Dr. T. Kody Frey

Dr. T. Kody Frey

Assistant Professor of Instructional Communication & ICT

Talks and presentations

See a map of all the places I've given a talk!

Applying the pressure: Exploring how instructor strictness impacts students’ individual classroom experiences.

November 18, 2023

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, National Harbor, MD

Students tend to think negatively of instructors they find strict (i.e., inflexible). However, strictness as a communication variable is not theoretically positioned as positive or negative; its impact likely varies depending on the person. To investigate this idea, the current study thematically analyzed written narratives from 457 students about their interactions with instructors they identified as strict. The results established 10 themes that collectively reflect students’ experiences: reduced engagement, shifts in grade orientation, improved study habits, increased pressure, increases in stress/anxiety, enhanced focus, poor climate, reduced distractions, increased relational distance, and deterrence from help-seeking. Although strictness is generally viewed as an undesirable instructor behavior, its actual influence on students’ learning and classroom experiences is mixed. We discuss the implications of this conclusion for the study of strictness as an instructional concept moving forward.

Instructor strictness: Scale refinement and effects on intermediary student outcomes

November 18, 2023

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, National Harbor, MD

This study explores the extent to which student perceptions of evaluative, regulatory, and interactive instructor strictness predict student intrinsic motivation, interest, and engagement — consequential student outcomes that facilitate student learning. In addition, short forms of the instructor strictness scales are forwarded for use in the present study and future research. Results suggest that in most cases, perceptions of instructor strictness decrease student intrinsic motivation, interest, and engagement. Importantly, the magnitude of effects differed depending on the type and nature of the rules, policies, and norms that were enforced (e.g., deadlines, testing, standards). Based on these findings, future directions for the ongoing exploration of instructor strictness are forwarded.

Using Microsoft Teams to Facilitate Asynchronous Online Focus Groups: Personal reflections and practical advice

November 18, 2023

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, National Harbor, MD

The COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges to researchers engaged in qualitative research. Such methods often require the use of in-person methods of data collection and were greatly interrupted during this time of global emergency. Yet, navigating this altered terrain presented opportunities to reflect on the traditional methodological landscape. In this paper, we reflect on the use of Microsoft Teams to facilitate multiple online asynchronous focus groups. We draw on the findings from a study of researchers focused on translational medicine, who work in disparate locations and often have conflicting schedules, to show how the use of this approach facilitated active communication between individuals who otherwise rarely interact. Specifically, we reflect on five ways the technological affordances of Microsoft Teams both enhanced and challenged traditional focus group practice. We consider how (1) conversational sequence, (2) discussion moderation, (3) nonverbal cues, (4) supporting information, and (5) technical competencies relate to using this approach. This results in several reflections intended to help future researchers prepare to facilitate asynchronous online focus groups using Teams. Specifically, we highlight our experiences in terms of participant interaction, iterative reflections, and data management. Ultimately, we argue that this approach adds an important and powerful tool to the qualitative methodological toolkit.

Instructor and student strategies to manage cognitive load in viewing sped up lecture content: The influence on perceptions and outcomes

November 18, 2023

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, National Harbor, MD

This study explores the effects of video speed and instructor behaviors on student outcomes and perceptions. Participants (N = 209) were randomly assigned to one of eight experimental conditions that included the speed of the video, organizational cues used or not used in the video and note taking required or not required. Participants then completed measures including instructor social presence, sustained attention, cognitive load, affective learning, a recall quiz, and perceived cognitive learning. The students perceived they learn more when watching videos at normal speeds, while listening to the instructor’s voiceover with organizational cues, and when taking notes. Results suggest that video speed alone may not be enough to increase either positive (i.e., germane) or negative (i.e., extraneous) cognitive load, however, there are practical strategies to reduce cognitive load that both instructors and students can enact in our ever-changing higher education classrooms.

A brief validity report for the instructor strictness scales: Relationships with verbal aggressiveness, responsiveness, and assertiveness

March 10, 2023

Conference proceedings talk, Central States Communication Association, St. Louis, MO

Researchers have begun using strictness as a framework for better understanding the communicative nature of classroom enforcement strategies. In pursuit of operationalizing this construct, the purpose of this study was to provide extended validity evidence for the Evaluative, Regulatory, and Interactive instructor strictness scales through hypothesized relationships with different instructor communication styles: perceived instructor verbal aggressiveness, assertiveness, and responsiveness. Analyses revealed that the strictness subdimensions were positively related to verbal aggressiveness and assertiveness and inversely related to instructor responsiveness. However, on three occasions, students’ reports of strictness related to Norms, Availability, and Testing were not significantly related to assertiveness. Implications for the future study of instructor strictness using the proposed scales are discussed.

