This study reports on science student perceptions of their skills (scientific knowledge, oral communication, scientific writing, quantitative skills, teamwork and ethical thinking) as they approach graduation. The focus is on which teaching activities and assessment tasks over the whole programme of study students thought utilised each of the six…

This article examines specific uses of video simulations in one educational leadership preparation program to advance future school and district leaders' skills related to public speaking and participation in televised news interviews. One faculty member and two advanced educational leadership candidates share their perspectives of several…

In this article we report on the use of a graduate "Special Topics" course to provide vital research and practical laboratory experience, within the context of developing a chemical process to manufacture biodiesel from algal sources. This course contained several key components that we believe are necessary skills in graduate research: 1) a…

This exploratory qualitative case study reports the impact of using a public-speaking structure (Powerful Oral Language Lab [POLL]) in teaching preservice Chilean English pedagogy students. It describes how this task-based method of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher training is related to language strategic competence. Twenty students…

The purpose of this preliminary study was to look at forensics-based competition events and determine what, if any, impact they could have on the language learning and public speaking skills of interpreters in training. This paper details the nature of the impromptu and extemporaneous speaking events in forensics competitions and introduces a…

Assessment of oral presentation skills is an underexplored area. The study described here focuses on the agreement between professional assessment and self- and peer assessment of oral presentation skills and explores student perceptions about peer assessment. The study has the merit of paying attention to the inter-rater reliability of the…

From 1909 to 1910, the public performance of soap-box oratory began to effect dramatic changes in the composition of migrant workers throughout the Pacific Northwest. Municipal authorities in Spokane attempted to curb the formation of a union of hobo orators by outlawing public speech-making within the city fire limits. The ensuing confrontation…

Oral presentations are pedagogically useful when there are many examples or subcategories for the topic at hand. For example, in the author's biology classes, students make presentations on different species of bacteria--highlighting morphology, benefits or detriments, transmissions, niches, and other relevant information. They also present on a…

Most chemical engineering programs that offer M.S. and Ph.D. degrees have a common seminar series for all the graduate students. Many would agree that seminars lack student interest, leading to ineffectiveness. We questioned the possibility of adding value to the seminar series by incorporating non-technical topics that may be more important to…

When Kemba Smith Pradia spoke this fall to a gathering of students at South Carolina State University, her candid talk about violence against women and the campus "hype" over drugs, sex, and money resonated with students and faculty alike. Ten years ago, Kemba Smith was wasting away in a federal prison as prisoner No. 26370-083. Used by…

Problem-based learning (PBL) has been introduced to medical schools around the world and has increasingly become a popular pedagogical technique in Asian countries since 1990. Gross anatomy is a fundamental basic science course in virtually all medical training programs, and the methods used to teach it are under frequent scrutiny and revision.…

Information literacy programs focus on teaching students how to conduct effective research. Perhaps even more important is that they teach students how to critically evaluate the information they find. Engaging students in a significant information literacy unit helps them realize the value of the research process and the limitations of relying…

This article presents the syllabus for the course "Professional Rhetorics: Bridging the Gap Between Writing, Speaking, & Digital Media." The course is designed to help students develop into effective rhetors for today's professional environments, and it will do so by exploring numerous rhetorical strategies associated with oral,…

In this article, the author encourages graduate students to apply for the ECT Foundation Internship. She presents a list of the top ten benefits the internship offers a graduate student's career: (1) It could change your life. It changed mine; (2) Networking; (3) Mentoring; (4) Leadership opportunities; (5) Behind the scenes pass; (6) Shadowing;…

Over the years, the author has had the opportunity to make several presentations to school boards. The author offers some tips and tricks she has learned, having given board presentations about the specific topics she listed in this article, and receiving feedback after each presentation. She points out that the most important thing to keep in…