PUBLIC SPEAKING ONLINE

COURSE ORIENTATION

Welcome to COMM 1110 Online! The following “course orientation” is designed to help students gain a better understanding the dynamics for this course.

COURSE PREREQUISITES:

Basic Computer Knowledge:

Public Speaking Online is a COMPUTER intensive course. All course material (with the exception of the textbook content) will be delivered through WebCT. This means that students are required to have basic-advanced knowledge of computers, computer applications, and trouble-shooting.

Do you know how to download a file from the Internet?

Do you know how to attach a file to an e-mail?

Do you know how to determine the size of a file?

Do you know how to use MS Word?

Do you know how to use MS Power Point?

Do you know how to access MyDC?

Do you know how to upload files to MyDC?

You are expected to be familiar with how to use a computer and WebCT to be successful in this (or any other) online course. Although this may sound rude, it is not my “job” to teach you how to use WebCT or any of the course-required computer-related programs/hardware. I am not qualified to be an instructor of technology. My “job” is to teach you as much as I can about communication (and even more importantly how to improve your communication effectiveness) in the short time we have together this semester. If you contact me regarding a WebCT or computer-related question, I will just direct you to our VERY capable helpdesk staff!!

If you are having a problem with your computer or WebCT, please contact the WebCT helpdesk. Although I consider myself technologically advanced…I’m not very good at answering technology-related questions or solving technology-related problems (remember my degree is in communication!) The helpdesk is designed to walk you through even the most basic problem. You can reach the helpdesk at (229) 317-6923 or 1-800-861-8318. They are available Monday - Friday (8am - 8pm). Please make sure you take these hours into consideration when you are planning to work on course material. I believe it is “Murphy’s Law” that you are more likely to have a technology problem if you wait until the night before something is due to start working on it. Keep in mind, if you are working on an assignment at 3am and you have problems, you are going to have to wait until the helpdesk opens at 8am for assistance!!!

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:

WebCT VISTA:

This course will be using WebCT VISTA instead of WebCT CE. The University System of Georgia has required that all state colleges and universities convert their online curriculum to WebCT Vista starting spring semester, 2007. I decided to try to avoid the chaos of the conversion in December and started teaching using vista during fall, 2006. This is good news for you because I have already worked MANY of the “bugs” out of my vista courses. To access our course you can use the following link:

https://darton.view.usg.edu

Or you can go to Darton’s homepage. Hold your mouse over (don’t click) the WebCT tab across the top and a dropdown menu will appear. WebCT Vista is the 2^nd option.

JAVA:

WebCT Vista cannot operate properly without the latest version of Java. To identify whether or not your computer (or the computer you are using to access this course) has Java, look for the small “steaming coffee cup” icon in the tool bar located at the bottom right corner of your computer screen. If you do not have Java, or you just want to download the latest version, you can go to www.java.com. This download is free.

Mozilla Firefox:

It is suggested that students (and instructors) use Mozilla Firefox as their browser when using WebCT Vista.

Although WebCT Vista CAN operate using Internet Explorer, many of the features of vista cause Internet Explorer to have errors.

MyDC:

You will be required to access various information AND upload files through MyDC throughout the semester (There is also a link to access WebCT Vista within the “my courses” section of MyDC). You can access MyDC through Darton’s homepage, or by clicking the following link: https://portal.darton.edu/cp/home/displaylogin.

Please be aware that you must access your MyDC account every 90 day or the account will become “inactive”. To reactivate your account, please contact the Information Technology Helpdesk at (229) 317-6704.

Audacity:

You will be required to use Audacity to record your self-introduction speech for this course. Audacity is a FREE voice-recording program.

DOWNLOADING AUDACITY

1) Download Audacity to your computer by following the link in the Audacity tutorial (on the course homepage in WebCT)

2) Click on the LAME.dll link within the “Audacity Download” folder.

