Other Communication Commons^™

Written Feedback In The Basic Course: What Instructors Provide And What Students Deem Helpful, Karla Kay Jensen, Elizabeth R. Lamoureux

Basic Communication Course Annual

Although the issue of speech evaluation has been a mainstay in our discipline, an updated discussion of written feedback merits our attention. To revisit this topic, this two-part content analysis first reveals the type of written feedback instructors offer students in basic public speaking classes.

Building on these findings, the second part focuses on student perceptions of the helpfulness of the written feedback. The findings are collectively discussed and their implications for written evaluations of students' oral performances are considered. Any instructor who has labored over written critiques, wondering whether students actually read and/or use the comments can value from …

Culture Shock In The Basic Communication Course: A Case Study Of Malaysian Students, Eunkyong Lee Yook

Basic Communication Course Annual

Malaysian students compose a large student group coming to the U.S. for higher education. Despite these numbers, however, there has been little attention given to their culture shock in the classroom. The present study investigates the concerns of Malaysian students in the basic communication course. Through interviews with Malaysian students, this study concludes that Malaysian students perceive having three major problems in presenting speeches in basic communication courses.

The first problem is the language barrier. Another is that certain nonverbal behaviors such as gesturing and talking in a loud tone are seen as disrespectful in their culture. Third, they have …

The Em-Powter-Ing Of America: Using Info-Mercials To Teach Persuasion And Popular Discourse In The Basic Communication Course, Daniel W. Heaton

Basic Communication Course Annual

This article describes how a critique of Susan Powter's "Stop the Insanity!" info-mercial provides educators with an effective, class-tested, and fun assignment to be included in the persuasion section of a basic communication course. This assignment provides students with an excellent example of a message from popular discourse that follows Monroe's Motivated Sequence. It also facilitates discussion of several key issues related to persuasion in general. Additionally, because this activity uses a popular discourse text, students enhance their critical thinking skills and become more critical consumers of messages they receive through popular discourse.

The Use Of Simulation In The Beginning Public Speaking Classroom: Let's Make It Realistic, Relevant And Motivating, John J. Miller

Basic Communication Course Annual

This article offers the instructional method, the simulation, as an alternative public speaking assignment in the beginning public speaking course. The three phases of simulation, play, debriefing, and journal writing, are described. Simulations should be realistic and relate to student goals, interests, or career aspirations. As a result, the assignment has two benefits. Simulation creates a clear rhetorical situations which aids students in the topic selection process. Further, its relevancy to the student increases the motivation to learn the art of public speaking.

Computer-Mediated Learning Environments: Theory And Research Into Practice, Chris R. Rasch

Basic Communication Course Annual

Information technology is furnishing modes of accessing and manipulating knowledge which are radically different from those offered by the traditional curriculum. Teaching effectiveness in the basic course is likely to depend increasingly on understanding the nature, function, benefits and potential costs of computer-mediated communication. The purposes of this article are to: (1) review theory and research illuminating the potential benefits and costs of computer-mediated instruction, (2) suggest some starting points for implementing computer-mediated instruction, and (3) identify factors which are likely to influence the effectiveness of teaching in computer-mediated environments.

Two Heads Are Better Than One? Setting Realizable Goals In The Basic Course, Glen Williams

Basic Communication Course Annual

Establishing goals is central to the success of the basic course. The degree to which those goals are realized depends, in large measure, upon the manner in which they are established and reviewed. This article assists course directors and instructional staff by examining the process of defining objectiveness, a process which encompasses goals, mission, and vision and which benefits from widespread, active involvement. This article presents sample objectives for consideration, and it notes the conditions under which the process of defining objectives thrives or is threatened.

A Commentary: The Basic Communication Course, General Education And Assessment, Lawrence W. Hugenberg, Barbara S. Moyer

Basic Communication Course Annual

The importance of developing student communication skills in a general education program is a focal point of each college and university accrediting agency in the United States. However, course directors and faculty frequently find themselves at the center of a controversy when trying to include a basic communication course in skill development in a general education program. This article develops a case for the inclusion of a basic communication course in a general education program.

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Basic Communication Course Annual

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Basic Communication Course Annual Vol. 9

Basic Communication Course Annual

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“Here?” Strategies For Teaching About Cultural Diversity In Non-Diverse Settings, Anneliese Harper, Carol Cumber, Charles Braithwaite, Dawn O. Braithwaite

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

How can educators motivate people in ethnically non-diverse areas to learn about multiculturalism? The roadblocks people may encounter in this process are explored and ways instructors may address multiculturalism in the classroom are presented.

