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Courses: Communication Research Methods, Qualitative Research Methods. Communication Research Methods, Qualitative Research Methods. Objectives: This activity provides students with an experiential understanding of conducting reflexive thematic analysis in six steps: (1) understanding the data, (2) generating codes, (3) bringing codes into themes, (4) refining themes, (5) verifying themes, and (6) naming themes. Students then learn how to take thematic analysis even further and answer more question using three additional steps to conducting a thematic co-occurrence analysis: (1) creating a co-occurrence matrix, (2) interpreting the co-occurrence matrix, and (3) verifying the analysis.

This unit teaches students how to perform racial rhetorical criticism and positions them to engage in discussions of race through experiential learning, namely through exploring the links between rhetoric, public memory, and campus history projects. Courses: Rhetorical Criticism, Rhetorical Theory, Communication Theory. Objective: Students will gain a better appreciation of racial rhetorical criticism as a research method through an analysis of campus architecture.

Courses: This unit activity applies critical theories from the fields of communication, sociology, and gender studies and therefore can be used in any course that discusses gender studies, qualitative research, content analysis, media effects, film analysis, or LGBTQ studies. This can be modified as an activity for graduate or undergraduate courses. Objectives: The activity utilizes clips from five popular horror films that feature common transphobic tropes and teaches students to apply each tenet of critical media effects (CME) theory into their analysis of the films. This encourages both students and instructors to adopt a trans-inclusive approach to communication theory. By the end of this activity, students will be able to describe CME theory and its tenets, apply components of CME to film analysis, and utilize queer theory as a lens for analyzing media.

Helping students make connections between the disciplinary study of communication and the development of student agency in career exploration can be an important part of the mission of the introductory course in communication. This goal can be achieved by implementing a semester-long communication career awareness research project, scaffolded through a series of incremental assignments and designed using best practices for developing student success skills using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework. Students can exercise independent choice to self-direct their learning not only by exploring a communication-focused career of personal interest, but also by choosing the medium of their final project. Along the way, they engage in intentional goal setting, practice in annotating research sources, and critical self-assessment. Responses from undergraduate students indicate gains in their perceptions of career self-efficacy, especially due to the availability of student choice in the media modality of their project. Courses Introduction to Communication, Public Speaking, other introductory-level courses. Objectives Students will: (1) conduct research on a career path that is directly connected to or enhanced in an important way by the study of communication; (2) set preliminary project goals and benchmarks for success; (3) practice effective source citation and annotation; (4) develop experience in a career-related communication skill set; (5) communicate research findings with fellow students using a medium of the student's choice; and (6) engage in critical self-assessment of project success.

The curriculum review and transformation project reported in this paper represents an intentional and collaborative effort of faculty and administrators in one academic department to implement meaningful changes in undergraduate curricula. Supported by two internal grants from the university, this three-year project included all faculty and administrators of the department. A systematic comparison was conducted between course syllabi content before and after the curriculum content intervention. Results identify changes in syllabi, course learning objectives, units/topics covered, and readings/course materials. Discussion provides implications for curriculum revision and suggestions for best practices to integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion across curricula.

"Targeting an Audience: A Discussion of Relevant Variables and a Test of Priming" is a teaching activity created to further students' knowledge of persuasive message reception and priming--a persuasion tactic often used in advertising by brands. Explanations of intended courses, learning objectives, and rationale are provided to help instructors understand why this activity may be impactful in their classrooms. Additionally, advice for facilitating the activity, including information on the materials, preparation, and a breakdown of the activity's two parts, is provided as a guide for instructors to add this activity to their lesson plan. This activity was written for submission after successful facilitation in a graduate-level communication course, although applications extend beyond this level. An appraisal of the activity suggests limitations and variations of the activity. Originally developed as part of an instructional discussion for a graduate seminar in persuasion, "Targeting an Audience: A Discussion of Relevant Variables and a Test of Priming" is presented in this manuscript as an engaging activity to introduce any college-level student to the ideas of persuasive message reception and priming. Myers et al. (A curricular view of communication course offerings of national communication association department members. Communication Education, 70(4), 421-434, 2021) found persuasion to be the second most commonly offered course among National Communication Association department members, which may suggest that materials and activities to teach persuasion, such as presented in this manuscript, are in high demand. Courses: This activity is intended for use as part of a persuasive communication course lesson in which persuasive message effects on receivers are discussed. Although originally developed for a graduate seminar in persuasion, this activity may also be facilitated in undergraduate persuasion or introductory communication courses. Objectives: By participating in this activity, students will: (1) be able to define individual variables that influence a message receiver; (2) understand the effect of the variables on message reception through discussion of basic research findings and personal experiences; (3) apply the variables to suggest the "target audience" of real-life advertising examples; and (4) understand that receivers are not blank slates.

