Communication Commons^™

Asserting Individuality In A Futuristic Dystopia: A Critical Analysis Of "Dirty Computer", Sam Spethman

Honors Theses

"Dirty Computer" is a groundbreaking science fiction film directed by visionary artist Janelle Monáe, which delves into the complexities of individuality in a dystopian future dominated by oppressive societal forces. Through intricate narrative construction and thematic depth, the film asserts the indomitable nature of human identity against the backdrop of advanced technology and mind control. This paper explores how "Dirty Computer" challenges traditional narratives of conformity and celebrates the power of self-expression and authenticity. By employing critical lenses such as feminist, queer, and racial critiques, along with narrative and visual analysis techniques, the analysis highlights Monáe's embrace of her Black …

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)

Cedarville Magazine, Spring 2024: The Value Of A Cedarville Degree, Cedarville University

Cedarville Magazine

No abstract provided.

The Current - Volume 34 Issue 12, Nova Southeastern University

The Current

No abstract provided.

Healing A Generation; Implementation Of Higher Education Curricula For Venezuelan Journalism Students Living Under Structural Violence To Promote A Transition Into Democracy, José Luis Jiménez-Figarotti Prof.

The SUNY Journal of the Scholarship of Engagement: JoSE

Venezuela's sociopolitical landscape has deteriorated significantly over the past decade, culminating in a profound humanitarian crisis. This ethnography, conducted from 2015 to the present, explores the experiences of a study group comprising 2000 Venezuelan communication college students, aged 17 to 25, who navigate structural violence while striving for quality higher education. The research employed a multifaceted approach, encompassing interviews, focus groups, and observations. Additionally, this qualitative study examines the outcomes of implementing an interdisciplinary journalism curriculum grounded in human rights and media activism, complemented by online sessions and an environmental education component. This educational project aims to foster critical thinking …

The Current - Volume 34 Issue 11, Nova Southeastern University

The Current

No abstract provided.

Resurrection Purpose, J. Scott Duvall

Press Releases

Humanly speaking, besides a few of the disciples, Jesus's closest friends were undoubtedly Mary, Martha and Lazarus. They were like family, and their house in Bethany was a place of safety and refuge.

One day the sisters sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was extremely sick and about to die. After a two-day delay Jesus began his four-day journey to Bethany. I don't always know what to make of God's delays, but I'm convinced they don't mean he doesn't love us. We hope for a greater purpose.

The worst happens, Lazarus dies.

Estelle Mcmillan Blake ("Auntie" Blake), Donald Tatman

Press Releases

As we recognize Women’s History Month this March, we’re remembering some of the notable women in Ouachita’s history. Estelle McMillan Blake was an original faculty member of Ouachita Baptist College when its doors opened in 1886. Blake taught English at Ouachita for 53 years. Because of her support of the school’s library, the former Blake Library on campus was named for her in the 1930s. The Arkansas Baptist paper once noted about this beloved faculty member, “every student that has known her has created in his heart an undying love for this great Christian character and teacher.” The following is …

The Current - Volume 34 Issue 10, Nova Southeastern University

The Current

No abstract provided.

Evaluating College Students’ Health Literacyand Its Effects On Their Perceptions Of Informationconcerning Mask-Wearing In The Covid-19 Pandemic, Hannah S. Ketchum

ELAIA

Background Mask-wearing was a controversial and polarizing phenomenon during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beliefs concerning mask-wearing differed depending on sources of information concerning the pandemic, levels of health literacy, political leaning, demographics, or other factors. This project attempted to connect college students’ level of health literacy to their understanding of and adherence to mask-wearing in the COVID- 19 pandemic. There is a gap in research connecting health literacy to understanding information concerning pandemics and an even bigger lack of studies conducted that relate college students’ health literacy to their perception of illnesses or pandemics. It is important to understand the impact …

Kluck Takes On His Latest Leadership Challenge, Brooke Zimny, Office Of Communications & Marketing

Press Releases

Dr. Wesley Kluck did not have a restful 2020. As university physician and vice president for student development at Ouachita, he led the university’s health efforts in response to COVID-19, chairing Ouachita’s Health Monitoring and Action Team (HMAT).