A Binding Tie: Supportive Communication Of Family Kinkeepers, Margaret S. Leach, Dawn O. Braithwaite

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

Families are an important source of social support, and little scholarship exists regarding how family members stay in touch and provide support for one another. Kinkeepers are said to provide support and keep family members informed about one another, yet there has been little research on who family kinkeepers are and how they communicate and enact this role. Two studies were undertaken. The first study used surveys to provide demographic data on kinkeepers and to ascertain information on their activities. The second study used diaries and interviews to document the activities of a set of kinkeepers and to describe outcomes …

Scientific Management In Higher Education: Concerns And Using Collaborative School Management To Improve Communication, Chas Koermer, John Petelle

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This article discusses problems associated with using scientific management in the improvement of communication in higher education in the U.S. Within the spectrum of higher education, it is reasonable to assume that a degree of hierarchical control permeates. That is, every member reports to some higher authority and receives direction from the authority. The faculty member is involved in roles of both management and governance requiring participation in both endeavors. This approach to management is also countenanced in the academic arena exemplified by verbal directives. The paper bureaucracy is another burdensome aspect of scientific management that exists in higher education.

A Comparison Of Leadership Practices Used By Male And Female Communication Department Chairpersons, Trudy L. Hanson

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This article compares the leadership practices used by male and female communication department chairpersons in the U.S. The position of academic department chair has the potential to be one which most influences faculty, and yet it remains the most underrated position in a college or university. The problem to be explored in leadership in higher education is the participation of women. Research in the communication behavior of men and women managers has revealed that neither men nor women seemed to favor characteristics defined as feminine. Women in higher education seem to face a much more difficult path to tenure than …

The Basic Course In Organizational Communication: A National Survey, Donald Treadwell, Ronald L. Applbaum

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This article presents a study on the basic organizational communication course in the U.S. Organizational communication is an increasingly popular subject of study on university campuses. The number of departments offering organizational communication coursework is increasing and more students are attracted to this area of study. The course is offered at the upper-division undergraduate level and for just under half the departments has no prerequisites. The most frequently cited course objectives are to provide an overview of theories about organizations and to help students analyze problems in organizations.

A Response To "A Description Of Merger Applied To The Montana State University Context", Robert P. Sexton

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This article presents a comment on the study A Description of Merger Applied to the Montana State University Context. The Merging section reflects quite accurately on key issues from the perspective of students, parents, staff, taxpayers, alumni, and the general public. The manuscript section focused upon the Eastern Montana College-Montana State University merger presents many excellent insights into the merger/affiliation process that were and continue to be real experiences and perceptions, accurate or inaccurate, of an institution being forced into the merger/affiliation. The merger/affiliation process appears to have produced modes, positive shifts in public perceptions regarding the Montana University System. …

A Response To "A Description Of Merger Applied To The Montana State University Context", Michael Malone

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This article presents a comment on the study A Description of Merger Applied to the Montana State University Context. The argued problem with the essay is that it paints a very one-sided picture of a merger in which little as happened, in which dire threats to the Billings campus loom over the horizon, and a long suffering faculty dreads the coming Armageddon. There is valid reason for pessimism about higher education in Montana, even perhaps about the consolidation. But the effort to make the merger positive and productive only succeed if our faculty and staff give it at least a …

Women In The American Theatre: Actresses & Audiences 1970-1870, Diane Cypkin

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

A review of the book "Women in the American Theatre: Actresses & Audiences 1790-1870," by Faye E. Dudden. New Haven, CT. Yale University Press.

"The Role Of The Right--A Focus On The 'Political' In 'Political Correctness'", Michael W. Shelton

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This article focuses on the right-wing criticism to political correctness (PC). Right-wing critics of PC play a significant role in the unfolding drama of political correctness. Indeed, it would be naïve to assume that the flood of anti-PC criticism is merely the by-product of objective journalism. Much of the anti-PC rhetoric appears to be generated by political forces on the right. Many conservative critics of PC reflect the views of more rigidly political right-wing groups, employ hyperbole and generalization in their assessments of what is actually happening on college and university campuses, and contribute to the political correctness debate as …

Associate Faculty: Directing A Rich Resource Of The Basic Course, Marcia D. Dixson

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This article offers ideas for Basic Course Director (BCD) about directing associate faculty. It is important that the BCD gives serious consideration to the processes of hiring, orienting, developing and evaluating associate faculty. Associate faculty offer many opportunities and challenges to the BCD. Because they are not traditional academics, they often bring a refreshingly different perspective to the classroom and the department. They may need mentoring to develop self-confidence, hone their teaching skills and begin to think of themselves as fully contributing members of the department. Their scheduling needs require the BCD to input different factors into the decision making …

"Classical 'Tenure Trek': In The Search For New Academic Frontiers, 'Don't Lower The Bridge, Raise The Water'", Gerald Lee Ratliff

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This article evaluates the conditions related to a similar classical quest for academic tenure and examines the primary strategies that may be involved in enriching the traditional educational relics of teaching, research, scholarship and service. Any basic, honest blueprint for tenure clearly demands a visionary pre-hiring faculty selection committee that understands the significant investment indicated by an advertisement for a tenure track appointment. After a basic tenure-trek blueprint has been drawn, perhaps the vision of academic and professional expectations may be more clearly detailed by some illustrations that suggest effective strategies for achieving tenure goals and objectives.

