Terri Senft: Classes: Public Speaking Assignments: Assignment 1

About Me: Academic

For Students

About Me: Personal

Contact

t.senft@uel.ac.uk

Assignment 1: Questionnaire

You must complete the Student Questionnaire and email it to Terri by the second day of class.

Click here to get to the questionnaire in MS Word format.

Questionnaire:

Hi. This questionnaire is designed to help me know you a bit better, both intellectually and personally. Nobody else but me will see these responses, so feel free to make your answers as long as you like (I love stories and gossip!) This survey should remember where you left off last, should you need to close it for any reason. Let's begin!

Question: What's your "official" name? What do you like to be called? Do you know your UVI email address? If so, please enter it here.

Question: What's a good phone number to use for contacting you? What's the best time to reach you by phone?

Question: I'd like to know about your educational plans and hopes. What led you to choose UVI as a university? Are you a Communication major? If not, which department are you in, and what year are you? What led you to choose your major?

Question: Which other courses are you talking this semester? Are you taking a class that meets immediately before or immediately after this one?

Question: I'd like to get a sense of your work schedule. Are you working and going to school, or just focusing on classes this semester? If you are working, will you be coming to our class after or before work?

Question: As you know, you are permitted two absences in this class, for any reason. After that your grade is affected. Are there any times you know you will not be able to be in class that I should be aware of sooner, rather than later (e.g., a scheduled surgery, a UVI sports team event, a mandatory meeting in Puerto Rico for work, etc.)?

Question: I’d like to know something about what makes you tick as a person. Please describe an accomplishment in your life (a job, writing, sports, artwork, music, digital stuff, etc.) of which you are particularly proud. Tell me why it pleased you--was it difficult to research, or from the heart, or done on a tight deadline, or what?

Question: Tell me about your best courses at UVI (or anywhere else, for that matter) thus far. What sorts of things made the course stand out in your mind? In what ways did you feel challenged and/or excited by the material?

Question: Tell me about the worst course you ever took in your college career. What made it unbearable for you? What do you wish had been done differently?

Question: What do you think a teacher's responsibility entails? If someone asked you, "What makes a great teacher," what would your answer be? If someone asked, "What makes a lousy teacher," how would you respond?

Question: What do you think a student's responsibility entails? If someone were to ask you, "What makes a great student," what would your answer be? If someone asked, "What makes a lousy student," how would you answer?

Question: Describe your minimum desires for this course (i.e., "it's something that fits in my schedule, and I'm hoping it's not too tough," or "I'd like to pass it...")

Question: Describe your maximum fantasy for this course (i.e., "I discover I am a fantastic public speaker and begin my career as the next Oprah Winfrey," or "I make discoveries about myself that completely change my approach to education," etc.)

Question: I'd like to know your feelings about meeting one on one with me. How many meetings a semester would feel like too little connection? How many would begin to feel like an imposition? What sorts of things would you hope I could prepare in advance to help with individual meetings? What sorts of things would you prepare in advance?

Question: Describe your relationship to organizational thinking. Are you the sort of person who likes to make lists, or do you prefer to let things happen as they will? If I were to visit your bedroom, would it be very tidy, very messy, or somewhere in between? Do you find making outlines difficult, or does it seem natural to you?

Question: Describe your relationship to writing. Are you comfortable doing it? Do you loathe it? Which parts would you like to improve? Have you ever kept a journal?

Question: Describe yourself in terms of interpersonal communication in the classroom. For instance, do you think of yourself as shy in class, outgoing, or somewhere in between those two poles? Do you tend to sit in the back or the front of a room? Do you like to dive into discussions, or do you tend to hear what other people have to say and make connections that way?

Question: Have you ever used BlackBoard before? Have you ever used PowerPoint? Could you use a beginner or refresher workshop on BlackBoard or PowerPoint? Do you know any other software applications (e.g. Word, Dreamweaver, PhotoShop, etc.)?

Question: How would you describe your comfort level with computers and the Internet in general (for instance, do you avoid them, only use them for school stuff, think of yourself as pretty tech-savvy?) Is there any place on the Web (like a home page) where I can get to know you a bit better?

Question: I'd like to get a sense of what you know about researching information, both online and off it. How familiar are you with UVI's library? Have you ever spoken to a librarian there? Have you ever done research using Google or other online search enginges? Do you know how to look for information using UVI's online database resources? Could you use a refresher workshop on these things?

Question: Please tell me about your relationship to performance. I think of "performance" as a word that could describe acting, sales, singing, dj'ing, sports, preaching, public speaking, or anything else where you are required to be "on" in front of people. Among your friends and family, are you thought of as a performer, or do you normally take the audience role?

Question: Do you have any worries or concerns about taking this course? If so, please let me know them so I can help you. Keep in mind that if you are worried about speaking in public, it’s perfectly okay to say as much. In fact, it’s one of the most common fears in America!

Question: Is there anything I've forgotten to ask that you'd like to tell me?

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