Training the trainer: Best practices for using virtual meeting platforms

November 19, 2022

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, New Orleans, LA

Panel discussion concerning best practices for preparing other to train constituents in a virtual environment. Personal contribution reflected on the discussion of aesthetics and their implications in virtual settings.

A practical guide to using multilevel modeling for communication assessment: Assessing student growth over time

May 29, 2022

Conference proceedings talk, International Communication Association, Paris, France

Researchers throughout the social sciences utilize multilevel modeling (MLM) to investigate the ecological conditions influencing social interactions. However, communication researchers and administrators – particularly those who collect data from learners within classrooms – have not yet embraced MLM as a statistical tool that meets contemporary research needs. Instead, these researchers often (a) eliminate correlated error terms in their data by asking students to explicitly think of instructors from different classes when responding to survey items (i.e., Plax et al., 1986) or (b) aggregate data across varying levels of abstraction. The purpose of this article is to clarify the 6 major steps involved in conducting a multilevel analysis so that communication researchers and program administrators can more accurately and precisely assess students’ classroom experiences. Theoretically framed by elements from Walberg’s (1981, 1984) model of educational productivity, we illustrate the model building process with both a longitudinal and cross-sectional example using assessment data collected from [institution redacted for blind review]. The results assist researchers in both classroom communication and communication-program assessment by offering assistance that makes conducting, interpreting, and reporting multilevel analyses more accessible.

Experimental effects of instructor aesthetics in the Zoom classroom: Online learning climate and student engagement

April 05, 2022

Conference proceedings talk, Central States Communication Association, Madison, WI

This study explores the effects of video speed and instructor behaviors on student outcomes and perceptions. Participants (N = 209) were randomly assigned to one of eight experimental conditions that included the speed of the video, organizational cues used or not used in the video and note taking required or not required. Participants then completed measures including instructor social presence, sustained attention, cognitive load, affective learning, a recall quiz, and perceived cognitive learning. The students perceived they learn more when watching videos at normal speeds, while listening to the instructor’s voiceover with organizational cues, and when taking notes. Results suggest that video speed alone may not be enough to increase either positive (i.e., germane) or negative (i.e., extraneous) cognitive load, however, there are practical strategies to reduce cognitive load that both instructors and students can enact in our ever-changing higher education classrooms.

Using multilevel modeling to respect nested data in program assessment

November 16, 2021

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, Seattle, WA

Despite being a statistically complex technique, MLM poses a variety of advantages, including more precise estimates of student growth, more accurate consideration for individual-differences variables on classroom process, and the possible investigation of contextual effects. Using this particular assessment tool may reveal hidden patterns or answer more complex questions than traditional, aggregated research practice. The DATE session will introduce attendees to this underutilized technique and provide resources for its implementation in the hopes that it can become more widely adopted among communication scholars.

A longitudinal assessment of student growth trajectories in the introductory communication course: Effects of student characteristics and affective reactions

November 16, 2021

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, Seattle, WA

This research investigated the developmental patterns of students’ writing and public-speaking self-efficacy throughout their experience in the basic communication course (BCC). Questions were posed regarding (a) whether students grew in their reported writing and public speaking self-efficacy over two semesters, (b) whether growth differed based on biological sex, and (c) whether affinity and apprehension (as sources of performance self-efficacy) played a role in student growth. Two multilevel models revealed significant differences in students’ initial status and rate of growth for each outcome. Specifically, sex, affinity, and apprehension influenced students’ starting positions in the course, while only apprehension had a significant impact on growth. Analyses also revealed a contextual effect of the winter break on growth patterns. The results paint an important picture of the factors influencing students’ personal development in the BCC, while also highlighting the use of multilevel modeling as a potential and relevant tool for contextualizing communicative development over time.

Is it really JUST Twitter!?

April 03, 2016

Conference proceedings talk, Central States Communication Association, Grand Rapids, MI

Activity presented during the Great Ideas For Teaching session (GIFTS). You can downloaded a description of the activity here

Technology acceptance model: Investigating students’ intentions toward adoption of virtual reality for public speaking rehearsals

November 16, 2020

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, Indianapolis, IN

Virtual reality (VR) affords users an array of benefits when it comes to confronting apprehensions and improving performance. Given that communication apprehension is often tied to presentations within and beyond the classroom, this mixed methods, longitudinal study examined college student behavioral intentions for VR adoption when using the technology for rehearsing public speaking or presentation assignments. Using the technology acceptance model, our quantitative findings suggest that the perceived usefulness of VR for preparing for final speeches and VR anxiety influence their behavioral intentions to personally adopt VR or recommend the adoption of VR to campus communication centers, friends, or other instructors. Qualitatively, students also discussed perceived usefulness and positive and negative emotional reactions to the technology as facilitators and inhibitors to VR adoption. Based on our findings, several conclusions and implications are suggested for those interested in adopting VR in their own classrooms or for public speaking rehearsals.

