Speech Laboratories: An Exploratory Examination of Potential Pedagogical Effects on Studies

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects speech laboratories have on students enrolled in basic public speaking courses. Specifically, the researchers attempted to gain a student perspective about visiting a speech laboratory through qualitative methods. Ten semi-structured student interviews were conducted and the collected data were transcribed verbatim before being analyzed using the constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Lincoln & Guba, 1985). The results of the analysis provide initial support that speech laboratories do, to some degree, assist students with their public speaking skills and help them manage their public speaking anxiety

Designing Classroom Management Training for Basic Course Instructors

Since many basic course training programs fail to adequately address classroom management issues, most graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) enter the classroom unprepared to confront student misbehaviors. However, literature suggests that by incorporating classroom management issues into training pro­grams, GTAs will be better armed to establish the instructional climate of the classroom and confront stu­dent misbehaviors. In this study, GTAs who had not received classroom management training (CMT) were given a survey containing closed and open-ended questions regarding typical student misbehaviors, possible classroom responses to those behaviors, and preferences for classroom management information during training. The results of this study identify student misbehaviors that occur in the basic course and draw implications for the integration of CMT into future GTA training and research

Assessing Classroom Management Training for Basic Course Instructors

Extant research demonstrates that graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) experience student misbehaviors in the classroom and that basic course administrators should be proactive in preparing GTAs for classroom management issues (Meyer et al., 2007). Following the recommendation for the development of classroom management training (CMT) by Meyer et al. (2007), the present study sought to assess the implementation of CMT. Specifically, a group of GTAs completed the same survey instrument twice following the completion of CMT, once early in the semester and again at the end of the semester. Results of the present study indicate that GTA reports of student misbehavior were reduced, and GTA confidence in the ability to manage misbehaviors increased following CMT. Additionally, the results indicate that the frequency and severity of student misbehaviors were reduced for GTAs who received CMT compared to GTAs who did not receive CMT