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Full-Text Articles in Education

Critical Thinking As A Pedagogical Approach: Using Critical/Cultural Studies To Analyze Music Videos, Lukas John Pelliccio, Timothy Brown May 2021

Critical Thinking As A Pedagogical Approach: Using Critical/Cultural Studies To Analyze Music Videos, Lukas John Pelliccio, Timothy Brown

Discourse: The Journal of the SCASD

Teaching undergraduate students how to critically analyze a text is an important experience. However, it is not easy to do this because readings are often dense, and the process of writing and presenting a critique can be challenging for some students. In light of this, we have developed an assignment where students critically analyze music videos for their ideologies. In the assignment, students select three specific overt or latent content pieces from a music video and explain how those manifestations influence a particular ideology in a paper. Then they are asked to show the music video to their peers and …


Closing The Assessment Loop In The Basic Communication Course, Claire H. Procopio Oct 2017

Closing The Assessment Loop In The Basic Communication Course, Claire H. Procopio

Discourse: The Journal of the SCASD

Participation in the learning-outcome assessment is an important expectation of most communication teachers. Considerable communication research has been devoted to defining assessment, identifying what is assessed, and determining how best to do assessment (Morreale, Backlund, Hay, & Moore, 2011). The National Communication Association (NCA) recently announced the publication of Learning Outcomes in Communication (NCA, 2015). This case study explores how a program, one new to learning-outcome assessment in the basic course, overcame common challenges with implementing assessments. The case illustrates how to use assessment data meaningfully and offers specific strategies that individual communication instructors, course directors, and assessment leaders can …


Blending Theory And Application: Student-Authored Organizational Case Studies, Colleen Arendt Oct 2017

Blending Theory And Application: Student-Authored Organizational Case Studies, Colleen Arendt

Discourse: The Journal of the SCASD

Case studies have been used as a pedagogical method for nearly a century. The case-study method provides numerous benefits for students, encouraging problem-solving, perspective taking, reflecting, and strategizing. After a semester of reading and discussing published case studies, the purpose of this assignment is to have students write and analyze their own case studies based on their organizational experiences. This assignment blends theory and application, helps students engage in important sensemaking about their experiences, and calls on them to contribute knowledge and content to the course. Variations, debriefing prompts, and an assignment appraisal are included.


Constructive Peer Evaluations: The Toilet Paper Stuck To My Shoe Lesson, Stephanie Kelly Oct 2017

Constructive Peer Evaluations: The Toilet Paper Stuck To My Shoe Lesson, Stephanie Kelly

Discourse: The Journal of the SCASD

Peer evaluation is a useful learning tool that provides students with a holistic view of their work. However, getting students to provide quality feedback to their peers can be a struggle. The purpose of this activity is to make students realize that constructive criticism, when given tactfully, is the only polite option so that they will share thorough, useful feedback throughout the semester.


Simulated Creative Collaboration: Experiencing Challenges To Innovative Virtual Teaming In The Classroom, Brian C. Britt, Kristen Hatten Oct 2017

Simulated Creative Collaboration: Experiencing Challenges To Innovative Virtual Teaming In The Classroom, Brian C. Britt, Kristen Hatten

Discourse: The Journal of the SCASD

This activity provides students with in-depth experience working as part of an innovative virtual team, which will enable them to better understand the relative advantages and disadvantages of various approaches to creative collaboration in different contexts. Participants are divided into groups, which must then solve an assigned problem using a specified communication technology and creative process from the literature. The instructor will introduce a variety of obstacles to communication using each technology, which may inhibit students’ creative processes. Following the activity, the class will discuss these challenges, participants’ responses, and the range of experiences with different collaborative processes and technologies.


