CTAM Opportunities and Challenges: Mediated Communication as a Sub-Field of Communication Studies

Dann Cronn-Mills, MN State University, Mankato

Convergence Culture, Where old and new cultures collide (?)

Freakanomics Super Freakanomics (people are going into this online environments because theirs incentive to do so)

Melissa Landin, Inver Hills Community College

Noticed a lack of knowledge and ettiquette.

Computer mediated communication started off as a line in a textbook, now has a whole a chapter in most communication textbooks.

Class looks at nettiquette, virtual worlds, technology. Think about pictures posted--she tells them your employers are looking up your names online.

Have had challenges with enrollment. Trouble is getting them there (title).

It's expansive and changing--you do have to stay on top of it.

Darcy Turner St Cloud Technical College

English and Communication for Technology.

How to be professional in your email correspondence.

It does belong in communication studies.

Other notes:

At Mankato

Communicating with and thru technology (based more on technology)

Communication Technology and Culture (nature of tech affecting culture and vice versa) (more philosophy and theory)

At Inver Hills

1000 level (covers a bit of this and that but not at the depth as a upper level course)

Digital Nation- (PBS program)

ecommunication not just about skills but is having a ramifications

Do we have to change our theories? What we teach?

Humm...somebody just rephrased one of the ideas I posed in an early session in that ecommunication is like a "cultural factor/influence, a framework for what we think we are seeing ":

Perceptual lens (technology and ecommunication) We need to develop new theories. As a teacher ask your students, does this theory still apply in this context (an econtext).

The technology is the channel.

"Theory is the only thing that validates our discipline" ??

Communication is about shared meaning (exchanging ideas).

"As a culture we're losing our starting points" 'living in worlds of make believe"

There are some paradigms that have shifted because of ecommunication.

Journal of Computer Mediated Communication

Identity, Privacy, Self--let them

Thurlow Crispin? Teaches CMC He also has links

Hyper Personal Messages Social Processing (Walter ?)

Perception--how does the digital channel transform our interface (??) fragmentation, don't have continuity self-reinforcing messages

1.anonymity (senders and receivers)

2.digital filtering (perception as a filter--recursive messages--)

3.virtual reality

Practice of how we use technology is self-reinforcing

Someone (at MIT?) not allowing computers in the classroom.

Instructor refused electronics in the classroom and then reported "richer discussion"

Act of seeking is the hormonal release not necessarily the finding. Provides you with the "burst" chemically--for self gratification.

Is part of our problem as speech teachers--that we're relying too heavily on classic written style? We write how we speak.

To what extent or how does communication apprehension tie into use of ecommunication?

This field is evolving.

"Are we too early on this?" I saw we're too late on this.

Inver Hills Goal Area 6 MNState University is Goal Area 9. Does there need to be a new Goal Area for "Technology"

CTAM Interpersonal Communication: A Novel Approach

Mary Schmidt, St Could Technical Community College

Mary uses two memoirs in her Interpersonal Communication:

While the Locust Slept

Barefoot Heart

Poetry

The True Love by D. Whyte

CTAM Challenges Opportunities Assessing Behavioral/Performance Objectives in Online Learning

Nan Johnson-Curiskis, MN State University, Mankato

"I learned how to write objectives and assess from a behavioral focus. In terms of something specific--I have nothing. Ask questions"

Dan Cronn-Mills Mn State University Makato

"Glitch that we don't have decades of experience to pull from"

Gregg Helland former online student

"I found my voice online"

Virginia Gregg, MN State University Moorhead

Assess the same things

Put extra things up

Assessing Learning:

To earn for what you learn you must show what you know

Unit Modules

Softchalk

overview

content

quizzes

activities

videos

additional sources

roll vocabulary

Review questions right in the document

Competency Packages

Covered one basic unit based on goals and objects, all the forms to do it, and how you're going to be assessed

completed after a unit of learning

WorkPac

ComPac

CertPac (proves you know how to teach it) Points for every unit

MentPac (points for mentoring)

Can move up and across

Some are required some are participation points ("Participate in your own education--dig deeper go farther"

Earned after successfully completing ComPac (can take multiple times) When they get it right they get all the points. Doesn't matter how long it takes as long as you get it. No penalty. Best done earlier than later but up to students.

