This is an overview of our course that discusses what it covers and course requirements

1. CMN 212
Introduction to Organizational
Communication

2. Why Study Organizations?
 Great Variety of Organizations
 Private – banks, IBM, Walmart
 Public – government organizations
 NGOs – Non-Governmental Organizations: Red Cross,
Churches, Charity Hospitals, Habitat for Humanity
 INGOs – International Non-Governmental
Organizations: Doctors without Borders, UNESCO

3. Why Study Organizations?
 Large Organizations Are As Significant
As the Nation-State
 Multinational Corporations & Globalization
 EXXON-Mobil: Gross Earnings Larger Than Many
National Economies
 GM: Is it a U.S. company?
 Toyota: Is it a Japanese company?

4. Why Study Organizations?
 Organizations Support Vibrant Civil
Society
 NGOs
 Clubs, Community Groups

5. Why Study Organizations?
 Organizations Underlie Many of the
Challenges We Face
 Terrorism
 Financial meltdown

6. Why Study Organizational
Communication?
 Communication is a Critical Process in
Organizations
 Some Scholars Argue Organizations Are
Communication Processes
 Organizations Form and Project Their
Identities Through Communication

7. Overview of the Class
 Goals
 To enhance your understanding of the role of
communication in modern organizations
 To explore different theories of organizational
communication and the insights they can provide
 To identify common organizational communication
problems and their solutions
 To develop attitudes and analytical abilities that can
enhance your ability to navigate modern
organizations in a creative and effective way

8. Overview of Class
 Required Material
 Miller, K. (2012) Organizational
Communication: Approaches and Processes.
7th edition.
 Copies on Reserve in Undergrad Library

9. Overview of Course
 This is a “flipped” class. You are expected to
complete lessons and take the quiz prior to the
class it is assigned for
 Course materials posted in our course
MOODLE:
https://learn.illinois.edu
 Slides of lessons posted in MOODLE that you
can print to take notes on
 Handouts, review sheets, etc. will be posted in
MOODLE

10. Overview of Class
 Standard Operating Procedure
Before the date on which we start the topic in class:
1. Read the assigned pages in the Miller text (take notes)
2. Take the lesson on the topic in the MOODLE (take notes)
3. Complete the lesson quiz in the MOODLE
[2 Hours Per Topic]
In class:
4. Come ready to talk and participate in activities
5. Take notes
Outside of class:
6. Participate in forums to earn engagement points

11. Overview of Class
 Requirements/Grading
 Tests
 Lesson Quizzes (Best 10 of 13) 200 pts
 Exams (3) 300 pts
 Engagement
 Online Engagement 100 pts
 In-Class Activities 100 pts
 In-Class Exercises (60 points)
 Class Discussion (40 points)
 Total 700 pts

12. Overview of Course
 Engagement (200 points total)
 Online:
 Online forum participation (100 points)
 In Class:
 Worksheets for class exercises (60 points)
 Class Discussions (40 points)
We will judge what is a substantive contribution using rubric in
syllabus
Spaced out over the term by quarters:
 50 points possible per quarter (see syllabus for
beginning/end of quarters): 25 points for online forums; 15
points for worksheets; 10 points for discussion
contributions
 Minimum for full credit: 5 high quality posts, 3 high quality
in-class activities, and 2 meaningful discussion
contributions per quarter

13. Overview of Course
 MOODLE
Register for the class on the MOODLE site
https://learn.illinois.edu

14. Overview of Class
How to do badly in this class:
 You will not do well in this class if you simply skim
through the slides in the Powerpoints and skim the
text without listening to the lessons.
 You will not do well in this class if you don’t take
notes.
 You will not do well in this class if you put off doing
all the lessons until right before the exam.
 You will not do well in this class if you do not
participate in online activities.

15. Overview of Course
 Announcements
 Etiquette:
 Respect
 Pay attention
 Accommodation