Using Social Lubricants To Increase Conversationality, Nathaniel Simmons Oct 2017

Using Social Lubricants To Increase Conversationality, Nathaniel Simmons

Discourse: The Journal of the SCASD

Responding to the epidemic of the dying art of conversation (Asha, 2014; Barnwell, 2014 April), this activity constructs a space in which students tap into social lubricants as a conversational, artistic tool to increase conversational skills. Inspired by Monahan & Lannutti’s (2000) social lubricant work, this study views social lubricants— any object or action that facilitates social interaction, such as a dog or a compliment— as a vital resource that merits pedagogical attention. After completing a role-play in which students tap into a social lubricant to achieve an assigned goal, students will be able to: (a) define social lubricants; (b) …


Social Justice Storytelling: Giving Our Students More Than Just An Education In Speech, Phillip E. Wagner Oct 2017

Social Justice Storytelling: Giving Our Students More Than Just An Education In Speech, Phillip E. Wagner

Discourse: The Journal of the SCASD

In an effort to highlight the practical and relevant applications of public speaking, this activity was designed to give students a safe space to discuss current social justice issues. Beginning with an open-ended narrative prompt, this activity requires students to take turns building upon a social justice narrative, giving them an opportunity to practice confident delivery and healthy dissent while also further enhancing public speaking skills and fostering a social-justice orientation.


Assessing Logical Fallacies In Persuasion: Using Role-Play To Identify And Critique Solid Reasoning In Public Speaking, Nancy Bressler Oct 2017

Assessing Logical Fallacies In Persuasion: Using Role-Play To Identify And Critique Solid Reasoning In Public Speaking, Nancy Bressler

Discourse: The Journal of the SCASD

Because the development of solid reasoning skills is an instrumental aspect of speech formation, this teaching activity draws connections among the identification of logical fallacies, the recognition of the importance of soundly reasoned arguments, and the reduction of speaker apprehension. Students are asked to design their own humorous skits that exemplify a logical fallacy. This exercise encourages them to consider not only how fallacies can be based on faulty reasoning, but the broader implications of logical fallacies, including speaker credibility, underlying rhetorical uses, and to what extent a lack of speaker motivation can lead to deficient reasoning. Through student collaboration …


Incorporating Confucius And Ancient China Into A Rhetorical Theory Course, Sara A. M. Drury Oct 2017

Incorporating Confucius And Ancient China Into A Rhetorical Theory Course, Sara A. M. Drury

Discourse: The Journal of the SCASD

In our globalized world, students of communication benefit from experiencing diverse cultures and perspectives throughout the curriculum. One way to encourage twenty-first century global learning is to infuse the study of Chinese discourse into rhetorical theory courses. This essay first provides a rationale for the importance of comparative rhetoric and a review of relevant literature on ancient Chinese rhetoric. Then, the essay details a three-week module on ancient Chinese rhetoric with readings and activities, and an appraisal of the activity, with the goal of demonstrating the necessity and feasibility of introducing undergraduate students to globalized rhetorical studies.


A Life-Changing Gift: The Impact Of Classroom Climate And Community Building, Joshua N. Westwick, Kelli J. Chromey Oct 2017

A Life-Changing Gift: The Impact Of Classroom Climate And Community Building, Joshua N. Westwick, Kelli J. Chromey

Discourse: The Journal of the SCASD

The study of classroom climate and community has been a hallmark of communication education research for several decades (Dwyer et al., 2004). This wealth of meaningful research has provided scholars and instructors an abundance of practical strategies and knowledge to help develop and strengthen classroom climate and community. Moreover, this research has illustrated the relevance and need for a positive classroom climate and community within our educational institutions. The impact of creating a community-oriented classroom climate was documented by Dwyer et al. (2004), who found that, “Fostering a positive climate and sense of community for students in educational settings has …


Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety: Practical Applications For Classroom Instruction, Joshua N. Westwick Oct 2017

Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety: Practical Applications For Classroom Instruction, Joshua N. Westwick

Discourse: The Journal of the SCASD

During the 2013 Speech Communication Association of South Dakota annual conference, there was a lively discussion surrounding students’ Public Speaking Anxiety (PSA). During the dialogue, numerous strategies on how to help reduce students’ speaking anxiety were discussed. However, I was surprised at the number of suggestions that refuted tested and proven strategies for PSA reduction. Moreover, I was startled and dismayed to hear comments such as “I have just given up and allowed my students to read from a manuscript” or “the only way I can get [my students] to stay calm is when I allow them to write as …


