Independent Study in Communication

Instructor: Gregory Peterson
Term: One semester, 2 credits
Students: Juniors and Seniors

What is Independent Study in Communication?

Independent Study in Communication provides opportunities for advanced study of specific topics in communication. It is designed for people who have completed basic and intermediate courses and who want to study specific topics that are not offered in the curriculum. Independent Study is especially useful to students who plan to go on to graduate study in communication and to students seeking professional careers in education, library science, intercultural communication, or media (including Internet communications).

The process of independent study

Independent Study in Communication is very different from a normal class. Students must take responsibility for their own learning. The process for a learner follows these steps:

1. Write a proposal, make a contract, and register.

1. You pass one or more elective classes in communication.
2. You realize a need for advanced study in a communication topic. This may be based on your career plan.
3. You consult with the Independent Study supervisor (a communication teacher).
4. You write a Proposal for Independent Study in Communication.
5. You discuss your Proposal with the supervisor.
6. If the supervisor approves of your Proposal, you make a Contract for Independent Study. You and the supervisor sign the Contract.
7. You register officially for Independent Study in Communication. Your Contract is required for registration.

2. Conduct independent study.

1. Do your independent study, following the Contract that you made with the supervisor.
2. Consult with the supervisor as needed.
3. Submit your final work to the supervisor.

3. Receive feedback and credit.

1. The supervisor will review your study. Other teachers may be asked to help evaluate your work.
2. The supervisor will give you feedback on your work.
3. The supervisor will report your grade to the Registrar.

Can I do independent study?

You may register for Independent Study in Communication if you can answer yes to all of these questions:

• Have I successfully completed at least one elective class in communication? You should consider success to mean a grade of at least 80.
• Can I work well independently without any pressure from a teacher?
• Do I want to study something that is not in the curriculum?
• Do I have a specific Proposal for Independent Study? If you do not have a clear plan, you cannot do an independent study project.
• Can I make a Contract with the supervisor of Independent Study in Communication? Your Proposal must be related to communication study. In some cases a co-supervisor may be necessary. A co-supervisor is a teacher who knows more about your topic than the supervisor. You supervisor can help you find a co-supervisor if necessary.

Examples of independent study

Example 1. English text analysis

You have successfully completed a class in computer-mediated communication, and you want to become an English teacher. Your thesis topic is about bilingual education, but you are also interested in English vocabulary and computers.

After consulting with your Seminar teacher, you make a rough plan to study English vocabulary on commercial Web sites. Your study question is, What vocabulary do people need in order to do successful Internet shopping in English?

You take your plan to the supervisor of Independent Study in Communication. Together you and the supervisor make a more detailed Proposal for Independent Study. The plan includes your method of research (word frequency analysis of selected Web sites) and a means of presenting your results (an HTML document of at least 800 words, not including tables).

You sign a Contract for Independent Study, and then you conduct your study, sometimes getting advice from the supervisor.

Example 2. A Web site for environmental conservation

You and you friend have completed an Internet course, and you are very skillful with computers. You want to do a project together, combining several strong interests: the Web, multimedia, and volunteer work with a community group that is trying to protect the environment.

You talk with the supervisor about your idea, and you agree that it would be interesting to make a Web site about the problem of garbage disposal in Kansai. Your Web site will be bilingual, in both Japanese and English, and it will include photographs.

You and your friend each sign a Contract for Independent Study. Your contracts specify the work that each of you will do. You then make your Web site, sometimes getting advice from the supervisor.