COM00207 Communication in Organisations Unit Information Guide Session 1, 2017 scu.edu.au/businesstourism CRICOS Provider: 01241GContents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About this unit 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Content 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Graduate attributes and unit learning outcomes 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Learning resources 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Prescribed texts and materials 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Studying this unit 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Teaching and learning arrangements 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Estimated workload 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scheduled Study Hours 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assessment 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assessment overview 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assessment details 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assessment 1 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assessment 2 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assessment 3 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assessment 4 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Timetables 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Suggested study timetable 15 2 | COM00207 Communication in Organisations (Session 1, 2017)About this unit Improves students' communication competencies in business and academia. Provides an understanding of the role and importance of interpersonal communication within organisations. Introduces students to communication theories and concepts applicable in a business and academic setting. Illustrates and puts into practice skills required to improve interpersonal communication competence. Content Module 1: Essentials of interpersonal communication Topic 1 Communication theory and practice Topic 2 Non-verbal communication Topic 3 Personality, listening and feedback Module 2: Academic communication skills and writing Topic 4 Information literacy and academic integrity Topic 5 Critical thinking, logic and perception Topic 6 Academic essays and reports Topic 7 Business writing Module 3: Applied business communication Topic 8 Intercultural communication for business Topic 9 Presentations and persuasion Topic 10 Negotiations and interviews Topic 11 Groups, meetings and discussions Topic 12 Trust and conﬂict Graduate attributes and unit learning outcomes As a graduate of Southern Cross University, you will have developed skills, values and attitudes that are essential for gaining employment and advancing lifelong learning. Te University refers to these as graduate attributes (http://policies.scu.edu.au/view.current.php?id=00091#s3) and identifes them as follows: GA1 Intellectual rigour, GA2 Creativity, GA3 Ethical practice, GA4 Knowledge of a discipline, GA5 Lifelong learning, GA6 Communication and social skills, GA7 Cultural competence. Tis unit will assist students to develop the following graduate attributes (shown below as they relate to this unit's learning outcomes): Learning outcomes for this unit GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7 On completion of this unit, students should be able to: 1. recognise and apply a range of communication theories and concepts ✓ 2. develop and refne their skills in interpersonal, intercultural and organisational communication, as well as skills in communication technology ✓ ✓ ✓ About this unit | 3Learning outcomes for this unit GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7 3. enhance their feedback and listening skills, enabling them to become competent communicators ✓ ✓ ✓ 4. develop as confdent speakers, competent in situations which demand oral skills ✓ ✓ ✓ 5. demonstrate eﬀective and more confdent writing skills, using the appropriate style and tone. Tis will include the ability to choose a written presentation which is appropriate to the situation of demand ✓ ✓ ✓ 6. apply the theories pertaining to interpersonal and intercultural communication successfully within assessment situations. ✓ ✓ 4 | COM00207 Communication in Organisations (Session 1, 2017)Learning resources Te referencing style used below is Harvard. PLEASE NOTE that you may need to use a diﬀerent style for this unit. Refer to Referencing guides (http://scu.edu.au/library/index.php/ 14) for information about the referencing style you should use. Prescribed texts and materials Prescribed texts Witsel, M (ed.) 2015, Communication in Organisations, 6th edn, McGraw-Hill. ISBN: 9781308403960. Tere are compulsory readings and a Study Guide for this unit. See MySCU (http://learn.scu.edu.au) for details. Learning resources | 5Studying this unit Te frst step in managing your study for this unit is to familiarise yourself