50 Participation Points are required (some are 5 some are 10) anything over 50 comes back at a 3:1 ration. 9 points over equals 3 points in gradebook.

Average student gets over 100 points. Why do they do it? No deadline, do-overs, do on their own time. Some up to 200/250.

Uses Bloom's Taxonomy. Level of Learning sets their framework (Going for Comprehension)

CTAM Challenges Opportunities Teaching Small Group Online

Nan Johnson-Curiskis MN State University, Mankato

Assumption: Online, On campus--neither is better nor is one worse

Absolutely everything is ready 3 days before the class starts

They know what they have to do--theory for first half, project in small group last half

Alot of change that first week of drop add, not so much after that.

Melissa Landin, Inver Hills Community College

Two year college, not alot of students who are going to be a communication area. This is offered as Goal Area 1. (Interpersonal, Public Speaking and Small Group are the only classes for Goal Area 1).

Teaching online for about 6 years. "I don't believe every class needs to be online--Public Speaking for example" . It took about two years to find the software program that would allow them to literally see their group members. Group

They use Eluminate. Started with a free trial. Now they purchased a site license. Kind of like WebX but you can see 6 people via video. Students can meet in Small Group and can also go back and review their meeting after the fact.

Biggest headache: Students learning the technology. You need a good IT department to be able to help, prepare, walk students thru the technology and equipment needed.

Challenge: Students finding a time they can all meet as a group (small group)

Challenge: Have lost up to half of class --so group size and group dynamics effected--other students are effected.

Send out syllabus a week ahead--make sure they know what they are getting into. Allow people to drop during the theory part (first half) so that small groups and group dynamics aren't affected as much as if that groupwork started right away.

But the technology programs are out there now--so just need to be proactive up front.

Deepa Oommen, MN State University Mankato

Teaching group work was challenging F2F

So started doing the F2F class assignments online for group work (using Instant Messenger). Then she could see who contributed and who didn't.

Other notes:

Wikis. Demonstration video on youtbue on how to use wikis (cartoon version) PBworks (Peanut Butter Wikis) Free

Set group restrictions so you can see what's going on and only group members see their own work.

Two projects. (One is Group Analysis Paper on Survivor) (multi-media presentation wiki)

Picking a target group and then putting together a presentation for this target group (online meeting everyone attends for presentation

Adobe Connect can have more than 6 video views going.

Set up your tools. Use the frequently asked questions takes care of it. Tell them expectations upfront.

Have "threatened" that she might re-group: those not doing anything, those doing minimum, those that are making sure they are contributing.

Deepa--does grade on participation

Discussion is critical.

Online is not a correspondence class/independent study.

These particular teachers stay out, don't want their presence to effect the group development/analysis. Don't join the discussion (review afterwards).

Groups get one grade.

Still need to be "present" but not interfering with group discussion.

CTAM Opportunities and Challenges: Teaching Public Speaking Online

Deb Peterson, Minnesota West Community and Technical College
KISS & Tone

Tone: keep it friendly, smile, be personable, treat them with respect and dignity, be yourself, talked to the students like you would like to be talked to

KISS--Keep It Structurally Simple

What do I need to do? How will I get to it? How will I be graded? Tell all these answers up front.

Give them an opportunity to be successful. Spell out your rules. Make info easy to find and accessible.


Carolyn Weber, MNWCTC
doesn't use power point alot right now (moved away from that) might re-think that

Yes, students learn as well, some better, in an online environment

Yes, it is more work--but it is worth it!!

Teaching Public Speaking online for several years.

Keep it simple. Too much information can be counteractive. Be consistent. Introductory quiz on syllabus. Set course up in units, roll it out weekly. Have a library unit, where Librarian develops content, does an assignment and monitors discussions.

Challenges--keep it updated.

Introductions. Respond to all--builds community.

Talk about nervousness, as a unit, early

Challenges--discussions.

Be PRESENT. Don't be the sage on the stage.

Challenges--students with literacy issues.

Quizzes used only first 3 weeks (gets them acclimated)

Challenges--missed deadlines.

Quality versus Quantity with speeches

Students upload their videos and tag her in it.

She has a speech Facebook page.

Students review/evaluate each others work. Self-assessments. Rubric (they complete the final speech rubric on their own speech) Posted before hand.