The opportunities in social media management and digital marketing strategy continue to expand as the profession evolves. Social media has become central for communication around the globe, but social marketers struggle with strategy and planning skills. The client-based activity outlined in this study facilitates the development of skills related to social media content creation and social media strategy with the aim of promoting transformative learning using experiential learning activities. Courses: This semester-long activity can be implemented in media communication, strategic communication, and social/digital marketing courses. The assignment could be adapted to courses in other areas that would benefit from students learning social media content creation and social management tools. For example, this assignment would be apropos for an advertising course where students learn about the art of helping a company stay "on brand" through social media. Likewise, professors teaching public relations courses could adapt this assignment to teach students relationship-building techniques with a company's stakeholders and publics through the use of social media. Additionally, with slight modifications, this assignment can be used by student media advisors to train student media staff. For example, a student newspaper can use this approach to share published stories and promote readership using social media by creating graphics that follow branding guidelines and have a specific goal, such as sharing news. Objectives: With this assignment, students will (1) apply the elements of a social media strategy to create social media content for a brand, and (2) use a social media scheduler to plan a social media strategy.

Perception is one of the most fundamental aspects of human communication. This activity utilizes art to help students experience and understand the psychological and communicative aspects of perception. Students are required to observe and discuss their observations about selected pieces of artwork. After completing the activity, students enhance their abilities to form connections between their experiences and course concepts about perception. Courses: Interpersonal Communication, Small Group Communication, Public Speaking, Introduction to Communication, Nonverbal Communication, Listening, and Visual Communication. Objectives: The activity aims to provide students with first-hand experience and appreciation for how perception influences the way humans receive and interpret all types of messages.

Communication and dietetics departments co-created an assignment to design health campaign materials for a rural South African community that promotes healthy eating habits for pregnant mothers and mothers of young children. The goal of this assignment was twofold. First, we explored the possibility of incorporating a service-learning element into a large module (approximately 500 students) that lacks resources to take students into the community. Second, we explored the impact of the service-learning element on students' investment in the assignment. The dietetics department provided students on the persuasive communication course with information to develop material for the Trompsburg community. The communication students applied the skills they learned to design audience-centered health campaign materials for the dietetics students to take to the Trompsburg community. Students overwhelmingly provided positive feedback, indicating that they were more invested in the project, that the projects would have a positive impact, and that they were able to apply course concepts in a real-life situation. We argue that cross-disciplinary partnerships can effectively provide larger and/or underfunded classes with service-learning assessment opportunities. Courses: This project was implemented in a large, multi-campus persuasive communication class, but could also be applied to any module that teaches content creation, such as marketing communication, strategic communication, visual communication, and so on. Objectives: The objective of this project was to create an assignment that allowed students to apply the persuasive skills they learned throughout the semester in a way that benefitted a rural, poverty-stricken, South African community. Additionally, we wanted to assess whether students could receive the same benefits of service-learning projects without directly engaging with the community they were serving.

This activity helps students conceptualize and apply systems theory principles to a family communication context by having them create personal whole systems using paper, string, index cards, and the floor. In completing this exercise, students see how their subsystems interact and emerge as something greater than the sum of their parts. They also grasp how environmental factors and feedback loops influence change and impact growth. Finally, this exercise helps students identify the complexities and interconnections of individual and family units. Courses: Family Communication. Objectives: At the end of this exercise, students will be able to: (1) describe whole systems, subsystems, environmental factors, and feedback loops; (2) show how multiple subsystems interact and emerge as something greater than the sum of their parts; and (3) see how inputs transform into outputs that contribute to a system's evolution.