3) When you click on the link it will ask whether or not you want to “open” or “save to disk”. Select “save to disk”

4) You just need to put this Lame.dll file in your Audacity program file.

a. Select “My Computer”

b. Select “C:”

c. Select “Program Files”

d. Select “Audacity” folder

e. Put the Lame.dll file anywhere in that Audacity folder

5) If your computer is like mine, it automatically saves my download to my desktop. If this is the case, just cut and paste the file into the Audacity program folder.

SAVING YOUR FILES USING AUDACITY

1) Once you have recorded your speech you will need to save it.

2) DO NOT SELECT THE “SAVE AS” OPTION

3) To save your file you will need to “export” it as either a .wav or MP3 file.

4) I prefer MP3 files because they are more compact (smaller file size).

5) Once you have saved your file make sure that the file name says “.mp3” or “.wav”. For example: AmysSelfIntro.mp3 or AmysSelfIntro.wav

6) If your file name ends in .aup you have saved your file as a project. I CAN NOT OPEN ANY FILE THAT ENDS IN .AUP.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is an online Public Speaking course?

How much time will I need to dedicate to this course on a weekly basis?

What will be the “mechanics” of this online Public Speaking course?

What materials are required?

How will I learn the course material?

What types of assignments can I expect?

When are assignments due, and how will I turn them in?

Will it be easy to communicate with my instructor for this course?

Will it be easy to communicate with my classmates in this course?

What if I have technology related problems?

What if I have course related problems?

How do I get a copy of the syllabus and course schedule?

WHAT IS AN ONLINE PUBLIC SPEAKING COURSE?

Public Speaking online is designed to meet the schedule demands of our busy Darton students. The entire course content will be delivered through WebCT and the course textbook (Lucas, The Art of Public Speaking). The students will not meet with the course instructor in a classroom, however there will be required weekly meetings online. You can think of WebCT as your virtual classroom. Please be aware that you (as a student) will be required to spend just as much time reviewing course material as you would in a traditional classroom course.

WEEKLY TIME REQUIREMENTS

Minimum of 5 total hours per week (FULL TERM) OR Minimum of 10 hours per week (A-TERM or B-TERM)

Lecture Material - COMM 1110 is a 3-credit course. This means that a student taking COMM 1110 in the traditional classroom format would spend 2.5 hours a week in class (either three 50-minute sessions or two 75-minute sessions) for 16 weeks. This equals 40 hours of classroom commitment per semester. During this traditional classroom time, public speaking instructors provide lecture material, supplemental course materials, and answer questions. Courses designed for the A & B terms spend that same 40 total hours in class, but cram the information into a short 8-week period of time (300 minutes or 5 hours a week in class). Therefore, as an online student you should plan to dedicate set number of hours (2.5 for full-term, 5 for A-term or B-term) per week specifically to reading the textbook chapters and reviewing the online lectures.

Assignments – Although about 50% of a student’s time in a traditional class is spent sitting in class listening to the instructor, the other 50% is spent outside the classroom completing assignments. This is true for an online student too. In addition to the dedicated weekly time you should spend reviewing the course content material, you should also plan to spend additional hours (2.5 for full-term, 5 for A-term or B-term) working on course assignments.

That being said, this public speaking course offers students GREAT flexibility. Students enrolled in this course can review the material during whatever times work best with THEIR schedule. My only requirement is that you “check-in” at least every 24 hours. This means that I will need you to log-in to WebCT on a regular basis to check for e-mails and updates. I am a VERY interactive instructor and will often send out suggestions, answer questions, and address concerns through the WebCT e-mail, announcements, and discussion forum features. This is important information and it is your responsibility to check our WebCT course often enough to stay up-to-date!

WHAT WILL BE THE MECHANICS OF THIS COURSE?

Online Public Speaking courses have unique mechanics!

REQUIRED MATERIALS

Textbook: The Art of Public Speaking with Learning Tools Suite (Student CD-ROMs 5.0, Audio Abridgement CD set, PowerWeb, & Topic Finder), 9th Edition,
Stephen E Lucas, ©2007, ISBN 0073228656

Video Recording Device: You will be required to video-record several of your speeches. The following video formats are acceptable:

VHS

VHS-C

Digital

8mm tapes are NOT acceptable (There is no adaptor available to view this type of tape, and I do not have an 8mm video recorder. Assignments submitted on 8mm video tapes will NOT receive credit).

