Interpersonal Communication
COMM 230 • CRN 34369 • Cuesta College
Alyssa Espinola
This is a late-start course that begins on January 29, 2024.
Welcome! I'm Alyssa Espinola, and I will be your instructor for Interpersonal Communication. Please take some time to explore the rest of this page to get prepared for the course.
I'll see you in person on Wednesday, January 31!
Espinola
Pronouns: she/her/hers
You are welcome to call me Espinola, Professor Espinola, or Miss Espinola.
How This Course Works
This is a 16-week, late-start course that begins on January 29, 2024.
This class does not meet in Zoom. Half of your learning will be conducted in person on Wednesday evenings at 6-7:20 p.m. in room 6109, and half will be conducted asynchronously (which means "not live") in Canvas.
Your textbook is called Interplay: The Process of Interpersonal Communication (15th ed.) by Adler, Rosenfeld, & Proctor.
You will learn in a community with your peers. This is not a self-paced course. You will interact with your peers in class and throughout each of our weekly modules.
On Wednesday of Week 1, you will need to attend the first class to remain enrolled in our course.
This class is organized into one-week modules that open each Monday morning, with in-person meetings every Wednesday evening from 6-7:20 p.m.
Each module contains readings and videos, collaborative activities, individual assignments, and a quiz.
I will be communicating with you regularly through in-person meetings; weekly group chats and announcements; timely and effective feedback on assignments; email, video or messaging; and virtual office hours.
What You'll Learn
What I'm Supposed to Tell You
Students will learn how to:
Apply major concepts of Interpersonal Communication to personal experiences.
Evaluate different forms of nonverbal communication in interpersonal settings
Analyze how conflict can be handled effectively through communication within the major types of interpersonal relationships.
What That Means
We'll be exploring different interpersonal relationships in your life to figure out how to communicate with others more effectively. You'll also be applying different concepts, tools, and techniques to manage conflict and, hopefully, have more fulfilling relationships.
This course will have an emphasis on compassionate, nonviolent communication, which will allow us to assert our truths while also honoring the truths of others.
My Commitment to You
I recognize that this is an especially stressful time to be a student. War, more visible racial injustices, mass shootings, sickness, inflation, and political climate shifts have added significant stress and trauma to our lives, some more than others. Our lives may feel heavier and, in turn, you are likely coping with a lot more than you might even realize. These stressors affect your ability to process information and manage your learning, as the way you feel informs your ability to learn. Give yourself grace as you try your best. I am committed to being as flexible as I reasonably can throughout this course to support you toward your academic success. I am your partner on this journey. I will support you, guide you, believe in you, and challenge you. Let's lean in together and do this.
My Teaching Philosophy
I believe everyone is capable of learning and the differences each person brings into a course enrich the learning of the group. Hence, you will be asked to share your perspective regularly. I also believe that adults learn best by exploring and having fun, and that's what I try to bring into our collaborative activities. Finally, I believe that mistakes are the most beautiful and impactful parts of the learning process. Trust me — I learn from failure all. the. time! The sooner we embrace our humanity, the sooner we'll thrive.
Our Pact
What you can expect from me:
I will treat you with dignity and respect and try to be as flexible as I reasonably can to support your individual needs.
I will provide you with a clear, organized course that is designed to ensure you meet our course outcomes in a meaningful manner.
I will provide a variety of assignments to ensure your learning needs are met.
I will be actively present in your learning.
I will provide a supportive and safe environment for you to share and discuss ideas with your peers.
I will reach out to you when I sense that you need support.
I won't be perfect. I am human and will make mistakes at times. I will view mistakes as an opportunity to learn and grow.
What I will expect from you:
You will treat me and your peers with dignity and respect.
You will strive to be an active participant in this course and meet due dates.
You will maintain an open line of communication with me so I understand how to support you.
You will contact me well in advance if you have a concern with meeting a due date.
You will strive to regularly contribute to collaborative activities to ensure other members of the community have ample opportunity to read/listen, reflect, and respond to your ideas.
