INSTRUCTOR:
Dr. Nancy Steffen-Fluhr, Associate Professor, Humanities Department
OFFICE: 415 Cullimore
Also: Murray Center for Women in Technology, 2nd floor, Campus Center
PHONE: Cullimore Office: x3295 Murray Center: x4885
Home: 973-208-9015 FAX: 973-642-7205
EMAIL: steffen@njit.edu and steffen@optonline.net
TEXTS:
1. Beebe, Steven A. and John T. Masterson. Communicating in Small Groups. 7th Edition
Boston: Pearson. 2003. [“B&M” hereafter]
If you have not already done so, please purchase this text today.
2. Deek, Fadi P. and James A.M. McHugh. Computer-Supported Collaboration with
Applications to Software Development. Boston: Kluwer. 2003. [“D&M” hereafter]
Assigned readings from this text will be available online in our Webboard Virtual Classroom. You do not need to purchase a hardcopy.
3. Course Pack [“CP” hereafter]
I will make some of these additional readings available online in Webboard; I will send you hard copies of the others via postal mail.
ASSIGNMENTS/GRADING:
Writing Assignment 1.0 Data Sheet 0 POINTS
Writing Assignment 2.0 Self Portrait 5
Exercise A Memo Survival: The Hurricane Is Coming 2
Exercise B1 Goal-Orientation Questionnaire 0.5
Exercise B2 Communication Behavior Questionnaire 0.5
Exercise C Memo Solstice Mystery 2
Writing Assignment 3.0 The Carlyle Windsor House Case 10
Exercise E Memo Survival: Stranded on the Ice 4
Exercise F Conflict Styles Questionnaire 0.5
Exercise G Memo Role-Playing Negotiation 4
Exercise H1 Group Member Ranking Form 1
Writing Assignment 4.0 The Plating Tank Case 20
Exercise I Group Acceptance Questionnaire 0.5
Writing Assignment 6.0 PORTRAIT OF A COLLABORATION 20
+ COURSE JOURNAL
PARTICIPATION IN WEEKLY DISCUSSIONS OF THE READINGS 20 [1/week]
TOTAL 100
There are no exams in this course.
WEEKLY READING/ DISCUSSION SCHEDULE:
Week 1 Introduction; Theory
Readings: B&M Chapters 1 & 2
Exercise: Survival: The Hurricane Is Coming
Writing Assignments: 1.0 Data Sheet
2.0 Self-Portrait
Week 2 Norms & Roles; Group Climate
Readings: B&M Chapters 4 & 5
Jarvenpaa, Sirkka and Dorothy Leidner. “Communication and Trust in
Global Virtual Teams.” www.ascucsc.org/jcmc/vol3/issue4/jarvenpaa.html
Exercises: Hurricane Team Memo & Debriefing
Goal-Orientation Questionnaire
Communication Behavior Questionnaire
Week 3 Collaborative Writing; Computer-Mediated Collaboration
Readings: Sharples. M. “The Collaborative Tradition.” CP
Farkas, David K. “Collaborative Writing, Software Development, and
the Universe of Collaborative Activity.” CP
D&M Chapter 2
B&M pp. 335-342
Exercise: Solstice Mystery
Writing Assignment 3.0 The Carlyle Windsor House Case
Week 4 Group Decision-Making & Problem-Solving
Readings: B&M Chapter 8
D&M Chapter 3
Exercise: Survival: Stranded in the Desert
Writing Assignment: Carlyle Windsor Case (Continued)
Week 5 Problem-Solving Techniques & Tools; Groupware
Readings: B&M Chapter 9
D&M Chapter 6; Chapter 7 (excerpt)
Hiltz, S.R. and Murray Turrof. “Computer-Based Delphi Processes.” CP
Week 6 Managing Conflict; Computer-Mediated Groups & Productivity
Readings: B&M Chapter 10
D&M Chapter 1 (excerpt only); Chapter 4
Exercise: Conflict Styles Questionnaire
Week 7 Group Leadership; Gender and Collaborative Work
Readings: B&M Chapter 11
“Gender Differences & the Use of Conflict Strategies”Dennis, Alan, et. al. “Gender Differences in the Effects of Media Richness” CP
Exercise: Role-Playing Negotiation
Exercise: Survival: Stranded on the Ice
Week 8 Non-Verbal Communication
Readings: B&M Chapter 6
Borisoff and Merrill. “Gender and Nonverbal Communication” CP
Group Member Ranking Form
Readings: Andersen. “Cues of Culture: The Basis of Intercultural Differences in
Nonverbal Communication” CP
Yuan. “Yin/Yang Principle and…Intercultural Communication” CP
Ting-Toomey. “Managing Intercultural Conflicts Effectively” CP
Writing Assignment: 4.0 The Plating Tank Case
ASSIGNED ON NOV 24; DUE ON DEC 6
Readings: Scollon and Scollon. Intercultural Communication. Chapter 1. CP
Writing Assignment: The Plating Tank Case (Continued)
WRITING ASSIGNMENT 6.0. PORTRAIT OF A COLLABORATION:
Due December 13, along with collaboration journal