Undergraduate Communication Research Articles

Learning About Metadata and Machines: Teaching Students Using a Novel Structured Database Activity

Machines produce and operate using complex systems of metadata that need to be catalogued, sorted, and processed. Many students lack the experience with metadata and sufficient knowledge about it to understand it as part of their data literacy skills. This paper describes an educational and interactive database activity designed for teaching undergraduate communication students about the creation, value, and logic of structured data. Through a set of virtual instructional videos and interactive visualizations, the paper describes how students can gain experience with structured data and apply that knowledge to successfully find, curate, and classify a digital archive of media artifacts. The pedagogical activity, teaching materials, and archives are facilitated through and housed in an online resource called Fabric of Digital Life (fabricofdigitallife.com). We end by discussing the activity’s relevance for the emerging field of human-machine communication.

TEKNIK KOMUNIKASI DAKWAH PIMPINAN CABANG MUHAMMADIYAH DALAM PEMBINAAN RANTING MUHAMMADIYAH DI METRO UTARA PERIODE 2015-2020

The author gives the title of this undergraduate thesis communication techniques preaching the leadership of the Muhammadiyah branch in the guidance ofMuhammadiyah branches in the North Metro in the at 2015-2020 period. Da'wah is anobligation for every Muslim that must be done in order to spread the teachings of Islam.Inthis case, it is no less important to preach in organizations or society, because in anIslamic missionary organization can not be separated. Especially for people who arelacking in guidance propaganda. The research type is field research with a descriptiveanalytical approach. Data collection methods that researcher use is observation,interviews and documentation.The data were analyzed by sorting out the available datathen presented systematically and made conclusions. Based on the research results, itwas concluded that the communication technique on Da'wah Branch CommunicationMuhammadiyah North Metro is an informative communication technique that is to holdroutine recitation of branches and branches which are held once a month or three months.

Malicious Social Surveillance and Negative Implications in Romantic Relationships among Undergraduates

In the process of normalizing some surveillance dynamics in a society that has become increasingly more accustomed to infringements of privacy, citizens have been provided with a series of tools that allow them to control their peers. Thus, this paper relates interpersonal electronic surveillance to the negative implications that social networks may have for romantic relationships in the Spanish university context by analyzing three main aspects of interpersonal electronic surveillance: user perception and awareness, the types of pernicious social networking practices involved, and their consequences for romantic relationships. To achieve these objectives, a mixed methodology was used. Specifically, an in-person survey involving 311 respondents and two focus groups of seven and eight members, respectively, were conducted. All of the participants were undergraduate communication students between the ages of eighteen and twenty-six. Findings from the current study show that the respondents believed that social networks incited jealousy and promoted control and surveillance practices, thus making romantic relationships more conflictive and artificial. However, they tended to blame individual uses more than the inner workings of social networks. For instance, some respondents regretted having resorted to certain practices, while others justified those practices because they had allowed for the detection of infidelity-related behaviors. In short, in a context in which social surveillance is now the norm, the monitoring and control of partner profiles was generally accepted even though the respondents called for more education about social networking in order to curtail these pernicious practices and to maintain healthier romantic relationships.

TRACING THE DEVELOPMENT OF LITERACY PRACTICES FOR INTEGRATING INTERDISCIPLINARY CURRICULUM IN HIGHER EDUCATION: INTERACTIONAL ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY

ABSTRACT In this paper, I present an ethnographic approach that guided multiple cycles of analysis undertaken to trace the developing history of the decisions and actions taken by the lead professor and his design team as they engaged in iterative and recursive phases of development of an interdisciplinary course of study. This study was undertaken in an undergraduate Organizational Communication Program in a public regional university in the United States over a two-year period. The goal of this study was to identify factors that were critical in developing the interdisciplinary curriculum that met the university’s and department’s learning objectives. The microethnographic discourse analysis undertaken provided warranted evidence of how the interdisciplinary curriculum afforded students opportunities to develop conceptual understandings of practices of long-term and futures thinking critical for studying societies from an organizational communication perspective.

The Need for Cross-Cultural Communication Instruction in U.S. Business Communication Courses

U.S. undergraduate business communication (BCOM) classes teach students workplace communication fundamentals, but may not build the cross-cultural communication (CCC) skills that learners will need in today’s global workplace. This project surveyed BCOM instructors and students about the importance of including cross-cultural material in BCOM classes. While all instructors considered it at least moderately important to include CCC material, most covered the subject briefly. Students showed interest in receiving CCC training in their BCOM courses but received limited information about it in their classes. Incorporating CCC comprehensively and systematically into BCOM classrooms may help students become competent intercultural communicators.

