Course Syllabus: Health Communication/COMM 440
Spring 2016
Department of Communication-Western Kentucky University
Meeting Time: 5:00-8:15pm—Thursdays.
Instructor: Bob Glenn, Ph.D.
WKU Adjunct-Owensboro/270-929-7471 Email: robert.glenn@wku.edu
Office Hours: Thursdays 4:00-5:00pm or by appointment.
Course Overview
This course is designed to advance your knowledge of health communication theory, research,
and practice. The major course objective is to provide you with a solid foundation for evaluating
and conducting health communication campaigns including planning, initiation, and assessment.
We will focus upon the various contexts of health communication including interpersonal, small
group, mass media, and organizational templates for message generation. By the course’s
culmination, it is hoped you will cultivate a broader appreciation for and understanding of the
importance, value, and impact of health communication upon patients, families, caregivers,
nurses, physicians, and health care managers.
Performance Expectations
I believe that learning should be fun and interactive. If you do your part to make the course a fun
and educational experience by attending and participating in class discussions and activities then
we will promote fun and salient interaction. In turn, I expect you to consistently attend,
adequately prepare for, and participate in all class activities. This course is intended to be a fun
experience and through your hard work and investment of time in lifelong learning.
Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns relating to the course or your experience
here at WKU-Owensboro.
Anticipated Learning Outcomes for the course include:
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
*Apply communication and health theories to help explain the delivery of health care.
*Research, analyze, and write about health communication issues.
*Identify variables (I e., culture, technology) that affect communicating in health care
contexts
2-COMM 440 Syllabi
*Evaluate communication behaviors in health care relationships, health care groups, and
health care organization.
*Analyze, interpret, and evaluate messages in health communication campaigns.
*Demonstrate competent oral, written, and analytical communication skills necessary for
effective performance in this course.
Required Course Materials:
Health Communication in the 21st Century, 2nd Edition.
Authors: Kevin Wright (University of Oklahoma, USA), Lisa Sparks (Chapman University,
USA), Dan O’Hair (University of Kentucky, USA) (ISBN 13: 978-0-470-67272-3).
Reviews of this Text:
“The second edition of this excellent foundational health communication text effectively captures the
changing dynamic of the complex health care system and the central role health communication plays
within any attempt to understand how individuals, communities and governments struggle to maintain
healthy lifestyles. I am most impressed by how this book moves well beyond all other health
communication texts, with the emphasis placed upon coverage of formal and informal caregiving,
cultural diversity, interdisciplinary healthcare teams, and new technologies.”
- Jon Nussbaum, Penn State University
“The second edition of Health Communication in the 21st Century is a thorough and illuminating
examination of the health communication literature. It is well researched, clearly written, and a book
that students will both enjoy and benefit from.”
– James D. Robinson, Professor, Department of Communication, University of Dayton.
REQUIRED BLACKBOARD SITE: Go to the WKU homepage and click on the Blackboard
link. Log on using your WKU ID and password. Then click on COM 440- Course
assignments, PowerPoint presentations, assignments, announcements, class discussion
boards and grades will be available through this website. We will employ this tool for discussion boards,
tests, quizzes, and the archival of course documents and lecture materials.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: If you are experiencing technical difficulties with Blackboard,
immediately call the WKU IT Help Desk (270-745-7000). You can also visit
http://www.wku.edu/helpdesk. for assistance. I am unable to solve Blackboard issues as the
program is monitored by Information Technology and they are the best source of help
regarding technical difficulties.
REASONABLE ACCOMODATIONS: Students with disabilities who require accommodations
for this course must be registered with the WKU Office of Student Disability Services (DUC,
A200, 745-5004). Please provide me with a letter from SDS outlining your accommodations for
this course.
3-COMM 440 Syllabi
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Do your own work. In this course we will be using an electronic
plagiarism detection tool. Any student found guilty of plagiarism, fabrication, cheating,
purchasing papers, or any other assignments will immediately receive a failing grade for the
course (not a withdrawal), and will be reported for disciplinary action. Please read the WKU
Student Handbook. (http://www.wku.edu/handbook/) Make sure that all assignments and
tests are your work and done independently from other students.
ATTENDANCE/PARTICIPATION: It is important that you attend class on a regular basis as we only
meet once a week. Each student will receive two excused absences during the semester. If there is
inclement weather pay attention to the WKU website and local radio to determine if classes were
cancelled at the Owensboro campus. Email me if you are not sure about the situation. Communicate in
class and out of class concerning potential absences realizing that these excuses absences don’t provide
you with protection for LATE CLASS WORK since you can turn that in digitally on the blackboard
website. Also, in-class assignments won’t be repeated for those who are absent so you’ll probably lose
credit for those as well.
To underscore one VERY important point: Habitual lateness to class will result in being marked absent.
You have a 5 minute grace period from the point class begins before you are considered “late” and if this
only occurs once or twice no penalty will be incurred. However, if you are continually late for an
extended period of time 15 minutes or more then you will be marked absent for that class period and lose
credit for any in-class assignments we undertake during the period you were tardy to class.
ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY/DISRUPTIONS: It is important that your cell phone be off or on very
low vibrate when I am lecturing or covering material and it should be OFF when your classmates are
presenting or speaking as part of an in-class or group activity. Failure to adhere to this policy will result
in an automatic loss of 15 points for that class period. If you abuse the use of a laptop in class by
creating a disruption or engaging in use that is not DIRECTLY related to class activities you will also
lose 15 points from your final course grade.
TEXTBOOK USE: You must purchase a textbook in some format (text or kindle based) to be used in the
course and should be able to access it for in-class assignments. Again, failure to bring your book to class
MAY result in a penalty of up to 10 points for each occurrence where a student does not have their text
with them.
TURNING IN ONLINE ASSIGNMENTS: It is your responsibility to use formatting and work to make
sure that online assignments are readable and in proper order when copied or pasted into blackboard for
grading purposes. One tip: Take a word document and convert it to notepad before copying and pasting
onto BB so the paragraph and setup is not lost in translation.
SCHEDULE CHANGES/ADJUSTMENTS: Our class schedule may fluctuate from what is listed as we
encounter lost meetings due to weather or time management issues while hearing and reviewing class
presentations. The instructor reserves the right to alter or adjust the schedule, with proper notice, as
necessary to complete major assignments and cover critical course material. Checking BB and attending
class will insure that you know when or if changes occur.
4-COMM 440 Syllabi
Course Format
COMM 440 will focus upon providing a thorough analysis of the important role various communication
modalities play in preparation, delivery, and follow-up within a variety of health care environments.
Course assignments will include discussion boards, tests, quizzes, papers, in-class activities, dyadic and
group presentations, and one major group project.
Course Assignments:
Medical/Health Care Provider Interview
You will be given a two page form to use for this assignment and seek out a professional health care
professional to interview. Due to FERPA regulations patient confidentiality may become an issue and
you may encounter some resistance from individuals who won’t want to participate. But if you are
proactive and persistent you’ll find an appropriate individual to interview for this assignment.
Value: 100.
Communication Climate Survey
Evaluate a physician or medical care provider you frequent (e.g. m.d., dentist, eye doctor, physical
therapist, or other health care provider) in terms of their communication style, the physical setup of their
office, the cordiality of their office staff and nursing assistants. You will use a survey form to complete
the ratings and then write a one page analysis which explains each of your ratings. If you feel more
comfortable you may use a pseudonym for the doctor or health care provider you choose to evaluate.
Value: 100.
Exams/Quizzes
There will be four quizzes with 20 items apiece included and a final exam worth 140 points with an essay
component included. All tests/quizzes will be taken on the blackboard system. Value: 300.
Health Communication Debate Assignment
Around week 6 you will partner up with another classmate and research a debate topic concerning one
issue related to health communication (e.g., legalizing drugs, euthanasia, managed care ethics). You will
conduct a debate and issue five major arguments supporting your position and the other side will counter
your arguments and present five others that support their position. You will turn in a reference list and
your evidence briefs. Value: 150.
Group Project: Design a Health Messaging Campaign
Around week 8 you will create small group consisting of 3-6 other members. This group will be tasked
with developing, from scratch, a health awareness campaign to encourage pro-social behavior or reduce
the incidence of an anti-social behavior (e.g., chewing tobacco, not using a condom during sexual
encounters). Your group will produce messages that vary for differing target audiences (at least three)
and across at least two modalities (e.g., video, audio, billboards, internet ads, or pamphlets). You will
then present a 20-30 minute presentation which explains the theory used in each message and what
variables were in play. The group will also preview the message forms for evaluation by the class and
open the floor to the questions when they are done. Value: 250.
Discussion Boards
Responses to questions about issues regarding health communication and course content.
Value: 200.
5-COMM 440 Syllabi
Tentative Schedule by Week:
Week 1: Welcome/Defining the boundaries of health communication/Hollywood’s view
of the health care system/Chapter 1/Letter of Expectation Assigned.
Week 2: Communication Climate survey assigned/Chapter 2/Health Care in Film and
Television responses/Letter of Expectation due.
Week 3: Chapter 2 continued/Assessment due/Chapter 3 begin/Health Care provider
assessment assigned.
Week 4: Chapter 3 finish/Chapter 4. Review for quiz 1 (chapters 1-4).
Week 5: Panel of guest speakers from the health care profession/Chapter 4 finish up.
Week 6: Chapter 5/quiz 1 completed/reviewed/Dyadic project assigned.
Week 7: Spring Break (March 7-12, 2016)
Week 8: Chapter 12/Dyadic project updates.
Week 9: Catchup-Debate Topics/Dyads assigned.
Week 10: Chapter 7/Quiz 2 posted/debate topics discussed/posted.
Week 11: Chapter 8/Groups selected for Message Campaign Project/Debates begin
Week 12: Dyadic debates continue/Chapter 9.
Week 13: Chapter 11/Quiz 2 complete/Quiz 3 posted/Group Project work-time.
Week 14: Chapter 13-quick hits/group presentations/Group presentations/final exam
preview of essay questions.
Week 15: Final exam and all course materials due online.
Course Grading Scale:
A=1100-990.
B=989-880.
C=879-770.
D=779-660.
F=659-000.
Welcome to COMM 440-Have a Happy and Healthy Semester!