Course

Communicating and Working Effectively in Groups

Faculty
Language, Literature & Performing Arts
Department
Communications
Course code
CMNS 1210
Credits
3.00
Semester length
15 weeks
Max class size
20
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Typically offered
To be determined

Overview

Course description
In this highly interactive course, students gain knowledge and develop skills that contribute to effective group functioning. They examine selected theory, concepts and models related to small group communication. In the roles of group member and leader they experiment with skills and structured tools for understanding and managing group dynamics and conflict.
Course content
  1. What is interpersonal communication?
  • definitions and terms
  • responsibilites of a communicator

2.  What theory and background knowledge help us to study interpersonal communication in small groups?

  • principles
  • models of interpersonal communication
  • self-concept
  • communication style

3.  What is a group?

  • characteristics
  • kinds of groups
  • benefits and challenges of working in groups

4. What are some conceptual and theoretical approaches to the study of groups?

  • models of individual and of group communication
  • group theory:  developmental, structural, functional, and social perspectives
  • the concept of group cohesion

5. What are the elements of an effective group?

  • core conditions for effective groups
  • norms and standards
  • individual and relational satisfaction
  • clarity of goals and procedures
  • goal accomplishment
  • interaction process

6. What is the influence of self in groups?

  • member needs and motivation
  • communication style
  • preferences and challenges in group modalities
  • individual identity and the group
  • culture. personality, gender and generational differences
  • forging a group identity

7. How do groups grow and change?

  • models of development
  • group development phase and level of group functioning
  • effective communication in discrete group phases

8. What roles do people take in groups?

  • task, relational and hindering role functions and their effects
  • roles and context
  • adaptive role taking and group development

9. What kinds of verbal and non-verbal communications facilitate the work of the group?

  • communication climate in groups
  • non-verbal microskills and their effects
  • strategic verbal interactions
  • language and meaning
  • group discussion skills

10.  How can groups become more effective?

  • group guidelines and structures
  • decision-making processes
  • tools for facilitating group process and cohesion
  • problem-solving tools

11. What role does power play in group dynamics?

  • kinds of power
  • use and misuse of power in groups
  • balancing power for optimum group functioning

12. What ethical standards facilitate group work?

  • definitions and terms
  • ethical considerations in group work
  • standards for ethical group work

13. How does conflict manifest in and affect groups?

  • definitions, terms and assumptions
  • sources of conflict in groups: procedural, substantive, interpersonal
  • two-party and multi-member group conflict
  • groupthink
  • addressing conflict in groups
  • conditions for and factors influencing effective management of conflict in groups

14. How can one help a dysfunctional group?

  • creativity as a counter to groupthink
  • targetted interpersonal microskills
  • negotiating a fair agreement
  • mediating differences

15. How do leaders emerge in a group?

  • strategies for choosing a leader
  • emerging leaders
  • collaboration in leadership

16. What constitutes effective group participation and leadership?

  • traits
  • self-regulating skills
  • interpersonal, group and conflict management skills
  • vision

17. How can one become a more effective group participant and leader?

  • sources of member and leadership knowledge
  • gaining leadership skills
  • developing and articulating a vision

18. What is the role of computer-mediated communication (CMC) in groups?

  • kinds and functions of CMC
  • benefits and challenges
  • effects of CMC on group process, cohesion and products
  • recommendations and cautions

19.  What are some tools for assessing group conduct and effectiveness?

  • definitions, assumptions and terms
  • approaches to assessment of group behaviour
  • evaluation tools
  • sharing and effectively implementing results of evaluation.
Learning activities

This highly interactive course emphasizes learning through doing. Working individually, in partners or in small groups, students are involved in focused analysis and interpretation of interpersonal communication in group settings. A discussion-based teaching model is used with the expectation that students actively prepare for, participate in and extract meaning from class activities, case studies, simulations and role plays. Group meetings may be videotaped for analysis and evaluation of group process. Students  may conduct research with human participants as part of their course evaluation.  Instructors will ensure that such research is conducted in a manner consistent with College research ethics policies and federal policies.

Means of assessment

Assessment will be in accordance with Douglas College's Evaluation Policy. Instructors may use a student’s record of attendance and/or level of active participation in a course as part of the student’s graded performance. Where this occurs, expectations and grade calculations regarding class attendance and participation must be clearly defined in the Instructor Course Outline. Assignments will vary; the following is one example of how components and marks may be allocated:

Quizzes on reading  15% 

Group experience and skills inventory

  15%

Group activity design    

  10%

Group leadership demonstration

  15%
Written assignments and reflective papers  30%
Professional conduct, participation and attendance  15%
Learning outcomes

Overarching objective:

By the end of the course, successful students gain knowledge of foundational group theory and acquire interpersonal, team-work and leadership skills that allow them to communicate and work more effectively in groups.

Knowledge:

By the end of the course, successful students are able to:

  1. explain basic theory, concepts and models of interpersonal communication
  2. identify a variety of interpersonal microskills
  3. describe major factors at play in the interpersonal communication process
  4. compare one-to-one and small group communication models and processes
  5. discuss small group communication through a variety of theoretical and conceptual lenses
  6. describe elements of effective groups
  7. explain the influence of personality, ethnic, gender and generational differences in groups
  8. compare a variety of group development models
  9. describe different types of power and their effects on groups
  10. articulate potential and actual sources of conflicts in groups
  11. describe a variety of group assessment tools
  12. identify the characteristics and behaviour of effective group members and leaders.

Skills:

By the end of the course, successful students are able to:

  1. apply interpersonal communication process models and principles to group dynamics
  2. use theory, models and basic group concepts to discuss the nature and dynamics of groups
  3. discern and respond to relational, task and individual needs in a group
  4. enact a selected role function to assist the group in accomplishing its goal
  5. employ a variety of group process skills, including interpersonal communication microskills, structured decision-making and problem-solving tools

  6. diagnose and suggest effective remedies for group dysfunction

  7. respond effectively to difference and diversity in groups

  8. demonstrate foundational skills for managing conflict in groups

  9. articulate a personal code of ethics for communicating and working in groups

Attitudes:

By the end of the course, successful students gain appreciation for:

  1. the dynamic complexity of group communication
  2. their personal impact on group dynamics
  3. the benefits and challenges of working effectively in groups.

 

Textbook materials

Suggested texts:

Sample of textbooks and materials appropriate for Communications 1210 to be purchased in current edition by students:

Beebe, Stephen A. and Masterson, John T. Communication in small groups: Principles and practices. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education.

Galanes, G. and Adamas, K. Effective group discussion: Theory and practice. Columbus, Ohio: McGraw-Hill Ryerson.

Requisites

Prerequisites

None

Corequisites

None

Equivalencies

None

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see https://www.bctransferguide.ca

Institution Transfer details for CMNS 1210
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) KPU CMNS 1XXX (3)
Langara College (LANG) LANG CMNS 1XXX (3)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) SFU CMNS 2XX (3)
Trinity Western University (TWU) TWU COMM 2XX (3)
University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) No credit
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) No credit
University of Victoria (UVIC) UVIC SOCW 2XX (1.5)

Course Offerings

Fall 2025

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
15
Currently enrolled
1
Remaining seats:
14
On waitlist
0
Building
New Westminster - South Bldg.
Room
S1620
Times:
Start Time
8:30
-
End Time
11:20