Usage of cloud storage facilities by medical students in a low-middle income country, Sri Lanka: a cross sectional study

BackgroundCloud storage facilities (CSF) has become popular among the internet users. There is limited data on CSF usage among university students in low middle-income countries including Sri Lanka. In this study we present the CSF usage among medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya.MethodsWe undertook a cross sectional study at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. Stratified random sampling was used to recruit students representing all the batches. A self-administrated questionnaire was given.ResultsOf 261 (90.9%) respondents, 181 (69.3%) were females. CSF awareness was 56.5% (95%CI: 50.3–62.6%) and CSF usage was 50.8% (95%CI: 44.4–57.2%). Awareness was higher in males (P = 0.003) and was low in senior students. Of CSF aware students, 85% knew about Google Drive and 70.6% used it. 73.6 and 42.1% knew about Dropbox and OneDrive. 50.0 and 22.0% used them respectively. There was no association between CSF awareness and pre-university entrance or undergraduate examination performance. Inadequate knowledge, time, accessibility, security and privacy concerns limited CSF usage. 69.8% indicated that they would like to undergo training on CSF as an effective tool for education.ConclusionCSF awareness and usage among the students were 56.5 and 50.8%. Google drive is the most popular CSF. Lack of knowledge, accessibility, concerns on security and privacy limited CSF usage among students. Majority were interested to undergo training on CSF and undergraduate Information Communication Technology (ICT) curricula should introduce CSF as effective educational tools.

A platform approach to experiential learning

This paper reports on the curriculum design and delivery of a practice-based, experiential learning course, which introduces students in an undergraduate communication and media studies program at a Canadian university to the challenges of working with social data using an analytics platform. The curricular development approach is modeled in part on pedagogical approaches to experiential learning, educational technology and teaching, and also reflects on recent theorizing in platform studies within communication and media studies. The paper argues that by emphasizing a clear link between theory, information ethics, and practice, students can build critical analysis skills necessary to understand the complex relationship between social data and communication and develop data literacy skills that extend their training in critical communication studies.

Is an obesity simulation suit in an undergraduate medical communication class a valuable teaching tool? A cross-sectional proof of concept study

ObjectiveWith the growing prevalence of overweight and obesity, medical students should be prepared to engage in weight management and obesity-related communications in order to prevent patients from having stigmatising experiences....

Changing medical students\u2019 attitudes to and knowledge of deafness: a mixed methods study

Background and aimCommunication with healthcare professionals is challenging for those with hearing loss. This study aimed to determine the impact dedicated deaf awareness training could have on medical student’s attitudes to and knowledge of deafness, and to explore ways of incorporating deaf awareness training into the core undergraduate medical curriculum.MethodsA validated questionnaire was used to measure attitudes to and knowledge of deafness in those taking an optional deaf awareness and basic sign language module for second year medical students compared to students who took another module. Previous students on this module were also contacted and asked to complete the same questionnaire. Focus groups with these students explored ways to incorporate deaf awareness training into the core undergraduate medical curriculum.ResultsAfter completing the module, students had a more positive attitude to deaf individuals (p < 0.001), and higher knowledge scores (p = 0.027) in comparison to the control group. Examination of data revealed a significant negative association between years since undertaking the module and attitudes score (r = − 0.29, p = 0.04, n = 51), with no significant association for knowledge score (r = 0.22, p = 0.11, n = 52). Focus groups suggested integrating deaf awareness training into existing undergraduate communication skills teaching, with the inclusion of deaf tutors.ConclusionsThis study indicates that incorporating a specialist module on deafness can improve attitudes to and knowledge of deafness. Importantly, this effect decreases over time, demonstrating the need for refresher training amongst junior doctors.

Playable Case Studies: A New Educational Genre for Technical Writing Instruction

ABSTRACTA Playable Case Study (PCS) is a hybrid learning experience where students (1) participate in a fictional narrative that unfolds through an immersive, simulated environment and (2) engage in classroom activities and lessons that provide educational scaffolding and promote metacognition through in-game and out-of-game experiences. We present the Microcore PCS to illustrate the potential of this new type of experiential simulation that incorporates aspects of Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) to increase immersion and teach workplace literacies in the technical communication classroom. We explore results from a pilot test of Microcore with an undergraduate technical communication course, identifying design strategies that worked well and others that led to improvements that are currently being incorporated. We also provide questions to prompt future research of playable case studies and discuss our findings in a broader context of technical communication pedagogy.

