Call For Submissions For Volume 37, Angela M. Hosek

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Forum Response — The Only Constant Is Change: Exploring Grief, Burnout, Ungrading, And Ai In The Basic Communication Course, Kristina Ruiz-Mesa, Ana Terminel Iberri

Basic Communication Course Annual

In the years since the start of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the world of higher education has seen incredible developments in teaching modalities, increased awareness of the socio-political and economic constraints facing many of our students and faculty, and an acute awareness of the rhetorical and material precarity that is facing higher education (Morreale et al., 2022; Ruiz-Mesa, 2022). These precarious conditions have contributed to questions regarding the future of higher education and adaptations needed to serve our diversifying student needs and address the pressing issues facing our world and our campuses. Conversations about well-being in the basic course classroom …

A Basic Investment In Mercy: Problematizing Assessment In The Basic Course, Kate Swartz

Basic Communication Course Annual

This essay addresses the assessment aspect of the Basic Course; namely, it problematizes our reliance as instructors on traditional grading schema that interfere with our students’ best interests. I address this problem with a mercy-centered approach that uses an ungrading assessment method. In doing so, I acknowledge potential issues with this approach as well as argue for its expanded use as a merciful, beneficial way to provide feedback.

Future-Ready Teaching: Embracing Ai In Basic Communication Courses, Dious Joseph

Basic Communication Course Annual

In a time when technology is being quickly incorporated into everyday life, artificial intelligence (AI) has taken on a significant role in education (Ocaña-Fernández et al., 2019). AI's ability to revolutionize society holds great promise for redefining human-machine communication (HMC) in the context of education (Edwards & Edwards, 2017). In basic communication courses, where foundational skills are taught and enhanced, AI introduces challenges and opportunities that warrant reexamining present teaching approaches. The present document envisions the significance of integrating artificial intelligence across educational platforms, including Blackboard and Canvas, by embedding AI technologies directly into these systems. This approach contrasts with …

Balancing Expansion And Exhaustion: Burnout In The Basic Communication Course, Nicholas T. Tatum, Jeffrey T. Child

Basic Communication Course Annual

In this forum, the pressing issue of burnout in the basic communication course is discussed as demand for this course continues to grow, posing challenges for administrators and instructors. The forum examines potential causes and consequences of burnout with a primary focus on the well-being of those involved. It aims to advocate proactive measures, including addressing director positions, supporting graduate teaching assistants, and tackling part-time faculty issues, emphasizing the importance of addressing burnout to ensure the course's future and uphold its quality.

Grief In The Basic Course, Carly Densmore, Jessica Cherry

Basic Communication Course Annual

In a broad search of the Basic Communication Course Annual, there is little discussion regarding student or instructor grief in the basic course. However, in our own experiences teaching the basic course, student expressions of grief are common. Grief is expected to be hidden or silenced, and is often not welcomed in the classroom (Hurst, 2009). Grief is unique to each individual; we can feel grief over a variety of losses, and there is no one way to cope with grief. Grief is not only an emotional but a physical experience, and it is not “a relinquishing of ties to …

Section Introduction: Basic Course Forum

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Promoting Critical Deliberation: Bridging Civic Engagement And Social Justice In The Basic Course, Jennifer Y. Abbott, Jordin Clark, James Proszek

Basic Communication Course Annual

With increasing threats to democracy, we call for communication educators to renew and re-examine their commitment to advancing civic engagement in the basic course. Given recent scholarly criticism that civic engagement pedagogies falsely present democratic practice as neutral or apolitical and reinforce the status quo, we set an agenda for basic course instructors to re-envision civic engagement through a more critical and equity-oriented approach. To aid that effort, we present a Critical Deliberation speech assignment that challenges student groups to prepare a 20–25-minute informative presentation about a public controversy and then lead their classmates in a 25-minute deliberative discussion. In …

Are We Really Basic Bitches? A Call For Resistance And Recognition, Joshua E. Young, Allison D. Brenneise

Basic Communication Course Annual

We explore the history and position of the foundational communication course (FCC) in communication education. The material impact of calling the course basic since the 1940s has caused internalized oppression, which results in a lack of innovation and general disempowerment. The use of the term basic to describe the foundational communication course reflects little cultural awareness of the impact of the word. The term basic also demonstrates a need to adapt the course to meet the needs of its constituents. Failing to adapt may result in more oppressive conditions for communication education, a problem if the discipline is to make …

Assessment ‘Responsabilities’ In The Basic Course: Evaluating Public Speaking Rubrics, Miranda N. Rouse