Computer MicroPhone: Audacity is a voice recording program that you will be required to use to create an MP3 or Wav file of your self-introduction speech. Most laptop computer have a built-in microphone. You can also purchase a mic in the computer/electronics section of most stores (Walmart, Circuit City, Target, etc.) These mics are usually under $10. Helpful hint: This type of product seems to be much cheaper when purchased online rather than in-store (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3626445).

METHODS OF LEARNING

Course material in online courses is delivered to students through WebCT using a combination of the textbook, instructor lectures (power points), supplemental materials, and assignments. The course content has been broken up into various “Learning Modules”. Students should follow the course schedule to determine which textbook chapter(s), leaning module(s), and assignments should be completed each week of the course.

TYPES OF ASSIGNMENTS

This is a brief overview of each of the assignments required for this course. Specific details for each assignment are located in the “Assignments” section of WebCT.

Speeches - The delivery format required for each speech is indicated in parentheses next to the speech number. For those speeches that you have to video record, you must have a minimum number of FIVE (5) audience members for the speech, and you must pan through the audience and then focus on the speaker prior to the start of the speech.

Speech #1 (AUDACITY)– Self-introduction Speech – This 1-2 minute speech is designed to ease you into the speaking mode for this course. Your objective is to enlighten your classmates about an interesting aspect of you, and explain why you are taking this course. You will record this speech using Audacity software.

Speech #2 (PHONE) – Impromptu Speech – This speech is designed to help you apply your newly learned speech construction and organization skills to a “think quick on your feet” situation. This speech will simulate a “phone interview”, which is a very common type of real life impromptu speech! I will be giving you a list of 10-20 possible “interview” questions, and then I will arrange a time to call you. During our phone conversations I will ask you 5 of these questions and will grade you on the organization and delivery of your response.

Speech #3 (VOICE-OVER POWERPOINT) – Informative Process Speech – This 5-7 minute speech should convey new information about a process (i.e., how to do something, how something works, or how something comes to be) to your audience in a clear and interesting way. Clear organization of main ideas is the key to this speech. You will need to become an expert on your topic through research (yes, this means a trip to the library or the Internet). You will create a detailed PowerPoint presentation for this speech and then provide voice-over commentary using the “record sound” function of PowerPoint. You will also need to include a bibliography including 3-5 sources and cite your sources throughout your outline.

Speech #4 (VIDEO) – Special Occasion Speech – This 3-5 minute speech will require you to give a speech appropriate for ANY special occasion. You may choose to pay tribute or give an award to a celebrity, athlete, politician, musician, friend, family member, etc. You may choose to accept a real or hypothetical award. You may choose to eulogize someone who is deceased (a hero, family member, friend, or famous person). Creativity is the key to this speech and the possibilities are endless!

Speech #5 (VOICE-OVER POWERPOINT) – Persuasive Speech – This 5-7 minute speech is the grand finale to this class. It will require you to both educate your audience about an organization, and then persuade them toward some outcome using Monroe’s Motivated Sequence. You should provide strong support, evidence, and argument for your topic. A bibliography including 3-5 sources is required for this speech and you will need to cite your sources throughout your outline.

Quizzes & Final Exam

Quizzes: There will be 16 online quizzes posted to WebCT. The quiz due dates are posted on the course schedule and should be completed at some point during the week that each is due. For example, you have the entire first full week of classes to complete Quiz #1. Each quiz will ask 5 questions and will be worth 5 total points (1 point per question). Although the total for all 16 quizzes will add up 80 points (16 quizzes at 5 points per quiz), the quizzes will only be graded out of 60 points. This means that any amount of points over 60 that you score on the quizzes will be extra credit. For example, if you score perfect on all of the quizzes, you will receive 60 points toward your “quizzes” grade and 20 points of extra credit (added into your total points). If you miss one question per quiz, you will score a total of 64 points (16 quizzes at 4 points each)…which would mean that you would receive 60 points toward your “quizzes” grade and 4 points of extra credit (added into your total points).