Rubrics are a commonly used tool to evaluate student work in the introductory communication course. Although rubrics may appear objective, they are continually interpreted by both instructors and students, often reflecting traditional classroom power dynamics. In order to understand how rubrics constrain as well as expand opportunities for the enactment of critical communication pedagogy, we conducted an interpretive analysis of the presentational speaking rubrics used in the introductory communication course at 20 institutions in the United States. In doing so, we identified three levels of rubric context: high, low, and shared. These contexts inform important theoretical and pedagogical implications for the introductory course, as they highlight existing power dynamics, instructor grading practices, and student agency.

Originally developed in the field of design, design thinking is widely used as a pedagogical tool to help non-designer students cultivate creative thinking and problem-solving skills. Despite its positive effects on student learning via increased motivation, openness to new ideas, and creative thinking, the understanding of design thinking is limited in the field of communication. Using an exploratory case-study methodology, this study aims to examine the effects of using design thinking on students' learning experience in the communication classroom. The thematic analysis of student self-reflection essays revealed that students had very positive experiences with the design-thinking framework. More specifically, design thinking provided students with a toolkit for creative problem solving, helped students create practical knowledge, and allowed them to engage in deeper learning and harness the benefits of collaborative creativity. The findings are discussed to advance pedagogical implications for integrating design thinking as a creative learning tool in the instruction of communication classes in higher education.

Impromptu speaking is a typical exercise in communication-focused courses. This format is often used to practice reducing or assess speaking anxiety, getting to know one another, and delivering project updates and ceremonial remarks. For students to practice their skills in quick thinking and speech preparation, instructors commonly have students draw random written topics and speak in front of their classmates. This procedure, while efficient, can be uninspiring and induce anxiety. The activity outlined increases creative engagement while reducing speech anxiety in impromptu speaking scenarios. It uses randomized collections of emoji as speaking prompts and embraces students' use of texting and visual communication to create livelier classroom experiences while reinforcing impromptu speaking skills by mitigating weaknesses in traditional approaches. Courses: This single-class activity would be useful in public-speaking courses or during presentation and public-speaking units of any course. For example, this activity has also been successfully deployed in an Introduction to Professional Development course's unit on impromptu speaking. Objectives: The learning objectives of this activity are: (1) to practice impromptu speaking and (2) to encourage creative engagement in class.

Assessment has become increasingly integral to college and university accreditation. While formal assessment has become more of a responsibility for instructors as related to their individual classes and assignments, program assessment is also at the center of these conversations. However, few guidelines and resources are being shared with regard to the formal assessment of program learning outcomes. Here, we detail a step-by-step process for conducting a formal assessment of a communication studies program. Specifically, we share our procedures, findings, and implications related to assessment of one communication studies program.

Courses: Visual Rhetoric, Visual Communication, Multiplatform Journalism, Advertising, Journalism, Public Relations. Objective: This unit activity requires that students analyze and produce imagery with the help of semiotic theory. Students will: (1) learn to connect theory with practice holistically by simultaneously practicing visual analysis and synthesis; (2) practice visual rhetoric, a key skill for professionals from media and related sectors; and (3) understand the basics of visual storytelling.

Course: Communication Research Methods. Objectives: This activity provides students with an experiential introduction to measurement theory and the methods for assessing measurement reliability. First, multiple measurements of a person's height are interpreted according to classical test theory. Second, the measurement of human height is used as an exemplar for understanding the various methods of establishing measurement reliability.

In an effort to move students beyond their typical understanding of social media, "the collaborative identity project" requires that they collectively contribute to one single, pseudonymous, online identity spanning five popular social websites over the course of one semester. In this enriching and thought-provoking exercise, students learn valuable lessons about self-representation, social media use, online ethics, and collaborative work, increasing their digital literacy and giving them tacit, experiential knowledge of communication theory concepts. Challenges to be addressed include ethical implications, as well as the need to establish ground rules and closely monitor activity on the sites. This project has wide applicability for teaching and learning about multiple perspectives and theories within the field of communication. It can enhance student learning and digital literacy in any course teaching aspects of interpersonal communication, communication theory, or computer-mediated communication. Courses: This semester-long project is suited for communication courses addressing digital literacy, identity, technology, digital media, social media, mediated communication, interpersonal communication, and communication theory. Objectives: This project challenges students to step outside of their digital comfort zone in order to understand, analyze, and evaluate the role that technology plays in interpersonal communication and the representation of self and others.

