Introductory Communication Research Articles

Putting students at the center: A critical-interpretive approach to assessment in the introductory communication course

ABSTRACT Dominant approaches to assessment have often limited students’ ability to share their perspectives on course experiences. Further, assessment approaches are often disconnected from pedagogical practice and reinforce the status quo. In this article, we outline our critical-interpretive approach to a four-year cycle of assessments examining instructor feedback in an introductory communication course. After each assessment, we adapted how we trained instructors to provide feedback. Ultimately, we utilized our assessment findings to reimagine curricula in ways that incorporate an equity-minded, iterative, and dialogic approach to provide feedback to students.

Monstrous Pedagogy at the Intersections of White Privilege, Visible Disability

This autoethnographic article centers my White, disabled, and female body as a site of knowledge and struggle within the context of teaching an introductory communication course. I chronicle through key experiences I have had as an official instructor. I draw from various scholars whose work explicates the official teacher’s body as consequential. As a White woman with a visible disability, I use Calafell’s articulation of monstrosity to process through how I perform my White, disabled, female identities in the classroom.

Using a Career Research Project in the Introductory Communication Course to Develop Agency, Self-Efficacy, Self-Determination, and Adaptability in Career Exploration

Helping students make connections between the disciplinary study of communication and the development of student agency in career exploration can be an important part of the mission of the introductory course in communication. This study incorporates social cognitive career theory to examine the effects of a semester-long communication career awareness research project as an intervention in an introductory communication course at a large public university in the Midwest. Survey data from 83 undergraduate students were analyzed to measure perceptions of self-efficacy, perceived competence, autonomy support, and adaptability for career exploration. The results of paired samples t-tests found significant gains on all four dependent variables. These findings indicate the potential for such a project in introductory courses to promote career exploration agency

Incorporating mini lessons on the hidden curriculum in communication classrooms

The hidden curriculum (HC) consists of implicit knowledge rooted in curricula and found throughout students’ experiences navigating higher education (e.g. understanding professional email etiquette, graduate school applications and funding opportunities, or often taken-for-granted programs like Title IX and disability accommodations). In this semester-long activity, we encourage communication instructors to integrate HC mini lessons to share information that mitigates social capital and knowledge disparities, facilitates student reflection, and fosters classroom community. Through considering one’s positionality, strategically incorporating HC mini lessons, and seeking student feedback, instructors can share helpful and relevant information, encourage critical thinking about social issues, and develop rapport with students. Student outcomes associated with this activity include increased understanding of how to navigate higher education and positive student–instructor relational dynamics. Courses This semester-long activity is suited to introductory communication courses (especially regarding identity, positionality, power, and/or privilege) and other topical communication courses (e.g. interpersonal, organizational, cultural, or critical theory). Objectives Hidden curriculum (HC) mini lessons will help students to: (1) understand the HC and analyze how it impacts their academic experiences, (2) identify specific areas of the HC that they struggle with, (3) gain important knowledge to better navigate systems of higher education, and (4) foster a connected classroom community.

Preparing the Next Generation of Teachers Inappropriately: When Introductory Course Directors Engage in Misbehaviors

ABSTRACT This study explores graduate teaching assistants’ experiences of perceived introductory course director misbehaviors. The investigation situates these experiences in the larger organizational dissent conversation – a heuristic that helps to frame how these perceived misbehaviors impact graduate teaching assistants’ understanding of their current and future work relationships with course directors. Participants (N = 55) were graduate teaching assistants in multi-section introductory communication courses across the United States who completed an online Qualtrics survey about their perceived introductory course director misbehaviors as well as how those misbehaviors were managed and shaped future interactions with their course directors. Thematic analysis identified indolent, offensive, and incompetence misbehaviors. The findings offer implications for improving organizational communication processes to positively impact the course director-graduate teaching assistant work relationship.

