COMMUNICATION PEDAGOGY: PORTFOLIO PROPOSAL

For purposes of this assignment, I have chosen to design a ten week, introductory
course in communication studies with an emphasis in mass media. CST 105: Introduction to
Communication Studies/Mass Media will cover material focusing on basic communication
practices and public speaking. Students will also learn about communication in the mass media
industry. This course is designed to allow students to understand basic communication
processes and learn how they are applicable to forms of mass media such as public relations,
print journalism, and broadcast journalism. By combining two related subject matters
(communication studies and mass communications) this will allow for students to also explore
the field of mass communications while learning essential basic communication practices to
allow for optimal performance in both areas.
Overview of timing plan:
Course title/type: CST 105-01: Introduction to Communication Studies (T, Th)
Time: 9:00-10:15 A.M.
Semester: Spring 2015
Target Audience: Freshmen-Sophomores
Student Presentation(s): Course presentations given at end of semester.
Exam Review Sessions: 2 review sessions, one optional review session (to be scheduled as
a class). Two confirmed review sessions will take place on 2/13 (Exam #1), 3/20 (Exam
#2).
Course Conclusions: 2 days allotted for student presentations on assigned material.
Presentations allow students to engage in critical discussion about course chapters, and
test their public speaking/professional skills learned throughout the course.
Number of sessions for each unit of course: 1-2 sessions (estimated) per chapter
Overview of props plan:
The following material will be used for successful facilitation of this course:
1 syllabus assigned to each student (and will be posted on BlackBoard)
1 textbook for class discussion/chapter readings
2-3 supplemental readings (chapters from Messages, The Media of Mass
Communication. These chapters will be posted on BlackBoard for students to
access)
2 copies of original textbook placed on library reserve for students to
borrow if textbooks have not arrived, with a one week limit placed on them.
Props (computer, board, worksheets, chapter outlines)

CST 105: Introduction to Communication Studies/Mass Media

Overview of organizational plan:

Students will have a total of 16 units (Fundamentals of Oral Communication, chapters 1-16) related
to course curriculum, in which there will be two case studies given during week 4 and 5, and a
total of three exams distributed throughout the semester accounting for 10% each. Since case
studies will be used as a method for students to apply course knowledge through interactive
learning there will be time allotted for students to ask questions on existing material for
preliminary exam preparation.
Overview of motivational plan:
Students will receive motivation during the beginning, middle, and ending of the course. At
the beginning of each course, students will be able to engage in discussion about their lives at
the beginning of course, and announce any events going on at the university. During the
middle of the course, students will have an open discussion on the material to ensure that all
students successfully understand the material that has been taught. At the end of each course,
students will have a debriefing session where announcements for the next class will be made.
Overview of communication/interaction plan:
In this course, students will have the opportunity to learn beyond traditional student-teacher
pedagogical methods, engaging in various activities to gain a better view of the
course/successfully comprehend material through the following:

Post-it note question board: Students will have the chance to write down any questions
that they may have on a post-it note, and place it on an a certain board in front of the
classroom. As the teacher is concluding the lesson taught for the day, he/she/they will
pull questions from that board to answer in relation to the course material. This allows
for at least 2-3 questions to be answered from the material, with a goal of being able to
answer questions for students who have trouble speaking up in the classroom.

TV Show Analysis: As a classroom activity, students will watch part of MTVs Finding
Carter (2014) in class, and the other half outside of class. Students will write a paper
based off of the following concepts: a) 2-3 page review applying course concepts to the
TV show, or b) 2-3 page paper communicatively explaining the TV show through an
assigned prompt.

Case studies for discussion and analysis: Students will work in groups for this particular
activity. They will critically analyze two case studies to gain a better understanding of
the material being taught, and are allowed to ask any comprehensive questions about
course material for upcoming exams, which also serves as an interactive test review
method.

CST 105: Introduction to Communication Studies/Mass Media