As a communication educator, the author's goal is to help students examine and understand how communication addresses--or, in this case, fails to address--public problems such as gun violence. Communication concepts can provide insight about America's bewildering debates about gun violence, and in turn, these debates can help illustrate and refine communication concepts. The unit described herein is built on the insight that America's debates about gun violence are predicated on competing senses of identity. It begins with two main activities: the first illustrates the role of identity in gun rights and gun reform advocacy emails; the second illustrates partisan reception by looking at disparate media accounts of the speech that President Obama delivered after the 2016 mass shooting in Dallas. Courses: Argumentation, deliberation, public address, rhetorical criticism, rhetorical theory, social movements. Objectives: Using debates about the problem of gun violence as an example, this unit illuminates (1) the role of identity; and (2) the role of reception--especially partisan reception--in public argument and deliberation.

Courses: Undergraduate or graduate organizational communication courses. Objectives: The goals for this single-class activity are for students to identify and analyze differing viewpoints on globalization, and to apply organizational communication concepts to an international case study of policy responses to globalization.

Courses: Public speaking. Objective: This activity introduces and activates Monroe's Motivated Sequence.

The possession of a foreign accent constitutes one of the challenges international teaching assistants have to deal with in their encounters in U.S. classrooms. This challenge often impacts their perceived competence and effectiveness in the classroom. Consequently, undergraduate students usually have existing stereotypes about international teaching assistants even before they meet them. This activity teaches perspective taking in intercultural contexts, especially in encounters with international teaching assistants. Effects of taking the perspective of international teaching assistants and people from other cultures include building intercultural relations, improving interpersonal relationships, and empathic communication. Courses: Intercultural Communication, Communication Theory, and first-year courses. Objectives: The aim of this activity is to apply the understanding of perspective taking and intercultural competence in intercultural encounters with international teaching assistants (ITAs) and non-native speakers of the English language.

This study examined how group members with differential levels (highest, middle, and lowest) of ability contributed to argumentative communication while facilitating a cooperative learning process in a small group communication course. Results demonstrated that during discussions: (1) highest ability members utilized more evidence than middle or lowest ability members, (2) lowest ability members generated more non-evidence than evidence, and (3) middle ability members appeared to be less active in articulating evidence. These findings provide evidence that instructors should focus on teaching students how to communicate evidence, identify facilitative versus inhibitive arguments, and respectfully acknowledge and evaluate contributions for effective group learning.

Courses: Campaigns, Account Planning, Public Relations (PR), and any other strategic communication course where groups are assigned. Objectives: The purpose of this single-class escape-room activity is to increase students' ability to work in time-demanding group settings while utilizing unconventional methods to reinforce material covered in strategic communication (Advertising and PR) courses. By the end of the activity, students will: (1) understand how diverse approaches and perspectives from group members can assist in a non-course evaluative environment (to minimize concern about grades); (2) enhance their group dynamics by allowing them to engage in application of concepts in a new context; and (3) recognize how interdependence can lead to positive group outcomes.

Challenges to identity formation often emerge during college experiences as one's world view is confronted by exposure to new social circles, ideas, and cultures. Through the analysis of interpenetrating identities in the popular television show, "The Big Bang Theory," students are able to locate concrete examples of the four frames of Jung and Hecht's communication theory of identity and related identity gaps. Students are then provided the opportunity to reflect on identity inconsistencies in their own identity management, the effects on communication outcomes, and how to improve communication outcomes across identity gaps. Courses: Interpersonal Communication, Media and Culture, and courses in relational communication or family dynamics. Objectives: By completing this activity, students should be able to: (1) explain the concept of identity gaps and the four frames in the communication theory of identity; (2) locate examples of those frames/gaps in a mediated example of an interaction; and (3) critically think about the way identity gaps may influence communication outcomes.

