Quest

Secondary Learning Objectives (SLO)

· Students will be able to demonstrate how APA Citations are used in academic writing.

· Students will be able to identify and explain the process of academic research, academic writing and publishing academic work.

· Classify Communication Research by Theoretical Perspective and/or Methodological Choice

· Create, Identify and Manage Communicative Messages through multiple platforms and mediums.

Course Materials and Technology Requirements:

The following materials are required for successful completion of the course. The items listed as optional are recommended, but not required for success. Additionally, there is an understanding that all students in this course have a basic understanding of how to use the materials, technology (and software) listed below.

Course Text:

There is no textbook for this course. Each week you will be assigned a “Core Reading Quest” AND you will have to choose from 3 Beginner Reading Quests OR 2 Intermediate Reading Quests OR 1 Advanced Reading Quest.

Technology Requirements:

· Laptop/Computer

· Microsoft Office

· Reliable Internet Access

· Printer Access (On or Off Campus)

· Tablet (Optional)

· Microphone (Optional)

· Smartphone with Video Camera or Digital Video Camera (Optional)

· Twitter Account (Optional)

Teaching Philosophy

I am not a teacher, at least not in the traditional sense. I don’t believe in the traditional classroom, one in which students are forced to listen to their instructor’s lecture. A classroom in which students are asked to take notes, memorize and regurgitate information in the form of a multiple choice test. To me, this is not learning. I believe in creating a safe space for students to share their ideas, beliefs and worldviews. I want to foster an environment of growth, laughter and learning through group discussions, story-sharing and individual relationships.

For me, teaching works through collaboration, innovation and the blurring of roles between teacher and student. So when people ask me, “Are you a teacher?” My initial response is no. However, I do facilitate learning through everyday talk. I believe in the balance between theory and praxis, and I encourage my students to follow their passions as much, if not more than their logic.

I believe in laughter and respect. I do not tolerate the idea of having fun at the expense of another’s marginalized identity and I expect those in my classroom to be respectful of each other’s’ opinions, ideas and worldviews. Humor that is based in hurtful or hateful ideals do not foster a safe space and I do not take these types of comments lightly.

Principles for an Open Classroom and Safe Space

Each day, we will explore various aspects of intercultural communication. Through discussion we will be tackling very serious and very heavy material that may challenge your own identity. I recognize that this can be very difficult and that you may or may not always feel comfortable speaking out. However, the individual growth of your fellow students hinge upon our ability to create meaningful discussions with each other. Therefore, I ask for a commitment to help create an environment that you and other students feel comfortable sharing within, by being respectful, empathetic and willing to discuss the issues each day.

Course Policies

Honor Code

Cheating on exams and plagiarism are serious academic offenses and will result in your removal from this course. If you are having a difficult time with the readings or assignments, please contact me immediately. Together we will find a way for you to manage the coursework without resorting to dishonest tactics. Also, if you have any questions about how to cite or give credit to information created by others’, please contact me through e-mail or telephone. Failure to abide by these guidelines will result in immediate expulsion from the course.

Attendance/Class Participation

You are expected to arrive on time to class prepared to actively participate in activities and discussions. By critically engaging with the readings, formulating intelligent questions and clarifying concepts during discussions, listening mindfully to your peers, delivering well-prepared presentations, and providing constructive peer feedback, you will make a unique and meaningful contribution to our learning community. When you are not in class your opportunities to teach, learn, and interact with your peers are diminished.

Ability Policy

Whether you have a documented disability or not, I take every effort to ensure equitable access to learning materials. I take every request seriously. I do not open accommodation letters that are automatically generated and sent prior to the start of the quarter by disability services. I will however review the letter once you have given me permission. Please feel free to contact me via whichever medium you are comfortable with, should you have questions or requests.

Classroom Technology

Laptops and Tablets

If you are used to using laptops or tablets during class to take notes, you may have them out during anytime where taking notes would be appropriate. Please be respectful of the classroom pace and put away any of your technology prior to a classmate presentation.

Cell Phones

Except in rare cases, you are expected to have your cell phone on SILENT, not vibrate. We all notice when a phone buzzes. Please refrain from texting or surfing when videos or classmate presentations are being done.

Other Electronic Devices and Recording Devices

You may use whatever technology that you believe will aid in the learning process. I ask that you are respectful in using this technology and refrain from active use while others are talking. Should you wish to record class, you may record any aspect of my talk, but please turn off recorders when your classmates are presenting.

