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In this article, we provide an overview of the overturning of Roe v. Wade and consider its implications for communication classrooms in higher education. We assert that we as communication educators have a moral imperative to consider the role of intersectionality and reproductive justice in our teaching philosophies and implementation, and to do so, we discuss the interrelated nature of intersectionality, reproductive justice, and critical communication pedagogy.

Objectives: This study examines how the transition to remote delivery during the spring of 2020 affected student learning in the basic communication course. Methods: Participants in three different course delivery modes (face-to-face, online, and live interactive) were enrolled in a public speaking course with standardized adaptive reading quizzes, exams, and speech assignments. Participants completed several measures over the course of the semester and had their responses paired up with their end-of-semester grade book data. Results: Results of this study indicate that students who were enrolled in a face-to-face course and transitioned online during the COVID-19 pandemic were outperformed by online and learning interactive students in several of the standardized assignments in the course. Conclusions: Overall, face-to-face (FtF) students performed four percentage points lower in the course than the learning interactive and online groups while also demonstrating more emotional interest in the course than the other two groups. Implication for Theory and/or Practice: In future transitions to remote learning, FtF students may experience greater disruption than existing online students. Instructors should be mindful of this finding in transitioning to remote learning during the semester.

This study examines the basic communication course (BCC) as it relates to students' first academic year at a university. Specifically, we compared students completing both a first-year experience (FYE) course and BCC against students completing only an FYE course. Data was collected over two cohorts of students and after analytical procedures, we found that there is an association between courses taken (both a FYE course and BCC or just a FYE course) and retention at the university. Additionally, the results revealed that the combination of both a FYE course and BCC during the first-year fostered emotional support and classroom connectedness, which previous research suggests improves students' integration into the larger academic community (see Dwyer, Bingham, Carlson, Prisbell, Cruz, & Fus, 2004; Titsworth, McKenna, Mazer, & Quinlan, 2013). Ultimately, this research provides implications for the integral role the BCC plays in the first-year.

Prior to beginning a basic communication course, students enter with learning expectations and motivations to transfer knowledge outside the classroom. The present study examined 373 qualitative pre- and post-test responses from students enrolled in a basic communication course to assess their self-defined learning and speaking preparation expectations. Through our findings, we learn that students articulate their goals in relationship to communication skills (e.g., reduce anxiety, verbal/non-verbal, audience analysis, personal goals, and confidence) and preparation (e.g., writing, outlining, presenting, and past experiences). These findings are explored in greater detail and extend our understanding of students' goals and expectations when they enter the basic communication course. Implications, limitations, and future directions are also presented.

Students enrolled in a basic communication course are required to self-examine their communication apprehension by means of the PRPSA (McCroskey 1970). The present study qualitatively examined pretest and posttest responses from 793 students enrolled in a basic communication course to assess their understanding of their communication apprehension. Our findings reveal that students articulate their communication apprehension in relationship to their public speaking skills (e.g., writing/outlining, audience analysis, and argumentation skills) and cultural identity (e.g., ESL, peer relationship, and religious identity). Our findings contribute to previous understanding of communication apprehension and are discussed in great detail alongside implications and future directions.

Students enrolled in the basic communication course often engage in peer feedback workshops to enhance presentational speaking competence. As such, peer feedback workshops in the basic communication course provide an opportunity for students to provide and receive feedback on speech form, structure, and delivery (Broeckelman-Post & Hosek, 2014). The present study qualitatively examined data from 110 students enrolled in a basic communication course to determine their perceptions of the peer feedback process and what role(s), if any, they believed they had in the peer feedback process. Our thematic analysis revealed that students' perceive peer feedback as a form of agency, influence, and skill building and perceive their role as a content editor, audience/body, and performance evaluator. Limitations and future research directions are also discussed

This study examined mobile phone use in the classroom by using an experimental design to study how message content (related or unrelated to class lecture) and message creation (responding to or creating a message) impact student learning. Participants in eight experimental groups and a control group watched a video lecture, took notes, and completed tests of student learning. The control and relevant message groups earned a 10-17% higher letter grade, scored 70% higher on recalling information, and scored 50% higher on note-taking than students who composed tweets or responded to irrelevant messages. Sending/receiving messages unrelated to class content negatively impacted learning and note-taking, while related messages did not appear to have a significant negative impact.

