Communication Course Research Articles

Science communication as interdisciplinary training

Science communication education has come a long way thanks in part to broad recognition of the importance of communication skills and the capacity for science communication courses to address that need. Similarly, the current rise in demand for interdisciplinary competencies offers new opportunities for the advancement of science communication education, and for greater contribution to preparing graduates for a rapidly changing world.

Training researchers and planning science communication and dissemination activities: testing the QUEST model in practice and theory

This study tests the potential of using the QUEST model in science communication teaching and applying the model in planning communication and dissemination (C&D) activities for research applications. Based on the training analysis, we reason that the QUEST model provides relevant criteria for understanding the function of science communication. We argue that the QUEST indicators create a theoretical foundation that can be applied in science communication courses at different levels of higher education. However, the model functions better as a supportive tool for reasoning and perceiving communication activities. The qualitative analysis of research applications' C&D activities indicates the applicability of the QUEST model for analysing C&D activities, and single indicators of the model are evident in most of the conducted activities. In the theoretical framework, we look at the dependence of the quality of science communication on general trends: the functioning of deficit and dialogical or deliberative communication models in contemporary society and in the context of mediatisation.

Integrating sustainability into a higher education science communication course

The global problems we face call for universities to prioritise science communication education and training. Here, we describe how we integrated sustainability into a master-level course in science communication through three iterations. By retrospectively analysing our actions and reflections, we demonstrate how and why we progressed from education about sustainability to education for sustainability, and finally education as sustainability. We conclude by discussing our findings, and offering our implications for the teaching and learning of sustainability science communication and of science communication.

Enhancing English Communication Development: The MOORA Method Approach

In Indian schools, there are numerous hurdles associated with English communication, particularly within the secondary school curriculum. High school education in Indian typically follows a top-down approach when structuring curriculums, which is believed to impact students' communication skills later on during university studies. The communication courses offered at the tertiary level aim to enhance students' proficiency beyond what they learned in secondary school, fostering a gradual progression in their communication abilities. While several studies have delved into these issues, there's limited attention given to understanding the expectations and obstacles faced by both students and teachers. Within engineering education, accreditation methods have been implemented to meet international standards. English classes, specific to engineering majors, supplement the general English courses provided. The program, titled Effective English Communication for Teaching and Research (EECTR), aims to offer English language assistance to all academic staff within the institution. This paper outlines the process of developing and adjusting our initial plans for program delivery, considering various contextual limitations, and applying a theoretical framework that emphasizes reflection within a comprehensive genre-based approach. Our discussion in this paper revolves around unpacking the discourse between the providers and recipients of EECTR. By detailing the development of a contextualized, reflective genre-based approach to staff training, we aim to illustrate that such an approach extends beyond mere structural directives. Instead, it represents pedagogy of possibilities within the context of staff development. The study emphasizes the significance of utilizing installed capacity within a production plant, particularly in evaluating the MOORA score. However, discrepancies arise between expert opinions and data, notably in assessing solar energy and geothermal electricity. While solar energy is renewable, its limitations in accessibility and efficiency diminish its prominence as a primary power source.

The Dynamics of Public Speaking Anxiety and its Impact on Speaking Performance: A Study Among College Students in Business and Economics

This research investigates the relationship between public speaking anxiety and students’ speaking performance across various disciplines at a Business and Economics Institute. The primary question at the core of this study is whether there is a correlation between the level of public speaking anxiety and students’ speaking performance. The results of surveys and correlation analysis reveal a significant connection between the level of public speaking anxiety and students’ speaking performance. Students with higher anxiety tend to exhibit lower speaking performance. Factors affecting public speaking anxiety, such as preparation, audience size, presentation type, and target audience, are also analyzed. These findings provide additional insights into the impact of these factors on anxiety levels. Furthermore, the research identifies strategies and support programs to address public speaking anxiety and enhance students’ speaking abilities. These include training programs, psychological support, and communication courses. Recommendations involve developing more effective support programs and further research into the factors influencing public speaking anxiety. This study offers a deep understanding of the complexity of public speaking anxiety in the context of higher education, serving as a foundation for the development of educational programs that can improve students’ speaking skills and help them succeed in academic and professional situations.

Teaching (remotely) to communicate (remotely) with relatives of patients during lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2020, due to the pandemic, the lack of specific knowledge on breaking bad news over the phone became apparent. This study aims at assessing the differences, or lack thereof, in satisfaction reported by participants in the different formats of a course in telephone communication for breaking bad news to families of patients, developed based on the previous experience of a team dedicated to this task during the peak of the pandemic. Four courses were delivered, two in a fully streamed format and two in a blended format, part pre-recorded, part streamed. There were 41 attendants, mostly doctors, but also nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, and administrative staff who deal with families. Subsequently, a survey was conducted to assess the degree of satisfaction of the participants. Both formats scored very positively, with small advantages for the fully streamed format, mainly due to the difference in interaction activities. The main conclusion is the need for these courses, which are demanded by the professionals themselves, without forgetting the benefit obtained from interprofessional education that enriches interaction and learning. The inclusion of administrative staff allows for a global vision of care for family members, which improves it.