Interactional skills training in undergraduate medical education: ten principles for guiding future research

BackgroundHigh-quality healthcare requires practitioners who have technical competence and communication skills. Medical practitioners need interpersonal skills for gathering and transferring information to their patients, in addition to general consultation skills. Appropriate information gathering increases the likelihood of an accurate diagnosis. Transferring information should be performed in a way that promotes patient understanding and increases the probability of adherence to physician recommendations. This applies to: (i) primary prevention such as smoking cessation; (ii) secondary prevention including preparation for potentially threatening interventions; and (iii) tertiary care, including breaking bad news regarding treatment and prognosis.DiscussionThis debate paper delineates factors associated with undergraduate medical communication skills training where robust research is needed. Ten key principles are presented and discussed, which are intended to guide future research in this field and ensure high quality studies with methodological rigour are conducted.SummaryThe literature on communication skills training for medical school undergraduates continues to grow. A considerable portion of this output is represented by commentaries, descriptive studies or poorly designed interventions. As with any field of healthcare, quality research interventions are required to ensure practice is grounded in high-level evidence.

Making space in higher education: disability, digital technology, and the inclusive prospect of digital collaborative making

ABSTRACT This paper explores the ways that the intersection between disability and digital technology in higher education unfolds collaborative experiences that include disabled students through what I call ‘Digital Collaborative Making’. Students who participate in Digital Collaborative Making collaborate on multimedia video projects that tell stories about their relationship with digital technology. As a research-creation approach that weaves academic research and artistic practices together, Digital Collaborative Making invites students to devise creative methods of critiquing the social and cultural impact of digital technology. While digital technology can improve accessibility in education, ableist dynamics and ‘disabling’ ideologies remain pervasive in universities. By engaging students with different identities and lived experiences, Digital Collaborative Making presents opportunities for students with disabilities to openly express their creativity and subvert normative perspectives that stigmatise disability as a deficit. In turn, non-disabled students can learn what it means to be open to the presence of disability and difference. To illustrate these points, this paper considers the inclusive prospect of Digital Collaborative Making in Digital Lives, an undergraduate communications course at the University of Waterloo.

Zeitgeist publication: a storytelling project with residents and design students

In Spring 2018 and then again in Fall 2018, residents in a long-term care facility came together with undergraduate communication design students, to co-design and co-write a mini publication series featuring resident stories. Through our project, small teams of two to three students were paired with two to three residents, to create a mini-publication over the course of six visits with each other. The purpose of the Zeitgeist project was to create a platform for meaningful exchange and social interaction between students, residents, their families and care home staff through both the design process and the final design outcomes. This project gives voice to residents, providing an opportunity for creative and emotional expression, stimulation of positive memories and the engagement of residents in a unique and meaningful activity. Simultaneously this project offers design students learning opportunities in storytelling, publication design, co-design and participatory design research. This project was inspired by the Zeitgeist Kollektiv, a public editorial design and storytelling project within a care home system.

Seeking and Engaging: Case Study Integration to Enhance Critical Thinking About Agricultural Issues

The agriculture and natural resources (ANR) sectors are facing many complex and controversial issues today, including animal health, biotechnology, climate change, food safety, food security, invasive species, marketing and trade, and water. Undergraduate students, as the future ANR workforce, must use critical thinking skills to find solutions to these issues. This study sought to determine if a course that integrated case studies, as opposed to a classroom with no case study integration, influenced students’ critical thinking. A pretest/posttest, quasi-experimental research design was used to determine if undergraduate students' critical thinking styles changed as a result of the case study integration. Three undergraduate communication courses focused on issues education at three universities were the sample. Based on the results, students were more willing to seek out information and engage with their peers about the issues facing ANR after the course with the case studies integrated. Case studies should be integrated into the classroom to encourage critical thinking based on these findings. Future research should include investigating the effects of using case studies in other undergraduate courses not focused on issues, in graduate courses, and extension education programs that could determine the effect in a non-formal education setting.

Organizing the Organizational Communication Course: Content and Pedagogical Recommendations

Organizational communication extends beyond communication that takes place in an organizational context to the ways communication is used to organize and facilitate activity. This article is designed to enhance organizational communication pedagogy practices by highlighting foundational concepts and content areas that should be included in undergraduate organizational communication courses. Additionally, four active learning assignments, including case studies, applied organizational communication theory papers, organizational audits, and media assignments, are described to enhance student engagement with class material and to assess student learning. Finally, the article includes common issues to help educators anticipate concerns and plan effective classroom strategies.