So, You’Re A New Forensics Coach?: Establishing An Oral Interpretation Program And Culture Of Success, Barb Kleinjan Oct 2017

So, You’Re A New Forensics Coach?: Establishing An Oral Interpretation Program And Culture Of Success, Barb Kleinjan

Discourse: The Journal of the SCASD

As many new English and Speech instructors quickly realize, their first teaching contract will most certainly include forensic extra-curricular activities. By the simple virtue of training to become fine arts teachers, administrators and principals may assign the coaching of Debate, One Act Plays or Oral Interpretation to their contracts, even though the individual may have had no experience in any of those activities. In my first secondary school contract, I was required to coach Oral Interpretation, three One Act Plays and the spring All School Play. My drama background consisted of a knowledge and appreciation for Shakespeare, yet with no …


Minority Student Perceptions Of Mental Health, Emily Camacho Jan 2016

Minority Student Perceptions Of Mental Health, Emily Camacho

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

The current study explored the use of mental health services by minority students at South Dakota State University (SDSU) using thematic analysis. There are numerous reasons that college students choose not to utilize counseling services even though they may be needed. For example, students may avoid counseling out of fear of cultural stigma associated with help-seeking (Ægisdottír et al., 2011). Further, minority students may be more likely to use non-counseling help services such as religious organizations or friends and family in place of formal counseling because they believe that counselors are racially biased, or that there is a lack of …


Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety: Midwestern Language Learner Exploration, Justin J. Mahutga Jan 2016

Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety: Midwestern Language Learner Exploration, Justin J. Mahutga

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Numerous studies in the communication discipline have explored the negative impacts of communication apprehension on college students and ways instruction can help reduce such anxiety. Study of a specific form of apprehension, foreign language anxiety, has received far less scholarly attention, but could serve college students well. Therefore, the current study attempts to establish a solid basis for continuing research aimed at the currently underserved ESL/EFL (English as a second/foreign language) learning community as well as for English-speaking foreign language learners at one mid-sized Midwestern university. The objective of this study is to establish a baseline for understanding the extent …


The Journal Of Undergraduate Research Jan 2016

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 14.


The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 12 Jan 2014

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 12

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 12.


Effects Of Student Athletics On Academic Performance, Nicole Grimit Jan 2014

Effects Of Student Athletics On Academic Performance, Nicole Grimit

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of involvement in athletics at the collegiate level at South Dakota State University. This paper seeks to determine if participation in collegiate athletics is beneficial to a person or if its disadvantages outweigh the advantages. Sixty-seven student-athletes completed a survey during October of 2013 to determine the effects that athletic involvement has had on SDSU’s campus. This study found that participation in athletics is extremely beneficial. These athletes performed better in the classroom, developed impressive time management skills, felt motivated to complete their degree, were motivated to attend classes, and …


The Effects Of Retrieval Practice On Metacognitive Monitoring Accuracy: A Comparison Of First- And Other-Generation Students, Paul Boettcher Jan 2013

The Effects Of Retrieval Practice On Metacognitive Monitoring Accuracy: A Comparison Of First- And Other-Generation Students, Paul Boettcher

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Being metacognitively accurate, or knowing what you know and do not know, has been correlated with and experimentally related to positive academic outcomes and memory performance. Knowing what you know is also referred to as monitoring accuracy. People that have high monitoring accuracy also effectively control their future study by focusing on the material they have not learned and spending less time on the material they already know, this is known as metacognitive control. Given the connection between metacognitive monitoring and control with performance on criterion tests, much research has been devoted to improving metacognition. The known groups of people …


The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 10 Jan 2012

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 10

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 10.


The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 09 Jan 2011

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 09

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 13.


The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 08 Jan 2010

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 08

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 8.


The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 07 Jan 2009

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 07

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 7.


The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 05 Jan 2007

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 05

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 5.


The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 03 Jan 2005

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 03

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 3.