"Let's Talk"

You can reach me at maryann.boyd@ccv.edu, or mdb06180@ccv.edu

Welcome to Conflict Resolution!

Hello! I'm Mary Ann Boyd, and am very happy to have you as a member our class as we explore theories, and the practice of negotiation and conflict resolution! The emphasis and focus areas on which we will be spending the most time will be: communication skills such as listening, observation vs. evaluating, making requests, nonverbal communication, assertiveness, as well as conflict management.

My goal as your teacher is to first help you learn some of the practical skills of communication which will lay the foundation for effective conflict resolution. The fact is this; without effective communication, conflict will often be the result.

Through regular course participation and discussion, the various readings, videos, postings, journal entries and other assignments throughout the semester, you will learn how to more effectively express your own feelings and needs, as well as receive communication from others. We will also spend time understanding the nature of "Fight, Flight and Freeze" and how it derails effective communication and leads to increased conflict, while also building an awareness of how to manage your own emotional reactions during difficult communication. The concepts and skills we explore and work on together over this semester will benefit you in very practical ways, in both your personal and professional life.

Text Information
There are two required texts, however they are both inexpensive and can be found for under $20 each.

*Non Violent Communication, Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph.D. 2003 3rd edition ISBN: 978-1-892005-03-8

*Messages: The Communication Skills Book, 3rd edition, Matthew McKay, Ph.D. 2009 ISBN: 978-1-57224-592-1

Lets' get started!

My Attendance Policy

First, each week of class begins Tuesday and ends on Monday at 11:59. That means that throughout this semester, with the exception of Discussion Forums, all assignments must be submitted by Monday, 11:59 pm. As for the Discussion Forums, I am asking that all your original posts are submitted by Sunday midnight. You will then read everyone else's posts and respond to at least THREE classmates by Monday night. Unexcused, late submission of any postings or assignments will result in a reduced grade of at least 10 points.

Second, attendance for the week means; you will "show up" in our online class at least 3 times a week.

In each and every assignment, including your discussion forum posts, please be clear and concise and clear, taking the time to craft and edit your work, making sure you are using accurate spelling, grammar and sentence structure, and to demonstrate your knowledge and insights at a college level. To help you understand exactly what I mean, I have provided rubrics for both Oral Presentations, as well as all written assignments.

Regarding you discussion post, please keep in mind that it will not be acceptable to answer the weekly discussion forum questions in a couple of sentences. Take time to demonstrate your skills as a student by doing quality work. Again, be clear and concise in all of your writing. Doing your best work will not only ensure a quality grade but it will enhance your learning experience.

As I stated in my video, I will not always be significantly contributing to your discussion posts, as I often like the assignment to be a time for you...as students, to connect and share thoughts, however, please know that I will be reading each of them and basing your grade on what I am observing. You will notice that from time to time I will ask a clarifying question or expand on an idea.

I will repeat...for each weekly discussion, you will be expected to read all posts by your classmates, and respond to at least THREE select posts. Please keep in mind that your responses will contribute up to 20 points earned for each discussion assignmenteel, however do feel free to choose which posts to respond to... for whatever reasons they may stand out to you, however, make your best attempt to select varied classmates vs. always choosing the same people, week after week. This will enhance your opportunity to communicate with, learn from, and build multiple connections throughout these fifteen weeks. It will also enhance a sense of community and connection within this virtual classroom.

Due to this course being online, there will be a great deal of flexibility and access to the internet, therefore late, or missed work should not be an issue for most of you. However in the event that you need to miss a week of work, I will make an exception for a legitimate life circumstance. Please be sure to explain the circumstance with me and plan to make up the work the following week without penalty, however you will need to contact me, by e-mail or message to establish the arrangement. Please clear this with me before hand. Also note, there will only be ONE week during the semester that this will be accepted by me.

In all other cases, late work will not usually be accepted unless the reasons for late submissions are discussed with me first. This applies to all weekly work, postings, essays, study guides, oral presentations, projects, finals, journals, etc. Please plan accordingly.

The reality of this is...you truly have the power to do very well in this class. Do not allow your grade to suffer due to lack of planning or time mismanagement. Go for the A!

Grading: I HAVE PROVIDED THREE RUBRICS for you to refer to regarding my grading critera for the types of assignments for this course,
1) Written Assignments (Study Guides, Essays, you Final Exam), 2) Oral Presentations, 3) Discussion Forums. You will find the discussion forum rubrics embedded in the assingnments, however in order to access them you must find the three dots located on the top right of your screen. You will find that one of your choices it to "show rubric". Please do so in order to earn your best grade.

Your grading for this course is as follow:
Discussion Forums - 25% of your grade. Each will be weighted with a maximum of 100 points.

2 Oral Presentations - 15% of your grade.

Journals/Assignments/Study Guides - 30% of your grade.

Final Exam - 15%

Final Project - 15%

O.K. That is a good start...however, more infor to follow!