Introduction to Human Communication - CST 110 at Northern Virginia Community College
https://courses.vccs.edu/colleges/nova/courses/CST110-IntroductiontoHumanCommunication
Effective: 2022-05-01
Course Description
Examines the elements affecting human communication in individual (e.g., intrapersonal, interpersonal), small group, and public communication contexts with an emphasis on the practice of communication skills in each context. The assignments in the course require college-level reading and analysis of scholarly studies and coherent communication through written reports including the production of at least one APA/MLA-formatted individual writing assignment. This is a UCGS transfer course.
Lecture 3 hours. Total 3 hours per week.
3 credits
The course outline below was developed as part of a statewide standardization process.
General Course Purpose
CST 110 provides the student with a theoretical and practical survey of the field of human communication, including the opportunity to practice competencies with feedback to enhance communication confidence.
Course Objectives
- Critical Thinking
- Analyze principles of communication
- Articulate the benefits and challenges of communication in present-day society or in their own lives
- Civic Engagement
- Critically analyze how communication skills can be used to manage conflicts and improve relational outcomes
- Analyze the relationship between communication and diversity
- Professional Readiness
- Orally communicate ideas to a listener with verbal and nonverbal fluency
- Apply specific communication concepts or theories to their personal and professional lives
- Written Communication
- Analyze the various components of a public presentation and develop a written outline and/or manuscript
- Fundamentals of Communication:
- Explain the role of ethics in various communication situations
- Identify, describe and compare characteristics of language and explain denotative and connotative meaning
- Identify types of listening and non-listening behaviors and demonstrate appropriate responses in listening situations
- Compare/contrast various communication models
- Define and describe types of nonverbal communication and apply this knowledge to real-life situations
- Illustrate an understanding of the perception process, and make connections between self-concept and interactions with others
- Analyze, select and explain various aspects of communication situations in relation to appropriate goals, objectives and techniques
- Interpersonal Communication:
- Demonstrate an understanding of assertive communication
- Identify, define and apply theories of relationship development to real-life situations
- Identify, define, and apply strategies for maintaining relationships to real-life situations
- Identify, describe and select appropriate strategies for dealing with defensiveness and managing conflict
- Small Group Communication
- Explain how groups make decisions, and specify the different decision methods of decision-making within groups
- Identify and describe problem-solving steps, evaluate a problem-solving process within a group, and predict a group's problem-solving success
- Identify and describe leadership behaviors and responsibilities in groups
- Identify and describe group member behaviors and responsibilities
- Define and describe various tasks and maintenance "roles" (communication behaviors) in groups and explain these behaviors as perceived within a group
- Define group norms and explain how groups develop and manage norms
- Public Speaking:
- Analyze audience information and adapt speech content and speech delivery to incorporate what was learned through the analysis
- Define and describe various speech delivery styles
- Select and apply appropriate verbal and nonverbal messages to the speech situation and audience
- Determine and develop objectives and goals for presentations given specific audiences and situations
- Prepare robust outlines and deliver logically organized speeches
- Conduct research and evaluate the accuracy, quality, credibility, and appropriateness of supporting materials to provide evidence for and/or enhance speech content
- Media Literacy/Mass Media:
- Define media literacy and describe how it can improve one's skills set as a consumer and citizen in an information-based democratic society
- Examine and discuss how the media shapes one's individual perspectives and influences society as a whole
- Apply critical thinking skills to examine and analyze messages for accuracy and credibility
Major Topics to be Included
- Fundamentals of Communication
- Interpersonal Communication
- Small Group Communication
- Public Speaking
- Media Literacy/Mass Media