Description

You can also download a PDF version of the syllabus. 

Course Meeting Time and Place

This course will meet Wednesday 5:50-8:30pm at COB 221

Contact Info

Instructor: Sipai Klein

Office: COB 1024

Phone: 719.255.4018

Email: bluetortugas@gmail.com 

Course website: http://eng3850spring11.blogspot.com/

Office Hours

Tuesday and Thursday 1:30-3:00pm

Office hours will take place on the 3rd floor of the Kraemer Family Library. (I should be in one of the side rooms.)

Class Email

Class email address: english3850@googlegroups.com

Course Description

In this course you will develop your intercultural communication skills within the context of document design. In other words, the course will introduce you to major intercultural communication theories and will focus on applying those theories to document design. Throughout the semester, you will have the opportunity to design documents that target various cultures, communication platforms and workplace situations. In order to design these documents, you will also learn about how contemporary writers use multiple modes of communication in order to produce targeted messages. By focusing on your role as a professional and technical writer who needs to successfully communicate in a global workplace, this course will engage you in a conversation about how cultures use words, images, sound, animation, among other modes of communication, as making meaning resources and how communicators can and do use these resources to design documents for intercultural audiences. 

Objectives

Upon completing this course, you will be expected to show the following:

*Evaluate, analyze, navigate, and synthesize appropriate research sources

*Produce appropriate and ethical text and graphics for displaying research data and findings

*Conduct user/reader/viewer analysis

*Write in multiple genres

*Participate collaboratively with others in the iterative process of research, discussion, negotiation, writing, and editing

*Use various software for writing, editing, and designing

*Apply visual design for intercultural audiences 

*Develop problem-solving communication skills in intercultural situations

*Develop awareness of diverse cultural communication practices

*Effectively and ethically manage cultural differences

Required Materials

Hampden-Turner, Charles and Trompenaars, Fons. (2000). Building cross-cultural competence: How to create wealth from conflicting values. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. (Hardcover approx. $28)

Amant, Kirk St. (2005). A protoype theory approach to international web site analysis and design. Technical Communication Quarterly, 14.1, 73-91. (Provided by instructor.)

Bloomer, Carolyn M. (1997). The multicultural designer. Critique: The Magazine of Graphic Design Thinking, 4, 39-45. (Provided by instructor.)

Kostenick, Charles. (1995). Cultural adaptation and information design: Two contrasting views. IEEE Transaction on Professional Communication, 38.4. 182-196. (Provided by instructor.)

Special Thanks
Thanks to Dr. Barry Thatcher for giving me permission to adopt his course material.