Discussion Leadership (with annotated bibliography):
Each student will lead a class discussions during the course of the
semester. These student-led discussions will take place on the following
dates: Sept. 22 & 29, Oct. 6 & 20, and Nov. 3 & 10.
Your date will be determined the first day of class. The discussions
will be based on that week's topic from the textbook, but do not lecture
from the book (we all will have read the material). Rather, select
a recent, significant instance of managerial communication from your place
of employment for analysis and critique.* You may choose an instance
of either internal or external organizational communication; the effort
may have been successful, marginally successful, or unsuccessful.
In addition to analysis in terms of textbook chapter considerations,
you must also bring 2-to-4 relevant outside references to bear on your
analysis. At least one of these references must be academic, preferably
a recent journal article.
| Two Weeks Prior: | Identify your topic and some of your outside readings |
| One Week Prior: | (a) Clear your topic with me; (b) assign two of your most relevant outside readings to the class. Ideally, these will be available online on a database via NC Live. You can either email the class this assignment via Web CT (include me) or distribute a bibliographic handout. |
| The Night of... | Be prepared to lead a 20-25 minute discussion of your real-world case. Bring to class 18 photocopies of (a) a one-page summary of the most relevant considerations from your readings (principal discussion points), and (b) a one-page annotated bibliography of your references. Also bring two printed copies of (c) five-to-seven discussion questions for the class (do not distribute). You may or may not get through all these, depending upon the preparation of your classmates and the vitality of the discussion. At the beginning of class I will collect your bibliography, your summary, and your discussion questions. |
Agenda:
1. Summary of workplace communication scenario (5-6 minutes)
2. Summary of most relevant principles/factors from text and outside
reading (5-6 minutes)
3. Relaxed, intelligent, informed class discussion, as led by you (10-15
minutes)
* Alternativley, you may choose a current organizational communication issue in the news, although an event with which you have had personal experience is preferred.
Although academic preparation is involved, this exercise should be interesting
and stimulating, not formulaic and mechanical.