Can gamification improve student engagement and learning?

Management education has traditionally been delivered in tedious and disengaging manner. Students manifest their disengagement in five dimensions - values, motivation, behavioural, interactional and competing involvements. This research targets motivation, behavioural and interactional disengagement using gamification. This project aims to investigate the impact of implementing gamification elements in an undergraduate managerial communication course on the students’ engagement and academic performance. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, this project develops an online and in-class gamified learning intervention by aligning game attributes to desired behaviours and learning outcomes. Using a pre- and post-test survey, the researchers will examine student perceptions of the gamification intervention. Students’ written reflections on their gamification experience will also be subject to a thematic analysis. The researchers anticipate an improvement in student engagement and learning outcomes. Based on the findings, a set of design principles to guide future gamification interventions will be developed.

A Research on Needs Analysis from Students for Developing an Intercultural Communication Course

Background and aims: This research aims to investigate the intercultural communicative competence (ICC) of English major undergraduate students at Heilongjiang International University. It delves into students' attitudes, knowledge, skills of interpreting and relating, skills of discovery and interaction, and critical cultural awareness to improve the students’ ICC. The research reveals that while students possess some level of ICC, there are areas where they lack confidence and knowledge. Materials and methods: The study draws on questionnaires to gather data from 181 participants and utilizes a five-point scale for interpretation. Results: Results indicate that students are unsure about their knowledge of cultural aspects, specifically the history, etiquette, and lifestyle of English-speaking countries. Similarly, they exhibit uncertainty in their skills of interpretation and relating, especially regarding sensitivity to intercultural differences and their language capabilities. However, they show confidence in their skills of discovery, interaction, and critical cultural awareness. For attitude, students display a willingness to engage in intercultural experiences, although they lack confidence in suspending their perspectives in conversations. Cultural awareness is apparent, but some students recognize the influence of their cultural identity on communication. The study also explores students' experiences and difficulties in learning English, such as language barriers, cultural gaps, and limited exposure to foreign cultures. Conclusions: The study concludes that while students have ICC potential, targeted interventions are necessary to improve their overall competence. Recommendations include enhancing language proficiency, cultural knowledge, and exposure to authentic language use and cultural references. Finally, students express their desire to improve listening skills, vocabulary, oral communication, grammar understanding, and intercultural competence, which should guide curriculum design and educational strategies.

The Correlation between Students’ Proficiency Score and Their Speaking Ability

This study aims to find out whether there is a correlation between students' EPT scores and their speaking abilities, using the grades of the 5th semester speaking course on students' study result cards or KHS in the English Language Education Study Program at a private university in Purwokerto. The population of this study were 35 students who had been selected based on students who had taken the Speaking in Academic Communication course and had taken the English Proficiency Test. This study was quantitative with data collection using documents and the instrument was human instrument. Based on the analysis, it was found that the correlation value is 0.196. Therefore, there is no significant correlation between students' EPT scores and their speaking.

Medical students' patterns of using ChatGPT as a feedback tool and perceptions of ChatGPT in a Leadership and Communication course in Korea: a cross-sectional study.

This study aimed to analyze patterns of using ChatGPT before and after group activities and to explore medical students' perceptions of ChatGPT as a feedback tool in the classroom. The study included 99 2nd-year pre-medical students who participated in a "Leadership and Communication" course from March to June 2023. Students engaged in both individual and group activities related to negotiation strategies. ChatGPT was used to provide feedback on their solutions. A survey was administered to assess students' perceptions of ChatGPT's feedback, its use in the classroom, and the strengths and challenges of ChatGPT from May 17 to 19, 2023. The students responded by indicating that ChatGPT's feedback was helpful, and revised and resubmitted their group answers in various ways after receiving feedback. The majority of respondents expressed agreement with the use of ChatGPT during class. The most common response concerning the appropriate context of using ChatGPT's feedback was "after the first round of discussion, for revisions." There was a significant difference in satisfaction with ChatGPT's feedback, including correctness, usefulness, and ethics, depending on whether or not ChatGPT was used during class, but there was no significant difference according to gender or whether students had previous experience with ChatGPT. The strongest advantages were "providing answers to questions" and "summarizing information," and the worst disadvantage was "producing information without supporting evidence." The students were aware of the advantages and disadvantages of ChatGPT, and they had a positive attitude toward using ChatGPT in the classroom.

