Communication Commons^™

Becoming A Virtual Host: How To Run An Online Tournament, Brandon Johnson

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Brandon Johnson (Cornell University) covers the basics for creating an online tournament and hosting site. He also talks about best practices for how to make the experience accessible to students and judges. He will discuss the differences between preparing for an in person tournament vs. an online tournament.

Improving Extemp Within Collegiate Forensics, Samantha Burke

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Samantha Burke (Hastings College) speaks about research conducted regarding the experience of extemp speaking in collegiate forensics, suggestions are provided on how to improve the tournament experience for students in extemp.

Listening To The Question: Is Forensics Accessible And Accountable To Minority And Disenfranchised Communities?, Nathan Carter

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

This brief presentation asserts that the leaders and tournament directors of the forensics community must do better! Based on the data collected, the answer to the title question is a resounding NO! This guide which touches on the state of accessibility and accountability in the activity is based on countless interviews with students of color and students from the LGBTQ community who experienced insults, discrimination and purposeful silencing. As a mixed-race man, I've also experienced these things throughout my tenure in the forensics community as a competitor, coach and DOF. My perspective on this matter is deeply personal but I …

Morale And Motivation: Nurturing Team Cohesion During Covid-19, Kittie Grace, Austin Mcdonald

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Virtual connection takes more energy and commitment than face-to-face connections. Degges-White (2020) found, “you are likely to feel a kind of exhaustion from that screen time that's unlike the exhaustion you’d feel from an hour at the gym. Even extroverts can feel worn down by the ‘high-intensity virtual connection’” (para. 4). Forensics teams are not immune to this exhaustion and therefore coaches and teammates have to be intentional with providing opportunities for connection to strengthen team survival. Through a survey of our team, with 100% participation, we were able to assess the needs of the individual student and provide opportunities …

Nfa Wellness Menu, National Forensic Association

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

NFA wellness handout

And The Awards Goes To...Award Ceremonies In A Time Of Social Distancing, Jay Bourne

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

This virus is novel, new, and we are discovering more about it every day. There are numerous moving parts and elements to in person tournaments. Yet among them, perhaps none appear more complicated currently than opening ceremonies and award ceremonies. The easiest thing to do regarding opening ceremonies would be to eliminate them currently, and offer needed info online to participants, coaches and judges.

Awards ceremonies are significant for teams and competitors, and in an age of increasing pressure of team budgets, one of the metrics (rightly or wrongly) used to evaluate program success. With that in mind here is …

Coming Together: Exploring Peer Verbal Abuse And Combating Conflict, Elizabeth Hansen

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Elizabeth Hansen (Hastings College) will provide an outline for a protection policy that students can adopt into their team handbooks. The handout will provide common themes of verbal abuse, an established system towards ending verbal abuse, and ways coaches can support students.

Competitive And Collaborative Options For Forensic Programs, Jay Bourne

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Jay Bourne (University of the Cumberlands) will explore options used for debate tournaments in the past, collaboration options both on campus and on other campuses, and program options with other teams and organizations.

Reshaping & Expanding Our Mission As A Co-Curricular Activity In The Time Of Covid-19, Matt Dupuis, Judy Santacaterina

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Judy Santacaterina and Matt Dupuis (Northern Illinois University) will present a written report with some strategies to "pivot" our programs and include valuable experiences outside the competitive arena.

Four Forensic Families Stand In Solidarity

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Statement on equality, accessibility and accountability in the forensic community.

Introduction And Overview, Karen Morris

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Introduction and overview of the Sixth National Development Conference on Individual Events, June 19-20, 2020, hosted online by Illinois State University.

Table Of Contents For The Sixth National Developmental Conference On Individual Events, Karen Morris

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Table of contents for the Sixth National Developmental Conference on Individual Events, June 19-20, hosted online by Illinois State University.

Proceedings Of The Sixth National Developmental Conference On Individual Events, Karen Morris

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

The June 19-20 National Developmental Conference (NDC) on Individual Events (IE) was a series of free zoom webinars sponsored in a joint effort by AFA-NST, NFA, PKD, and PRP. The overall goal of the conference was to work together to set shared standards for the upcoming 2020-2021 season because of the uncertain times for intercollegiate forensics. The conference provided a collaborative space for the forensic community to discuss best and promising practices.

Prior to the conference, the NDC-IE planning committee sponsored a COVID-19 Coaches Webinar on May 1st, 2020. The recordings of the sessions by AFA-NST, NFA, PKD, and PRP …

Closing Conference Remarks

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Closing remarks for the First Developmental Conference on Individual Events.

Role Of Research In Individual Events

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Discussion held at the Role of Research in Individual Events session at the First Developmental Conference on Individual Events.

Recommendations, Bruce B. Manchester

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Recommendations from the Role of Research in Individual Events session at the First Developmental Conference on Individual Events.

The Role Of Research In Individual Events, James F. Weaver

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

The overall purpose of this paper is to pose the right questions, provide some good answers, and offer some recommendations. Specifically, the paper will address three questions: 1) What is the role of research in individual events? 2) What are some appropriate areas of research in individual events? 3) What are some reasonable recommendations which will ensure that research is conducted and the results disseminated?

