Caroline S Parsons | University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa (original) (raw)
Papers by Caroline S Parsons
Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 2024
This study investigated the influence of learning spaces on community building in a university se... more This study investigated the influence of learning spaces on community building in a university setting. Qualitative analysis of a learning space that employed the use of roundtables was conducted. Interview and focus group data from students and faculty, along with classroom observations, resulted in the finding that the circular arrangement of the learning space positively influenced community building by promoting immediate exchange of feedback, agency, and a system of accountability. This study also found that: 1) both physical and virtual learning spaces influence community building and students’ level of involvement in the learning community is heavily moderated by their desire to be involved, and 2) virtual learning spaces influence community building and students’ level of involvement in the learning community is heavily moderated by instructor efforts to facilitate interpersonal immediacy and educational alliances. Practical recommendations for instructors and administrators along with suggestions for future research are provided.
Syllabus, 2021
Several scholars of communication pedagogy have pointed to debates as one of the most effective ... more Several scholars of communication pedagogy have pointed to debates as one of the most effective assignments in speech and rhetoric courses, appealing to students’ desire for collaboration and participation (German, 1985; Wentzlaff, 1988; Jensen & Williams, 1998). The course in argumentation and critical decision making meets students' need for collaboration and participation through the debate assignment, along with the speeches, activities, and assignments that build up to the debates.
This introductory course in argumentation and critical decision making teaches students to think critically for the purpose of participating in the process of public decision making and understanding how discussion, argumentation, and persuasion function as communication forms for that process. At several universities, this course meets the general education requirement for both humanities and oral communication.
The syllabus included in this article provides a course description, course objectives, course assignments, weekly schedule, course assessments, and course policies for the course in argumentation and critical decision making. This course meets three times a week, face-to-face. Two of the meetings are with each student's section and one of the meetings is a weekly Assembly of all sections.
Syllabus, 2019
While instructors may adopt a variety of approaches in teaching the introductory course, the COM ... more While instructors may adopt a variety of approaches in teaching the introductory course, the COM 101 Introduction to Human Communication course syllabus shared in this article is offered in an online format. As such, quizzes and exams comprise a large percentage of the course. Student engagement and discussion is also an important part of the course. Several instructions about engaging in online discussion are included in the syllabus. This syllabus includes a course description, course objectives, course assignments, weekly schedule, course assessments, and course policies for the introductory-level orientation to the field of communication studies.
Syllabus, 2019
Because its primary goal is to teach oral communication, written communication, and critical t... more Because its primary goal is to teach oral communication, written communication, and critical thinking skills, public speaking is typically a general education requirement is often referred to as the “bread-and-butter” course of the communication department. This article offers a time-tested syllabus for both new and veteran instructors’ use in teaching public speaking.
The COM 123 Public Speaking syllabus offers a course description, course objectives, course assignments, weekly schedule, course assessments, and course policies for a freshman-level public speaking course. In order to acclimate students to the idea of speaking out loud in front of their peers, assignments begin with brief, informal speeches that build up to longer and more formal speeches that count for more points.
This course is designed to teach the theory and practice of basic principles of public speaking, with emphasis on the compositional and presentational aspects of communication in formal speaking situations.
Syllabus, 2018
Rodrick and Dickmeyer (2002) wrote that “the capstone experience not only benefits our students’ ... more Rodrick and Dickmeyer (2002) wrote that “the capstone experience not only benefits our students’ understanding of communication, it also provides them with the values and benefits of undergraduate research in general” (p. 47). Undergraduate research is a central component of the COM 499 capstone course. The COM 499 course challenges students not only to locate and cite academic sources that illuminate a central research question, but also to conduct their own original research. In short, students in COM 499 should receive the message that knowing how to conduct and interpret research will benefit them in their future chosen professions and careers.
Taught as a seminar class, this COM 499 course syllabus offers flexibility for professors to mentor students’ capstone projects in a way that fits with their own academic background and strengths. This essay provides context and explanation to help instructors implement this course syllabus if they choose to do so.
