This single-class activity is designed to introduce concepts of rhetoric, narrative, and public memory to students and to help them recognize the persuasive structure of narratives, particularly as applied to value-based popular discourse. Courses: Instructors can implement this activity in a variety of classes, including Introduction to…

Courses: Digital Media, Survey of Social Media, Professional Communication Skills, Interviewing, and Mediated Communication. Objectives: The goals of this classroom activity are for students to understand strategic communication for self-promotion on social media platforms, especially Twitter, and to utilize them effectively for job applications.

Courses: Crisis Communication, Advanced Public Relations. Objectives: In this multiple class activity, students will (a) apply crisis communication concepts and skills to several phases of an ongoing hypothetical crisis, (b) synthesize course material into a crisis communication manual, and (c) engage in ongoing critical reflection about best…

Communication courses enhance learning through engaging diverse perspectives. However, students' unawareness of diverse perspectives can inhibit communication effectiveness and classroom engagement. Communication teachers encounter challenges and opportunities when these viewpoints impact students' assignment quality, class discussion…

Leveraging arts-based pedagogy, this interpersonal and/or family communication activity allows students to engage creatively with a concept of the instructor's choosing through the creation of a collective poem. Each student contributes statements that the instructor forms into a poem, resulting in a collaborative artifact that engages students'…

Courses: This single-class activity is designed for an intercultural communication class. It is suitable for any course that requires a discussion about identities. Objectives: This activity helps students enhance their understanding of the concept of identities. It allows students to comprehend multiple identity markers (e.g. race, gender, and…

Courses: Public Speaking, Advanced Public Speaking, Capstone Courses. Objective: This activity is designed to help students identify different components of an elevator speech and assemble elevator speeches highlighting their strengths. The activity ultimately increases students' sense of self-competence.

Course: Civil discourse, argumentation, debate, persuasion, political communication. Objectives: This unit activity will help students build an understanding of civil discourse and its function in society. Students will: (1) increase their capacity to examine arguments critically, (2) enhance their own ability to self-reflect critically, and (3)…