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Full-Text Articles in Education

Best Practices For Student Learning Assessment In Smaller-Sized Undergraduate Mass Communication Programs, Douglas J. Swanson Ed.D Apr Aug 2015

Best Practices For Student Learning Assessment In Smaller-Sized Undergraduate Mass Communication Programs, Douglas J. Swanson Ed.D Apr

Douglas J. Swanson, Ed.D APR

Assessment of student learning in higher education is no longer optional, because the public increasingly expects universities to spend less and produce more. Generating detailed, meaningful assessment is challenging, particularly for smaller-sized mass communication programs with limited resources. Mass communication-focused assessment literature is scarce. This best practices essay reviews other research to illustrate proven examples of ways to assess simply and effectively in undergraduate mass communication programs to achieve maximum faculty support and curriculum improvement.


Student Learning In High-Impact Practice Mass Communication Courses, Douglas J. Swanson Ed.D Apr Apr 2015

Student Learning In High-Impact Practice Mass Communication Courses, Douglas J. Swanson Ed.D Apr

Douglas J. Swanson, Ed.D APR

College and university high-impact practice (HIP) courses involve students in intensive values-focused learning inside and/ or outside of the traditional classroom environment. Much research has documented that participation in HIPs increases student retention and graduation rates. At the same time, the nontraditional learning structure of an HIP course can complicate a thorough assessment of student learning. Anecdotal evidence reflects strong involvement in HIPs by mass communication programs, although communication efforts in this regard are not as well documented in the literature as efforts in other fields. This essay briefly defines HIPs and presents an appropriate theory that would guide HIPs …


Fostering Development Of Mentoring And Reverse Mentoring Skills Among Public Relations Undergraduates, Douglas J. Swanson Ed.D Apr, Betsy A. Hays M.A., Apr, Julie Henderson Ph.D., Apr, Fellow Prsa Oct 2012

Fostering Development Of Mentoring And Reverse Mentoring Skills Among Public Relations Undergraduates, Douglas J. Swanson Ed.D Apr, Betsy A. Hays M.A., Apr, Julie Henderson Ph.D., Apr, Fellow Prsa

Douglas J. Swanson, Ed.D APR

Mentoring and reverse mentoring have gotten a lot of attention in the academic and professional literature in other disciplines (accounting, management, nursing, the sciences, etc.). But these concepts haven’t been addressed much in public relations. We believe that if these practices were more fully integrated into the undergraduate curriculum, our students would be more prepared to participate in mentoring in the professional environment, as well as launch careers as independent PR practitioners. The purpose of our panel discussion is to briefly share our experiences in regard to mentoring, reverse mentoring, and entrepreneurship. We’ll talk about what our research and our …


Developing Students’ Research Skills In The Undergraduate Public Relations Writing Course: A Framework For ‘Real World’ Success., Douglas J. Swanson Ed.D Apr Oct 2012

Developing Students’ Research Skills In The Undergraduate Public Relations Writing Course: A Framework For ‘Real World’ Success., Douglas J. Swanson Ed.D Apr

Douglas J. Swanson, Ed.D APR

Those of us who teach in higher education are in a time of continually diminishing resources. Our budgets have been cut, but our class sizes and teaching loads continue to increase. There’s an unceasing drumbeat from the profession to better prepare our students with social media skills demanded in the workplace (Cahill, 2009). In the education of public relations undergraduates in particular, there seems to never be enough time or resources for faculty to teach students all the new skills needed – let alone the basics. Outside of class, faculty struggle to find time for research. Our long-delayed projects sit …


Assessment Of Student Learning In The Department Of Communications: A Successful Faculty Collaboration, Douglas J. Swanson Ed.D Apr Oct 2012

Assessment Of Student Learning In The Department Of Communications: A Successful Faculty Collaboration, Douglas J. Swanson Ed.D Apr

Douglas J. Swanson, Ed.D APR

As recently as 2010, our department was noted for its inability to operationalize a program of assessment of student learning. Although several faculty members had presented strong and noteworthy proposals, the department as a whole had not implemented any assessment plan. In January 2011, the department was represented at the university’s assessment retreat. At that time, a four-year plan was developed that identifies seven learning outcomes for all Communications majors and has procedures for measuring and evaluating student learning across the core curriculum and all five of the subject concentrations. Extensive supportive policy was developed. Documentation was made available to …


The Student-Run Public Relations Firm In An Undergraduate Program: Reaching Learning And Professional Development Goals Through ‘Real World’ Experience, Douglas J. Swanson Ed.D Apr Jan 2011

The Student-Run Public Relations Firm In An Undergraduate Program: Reaching Learning And Professional Development Goals Through ‘Real World’ Experience, Douglas J. Swanson Ed.D Apr

Douglas J. Swanson, Ed.D APR

A student-run public relations firm can offer a variety of benefits for an undergraduate program in which there are limited resources for professional involvement by students. The article is a case study that profiles a student-run firm launched in conjunction with a capstone course in a journalism department. Specific learning and professional development goals were established for students, the department, and for clients served by the firm. The article presents a brief summary of successes, along with a discussion of opportunities and challenges. General recommendations are offered for establishing a student-run public relations firm.


Training Future Pr Practitioners And Serving The Community Through A "Learn By Doing" Undergraduate University Curriculum, Douglas J. Swanson Ed.D Apr Jan 2008

Training Future Pr Practitioners And Serving The Community Through A "Learn By Doing" Undergraduate University Curriculum, Douglas J. Swanson Ed.D Apr

Douglas J. Swanson, Ed.D APR

The Journalism Department at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) has created a public relations (PR) curriculum that adequately balances students' preparation in conceptual knowledge and practical skills by introducing “hands on” public relations work. At Cal Poly, students gain valuable expertise from the beginning of their academic experience by providing PR work for community clients. Moreover, dozens of nonprofit organizations in Cal Poly's community have been helped by getting PR support of the highest quality—support that they need but cannot afford to pay for. Details are provided of Cal Poly's PR curriculum and structure for seven of its courses.


Journalism/ Mass Communication Program World Wide Web Sites: Content, Functionality And Promotional Value, Douglas J. Swanson Ed.D Apr Jan 1999

Journalism/ Mass Communication Program World Wide Web Sites: Content, Functionality And Promotional Value, Douglas J. Swanson Ed.D Apr

Douglas J. Swanson, Ed.D APR

Despite the popularity of promotionally-oriented Web sites within journalism/ mass communication programs in higher education, there has been little examination of sites and their contents. Almost no research has focused on visual, informational, and operational enhancements, or how Web sites of different higher education programs in the discipline differ from each other. This research addresses some of the unanswered questions about how journalism/ mass communication Web sites use enhancements to communicate with online users.