Courses: Undergraduate courses in interpersonal communication, nonverbal communication, relational communication, computer-mediated communication (CMC), and intercultural communication, as well as basic communication courses. Objectives: The purpose of this activity is twofold: (1) to demonstrate how nonverbal communication shapes content and relational meaning in interpersonal communication; and (2) to demonstrate how nonverbal communication is rule-guided and influenced by culture.

The purpose of this study was to find out whether the previously identified gender gap in public speaking anxiety and self-perceived communication competence was also evident in student speaking performances. This study also examined whether students developed equally strong presentations in public speaking versus hybrid introductory communication courses. Recordings of 164 explanatory speech performances were graded, and results were analyzed using a 2 × 2 factorial multivariate analysis of variance. Results showed no difference between males and females in performance. Both course formats resulted in speech performances that were proficient to mastery level, with marginally stronger performances in the public speaking course.

While a new medium can enhance communication access by bringing back small group structures or access to local communities, it can also turn communal events such as dining out or drinks with friends into antisocial experiences. The social impact of a medium on the human experience is in part why McLuhan (McLuhan M. [1964b]. Understanding media: The extension of man. Boston, MA: MIT Press) asserts that it is the medium that is the message. Utilizing an active learning approach, this lesson highlights how medium theory developed, how these developments led to significant cultural changes, and seeks to cultivate "critical thinking-skills, and elicit [a] discovery and construction of knowledge" that emphasizes why the medium is the message (Krain M. [2010]. The effects of different types of case learning on student engagement. International Studies Perspectives, 11, 291-308; p. 292). To encourage an experiential learning process, students will actively engage with the sensory changes of each medium (i.e. oral, written/print, electronic, and interactive) through a singular narrative genre (e.g. Zombies). Courses: Communication Theory, Media Theory, Media Literacy, Media History. Objectives: Students will directly experience a medium and its influence on message processing and will critically analyze these experiences to improve both their understanding of medium theory and the sociocultural impacts that a medium can have.

Courses: Introduction to Communication Studies, Rhetorical/Media Criticism, Political Communication, Language and Social Interaction. Objectives: The aims of this single-class activity are (1) to emphasize the complexities of communication competence; (2) to differentiate between appropriate and inappropriate communication behaviors; and (3) to illustrate the connections between situational rules, norms, and context, and communication effectiveness.

In this semester-long activity, I describe how to create a collaborative cabinet of curiosities that engages critical methods of inquiry as an alternative summative assignment. Courses: Communication Pedagogy, Gender and Communication, Performance Studies. Objective: The objective of this assignment is for students to identify and analyze how communication constitutes their educational experience.

E-journaling invites students to reflect upon and synthesize their experiences, readings, discussions, and presentations in a series of electronic entries, usually viewed only by the student and the instructor. E-journaling assignments have become easier to complete and grade in the last few years because they are now supported by learning management system learning tools at most colleges and universities. This article summarizes the benefits of journaling and offers several e-journaling activities in an effort to encourage instructors to use this powerful tool in a variety of communication classes. Courses: All communication courses. Objectives: At the end of these electronic journaling (e-journaling) activities, students will be able to: develop a quality reflective practice; augment critical analysis abilities in readings, experiences, and discussions; grow in their own feedback processes; and assess growth in their knowledge and skill development over the length of a course.

Numerous institutions encourage service-learning, but few have extended beyond nonprofit realms to include (1) larger budgets, (2) multi-faceted volunteer/staff/leadership constraints, and (3) elevated expectations with immediate impact on full towns. This study explores how strategic communication students construct knowledge in branding and relationship building while solving real-world problems. To do so, this research examines service-learning, place-branding projects for senior capstone students. Specifically, students in two courses developed and partially implemented strategic place-branding plans for two struggling towns. This work details the approach and, through quantitative and qualitative methods, extends understanding of service-learning outcomes for students, faculty, the university, and communities.

Courses: Critically fun is a single-class activity for communication classes discussing persuasive messages, the effects of mass media, or rhetorical analysis (e.g. public speaking, communication theory, mass media, and rhetoric). Objectives: By the end of the activity, students should be able to analyze critically the rhetorical significance of the setting, visual features, message content, humor, persuasive elements, and impact of a humorous, political artifact. This activity was designed to help students engage in critical thinking, evaluation, and assessment of humor. Although this can function as a non-graded, in-class activity, it could be modified into an out-of-class assignment for traditional, hybrid, or online courses.