Open-End Questions: Exploring The Qualitative Nature Of Our Quantitative Studies, Edward Jeff Daniel Jr.

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

The role of research in forensics is a wide and varied one. As with most social science research methods, the trend in forensics has turned from primarily case study/observational research to a mass of empirical data. Our quantitative studies have many problems from sample and questionnaire design to inappropriate or inaccurate statistical analysis. One of the basic reasons that these problems abound is that non-researchers are assigned the task of research. While it would be impossible to tackle all of the problems in the quantitative surveys done in the field of forensics, one of the best ways to improve the …

The Role Of Research In Individual Speaking Events, Colan T. Hanson

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

As school administrators face increasing pressure to provide a rigorous rationale for funding requests and a strong accounting of the benefits from funds expended, the forensic community will need to adopt an offensive posture, if the activities program is to remain a vital part of the overall communication program. Therefore in adopting an affirming stance, the forensic community will need a viable data base to sustain its case. The need for integrating an active research component into the life space of the forensic community is rapidly becoming a necessity. To help the forensic community sustain itself, not only is there …

Open Discussion From High School/College Connection In Individual Events

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Discussion held at the High School/College Connection in Individual Events session at the First Developmental Conference on Individual Events.

Recommendations From The High School/College Connection In Individual Events, Mike Leiboff

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Recommendations from the High School/College Connection in Individual Events session at the First Developmental Conference on Individual Events.

An Overview Of The Bradley Summer Forensics Institute, Gary C. Dreibelbis

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

The 1988 edition of the Summer Forensics Institute (SFI) at Bradley University attracted over 200 students from 15 states. The SFI is now national in scope as enrollment continues to increase each year. Students spend two weeks each summer developing and improving their skills at both oral interpretation and public address. This paper gives a brief overview of the Bradley SFI including the schedule of activities, goals, learning experiences, resources, and evaluation of SFI.

The High School/College Connection In Forensics, C. Thomas Preston Jr.

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

To pursue the goal of reaching more students in the entire community, this paper contains five parts. First, I shall present an overall attitude that should be taken by collegiate' directors when interacting with high school coaches. Second, I shall examine traditional ways of collegiate directors pro­moting and benefiting from high school forensics within the urban setting. Third, I offer innovative ways of approaching high school programs. Fourth, I discuss how to cope with the diversity of students a successful high school/college connection would attract to not only the major urban university, but to the forensic community at large. Finally, …

The High School/College Connetion In Individual Events, Charles John Mcgeever

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

One of the problems for the twentieth century mind, asserts Walter J. Ong in his text. Some Proligemina for Cultural and Religious History. is that it has devalued orality and become a prisoner of the culture in which the twenti­eth-century mind has tried to mature. "Contemporary man," states Ong, "finds it exceedingly difficult and, in many instances, quite impossible, to sense what the spoken word actually is. He feels it is a modification of something which ought to be written" (19). Not only does contemporary man find print alien from the idiolect of homo dicens. but also he finds the …

Open Discussion From Role Of Graduate Assistants In The Individual Events Program

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Discussion from the Role of Graduate Assistants in the Individual Events Program session at the First Developmental Conference on Individual Events.

Recommendation From Role Of Graduate Assistants In Individual Events Programs, Don Swanson

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Recommendations from the Role of Graduate Assistants in Individual Events Programs session at the First Developmental Conference on Individual Events.

Short-Term Loss, Long-Term Gain: Professional Development Of Graduate Assistants, V. William Balthrop

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

While the pressures and willingness for graduate assistants to spend extensive amounts of time coaching undergraduate competitors are considerable, this essay argues that other elements of directing are essential for the student's professional development Among those are reduced student contact hours in actual coaching, and a greater opportunities for personnel and administrative responsibilities. Experience while still under supervision in these areas can be an important contributor to the student's professionalism and success in directing her or his own forensic program.

Training Forensic Graduate Assistants: A Development Course, Regina A. Kostoff, Suzanne M. Mckeever

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

We have created a course which is geared towards helping the forensic graduate assistant. The focus of the course is the role of the individual events assistant; however, changes can made to adapt to an assistant who helps with a debate or combined forensics program. A suggested course outline is offered, as well as specific information and activities pertaining to the basic areas of study within the course. Following this, further suggestions and considerations offered.

Making The Transition From Undergraduate Competitor To Graduate Assistant Coach, Michael Kirch

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Although the title of this paper fails to focus on those students new to the forensics arena, I have endeavored to include them in the following sets of advice. Additionally, while I will confine my discussion to those graduate students in individual events programs, much of the advice should be applicable to graduate students working in debate oriented programs as well. The eight pieces of advice are grouped around three ideas; setting expectations, your changing role, and coaching. All of the advice is either a product of my own experience as a graduate forensics assistant or a product of the …

Personnel Requirement In Forensics Education, Don Brownlee

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

The purpose of this position paper is not to ignite discontent with the present role of GAs, but rather to focus attention on a select number of issues regarding GAs that should be of interest to the forensics community and, particularly, to programs employing them. My comments and speculations represent my own experiences as a GA during masters and doctoral work, including responsibility for directing a forensics program during doctoral study. These thoughts are also a function of having worked with some two dozen GAs during my 13 years as a full-time faculty director of forensics.