This article features 12 teaching innovations presented at the 2020 Association for Business Communication (ABC) annual international conference held online due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Readers can explore the classroom methods designed to enhance students' individual and career skills, critical thinking, teamwork, and report writing…

This article, the first of a two-part series, catalogs teaching innovations presented at the 2013 Association for Business Communication (ABC) Annual Convention, New Orleans. They were presented during the My Favorite Assignment session. The 11 Favorite Assignments featured here offer the reader a variety of learning experiences including…

This article, the second of a two-part series, features 11 teaching innovations presented at the 2014 Association for Business Communication annual conference. These 11 assignments included leadership and other-focused communication--detecting communication style, adaptive communication, personality type, delivering feedback, problem solving, and…

Describes a small group assignment for business communication students in which they put together a report describing the most important periodicals, reference works, or other ongoing information sources for people just entering professional fields. (SR)

Describes a process used for group assignments in a business communication course which holds all group members accountable by using a structure of rotating responsibility. Discusses selecting assignments and implementing the process, noting how this structure requires equivalent advance preparation from all members and provides opportunities for…

Describes an assignment for a business writing course which helps students learn to focus on the reader in persuasive writing. (SR)

Describes a team assignment in an undergraduate report and proposal writing course in which students analyze a request for proposals. Discusses incorporating collaborative writing groups in the assignment and the grading method. (SR)

Describes a class project/case study where students draft a proposal and present it to a board for deliberation. Details how students analyze the current problem and the cause, brainstorm for a preferred and alternative solutions, and discuss advantages and disadvantages. (PRA)

Describes having students write an organizational analysis paper as part of a collaborative writing project in a human relations course. Discusses initial group formation and outlines the project. (SR)

Describes the design and implementation of a major collaborative assignment in which students investigate and produce written and oral solutions to a problem with a national perspective experienced by a community corporation, business, governmental, or not-for-profit organization. (KEH)

The administrative communications course at Bloomsburg University has dual goals: to improve written and oral communication skills and to improve global business communication skills. Thus an opportunity exists to create projects that require graduate students to learn about other countries and other peoples. A project--writing a business plan for…

Two online collaborative assignments that connected students in courses at Unitec, New Zealand, and Baruch College, City University of New York, are the focus of this article. For the first assignment, small, blended groups used five different online techniques to explore topics being discussed in an intercultural communication course at each…

Technology can be incorporated as a tool in business communication courses to help students format, revise, and enhance pieces of writing. The capabilities of the microcomputer should be introduced slowly to build competencies and confidence. This paper provides instructional tips and activities for introducing technology into assignments. Steps…

According to Corman (1995), theory and practice are two sides of the same coin. Each is essential for effective function in organizational contexts and effective teaching in organizational communication courses. However, the classroom experience can benefit from increased efforts to provide students with activities that allow them to apply theory…