Kris Hans W21 MW Course Syllabus PDF

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Download Kris Hans W21 MW Course Syllabus PDF

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COURSE SYLLABUS WINTER 2021 MGMT 3210: Business Communication Theory and Practice Monday & Wednesday Sec. 008: 11:30 AM - 12:50 PM; Sec. 009: 1:00 - 2:20 PM; Sec. 002: 4:00 - 5:20 PM Note: This course will use a combination of synchronous and asynchronous delivery. INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION Kris Hans, BComm, BA Hons, MBA Email: [email protected]

Office hour:

By appointment only (available during scheduled asynchronous class times)

REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS Business Communication: Building Critical Skills (Sixth Canadian Edition), Braun, Locker, Kaczmarek. McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2016. (Previous editions of the text provide acceptable access to course content; however, these cannot be used as references for the feedback post and the Writing Critique assignment.) Note: Students are encouraged to purchase a writing reference manual as an additional resource (Eg. The Gregg Reference Manual (Ninth Canadian Edition), Sabin, Strashok, Gardner, Millar. McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2014 Supplemental readings, including resource documents, may be assigned throughout the semester. MARK ALLOCATION Workshop Activities (WAs) & Feedback Post 5% Business Communication Theory Quiz 10% Writing Critique Assignment 25% Writing Test 25% Group Business Report 25% Group Business Presentation* 10% Note: Students must complete all assessments with individual weighting of 10% or more to pass the course. COURSE DESCRIPTION Students will develop their abilities for writing business letters, memoranda, and reports and for preparing and delivering oral presentations.* Students will develop an understanding of strategic communication by exploring both internal and external organizational communication strategies. *Due to the restrictions imposed because of COVID-19, students will prepare the presentation slides and speaking notes, but there will be no delivery of presentations this semester. Prerequisite checking is now in effect at Mount Royal University. Students who do not have the correct prerequisites for a course will be automatically de-registered from that course prior to the commencement of classes. If you have any questions about prerequisites, please talk to an advisor. NOTE: This is a Cluster 4 – Level 3 General Education course. PEDAGOGY Emphasis is placed on understanding through individual student study and student practice using assigned activities and exercises. Remote delivery “lectures” will concentrate on areas considered more challenging or areas in which the course materials require application. Activities and exercises will be used to demonstrate the application of concepts and facilitate problem solving. Thus, remote delivery “lectures” will be predominately used to clarify, develop, and expand students’ knowledge of the material and its application in business situations. STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR RESPONSIBILITIES • Students are responsible for reading the course outline and course policies, reading all assignment guides/outlines and rubrics, regularly checking the course Blackboard site and their MRU email, attending scheduled remote delivery classes, completing activities and exercises, accessing online materials, and asking questions for clarification. • The instructor is responsible for ensuring course and assignment information is made available to students.

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NOTICE OF RECORDING Mount Royal University has contracted Google to provide educational technology software for the course [MGMT 3210008/009/002], where the instructor may record lectures using Google Meet and make them available to registered students through a link on Blackboard for up until 10 days after the course is completed. Users, including any recorded student participants, are advised that the personal information collected during the recordings will only be used for educational purposes and is collected under the authority of the FOIP Act – section 33(c) and the Post-Secondary Learning Act in the Province of Alberta. Users are further advised that the downloading of posted videos other than for the purposes of student personal learning through the link on Blackboard may violate the copyright of the course instructor or others. For additional questions regarding the collection, use, disclosure, and protection of personal information please contact Janice Illsey, Research and Analytics Coordinator, Bissett School of Business, (403) 440-5009, [email protected] COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES The following table notes each of the course learning outcomes and illustrates how you’ll learn each of these (learning activities) and how you’ll show that you’ve learned them (assessments). Learning Outcomes Learning Activities Assessments * Students will choose appropriate business Reading the textbook; completing assigned All assessments; student messages to communication strategies, formats, and styles work; practising online activities/exercises; instructor (F); online activities and to produce professional written and oral providing & receiving feedback on the exercises (F); peer feedback post communication. discussion board Students will analyze written and oral Reading the textbook; completing assigned All assessments; online activities (F); communication based on various situations work; practising online activities/exercises; peer feedback post and contexts. providing & receiving feedback on the discussion board Students will recognize ineffective, Discussing in class; providing & receiving All assessments; student messages to inappropriate, and unprofessional written and feedback on the discussion board; instructor (F); online activities and oral business communication. practising online activities/exercises; exercises (F); peer feedback post writing discussion board posts Students will choose relevant and effective Reading assignment guides; discussing Group business report and group sources, using various databases and online sources with group members, librarians, presentation tools. and the professor Students will give feedback in a constructive Providing & receiving feedback on the All assessments; online activities and way and use feedback to improve their written discussion board; practising online exercises (F); peer feedback post and oral communication throughout the course. activities/exercises; writing discussion board feedback posts Students will integrate their learning in this Discussing in class; ongoing messaging All assessments; online activities and course with their other courses and their work throughout the semester (emails, exercises (F); peer feedback post situations. meetings, etc.); creating ‘case studies’ from student experiences *Formative assessments (feedback only – no marks attached) are indicated by (F) ASSESSMENT • WORKSHOP ACTIVITY (WA) FEEDBACK POST: 5% Students will complete four brief workshop activities (WAs) related to specific course concepts to practise the concepts prior to the Writing Critique Assignment (25%) and the Writing Test (25%), and they will write one feedback post for either WA1 or WA2. •