Development of Learning Media for Introductory Information and Communication Technology Courses

This research aims at: (1) finding out the learning conditions in Introduction to Technology of Information and Communication course of Electrical Engineering Education Department at Makassar State University; (2) finding out the developmental phases of learning media based on web learning in Introduction to Technology of Information and Communication course of Electrical Engineering Education at Makassar State University; and (3) finding out the validity level of learning media based on material and media experts' assessment. This research employed a developmental research using ADDIE which is modified in three phases that is Analyze, Design, and Develop. The research is conducted at Electrical Engineering Education Department at Makassar State University. The informants were chosen from material and media experts. In line with that, the data was obtained through observation and questionnaires, while technique of data analysis through descriptive analysis. The results of this study show three developmental phases of learning media based on web learning in Introduction to Technology of Information and Communication course of Electrical Engineering Education Department at Universitas Negeri Makassar as follows: (1) analyze phase; (2) design phase; and (3) develop phase. The results of the validator (1) validation by material experts achieving the feasibility of 82.81%, (2) by the design experts who reached 89.58% from the results of the study of learning media in Introduction to Technology of Information and Communication that are developing Electronics so as to produce excellent results for this company. The conclusion is that this research uses Research and Development (R&D).

Targeting an audience: A discussion of relevant variables and a test of priming

“Targeting an Audience: A Discussion of Relevant Variables and a Test of Priming” is a teaching activity created to further students’ knowledge of persuasive message reception and priming—a persuasion tactic often used in advertising by brands. Explanations of intended courses, learning objectives, and rationale are provided to help instructors understand why this activity may be impactful in their classrooms. Additionally, advice for facilitating the activity, including information on the materials, preparation, and a breakdown of the activity’s two parts, is provided as a guide for instructors to add this activity to their lesson plan. This activity was written for submission after successful facilitation in a graduate-level communication course, although applications extend beyond this level. An appraisal of the activity suggests limitations and variations of the activity. Originally developed as part of an instructional discussion for a graduate seminar in persuasion, “Targeting an Audience: A Discussion of Relevant Variables and a Test of Priming” is presented in this manuscript as an engaging activity to introduce any college-level student to the ideas of persuasive message reception and priming. Myers et al. (A curricular view of communication course offerings of national communication association department members. Communication Education, 70(4), 421–434, 2021) found persuasion to be the second most commonly offered course among National Communication Association department members, which may suggest that materials and activities to teach persuasion, such as presented in this manuscript, are in high demand. Courses This activity is intended for use as part of a persuasive communication course lesson in which persuasive message effects on receivers are discussed. Although originally developed for a graduate seminar in persuasion, this activity may also be facilitated in undergraduate persuasion or introductory communication courses. Objectives By participating in this activity, students will: (1) be able to define individual variables that influence a message receiver; (2) understand the effect of the variables on message reception through discussion of basic research findings and personal experiences; (3) apply the variables to suggest the “target audience” of real-life advertising examples; and (4) understand that receivers are not blank slates.

To shelter or unshelter? An analysis of international students’ experience in introductory communication courses

The purpose of this study was to assess the degree to which sheltered versus unsheltered contexts of introductory communication courses impact communication skill development and overall learning outcomes for international students. Specifically, this study examined the following outcome variables: public speaking anxiety, engagement, communication mindset, communication efficacy, and student performance to investigate whether it is beneficial to sheltered international students in introductory courses. Results showed that there was no significant difference between groups for the public speaking anxiety, student engagement, or overall course performance, except for the final group presentation performance. However, there was a significant interaction effect for communication mindset and communication efficacy; students in sheltered sections saw increases in these outcomes over the course of the semester, while unsheltered students experienced the opposite.

Expanding and constraining critical communication pedagogy in the introductory communication course: A critique of assessment rubrics

ABSTRACT Rubrics are a commonly used tool to evaluate student work in the introductory communication course. Although rubrics may appear objective, they are continually interpreted by both instructors and students, often reflecting traditional classroom power dynamics. In order to understand how rubrics constrain as well as expand opportunities for the enactment of critical communication pedagogy, we conducted an interpretive analysis of the presentational speaking rubrics used in the introductory communication course at 20 institutions in the United States. In doing so, we identified three levels of rubric context: high, low, and shared. These contexts inform important theoretical and pedagogical implications for the introductory course, as they highlight existing power dynamics, instructor grading practices, and student agency.

