COMM 250 Agenda - Week 1

1. COMM 250 Agenda - Week 1 Introducing the Professor Syllabus Student Expectations (Exercise) Implicit and Explicit Course Agreements Lecture The Nature of Science The Role of Research Team Formation - Tomorrow

2. Who I Am . . . • Dr. Andrew Finn • Web Site: mason.gmu.edu/~afinn • E-mail: afinn@gmu.edu • Home: 703-425-1641 • Cell: 703-850-7003 • Office: 703-993-1092 • My Intention for this Semester: • We Learn a Lot • Everybody Makes It • Highest Grades EVER in COMM 250 • We Have FUN and ENJOY Coming to Class

3. Learning Teams Pedagogical Principles • Student Learning - not Professor Teaching • Discussion is More Engaging than Lecture • Learn the Material, then Apply It • You are Responsible for Your Own Learning Why I Use Teams • Students Learn MUCH More Why Businesses Use Teams • Rapidly Shifting Tasks • Empowerment, Self-Direction

4. What Organizations Value http://www.cox.com/CoxCareer • Critical thinking -- seeing the big picture and being analytical; comprehending what you read • Communication -- getting your point across effectively when writing and speaking • Visionary qualities -- brainstorming, looking to the future, setting goals • Self-motivation -- showing a willingness to take the initiative

5. What Organizations Value • Proficiency with information -- being inquisitive, curious, and resourceful; knowing how to conduct research • Global-minded -- understanding and showing an interest in other cultures and getting along with diverse groups of people • Teamwork -- working well with others to achieve common goals http://www.cox.com/CoxCareer

6. Learning Teams Components of Learning Teams • Readiness Assessment Tests • In-Class Team Exercises • Team Projects • TP2: Peer Evaluation Procedures & Criteria • Evaluating Peers • Helping Behavior

7. Concerns You May Have • The Amount of Work • Do I Really Want to Learn This Stuff? • This is B O R I N G ! • I’ve Been in Teams and One Person Does All the Work • Does this Guy Know What He is Talking About?

8. Team Exercise 1 First do individually . . . • Draw a vertical line down a paper • list Negative Thoughts about . . . • then list Positive Thoughts about . . . • COMM 250, • Research Methods then do as a team (use the “official” form)

9. Housekeeping / Logistics Tasks for EVERYONE: • “Circle” the number on the Class List • Fill in your information on the Team Roster • Sign TEAM attendance sheet (1st half, 2nd half) Tasks for each TEAM: • If not going to Hemlock Overlook, your team will need to pick a time to meet between Wed. & Mon. • Choose a team name (soon) • Team Photos will be Taken in Class Next Wed.

10. Housekeeping – After Class Tasks for EVERYONE: Sign up for your TA’s LISTSERV Tasks for each TEAM: • Download MS Word file from Website, then E-mail Team Roster to your TA • Prepare for TP1, TP2 • Choose a Team Name

11. Semester Activities • Thinking • Shifting Paradigms • Learning Teams • Learning Research • Doing Research

12. Do we need science? • What Science Provides: • a systematic examination of the world • a relatively “objective” examination of the world • our technology now has huge consequences: • global warming, nuclear waste, acid rain, smog, television content • the truth is . . . no one is in charge • we’re making changes on a massive scale • and no one can predict the effects

13. The Nature of Science The Goals of (Traditional) Science: • description • prediction • control Examples • Economics • Weather

14. How Do We “KNOW” Things? • Experiential Reality • Firsts Hand Experience • Done There; Been That ! • Agreement Reality • Second Hand Knowledge • Tradition and/or Authority • Both Can Assist or Hinder Inquiry • Science: A Special Standard for “Agreement Reality”

15. The Research Process • Conceptualization • Planning & Designing Research • Methods for Conducting Research • Analyzing & Interpreting Data • Re-Conceptualization

16. Types of Research: Experimental Survey Textual Analysis Naturalistic Inquiry