Final Exam: The final exam will be a combination of multiple-choice and true/false questions.

Evaluations

Self-Evaluation/Goals Statement: There is no such thing as a perfect public speaker. Even the most advanced speakers have room for improvement. In order to make improvements as a public speaker, you must first have a realistic view of your skills. With this in mind, you will perform a candid self-evaluation. You should include about both your strengths and weaknesses as a public speaker. In addition you should also create a list of goals that you would like to accomplish during this class. Please see the posted assignment sheet (on WebCT) for more details.

Peer Group Speaker Review: What would this class be without a group project! Once I have a realistic view of active/inactive students in the course, I will be breaking you up into groups. Your group members will make the class feel a bit smaller, and give you the opportunity to form a support network of classmates. You and your group members will be required to watch the Barack Obama video located on WebCT. After each member has watched the video, you will need to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of Obama as a public speaker using the discussion forum function of WebCT. Once you have discussed the speaker’s effectiveness your group should compile your overall thoughts into a report. You will pretend that your group has been hired by Obama to give a thorough critique of the speeches strengths and weaknesses.

ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSIONS

Due Dates:

Although this course is designed to add some “fun” to your busy Darton schedule, it is also a very intensive course. A quiz, speech, journal and/or other assignment will be due EVERY week. All due dates are posted in the course schedule (located on the course homepage in WebCT). Keeping up with assignment due dates is critical to your success in this course. Once a quiz closes, you will not have the opportunity to make it up. If you miss one of the other assignment deadlines you will be allowed to submit the assignment up to ONE week after the due date for 50% of the points. If you submit the assignment later than ONE week after the due date, the assignment will not count toward your final grade. Please let me know if you have any questions about any of the assignment due dates!

Submission Procedures:

Most assignment files (see below for description) will be uploaded to MyDC (if they are less than 10MB) or sent through www.yousendit.com (if they are less than 100MB) for submission. Each of your assignments document NAMES should include your name and the assignment name (for example: amytrombleyselfintroduction.doc, amytrombleyintroductionrecording.mp3, amytrombleyculturalnarrative.doc, amytrombleyculturalnarrative.mp3, etc.) The following types of assignments must be submitted through MyDC (file size less than 10MB) or www.yousendit.com (file size less than 100MB):

Speech Scripts – You will be required to submit a written version of each of your speeches. These speech scripts should be typed in Word.

Reports – As with your speech scripts, you will type all required reports in Word.

Power Point – For the group project

Voice Recordings (MP3 or WAV) – The speeches (self-introduction and narrative) that require you to use AUDACITY will allow you to save a voice recording in either MP3 or WAV file format.

Video Recordings – The special occasion speech will need to be recorded in one of the previously discussed acceptable video formats (see “video recording device” under “required materials”).

To submit a digitally recorded speech (using digital video camera, web-cam, etc.) simply upload the file to MyDC. MyDC has a maximum file size limit of 10MB. If your digital file is larger than 10MB but less than 100MB, you can send the file through www.yousendit.com. If the file is larger than 100MB you have several options. 1) You can try to “compress” to make it smaller 2) You can burn the file to a CD and sent it to me through regular mail 3) You can take your file to the distance learning helpdesk at Darton College (J118) and ask them to help you send the file to me.

To submit a tape-recorded speech (CD, VHS, VHS-C), you will need to mail the tape directly to me. Please send all tapes to:

Amy Trombley, 9856 Wild Ginger Drive, McKinney, TX 75070

**NOTE: ALL TAPES MUST BE SENT (AND POST-MARKED) TWO DAY PRIOR TO THE DUE DATE. This means that speeches due on SUNDAY must be post-marked on FRIDAY to receive full credit.

Exams & Quizzes – All exam and quizzes will be completed in WebCT.

WILL IT BE EASY TO COMMUNICATE WITH MY INSTRUCTOR?