Explanation of Course

This course may seem confusing to you. Upon first glance there seems to be a lot of pieces and a lot of work. The assignments presented are meant to give you a choice in what you want to do each week. This approach abides by Universal Design, under the first principle, multiple means of representation. I’ve decided on this approach because the breadth of research on relational communication is incredibly broad in both theoretical framework and methodological approach. You will likely find certain styles of research more fitting to your character class and should have the choice in what materials you engage.

Justification of The Game (The Course)

I have chosen to organize this as a game. As a gamer myself, I believe wholeheartedly in the power of story and the fun of games. Learning should be an enjoyable process and hopefully this structure will provide the incentive of fun while completing the course. Should you find yourself lost, confused or unsure, please do not hesitate to ask me (the gamemaster) or one of your fellow players (students). There is a lot of flexibility and a lot of different ways to earn experience (points). You should never feel that you cannot catch up, as I will continuously accept quests (assignments) throughout the entire semester.

The choice in organizing this as a game was inspired by my resistance to the traditional education model that is prevalent within our society. More often than not, education measures memorization and repetition and not actual learning. Friere labels this as the Banking System of education, where students are containers in which information is deposited. This lacks a key aspect of learning, which centers around critical thinking and ownership. As the facilitator of this course, I want you to think, challenge, explore and struggle as you navigate the basis of our discipline.

Beginning the Game

To begin, you will start by creating a character. You can choose your name, demographic information, and overall aesthetic for the character (you). On the second day of class (Thursday, September 14th, 2017) you will turn in your character sheet (See Beginning Character Quest under Quests) and course agreement. You should also contact me or come to class prepared to ask any questions during our town meeting time (see Quest Timeline a.k.a. Course Schedule).

Character Class

You will begin by choosing a character class. The descriptions of each character class is found later in the syllabus. Read each description carefully and choose the one that best fits your interests. This character class will be your guide in completing the course. Each class has primary and secondary skills (levels of knowledge) that you can develop, and quests (assignments) that lend themselves to your personal growth.

Should you desire to change your class, you must first reach the next character level (to not lose experience earned). If you change your character class, you will begin as a first level character of the new class, which will now make you a dual class character. You will need to complete the requisite class-change quest to make up the experience difference of what you have earned to stay on pace with the class (See Class Change Quest under Specialty Quests).

It is very important to think carefully about your character class. Think about this as if you were choosing a major, or accepting a new job. Although you can change, there are often non-monetary costs that come along with changing (i.e. time, locations, relationships, emotional toll) that can be both positively and negatively impacted. If you have questions, or would like to talk through your thought process with me, please set up an appointment to meet prior to class during the first week. Should you wish to change classes at any point, you must set up a time to meet with me before or after class OR via teleconference or telephone.

Each week, you will be given a series of quests (assignments) to choose from. These quests can be completed by using the various readings, videos, audio recordings or activities. Each of these quests have difficulty ratings. The more difficult the quest, the more experience (points) you can earn. Each character class will level up using the same experience structure, but the more difficult the quest, the less number of quests are needed to level up. To achieve the highest level (The Grade Level A), you will need to reach a character level 10 (See Leveling Your Character). Difficulty levels are organized as:

· Novice – An introductory level quest that takes minimal time OR effort to complete. Worth a small amount of experience. This level is considered all or nothing, meaning that you cannot obtain partial points. Repeating this quest in the same week results in severely diminished results (50% after first turn in, 25% after second turn in, 0% after third turn in).

· Apprentice - A beginner level quest that should take 30 minutes or less to complete. Worth a small to moderate amount of experience. You may receive partial points for quests that are not completed to the full expectations of the game master. Repeating this quest in the same week results in severely diminished results (50% after first turn in, 25% after second turn in, 0% after third turn in).

· Expert – A difficult level quest that should take one to three hours to complete. Worth a lot of experience. You may receive partial points for quests that are not completed to the full expectations of the game master. Repeating this quest in the same week results in severely diminished results (50% after first turn in, 25% after second turn in, 0% after third turn in).

· Master – An extremely difficult level quest. These quests will take ten hours or more to complete. You may receive partial points for quests that are not completed to the full expectations of the game master. You may not repeat these quests for additional experience.

· Legendary - An extremely difficult level quest. These quests will take ten hours or more to complete and requires you to band together with other players (students) for successful completion. Details of minimums and maximums are available in the quest’s description. You may receive partial points for quests that are not completed to the full expectations of the game

Abridged Glossary

· Quests – This is also known as an assignment.

· Game Master – This is your instructor

· Experiece Points (XP) – This is the amount of points earned for completing a quest.

· Character – This is you.

· Quest Timeline – This is our course schedule

· Levels – Your current standing in the course.

Base Classes and Skills

You may choose a character class that best aligns with your interests and experiences. Please read through the following descriptions. For a full view of each character class, please download the Character Class Description document from Canvas.

