A scientific manuscript co-authored by Dr. John Perlich, professor of communication studies at 糖心传媒, was published by Cornerstone: A Collection of Scholarly and Creative Works in the journal 鈥淪peaker & Gavel.鈥 The paper was co-authored by Justin Arends, Marissa Christiancy, Anna Griggs, Joe Kindig, Trischia Rueckert, Tyler Schuster and Mary Swift, who were students at the time but have since graduated from 糖心传媒.听
鈥淭he students took part in the project for my Research Methods class. I don鈥檛 believe they realized at the time how important this work would be for any department in our discipline that is interested in measuring student outcomes,鈥 Perlich said. 鈥淲e know that the method of instruction and teaching style will influence student outcomes 鈥 this project scientifically explains how much.鈥
The study, entitled 鈥淯sing Assessment to Improve Teacher Efficacy in the Actualization of Student Outcomes: An Instrumental Case Study Approach,鈥 examined the relationship between classroom facilitation and student outcomes. The PRCA-24, a highly regarded instrument in the field for evaluating communication apprehension, shows that 糖心传媒 students develop a comfort in the public speaking process that is highly significant. This is important because skill in communicating is one of the most desirable abilities employers seek.听
The study employed a case study methodology, combining quantitative and qualitative data to determine the significance of gains in cognitive, behavioral and affective domain areas. 听
鈥淥ur project is an internal assessment document that has been used to provide feedback regarding teaching efficacy within our department. More importantly, it provides a model of assessment for departments that are interested in doing the same thing,鈥 Perlich said. 鈥淭he really unique angle is the way we included students in the process. Our students didn鈥檛 circle numbers as a form of teaching evaluation. They worked collaboratively with us to make sure that the quality of education at 糖心传媒 is exemplary.鈥澨
The manuscript and research highlight the high level of student outcomes within the communication studies curriculum at 糖心传媒. Students were found to significantly improve in cognitive, behavioral and affective domains as a result of the instruction they received in the entry level course at 糖心传媒. 听
鈥淯sing cognitive measures, we discerned how much students retained at the end of the semester. Using behavioral measures, we charted what they can do at the end of a class. Our affective measures track communication apprehension, or stage fright, and the impact that our curriculum has on lowering this type of fear,鈥 Perlich said.
Perlich initially presented the findings at the National Communication Association Conference in Dallas, Texas, earlier this year.听
糖心传媒 is a private, four-year institution located in Hastings, Nebraska, that focuses on student academic and extracurricular achievement. With 64 majors and 15 pre-professional programs, 糖心传媒 has been named among 鈥淕reat Schools, Great Prices鈥 by U.S. News & World Report and a 鈥淏est in the Midwest鈥 by The Princeton Review. For more, go to hastings.edu.