with this document and the MySCU (http://learn.scu.edu.au) Learning Site. You should refer frequently to the MySCU Learning Site for announcements and updates. Teaching and learning arrangements Estimated workload Scheduled hours Personal study Total 36 114 150 Your scheduled study hours are allocated as follows: Lismore Teaching method Duration Frequency Lecture online 1 hours 12 weeks Tutorial on-site 2 hours 12 weeks Gold Coast Teaching method Duration Frequency Lecture online 1 hour 12 weeks Tutorial on-site 2 hours 12 weeks Coﬀs Harbour Teaching method Duration Frequency Lecture online 1 hour 12 weeks Tutorial on-site 2 hours 12 weeks Sydney - Hotel School Teaching method Duration Frequency Lecture on-site 1 hour 12 weeks Tutorial on-site 2 hours 12 weeks Singapore - MDIS Teaching method Duration Frequency Structured online learning N/A N/A 6 | COM00207 Communication in Organisations (Session 1, 2017)PNG - IBS - Port Moresby Teaching method Duration Frequency Structured online learning N/A N/A China - TUST Teaching method Duration Frequency Workshop on-site 2-4 hours x 5 days 3 weeks Distance Education Teaching method Duration Frequency Lecture online 1 hour 12 weeks SCU Sydney Teaching method Duration Frequency Lecture online 1 hour 12 weeks Tutorial on-site 3 hours 12 weeks SCU Melbourne Teaching method Duration Frequency Lecture online 1 hour 12 weeks Tutorial on-site 3 hours 12 weeks Melbourne - Hotel School Teaching method Duration Frequency Lecture on-site 1 hour 12 weeks Tutorial on-site 2 hours 12 weeks PNG - IBS - Enga Teaching method Duration Frequency Structured online learning N/A N/A Studying this unit | 7Assessment Assessment overview Tis is a graded unit and grades are awarded as detailed in Rule 3.8 of the University's Rules Relating to Awards. To achieve a passing grade in the unit all assessment tasks must be submitted and an overall mark of 50% or more must be obtained Unless stated otherwise, you need to complete/submit your work online through the MySCU site for this unit. Assessment Group/ individual Learning outcomes Grading indicator Min Score Weight Length/ duration Due Professional accreditation 1. Online Exercises Individual 1, 2 Graded N/A 10% - 16 Mar 2017 11:00 PM N/A 2. Essay Individual 1, 3, 5 Graded N/A 30% 900 words 07 Apr 2017 11:00 PM N/A 3. Recording Individual 2, 4, 6 Graded N/A 10% 10 minutes 19 May 2017 11:00 PM N/A 4. Report Individual 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Graded N/A 50% 1200 words 29 May 2017 11:00 PM N/A Assessment details Assessment 1: Online Exercises Tis assessment is for these students only: China - TUST; Coﬀs Harbour; Distance Education; Gold Coast; Lismore; Melbourne - Hotel School; PNG - IBS - Enga; PNG - IBS - Port Moresby; SCU Melbourne; SCU Sydney; Singapore - MDIS; Sydney - Hotel School. Assessment Group/ individual Learning outcomes Grading indicator Min Score Weight Length/ duration Due Professional accreditation Online Exercises Individual 1, 2 Graded N/A 10% - 16 Mar 2017 11:00 PM N/A Te aims of this assessment task are that you learn to use the basic information communication technologies that you will need to successfully study at Southern Cross University. In particular, you will become familiarised with various aspects of the online Blackboard site MySCU, your SCU email, and various vital site pages within the university website. By doing these tasks, sometimes by trial and error, you will learn how to access important information, and how to submit assignments. Te assignment will run as a ‘treasure hunt’ and consists of fve short interrelated online tasks. One of these tasks involves answering a short online quiz. You may attempt the quiz as ofen as you need to, as in the end you need to get all fve correct. 8 | COM00207 Communication in Organisations (Session 1, 2017)Some other tasks require your tutor to check your work, which might take a day or two. Most tasks only appear once the previous task has been completed successfully. Te tasks are numbered, so it helps to do them in order. You must complete all fve tasks (including correctly answering all fve questions in the quiz) in order to satisfy requirements for this assessment task and earn 10%. Here are the instructions to get you started: 1. Go to http://learn.scu.edu.au (commonly referred to as ‘MySCU’ or your "Blackboard learning site"). If you have difculty, log in to MyEnrolment (http://www.scu.edu.au/ myenrolment) and click on the tab ‘MySCU details’ for your username and password. Tis username and password is valid for both MySCU and your SCU email account. If you still have trouble, ring the Technology Services Service Desk between 8 am and 5 pm weekdays on 02 6620 3698 (if you live in the Lismore or Tweed Gold Coast area) or between 9 am and 5 pm weekdays 1800 111 890 (if you live outside this area). Coﬀs students can ring 02 6659 3080. 