Journal of Learning Spaces, 2018
This study investigated the influence of physical and virtual learning spaces on students’ social... more This study investigated the influence of physical and virtual learning spaces on students’ socialization into future professions while attending a modern university. Qualitative analysis of an undergraduate liberal arts program that employs the use of roundtable classrooms was conducted. Findings revealed that the roundtable classroom promotes socialization by facilitating the exchange of elaborate feedback and intellectual talk between students and instructors. However, some students reported feeling exposed or uncomfortable and thus less likely to participate. Virtual learning spaces influenced socialization, and their effectiveness was heavily moderated by the instructor and by the frequency and use of educational technology. Recommendations and suggestions for future research are provided.
Journal of Learning Spaces, 2017
This study investigated the influence of physical and virtual learning spaces on interactive lear... more This study investigated the influence of physical and virtual learning spaces on interactive learning in a college and university setting. Qualitative analysis of an undergraduate liberal arts program that employs the use of roundtable classrooms was conducted. Interview and focus group data from students and faculty, along with classroom observations, resulted in the finding that the roundtable classroom encouraged interactive learning, face-to-face accountability, and verbal immediacy, along with a “cohort effect” and “fidget factor.” Virtual learning spaces influenced interactive learning, and their effectiveness was heavily moderated by instructors and by the frequency and use of educational technology. Recommendations and suggestions for future research are provided.
Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 2017
By analyzing the audio-recording and transcription of classroom discourse, this case study focuse... more By analyzing the audio-recording and transcription of classroom discourse, this case study focused on the ways in which the instructor used follow-up statements to socialize students into intellectual talk. Four relevant categories of follow-up statements emerged: (a) revoicing, (b) contextualization; (c) parallel elaboration, and (d) assistive elaboration. These follow-up statements elevated students’ ability to articulate their ideas, restated or contextualized their ideas, and guided them to ground their utterances in the course readings and materials. Another conclusion drawn from the findings is that students clearly became enmeshed in the program’s community and were able to demonstrate this membership through their use of intellectual talk in the classroom. Suggestions for future research are provided.
Journal of Learning Spaces, 2016
This study sought to explore how the design of both physical and virtual learning spaces influenc... more This study sought to explore how the design of both physical and virtual learning spaces influence student dialogue in a modern university. Qualitative analysis of the learning spaces in an undergraduate liberal arts program was conducted. Interview and focus group data from students and faculty, in addition to classroom observations, resulted in the finding that the program’s learning spaces empowered students to engage in dialogue, so much so that they occasionally wished to disengage. While this study found support for the idea that both physical and virtual learning spaces can positively influence student dialogue, findings also suggest that the role and purpose of virtual learning spaces (e.g., use of educational technologies) needs to be more intentionally designed and communicated to students. Recommendations and suggestions for future research are provided.
Journal of Communication in Healthcare, 2019
Background: Online social support groups have become a popular source of health information for p... more Background: Online social support groups have become a popular source of health information for patients and the comments exchanged there can be regarded as a kind of social support. Purpose: The aim of this qualitative study was to explore and categorize messages of social support exchanged by hysterectomy patients who visited http://www.hystersisters.com during a six-week period. Two questions were examined: (a) which types of social support are most frequently exchanged on hystersisters.com? and (b) in what ways do women exchange social support on hystersisters.com? Method: A total of 200 messages posted were selected for analysis. Using Cutruna and Suhr’s coding framework and a grounded theory approach, messages were categorized within the coding framework and then analyzed to explore other emerging themes. Results: Findings revealed that informational and emotional support were exchanged most frequently, followed by esteem support, with network and tangible aid as the least frequently exchanged forms of support. Affection and relational support were the most frequently used sub-categories of social support overall, creating a unique sense of community that helped users to transcend their circumstances. Findings also revealed that the sharing of advice and encouragement through personal narratives promoted reciprocal self-disclosure and community-building. Conclusions: Further study should investigate which forms of social support are most effective in health-related online support groups and whether these forms of support result in feelings of self-efficacy, better interactions with health providers, and/or improved health outcomes. Recommendations for practitioners and suggestions for future research are provided.
Communication Teacher, 2024
In this senior capstone course, students participate in a semester-long project to observe an org... more In this senior capstone course, students participate in a semester-long project to observe an organization while applying communication theories and concepts that they have learned throughout their time in the program. After observing the organization and conducting informal interviews with some of its members, students identify a communication-related challenge facing the organization and recommend practical solutions that the organization could implement to improve their communication effectiveness. In the final paper and presentation, students describe conclusions and recommendations for improving the organization’s communication processes, policies, procedures, and/or plans. This capstone project is effective in teaching communication principles because of the immersive impact on the learning process.
Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 2024
This study investigated the influence of learning spaces on community building in a university se... more This study investigated the influence of learning spaces on community building in a university setting. Qualitative analysis of a learning space that employed the use of roundtables was conducted. Interview and focus group data from students and faculty, along with classroom observations, resulted in the finding that the circular arrangement of the learning space positively influenced community building by promoting immediate exchange of feedback, agency, and a system of accountability. This study also found that: 1) both physical and virtual learning spaces influence community building and students’ level of involvement in the learning community is heavily moderated by their desire to be involved, and 2) virtual learning spaces influence community building and students’ level of involvement in the learning community is heavily moderated by instructor efforts to facilitate interpersonal immediacy and educational alliances. Practical recommendations for instructors and administrators along with suggestions for future research are provided.
Syllabus, 2021
Several scholars of communication pedagogy have pointed to debates as one of the most effective ... more Several scholars of communication pedagogy have pointed to debates as one of the most effective assignments in speech and rhetoric courses, appealing to students’ desire for collaboration and participation (German, 1985; Wentzlaff, 1988; Jensen & Williams, 1998). The course in argumentation and critical decision making meets students' need for collaboration and participation through the debate assignment, along with the speeches, activities, and assignments that build up to the debates.
This introductory course in argumentation and critical decision making teaches students to think critically for the purpose of participating in the process of public decision making and understanding how discussion, argumentation, and persuasion function as communication forms for that process. At several universities, this course meets the general education requirement for both humanities and oral communication.
The syllabus included in this article provides a course description, course objectives, course assignments, weekly schedule, course assessments, and course policies for the course in argumentation and critical decision making. This course meets three times a week, face-to-face. Two of the meetings are with each student's section and one of the meetings is a weekly Assembly of all sections.
Syllabus, 2019
While instructors may adopt a variety of approaches in teaching the introductory course, the COM ... more While instructors may adopt a variety of approaches in teaching the introductory course, the COM 101 Introduction to Human Communication course syllabus shared in this article is offered in an online format. As such, quizzes and exams comprise a large percentage of the course. Student engagement and discussion is also an important part of the course. Several instructions about engaging in online discussion are included in the syllabus. This syllabus includes a course description, course objectives, course assignments, weekly schedule, course assessments, and course policies for the introductory-level orientation to the field of communication studies.
Syllabus, 2019
Because its primary goal is to teach oral communication, written communication, and critical t... more Because its primary goal is to teach oral communication, written communication, and critical thinking skills, public speaking is typically a general education requirement is often referred to as the “bread-and-butter” course of the communication department. This article offers a time-tested syllabus for both new and veteran instructors’ use in teaching public speaking.
The COM 123 Public Speaking syllabus offers a course description, course objectives, course assignments, weekly schedule, course assessments, and course policies for a freshman-level public speaking course. In order to acclimate students to the idea of speaking out loud in front of their peers, assignments begin with brief, informal speeches that build up to longer and more formal speeches that count for more points.
This course is designed to teach the theory and practice of basic principles of public speaking, with emphasis on the compositional and presentational aspects of communication in formal speaking situations.
Syllabus, 2018
Rodrick and Dickmeyer (2002) wrote that “the capstone experience not only benefits our students’ ... more Rodrick and Dickmeyer (2002) wrote that “the capstone experience not only benefits our students’ understanding of communication, it also provides them with the values and benefits of undergraduate research in general” (p. 47). Undergraduate research is a central component of the COM 499 capstone course. The COM 499 course challenges students not only to locate and cite academic sources that illuminate a central research question, but also to conduct their own original research. In short, students in COM 499 should receive the message that knowing how to conduct and interpret research will benefit them in their future chosen professions and careers.
Taught as a seminar class, this COM 499 course syllabus offers flexibility for professors to mentor students’ capstone projects in a way that fits with their own academic background and strengths. This essay provides context and explanation to help instructors implement this course syllabus if they choose to do so.
Journal of Learning Spaces, 2018
This study investigated the influence of physical and virtual learning spaces on students’ social... more This study investigated the influence of physical and virtual learning spaces on students’ socialization into future professions while attending a modern university. Qualitative analysis of an undergraduate liberal arts program that employs the use of roundtable classrooms was conducted. Findings revealed that the roundtable classroom promotes socialization by facilitating the exchange of elaborate feedback and intellectual talk between students and instructors. However, some students reported feeling exposed or uncomfortable and thus less likely to participate. Virtual learning spaces influenced socialization, and their effectiveness was heavily moderated by the instructor and by the frequency and use of educational technology. Recommendations and suggestions for future research are provided.