Basic Communication Course Annual

Procedures and practices that are ableist in the educational system have been long overlooked. Speakers having differing abilities than neurotypical or able-bodied individuals is often not something that is considered in basic course assessment tools. This is important to address because although there are institutional policies and procedures in place to help students with differing abilities, instructors of public speaking have the autonomy or power to determine how such accommodations will affect the speech grade determined by the assessment tool. Power relations are significantly complicated in educational settings when strict hierarchies are imposed, and when instructors abuse their authority, which …

Section Introduction: Research Articles

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Beyond Delivery, Toward Interpretation: Examining How Students Use Feedback In The Introductory Communication Course, Drew T. Ashby-King, Melissa A. Lucas, Lindsey B. Anderson

Basic Communication Course Annual

Feedback is a foundational communicative aspect of the teaching/learning processes in introductory communication courses as students seek to improve their presentational speaking skills throughout the term. Drawing on 1,673 qualitative questionnaire responses, this paper explores how students used and interpreted instructor feedback. Through our thematic analysis of a randomly selected subset of 335 responses, we identified two tensions in how students used and interpreted instructor feedback: (1) feedback as a process vs. a product and (2) feedback as integrated into the course structure vs. a justification for a grade. Theoretically, this research extends Feedback Intervention Theory by highlighting the importance …

Editor's Page, Angela M. Hosek

Basic Communication Course Annual

With my first volume with BCCA, I have extended and built upon the tremendous work of previous editors and scholars who have championed and shared their work in the Annual. In doing so, Issue 36 features empirical, theoretical, and analytical essays that require us to think about how students use instructor feedback in the classroom, to consider new ways to conduct assessment, to contemplate the implications of course names and labels, and to imagine how critical deliberation might promote social justice in the basic course.

Cover And Front Matter

Basic Communication Course Annual

Cover, Editorial Board, Table of Contents for Volume 36 (2024)

English Language Learning At Tertiary Level In A Central Mexican Public University: A Case Study, Irasema Mora-Pablo, Edgar Emmanuell Garcia-Ponce

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: Our objective was to examine the perceptions regarding the teaching and learning of English of students in 16 undergraduate programs at a state public university in Mexico.

Method: In our qualitative case study, participating students responded to queries about their experiences learning English at the university, as well as their educational aspirations upon completion of their university studies.

Results: Despite their relevance to language immersion and competency, students struggle to combine prior experiences with current learning. Given Mexico’s English education system and past national initiatives, most participants say they still speak basic English. It is also clear that the …

“I Thought I Knew”: Teaching Graduate Students New Ways Of Understanding Meanings Of Diverse Social Identities, Maria S. Johnson

Feminist Pedagogy

Instructors should not assume that graduate students understand meanings of terms for various social identities. In this article, I highlight a teaching activity I created titled, “What’s in a name?” that requires graduate students to research historical and contemporary uses of various racial, ethnic, gender, sexuality, and immigration terms. The assignment helps graduate students develop inclusive vocabulary and deepen their understanding of their positionality. It also supports braver classroom contexts for students and instructors. The assignment is best facilitated by instructors informed of diverse social identities, open to difficult conversations, and aware of the influence of their own social identities …

Land Acknowledgement, Joy N. Emmanuel, Madison Pimental

The Vermont Connection

No abstract provided.

Acknowledgement, Joy N. Emmanuel, Madison Pimental

The Vermont Connection

No abstract provided.

Editors' Note, Joy N. Emmanuel, Madison Pimental

The Vermont Connection

No abstract provided.

Shift Happens! Clashing Ais In Higher Education And The Unexpected Implications Of Restriction And Implementation, Carol A. Bruzzano

The Vermont Connection

The AI-AI conflict in higher education, artificial intelligence and academic integrity, led to a frenzy of policy and curricula changes throughout the 2022-2023 academic year. Yet, the impacts of restrictions and implementations on marginalized populations were not immediate concerns. Students with disabilities and others considered marginalized and underprepared may have the most to lose without careful considerations of the implications of restriction and implementation. Identifying evidence-based best practices for next steps in AI integration that support students' learning and avoid the biases of emerging applications may provide the safest path forward for evolving teaching and student advising in higher education …

Do No More Harm: Changing The Classroom In Response To Covid-19 Trauma, Erin M. Adams

The Vermont Connection

The COVID-19 pandemic was a worldwide trauma that has long lasting effects that we are still yet to discover. For current college-aged students, many of them experienced the COVID-19 pandemic during key developmental stages of their lives. Many student affair professionals have noted the difference between the students who were in college when the pandemic hit and those who were not. This article examines trauma through the lens of trauma informed practices and high impact practices and makes recommendations on how educators can change their classrooms to better serve students.