Courses: Science communication, public speaking, technical communication, professional and/or management communication. Objectives: This activity about scientific and technical communication uses narrative principles to communicate complex information to broader audiences. Upon completion of the activity, students will be able to: (1) Explain the four fundamental elements of Cohen's framework for creating memorable anecdotes; (2) Identify the four elements of Cohen's framework in sample scientific presentations; (3) Provide examples of how to apply Cohen's framework to communicate complex information; (4) Identify one or two complex concepts in their subject area that would benefit from a narrative approach; and (5) (Optional) Use Cohen's framework to create a narrative relevant to their subject area.

This activity highlights the concept of cultural hegemony, illustrating it by a reflection on the images of success and successful people portrayed in the media. The purpose of the exercise is to introduce students to this concept, and for them to examine how hegemonic views of others and the self affect the way they conceptualize success and perceive who a successful person is. Students will understand the role of the media in reproducing hegemonic representations of reality in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, disability, and so on, and how these representations limit their world view and are detrimental for those who do not abide by the dominant stereotypical images. The exercise also intends to expose students to complex narratives of what success may mean beyond accumulation of wealth, competition, nationality, whiteness, and patriarchal values, and for them to reflect upon intersectionality, by challenging and critiquing dominant portrayals of human achievement. Courses: Introduction to Media Studies, Introduction to Media and Culture, or any introductory communication course discussing media representation. Objectives: Students will (1) identify the role of cultural hegemony in the mediated construction of success; (2) understand and critically evaluate how hegemonic media representations of gender, class, race, ethnicity, physical ability, national origin, and so on limit people's world views about human achievement; and (3) self-reflect on their own representations of success and reframe "success" moving beyond hegemonic representations attached to patriarchy, heteronormativity, whiteness, physical ability, competition, and capitalist accumulation.

Courses: Any course that examines mediated and/or online communication, including but not limited to--Computer-Mediated Communication, Communication Theory, Interpersonal Communication, Introduction to Communication, and Organizational Communication. Objectives: In this single-class activity, students apply their knowledge of mediated communication theory by playing a twist on the classic party game Pictionary. Students attempt to communicate messages using only emojis. In doing so, they refine their understanding of how individuals adapt their mediated messages to account for the lack of nonverbal cues in many online environments.

Courses: Interpersonal Communication, Fundamentals of Human Communication, Communication Theory, Public Speaking, and Intercultural Communication. Objectives: After completing this single-class activity, students will be able to (1) describe how meaning is created through symbolic interaction, (2) explain how the self is created through symbolic interaction, and (3) give examples of their own self-concept that was co-created, reflected upon, and revised through interaction with others in the classroom.

Course: Online or mediated communication courses. Objectives: The purpose of this activity is to provide students with a more engaging way of immersing themselves in the course material through an interactive "Easter egg" syllabus. An Easter egg is an "undocumented function hidden in software … [they are] secret 'goodies' … used in video games, movies, TV commercials, DVDs, CDs, CD-ROMs and every so often in hardware" (PC Magazine [n.d.]. Definition of Easter Egg. Retrieved from https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/42295/easter-egg). An Easter egg syllabus is guided by this mediated tradition through its inclusion of hidden embeddable audio and video clips to enhance student understanding of the structure of the class and its overall content, as well as adding a game-like component to student learning. By using the syllabus, students can take a more active role in their own learning and make connections between course concepts and the illustrations found in the Easter egg syllabus.

