
Fri. Jan. 13 Family and Social Institutions
3 Mon. Jan. 16 Martin Luther King Day No Classes Held
Tue. Jan. 17 Worldviews Ch. 4
Wed. Jan. 18 Western Religions

Thu. Jan. 19 Eastern Religions

Fri. Jan. 20 SECTION EXAM 2: (Ch. 1, 2, 3, 4) Bring Scantron form and #2 pencils.
4 Mon. Jan. 23 Cultural Identity Development Ch. 7
Tue. Jan. 24 Halls Levels of Identity
Wed. Jan. 25 Assign Cultural Identity Paper
Thu. Jan. 26 History Ch. 5
Fri. Jan. 27 Our Antecedents
5 Mon. Jan. 30 Past as Precursor
Tue. Jan. 31 Cultural Values and Patterns Ch. 6
Wed. Feb. 1 Kohls Values

Thu. Feb. 2 Hofstedes Value Index

Fri. Feb. 3 Halls Contexts

6 Mon. Feb. 6 Language: Verbal Communication Ch. 8
Tue. Feb. 7 Language and Meaning

Wed. Feb. 8 Language and Culture

Thu. Feb. 9 Cultural Identity Papers Due Submit Papers in Class

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 Fri. Feb. 10 Choose Cultural Projects and Groups 1st day .4 compensation and 3.5 link to final?
CLASS S C HE D U L E ( C O N T .)

WEEK DAY CLASS FOCUS READING / ASSIGNMENT [Due on date listed]

7 Mon. Feb. 13 Groups Meet for first time in class 10 Steps to Effective Group Work
Tue. Feb. 14 SECTION EXAM 2: (Ch. 7, 5, 6, 8) Bring Scantron form and #2 pencils.
Wed. Feb. 15 Nonverbal Communication Ch. 9; Nonverbal Communication 34 min.
Thu. Feb. 16 Classifications
Fri. Feb. 17 Ethnocentric Triggers
8 Mon. Feb. 20 Presidents Day No Classes Held
Tue. Feb. 21 Time Orientation
Wed. Feb. 22 Groups Meet in Class Checklist
Ch. 10
Thu. Feb. 23 Intercultural Contexts; Business

Fri. Feb. 24 Globalization American Game, Japanese Rules 20 min

9 Mon. Feb. 27 The Educational Context Stupid in America
Tue. Feb. 28 Educations Role

Wed. Mar. 1 Multicultural Education Voices of Experience 25 min.

Thu. Mar. 2 The Health Care Context The Doctor is in 34 min.
Fri. Mar. 3 Health and Society
10 Mon. Mar. 6 Intercultural Competence Ch. 2, p. 61-67
Tue. Mar. 7 Challenges to Competence Ch. 11
Wed. Mar. 8 Ethical Considerations
Thu. Mar. 9 Exigencies/Dress Rehearsals
Fri. Mar. 10 Group 1 - Presentation Due (1st day +.40) Presented in Class

11 Mon. Mar. 13 Group 2 - Presentation Due Presented in Class

Tue. Mar. 14 Group 3 - Presentation Due Presented in Class
Wed. Mar. 15 Group 4 - Presentation Due Presented in Class
Thu. Mar. 16 Group 5 - Presentation Due Presented in Class
Fri. Mar. 17 Dead Day No Classes Held

12 Tue. Mar. 21 SECTION EXAM 3: (Ch. 9, Ch.10, Ch. 11) Bring Scantron form and #2 pencils.

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