Time and day: trends in student access to online asynchronous courses in communication demonstrate time poverty in action

ObjectiveAs changes to higher education following the rapid transition to online learning resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic impacted students and their perceptions of what is possible in scheduling their daily lives around school, this study investigates trends in student access to online asynchronous courses.MethodsThis study utilized course reports of student access from the learning management system for thirty-one sections of eleven different online asynchronous communication courses taught by ten different faculty members over the fall and spring semesters at a large research university in the southwestern United States. A total sample size of 1,201 students were involved in the study.ResultsProfile Analyses indicate clear curvilinear trends for time of day and day of the week in student course access. Repeated Measures ANOVA results indicate those trends vary significantly from a no effect condition, suggesting that students: (a) schedule their course activities around personal schedules, and (b) that time bound synchronous course may not work for them.ConclusionRecommendations for class management by instructors relating to student time poverty need regardless of teaching modality, and future directions for research on time poverty in higher education, are provided.

The Effectiveness of Corpus-Assisted Approach in Learning Grammatical Collocations of Thai Undergraduate Students in an EFL Classroom

The present study implements a corpus-assisted approach with data-driven learning (DDL) in the EFL classroom to investigate its effectiveness in learning target grammatical collocations (verb-, adjective-, and noun-preposition collocations) of Thai undergraduate students and to examine the extent to which the students incorporate the collocational knowledge learned into their writing. Forty students who were inexperienced in DDL in one intact class at a private university in southern Thailand participated in this study. The participants learned through scaffolded paper-based DDL and autonomous computer-based DDL for a total of 10 weeks in an English for Communication course, which aims to develop their communicative abilities. Pre- and post-writing tests, a stimulated recall interview, and a semi-structured interview were employed as the data collection instruments. The writing test results indicate that the participants’ collocational knowledge significantly improved in all patterns (p = 0.00), with a large overall effect size (d = 1.26). The interview results uncover that most participants could accurately: 1) classify the types of the target collocational patterns; 2) identify the hidden usage of the content words with varying prepositions; and 3) elucidate some key considerations when using collocations for their written communication. The results also suggest that the participants have acquired several collocations other than those targeted in DDL. The study concludes with pedagogical implications for DDL implementation and limitations in conducting DDL lessons.

Semiotik Sebagai Dasar Kemampuan Komunikasi dalam Pemecahan Masalah Matematika

Semiotics is one of the communication science branches studying about the symbol processing into information. This information has important role in the communication course. In this case, mathematics is so closely related to the study of symbols, signs and the meaning of signs which are a series of information used for communication. These study of symbols, signs and the signs meaning are used in the communication activity especially in solving mathematical problems. In this research, researcher will investigate about communication which is obtained from the semiotic process in the signs processing into information that is useful in solving mathematical problems. Based on the results of the research done, it was found that the 4 subjects that were investigated showed the various results of the semiotic process formed in communication activity. There were subjects who could process all semiotic processes correctly so that the produced communication skills became correct information. However, there were several subjects of the research who failed in some semiotic processes, so it caused the occurred communication produced incorrect or inaccurate information.

A “COVID bump” in communication course evaluations: Implications for future assessment

ABSTRACT Student course evaluations (SETs) were subjects of debate among educational administrators before the COVID-19 pandemic, but recently have been examined as an indicator of student satisfaction during the transition to online instruction. The current study combines a review of SET research as well as data from multiple disciplines, including IMC, at a large US midwestern university before, during and after COVID-19 online-only instructional protocols. Slight variations in quantitative evaluations of teaching were found, with communication classes exhibiting a larger ‘COVID bump’ than other disciplines. Analysis of verbatim comments yielded insight into students changing how and on what basis they evaluated their courses. The study offers new methods of analyzing SETs, and implications for teaching and training aspiring communication professionals beyond the recent global pandemic.

Representation of the “business‐self”: Professionals’ construction of multifaceted identities in written business communication

AbstractThis study explores professionals’ construction of their multifaceted identities as representatives of their corporations in business writing. The self‐mention framework is applied to explore the representation of the “business‐self” which I propose encompasses the projection of individual, collective, and corporate identities. A corpus of 100 CEO's letter to shareholders was examined for the use of personal pronouns and company referential terms and collocation analysis performed to understand the surrounding discourse contexts. The findings reveal a distinct hierarchy of identities; US business professionals communicate with stakeholders by immersing themselves in the identity of the collective and make a concerted effort to project the corporate identity, whereas representation of the individual self is minimal. The study provides important insights into the identity construction work undertaken by professionals in authentic business texts and the findings can help inform English for Specific Purposes (ESP) practitioners of business communication courses in higher education.