This activity elucidates a critical and pragmatic means by which students and instructors can examine the practice of labor exploitation by neoliberal corporations. By employing critical communication pedagogy (CCP), instructors and students can learn about the ways that corporations actively steal wages from their employees and communicatively justify this theft through the ethic of individualism. In so doing, corporations break the social contract and inculcate employees to believe not in collectivism and social responsibility, but instead only in the logic of the free market. Thus, employees internalize the idea that earning at a level below what is desired is the fault of the individual and not the fault of the corporation. Employees learn to absolve corporations of any wrongdoing. Students and instructors will challenge this ideology and practice by employing the tenets of CCP to recognize and respond to labor exploitation. Courses: Business and Professional Communication, Professional Speaking, Instructional Communication, Critical Studies/Critical Theory in Communication. Objectives: In this two-day activity, first, students will learn about critical communication pedagogy (CCP) and how they can apply it to respond to hegemony. Second, students will learn about the concept of labor exploitation that they may face in their future careers. Third, students will apply CCP to analyze and respond to the ways in which corporations justify labor exploitation through their communicative practices, equipping students to push back against labor exploitation in their future careers.

Courses: Strategic Campaigns, Advertising/Public Relations Campaigns. Objectives: The purpose of this semester-long project is student application of research-based strategic communication strategies and techniques used in executing a professional strategic communication campaign for a client.

Course: Interpersonal Communication. Objective: This semester-long approach utilizes weekly podcasts to engage students in narrative learning. Students evaluate podcast narratives and apply interpersonal communication concepts and theories through structured and unstructured learning activities.

Courses: This semester-long collaboration occurs in an introductory public-speaking course, but could be applied to other communication courses that emphasize research and information literacy skills. Objectives: This semester-long collaboration between a communication professor and campus librarian is designed to increase the information literacy and research skills of students in the introductory speech course. Upon completion of the course, students will demonstrate their ability to: locate, assess, and effectively use a variety of credible supporting materials in their presentations; effectively assess the credibility of supporting materials used in classmates' speeches; and make full use of library resources.

Courses: Communication Theory, Nonverbal Communication, Public Speaking. Objective: At the end of this activity, students should be able to define key components of expectancy violations theory and apply the theory to analyze violations that occurred in Clint Eastwood's speech at the 2012 Republican National Convention.

Courses: Persuasion, Compliance Gaining. Objectives: In this single-class activity, based loosely on the video-game sensation Pokémon GO, students learn about, enact, and "capture" a variety of compliance-gaining tactics. Along the way, they gain awareness of various approaches to persuasion, the implications of using such approaches, habitual persuasion, and the goals-plans-action model.

Courses: Professional Speaking, Business and Professional Communication, Environmental Communication, or any course covering topics related to neoliberalism and the environment. Objectives: In this single-class activity, students will first examine the possible environmental effects of fracking near the Bakken Oil Formation in North Dakota. Second, students will evaluate how the petroleum industry obscures the effects of fracking through the use of corporate ventriloquism. Third, students will respond to the petroleum industry's power by utilizing critical communication pedagogy.

This paper examined the practice of using LinkedIn as a tool for teaching students how to create a professional online presence. A descriptive analysis of student LinkedIn profiles revealed that students included some basic requirements, but many students still neglected to fully complete the profile, thereby leaving out some important information that would boost their credibility. Additional exploratory analyses were conducted. Results are discussed in relation to contemporary best practices for the platform. Suggestions for the improvement of the assignment given to students to teach professional online presence through LinkedIn are also given.

Students in communication, and particularly in advertising, are encouraged to value creativity. However, even in programs that value creativity, it can be difficult to encourage creativity in the process of research that guides communication efforts. The project described in this paper--"Street Crossing"--is used in upper-division and graduate-level account planning courses as a unit activity. While definitions of account planning vary, a consistent theme is account planners serve as a "voice of the consumer" in the agency and ensure campaigns will resonate with consumers (Hackley, 2003; King, 2008a, 2008b; Kocek, 2013; Pollitt, 2008; Steel, 1998). A primary goal of account planning is to determine what consumers "really" want, not just what they "say" they want when asked (Steel, 1998). Uncovering insights to guide an effective advertising campaign requires thoughtful qualitative and quantitative research, often supplemented by anthropological observational research--immersing oneself in the consumer's life (Kocek, 2013; Steel, 1998). A key benefit of the Street Crossing exercise is it provides students an opportunity to explore different ways of using research to solve a communication problem, explain the thinking behind that research, and make communication recommendations based on their findings--all skills required for account planners. In essence, the Street Crossing exercise bridges the gap between research methods textbooks to applied practice by illustrating how research, when done properly, can lead to better strategic and creative outcomes.

