Welcome to Dr. Lee’s COM 1330 Open Lab course. Here you will find many different items related to Communication and Public Speaking, including important documents and links to news articles and videos.
I have been teaching Public Speaking for about ten years. I’ve listened to (and graded) hundreds of speeches. I have a lot to offer in the way of guidance and instruction.
Public Speaking…the idea of it conjures up a bunch of different ideas and feelings. To me it is, above all, an exciting and informative growth experience.
To me, Public Speaking is about empowerment and using your voice, and it can serve as a foundation for your academic growth. In this course you will not only be practicing your speaking skills–You will also be doing research and learning how to craft arguments supported by evidence. In addition, this class requires thoughtful, attentive listeners who will be evaluating the speeches of others. The class is designed to foster an interactive community of speakers. By following the directives outlined on the syllabus and assignments you will be gaining skills that will serve you in your other classes as well as in your post-collegiate life: As an employee, team member and citizen.
There are all kinds of speakers. I want to work with you individually and in groups to identify and build on your own unique communication strengths. Your success will depend in part on how much of yourself you bring to the class. This is a course about you: Your interests, experiences and personality. You will have a chance to research topics you are personally interested in and causes that you feel strongly about–So bring your passion along! Unlike some other college courses, you won’t be able to sit passively and receive information. In this sense, COM 1330 will be different from what you may be used to.
In this course it is you, the student, who will be doing the heavy lifting. You are expected to come to class and be engaged; ask plenty of questions. You are required to conduct research and meticulously cite your sources. You are required to give brief presentations with a beginning, middle and end. Because the speeches are short, you can’t tell us everything about your subject, so together we will learn how to highlight the most stunning facts and tell the most compelling stories. You will start the speech with a bang, grabbing the attention of your audience with an astonishing fact or amazing anecdote. You will need to take your audience by the hand, so to speak, and lead them through your presentation, giving your listeners previews, summaries and signposts. In this way, you can set up and then meet expectations for your audience.
For more information on Public Speaking, please see your course section on Blackboard.
I look forward to working with you in the months ahead!
Dr. Lee