2. Find the link for the COM00207 site, and click on it. 3. Read the notice titled ‘Congratulations! You’re on your way!’ on the announcements page. Tis announcement will give you your clues to completing the frst of the fve tasks, and each task will in turn give you the clues you need to fnd the next task. Remember: one of the tasks involves answering a short quiz online. Assessment 2: Essay Tis assessment is for these students only: China - TUST; Coﬀs Harbour; Distance Education; Gold Coast; Lismore; Melbourne - Hotel School; PNG - IBS - Enga; PNG - IBS - Port Moresby; SCU Melbourne; SCU Sydney; Singapore - MDIS; Sydney - Hotel School. Assessment Group/ individual Learning outcomes Grading indicator Min Score Weight Length/ duration Due Professional accreditation Essay Individual 1, 3, 5 Graded N/A 30% 900 words 07 Apr 2017 11:00 PM N/A Submission method: Upload through MySCU ‘submit assessments’ link. (NB: Clear upload instructions/training are part of Assignment 1). You must upload your essay through Turnitin. Afer a few minutes you can click on “View/ Complete” again to view your originality report. You can re-edit and upload multiple times until the due date. Please note, subsequent originality reports can take up to 24 hours to generate. Te aims of this assessment task are threefold: 1. Observe two or more people communicating with each other in a ‘live’ setting and to apply communication theories / concepts you have learned about in Topics 1–3 to that event. 2. Write an academic essay which: a. brieﬂy describes the communication event b. analyses and evaluates the event by applying theories from Topics 1–3 to the event c. evaluates the usefulness (or otherwise) of these theories for this purpose d. conforms to the expected essay structure according to the relevant readings for Topic 6. Tese can also be found through the SCU Academic Skills website, http://www.scu.edu.au/academicskills. Tere you can click through to the Quick Guides and download the following: ▪ A model essay structure (http://www.scu.edu.au/teachinglearning/ download.php?doc_id=12749&site_id=301&fle_ext=.pdf) Assessment | 9▪ Connecting your ideas, linking words (http://www.scu.edu.au/teachinglearning/ download.php?doc_id=12755&site_id=301&fle_ext=.pdf) ▪ Editing your assignments (http://www.scu.edu.au/teachinglearning/ download.php?doc_id=12756&site_id=301&fle_ext=.pdf) ▪ How to write a good introduction (http://www.scu.edu.au/teachinglearning/ download.php?doc_id=12761&site_id=301&fle_ext=.pdf) ▪ How to demonstrate critical judgment (http://www.scu.edu.au/teachinglearning/ download.php?doc_id=12759&site_id=301&fle_ext=.pdf) ▪ Writing analytically and persuasively (http://www.scu.edu.au/teachinglearning/ download.php?doc_id=12782&site_id=301&fle_ext=.pdf) ▪ Reﬂective writing (http://www.scu.edu.au/teachinglearning/ download.php?doc_id=12767&site_id=301&fle_ext=.pdf) ▪ Writing paragraphs (http://www.scu.edu.au/teachinglearning/ download.php?doc_id=12783&site_id=301&fle_ext=.pdf) 3. Demonstrate correct in-text referencing and a correct reference list for at least fve references according to the reference style described in the following Reading: Summers, J & Smith, B 2010, ‘Referencing’, Communication skills handbook: How to succeed in written and oral communication, John Wiley & Sons Australia, pp. 17–38. (Tis Reading is accessible through myReadings). Te essay question Which communication theories that you have researched and applied, provide most insight into understanding the dynamics of the observed event? Draw on the materials and subject matter of Module One and the skills developed through Module Two. With reference to at least three communication theories (or concepts, or aspects of theories), analyse the communication event you have observed. In your essay compare and contrast the usefulness of the selected communication theories / concepts for analysing the event. Reference the essay correctly (using in-text referencing as well as a list of references at the end of your essay), in the style described by Summers and Smith (2010). Step 1: Find your reference material Before you write your essay you need to fnd at least fve references which will help you to develop your argument and therefore your essay. You must use at least: • a chapter from your textbook • one of the readings in myReadings • one journal article accessed through the Library databases. In addition, you must choose two more from the following list: • A newspaper article. • A website. • A chapter from an edited book. • A chapter from a textbook. • A report. • A personal communication. You will need to select reference material which is relevant and appropriate to the essay question and take notes with the purpose of answering your essay question. Step 2: Observe a ‘communication event’ 10 | COM00207 Communication in Organisations (Session 1, 2017)Choose a live setting which relates to your course where two or more