Journal of Learning Spaces, 2017
This study investigated the influence of physical and virtual learning spaces on interactive lear... more This study investigated the influence of physical and virtual learning spaces on interactive learning in a college and university setting. Qualitative analysis of an undergraduate liberal arts program that employs the use of roundtable classrooms was conducted. Interview and focus group data from students and faculty, along with classroom observations, resulted in the finding that the roundtable classroom encouraged interactive learning, face-to-face accountability, and verbal immediacy, along with a “cohort effect” and “fidget factor.” Virtual learning spaces influenced interactive learning, and their effectiveness was heavily moderated by instructors and by the frequency and use of educational technology. Recommendations and suggestions for future research are provided.
Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 2017
By analyzing the audio-recording and transcription of classroom discourse, this case study focuse... more By analyzing the audio-recording and transcription of classroom discourse, this case study focused on the ways in which the instructor used follow-up statements to socialize students into intellectual talk. Four relevant categories of follow-up statements emerged: (a) revoicing, (b) contextualization; (c) parallel elaboration, and (d) assistive elaboration. These follow-up statements elevated students’ ability to articulate their ideas, restated or contextualized their ideas, and guided them to ground their utterances in the course readings and materials. Another conclusion drawn from the findings is that students clearly became enmeshed in the program’s community and were able to demonstrate this membership through their use of intellectual talk in the classroom. Suggestions for future research are provided.
Journal of Learning Spaces, 2016
This study sought to explore how the design of both physical and virtual learning spaces influenc... more This study sought to explore how the design of both physical and virtual learning spaces influence student dialogue in a modern university. Qualitative analysis of the learning spaces in an undergraduate liberal arts program was conducted. Interview and focus group data from students and faculty, in addition to classroom observations, resulted in the finding that the program’s learning spaces empowered students to engage in dialogue, so much so that they occasionally wished to disengage. While this study found support for the idea that both physical and virtual learning spaces can positively influence student dialogue, findings also suggest that the role and purpose of virtual learning spaces (e.g., use of educational technologies) needs to be more intentionally designed and communicated to students. Recommendations and suggestions for future research are provided.
Journal of Communication in Healthcare, 2019
Background: Online social support groups have become a popular source of health information for p... more Background: Online social support groups have become a popular source of health information for patients and the comments exchanged there can be regarded as a kind of social support. Purpose: The aim of this qualitative study was to explore and categorize messages of social support exchanged by hysterectomy patients who visited http://www.hystersisters.com during a six-week period. Two questions were examined: (a) which types of social support are most frequently exchanged on hystersisters.com? and (b) in what ways do women exchange social support on hystersisters.com? Method: A total of 200 messages posted were selected for analysis. Using Cutruna and Suhr’s coding framework and a grounded theory approach, messages were categorized within the coding framework and then analyzed to explore other emerging themes. Results: Findings revealed that informational and emotional support were exchanged most frequently, followed by esteem support, with network and tangible aid as the least frequently exchanged forms of support. Affection and relational support were the most frequently used sub-categories of social support overall, creating a unique sense of community that helped users to transcend their circumstances. Findings also revealed that the sharing of advice and encouragement through personal narratives promoted reciprocal self-disclosure and community-building. Conclusions: Further study should investigate which forms of social support are most effective in health-related online support groups and whether these forms of support result in feelings of self-efficacy, better interactions with health providers, and/or improved health outcomes. Recommendations for practitioners and suggestions for future research are provided.
Communication Teacher, 2024
In this senior capstone course, students participate in a semester-long project to observe an org... more In this senior capstone course, students participate in a semester-long project to observe an organization while applying communication theories and concepts that they have learned throughout their time in the program. After observing the organization and conducting informal interviews with some of its members, students identify a communication-related challenge facing the organization and recommend practical solutions that the organization could implement to improve their communication effectiveness. In the final paper and presentation, students describe conclusions and recommendations for improving the organization’s communication processes, policies, procedures, and/or plans. This capstone project is effective in teaching communication principles because of the immersive impact on the learning process.