Education Commons^™

Rethinking Our Rethinking Retrospectively: A Rejoinder To Spano, Mark Hickson Iii

Basic Communication Course Annual

After reading Spano's (1996) essay several times, I was struck by the title of the work in opposition to its substance. When I read "practical" approach in the title, I first thought that the discussion would progress (or regress) into the work of Watzlawick, Beavin, and Jackson (1967) and their "pragmatics," or perhaps even further back to the pragmatic philosophy of Peirce (Houser & Kloesel, 1992). However, nowhere in the paper did I find these works mentioned. As I reread the paper, I detected a vocabulary that was more reminiscent of phenomenology than pragmatism: "here-and-now," "situated communication action," "embodied persons," …

Should Class Participation Be Required In The Basic Communication Course?, Jennifer Wood

Basic Communication Course Annual

This article explores the purpose of the class participation requirement in the basic communication course. In it the following arguments are developed: 1) Class participation is not an effective measure of students' abilities nor does the requirement encourage students to participate in class. 2) Class participation is better conceptualized as a skill which can be taught to students. If instructors require students to participate in their classes, instructors are obligated to teach students how to participate. 3) The basic communication course offers an excellent framework for teaching students the class participation skills.

The Basic Course: A Means Of Protecting The Speech Communication Discipline, Charlene J. Handford

Basic Communication Course Annual

During the summer of 1995, Spectra included articles and news items regarding speech communication programs designated for elimination. Some leaders in the discipline warned that this trend would likely continue.

This article argues that departments of communication, operating under federal and state requirements for communication competency, may be well advised to work toward establishing the basic course as the sole fulfillment of their institutions' core requirement in communication and to plan a marketing strategy for their discipline. In addition, this paper suggests that the basic course, taught as public speaking, may be more easily defended in meeting the course requirement, …

Call For Papers And Editorial Philosophy

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Meeting The Challenge Of Cultural Diversity: Ideas And Issues For The Public Speaking Course, Kimberly A. Powell

Basic Communication Course Annual

Cultural diversity has become a central concern at most levels of education. The term itself has become so accepted and commonplace that we often do not stop to ask what cultural diversity means for our respective fields. R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr., president of the American Institute for Managing Diversity at Morehouse College in Atlanta, defines diversity as building "systems and a culture that unite different people in a common pursuit without undermining their diversity. It's taking differences into account while developing a cohesive whole" (Gordon, 1992, p. 23). This seems a fruitful way to view cultural diversity in communication education. …

Title Page

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Improving Oral Communication Competency: An Interactive Approach To Basic Public Speaking Introduction, Mary Mino, Marilynn N. Butler

Basic Communication Course Annual

An interactive approach to basic public speaking instruction is share in this article. This approach, unlike traditional approaches, allows students to spend a majority of class time applying course concepts and integrating these concepts into their personal, academic, and professional lives. Specifically, this essay describes undergraduate student's oral communication needs, explains an interactive approach, discusses audiotaped lectures, and outlines course requirements,

Call For Papers And Editorial Philosophy

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

The Basic Course In Organizational Communication: A National Survey, Donald Treadwell, Ronald L. Applbaum

Basic Communication Course Annual

This article presents a study describing the current status and characteristics of the basic organizational communication course reported by 285 college or university departments offering this course in North America. This survey is compared with surveys conducted in 1979 and 1988. The results indicate that the course is most typically taught by one faculty member in lecture/discussion format and emphasizes organizational and communication theory over skills. Students are most typically upper-level undergraduates. The course appears to be facing increasing demand. Changes are occurring in the content and structure of the course with the topics of gender differences, organizational culture, communication …

Predictors Of Behavioral Competence And Self-Esteem: A Study Assessing Impact In A Basic Public Speaking Course, Sherwyn P. Morreale, Michael Z. Hackman, Michael R. Neer

Basic Communication Course Annual

As evaluation in higher education receives increasing attention, the assessment of the impact of basic oral communication instruction is becoming more important. This study examines the impact of a public speaking course on undergraduates' affective and behavioral competence. Using a pre- and posttest model, assessment was based on administration of the Communication Competency Assessment Instrument and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale at the beginning and end of the course. Communication competence and self-esteem were measured as a function of communication apprehension, gender, age, and ethnicity. Results indicated that the course generally impacted similarly on students regardless of their level of communication …

Back Cover

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Author Identification

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Ta Training Beyond The First Week: A Leadership Perspective, Glen Williams

Basic Communication Course Annual

Leadership studies combined with the insights of basic course directors suggest a framework for effectively directing the basic course that may benefit novice directors as well as provide insights for veteran directors of the basic course.

This article illuminates the centrality of effective leadership, noting that it will assist ongoing efforts to train and develop inexperienced staff while simultaneously encouraging and incorporating the insights of seasoned instructors. The suggested framework also ensures consistency across sections and the overall integrity of the course.