YES!! You can communicate with me in MANY ways and I will hold regular online “office hours”. I love communicating with students (remember I majored in communication, so I must enjoy it, at least a little).

Here are your options:

WebCT E-mail: I will monitor my WebCT e-mail multiple times a day (I’m a bit of an e-mail junky).

Darton E-mail: I will monitor my Darton e-mail account multiple times a day (again, e-mail junky).

MySpace: I have a MySpace page (www.myspace.com/amytrombley). Although MySpace tends to be a bit controversial, I think it’s a great way to interact with my students and for them to get to know a little more about me. Throughout the semester I am pretty much your “virtual instructor”, and I believe MySpace allows you (as my students) to get to know me as a person like you do your classroom instructors. I strictly monitor everything on MySpace. I only accept friend requests from people that I know, and I also reserve the right to “block” any pages that I feel have questionable content. My only goal with MySpace is to be able to interact with my past and present students (and my own friends). I do not require you to have MySpace, use MySpace, or even like MySpace. I only offer it as ONE possible tool for the course.

WebCT Chat: WebCT has a “chat” function that works just like AOL instant messenger or MSN instant messenger. Anytime you are logged into WebCT, you can view which of your classmates is online (this includes me), and then send them an invitation to “chat”. To access this feature, look across the top of your screen for the tool bar (this is the bar that has the e-mail, discussion, etc.) Click the “more tools” option. Then select the “Who’s online” option. This will bring up a list of everyone that is currently online. Then you just put a check in the box next to the person you want to talk to and hit the “Send Chat Invitation” button at the bottom. If you just have a quick question and I’m online, you can send me a chat instead of sending an e-mail and get an instant answer!

WILL IT BE EASY TO COMMUNICATE WITH MY CLASSMATES?

YES!! You will have many opportunities to communicate with your classmates. The discussion forum feature in WebCT is a GREAT way to get-to-know each other, ask each other class-related questions, or just chit-chat. You can also use the WebCT “Chat” option discussed in the “Will it be Easy to Communicate With My Instructor” section. I also encourage those of you who actually attend traditional classes at Darton to get in contact with each other. You might want to form video recording groups.

WHAT IF I HAVE TECHNOLOGY-RELATED PROBLEMS?

As stated in the “Course Prerequisites” section, you are expected to be familiar with how to use a computer and WebCT to be successful in this (or any other) online course. Although this may sound rude, it is not my “job” to teach you how to use WebCT or any of the course-required computer-related programs/hardware. My “job” is to teach you as much as I can about communication (and even more importantly how to improve your communication effectiveness) in the short time we have together this semester. If you contact me regarding a WebCT or computer-related question, I will just direct you to our VERY capable helpdesk staff!!

WHAT IF I HAVE COURSE-RELATED QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS

CONTACT ME!!! If you EVER have a question, comment, or concern, PLEASE don’t hesitate to contact me. Although I am working on developing my psychic abilities, I haven’t made much progress. This means that unless you TELL me, I won’t know. If you don’t ask me a question, I can’t answer it. If you don’t tell me about a problem, I can’t help you try to fix it. If you don’t tell me how much you love this class, I can’t do my happy dance.

HOW DO I GET A COPY OF THE SYLLABUS AND COURSE SCHEDULE

Very easily. The course syllabus and course schedule is always available on WebCT. I would suggest printing both of these documents and keeping them in a safe place. If you lose either of these printed tools (or it gets eaten by your dog, cat, rabbit, guinea pig, horse, little brother/sister, child, etc.) you can get another copy ANYTIME on WebCT. Both the syllabus and the course schedule will be listed on the homepage.

If there is ANYTHING that I have not covered in this orientation that you would like me to cover…please refer to the “What if I have course related problems” section.

NOW THAT YOU HAVE READ THE COURSE ORIENTATION, PLEASE TAKE THE COURSE ORIENTATION QUIZ. ALSO, PLEASE REVIEW THE SYLLABUS AND COURSE SCHEDULE.

Current Students

Quizzes & Final Exam

Evaluations