Interpersonal and Small Group Communication 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, …

Introduction To Cultural Diversity In The Basic Course: Differing Points Of View, Lawrence W. Hugenberg

Basic Communication Course Annual

The scholars participated in the one-day seminar and submitted their papers for wider dissemination through the Basic Communication Course Annual. Each participant approaches cultural diversity in the basic communication course from their own frame of reference.

The manuscripts include theoretical approaches to cultural diversity, rationales for the importance of integrating cultural diversity in the basic course, teaching tips and assignments for integrating diversity, and an analysis of some textbooks specifically prepared for the basic communication course.

Teaching Communication Behaviors/Skills Related To Cultural Diversity In The Basic Course Classroom, Nancy Rost Goulden

Basic Communication Course Annual

Basic course educators find themselves responsible for a number of new and often difficult curricular decisions that come from the awareness of changing student populations and needs. The impetus for curricular change based on response to cultural diversity issues differs somewhat from some curriculum movements in recent history. Most waves of curricular modification occur after and as a response to some disruptive event such as the publication of A Nation at Risk, the launching of Sputnik, the passage of the GI Bill. In the present ease, educators are not put in a position of damage control or crises management. Although …

Cultural Pluralism: Language Proficiency, Bayo Oludaja, Connie Honken

Basic Communication Course Annual

In response to the growing diversity of the U. S. society, many institutions of higher learning are making some adjustments in their programs. For instance, Levine and Cureton (1992) claim that "54% of all colleges and universities have introduced multiculturalism into their departmental course offerings" (p. 26). They specifically identify English and history as leaders in this endeavor. As communication educators, we cannot afford to ignore the challenges of cultural pluralism in the basic course.

Diversity In The Public Speaking Course: Beyond Audience Adaption, Christine Kelly

Basic Communication Course Annual

Most approaches to public speaking are based on the works of Plato, Aristotle and other classical Greek scholars and have not been updated to include the views of women or minority scholars who can make great contributions to our understanding of rhetoric and public speaking (Gregory, 1993; Hanna and Gibson, 1989; Osborn and Osborn, 1994). The few attempts that have been made to include women and minorities in textbooks are generally limited to the inclusion of a speech or two by a woman or minority speaker or hints on how to be sensitive to gender and culture issues in audience …

The Speech Of Diversity: A Tool To Integrate Cultural Diversity Into The Basic Course, Deanna D. Sellnow, Robert S. Littlefield

Basic Communication Course Annual

The Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (1991) documented the demographics of the changing university population and supported the earlier findings of the American Council on Education's study that within the next fifteen years, one-third of the nation will be people of color. As representatives of these diverse groups enter higher education, institutions will be forced to transform their curricula to address and meet the needs of this growing constituency. As Garr (1992) suggested: "The question is no longer whether students should learn about diverse cultures, but how" (p. 31). Cultural diversity is "one of the largest, most urgent challenges …

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. …

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Basic Communication Course Annual

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Call For Papers And Editorial Philosophy

Basic Communication Course Annual

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Basic Communication Course Annual Vol. 8

Basic Communication Course Annual

(207 Pages, 7.696 MB)

Back Cover

Basic Communication Course Annual

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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,

Front Cover

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Title Page

Basic Communication Course Annual

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Editorial Board

Basic Communication Course Annual

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Contents

Basic Communication Course Annual

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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.

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 …

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

Author Identification

Basic Communication Course Annual

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Basic Communication Course Annual Vol. 7

Basic Communication Course Annual

Full Issue (168 pages, 2.147 MB)

Call For Papers And Editorial Philosophy

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

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.

The Incorporation Of Mentors And Assistant Basic Course Directors (Abcds) Into The Basic Course Program: Creating A Safety Net For New Teaching Assistants, Nancy L. Buerkel-Rothfuss, Donn S. Fink, Charlotte A. Amaro

Basic Communication Course Annual

TAs face many demands and expectations in their oftenconflicting roles. As a result, many TAs burn out not from lack of ability but from a lack of personal support. Some of the stress associated with the TA position may be reduced through the use of experienced peers who serve as mentors and by reliance upon assistant basic course directors (ABCDs). This paper describes a program designed to incorporate such peer support into a basic course program staffed by TAs.