Examining Students’ Learning and Preparation in a Basic Communication Course

Prior to beginning a basic communication course, students enter with learning expectations and motivations to transfer knowledge outside the classroom. The present study examined 373 qualitative pre and post-test responses from students enrolled in a basic communication course to assess their self-defined learning and speaking preparation expectations. Through our findings, we learn that students articulate their goals in relationship to communication skills (e.g., reduce anxiety, verbal/non-verbal, audience analysis, personal goals, and confidence) and preparation (e.g., writing, outlining, presenting, and past experiences). These findings are explored in greater detail and extend our understanding of students’ goals and expectations when they enter the basic communication course. Implications, limitations, and future directions are also presented

Communication Apprehension: Understanding Communication Skills and Cultural Identity in the Basic Communication Course

Students enrolled in a basic communication course are required to self-examine their communication apprehension by means of the PRPSA (McCroskey 1970). The present study qualitatively examined pretest and posttest responses from 793 students enrolled in a basic communication course to assess their understanding of their communication apprehension. Our findings reveal that students articulate their communication apprehension in relationship to their public speaking skills (e.g., writing/outlining, audience analysis, and argumentation skills) and cultural identity (e.g., ESL, peer relationship, and religious identity). Our findings contribute to previous understanding of communication apprehension and are discussed in great detail alongside implications and future directions

Survival Strategies in Solidly Partisan States An Analysis of Centrist Appeals in 2012 U.S. Senate Debates

With the growing number of centrist senators diminishing on Capitol Hill, the next few election cycles will be crucial to the survival of this moderate group of lawmakers. Campaign debate scholars should investigate how vulnerable incumbents construct a centrist issue agenda and image to connect with voters in states ideologically incongruent with the incumbents’ parties. In doing so, debate scholars will also fill the lack of lower-level debate research. Utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methods, this analysis examined the debate appeals of Sens. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Scott Brown (R-MA). Findings suggest McCaskill’s issue agenda was congruent with a centrist image in contrast to Brown’s contradictory issue and image messaging. Additionally, centrist incumbents were more likely to acclaim a centrist image than attack their opponents’ partisanship

COVID-19 and the Transition to Online Learning in the Basic Course: Examining Effects on Student Learning

Objectives: This study examines how the transition to remote delivery during the spring of 2020 affected student learning in the basic communication course. Methods: Participants in three different course delivery modes (face-to-face, online, and live interactive) were enrolled in a public speaking course with standardized adaptive reading quizzes, exams, and speech assignments. Participants completed several measures over the course of the semester and had their responses paired up with their end-of-semester grade book data. Results: Results of this study indicate that students who were enrolled in a face-to-face course and transitioned online during the COVID-19 pandemic were outperformed by online and learning interactive students in several of the standardized assignments in the course. Conclusions: Overall, face-to-face (FtF) students performed four percentage points lower in the course than the learning interactive and online groups while also demonstrating more emotional interest in the course than the other two groups. Implication for Theory and/or Practice: In future transitions to remote learning, FtF students may experience greater disruption than existing online students. Instructors should be mindful of this finding in transitioning to remote learning during the semester

Investigations on the individual and maternal components of calving performance in cattle

International audienc