Area A1: Oral Communication

Goal 1. Students will analyze the principles of effective oral communication from the rhetorical perspective.

Outcome 1A. Students will identify and apply the rhetorical principles that underlie form and content in formal speeches and oral presentations.
Outcome 1B. Students will evaluate contexts, attitudes, values, and responses of different audiences.
Outcome 1C. Students will demonstrate active listening skills in order to interpret, critically evaluate reasoning, and engage with new ideas.

Goal 2. Students will actively participate in written and oral forms of communication in English.

Outcome 2A. Students will create, organize, and support ideas for various types of oral presentations.
Outcome 2B. Students will present well-organized oral presentations practicing sound reasoning and advocacy in the physical presence of others.
Outcome 2C. Students will demonstrate acceptable ethical and responsible communication in researching, creating, and presenting presentations, including proper verbal citations

  1. The course must be lower division.
  2. The course is graded on A/B/C/NC basis (contingent on Senate approval).
  3. At least 80% of the course grade must be based on assignments related to oral communication.
  4. Assignments accounting for approximately 20% of the course grade are related to the themes: (a) Quality of Life, (b) Revolutionary Ideas and Innovations, or (c) Sustainability and Justice.
  5. At least one of the assignments shall involve (a) utilizing a plan for acquiring and recording information employing basic search strategies to explore core sources, including library resources; (b) articulating and applying rudimentary criteria in evaluating information and sources; and (c) using and citing properly the information in both written and spoken assignments.
  6. Assignments shall foster the understanding and value of academic integrity and encourage students to take responsibility as an engaged person in various roles: student, learner, professional, and global citizen.
  7. Some assignments or classroom activities should encourage the development of skills and strategies for working collaboratively.
  8. The course syllabus must include references to assignments that are described above as part of the course expectations.
  9. The course syllabus must include the university-approved student learning outcomes for oral communication and link them to activities and/or assignments that students complete to demonstrate they have met the outcomes.
  10. Individual students will speak for at least 25 minutes total, including at least (a) one presentation to inform and (b) one presentation to persuade.
  11. Courses must be faculty-supervised, faculty-evaluated practice in communicating orally in the physical presence of other listeners.
  12. Courses must have students speak their own words, not only recite words written by others.
  13. Instructors must give timely developmental feedback to students on their oral communication skills.
  14. Rubrics used to evaluate oral communication will be made available to students and incorporate the essential dimensions identified by GECCo.

Oral Communication Reinforcement

Goal 1: Students will demonstrate proficiency in oral communication.

Outcome 1A. Students will create organized oral presentations using appropriate information for the subject and the audience.
Outcome 1B. Students will present information in a professional manner using well-developed oral presentation skills

  1. The course may be upper or lower division, and its prerequisites shall be satisfaction of Areas A1 (Oral Communication).
  2. The course is graded on an A/B/C/D/F basis.
  3. For courses covering a theme, assignments accounting for about 20% of the course grade are related to the connected theme: (a) Quality of Life, (b) Revolutionary Ideas and Innovations, or (c) Sustainability and Human Rights.
  4. Assignments intended to reinforce the foundational skills (collectively, if more than one) must account for at least 30% of the course grade.
  5. At least one of the assignments shall involve (a) utilizing a plan for acquiring and recording information employing basic search strategies to explore core sources, including library resources; (b) articulating and applying rudimentary criteria in evaluating information and sources; and (c) using and citing properly the information in both written and spoken assignments.
  6. Assignments shall foster the understanding and value of academic integrity and encourage students to take responsibility as an engaged person in various roles: student, learner, professional, and global citizen.
  7. Some assignments or classroom activities should encourage the development of skills and strategies for working collaboratively.
  8. The course syllabus must include references to assignments that are described above as part of the course expectations.
  9. The course syllabus must include the university-approved student learning outcomes for oral communication reinforcement and link them to activities and/or assignments that students complete to demonstrate they have met the outcomes.
  10. Courses must be faculty-supervised, faculty-evaluated practice in communicating orally in the physical presence of other listeners.
  11. Courses must have students speak their own words, not only recite words written by others.
  12. Instructors must give timely developmental feedback to students on their oral communication skills.
  13. Rubrics used to evaluate oral communication will be made available to students and incorporate the essential dimensions identified by GECCo.