Finds strong positive main effects for teacher immediacy and strong negative effects for teacher misbehavior on all three dimensions of credibility (competence, trustworthiness, and caring/goodwill). Finds, however, that with low teacher immediacy, both "nonmisbehavior" and misbehavior produced perceptions of low credibility; whereas…

Contends that communication apprehension in the classroom results in reduced student communication and significantly reduced learning as measured by grades, overall average, and standardized achievement tests. (MH)

Finds that teachers who perceived their students to be more nonverbally immediate with them in their classrooms expressed more positive affect for the students than did teachers who perceived their students as engaging in less nonverbally immediate behaviors. (SR)

Explores the coordination, evolution, and expansion of the Communication in Instruction Master of Arts program taught throughout West Virginia. Describes the program--its development goals, course offerings and structure, and evaluation techniques used to assess its effectiveness. (SR)

Finds an inverse relationship between student perceptions of teacher misbehaviors and (1) teacher assertiveness, (2) teacher responsiveness, (3) positive affect for the teacher, and (4) positive affect for the course material. Shows that instructor type (graduate assistant versus professor) was not related to perceptions of teacher misbehaviors.…

A study was conducted to determine the degree to which teachers and students share perceptions of the use of power in the classroom. The study defined five bases of power: coercive (implied or explicit punishment), reward, legitimate (assigned), referent (identification with the person in power), and expert (perceived competence). A total of 156…

Many studies have demonstrated that student motivation is an important factor in student learning. The recently proposed General Model of Instructional Communication, however, does not include motivation. Based on the assumption that student motivation may be an important factor in student learning, particularly long-term learning and retention,…

Intended to assist educators at all levels to teach students who are quiet, the first part of this book (The Quiet Ones: Why Are They So Quiet?) presents a summary of current theory and research concerning quiet children and their low willingness to communicate. The second part of the book (Working with Quiet Children) includes specific…

Investigates student preferences for style of classroom seating arrangements (traditional straightrow, horseshoe, and modular) and concludes that seating preferences are influenced by both course attractiveness and student communication apprehension level. (MH)

This study, the fifth in a series focusing on the communication of power in the classroom and its role in student learning, investigated the relationship between teachers' use of behavior alteration techniques and student learning, and the impact of teachers' communication training and student quality on the use of these techniques. (PD)

Presents research concerning the school environment as a potential cause of increased communication apprehension in some children. Indicates a substantial increase in the average communication apprehension level of children occurs between kindergarten and grade five and that a disproportionately greater number of teachers with high communication…

A study explored the extent to which affinity-seeking strategies are used in elementary and secondary school classrooms. Subjects, 311 elementary and secondary school teachers enrolled in classes related to communication instruction, completed a measurement instrument designed to evaluate their use of affinity-seeking strategies. Analysis of the…

"Communication apprehension" is a broad-based fear or anxiety associated with either real or anticipated communication with another person or persons. The purpose of this paper, the fifth in a series of five dealing with communication reticence is to speculate on the causes, correlates, and effects of communication apprehension. The…

A study surveyed 972 college students for their preferences in classroom arrangement (tradition straight-row, horseshoe, and modular) and their seating preferences within each style. Results indicated that students' arrangement preferences are influenced by both attractiveness of the course and the individual student's communication apprehension…

Two studies were conducted to determine the degree to which various types of power were employed in the classroom and the effects of each type on both cognitive and affective learning. The primary focus of the first study was to determine the degree to which teachers and students shared perceptions of the use of power in the classroom. Power was…