Take some time to write about your own culture and      share with us what makes you who you are. Your culture can be related to      your race, ethnicity, gender, age, nationality, religion, sexual orientation,      hobbies, religion, etc. Try not to focus on just one of these aspects of      yourself, but instead utilize as many cultural elements as possible.

Ashford 2: – Week 1 – Discussion 1

Your initial discussion thread is due on Day 3 (Thursday) and you have until Day 7 (Monday) to respond to your classmates. Your grade will reflect both the quality of your initial post and the depth of your responses. Reference the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric for guidance on how your discussion will be evaluated.
Everyone   Has a Culture

Some students think that they do not have much of a cultural background because they were not born outside of the United States or because they do not speak another language. The truth is that everyone has a culture!
Prepare: As you prepare to write your discussion for this topic, take time to do the following:

• Read the writing prompt below in its      entirety. Note that there are three      tasks.
  1. Define culture and explain its importance in       communication.
  2. Describe your own culture.
  3. Explain how your culture shapes how you communicate       with others.
• Review Chapter 3 of your text and identify at least one      point about culture and communication to discuss in your post.
• Develop a definition of culture and explain its      importance in communication.
• Review the grading rubric and note that 25% of your      grade is based on your application of course material (Content/Subject      Knowledge) and 25% is based on your ability to demonstrate you are      thinking critically and presenting original ideas.

Reflect: Based on what you’ve learned in Chapter 3, think about key elements of your own culture and how it influences both the style and content of your communication. Think about how your culture shapes how you communicate with others, especially those who are from other cultures. Why is culture important in understanding effective communication? How can knowing about your own culture help you build bonds and/or bridge cultural divides?
Write: Based on what you’ve learned in class this week:

• Define culture and explain why it is important to understanding communication.
• Take some time to write about your own culture and      share with us what makes you who you are. Your culture can be related to      your race, ethnicity, gender, age, nationality, religion, sexual orientation,      hobbies, religion, etc. Try not to focus on just one of these aspects of      yourself, but instead utilize as many cultural elements as possible.
• How does your culture affect your communication with      those in your own culture and those from other cultures?

Thoroughly respond to the discussion elements by writing at least one to two sentences on your definition and then two to three sentences on each of the remaining two elements. Use the course readings, with full APA citations, at least once to help you make your points. Consider copying and pasting all three tasks into a word file and addressing each of them separately.
Your initial response should be 200-300 words in length and is due by Thursday, Day 3.
Respond to Peers: Review your classmates’ posts and try to find some common ground or to expand on the students’ ideas. Use the text to extend your points about culture and communication. Ask questions that will improve everyone’s understanding of the importance of culture. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Monday, Day 7. Response posts must be 125 to 200 words in length. If you have questions about how to participate in discussions, consult “About Discussions” under the Course Home menu.
The Ashford Writing Center (AWC) has two kinds of tutoring available to you.

• Live Chat – If you have writing-related questions about a topic      before you draft a discussion post or submit a written assignment, you      will now be able to chat live with a tutor for a short (up to 20 minute)      conversation. Live Chat will be available Monday through Friday from      10:00-11:00 am and 4:00-5:00 pm (PST). AWC Live Chat
• Email Paper Review – If you have a draft, partial draft, or even if      you’re having trouble getting started, you can complete a submission form      and email your paper to the AWC for review.
  • Writing Tutors will do their best to return your paper       with their comments within 48 hours, not including Saturdays and Sundays.       Please plan accordingly if you would like to receive feedback before an       assignment due date. AWC Email Paper Review