Making a difference: A quantitative study of communication center and basic course impact on public-speaking anxiety, goal orientation, and motivation

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to better understand the relationship between visiting a communication center and taking an introductory communication course on student public-speaking anxiety, goal orientation, and motivation. Researchers analyzed pre- and post-course survey data for 1,373 students enrolled in a fundamentals of communication course. Results showed that, for students who reported medium and high levels of public-speaking anxiety at the beginning of the semester and before visiting the communication center, the communication center helped reduce their levels of anxiety, whereas students with low levels of reported public-speaking anxiety did not report as much of a difference in their anxiety levels after visiting the communication center. There was a significant main effect for communication-center visits on the goal-orientation types of mastery approach, performance approach, mastery avoidance, and performance avoidance. However, there were no significant effects for work avoidance. Results indicated a significant effect for communication center visits on motivation types: identified regulation and external motivation. However, there were no significant effects for intrinsic motivation or amotivation.

Mapping Research Directions in the Introductory Communication Course: A Meta-Synthesis of Published Scholarship

The introductory communication course has a history of producing meaningful scholarship that shapes teaching and learning at institutions of higher education around the world. The scope of this research is broad and, as such, calls for a meta-synthesis of trends in and avenues for future research. This project examines published work from the past decade—2010 through 2019—in key outlets that regularly publish introductory course-focused research (The Basic Communication Course Annual, Communication Education, Communication Teacher, The Journal of Communication Pedagogy). This analysis of 98 articles revealed that publications tend to focus on three primary areas: (1) students and instructors, (2) the structure of the course, and (3) assessment—while calling for future research to “replicate” past studies. Based on this meta-synthesis, we propose directions for future scholarship that will continue to impact teaching and learning practices beyond replication.

Defining Feedback: Understanding Students’ Perceptions of Feedback in the Introductory Communication Course

Feedback is an essential part of the teaching/learning processes. This statement is especially true in the introductory communication course where students receive feedback throughout the presentational speaking process. This paper explores how students define useful feedback based on 1,600 qualitative questionnaires that asked students about their perceptions of feedback. A thematic analysis of a randomly selected subset of 163 responses uncovered two themes: (1) feedback content characteristics (e.g., specific, constructive, praiseworthy, and purposive) and (2) process of instructor-provided feedback (e.g., iterative, timely). Based on these findings, a set of best practices for providing feedback is offered as a means to improve teaching/learning in the introductory communication course.

The Impact of Active Empathetic Listening on an Introductory Communication Course

Listening skills are essential to interpersonal relationships and successful work in teams. Despite its necessity, most communication curriculum in higher education does not target students’ listening skills. This study examines the impact of infusing an Active Empathetic Listening (AEL) module into a large, introductory university communication course. One hundred and seventy-two students (n = 172) from four courses (fall 2018–spring 2020) completed a self-reported questionnaire measuring AEL at three time points across the semester. Results showed that the module made statistically significant differences within all three AEL subscales of sensing, processing, and responding. Results suggest that long-term exposure to the active listening curriculum are required to make behavioral pattern changes to their listening habits. Researchers conclude with recommendations for communication educators, shedding light on how AEL skills can be developed among college students.

The relationship between college student feedback orientation and classroom engagement

ABSTRACTThis study explored the relationship between the four dimensions of students’ feedback orientation (i.e., utility, retention, confidentiality, and sensitivity) and the four dimensions of students’ classroom engagement (i.e., silent in-class, oral in-class, thinking about course content, and out-of-class) using the tenets of Feedback Intervention Theory (FIT) as a guide. Participants were 208 undergraduate students enrolled in a variety of introductory communication courses at a large mid-Atlantic university. It was found that varying combinations of students’ feedback orientation influence students’ engagement, providing further support for FIT. Specifically, feedback utility was positively related to all four dimensions of student engagement. Furthermore, feedback confidentiality was negatively related to oral in-class behaviors. Future research should continue to examine the influence of instructional feedback on students’ classroom engagement.

You did what?!: graduate teaching assistant misbehaviors in multi-section introductory communication courses

ABSTRACTThe study explores graduate teaching assistants’ (GTAs) perceptions of misbehaviors of other GTAs across multi-section introductory communication courses. Utilizing the teacher misbehaviors’ typology, this study examines novice teachers’ perceptions of teacher misbehaviors. A convenience sample of current introductory course graduate teaching assistants (N = 55) responded to open-ended questions about what constituted teachers’ misbehaviors, why these communicative acts were perceived as misbehaviors, and how these misbehaviors were managed. Employing a thematic analysis, participants indicated the most frequent misbehavior related to indolence, followed by offensiveness and incompetence. Three new subcategories emerged as misbehaviors for this sample: inappropriate use of social media, coolness/peer affirmation, and dress/attire. Five categories for why behaviors and actions were perceived misbehaviors and six categories emerged as responses for managing the teacher misbehavior. The findings offer practical solutions and pedagogical suggestions for GTAs and course directors.