Indore: the cleanliness turnaround

Learning outcomes After completion of this case study, the students will be able to comprehend the importance of communication in managing change, examine the role of processes and systems in implementing change management initiatives at a large scale, assess the effectiveness of various strategies in mitigating resistance to change and recognise optimal strategies for communication processes and messages with respect to different audience and contexts. Case overview/synopsis This case study discusses decisions and strategies that led to Indore (a city in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India) becoming India’s cleanest city for the sixth time in a row. The case explores if the various strategies used by the commissioner of Indore Municipal Corporation would continue to succeed in mitigating resistance to change from the citizens of Indore or if the change management strategies needed to be revised. Amidst intensely rising competition from other cities, especially Surat (a city in the state of Gujarat, India), the case delves into the commissioner’s efforts to defend Indore’s claim of being India’s cleanest city for the sixth consecutive time. Complexity academic level This case study is suitable for use in executive modules and management development programs. It can be used for the following courses: ■ In change management course, this case study can cover critical aspects of strategies to mitigate resistance to change and bring about lasting behavioural changes in followers.■ In communication courses, this case study can cover key aspects of communicating the change vision of a leader to a large audience. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 7: Management science

Study on the development strategy of information integration of packaging design and pattern design under visual communication course

Abstract In this paper, the importance of modern packaging design and pattern design and the application of pattern design in modern packaging design are the first two aspects of achieving the development of information integration of packaging design and pattern design, and the visual design based on Markov random field is proposed for the image retrieval and classification problems in traditional model packaging design and pattern design. Wavelet transforms, multi-scale analysis of image texture features and region merging conditions in visual design using GBIS algorithm, and image retrieval in pattern design are examined and analyzed. The results show that the model trained with both loss functions has the best retrieval top-k accuracy on both datasets, reaching 54.3% on the DARN dataset and 3.9% accuracy on Deep Fashion. This paper demonstrates the model’s effectiveness for modifying and retrieving pattern design image attributes.

The Prominence of Rhetoric in Japanese University English Oral Communication Courses

Due to a rapidly globalizing world, there has been a recent resurgence in the demand for university graduates entering the workforce who understand and utilize spoken English rhetorical strategies and techniques. These rhetorical skills are necessary in a wide range of fields (e.g., advertising, communication, international relations, politics, psychology, etc.), yet rhetoric rarely features in EFL or ESL curriculums. With the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in Japan emphasizing the need for English education to specifically foster the development of oral communication skills through the Global Human Resources (GHR) project (2018), there is a definite need for integrating instruction on English rhetorical strategies and techniques into the curricula of higher education. However, explicit rhetorical instruction in EFL and ESL curriculums in Japan almost exclusively focuses on written genres, such as essay writing. The core research question framing this exploratory study is: How prominent is instruction on rhetoric in Japanese university English oral communication courses? This qualitative study firstly examines if rhetoric-based instruction is addressed in a sample of English language oral communication textbooks, before documenting the language learning experiences of ten Japanese university students. An amalgamation of the data reveals a dearth of explicit rhetoric-based instruction in Japanese university English language oral communication courses. The implications of this finding are discussed, and suggestions are then proffered on how to better equip Japanese university graduates with practical English language rhetorical tools so that they may play a more active role in the globalizing world.

A Blended Learning Practice of "Flipped Classroom" Mode in Intercultural Communication Course

This paper examines the flipped classroom models used in the online intercultural communication course that was created by instructors and students. Teachers adjust to a blended learning approach created by integrating online and in-person instruction. The secret to providing students with a good education is to put them first when developing the curriculum because of the unique aspects of online learning. To help students, develop practical intercultural communication skills, instructors apply the case analysis method with their class. A useful and efficient teaching plan that included teaching goals, content knowledge, and teaching techniques after considering the comments from the students was created. Students were assisted in taking part in the entire experience of examining genuine instances and finding solutions. Students are taught about the "Performance Culture Approach" methodology and urged to discuss real-world issues in the classroom. Students can identify a workable solution to the issue to minimize communication barriers and successfully conduct multicultural conversations by examining and debating real examples.

Social Media: An Elixir to Boost Student Engagement in Higher Education Learning

The current study aims to evaluate the impact of Facebook integration on student engagement and academic performance on a business communication course taught in an Indian private university in an online teaching environment. A direct relationship was established between Facebook usage in an online learning environment and student engagement—both situational and personal factors. A quantitative data analysis using structured equation modeling was conducted to test the validity of the conceptualized model. The study reports that integration of contemporary social media tools in academia fosters communication, collaboration, and participation in online learning environment to develop discussion-oriented learning and cocreation.