You will do your best to have patience with technology. There will be hiccups, expect them and prepare ahead of time.
You will give yourself grace. Expect to make mistakes. You are human and mistakes are part of learning and growing.
Equity Statement
Everyone is welcome here and everyone can learn and do well in this class. It is my intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well-served by this course and that our diversity is viewed as a resource, strength, and benefit. I will invite you to share your own histories and experiences with communication and build upon that knowledge.
In this class, all of us will share about our lives (including me). Through this sharing, we will build trust with one another and learn from our differences. This is a brave space. We are not here to be perfect. We will make mistakes. We are here to learn.
Technology for Success
Having the right technology will help ensure that you can be the most successful in an online course
Major assignments will be assigned and submitted on Canvas (sign on with your mycuesta username and password).
There are some basic computer requirements that will help you participate in the class and complete your assignments.
You'll want to have a Google Docs account to participate in our collaborative documents and write your assignments.
We'll be using Pronto to participate in class group chats.
Espinola's 4 Tips for Success
You'll have more opportunities to be successful if you follow these tips:
Be proactive.
Make it a goal to log into our course every Monday to preview the new module. Carefully read the Overview page, which includes the week's learning objectives and a list of your assignments. Assess the workload and put the due dates on your calendar. Having a mental picture of what's ahead and a plan to achieve it is the best thing you can do to prepare each week.
Plan to submit early.
I know, this one is hard because there is so much uncertainty in life. Set a personal goal for yourself to have all of your assignments done by 24 hours before they are due. Why? Because life happens and when you wait until the last minute, you're more likely to have problems meeting a due date. I am here to support you when things go awry but procrastination will always be your worst enemy.
Communicate with me.
To me, teaching can sometimes feel like being in the dark, especially when part of it is online. I need you to let me know what's happening on your end. If you identify a challenge meeting a due date, reach out and let me know. I am grateful for your efforts to inform me. Really! I love hearing from you! I understand these are difficult times and I'm here to support you. When possible, contacting me before a due date will keep you and me in sync and ensure you don't get overwhelmed by unfinished work. In your message, please propose an alternative due date (within 48 hours is advised to ensure you don't fall too far behind).
Use the Canvas Calendar to track and stay current on your assignments.
Calendars are so helpful! If you're on a computer, you'll find the Canvas Calendar on the left side of the page. If you're on a phone using the Canvas student app, you'll find it at the bottom of your screen. You can also subscribe to calendars to get notifications on your Outlook or Google Calendar and on your phone!
How to Get Your Questions Answered
Need individual help or guidance with our class?
I am here for you! I prefer that you contact me through email (alyssa_espinola@cuesta.edu) or Pronto.
If you contact me Monday-Friday, I will respond within 48 hours (usually much sooner). However, I log off on weekends, so I won't be checking messages during that time.
Hop on to my Student Hours on Zoom on Tuesdays at 4-4:30 p.m.
I'm happy to arrange times to meet individually in Zoom. Just let me know!
Have a general course-related question?
Use Pronto
If you have a general question about the course throughout the week, I invite you to ask it in our course Pronto chat. Your question will be seen by your peers and if anyone has the answer -- by all means, answer it!
On a phone, download the Pronto app and sign in with your Cuesta email address.
On a computer, click the Pronto link on the bottom left of the page.
If your question is personal in nature, please send it directly to me via email or Canvas Inbox.
Technical Help
I recommend reaching out to support@my.cuesta.edu if you have any technical support issues.
Need assistance/help that is not specific to our course?
Visit the Student Success Center
Getting help is a sign of your commitment to caring for yourself and doing your very best work. The Student Success Center includes many FREE resources to help you with a variety of subjects.
Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities needing accommodation, including those who had an IEP in high school, should make requests to Disabled Students Programs and Services.
Student Health Center
If you get ill or have trouble balancing college and work/family/finances, etc. during the term, contact the Student Health Center. They can support you through difficult times and help you stay on track.