Creating And Teaching Special Sections Of A Public Speaking Course For Apprehensive Students: A Multi-Case Study, Karen Kangas Dwyer

Basic Communication Course Annual

This study explored how university professors describe the development and operation of a special communication apprehension (CA) section of a basic public speaking course that is part of a core curriculum requirement. The professors interviewed pointed out the need for more media for instructors and students. They described their efforts in detail and said the CA sections were time consuming, yet rewarding for both faculty and students. Several questions for future research include: Where there is a core curriculum requirement for a public speaking course, what is being done to help the students with high CA? If many of the …

Front Cover

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Editorial Board

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Contents

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Gerald M. Phillips' Devotion To Basic Communication Skills, Julia T. Wood

Basic Communication Course Annual

The passing of Gerald M. Phillips in April 1995 left a void only partially filled by his students and communication scholars familiar with his work. His commitment to basic communication instruction spanned a lifetime of research and service (including Jerry's serving on the editorial board of the Annual over the last two years.)

Julia Wood, long-time colleague, co-author, student and friend, remembers Jerry for his substantial contributions to basic communication instruction and the speech communication field.

Context Vs. Process: Revising The Structure Of The Basic Course, Donald D. Yoder, Samuel P. Wallace

Basic Communication Course Annual

The current structure of most basic courses can be traced to the traditional context-based approach to studying communication. However, there seems to be no agreement on what specific contexts should be covered. Students often become confused with context specific jargon and may have difficulty transferring skills and knowledge across contexts. A different approach is to focus on transactional communication skills, principles, and processes that transcend contextual definitions. Such an approach focuses on similarities rather than differences among contexts and may lead to an integrative, rather than devisive, approach to communication study. Rather than learning specific skills for distinct contexts, students …

Basic Communication Course Annual Vol. 7

Basic Communication Course Annual

Full Issue (168 pages, 2.147 MB)

Literacy Enhancement And Writing Across The Curriculum: A Motivational Addendum, L. Brooks Hill, Sandra L. Ragan

Basic Communication Course Annual

This "thought piece" supplements the preceding article with complementary information drawn from a national literacy project underwritten by the Ford Foundation. This project attempted to persuade teachers in all disciplines to become more proficient in the use of written exercises and to encourage an expanded conception of literacy as an essential cornerstone of education. As a part of the writing-across-the curriculum (WAC) efforts, this extensive project helped to organize these efforts by identifying the obstacles to enhanced literacy, specifying innumerable techniques for use in diverse contexts, and motivating faculty to intensify their work on this dimension of any curriculum. This …

Title Page

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Using Interactive Video Instruction To Enhance Public Speaking Instruction, Michael W. Cronin, William R. Kennan

Basic Communication Course Annual

This article discusses the nature of interactive video instruction (IVI) and the potential benefits of IVI applications in supplementing instruction in the basic communication course. It describes the IVI programs in oral communication that are currently available, the equipment required to institute IVI, and details possible applications of IVI for instructors, students, and educational institutions.

Stories As Instructional Strategy: Teaching In Another Culture, Pamela Cooper

Basic Communication Course Annual

This article describes the use of story as an instructional strategy in a basic communication course taught at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Computer-Mediated Communication In The Basic Communication Course, Gerald M. Santoro, Gerald M. Phillips

Basic Communication Course Annual

Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) for instructional support is being explored at a number of colleges and universities. In this paper the authors describe their successful application of CMC to the basic communication course and the lessons they learned for successful implementation of instructional CMC.

The Basic Course In Communication Theory: A Shift In Emphasis, Warren Sandmann

Basic Communication Course Annual

This essay calls for a change in how the introductory communication theory course is taught. Standard models and texts are examined, described and critiqued. The standard model of communication theory depicts theory as a body of knowledge to be studied and applied to specific situations. This one dominant paradigm of communication theory constrains other possible approaches to understanding and teaching communication theory. The remainder of the essay offers a rationale for a shift in the teaching of communication theory, and directions for preliminary changes in the teaching of communication theory.

Ta Mentoring: Issues And Questions, Pamela L. Gray, Martin G. Murray

Basic Communication Course Annual

The widespread use of graduate teaching assistants (TAs) in higher education has generated a search for techniques to improve the quality of teaching of TAs as well as enhance the entire TA experience. One such technique is mentoring. This paper attempts to accomplish four things: (a) delineate issues to be addressed, (b) share feedback from educators with mentoring experience, (c) present questions to guide decision making, and (d) provide a bibliography of literature on mentoring. The information presented comes from a questionnaire administered to basic course directors, a conference discussion on mentoring and the personal experiences of the authors.

Editorial Board

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Writing As A Tool For Teaching Public Speaking: A Campus Application, Karla Kay Jensen, Pat Mcqueeney

Basic Communication Course Annual

All basic communication courses seek to improve students' oral communication skills while also deepening their understanding of the theoretical principles and processes underlying effective communication. Writing, whether in the form of formal assignments or informal in-class activities, can help achieve these goals. This paper offers rationales and approaches for incorporating writing throughout basic courses, and illustrates how formal and informal strategies promote an oral/written relationship in these courses. Included are numerous examples of assignments for basic public speaking courses.

Editor's Page, Craig Newburger

Basic Communication Course Annual

Editor reflects on journal's first six years and acknowledges the service and commitment of past editors.