The goal of the Department of Communication Studies is to produce civic-minded, civil, competent communicators. To that end, General Education students must demonstrate oral communication proficiency, while Communication Studies majors must demonstrate proficiencies in the theories, methodologies, and skills grounding the discipline. These include organizational and interpersonal communication, rhetoric and public address, and performance studies.
Students enrolled in General Education A.2 Oral Communication courses receive instruction in and are expected to develop proficiency in all of the following oral communication skills:
1. Message Organization: structuring a message appropriately for audience comprehension
2. Message Development: creating logical and coherent messages that distinguish among cognitive, affective, and aesthetic dimensions of content
3. Message Delivery: presenting and delivering a message with such variables as rate, pitch, and volume adjusted to the audience
4. Context and Situational Analysis: appropriately analyzing and adapting messages for specific audiences and in specific contexts and occasions
5. Listening: engaging in active and analytical listening as a receiver or audience member
6. Feedback: appropriately soliciting receiver feedback to check the accuracy and interpretation of messages
7. Communicator Self-Assessment: self-monitoring of messages to actively improve oral communication proficiency
8. Ethical, Credible Communication Practices: enhancing one’s believability by providing credible evidence, and engaging in civil and ethical language, dialogue, and feedback
9. Communicator Apprehension Reduction: appropriately managing fear of speaking and developing communicator confidence
The purposes of assessing General Education A.2 Oral Communication instruction and students’ skills development are to determine the degree to which GE A.2 courses facilitate student learning objectives, to modify instructional practices and assignments to improve those learning objectives, and to identify patterns in students’ oral communication strengths and weaknesses. A three-fold assessment plan should be put into operation.
1. Oral Communication Proficiency Test: First year students enrolled in GE A.2 courses should complete systematic pre- and post-tests of Communication Proficiency. This standardized test is designed for students to self-evaluate their communication competence, communication apprehension, and willingness to communicate at the beginning and at the end of their oral communication course. This measure will allow the Department to determine students’ baseline communication skills or deficiencies and the degree to which learning objectives are being met in courses. The long-term goal is to have students take a pre entrance oral communication proficiency test in order to place them in an appropriate communication course based on their skills level.
Instructor Assessment of Communication Skill Mastery: Instructors’ assessments are the most appropriate and valid measures of student learning. In addition to in-class evaluations and oral communication assignments, the Department has inaugurated an assessment project of having a panel of communication instructors observe students’ behavioral output in GE A.2 classes and independently identify students’ strengths and weaknesses in presenting public speeches, small group deliberations, interpersonal communication exchanges and skills, and vocal articulation. The results of this kind of assessment will allow the Department to make comparisons across GE A.2 courses to see which best facilitate specific oral communication proficiencies.
Evaluation and Revision of Standards Across GE Oral Communication Courses: On-going feedback from student self-assessments and instructor assessments will form the foundation for modifying assignments and instructional practices in GE A.2 courses to standardize skills development.
The Department expects that students who major in Communication Studies will be well tooled in content, methodologies, and skills. These ground the following learning objectives for majors.
Students are expected to be able to articulate the uniqueness and significance of Communication Studies as an academic discipline, and differentiate the discipline from other social science disciplines.
Students are expected to define theory and its role in the development of communication knowledge.
Students are expected to be able to compare and contrast differing theories of communication.
Students are expected to know and understand the historical foundations of the communication discipline.
Students are expected to be able to apply communication theories to understand events and contexts in the everyday world.
Students are expected to be able to describe the basic methodological approaches to the study of communication, including the analysis of communication from social science methodologies, qualitative research methodologies, and rhetorical/critical/historical methodologies.
Students are expected to be able to compare and contrast the major methodological approaches in communication that are used to gather and analyze data and build theory.
Students are expected to be able to design and complete an empirical research study, and complete critical rhetorical analyses of public discourse.
Students are expected to be able to competently evaluate communication research by critically examining and assessing published empirical research studies and critical rhetorical analyses.
Students are expected to be able to understand and apply basic statistical tests used by communication researchers, and basic critical perspectives used by rhetorical scholars.
Students are expected to know how to retrieve information about communication, including how to find journals and journal articles in the field, how to use computer on-line data bases, how to use the internet, e-mail, and web pages to communicate, and how to find and use library resources.
Students are expected to be able to use communication knowledge and skills to promote civil, reasoned, and non-violent expression, and reaffirm the value of freedom of speech.
Students are expected to appreciate the diversity of human communication as it varies by culture, race, class, gender, and age.
Students are expected to be able to prepare and present effective messages in interpersonal, small group, organizational, mass-mediated, and public contexts.
Students are expected to be critical thinkers and listeners by being able to construct well-reasoned arguments, avoid fallacious reasoning, recognize underlying assumptions in theories and arguments, present opposing or alternate viewpoints on issues, understand the difference between facts and inferences, and by demonstrating the ability to move from description to analysis to evaluation.
Entrance to Major Survey: Upon declaration of the major, students should complete a survey designed to discover why the student wants to major in Communication Studies, how the student discovered the major, and what the student expects to accomplish by taking courses and completing the requirements of the degree.
Exit Survey of Graduating Seniors: During students’ final semester, or at the time they apply for graduation, majors should complete an exit survey that asks them to assess their major course of study by identifying skills attainment, evaluating specific core and elective classes, assessing the value of academic and career advising, judging the merits of opportunities for extra-curricular communication activities, internships, service and community learning, among other things.
Student Portfolios: Students should maintain a portfolio that appropriately represents learning in the major. This portfolio should include writing and research samples, a videotape of speeches, performances, and/or presentations, examples of group work and productivity, a log of communication skills development and practice, and other achievements stemming from class work or extra-curricular activities.
Student Participation in Extra-Curricular Communication Activities and Service Learning: The extent to which a communication major is applied outside of the classroom should be one way to assess the program and student learning. Through a combination of student portfolios, and entrance and exit interviews of majors, the Department should develop a profile of student activities in debate and individual events competition, interpretive performances, collaborative research projects, student government and campus involvement, community and volunteer service, and internships.
Department Self Study and External Review: The Department will routinely assess its curriculum and the need for change and revision through its own self study each seven years. In addition, an external review by colleagues in the discipline should provide the Department with the basis for comparing its strengths and weaknesses.
