Fighting the Formula: Adherence to Unspoken Rules Limit the Value of Individual Events

Forensics is one of the most valuable activities in which college students can be involved. However, the strict adherence to formula and unspoken rules diminishes the educational benefits. This article explores an extensive body of literature highlighting the concerns of formulaic practices in collegiate forensics. The author asserts that authenticity, genuine learning, transferability of skills, innovation, and high quality speaking are the biggest victims of stringent adherence to the forensic formula. Specific recommendations for competitors, judges, coaches, and organizing bodies are given, suggesting that there are alternatives which can mitigate growing concerns

Enacting Compassion: Enactment and the Theory of Image Restoration in Monica Lewinsky\u27s TED Talk, The Price of Shame

Cyberbullying is an ever-growing concern, and its effects are not escaping the public eye. Monica Lewinsky spoke at TED Vancouver in 2015 about the effects of cyberbullying and suggested a change in the cultural attitude online toward one of compassion. This paper argues that components of William Benoit’s Theory of Image Restoration (TIR) are relevant to understanding Lewinsky’s speech, but principles of enactment (Daughton, 1989) are more salient to her message and achievement of her mission. In light of the complexity of Lewinsky’s story, the author explores an expansion of TIR labeled image renovation that adds variance to the function of TIR strategies

Fighting the Formula: Adherence to Unspoken Rules Limit the Value of Individual Events

Forensics is one of the most valuable activities in which college students can be involved. However, the strict adherence to formula and unspoken rules diminishes the educational benefits. This article explores an extensive body of literature highlighting the concerns of formulaic practices in collegiate forensics. The author asserts that authenticity, genuine learning, transferability of skills, innovation, and high quality speaking are the biggest victims of stringent adherence to the forensic formula. Specific recommendations for competitors, judges, coaches, and organizing bodies are given, suggesting that there are alternatives which can mitigate growing concerns

Enacting Compassion: Enactment and the Theory of Image Restoration in Monica Lewinsky\u27s TED Talk, The Price of Shame

Cyberbullying is an ever-growing concern, and its effects are not escaping the public eye. Monica Lewinsky spoke at TED Vancouver in 2015 about the effects of cyberbullying and suggested a change in the cultural attitude online toward one of compassion. This paper argues that components of William Benoit’s Theory of Image Restoration (TIR) are relevant to understanding Lewinsky’s speech, but principles of enactment (Daughton, 1989) are more salient to her message and achievement of her mission. In light of the complexity of Lewinsky’s story, the author explores an expansion of TIR labeled image renovation that adds variance to the function of TIR strategies

The Sandcastle Classroom: An Aesthetic Perspective of the Classroom as Temporary Art

This essay positions the classroom as a work of art. More specifically, the author suggests that the classroom is a form of temporary art not unlike a sandcastle. Relying heavily on John Dewey’s Art as Experience, and finding auxiliary support from authors such as Elaine Scarry, Drew Leder, and Kenneth Burke, this essay argues that art and teaching occur simultaneously and are inseparable. Comparing teaching to building a sandcastle and other types of art, an examination of the role of the teacher as an artist, the course content as the message, the space of the classroom as the medium, and the students as the audience build the foundation for this artful perspective of teaching. Finally, the collaborative experience of the teacher and student illustrate the long term effects of this aesthetic perspective reinforcing the value of purposeful and artistic classroom instruction and course creation

Conceptualizing Positive and Negative Experiences and Responses in the Basic Communication Course

The present study used qualitative analysis of 259 students’ positive and negative experiences in the basic course and the ways in which they responded to these events. Students described four negative experiences: poor academic performance, time management, communication apprehension, and teacher driven challenges and four positive experiences: relational, growth, and presentation success. Students responded to these negative experiences using behavioral change, support seeking, doing nothing, and responded to positive experiences using emotive responses, communication with others, engaging in celebrating activities, applying skills, and lacking celebration

The Sandcastle Classroom

This essay positions the classroom as a work of art. More specifically, the author suggests that the classroom is a form of temporary art not unlike a sandcastle. Relying heavily on John Dewey’s Art as Experience, and finding auxiliary support from authors such as Elaine Scarry, Drew Leder, and Kenneth Burke, this essay argues that art and teaching occur simultaneously and are inseparable. Comparing teaching to building a sandcastle and other types of art, an examination of the role of the teacher as an artist, the course content as the message, the space of the classroom as the medium, and the students as the audience build the foundation for this artful perspective of teaching. Finally, the collaborative experience of the teacher and student illustrate the long term effects of this aesthetic perspective reinforcing the value of purposeful and artistic classroom instruction and course creation