Academic, Professional, Technical, Trade, Research Books & Journals
americanpress@flash.net • 617-247-0022 • 60 State Street #700 • Boston, MA 02109
BCCA Contents & Abstracts, Volume 11, 1999
Editor Lawrence Hugenberg
ISBN 978-0-89641-326-9E-mail americanpress@flash.net to order PDFs of any article.
Morreale, S.P., Hanna, M. S., Berko, R.M. & Gibson, J.W. — The basic communication course at U.S. colleges and universities: VI — This is the sixth in a series of investigations of the basic com¬munication course, begun in 1968 by members of the Under¬graduate Speech Instruction Interest Group of the Speech As¬sociation of America. This study was replicated in 1974, 1980, 1985, and 1990. Each of these studies gathered and reported information on instructional practices and administrative issues in the basic course at two- and four-year colleges and universities. In this study, the survey instrument from 1990 was revised to reflect contemporary concerns and mailed to the National Communication Association mailing list of 1500 schools. Data were analyzed and presented from 292 respond¬ing schools covering institutional demographics and (1) gen¬eral approach and orientation to the basic course, (2) pedagogy (which subsumes seven sub-categories), (3) enrollment descrip¬tion and dynamics, and (4) administrative concerns. (1-36)
Buerkel-Rothfuss, N.L. — How basic course directors evaluate teaching assistants: Social constructionism in basic course land — This essay examines the ways basic course directors assess their teaching staff. In particular, the study describes ways course directors from a variety of disciplines use language to evaluate teaching competence and to differentiate among staff members with regard to job performance.(37-54)
Williams, G. & Johnson-Jones, J.M. — Get your modem runnin’. Get out on the I-way: Encouraging Internet investigations in the basic course — The Internet can be a valuable resource for instructors and students alike. Students need to develop Internet savvy to take advantage of its holdings and to use it responsibly. Instructors can help students develop such savvy by providing pointers for its use as well as by taking them through a few exercises. Once students have learned to proceed efficiently and judiciously, the Internet can be a powerful vehicle for assisting their investigations. (55-78)
Mino, M. — Will the dazzling promise blind us?: Using technology in the beginning public speaking course — This essay presents an overview of some of the uses of technology in the public speaking course, describes the instructional challenges, and outlines one process instructors may consider when deciding whether to implement technology into the beginning public speaking course. (79-107)
Dwyer, K.K. & Fus, D.A. — Communication apprehension, self-efficacy and grades in the basic course: Correlations and implications — This article presents a study examining the relationship among communication apprehension (CA), self-efficacy (S-E), and grades in the basic communication course. Data were gathered from 208 undergraduate students enrolled in a public speaking course that fulfills a university-wide core curriculum requirement. Implications for teaching the basic course are discussed. (108-132)
Cutspec, P.A., McPherson, K. & Spiro, J.H. — Branching out to meet the needs of our students: A model for oral communication assessment and curriculum programs — Two of the multiple primary tasks facing post-secondary institutions across the country are revisiting and revitalizing general education or core programs and developing appropriate techniques for assessing the value of these programs. Following years of development and refinement, Western Carolina University has created an oral communication general education program that not only meets the needs of individual students, but also encouraged consistency across the curriculum emphasizing and assessing the skills learned in the basic course. The authors have answered the call for revisitation and reform regarding the best pedagogical and epistemological strategies for developing competent communicators, and the results have been positive. This article presents the development and implementation of this program. (133-163)
Schnell, J. — Analyzing C-SPAN in the basic communication course — Use of C-SPAN in the basic communication course as data for analysis is described. Specific focus is on Persian Gulf War presentations made August 2, 1990 to January 16, 1991 by President George Bush. Analysis of these presentations exemplifies how similar analysis can be done of other public speakers. An explanation of how to procure C-SPAN videotapes is provided. (164-174)
- Yoder, D.D. — An idea for restructuring the basic communication course: A “time when needed” modular approach —This commentary suggests a different way of structuring the basic communication course. Instead of trying to teach a variety of communication course, this commentary develops a modular approach to the basic course to be taught in smaller units and at times in a student’s studies when the communication skills in the specific units are more relevant. A tentative schedule for the units is suggested. (175-184)