Factors Affecting Affiliate Station Loyalty Towards Broadcast Television Networks, Carolyn A. Lin

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This article examines factors that may influence the future ties between television networks and their affiliate stations. In particular, it examines affiliate loyalty, or willingness to maintain symbiotic relations with their affiliated network. Due to the sparsity of theories addressing network affiliate relations, several factors were broadly clustered into financial, organizational and programming components and developed as proxy measures to assess network-affiliate ties. Results suggest the importance of network entertainment offerings in the network affiliate relations. Such a finding is consistent with conventional industry wisdom, as entertainment programs bring in compensation as well as a large chunk of local advertising …

Encouraging Feedback In The Large College Class: The Use Of A Question/Comment Box, Sandi W. Smith, Jenifer E. Kopfman, James Ahyun

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This article examines the use of a question/comment box in a large course, as a communication strategy to enhance student participation and involvement in the said courses. Specifically, the categories into which questions and comments were coded are reported, and examples of actual messages received are included. In addition, the results of a questionnaire that assessed student perceptions of involvement, instructor quality, course quality, and learning as a result of the question/comment box are reported for male and female lower-division and upper-division students.

Part-Time Faculty: Identifying The Trends And Challenges, Kathleen M. German

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This article attempts to address the issue of part-time faculty employment in the U.S. Since the early 1970's, the composition of faculty in higher education has changed dramatically. Increasingly, part-time instructors have come to dominate higher education in roles that have shifted from occasionally providing an outside specialty to regularly replacing full-time faculty members. The trends in employment of part-time faculty members reflect the attempts of institutions of higher education to cope with the financial and demographic crises of the past twenty years. The challenge of the future is to integrate part-time faculty, tapping their talents and energies, while providing …

The Study Of Communication As Preparation For Law School: A Survey Interview Study, Mollie Condra, Courtney Hudson

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This article examines the study of communication and law, particularly upon one aspect of legal preparation where effective communication skills are crucial, trial advocacy. Instead of relying on experimental research designs that typically employ mock trials, the present investigation queried practicing lawyers about the role of communication in the everyday conduct of trial procedures. Through survey interviews, the benefits of a communication education become apparent in this study. Furthermore, as the interdisciplinary appeal of communication studies becomes enhanced in this area, justification for curriculum development becomes evident.

Telecommunications Research Article Productivity In The U.S.: 1985-1993, David Atkin

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This article discusses the telecommunications research article productivity in the U.S. from 1985 to 1993. Scholars have intensified their focus on research productivity as an evaluative measure of communication programs in the country. Such information seems especially important in an era of fiscal austerity measures dating to the late 1980, which has seen enrollments in mass communication decline. Although scholarly productivity may not be a remedy for troubled programs, past work confirms a link between productivity and program size which acts as a hedge against downsizing.

The Politics Of Undergraduate Curricula In A Downsizing Culture: A Primer For Department Chairs, Mark Hickson Iii

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This article discusses the political factors affecting the decision making regarding the curricula in higher education in the U.S. The courses taught in a department provide the campus community with a perception of the department, but curricular decisions must first be made within the department. The department should agree about a total number of courses in the curriculum. The department should have an understanding of administrative perspectives on curricula. Curricula development should be discussed with faculty in other departments that may feel communication studies in infringing on their subject matter.

Administrator Beware: External Supervision Issues Regarding Human-Subjects Based Research, Craig Newburger

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This article discusses external supervision issues regarding human-subjects based research in education in the U.S. Ongoing changes in federal, state, and campus regulatory environments regarding human subjects based research compel speech communication administrators to take a more active role in ensuring that area faculty and graduate students are aware of current regulations and guidelines governing their related research activities. Speech communication matters and doctoral students involved with human subjects-based research normally are focused on sorting out basic experimental design and data collection. Awareness of emerging regulatory issues concerning how their human subjects-based research is conducted may not be adequately addressed …

Scans And The "Goals 2,000: Educate America Act" -- External Validation For Expanding Communication Instruction Requirements Across The Undergraduate Core Curriculum, Craig Newburger

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This article discusses the role of the Goals 2,000: Educate America Act in expanding communication instruction requirement across the undergraduate core curriculum. The act provides funds to underwrite states development and implementation of content and performance standards and associated assessment methodologies directed towards helping students meet nationally determined academic and occupational skill standards. The National Council on Education Standards and Testing recommended the development of education standards that will provide direction for voluntary compliance by the states. The speech communication field has been actively involved in developing a national assessment agenda and corresponding communication skills assessment instruments and methodologies.

Communication Networks And Perceptions Of Social Support As Antecedents To College Adjustment: A Comparison Between Student Commuters And Campus Residents, Lilnabeth P. Somera, Beth Hartman Ellis

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This article looks at the impact of social support on college adjustment among traditional campus residents and commuters. One consistent controversy concerning the conceptualization of social support concerns what actions, resources, and outcomes should be considered relevant to the provision of social support. As comparisons are made between commuters and campus residents, it appears that the impact of social support on college adjustment in these populations may vary in terms of which type of social support is relevant to various aspects of adjustment. In the context of commuting students, the availability of informational and instrumental network support and the perception …