To teach collaboration and overcome students' aversion to teamwork, Pope-Ruark (2012) recommends the Scrum approach, which she has used to manage major client-based course projects in writing and publishing courses. The Scrum approach emerged out of the software development industry in the 1990s as a framework for improving team collaboration, creativity, and flexibility (Fitzgerald, 2013; Johnson, 2012). The name "Scrum" comes from a rugby play in which eight members of a rugby team lock arms together to form a "scrum," or a pack, that goes against the opposing team's "scrum" ("The Laws," 2009). In essence, the joined team members act "together with everyone else to move the ball down the field" (Rising & Janoff, 2000, p. 30). The software development industry adopted the term Scrum "as a metaphor for the product development activities of small, cross-functional, high performing teams" (Pope-Ruark, 2012, p. 165). In a Scrum approach, software team members act together to move projects forward by using tools known as Scrum boards, Scrum meetings, and Scrum retrospectives that enable them to literally "stay on the same page" and quickly adapt and reprioritize tasks based on changing project needs (Baird & Riggins, 2012). A variety of organizations, such as Starbucks, National Public Radio, government agencies, churches, and wedding planners, have adopted Scrum to improve team performance, inventiveness, and adaptability (Fitzgerald, 2013; Johnson, 2012). In this activity, the authors describe how they have adapted Scrum in introductory small-group communication courses and an upper-level communication and conflict course with the objectives of teaching and enhancing team collaboration. Scrum teaches students to plan short-, medium-, and long-term goals and offers students tools for breaking complex tasks into manageable concrete pieces, prioritizing tasks according to project needs, and sharing information in non-evaluative ways (Baird & Riggins, 2012; Hocker & Wilmot, 2013). Thus, Scrum helps teams create behaviorally specific goals and practice open and supportive communication--key techniques for building collaborative skills (Hocker & Wilmot, 2013).

Watching images through mass media presents a challenge for understanding the complexities of different cultures within and outside the United States. Photographic images, in particular, are ubiquitous in our mediated world, populating old and interactive media and many times serving to perpetuate established codes of understanding and action. Therefore, many times, simplistic representations of other cultures are disseminated through the mass media without challenge. Visual literacy is, hence, an important tool for critically decoding images and for deconstructing cultural stereotypes (Kellner, 2010). Beyond solely analyzing visual images, the exercise described here attempts to generate a different understanding of cultures by asking students to create visual representations anew and find links that connect their experience with what they see and capture. Therefore, in the creative act of producing a photographic portfolio and an accompanying essay, students develop a deeper understanding of cultural difference. References and suggested readings are provided.

As many gender teachers know, distinctions between and among complex terms in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans (gender or sexual), queer (LGBTQ) group are often difficult for students to articulate and identify. In fact, terms like "sex" and "gender" are often conflated in public discourse, and terms like "transgender" and "transsexual" are often erroneously used and people misrepresented, and thus difficult for students to distinguish, especially when knowledge is often derived from media discourse. The teaching activity described in this article tackles these difficulties by emphasizing the importance of conceptual clarity in discussing gender identity. The objective of this activity is to engage students in mediated gender experiences in order to examine the differences and complexities of gender and its related concepts. Specifically, students will be able to distinguish sex and gender, transgender and transsexual, and sexuality and gender; identify and clarify common misperceptions about various lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans (gender or sexual), queer people (LGBTQ); and promote civil discourse. References and suggested readings are provided.

Listening is a core component of developing effective communication skills. Thus, a common objective of many basic communication courses is to help students become better listeners (Johnson & Long, 2007). Often, the teacher's goal is to show students that there are different listening styles or preferences and that people decode messages in various ways based on their unique approach to receiving information. It is crucial for students to learn listening preferences, as research continues to demonstrate the importance of strong communication skills, such as listening, for entry-level employees. This article describes an in-class activity that asks students to plan a vacation and shows how various listening preferences impact day-to-day communication. This exercise helps students apply the concept of listening and understand how it influences their everyday actions. Through applying listening styles in this simple activity, students are able to see the practical value in understanding the listening preferences of themselves and others.