Adobe-connect account. Interactive, web cam, document and video capabilities


Jay Sieling, Alexandra Technical & Community College

Speech Studio (looked up online--resource section coming soon)

Embedd "great speeches" read text first. "What do you think is happening?" (Critical analysis first) and then watch it.

Online Speech Bank. Top 100 Speeches.

YouTube has resources you can use too.

Get across the importance of the audience and the importance of the moment.

You can do stuff that is very contemporary.

example on youtube about importance of delivery, GOP Candidate Phil Davidson

Has only gone as hybrid with Public Speaking to keep importance of moment and setting.

Internet Archive takes a snapshot of what's on the web. Also keeps a bunch of films that are now free domain. (Prelinger archive)?

Roberta Freeman, MSCTC-Fergus Falls

Public Speaking completely online

Even all face to face classes are now hybrid

Challenges: How do you do that?

She has a youtube account where they send videos to a folder she's sent up. But also has option for alternative routes (videotapes, flashdrives). But most are now coming online. Which she strongly recommends.

Has to teach them about her expectations on context (turn off tv, film whole body, no shoes--no service)

Fergus Falls has them "have to" pass an online quiz before they can sign up for an online class.

"I work hard on helping them find an authentic audience"

She has them do an evaluation at the end of the course. Uses that feedback to adapt her class for the next offering.

Right on registration page it says, you must meet audience requirements.

Audience Requirements:

10 or more people

appropriate to the content of speech

Require that they get feedback forms from each audience member

Show the audience before and after

Q & A must be a part of the presentation

They have to watch their own speech before submitting.

"I feel like I don't have to be there. It's not about me." "Feels in many ways more authentic than the classroom"

It takes a whole lot of work.

They evaluate former students. Evaluating the paperwork too. She put her own speeches up online (one on delivery). So they get to know her that she can "demonstrate and model" what I'm teaching. Has them evaluate her speech.

Engage class in discussion area. Only respond to the "ask the instructor" posts--leaves the others for authenticity between students.

Uses the chat room for an online small group chat session (challenge--time) Grades after the fact (prints off transcript), but doesn't interfere in the process.

Online virtual office hours. Post hours and expectations for availability online. Use of "office hours" varies.

Tries to think of pedagogy.

Tapes face to face classes. Online class actually gives one more speech than F2F. Believes the quality is as good or sometimes better than what she gets in F2F class.

With the online class--Only difference is that I'm not in the room. Maybe a good thing?

Freemaro2 on youtube.

Virginia Gregg, MN state University Moorheard

Things that are out there for you to use:

Joomla

udutu

softchalk

Joomla--can do alot of webstuff w/o html

Softchalk creates a book for you

Communication tools

Wiki--edit each others work--free

Wetpaint Wetpaint Cenral (now has ads)

PBWorks (lots of options--but might be a bit scary for tech-anxious)

Beyond the handout Teaching Tools

Dropbox (the program not the D2L tool)

Lecture capabilities:

Wimba

GoToWebinar (synchronous or asynchronous)

PanPTO

Power Point to Vidoe

Acoolsoft (takes powerpoint and transfers it to video to almost any format) About 29 dollars

Have them test an audio and video capabilites

SOFTCHALK:

Pages turned into books (TITLES come up in contents page)

Can create different kinds of assessments (Sorting)

Grades can be self-assessed or automatically transferred to D2L gradebook

Can jump to different pages

Can add additional resources as a side bar (content, video, links)

Embed video and comes back automatically without having

Streaming Video

CTAM Opportunities and Challenges: Technology and Communication Studies

At morning breakfast talking about "whether or not technology should be incorporated into Communication classes". There was a conversation that we should start talking about this so we can be "cutting edge." Like teaching them how to use power-point. If you are asking this question, I think you may have missed the boat.

So far I'm hearing a lot about how the teacher might be inconvenienced--not a lot on the benefits for the students.

Obviously, I couldn't keep quiet tool long. I actually went longer staying quiet than I thought.

Electronic communication, communicating more and in different ways. Engagement.

It's not just a matter of convenience. The principles are basically still the same, the medium/context is what might be different.

Rather than be on auto-pilot for a decade and then be lost.

In many regards, students think they are tech savvy but they might not be as much as they think. They are in matters that matter to them, but we can help them in other ways related to communication principles.

Students want the technology and expect them to use it, teach it, model it!