Trends in the Introductory Communication Course from 1956 to 2016: A Systematic Review of the Results of 11 National Survey Studies

Researchers have conducted surveys of the introductory communication course for more than 60 years, starting with two seminal studies in 1956 and 1965, followed by a series of nine replicative studies extending from 1970 to 2016. This systematic review examines the results from those 11 surveys. The results of that review are presented here, including historical trends observed in the thematic categories that indicate how the course has remained consistent or changed during the time period of the surveys. This study concludes with recommendations to inform decision-making about the future of the introductory course, based on the identified historical trends as well as impact factors in the context of higher education today.

Surviving or thriving? Demographics differences in mindset across the introductory communication course

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to investigate communication mindset changes across one semester of the introductory communication course and differences across students’ demographic backgrounds. The study measured the communication mindset and other instructional constructs of 1299 undergraduate students during the first two and last two weeks of the semester. Results showed no change in communication mindset after one semester of the basic course, although public speaking anxiety was reduced, and self-efficacy and interpersonal communication competence increased. Further, results showed between-group differences in public speaking anxiety by gender, as well as differences in mindset and interpersonal communication competence between students of different racial/ethnic backgrounds and different language status. Implications for future research are discussed.

The introductory communication course from 1956 to 2016: a meta-synthesis

ABSTRACT The history of the academic discipline of communication and the subsequent departments that followed are linked in some form or fashion to the evolution of the introductory communication course. Given the prominence and continued relevance of the introductory course in the communication discipline, researchers have conducted surveys for over 60 years. Using a systematic approach, this study synthesizes the cross-sectional findings from 11 basic course surveys (1956–2016). This meta-synthesis approach allowed for the creation of holistic understandings of findings observed across these studies. Specifically, the results centralized around what the course is, and how the greatest challenges in the course relate to who teaches the course and how the course is taught. The results provide insights regarding the introductory course that are intended to inform and stimulate dialogue about an effective and meaningful future for our introductory communication course.

Metamorphosis of Public Speaking Anxiety: Student Fear Transformation Throughout the Introductory Communication Course

ABSTRACTAddressing student public speaking anxiety (PSA) through an introductory speaking course is a fundamental pedagogical touchpoint. The current study replicates and extends PSA research by seeking to understand the nature of change in PSA that students experience. Results indicate that students’ fears and anxieties regarding public speaking change before the first speech (Time 1) and after the last speech (Time 2) in the course such that almost half who reported the same fears at Time 1 and Time 2 indicated that the fear had decreased or diminished in intensity. Memory glitches were the most often cited fear at both Time 1 and Time 2. Confirming previous research, student PSA decreased over time. These findings extend previous investigations by highlighting the intensity of change experienced about specific fears identified and establishing a connection between fears and PSA. Training students in an introductory speaking course appears effective (and economical) in reducing levels of PSA. Future research should target the link between specific pedagogical tools and changes in student PSA.

The dark side of Modern Love: Introducing the dark side of interpersonal communication

This single-class activity provides an opportunity for students to understand qualities of the dark side of interpersonal communication better. To achieve this goal, students review a series of articles from The New York Times’ “Modern Love” column. Students are introduced to the dark side of interpersonal communication and then work in a pair or small group to apply this knowledge to the provided examples. During the debriefing, students are asked to identify which dark side of interpersonal communication elements were present in their selected articles. Students who participate in this activity leave with a variety of applied examples and refined knowledge about what the dark side of interpersonal communication is.Course: This assignment is designed to be used in a dark side of interpersonal communication course. Instructors might also choose to implement this exercise within a dark side unit in the introductory interpersonal communication classroom.Objectives: Students who complete this activity should be able to: (1) describe the dark side of interpersonal communication; (2) analyze and apply examples from contemporary relationships (i.e. The New York Times’ “Modern Love” column) to current dark side of interpersonal communication scholarship; and (3) identify common dark side of interpersonal communication topics.