Revised 08/2022

CST 115 - Small Group Communication (3 CR.)

Course Description

Emphasizes the development of presentational ability in a group, decision-making, group maintenance, and leadership and participant skills within groups. Incorporates a preliminary study of group dynamics. Lecture 3 hours.

General Course Purpose

CST 115 is designed to examine principles and generate experiences of effective group communication including decision-making; leadership; group behaviors and maintenance; navigating, managing, and resolving conflict; project management; and group/team presentation strategies.

Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

None.

Course Objectives

Upon completing the course, the student will be able to: 

  • Communication
    • Demonstrate effective communication skills orally and in writing within a small group setting.
    • Evaluate and interpret verbal and nonverbal aspects of group communication
  • Critical Thinking
    • Evaluate and synthesize information in order to describe how different methods of group decision making, critical thinking, and creative problem solving techniques can affect a group in its decision making
    • Investigate, analyze, and integrate evidence and reasoning into group problem solving
  • Civic Engagement
    • Recognize, describe, and analyze diversity issues affecting group communication (gender, culture, age, sexual orientation, etc.)
    • Demonstrate effective problem-solving techniques within a small group setting
  • Professional Readiness
    • Develop and demonstrate skills in the use of technology in a group communication setting
    • Demonstrate effective use of soft skills in a group communication setting
  • Introduction to Group Communication
    • Compare and contrast group communication to communication in other contexts.
    • Describe and demonstrate characteristics of competent communication appropriate for a group member
    • Recognize and describe the benefits and drawbacks of group collaboration
    • Identify and describe elements of the Transactional Model of Communication
  • Listening
    • Describe and explain the steps of the listening process
    • Identify, describe, and make a plan for minimizing barriers to listening and poor listening habits
    • Demonstrate the effective use of various listening response styles appropriate to various communication environments
  • Group Development
    • Describe and differentiate the stages of group development
    • Identify and explain their own individual and group’s progress through the stages of group development
    • Identify and explain how groups manage norms and issues of identity and power
    • Develop and manage appropriately-negotiated norms for group maintenance and performance enhancement
  • Meetings
    • Organize, moderate, and participate in regular team meetings with a clear purpose and a successful outcome
    • Describe, evaluate, and practice key roles in facilitating group discussions and deliberations, including chairperson and note-taker
  • Group Diversity
    • Describe and evaluate barriers to communication in the context of a diverse group setting
    • Describe and analyze group dynamics based on various cultural differences including (but not limited to) personality, generational, racial, socioeconomic, religious, political, etc.
  • Problem-Solving and Conflict
    • Review, analyze, and report on the communication skills needed for creative problem solving, and managing conflict and tension in the small group setting
    • Utilize appropriate problem solving, conflict management, and decision-making methods while performing group tasks
    • Discuss the symptoms of, brainstorm, and implement strategies to reduce groupthink
  • Communication Climates in Groups
    • Differentiate between supportive and unsupportive communication behaviors, both verbal and nonverbal, and how they impact a group’s climate.
    • Perform supportive communication behaviors, both verbal and nonverbal, that contribute to a positive team climate.
  • Leadership
    • Apply conceptual ideas (e.g. group role theory, leadership theories, and goal and motivational theories) to practical communication situations.
  • Presenting in Groups
    • Develop, organize, and deliver oral messages supported with ideas and information suitable to the topic, purpose, audience, and occasion.

Major Topics to Be Included

  • Introduction to Group Communication
  • Listening
  • Group Development
  • Meetings
  • Group Diversity
  • Problem-Solving & Conflict
  • Communication Climates in Groups
  • Leadership
  • Presenting in Groups