A 14-Year Empirical Analysis of Undergraduates’ Pre- and Post-Test Scores in Three Introductory Communication Courses: Lessons Learned for Pedagogy and Assessment

Conducting long-term assessment of the impact of students’ participation in introductory communication courses is an important endeavor for enhancing pedagogy and understanding the contribution of communication instruction to the student experience. This 14-year study reports data from a campus-wide assessment program extending from 2004 to 2018. The study analyzed a large sample of undergraduate students’ self-reported pre- and post-test scores on critical variables related to student outcomes in three introductory communication courses. The variables examined were demographic characteristics, self-esteem and communication apprehension in both the public speaking course and the business communication course, and self-esteem and willingness to communicate in the interpersonal communication course. Across the 14-year period, 93% of the results of pre/post comparison scores showed a significant increase in students’ self-perceived levels of self-esteem and willingness to communicate and a significant decrease in communication apprehension (p \u3c .001). The usefulness of the results are discussed. Four general conclusions for engaging in introductory course assessment are outlined, along with specific lessons learned and best practices for consideration by basic course directors and faculty

Singing the same tune? International continuities and discontinuities in how police talk about using force

This article focuses on a research project conducted in six jurisdictions: England, The Netherlands, Germany, Australia, Venezuela, and Brazil. These societies are very different ethnically, socially, politically, economically, historically and have wildly different levels of crime. Their policing arrangements also differ significantly: how they are organised; how their officers are equipped and trained; what routine operating procedures they employ; whether they are armed; and much else besides. Most relevant for this research, they represent policing systems with wildly different levels of police shootings, Police in the two Latin American countries represented here have a justified reputation for the frequency with which they shoot people, whereas at the other extreme the police in England do not routinely carry firearms and rarely shoot anyone. To probe whether these differences are reflected in the way that officers talk about the use of force, police officers in these different jurisdictions were invited to discuss in focus groups a scenario in which police are thwarted in their attempt to arrest two youths (one of whom is a known local criminal) by the youths driving off with the police in pursuit, and concludes with the youths crashing their car and escaping in apparent possession of a gun, It might be expected that focus groups would prove starkly different, and indeed they were, but not in the way that might be expected. There was little difference in affirmation of normative and legal standards regarding the use of force. It was in how officers in different jurisdictions envisaged the circumstances in which the scenario took place that led Latin American officers to anticipate that they would shoot the suspects, whereas officers in the other jurisdictions had little expectation that they would open fire in the conditions as they imagined them to be

Work-life Interaction Skills: An Exploration of Definitional and Functional Perspectives within the Austrian and Finnish ICT Industry

Being able to interact effectively and efficiently in the networked professional environments appears to be a crucial skill for junior jobseekers. Graduates possessing these skills can markedly increase their possibilities of being hired. A sample analysis on recruitment ads revealed that interaction skills are of paramount importance in the ICT industry. In view of the scarcity of terminological definitions, the authors of this paper seek to make a cross-cultural comparison on the scope and definition of interactional skills required in the sector at hand. The data is gathered by means of open-ended questionnaires and interviews in which first year ICT students from Austria and Finland define their understanding of worklife interaction skills. The wide variety of responses was clustered by subsuming particulars into general categories (see Miles, Huberman & Saldana 2014, 279-286). In parallel, recruitment staff was interviewed to shed light on their perceptions of the necessity and definition of interaction skills for future ICT employees. Preliminary findings suggest that there are many similarities in the Finnish and Austrian definitions for worklife interaction skills. Both student groups appear to be highly aware of the necessity of T-shaped graduates, placing a heavy emphasis on generic skills. However, while Finnish ICT students connect interaction skills strongly with communication, listening and social skills, Austrian students adhered more societal values such as reliability, punctuality and dedication to interaction skills per se. Interestingly, and although pointed out by a number of recruitment ads and employers, neither student group identified intercultural competence being a central skill set of worklife interaction skills. However, in view of the interconnectivity of the ICT field which is increasingly performing on a global stage, it is important for future employees to understand the various demands of interacting in an intercultural setting