A Pedagogical Guide to Teaching an Interpersonal Communication Course

This forum article focuses on the instruction of an interpersonal communication course. Interpersonal communication courses are widely included in undergraduate communication curriculum and can be fundamental to student development. The authors provide foundational material and various content areas generally included in such a course. The authors also provide various applied assignments and issues to consider when teaching an interpersonal communication course.

Communications Skills in the Pharmacy Profession: A Cross Sectional Survey of UK Registered Pharmacists and Pharmacy Educators.

Objectives: To determine UK pharmacists’ experiences of their current communication skills and undergraduate training and to identify communication skills training and teaching at UK schools of pharmacy. Methods: Two surveys were developed. The first survey was sent to UK practicing pharmacists examining their current communication skills and interest in behavioural counselling techniques such as Motivational Interviewing (MI). A second survey was sent to all UK Schools of Pharmacy investigating communication skills training and teaching. Results: In the first survey pharmacists reported low satisfaction with their undergraduate communication skills training. A convenience sample of 109 UK pharmacists responded to the first survey. Forty-four per cent (n = 48) of the respondents stated that they continued their professional development in communication skills after an undergraduate degree. Seventy (65.4%) were not familiar with behavioural counselling techniques such as MI. The most common patient consultation delivered by pharmacists was around adherence to medicine 22.4% (n = 50). Pharmacists expressed a need for further training in clinical areas such as mental health 25.7% (n = 80). Results from the second survey to pharmacy schools showed that Schools of Pharmacy response rate was 60% (18/30). All 18 schools stated that they teach health behaviour change consultation skills and this is mostly delivered by a clinical pharmacist. Teaching communication skills was mostly delivered as role play with peers (n = 17). Conclusion: This first national survey of communication skills training in Schools of Pharmacy shows that newer graduates have received more communication training compared to older graduates, however pharmacists’ respondents still felt that they were under prepared for behaviour change patient consultations. MI training would be welcomed by those. Practice Implications: Structured courses in communication skills, including behavioural change techniques, are needed for practicing UK pharmacists.

Undergraduate and Graduate Communication Sciences and Disorders Students׳ Views regarding the Pursuit of a Doctorate of Philosophy Degree

PurposeThere is a recognized shortage of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) professionals who hold a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in the field of CSD. The purpose of this study was to explore CSD students׳ views towards pursuing a PhD and to investigate the relationship between CSD students׳ exposure to research and their views regarding the pursuit of a PhD in order to understand and generate possible solutions to the PhD shortage. MethodThe quantitative cross-sectional survey study included undergraduate (n = 49) and graduate (n = 51) CSD students from 12 Midwestern CSD institutions in the United States. The CSD PhD survey was administered via an online survey tool. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, correlational analyses, and the nonparametric Friedman׳s test with a series of post-hoc Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. ResultsParticipants most frequently ranked research interest, desire for knowledge, and making a contribution to the discipline as the most important reasons why one would pursue a PhD. Participants most frequently ranked lack of research interest, satisfaction with current degree and position, and cost of doctoral program as the most important reasons why one would not pursue a PhD. There was a statistically significant positive relationship between CSD students׳ interest in research and their views about pursuing a PhD. DiscussionThe implications of this study support the need to further investigate the relationship between students׳ exposure and interest in research and their views about pursuing a PhD in order to optimize PhD recruitment efforts.

커뮤니케이션 전공 대학생의 프로젝트 학습 효과: 창의성, 스토리텔링 및 문제 해결 능력 향상을 중심으로

커뮤니케이션 전공 대학생의 프로젝트 학습 효과: 창의성, 스토리텔링 및 문제 해결 능력 향상을 중심으로

Innovating an integrated approach to collaborative eLearning practices in higher education: the case study of a corporate communication e-platform

ABSTRACTDespite considerable research in the higher education literature exploring the substantial values of eLearning and collaborative learning as distinct practices, few empirical studies have yet addressed the need for an integrated approach toward implementing eLearning and collaborative learning practices in a professional education development context. This paper documents a successful three-year project case entitled, Corpcommsynergy, which integrates eLearning and collaborative approaches in an e-platform implemented in undergraduate and postgraduate corporate communication courses at a Hong Kong university. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative content analysis methods to investigate how learners perceive this integrated approach and identified significant factors influencing their learning experience. Results suggested high feasibility and effectiveness of designing and implementing Corpcommsynergy and identified two significant factors: (1) design and facilitation of online courses; and (2) perception and participation of students affecting the effectiveness of collaborative eLearning.