Now Online: Volume 32 of \u27Basic Communication Course Annual\u27

Articles present the latest research in the theory, practice and technology of teaching public speaking and basic communications

Editor\u27s Page

Publication of Volume 30 of the Basic Communication Course Annual marks 30 since the journal’s official launch. In those decades, the Annual has featured the best scholarship on topics pertaining to our discipline’s “bread-and-butter” course, “front porch” class, or whatever metaphor you would like to use to characterize the great work that happens here. Although 30 years have elapsed, our scholarship is more important now than ever before; it is mission-critical to our country and our democracy. As we know, the basic communication course equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed as communicatively competent citizens prepared to engage in our democracy. The articles presented in Volume 30 encompass a wide range of topics that advance our understanding of basic course pedagogy, practice, and advocacy

Call for Manuscripts

Submissions are invited for publication consideration in Volume 30 of the Basic Communication Course Annual (2018). Managed by the Basic Course Division of the National Communication Association and published by the University of Dayton, the Annual publishes the best scholarship available on topics related to the basic course and is distributed nationally to scholars and educators interested in the basic communication course. Each article will be published online and indexed on the journal’s website. All manuscripts submitted to the Annual will undergo blind peer review. Two or three members of the editorial board read and review each manuscript. The editor will return a manuscript without review if it is clearly outside the scope of the basic course or does not meet the requirements outlined in this call. The Annual will consider for publication the following manuscript types: full-length original research manuscripts, analysis articles, brief reports, and forum essays

Editor\u27s Page

Without question, the popularity of the basic course in communication continues to grow, further entrenching it as a staple of the communication discipline. As several basic course scholars have persuasively noted, in the last 20 years, more and more colleges and universities in the United States have been charged with the daunting task of establishing an introductory course in communication as a central feature of general education curriculum. Given the popularity of the course and increasing pressures on basic course instructors/directors to document the effectiveness of the course, basic communication course scholarship is more important now than ever. For more than 20 years the Basic Communication Course Annual has been the preeminent outlet for such scholarship. The articles presented in this volume of the Annual cover a wide range of topics that advance our understanding of basic course practice and pedagogy

Editor\u27s Page

Over the past 20 years, the basic communication course has become a staple of many of general education programs. The ability to communicate effectively is viewed as a prerequisite to interpersonal relationships, success in the workplace, and meaningful participation as a citizen in our democracy. The role of the basic communication course in general education affords the discipline with substantial political capital on many campuses—administrators often look to the basic course as an ideal location for launching new initiatives and capturing important data regarding student learning outcomes. To the extent that basic course directors are able to deliver those initiatives effectively, they may earn additional access to university resources. Without question, this is an important course. For more than 20 years the Basic Communication Course Annual has been the preeminent outlet for scholarship exploring and debating the best practices for the basic course in communication and this volume continues that tradition

Perceived ideological bias in the college classroom and the role of student reflective thinking: A proposed model

The role ideology plays in the university classroom is a continual issue of debate. A common public perception has been that academics are a liberal elite, and that they, in the words of conservative activist David Horowitz, “behave as political advocates in the classroom, express opinions in a partisan manner on controversial issues irrelevant to the academic subject, and even grade students in a manner designed to enforce their conformity to professorial prejudices” (2007, p. 188). The Chronicle of Higher Education demonstrated how pervasive this view has become with a 2004 public opinion poll that found 51% of 1,000 individuals surveyed in the United States (U.S.) believed college faculty improperly introduced a liberal bias into their classrooms (A Special Report). In contrast, the American Association of University Professors’ Statement on Professional Ethics states “As teachers, professors encourage the free pursuit of learning in their students … Professors demonstrate respect for students as individuals and adhere to their proper roles as intellectual guides and counselors” (2009, p. 4). There is clearly a disconnect between what faculty profess to do and what many outside of higher education perceive to be happening. If this disconnect can be addressed through changes in pedagogy, even if only partially, then such changes should be explored. This study explores how student reflective thinking, student perceptions of ideological bias, and student reactions to ideological bias interact. Understanding the relationship between these three variables may help educators communicate more effectively with students in an effort to foster open minded inquiry

Perceived ideological bias in the college classroom and the role of student reflective thinking: A proposed model

The role ideology plays in the university classroom is a continual issue of debate. A common public perception has been that academics are a liberal elite, and that they, in the words of conservative activist David Horowitz, “behave as political advocates in the classroom, express opinions in a partisan manner on controversial issues irrelevant to the academic subject, and even grade students in a manner designed to enforce their conformity to professorial prejudices” (2007, p. 188). The Chronicle of Higher Education demonstrated how pervasive this view has become with a 2004 public opinion poll that found 51% of 1,000 individuals surveyed in the United States (U.S.) believed college faculty improperly introduced a liberal bias into their classrooms (A Special Report). In contrast, the American Association of University Professors’ Statement on Professional Ethics states “As teachers, professors encourage the free pursuit of learning in their students … Professors demonstrate respect for students as individuals and adhere to their proper roles as intellectual guides and counselors” (2009, p. 4). There is clearly a disconnect between what faculty profess to do and what many outside of higher education perceive to be happening. If this disconnect can be addressed through changes in pedagogy, even if only partially, then such changes should be explored. This study explores how student reflective thinking, student perceptions of ideological bias, and student reactions to ideological bias interact. Understanding the relationship between these three variables may help educators communicate more effectively with students in an effort to foster open minded inquiry

IL-7 immunotherapy in a nonimmunocompromised patient with intractable fungal wound sepsis

A nonimmunocompromised patient developed life-threatening soft tissue infection wit