The influence of student perceptions of instructor nonaccommodation on communication satisfaction and instructor-student rapport

November 16, 2020

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, Indianapolis, IN

This study incorporates communication accommodation theory to investigate how student perceptions of instructor nonaccommodation influence affective and cognitive classroom outcomes. A series of two-level hierarchical linear models (students nested within instructors) revealed significant, negative associations between specific modes of instructor nonaccommodation (i.e., nonaccommodation related to nonverbal responsiveness, content knowledge, and student support) and students’ reported outcomes. Specifically, nonaccommodation related to nonverbal responsiveness and student support resulted in less communication satisfaction and instructor–student rapport when controlling for student sex and expected grade in a course. Contrarily, only nonaccommodation related to content knowledge predicted processing fluency. The research provides instructional communication researchers with a unique theoretical framework for conceptualizing and assessing student perceptions while also raising important questions regarding how students prioritize effective teaching behaviors in context. Practical implications are provided for how instructors better assess and enact behavior relative to individual student needs.

Facilitating students’ motivation in the basic communication course: A Self-Determination Theory perspective

November 16, 2019

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, Baltimore, MD

Given that students may not find inherent value in their general education courses, and in particular, the basic communication course (BCC), the current study was aimed at exploring the instructor behaviors that students identify as enhancing their motivation within this context. Specifically, the purpose of the current study was to qualitatively explore instructor behaviors and student motivation in the BCC, specifically through the lens of self-determination theory. Open-ended responses from students currently enrolled in a basic communication course resulted in 28 themes, which were organized by student needs of relatedness, autonomy, and competence. Relatedness themes were most frequently reported, with particular emphasis on instructors’ positive teaching style and course content relevance. Practical implications based on student responses are offered for BCC instructors.

Modeling classroom communication through hierarchical linear modeling: Benefits to instruction, assessment, and theory

April 05, 2019

Conference proceedings talk, Central States Communication Association, Omaha, NE

Hierarchical linear modeling is an advanced statistical technique that allows researchers to answer questions about cross-level interactions while controlling for confounding contextual and methodological effects. This essay presents a framework for applying HLM to 1) instructional communication, 2) communication education, and 3) theory based on the relevant questions that can be answered through nested data structures, respectively. The essay concludes with a conceptual demonstration of HLM as it may be applied to communication theory within a classroom setting. Potential implications for instructional communication, basic course assessment, and theory are articulated throughout.

Communication Accommodation Theory: An overview and adaptation to instructional communication

April 05, 2019

Conference proceedings talk, Central States Communication Association, Omaha, NE

This essay provides an argument for the integration of Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT; Giles, 1973) within classroom communication. More specifically, a rationale is provided justifying the benefits of framing instructional communication through a theoretical framework of communication adjustment. The essay begins by overviewing the theoretical history of CAT before synthesizing the existing research concerning either CAT or adjustment within classroom contexts. Finally, several future directions for researchers are identified. Ultimately, researchers from both disciplinary camps have unique experiences and perspectives, both theoretically and methodologically, that will lead to nuanced thinking about communication, adjustment, learning, and identity.

An exchange of ideas: A dialogue on the state of the basic communication course

April 05, 2019

Conference proceedings talk, Central States Communication Association, Omaha, NE

This panel brings together basic course directors and instructors who are engaged in the research, pedagogy and the development of the basic course. The panelist will engage in a dialogue on the state of the basic course. In light of our shifting academic landscape, this interactive dialogue aims to explore the critical issues facing administrators and instructors who strive to strengthen course design, assessment, and research.

Syllabus sanctions: Controlling language and perceived fairness as antecedents to students’ psychological reactance and intent to comply

November 16, 2018

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, Salt Lake City, UT

Psychological reactance theory (PRT) has helped explain students’ resistant behavior. Additionally, several studies have explored resistant student behaviors as a product of an instructor’s syllabus policies. To build upon this line of research, a 2 × 2 experiment was conducted manipulating controlling language (low, high) and fairness (fair, unfair) within a syllabus policy. To increase external validity, the page on which the policy was located was drawn from an actual communication course. Controlling language and fairness had an interactive effect on perceived threat to freedom, reactance, and intent to comply. Specifically, freedom threat and reactance were lower and intent to comply was greater when the policy was fair and used low controlling language than when the policy was unfair and/or used high controlling language. The effect of freedom threat on intent to comply was mediated by reactance.