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION THEORY QUIZ (DUE FEB . 4 AT 5:00 PM): 10% The Business Communication Theory Quiz is a time-limited online multiple-choice quiz students will complete to assess their understanding of the course concepts prior to the application of these in the Writing Critique Assignment (25%) and the Writing Test (25%). There are no deferrals for the theory quiz.

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WRITING CRITIQUE ASSIGNMENT (DUE FEB. 10 END OF CLASS TIME): 25% The Writing Critique Assignment requires students to critique the effectiveness of a document (similar to one of the WAs), based on the concepts learned in the course and practised in the WAs and feedback posts. Detailed guidelines for this assignment, along with a grading rubric, are available on Blackboard.

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WRITING TEST (MAR. 8) - 25% The Writing Test is written during the scheduled class timeslot and requires students to complete one piece of writing based on a business scenario, similar to what the students use for the WAs. The Writing Test assesses the student’s understanding of and ability to apply the major concepts of the course as appropriate to the scenario presented.

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GROUP BUSINESS REPORT (DUE APR. 7 END OF CLASS TIME): 25% Students will work in groups to complete the business report. The business report requires students to analyse an organization’s business communication effectiveness and use the formal report norms used in most situations outside of the academic environment. Students will assume the role of business communication consultants who have been contracted to prepare a report and presentation (see below). The analysis will be based on research from appropriate sources (as outlined in the assignment guide). Detailed guidelines for this assignment, along with a grading rubric, are available on Blackboard.

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GROUP BUSINESS PRESENTATION (DUE APR. 12 END OF CLASS TIME): 10% The business presentation is based on the group’s business report. Students will create a 9 - 12 minute persuasive presentation of the report topic, focusing on whatever information the group determines to be most relevant to the audience (decision makers in the selected organization). The presentation will demonstrate the group’s understanding of their audience. Students will create presentation slides with speaker’s notes and write a one-page single-spaced audience analysis and description of the purpose. Detailed guidelines for this assignment, along with a grading rubric, are available on Blackboard.

GRADING SYSTEM According to Mount Royal University policy, final grades will be reported by a letter grade corresponding to the percentage equivalents below: Letter Grade Percentages 4.0 Scale Mount Royal Description as per page 47 of the 2020/21 Calendar A+ 95 - 100 4.00 Excellent - Superior performance, showing comprehensive understanding of A 85 - 94 4.00 subject matter A80 - 84 3.70 B+ 77 - 79 3.30 Good - Clearly above average performance with knowledge of subject B 73 - 76 3.00 matter generally complete B70 - 72 2.70 C+ 67 - 69 2.30 Satisfactory - Basic understanding of subject matter C 63 - 66 2.00 C60 - 62 1.70 55 - 59 1.30 Marginal performance - Generally insufficient preparation for subsequent D+ D 50 - 54 1.00 courses Fail - Assigned to students F 0 - 49 0.00 a) who do not meet the academic requirements of the course, or b) who cease to continue in the course but do not withdraw as per Mount Royal University policy Marks lower than 0.5 percentage point of the upper bracket will be rounded down to the lower letter grade. Marks equal to or higher than 0.5 percentage point of the upper bracket will be rounded up to the higher letter grade.