people are interacting with each other (reality TV shows are not allowed). For example, if you are a business student, you might want to go shopping with a friend and observe an interaction between the salesperson and your friend. If you are a tourism or hospitality student you may want to observe an interaction between staﬀ in a restaurant or hotel and a friend. Your tutor will have lots of ideas for settings and will discuss options with you early in the study period. Observe the interaction, looking for evidence of aspects of communication theories and concepts that are covered in Topics 1–3. Take notes straight afer you leave the interaction under headings, for example: • Examples of kinesics such as aﬀect displays or illustrators • Te messages that were relayed using paralanguage • Te eﬀect of noise (mechanical, semantic or psychological) • Perceived attribution errors • Feedback • Listening skills. Step 3: Analyse the event Using the communication theories you have selected, analyse the communication event and seek deeper insight into the event, and its participants. Step 4: Decide on your position Afer you have analysed the situation using the communication theories / concepts, decide on the position you will take on the essay question. How much more have you learned by applying the theories? In your essay, state which theories were most useful, or gave most insight, and why. If you want to learn more about ‘position’, go to the Academic Skills website, download and read the following information sheet: ‘Developing an Argument: Essay’ Step 5: Write your essay Using the resources which have been provided to you, plan, draf and write your essay. Te recommended resources are the relevant Readings for Topic 6, the Academic Skills Information Guides on essay writing: • Interpreting the Assignment task: Essay. • Essay Writing. • Essay Writing Checklist. • Developing an Argument: Essay. • Introductions and Conclusions: Essay. Your essay should contain the following structural elements: • Introduction. • Body. • Conclusion. • Reference List. For such a short essay you do not need to use headings. Within your essay you must refer to each one of your fve references, using the in-text referencing style described in Summers and Smith (2010). You need to show that you can reference both a direct quote and a paraphrased idea. Step 6: Write a reference list Assessment | 11Write a reference list for your references. Remember you have to include at least fve references from various sources which conform to the author–date system described in Summers and Smith (2010). Assessment 3: Recording Tis assessment is for these students only: China - TUST; Coﬀs Harbour; Distance Education; Gold Coast; Lismore; Melbourne - Hotel School; PNG - IBS - Enga; PNG - IBS - Port Moresby; SCU Melbourne; SCU Sydney; Singapore - MDIS; Sydney - Hotel School. Assessment Group/ individual Learning outcomes Grading indicator Min Score Weight Length/ duration Due Professional accreditation Recording Individual 2, 4, 6 Graded N/A 10% 10 minutes 19 May 2017 11:00 PM N/A Length: Interview: aim for 20 minutes, maximum 1/2 hour. Submitted recording section: Choose a fve - ten minute segment (fve mins is sufcient). 1. Choose an organisation with more than four employees, relevant to your feld of study (e.g. a sports organisation; an accountancy frm; a tourism company; a nonproft organisation; a hotel or resort, a museum or gallery, etc.). 2. Do some independent research on the organisation, e.g. by browsing their website or collecting brochures, promotional material, and information about the organisation’s structure. 3. Using the theories and skills put forward in Topic 10, “Interviewing”, design a set of interview questions geared to gather information about the following communication issues in organisations: ◦ Intercultural communication. ◦ Presentations and / or persuasion. ◦ Negotiations ◦ Groups, meetings and / or discussions (formal and informal). ◦ Trust and / or conﬂict resolution issues. Aim to have an interactive conversation that is engaged, structured but not stilted (do not read out loud from a prepared script!), and leaves room for opinions. 4. Contact a person within the organisation to interview. Te interview needs to be at least 20 minutes, but try not to go longer than half an hour. You will need to record the interview so make sure to inform the person of this. Te interview must be conducted in English. 5. Ask the person to complete the Informed Consent form (found on MySCU and available through myReadings). 