Questioning Race: Ancestry DNA and dialogue on race

Human genetics and racial identity converge pointedly in the family narrative. Until recently, genetics, racial identity, and family narrative were all rather malleable concepts in the public arena. All were presented in anecdotal form for the most part, and were often based on certain social conventions. The interjection of popularly available ancestry DNA data adds an additional piece of information to the discussion of genetics, race and narrative. Using the framework of both narrative theory and theory of social construction, this work uses quantitative and qualitative data to explore how individuals react to ancestry DNA findings and to consider if and how this information will change narratives, behaviors, and perspectives. We also explore if one’s racial identification makes a difference in initial accuracy and if there is a difference among racial groupings in terms of change in census identification based on knowledge of their DNA profile

New Jersey Communication Association’s Adjunct/Contingent Faculty Certification Program: What Makes a Communication Classroom?

The New Jersey Communication Association’s Adjunct/ Contingent Faculty Certification program provides a place of reflection for potential adjunct or contingent faculty and prepares them for teaching in a communication classroom. New Jersey state law requires an oral communication course for every college student. Disciplinary departments who may not have a direct connection with the field of communication often sponsor and teach these classes. Recruiting potential candidates to teach a communication class raises challenges for administrators and department chairs especially when many sections of the course are needed. The perception of non-communication administrators is sometimes that anyone can teach this core course. The danger is that our disciplinary focus is lost in the process. This article describes need and implementation of this two year certification program and some issues that potential communication faculty might reflect on. While not required it provides one more credential to potential candidates. It concludes with a discussion of how a communication classroom differs from other academic classrooms

Measuring the Impact of Course Modality on Student Knowledge, Performance and Communication Apprehension in Public Speaking Pedagogy

This research explores how integrating course modality changes through blended learning technologies impacts the framework of public speaking curriculum. Public Speaking is a unique area of study, as it involves a large number of student performances, requires a small class size, and incites increased communication apprehension in students. Authors of this study incorporated a blended learning course change to tackle these challenges. Through quantitative assessment comparing student knowledge, performance/skills, and communication apprehension between a blended course modality versus traditional face-to-face classes, more is understood regarding the impact of modality on public speaking pedagogy. Results of this study demonstrate how a blended learning modality of instruction is able to enhance the quality of instruction, specifically by increasing student knowledge, improving performance/skills, and lowering communication apprehension. Challenges of hybrid modality are also discussed

Shifting Winds: Using Ancestry DNA to Explore Multiracial Individuals\u27 Patterns of Articulating Racial Identity

This study explored how genotype information affects identification narratives of multiracial individuals. Twenty-one multiracial individuals completed individual interviews before and after receiving a DNA analysis to clarify their genetically based racial ancestry. Based on results, this article proposes patterns of articulating racial identity by multiracial individuals. Four patterns extend evolving research in multiracial identification, namely (1) the individual articulates a monoracial identity; (2) the individual articulates one identity, but this can shift in response to various conditions; (3) the individual articulates an extraracial identity, opting out of traditional categories applied to race; and (4) the person distinguishes traditional categories of race from culture and owns the two identities in different ways. Implications of these findings are discussed. First, adding new ancestry DNA information further muddles the neat categories of race, consistent with the view of race as socially constructed. Second, results emphasize the fluidity of identification for multiracial individuals. Third, DNA information challenges the neat percentages people tend to associate with their backgrounds. Particularly for younger multiracial individuals, there was less of a sense that race was a real thing and more that culture played a big part in how they saw themselves

DNA testing: post test will follow

Student will complete a post test following results and their answers will be part of an ongoing research program.https://digitalcommons.wcupa.edu/comstudies_ancDNA_prof/1002/thumbnail.jp

DNA testing: results received in 3 to 4 weeks

Students will receive results in three to four weeks.https://digitalcommons.wcupa.edu/comstudies_ancDNA_prof/1001/thumbnail.jp

Students participating in the One Ancestry, One DNA project (11)

https://digitalcommons.wcupa.edu/comstudies_ancDNA_prof/1014/thumbnail.jp