Bringing Personal Identity Into Our Learning Spaces, Sobha Kavanakudiyil

The Vermont Connection

Abstract

This paper will integrate a personal narrative with published work to examine the journey and thoughts of a South Asian female theatre educator working in theatre education. The paper will discuss stories of identity, the impact it has had, and the intentionality of what should be done with this information. It will illuminate the need for further research to engage more South Asian female voices in theatre education.

Keywords: ethnic identity, teacher preparation, South Asian, theatre teacher, autoethnography, female voice

(In)Effectiveness Of Summer Bridge Programs Among First-Year Low-Income, First-Generation College Students, Joy N. Emmanuel

The Vermont Connection

Summer bridge programs have become a widely adopted strategy in four-year institutions to address the unique challenges faced by first-year, low-income, first-generation college students. These programs aim to enhance academic preparedness, foster a sense of belonging, and improve retention rates. However, this paper critically examines the effectiveness of summer bridge programs in achieving these goals. Drawing on a review of existing literature, it becomes evident that while summer bridge programs offer certain benefits, they may not be as effective in promoting holistic success, persistence, and retention among this specific group of students. The analysis highlights several limitations, including a limited …

Resisting The Deficit Framework: Practices For Student Services Professionals To Effectively Support Bipoc Students At Predominantly White Institutions, Joshua Ravenscroft

The Vermont Connection

Student services professionals are employed across the United States as a key resource to support undergraduate students as they enter higher education. However, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) face unique challenges which not all student services methods are prepared to address. For student services professionals to effectively promote the wellbeing and academic achievement of BIPOC students requires that they receive additional resources and training to avoid deficit thinking and be equipped to assist BIPOC students in their specific contexts. As student services professionals and departments learn to resist deficit thinking, they can intentionally …

Pov: Working In Admissions During The Ruling On Affirmative Action, Kirsty Nicole Bayo-Ang Bocado

The Vermont Connection

Affirmative action has existed to help students from hxstorically marginalized communities have equitable opportunity to receive admissions into institutions of higher education. There are many perceptions of what affirmative action is. It is important to understand the context behind why affirmation action came about in the first place and what purpose it serves students. In recent hxstory, the US Supreme Court ruled against affirmative action. This was a decision that set back our efforts of supporting students’ access to higher education. As an admissions counselor at a Hispanic-serving institution in the New York City metropolitan area, I witnessed how this …

Racism, Immigration Laws, And Financial Hurdles: An Assessment Of Triadic Traumatizing Experiences Of Bipoc Students In The Usa, Ayodele A. Akinsnaya

The Vermont Connection

No abstract provided.

“A New Era Of Black Thought”: Revisiting Gil Scott-Heron And The Hbcu Protest Novel, Magana J. Kabugi

The Vermont Connection

In 1972, spoken-word artist and poet Gil Scott-Heron published his second novel, controversially titled The Nigger Factory. As the student arm of the Civil Rights Movement started to shift its intellectual concerns from integration to questions of Black Power and self-determination, Scott-Heron’s novel burst onto the literary scene like a stick of dynamite. Literary critics and newspapers didn’t quite know what to make of the novel, which focused on a student government president and a fringe opposition group both vying for control over a student protest at a fictional historically Black college. Raw, direct, and full of rage, the book …

Post-9/11 Racism And Xenophobia's Effects On Muslim Students' Persistence And Belonging In U.S. Higher Education, Takudzwa Kennedy Bozhiwa

The Vermont Connection

The occurrence of Islamophobia targeting Muslim students in the United States escalated after the 9/11 tragedy, leading to instances of microaggressions perpetrated against them within college campuses. The phenomenon of Islamophobia has resulted in a multitude of challenges, hence adversely affecting the academic performance of Muslim students. This study centers on the microaggressions of Muslim students leading to racialization experiences within the context of United States higher education. Consistent exposure to such discriminatory acts has had a profound effect on their sense of belonging, affecting their academic persistence and mental well-being. Although some students have risen above the challenges through …

The Case Of Blackness And Disability: Disproportionality In Special Education Identification, Patricia Pfende

The Vermont Connection

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was initially passed in 1975, making provisions for qualifying students to receive special education. Though the act was meant to address the needs of students with disabilities in Kindergarten to twelve grades (K-12), disparities in special education enrollment for Black students have been well documented in the United States over the last 40 years. Scholars continue to question what is the relationship between low-income students, students of color, and disproportionality. Disproportionality refers to the under and over-representation of a specific group in special education. Drawing from the Critical race theory lance, this paper …

Higher Ed Killjoys: Trauma/Drama - Doing The Most And Being "A Lot", Z'Uko [Z]

The Vermont Connection

No abstract provided.