Communication Through Experiential Learning

Theme Experiencing Communication Create messages appropriate to audience, purpose and situation of the educational discipline

Description The goal of the Quality Enhancement Program at Sul Ross is for students to be able to create messages appropriate to the audience, purpose and situations of their educational discipline. The QEP is designed to use experiential learning tools and methods to provide students with the opportunity to develop their communication skills. Each opportunity is unique to its educational discipline, allowing faculty and students to design course assignments, projects or activities that promote active engagement of students in real life applications of their disciplines.

Description To create effective messages requires: the ability to determine relevancy of information, select appropriate message mediums, adapt messages to diverse needs of the audience, adjust messages during the communication process and reflect on one’s own messages after the communication event.

Student Learning Outcomes Students will demonstrate the ability to create messages to meet diverse needs of individuals, groups and situations to achieve their goals. Students will be able to create messages appropriate to the audience, purpose and situations of their educational discipline Students will be able to adjust messages during the communication process and reflect on their message after the communication event Students will be able to interpret and analyze the results of the message

Alignment to SRSU/RGC Mission Statement The QEP is designed to use experiential learning tools and methods to provide students with the opportunity to develop their communication skills. Our mission at Sul Ross State University is to prepare students to be responsible, educated, skillful and valuable leaders in careers spanning the nation and world. Through experiential learning, SRSU students will have opportunities to engage civic life and address community needs while learning to communicate effectively.

Suggested Activities IT students, as a final project in a class, would create a presentation to teach a skill learned in the class to a specific audience. A student completing an internship in their discipline will prepare an orientation webpage that can be used to help select and train future interns. A student returning from a educational tour will prepare a digital story of their experience to help other students decide if an educational tour is the best choice for them.

ExemplaryAccomplishedPromisingIncomplete Select relevant information Message is relevant and appropriate to goals, audiences, purposes and situations Message is relevant and appropriate to goals, audiences or purposes, but not to all of these. Message relevance is somewhat obvious and appropriate to the topic. Message relevance is not clear or not appropriate for audience. Select creative and appropriate modalities and technologies Choice of message modalities is creative and uses appropriate technologies. Choice of message modalities works but is not particularly creative. Choice of message modalities misses out on creative or technological opportunities. Choice of message modalities is ineffective or inappropriate. Adapt message to diverse audiences Message is appropriately adapted to the diverse needs of individuals, groups and situations. Message is adapted to some individuals groups and situations. Message is adapted to a limited group or situation. Intended audience for message is unclear. Use of multiple communication modalities Multiple appropriate communication modalities are used. More than one appropriate communication modality is used. Multiple communication modalities are used but some are not effective for the message. Only one communication modality is used or those that are used are not effective. Adjust messages during communication The communication event was closely monitored and the message was adjusted as necessary. Attempts were made to monitor the communication event and adjust messages as necessary. Attempts to monitor the communication event could have been better thought out or implemented. No attempts to monitor or adjust the message was made during the communication event. Critically reflect on message after the communication event Data was collected during the communication event and analyzed including a personal reflection on the communication process. Data was collected but not thoroughly analyzed and reflected on. Attempts to collect data and reflect on the communication event could have been better though out. No attempt was made to collect data, analyze or reflect on the communication event.

Enhancement of Existing Programs Add assistant to careers and testing office to maintain list of service learning projects and internships available to students. Include an experiential learning element in the First Year Seminar Course development - (appoint) a Course Design Consultant to work with the faculty in designing courses that integrates experiential learning activities into the course while taking into consideration such factors as student demographics and teaching delivery methods.

Budget Funds for faculty and staff to attend relevant conferences and workshops, particularly focusing on new faculty Funds for transportation for out-reach or service projects Employees Assistant in careers & testing to maintain and disseminate contact information. Course design specialist (possibly as a course release/stipend for a faculty member who has experience with successfully integrating experiential learning.

References The National Communication Association. (2015, November). Developing and implementing learning outcomes in communication. Spectra, 51(4), Estepp, C. M., & Roberts, T. G. (2011, September). A model for transforming the undergraduate learning experience in colleges of agriculture. NACTA Journal,

Possible Slogans Communication – the human connection Everything becomes a little different as soon as it is spoken out loud. – Hermann Hesse "“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” Confucius adaptation Learning to Live, Living to Learn “There's all the difference in the world between having something to say, and having to say something.” ― John DeweyJohn Dewey