Concern with academic freedom in the speech communication classroom is concern with the aims, matter, and methods of teaching. Academic freedom is a condition of relatively unconstrained inquiry and instruction upon which the pursuit and transmission of knowledge depend. Three ideas are worth noting: (1) academic freedom is grounded in some basic…

This paper examines the literature about speech communication internship programs to determine how much is known about such programs, what approaches are used and/or advocated, and how they are perceived by those who participate in them and those who administer them. The paper reviews the literature within four categories: (1) reports of survey…

A 1987 study surveyed the national membership (N=350) of the Speech Communication Association's Committee on Small College Speech Programs as the first step in a longitudinal project to describe and monitor speech communication programs on small campuses as well as small programs on larger campuses. Data helped to: (1) determine trends in program…

Many educational institutions are currently attempting to improve their attention to speaking and listening in curriculum and instruction, and this guide is intended to assist educators to become more knowledgeable about tools for assessing speaking and listening. Designed for those somewhat knowledgeable in the areas of assessment and language…

Teaching organizational video is best accomplished by integrating organizational communication theory, rhetorical theory, and video production planning in one course. Focus on the individual project is the most beneficial as a stand-alone segment and as a highlight of the planning process that may be part of a corporate communication employee's…

The history of the basic course in speech communication in college shows that it has maintained a continued emphasis on public speaking and that change has been slow. A review of the literature revealed that the course has been typically viewed as a public speaking course taught in self-contained sections with one instructor responsible for…

Speech communication can make a difference in the teaching of English Language Arts and in improving basic teacher communication skills. A wealth of research indicates that instruction in speaking is not only important in itself but also highly influential in the development of other language arts competencies. Preparation in both English and…

Forensics educators should explore the implications of feminism for debate pedagogy and practice. First, the inclusion of feminist perspectives is directly related to the pedagogical goals of solving the problem of women's participation in debate and of accomplishing the task of enabling debate coaches and student debaters to become competent,…

A panel of instructors in the Speech Communication program at the University of South Dakota presented five papers containing the findings from an extensive analysis of their introductory course, the Fundamentals of Speech. The purpose of the analysis was to determine the result of adapting the Personalized System of Instruction (PSI) to specific…

A study investigated a communication skills tutoring program to determine if peer tutoring proved an appropriate pedagogy for communication skills training. A survey, in which questions were grouped into categories of instructional, ethical, and training issues, was distributed to 8 instructors and to 12 tutors who were enrolled in a course…

The introductory speech communication course can benefit from the use of simulation exercises. In one exercise, students negotiate on behalf of the imaginary governments of Franistan and Germania. Participants are furnished with statistical data and informed that the two countries are mutually dependent, that they share a border, and that the city…

An international mass communication minor, with its salient, unique communication features and its interdisciplinary nature, can internationalize American higher education and raise students' cultural, political and economic awareness. The relationship existing between communication and the various disciplines is illustrated in the Arts-Sciences…

A study examined the business and personal ethics of advertising students and advertising practitioners to determine whether important differences exist between the two groups. Data were gathered from 256 advertising professionals and from 178 students majoring in advertising at a Southwestern university. Subjects responded to twelve…

A study investigated higher education communication curricula in foreign countries to determine the status (program offerings, objectives and trends) of communication curricula throughout the world. Considering the difficulty in preparing a comprehensive international inventory, a modified "snowball technique" (involving a series of…

This paper discusses the Broadcast Education Association's Model Curriculum Project and traces the attempts of the task force to develop national models. The focus of the paper is on mission statements, professional orientations of departments, and core courses. Though diversity is celebrated, the paper argues that model programs must grapple with…