Course Description: Contemporary Communication
Course Overview (Read First)
Welcome to "Contemporary Communication"
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is a detailed study of the technical aspects of contemporary communication. It seeks to equip the student with specific knowledge and skills in the preparation and presentation of oral messages. A variety of preparation methods will be explored in class and students will work toward developing a personalized method of message preparation. Students will explore the distinctives of speaking and preaching to their specific ministry. Opportunity is given for presentations and peer evaluation.
For this course we will begin with the broad topic of communication but quickly focus in on the specific aspect of preaching. This course is practical in nature and it can be easy to get lost in the methodology so we will begin with an examination of our own preaching hearts before we look at the practics.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon completion of this course the student should be able to:
1. Educate: intellectual aptitude (formal learning)
• Articulate a variety of preaching types that can be used when preaching to youth.
• Identify practical skills needed for effective communication.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of basic communication theory and consider its practical implications for Christian communication.
2. Equip: application of learning (practice)
• Explain the biblical precedent for preaching.
• Develop a biblical sermon geared specifically for youth.
• Develop and utilize a sermon preparation model.
3. Enrich: growth in Christian experience and character (spiritual growth)
• Explain the importance of the spiritual life of the preacher.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the preparation involved in sermon preparation.
• Demonstrate an appreciation of the Word of God and its proper application for life.
Course Delivery
The following are the key design features for course delivery that frame the individual learning activities:
1. The course will be designed as a fully online course offered in an asynchronous learning course delivery mode. This is a value-added feature for graduate level adult learners.
2. The course will run for a total of eight weeks. The first five weeks will involve online delivery of course material. The course will consist of 5 Modules. Each Module will be offered over the course of one-week.
3. Each Module will cover three Topics which serve as sub-topics or themes of the Module topic for that week. Clear mapping and organization in the course will provide the teaching presence needed for this community of learners.
4. The content learning activities will include the following: written instruction and teaching of content directly in Canvas; short videotaped instructor lectures; assigned reading (articles), links to websites or chapters from the text; links to video content; and links to self assessment inventories.
5. The reflection and assessment activities will include the following: Discussion Forum participation; Reading Assignments including occasional review and discussion; and completion of a summative assessment – the writing of a Strategic Plan for their organization.
6. The learning community development activities will include an interactive Discussion Forum; weekly Zoom meetings for the first five week of the course and one at the end of the course.
CONTACT HOURS, DATES AND COURSE SCHEDULE:
The dates for this course are Monday May 19, 2025 – Friday August 1, 2025. The course will be conducted fully online with students working at their own pace following guided instruction and learning activities for the first five weeks (May 26 – June 25). This is followed by 4 weeks to complete assignments including the final project. All coursework must be completed by Friday August 1, 2025
COURSE SCHEDULE
• Module Intro: May 26- June 1
• Module #1: June 2- June 8
• Module #2: June 9- June 15
• Module #3: June 16- 22
• Module #4: June 23- 29
• Module #5: June 30-July 6
ASSESSMENT AND COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
The following are course assignment requirements and their weighting for grade purposes:
Discussion Forum Engagement (each week of the five-week online session)
25%
Two Book Reviews 25%
Preaching Assignments 35%
Class Attendance and Participation 15%
REQUIRED READING:
The following is the course text:
• Pelton, Randal. Preaching with Accuracy: Finding Christ-centered big ideas for biblical preaching. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2014.
• Beitler III, James. Seasoned Speech: Rhetoric in the life of the church. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2019.
In addition to the course texts, reading journal articles and selected chapters from various texts will regularly be prepared and uploaded to Canvas.
DISCRIPTIONS OF COURSE WORK/REQUIREMENTS:
1. Discussion Forum (25%)
Each week of the initial five-week online session with include opportunity for you to respond to a question, or questions, posted by the instructor into the Discussion Forum. You will be required to respond to the prompt(s) provided in a substantive post to the forum. You are also expected to respond to the posts from your fellow students. Guidelines for the nature of these posts will be provided
Due: Initial post required by Wednesday each week and Responses due by the following Sunday
2.
Book Review (25%)
For this course there will be ONE
book review due at the end of the module, August 1. For this assignment, the student will read both text books and write a reflective summary. Please read the expectations for both books carefully as they are different.
Read Preaching with Accuracy by Randal Pelton and reflect in the following way:
According to Randal Pelton, he has written this book to provide a "method for finding Christ-centered big ideas for biblical preaching" (9). This is important because in communication and preaching identifying one big idea is key; however many methods do not teach how to find this big idea. For this review please read the text books and include these elements in your review:
• Introduce the author and book.
• Summarize the main idea behind each chapter.
• Evaluate the overall method that Pelton posits and explain how it may affect your sermon preparation in the future.
• Conclude by reiterating the main idea of the book and evaluate whether you feel the author accomplished it.
Due: August 1st, 2025
Length: 1500-1750 words
3. Preaching (35%)
Each student will prepare one original message (tailored toward a youth audience) using the method developed in class. The message will be 20-30 minutes in length (it can be longer with permission from the professor). This sermon will be recorded on video and uploaded to LMS. The students will also submit a typed 1-page outline and a full manuscript.
• The outline is worth 5 marks and should be one page in length. A sample outline will be given out in class.
• The Manuscript can be typed or a scanned PDF of your actual copy (this is good if you write on your manuscript) and is worth 10 marks
• The Video is worth 20 marks.
Due: July 25, 2025
4. Class attendance and Participation (15%)
Each student is required to attend the Wednesday class session and participate actively in it.
Marks will be awarded based on the regular attendance and engagement of the student in the onlines class sessions.
