Motivational Factors of Communication Center Tutors

Student motivation has been researched from a variety of viewpoints such as that of student motivation and in the classroom, student motivation and learning, and student motivation and teacher immediacy. This study looks at the motivational factors of communication center tutors (n = 165) across the United States to determine what motivates them to continue to work at their center and how those in supervisory positions can also motivate. Tutors represented a variety of colleges and universities from midsize, and minority-serving institutions to small, private colleges. The study found that the top three motivational factors for communication center tutors are: (1) helping others; (2) resume opportunities; and (3) community. The study also found that supervisors can motivate student tutors by: (1) giving verbal praise: (2) offering food; and (3) writing notes. The data reveals that communication center tutors are motivated by a variety of factors and those in supervisorial roles can incorporate different strategies to further motivate their staff to create an advantageous work environment for all.

Enhancing Conversations with English Language Learners in Communication Centers

Communication centers often focus on supporting students’ communicative competencies in public speaking but some centers have expanded this focus to include support for English language learners (ELLs). Armed with research on the value of conversation in language acquisition, the University Speaking Center has incorporated peer consulting of ELLs, known as conversation consultations, into its offered services and evolved over time through a collaborative process with student staff, English language instructors, and ELLs in efforts to be both effective and responsive to those who we seek to support. The motivation to support speakers in their ongoing process of becoming more confident and competent oral communicators has allowed for the development of a multifaceted model of service for ELLs at each level of language acquisition

Let’s Talk: Learning to Communicate Well in Emergency Online Learning

In this article, we use the lens of Tinto’s (1987) separation and transition phases to reflect on lessons learned when moving classes with oral communication components from in-person to online. We believe that being mindful and intentional in how we include oral communication instruction, opportunities for improvement, and incorporating feedback can positively impact retention and persistence of students. First, we describe the timelines of events, then we connect Tinto’s essential features of effective retention programs to oral communication pedagogy, and finally offer resources and strategies for incorporating oral communication into courses

Communicating nanoscience and the communication center: An INNOVATE case study

Communication Centers are well positioned to support communicating science efforts across campus. This manuscript, written by faculty who designed and facilitated a potpourri of support for nanoscience during the 2017-18 academic year, provides a detailed place to start for those who will take on this work at other institutions

Catering to customers or cultivating communicators? Divergent educational roles of communication centers

To remain sustainable in an atmosphere of shrinking budgets and curricular retrenchment, oral communication instruction via communication centers on college and university campuses must satisfy several constituencies. How can communication centers meet stakeholder interests driven by different paradigms of higher education? This study examines how student clients (n = 29) and peer consultants/tutors (n = 11) characterize their educational experiences at communication centers in responses to open-ended surveys. Thematic analysis using grounded theory reveals two divergent perceptual frameworks: a transactional paradigm geared to pleasing consumers and a transformational paradigm oriented to persona development and self-sufficiency. Reconciliation of these potentially conflicting perspectives may enable communication centers to meld effective instruction with efficient service

It Takes Three to Enhance: A Pilot Study of Collaboration in the Basic Course

While instruction from the communication center and library has supported students and teaching for many years, we seek a more intentional collaboration between these support services and the basic communication course. This article follows a pilot case study performed to explore student perceptions of an in-class collaborative session designed to meet the needs of students in the basic communication course (BCC). Through a mixed- methods approach, basic course students and course instructors were surveyed to understand and explore the perceptions and possible outcomes of the project. The results suggest the importance of collaboration and in-class instruction, yielding future case-specific enhancements and generalizable suggestions and precautions for other universities and colleges

Journalistic techniques in communication centers

Communication centers offer speakers an opportunity to engage in a tutoring experience (consultation) where students work with a trained consultant who can help brainstorm, organize, and refine their oral presentation. Consultants working in communication centers are often faced with the issue of how to engage their speaker during the consultation. In this article, the author discusses how communication center consultants can employ journalistic techniques to engage students in the critical thinking process. Four techniques employed by journalists during an interview that communication center consultants can implement into their consultations are: begin with the easy questions, maintain self-control, listen and listen well, and take nothing at face value. Consultants providing students with feedback on brainstorming and organization can best implement these techniques and offer a way to critically think about a speech and allow the speaker to take on an active role in the learning environment

Enhancing conversations with English language learners in communication centers

Communication centers often focus on supporting students’ communicative competencies in public speaking but some centers have expanded this focus to include support for English language learners (ELLs). Armed with research on the value of conversation in language acquisition, the University Speaking Center has incorporated peer consulting of ELLs, known as conversation consultations, into its offered services and evolved over time through a collaborative process with student staff, English language instructors, and ELLs in efforts to be both effective and responsive to those who we seek to support. The motivation to support speakers in their ongoing process of becoming more confident and competent oral communicators has allowed for the development of a multifaceted model of service for ELLs at each level of language acquisition

Communicating Nanoscience and the Communication Center: An INNOVATIVE Case Study

Communication Centers are well positioned to support communicating science efforts across campus. This manuscript, written by faculty who designed and facilitated a potpourri of support for nanoscience during the 2017-18 academic year, provides a detailed place to start for those who will take on this work at other institutions

The Science Performance of JWST as Characterized in Commissioning

This paper characterizes the actual science performance of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), as determined from the six month commissioning period. We summarize the performance of the spacecraft, telescope, science instruments, and ground system, with an emphasis on differences from pre-launch expectations. Commissioning has made clear that JWST is fully capable of achieving the discoveries for which it was built. Moreover, almost across the board, the science performance of JWST is better than expected; in most cases, JWST will go deeper faster than expected. The telescope and instrument suite have demonstrated the sensitivity, stability, image quality, and spectral range that are necessary to transform our understanding of the cosmos through observations spanning from near-earth asteroids to the most distant galaxies.Comment: 5th version as accepted to PASP; 31 pages, 18 figures; https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1538-3873/acb29