Hi,

My name is Lee Ann Thomas. While I have been teaching public speaking at the college level for twenty-five years, this is my first year teaching the course in an Open Educational Resource (OER), on-line format. This is why you were not required to purchase a textbook or an access code to upload your required, speech recordings.  It is exciting to offer this course in a format that is more affordable to students.

In general, anticipate that the goals  of this course are to build your confidence and skill in writing an effective speech, to provide practical experience preparing, practicing and delivering an effective speech,   and  to critically evaluate speeches given by others.  Everything I ask you to READ, to DISCUSS, and to DO  will directly address one of these three goals.

It is not a goal of the class to become an expert in presentation technology, but the biggest learning curve I experienced getting ready for our class to start was coming up to speed on the technology needed. It is essential that  during this Ice Breaker week that you successfully  create a  private, Youtube channel that you will upload your speech recordings and then provide a link to each required speech for me to grade and a link of the same speech to PEER REVIEW DISCUSSION.  The five people who volunteer as your audience members for the ice breaker may change speech to speech or you may wish to  round up the same crew for each required presentation. 

I have included the dates in “Course Schedule and Key Assignments” when audience members are required so you can coordinate schedules of  your family and friends. In order to pass COM101, you will give four speeches in front of an audience of five adults. Sorry!  Kids and pets do not count!   Make sure to find ways to thank these individuals for the generosity of their time and support for your success in COM101.  Pizza?  Chocolate Chip Cookies?  You will learn more about audience analysis later in the course.. for now, go with your gut feeling on best way to show your appreciation.

As you work your way through important information provided to you in “Course Information Documents” and successfully complete the  Ice Breaker Module, I am hopeful you will discover that you are prepared with needed course materials and technology to begin COM101 next week.

There is a lot to explore and to get in place so we will have a great semester together, so while you are here, keep going!  Next step?  Read all “Course Information Documents”, click on Ice Breaker Module, and complete everything in READ, DISCUSS, and DO folders.  Welcome to COM101: Public Speaking!

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