Lesbian, gay, and queer (LGQ) teachers often deal with the tension between disclosing and concealing their sexual orientations in the college classroom. This article presents the results of a qualitative interview study with 29 self-identified LGQ college teachers about their choices to disclose or conceal their sexual identities. Using Communication Privacy Management (CPM) as a theoretical framework, interview transcripts were thematically analyzed for privacy rule criteria and disclosure/concealment strategies. This study contributes to previous understanding of CPM by magnifying five strategies for disclosing or concealing sexual identity: selection, reciprocity, ambiguity, deflection, and avoidance. These findings are discussed in greater detail, and implications for CPM theory and teacher sexual identity disclosure in the classroom are further explored.

This assignment described here serves as a meaningful way to engage students who are perhaps less involved in giving back to their own community (Galston, 2003). By engaging students in "pay it forward" experiences, this assignment can help foster a sense of active citizenship. Often political engagement is associated with acts related to the development of political values for public works, community, and policy issues (Colby, Beaumont, Ehrlich, & Corngold, 2007). However, an active citizen is also someone who makes a thoughtful decision to accommodate, transform, and engage conversation in hopes of change. Students can serve as agents of their community and encourage positive social interactions (Jacoby, 2009). At first glance, this assignment might seem like any other introductory speech. However, this is not your typical introductory speech done on the second day of class. From a purely pedagogical perspective, when students complete this assignment, they will have learned how to organize and outline a speech properly. This assignment is unique in that it encourages students to become engaged and active citizens on their campus and community. This assignment is appropriate for courses in Public Speaking, Basic Course, Interpersonal Communication, and Small Group Communication.

Purpose: In the process of the implementation of the eBologna program and the recent change of the university system, curricula at German universities have been redesigned; courses have been condensed and learning content has been re-structured into modules, each of which requires an evaluation. Simultaneously, skills required for working in research and development changed; knowledge of mathematical or numerical algorithms and programming skills play an increasingly important role in the daily job routine of the working engineer. The purpose of this paper is to describe, implement and test a new course on numerical simulations along with a new software infrastructure, addressing this predicament. Design/methodology/approach: To support learning by practical exercises, engineering faculties, the faculties of mathematics and physics, and the Computing Center of the University of Stuttgart setup a project for implementing an online programming lab for teaching the required skills. The focus of this project is to provide easy access to the necessary software tools, to avoid the overhead of installation and maintenance, and to seamlessly integrate these tools into the e-learning infrastructure of the university. Findings: Student evaluations showed a high acceptance of the project and the developed software is now well-accepted and taken as a self-evident part of the homework routine. Originality/value: An online programming lab that integrates seamlessly into the e-learning infrastructure of the university and is platform and system independent by following the established SCORM standard. (Contains 3 figures, 1 table and 2 notes.)

The profile of students is changing, with an increase in first-generation and adult students. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in college perceptions between first-generation and continuing-generation adult undergraduates while controlling for demographic variables. The study and hypotheses are grounded in the Model of College Outcomes for Adult Students. It was hypothesized that first-generation students would report higher importance and lower satisfaction scores on the following variables: instructional effectiveness, academic advising, registration effectiveness, campus climate, safety and security, academic services, admissions and financial aid effectiveness, and service excellence. The results revealed that sex (more females) accounted for variance between first- and continuing-generation students on importance. There were no differences regarding satisfaction. With a higher number of female adult and first-generation students, higher education should better examine how to meet these students' needs. Recommendations for future research and practical implications are provided. (Contains 3 tables.)