From UMassWiki

January 28, 2008

Overview and Notification of Research Study

Contents 1 COM 352: Group Dynamics 2 Course Description 3 Informed Consent 4 First Class Outline of Activities 4.1 In-Class Assignment #1 (two tasks) 4.2 Outline for the (rest of the) First Class Session 5 Homework assignments 6 A note on HOMEWORK 7 Required Course Texts

COM 352: Group Dynamics

date and time omitted from the public record following FERPA

with Stephanie Jo Kent, office location omitted

Office Hours omitted

Email: steph@comm.umass.edu

Course Weblog: A Place in Space

Course WikiPages: http://www.umasswiki.com/Class:COM352 - Group Dynamics - Spring 2008

Course Description

The dynamics of decision-making groups.

Topics include: leadership, networks, conformity, problem solving, mediation, and conflict resolution.

Prerequisite: COMM 118.

Informed Consent

The requirements for this course include creating and maintaining an anonymous weblog in the public sphere. Additionally, the class will be charged – as a group – with the responsibility of designing and building a series of wikipages on the (public) UMassWiki. By enrolling in this course, I agree to these requirements.

Note: Class members and the teacher will eventually learn everyone’s “anonymous” identity; the purpose is to create an identity for The Public that protects your privacy (and, in particular, confidentiality for the University).

I have been informed that the instructor for this course, Stephanie Jo Kent, is researching group communication at the intersection of learning, online (textual and visual) interaction, and face-to-face interpersonal communication. I understand that participation in the study is optional, and that I will be given more information before being asked to grant formal consent.

First Class Outline of Activities

In-Class Assignment #1 (two tasks)

Duration: 15 minutes

1. Introduce yourself to your classmates (there will be a quiz)
2. Brainstorm a list of all the groups you belong to, know about, and can imagine. Write this list on the board.

Outline for the (rest of the) First Class Session

1. Discussion #1: forming, terminology, context
2. Assignment #2 (self-select into two groups: “leaders” and “followers”):
3. Test #1: classmates names
4. Dicussion #2: questions about the class (e.g., the outline, expectations, etc)
5. Worksheet #1: self and peer participation evaluation

Homework assignments

1. set up your anonymous Wordpress weblog, (recommendation: do this tonight!)

• Select the "get a free blog" option and follow the directions.
• Please allow your blog to appear in search engines.
• Use the "Presentation" tab to select your design.)
• If you want to see some examples, check out these COM375 blogs and ENG112 blogs, both from last semester.

1. read assigned blog posting and comments, (recommendation: complete reading by Thursday) Want to know more about the protest? Here is the Press Release specific to Boston.
2. consider how you want to “set” or “frame” your involvement with learning in this class, (recommendation: think from Friday to Saturday)
3. make a decision whether or not to attend the No Mas Farc protest in Boston next Monday (February 4th) at noon (arrive earlier) at the Plaza Government Center, in front of City Hall.
4. write and post your first blogpost. Explain your decision-making process about whether or not to go to the protest in Boston and then analyze how your decision relates to or illustrates the subject matter of this course. (recommendation: write and post this on SUNDAY, February 3rd).

• Be sure to create a new category for this post, called Small Group Communication
• The "category" box is on the right-hand side of the screen. Be sure to type in the EXACT same way I have, with capital letters, otherwise your post will be "somewhere else" in cyberspace than where I (and others in our class) can find it.

A note on HOMEWORK

Since class meets only once a week, you will have several assignments to complete. In general, the assignments will be listed in the logical order that the instructor imagines for their development. It is highly suggested that you begin the homework immediately, and do at least one item each day. Otherwise you will fall behind, be rushed, do poor work, and ultimately your grade will suffer. Do not underestimate the time for reading, thinking, and writing in the blogs. Do not forget this is a course in communication!

Required Course Texts

The first two are available at Food for Thought Books in downtown Amherst.

1. After Dachau, by Daniel Quinn
2. Look Me in the Eye, by John Elder Robison
3. What's Goin' On? Class Magazine from Section 36 (ENG112), Fall 2007
4. Communication Studies: Semiotic Analyses of Cultural Texts Papers from Section 9 (COM375), Fall 2007
5. How Words Create Reality, "Cross-Cultural Re-Entry Seminar" (Honors 491G), Fall 2007
6. Final Papers, "Cross-Cultural Re-Entry Seminar" (Honors 491G), Fall 2007
7. Selections on EReserve