communications pt 1

Instructor and Course Identity

  • Instructor: Deborah Meadow (they/them pronouns). Basic Course Director for COMM 1115G; will be the lecturer for most content this semester, partnering with Doctor Armfield.

  • Pronouns practice: open to students practicing they/them pronouns; welcoming questions about pronouns.

  • Personal background:

    • Born and raised in El Paso, Texas (from El Chuco).

    • Transfer student who started at El Paso Community College; nontraditional student who needed to learn how to succeed in higher education.

    • Joined NMSU in 2015; earned BA in Communication Studies; completed a Master’s in Communication Studies at NMSU; was a GTA and taught labs about a decade ago.

    • Current roles: Basic Course Director; Interim Director of LGBT+ Programs on campus.

    • Open-door policy: encourage students to approach with questions; emphasizes being a human outside of class; acknowledges teaching 600 students per semester.

    • Personal life: introvert at heart; enjoys time with dogs, spouse, and gaming.

  • Co-instructor: Doctor Armfield

    • Department head for Communication Studies; research areas include organizational communication, sports communication, religion communication, leadership.

    • Has taught extensively; with the department for over 15 years; former Basic Course Director.

    • Will appear across several lectures (roughly 6 or 7) this semester.

  • Welcome note: students will get to know both instructors; expect collaboration and continued introductions in future lectures.

Course Format and Structure

  • Hybrid format: COMM 1115G is the largest course on campus; online lecture with in-person labs.

  • Classification: you are part of a90 online course; the lecture portion is online; labs are in person.

  • Weekly rhythm:

    • Lectures are recorded each week.

    • In-person lectures are conducted on Tuesdays and/or Thursdays; recordings of those lectures are posted for online students.

    • If the lecture is recorded on Tuesday, expect the recording by Tuesday ext{-}night or Wednesday ext{ morning}; if recorded on Thursday, posting occurs by Thursday ext{-}night.

  • Access to materials:

    • Recordings posted on Canvas; announcements will indicate when the lecture is posted.

    • Week-of-content: view the lecture for that week; watch before the start of the new week (example: this week’s lecture should be viewed before Monday).

  • Canvas structure:

    • Two Canvas pages: a dedicated Lecture page and a Lab page.

    • Lecture page: announcements, lecture recordings, PowerPoints, and general lecture materials.

    • Lab page: grades, assignments, due dates, rubrics, and lab-specific content.

    • Lectures are led by the lecturer (Me) while labs are led by GTAs (Graduate Teaching Assistants).

  • Schedules and access:

    • Lab sections: 10 sections; labs in the Communications Sciences Building (CSB) with possible locations on the Second Floor or Third Floor.

    • Check your course schedule to attend the correct lab; all labs fall under the same course despite different sections.

  • Ebook access:

    • There is ebook access available; a separate video will be created to navigate ebook access and its differences from the syllabus.

Roles and Responsibilities

  • GTAs (Lab Instructors)

    • First point of contact for students regarding labs, assignments, and grades.

    • Lead labs, run activities, assign main lab assignments, grade, and provide feedback on speeches.

    • If questions cannot be answered by GTAs, students may escalate to the lecture professors (Deborah Meadow and Doctor Armfield).

    • GTAs are respected as instructors and researchers in their own right; they are integral to the course’s operation.

  • Professors (Lecture Instructors)

    • Deborah Meadow (basic course director) and Doctor Armfield (department head) oversee the overall course quality and alignment.

    • Record and share lecture content; respond to general questions; ensure the online and in-person components align.

  • Communication channels

    • Announcements from both the lecture page and the lab pages; daily canvas checks recommended.

    • If changes occur, instructors will post announcements on Canvas; students should monitor Canvas daily.

Course Approach and Educational Philosophy

  • Course identity: public speaking within a survey course. Topics cover multiple fields of communication: interpersonal, conflict, cultural communication, etc.

  • Core classroom culture: cultivate an environment of bravery and trust in the classroom to support public speaking and open discussion.

    • Bravery: it takes courage to publicly speak and participate.

    • Trust: builds a safe space where students can share and critique ideas.

    • Guiding principle: be the audience member you would want as a presenter; mutual respect and constructive feedback.

  • Evidence-based and critical thinking emphasis:

    • Higher education requires critical reasoning and evidence-based practices.

    • The course emphasizes accountability and the development of critical evaluation skills.

  • Practical expectations:

    • Students must engage with course materials, attend lectures, participate in labs, and complete assignments as scheduled.

    • The course structure (Lecture + Lab) supports both content delivery and hands-on practice.

  • Real-world relevance and ethical considerations:

    • Training in public speaking, critical reasoning, and evidence-based discussion parallels real-world professional contexts.

    • The course encourages ethical communication practices and responsible discourse.

Reminders and Practical Tips for Students

  • Check Canvas daily for announcements and updates from both the lecture and lab instructors.

  • Be aware of the hybrid nature: even though lectures are online, labs are in-person; plan accordingly.

  • Watch the weekly lecture video as part of your preparation; ensure you view it within the designated week.

  • Use the two Canvas pages to locate different materials:

    • Lecture Page: recordings, PowerPoints, announcements.

    • Lab Page: grades, rubrics, due dates, and lab-specific content.

  • If you have questions about your grades or assignments, start with your Lab GTA; escalate to Deborah Meadow or Doctor Armfield if needed.

  • Expect ebook navigation support; a short video will be provided to guide ebook access.

  • Remember the course’s goal to foster bravery and trust while developing evidence-based communication and critical reasoning skills.

  • Geographic and logistical notes:

    • Labs are held in the Communications Sciences Building, with potential locations on the Second Floor or Third Floor.

    • The course is designed as a large, campus-wide learning experience and includes collaboration with a long-standing department leadership.

Quick Reference Summary

  • Course: COMM 1115G (Hybrid: Online Lecture + In-Person Labs)

  • Lectures: online; recordings posted on Canvas; two instructors (Meadow and Armfield)

  • Labs: in-person; led by GTAs; direct contact for assignments and grades

  • Schedule: 10 lab sections; 2 Canvas pages

  • Key concepts: bravery, trust, evidence-based practices, critical reasoning, ethical communication

  • Important numbers: 2015 (joined NMSU), 10 (lab sections), 15 (years with department), 6/7 (approximate number of lectures by Armfield), 90 (online course component), 2/3 (building floors), etc.

  • Pronouns: they/them; invitation to practice pronouns with instructors

  • Contact strategy: GTAs first; instructors for escalation; be proactive with Canvas announcements