Small Programs 2015 Abstracts
You Can, 2, Fix Stupid: Improving on a Novel Experiment to Teach a Need For News • Kelly Kaufhold, Texas State University • An experimental news game was executed under two different conditions to test both the efficacy of the idea and the impact of different circumstances – a short, weekly intervention or a longer, daily one. While the short, weekly intervention was shown to have some effect, the longer daily intervention was significantly more effective. The news game shows real promise as an easily replicable way to get students more engaged with a need for news and as a way to inspire some peer pressure for news, which may, in turn, increase the incidence of news opinion leaders in a two-step flow of news. Given the long-established, generational decline in news consumption and knowledge, this news game shows promise as an ameliorative strategy to increase news engagement among young adults.
Getting it “Write”: Strengthening Basic Grammar Skills Through Collaborative Efforts • Michael Drager, Shippensburg University; Holly Ott, The Pennsylvania State University; Carrie Sipes; Karen Johnson, Shippensburg University • This study explores pedagogical approaches and student learning strategies in a media writing course. Specifically, the effectiveness of grammar tutoring and how it impacts students’ basic writing skills is examined. Results support existing literature that tutoring impacts student performance and enhances students’ confidence and interest in learning. Theoretical and practical implications for teaching and research are discussed.
Collaborating Across Boundaries to Engage Journalism Students in Computational Thinking • Kim Pearson, The College of New Jersey; Diane Bates, The College of New Jersey; S. Monisha Pulimood, The College of New Jersey • Journalism educators seek ways to create a positive environment for learning computational journalism. This paper describes a multi-semester collaboration between undergraduate journalism and computer science students. Data indicate that such collaborations can strengthen journalism students’ confidence in their ability to employ computing tools and methods. However, journalism students did not show as much positive change as did students in computer science and other majors. Future research will focus on student preparation for such collaborations. v
Instructional videos snubbed by online students — Reliance on videos re-evaluated • Catherine Strong, Massey University • The challenges of teaching online students are magnified when teaching digital journalism skills without face-to-face contact. Although many guidelines recommend relying heavily on instructional videos for online courses, such as MOOCs, this research indicates many students tend to shun videos in favor of traditional text instructions. The key is to provide both platforms for the students. This research also found that students are more accepting of instructional videos that include five elements.
External Resources Use for Undergraduates Learning Coding in Communication Classes • Amanda Sturgill; Ben Hannam, Elon University; Brian Walsh • Researchers collected and analyzed data from 85 undergraduate students from a variety of communication majors enrolled in a 1-credit technology and coding course in which a variety of out-of-class supports were offered, to determine what out-of-class resources students used and valued. Student behaviors clustered, such that one group that preferred interpersonal support and another who preferred content support. Most types of support were not related to student success as measured in course grades. One type, video, was negatively related, suggesting that a self-destructive behavior of procrastinating on projects and expecting last-minute help extra resources is ineffective.
Best Practices for Student Learning Assessment In Smaller-Sized Undergraduate Mass Communication Programs • Douglas Swanson, California State University, Fullerton • Assessment of student learning in higher education is no longer optional, because the public increasingly expects universities to spend less and produce more. Generating detailed, meaningful assessment is challenging, particularly for smaller-sized mass communication programs with limited resources. Mass communication-focused assessment literature is scarce. This best practices essay reviews other research to illustrate proven examples of ways to assess simply and effectively in undergraduate mass communication programs to achieve maximum faculty support and curriculum improvement.
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