Facilitating meaningful interaction among students is a significant challenge of teaching in the online environment. This paper presents a semester-long approach that enables quality interaction among group members within undergraduate online group communication courses while experiencing the challenges of working with geographically dispersed…

The theory of transactional distance has been subjected to a variety of empirical tests and philosophical critiques. Throughout this process, the variable of dialogue has attracted much attention. Although dialogue has proven difficult to measure and define, it is widely regarded as an ideal outcome of the teacher-learner transaction. Considered…

Previous research supports the idea that the success of hybrid or online delivery modes is more a function of course design than delivery media. This article describes a case study of a hybrid Principles of Marketing course that implemented a comprehensive redesign based on design principles espoused by the Quality Matters Program, a center for…

The Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE) is an international, non-profit educational organization. The Association's purpose is to advance the knowledge, theory, and quality of teaching and learning at all levels with information technology. "E-Learn 2014: World Conference on E-Learning" took place in New…

The purpose of this study was to describe undergraduate students' experiences and perceptions of online courses based on interviews, observations, and online focus groups. I describe (a) motivational and learner characteristics within online classes, (b) the positive and negative aspects of online courses as experienced by students, (c) what…

In recent years, learning management systems (LMS) have become very popular in almost all traditional universities, generating a new learning strategy approach, mixing elements from both traditional and online learning: the blended learning or b-learning. How these new environments influence teaching activities and learning processes are the main…

Online education has come of age, and along with the advent of online education, there have been numerous calls for improvement in administrator preparation programs. As a result, many administrative preparation programs have revised and reshaped their programs to address this concern. In this regard, this paper will discuss one component of the…

The creation and building of an interpersonal communication course varies with the course content and format, the instructor, and the students. Although such courses have changed over the past 10 years and will continue to change, there are five points of emphasis in which these variables figure. The first point or rule is that the course must…

Shares an alternative (and tested) approach to teaching the small group communication course, which includes discussions of race, gender, and class as important communication variables within various social and interpersonal communication. (SR)

Designed in response to the need for public relations education to produce well-trained, culturally sensitive practitioners for the workforce and the marketplace, an innovative semester-length course was launched in fall 1990 at Florida International University to enable public relations graduate and undergraduate students to explore the…

A course of study in social psychology should progress from the personal to the social. It should be organized around the study of four topics: (1) the boundaries of the self; (2) the relation between individuals; (3) communication between individuals; and (4) leadership and social power. (Author/RM)

This paper explores some possible methodologies and approaches to the teaching of empathic listening, an essential component of human communication and listening competency. It defines empathic listening as "feeling with" another: a cognitive understanding of what the other is communicating plus a sensitivity to their state of emotion.…

Gives an overview of service-learning principles and a rationale for transforming traditional courses into service-learning courses. Presents small-group techniques for problem solving and increasing group service-learning success. Draws on author experience and research in other disciplines. Argues that, when theories of classroom instruction are…

Engineering is the science, art, and business of designing and getting things done; engineers are required to make things happen through interpersonal relationships. At Monash University (Australia), a new course, Management for Engineers, was set up in 1990 to encourage a more holistic approach to the process of engineering. The course included…

Describes a course developed at the University of Victoria (British Columbia) to provide training for educators that will facilitate communication with computer scientists as they work together on educational software development projects. Software engineering and instructional design principles are discussed, the course methodology is explained,…