Effective presentation skills never go out of style, however, the channel by which we deliver presentations has been rapidly changing over the past two decades. Technological developments have made it easier to bring audiences together in virtual spaces and as a result, more and more presentations are taking place every day through digital…

This program profile describes a new approach towards integrating communication within Mechanical Engineering curricula. The author, who holds a joint appointment between Technical Communication and Mechanical Engineering at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, has been collaborating with Mechanical Engineering colleagues to establish a…

Considering the acknowledged importance of oral communication competency and the intense interest of communication scholars in terms of its definition, conceptualization, and assessment, a need now exists to systematically apply the communication competency construct to instruction of the university undergraduate. This paper outlines the…

Describes the extended degree program in Speech Communication at the University of Northern Colorado, including: (1) a brief history of the program; (2) the design, format, and unique features of the program; and (3) survey feedback from students concerning their perceptions of the program. (MS)

This paper presents materials from a workshop which explored the application of oral communication across the curriculum (OCXC) to enhance the learning of course content and the improvement of oral communication skills. Specifically, the paper aims to prepare participants to articulate the need for oral communication across the curriculum,…

Applied graduate programs in Communication are recommended as a desirable alternative for the future. Advantages of such programs are outlined and potential problems discussed. The Instructional Communication program at West Virginia University is described as an example of a successful applied graduate program. (JMF)

To garner administrative support and to develop meaningful public relations in the academic, scholastic, and local communities, individual events program directors should focus their efforts on things over which they have control. First, directors should develop behavioral objectives for individual events programs which are consistent with the…

A study was designed to develop an empathy training program for health professionals that would (1) improve selected predictive, behavioral, and achieved empathetic communication skills for a sample group of registered nurses; (2) evaluate the effectiveness of the training program in attaining its stated goals; and (3) develop a program that could…

Research indicates that about 40% of the population fear public speaking. There is a wide variety of possible causes for this unwillingness to communicate: a lack of skills, social introversion, alienation, lack of fluency in English, and communication apprehension. Despite the fact that evidence indicates everyone may have some difficulty with…

Describes a program of instructional development for teaching assistants used in the Department of Speech Communication at the University of Washington. Program objectives and implementation procedures are included. (JMF)

The Communication across the Curriculum (CAC) program at the University of Melbourne (Australia) was set up in a top-down manner, which was partly driven by outside pressures. Although informed by writing-across-the-curriculum theory and practice, the program reflects the university's original concern about the teaching of communication skills by…

The overall structure of the proposed Master of Arts Degree in Applied Communication at Indiana University (Indianapolis) is interdisciplinary, in order to meet the many applied duties and functions of communication specialists, with special attention to be given to organizational communication and telecommunications. Each student will be required…

Cable television's local access option may be a way for colleges and universities to expand their media offerings. For example, some institutions are using cable capabilities to broadcast direct and inservice instruction or to provide hands-on training for broadcast students. A small private liberal arts college in Iowa successfully uses cable…

In an ongoing experiment in the basic public speaking course at Miami University (Ohio), an attempt has been made to devise a testing approach that preserves the viability of the evaluation process and, at the same time, is efficient to administer and acceptable to students as a measure of what they have learned while performing. The alteration of…

This paper describes the components of the interdisciplinary, kindergarten through grade twelve communication skills program developed by educators in the Lincoln, Nebraska, public schools. The paper contains (1) a brief discussion of the background of the communication skills program; (2) an overview of its characteristics; (3) statements of the…