Skills:

Skill Trees are areas that need to be completed by the end of the semester. Each level requires a different commitment. Below are descriptions of Skills:

Secondary:

Secondary Skills are skills that show that a character has a basic idea of how to do or talk about a specific area. Think about this skill type as a non-football follower knowing about the Broncos, their players and maybe head coach. You know enough to engage in simple conversation, but could not talk for lengths about this area. To complete this level, you must complete three quests rated as Apprentice Level.

Primary:

Primary skills are based on a level of knowledge that shows you understand the basic concepts, assumptions and applications within a particular area. You can think of this skill level as having working knowledge or a professional Italian chef knowing enough about cooking to prepare traditional French or German dishes, if provided a recipe. To Complete this level, you must have earned Secondary Status already and then complete 9 quests rated at Apprentice Level. You may substitute Expert, Master or Legendary level quests at a rate of 1 Expert counts for 2 Apprentice, 1 Master or Legendary Counts as 5 Apprentice level quests.

Advanced:

Advanced skills require a high level of knowledge that shows that you understand basic concepts, but can apply them in a variety of settings. To frame this skill, think of something you do really well, something you can teach or explain with little or no preparation. To complete this skill level, you must achieve Secondary and Primary Skill rating AND complete a Master or Legendary Quest. You may not double-dip.

Alignment:

· Empirical – You tend to rely and believe in numerical data to make decisions.

· Experiential – You tend to rely on your feelings when making decisions.

· Critical – You care more about right and wrong when making decisions.

Class Descriptions

The Librarian

The Librarian is a Jack-of-all-trades who can do anything and is extremely flexible. They know how words work and how to use words effectively. They are comfortable in a variety of communicative spaces including face-to-face, mediated synchronous and mediated asynchronous spaces. The Librarian is a rare creature who can wear any face.

The Orator

The Orator can be the champion of the science behind words or the art behind words. This character believes in the power of words and understands that in its most formal space, language can change the world. These experts of language gravitate towards public discourses, persuasion and providing boundaries for a civil society.

The Codebreaker

The Codebreaker is a master of meaning-making. Well versed in the shared language of the different cultural groups they belong to, the Codebreaker can craft messages that are well understood by their target audience. The Codebreaker focuses on signs and symbols and can often use imagery as a method of communication.

The Wanderer

The Wanderer is the master of living within the moment. Meaning and experience are intertwined within a specific moment in time. Dialogue is the ultimate and purest form of Communication, and in our busy world, very hard to come by. The Wanderer is whimsical and willing to always sit down and chat, listen and engage with friends, families and even perfect strangers. They are the ultimate team player.

The Computer

The Computer is a logical, systematic and detailed oriented individual. Think the Type A personality, as it pertains to Communication. Believers in the Theory of Non-Summativity (Whole is Greater than the Sum of its parts), the Computer believes in logic, predictability and understanding communication as part of a larger system.

The Face

The Face is a master of understanding the “why” of a particular act. They understand how communication can create particular behaviors and are deft at creating messages that get people to do what they want (and generally be happy about it). The Face is a master strategist and can also create plans that allow larger organizations to roll out changes, or in getting people to all agree.

The Paladin

The Paladins are champions of justice. For the Paladin, diversity is important as meaning is made culturally and can change over time. Paladins are natural explorers and understands that the people they engage with are often products of their environment. Paladins love to explore people and what makes them tick.

The Conspirator

The title of the conspirator is slightly misleading. This character class finds itself with understanding how power works in a variety of settings. A master of language, the Conspirator is very skilled in deconstructing systems of power and providing a voice to marginalized groups. The Conspirator will often tear down systems and use their skills to rally people to their cry.

The Meddler

The Meddler is the person who finds themselves engaged in other people’s lives. They are the ultimate empath and often find themselves playing peacekeeper, relational counselor and Mx. Fix-it. Meddlers are masters of listening and often find themselves actively offering advice on people’s lives, relationships and choices.

The Voice

The Voice is the person who is always speaking up for those around them. Unlike the Paladin, it doesn’t matter to the voice what the cause is. Voices are experts at getting people to agree with them, and will often forego the concept of privilege for the success of their message. Voices find themselves in leadership positions and are often viewed as passionate and jovial.

The Wheel

The Wheel will often be the instigator of action and find themselves surrounded by people who believe in their abilities. Wheels are exceptional at ‘stirring the pot’ and are generally viewed as the Go-To people for all things within their social groups. Viewed by others at the glue or fabric of their social groups. Wheels tend to surround themselves with like-minded people.

Once you have decided which class you want to start as, please complete the Character Class Assignment.

Quests