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HOLIDAYS AND CLOSURES o Family Day & Winter Reading Break – February 15 - 19 o Good Friday – April 3 o Easter Monday – April 5 CRITICAL DATES (ADJUSTED AS PER THE REGISTRAR’S OFFICE)* o First day of winter semester classes – January 11 o Add/Drop deadline – January 19 o Final Exam schedule posted – February 23 o Formal evaluation feedback (> 25% of total grade) date – March 22 o Last day to withdraw with W grade – April 13 o Last day of winter semester classes – April 13 o Final exam period – April 15 - 26 Visit the MRU Academic Calendar for more information on dates and deadlines *Registrar Adjusted dates do not appear in the online MRU Academic Calendar

COURSE POLICIES • ASSIGNMENT POLICIES o Make sure your assignments follow the assignment guides posted on Blackboard. o There are no deferrals for the workshop activities (WAs), feedback post, and theory quiz. o All assignments are to be submitted as Word documents. o Late assignments are penalized 10% per day (24-hour period) for up to three days (not including holidays and weekends); after three days, the assignment receives a grade of zero. No feedback is provided for late submissions. This penalty is applied whether an assignment is a few minutes late or a few hours late! •

GROUP WORK & PEER REVIEW o Group work (report and presentation) may be assessed using instructor, peer, and self-evaluation to minimize ‘freeloading’. o Students who contribute less to group work (missed meetings or deadlines, poor quality of work, etc.) may earn a lower grade on these group assignments. o Let the instructor know of any serious problems in your group well before the assignment due date.

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TECHNOLOGICAL DEVICES & SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS o Students need to have a computer (desktop or laptop) or a tablet to participate in the course. As well, students must have a copy of Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint to complete the assignments. Students may access a free copy of Word and PowerPoint via the MRU Campus Store.

Students are not to share class PowerPoint slides, course documents, and class recordings outside the class membership.

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Course Schedule (Subject to Change) Green: Synchronous delivery Red: Readings Blue: Assignments submitted for grading Wk Date Topic and Reading Activities, Tests, and Assignments Course overview; introduction to business communication Introduction to the course; introduction to Jan. 11 (Course outline & policies; Module 1) business communication 1 Jan. 13 Audience analysis (Module 2) Audience analysis activity

Feb. 8

Document design activity; writing skills: filler words & pronoun usage Tone activities; writing skills: paragraph structure & transitions; ITP Metrics Tone: audience benefits (Module 10), positive emphasis introduction (for business report group (Module 11), you-attitude (Module 12) formation) Workshop Activity (WA) 1: PAIBOC, document design, audience benefits, positive emphasis, you-attitude (due on discussion board by 6:00 PM); Workshop Activity & Peer Feedback Post Guidelines; Feedback Post* (due on discussion board by 6:00 PM Jan. 26) Debrief WA1; Business Communication Informative (routine) messages & message formats Theory Quiz introduced (available at 8:30 (Modules 6 & 7) AM on Monday, Feb. 1) Writing Critique Assignment Guide Assignment introduced Workshop Activity (WA) 2: Informative (routine) message (due on discussion board by 5:00 PM); Feedback Post* (due on discussion board by 6:00 PM Feb. 4); Business Communication Theory Quiz to be completed by 5:00 PM on Thursday, Feb. 4 Bad news (negative) messages (Module 8) Debrief WA2

Feb 10

Writing Critique Assignment due by end of class time

Jan. 18 2 Jan. 20

Jan. 25 3 Jan. 27 Feb. 1 4

5 6

Feb. 3

Document design (Module 5)

Feb. 15-19

Family Day & Reading Week Break – No Classes Scheduled

Feb. 22

Workshop Activity (WA) 3: Bad news (negative) message (due on discussion board by 5:00 PM)

Feb. 24

Persuasive messages (Module 9)

Mar. 1

Workshop Activity (WA) 4: Persuasive message (due on discussion board by 5:00 PM)

Mar. 3

Review bad news & persuasive messages (modules 8 & 9)

Mar. 8

Writing Test (completed during scheduled class time & uploaded to Blackboard by end of class time)

Mar. 10

Business reports (Modules 15, 16, 17; Group Business Report Assignment Guide); collaborative writing (Module 20)

Report assignment introduced; organization and topic selection due by 5:00 PM Mar. 12

Mar. 15

Formal report layout & style (Formal Report Style Guide)

Group report contract due by 5:00 PM

7 Debrief WA3

8

9

10 Mar 17 11

Mar. 22 Mar. 24 Mar. 29

12

Mar. 31

Information needs (Module 13); claims & support (Module Purpose statement draft due by end of 14) class time Creating an executive summary; APA review (MRU’s APA APA in-text citation & reference page entry Documentation in Research Papers) activity Work on group report Feedback available to groups on report draft (10-minute meeting assigned to each group, upon request) Effective presentations (Module 22; Team Presentation Presentation assignment introduced Assignment Guide)

Apr. 5 13 14

Debrief WA4; Writing Test expectations

Easter Monday – No Classes Scheduled

Apr. 7

Group Business Report due by end of class time / Work on group presentation

Apr. 12

Presentation due by end of class time

*Students will provide feedback for either WA1 or WA2

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