“The worst thing was waking up in the middle of the night, thinking of things,” he said. “There was a lot of that. Sometimes I would get up and make a PowerPoint real quick, just type it all down and go back to sleep.”

HMAT, a group of 13 faculty and staff members as well as the Student Senate president, worked through …

Maddy Moore To Present Senior Recital March 8, Abby Kemmer, Office Of Communications & Marketing

Press Releases

Maddy Moore, a musical theatre major from Mesquite, Texas, will perform her senior recital March 8 at 11 a.m. in McBeth Recital Hall at Ouachita Baptist University. This recital is a project Moore has been working on since last semester and will include music, theatre and dance pieces. The performance is free and open to the public.

Moore will sing six songs, dance to two songs and perform two theatrical scenes. Some of her pieces include “Climbing Uphill” from The Last Five Years by Jason Robert Brown, “I Want to Go to Hollywood” from Grand Hotel by Maury Yeston and …

Beyond The Spotlight (Embracing Our Shared Narrative), Nicole Porchia

Press Releases

March is often associated with celebrating and empowering women and recognizing the contributions of historical figures and trailblazers. This year, I was fortunate to be recognized during Women's History Month, and the experience sparked a deeper reflection on the impact of "ordinary" women like myself.

Honestly, a part of me felt hesitant. While I'm proud of my work and journey as a wife, mom and higher education practitioner, the spotlight felt intimidating. It's easy to admire the iconic figures whose stories fill history books, but to have your own story spotlighted feels different. But then, I remembered the true purpose …

Ouachita's Symphonic Band To Perform March 7, Ashleigh Estes, Office Of Communications & Marketing

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University’s Division of Music will present the Symphonic Band in concert Thursday, March 7, at 7:30 p.m. in Jones Preforming Arts Center. The performance is free and open to the public.

“I am very proud of the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band and excited to play our programs for the audience,” said Dr. Craig Hamilton, director of bands and Trimble Professor of Music at Ouachita.

“Tharsos” by Jeff Jordan will open the concert, followed by Robert Sheldon’s “Appalachian Morning.” The program also includes “Country Gardens,” “My Dark-Haired Maid” and “The Gypsy’s Wedding Day” from A Tribute to Grainger …

Ouachita's Wind Ensemble Presents Concert March 4, Coleman Callan, Office Of Communications & Marketing

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University’s Division of Music in the School of Performing Arts will present the Wind Ensemble in a spring concert Monday, March 4, at 7:30 p.m. in Jones Performing Arts Center. The concert is free and open to the public.

The program will feature “March,” “Song Without Words,” “Song of the Blacksmith” and “Fantasia on the ‘Dargason’” from Gustav Holst’s Second Suite in F, Op. 28 No. 2; “Despedida (Farewell)” from Concerto for Marimba and Symphonic Band by Ney Rosauro; “Lisbon,” “Horkstow Grange,” “Rufford Park Poachers,” “The Brisk Young Sailor,” “Lord Melbourne” and “The Lost Lady Found” from Percy …

A Word From The Writing Team (March 2024), Pam Walter, Mfa, Liz Declan, Ma, Mfa

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

This issue includes:

• Join Us for Our Virtual Writing Retreat on March 1^st
• Attend Inclusive Writing and Language Workshop at EF
• Come and Judge the Jefferson Science Slam
• Publication Spotlight
• Jefferson's AI Library Guide is Available
• The OPWPC Canvas Page Offers Helpful Tools
• Scott Memorial Library Renovations Continue
• Wiley Open Access Fees Waived for Jefferson Authors

Swinging Bridge - March 2024, Ethan Reisler

Student Newspapers & Magazines

Issue contents include:

• Playlist
  • Sabrina's Valentine's Mixtape
• A Roof Over Your Head
  • Special Interest Housing
• Wizard Battle
  • A Cultivation Of Creative Genuity
• The Swinging Bridge Devotional
  • Written By Students, For Students
• The Lady Falcons
  • A Women's Basketball Dynasty
• Balancing Nutrition Under Dietary Restrictions
• A Revolution Of Missional Athletes
  • Sports For God's Glory
• Sexuality And Gender Education
• Messiah's Gym Culture
• The Culmination Of Craft
  • Senior Art Galleries
• Movie Reviews
• Satire