6. Interview the person and record the interview. Recording and submission Record the interview, preferably digitally (you can use the following fle types: mpg, mp3, mov, avi, wmv). If that is not practical, you can record on video cassette, audio cassette or microcassette. (NB: Tere are no grades assigned for the quality of the recording). On the recording you need to be audible and/or visible. Select a fve-minute section of the interview that you think best represents your interviewing style and copy this. Submit this fve-minute copied section of the recorded interview. Do not submit the original! You will need your original recording for the next assignment. You will NOT receive the recording back, so do not send memory sticks or other expensive media. Do not delete your recording until you have completed and passed this unit. 12 | COM00207 Communication in Organisations (Session 1, 2017)If you are submitting on CD or other hardware ensure that your recording is labelled with your name, student number, the unit code, and the date. Assessment 4: Report Tis assessment is for these students only: China - TUST; Coﬀs Harbour; Distance Education; Gold Coast; Lismore; Melbourne - Hotel School; PNG - IBS - Enga; PNG - IBS - Port Moresby; SCU Melbourne; SCU Sydney; Singapore - MDIS; Sydney - Hotel School. Assessment Group/ individual Learning outcomes Grading indicator Min Score Weight Length/ duration Due Professional accreditation Report Individual 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Graded N/A 50% 1200 words 29 May 2017 11:00 PM N/A Submission method: Upload through MySCU – use Turnitin. Instructions Listen carefully to the interview and consider the communication issues discussed. Read whatever background material you have gathered about the organisation. Drawing on materials from Topics 8 to 12 identify and evaluate the interpersonal communication issues in your participant’s organisation from the employee’s point of view. Relate these issues to theory and use academic research to support your fndings. Present your fndings in your report. In this report: • include a section which describes the company and the interviewee. Use pseudonyms for the employee and the company. Do not use real names. • important! Ensure you describe and reﬂect upon your methods for conducting this research: how did you select your interviewee, how did you persuade them to participate, what kind of interview techniques did you apply? Refer to relevant theories on persuasion, presentations, interview techniques, possibly intercultural communication, and so on. • describe your fndings, and analyse them using pertinent theories (from not just Module One but certainly from Module Tree). Reference the theories appropriately. • include recommendations for your participant’s organisation. In your recommendations, make sure that you oﬀer viable solutions. If there are no problems at all, then analyse which factors ensure that communication is so successful in this company. • include the informed consent form as an appendix. Troughout your report, do not refer to your participant or their organisation by their real names. Use pseudonyms at all times, to protect the identity of your participant. You must have at least eight academic (peer reviewed) references in your report. No Wikipedia or World Wide Web (Googled) references will be counted as academic. Structure your report according to the relevant readings set for Topic 6: • Interpreting the Assignment task: Report. • Report Writing. • Report Writing Checklist. • Writing an Abstract or Executive Summary. • How is an Abstract Diﬀerent from an Introduction? • Introductions and Conclusions: Report. Please note that all formal academic reports require the following sections: • Title. • Abstract (or ofen referred to as an Executive Summary or Summary in Business). Assessment | 13• Table of Contents. • Introduction. • Methods, Methodology or Procedure. • Findings. • Discussion or Interpretation of Results. • Conclusions. • Recommendations (if requested). • List of references. • Appendices (or Appendix if there is only one). 14 | COM00207 Communication in Organisations (Session 1, 2017)Timetables Suggested study timetable Week/ commencing Topic Notes 1 27 Feb 2017 1 Introduction to the unit; Communication theory and practice 2 06 Mar 2017 2 Non-verbal communication 3 13 Mar 2017 3&4 Personality, listening and feedback; Information literacy and academic integrity Assignment 1 due on Tursday 16 March 4 20 Mar 2017 5 Critical thinking, logic and perception Te topic may take up from where we lef oﬀ last week. 5 27 Mar 2017 6 Academic essays and reports 6 03 Apr 2017 7 Business writing Assignment 2 (mini essay) due on Friday 7 April 7 10 Apr 2017 Study Break 8 17 Apr 2017 8 Intercultural communication for business 9 24 Apr 2017 9 Presentations and persuasion 10 01 May 2017 10 Negotiations and interviews 11 08 May 2017 11 Groups; meetings and discussions Tutorial work on assignment 3 12 15 May 2017 12 Trust and conﬂict Tutorial work on assignment 4 (report); interview assignment due Friday 19 May 13 22 May 2017 Work on preparing assignment 4 (report) 14 29 May 2017 No classes (exam week) Final assignment (report) due on Monday 29 May Timetables | 15