Classroom ‘baehaviors’: An examination of couples’ management of relational privacy in the classroom

November 16, 2018

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, Salt Lake City, UT

This study investigates how couples navigate privacy boundaries and ownership within a classroom context through Petronio’s (2002) Communication Privacy Management (CPM) theory. Like the workplace, the classroom presents a unique environment in which outside individuals may obtrusively obtain private information about an individual or a couple through observation and revelation. Therefore, this research examined how couples conceal, reveal, or unintentionally leak information about their dating relationship to an instructor. Through dyadic interviews, couples revealed the foundational criteria that influenced the development of privacy rules, the perceived sense of ownership their instructor obtains over the private information, and the influence of relational turbulence on academic and relational success. Ultimately, couples create “self-destructive boundaries” by failing to negotiate all aspects of certain criteria (i.e. physical and social context) and allowing others to access private information through observations of nonverbal behavior. Additionally, the presence of classroom standards of performance creates a sense of embodied competition for couples that introduces turbulence both inside and outside of the classroom.

Assessing students’ perceptions of writing and public speaking self-efficacy in a composition and communication course

April 05, 2018

Conference proceedings talk, Central States Communication Association, Milwaukee, WI

One avenue for assessing learning involves evaluating self-efficacy, as this psychological belief is a strong predictor of academic achievement. As such, the purpose of this study was to evaluate writing self-efficacy and public speaking self-efficacy in a composition and communication course. This course is structured to develop both writing and public speaking competencies; the research sought to determine whether students believed they were leaving the course feeling more confident in their capabilities within each respective academic domain. Results (N = 380) from pre- and post-test data suggest that students’ reported writing and public speaking self-efficacy significantly increased over the semester. Additionally, students’ mastery experiences, operationalized as informative essay and informative speech grades, were related positively to changes in self-efficacy at the end of the semester. These results offer three implications for teaching within this course design and structure.

Identifying the personal and professional impact of students’ self-disclosures

November 16, 2017

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, Dallas, TX

College can be a tumultuous experience. More than ever, the average student encounters challenges such as sexual assault, mental health issues, and concerns about personal safety on campus. While numerous studies elucidate instructor and student self-disclosures in general, sparse literature exists that systematically investigates the far-reaching ramifications of this experience for the parties involved. The aim of this study is to offer a qualitative assessment of student self-disclosures from the perspective of the instructor and to generate theory accounting for the ways in which instructors construct beliefs about professionalism and role responsibility after these disclosures. We incorporate an interpretive grounded theory approach (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) to gain a more comprehensive, in-depth understanding of this phenomena.

No homework, no problem? Using expectancy violations theory to understand internet reactions to the elimination of homework at a Texas elementary school

November 16, 2017

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, Dallas, TX

On August 16, 2016, Brandy Young, a second-grade teacher in Godley, Texas, sent students home with a note informing parents of her intention to eliminate homework as a formal assignment for the school year. Following the posting of the note to Facebook by the mother of one student, Young’s decision to stop assigning homework quickly became a viral sensation featured by news outlets across the country. Using expectancy violations theory (EVT; Burgoon & Hale, 1988), the current case study identified a sample of user-generated comments to a variety of online news reports highlighting Young’s actions. The comments were evaluated based on their positive, negative, or neutral valence to determine the frequency and focus of the general public’s reaction to the story. The practical implications of shifts in traditionally-accepted pedagogy for primary education students, such as the one highlighted herein, are discussed.

Students as consumers: User responses to moneyback guarantees on Reddit

November 16, 2017

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, Dallas, TX

There has been an evidenced growth of student consumerism in the industry of higher education. This consumer-oriented perspective leads to increased levels of student entitlement, directly impacting students’ expectations for the learning environment. The present study employs thematic analysis procedures to explore students’ reactions to an offer by Udacity, an online provider of massive open online courses (MOOCs), to provide money-back guarantees to students who fail to obtain a job after graduation. Implications for growing levels of student entitlement, as well as strategies to combat them, are discussed.

Assessment in the basic communication course: The impact of criterion-based speech evaluation training for students on evaluation fidelity with instructors

November 16, 2017

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, Dallas, TX

This study investigates the role of speech evaluation training in a) creating speech evaluation fidelity between instructor scores and student self-evaluation scores and b) facilitating the type and quality of written feedback on speeches by both students and instructors. The results suggest that students who undergo speech evaluation training achieve a higher level of evaluation fidelity with their instructors. Second, negative feedback by instructors and students significantly predicted the score provided on the speeches. Finally, students who received speech evaluation training provided significantly more constructive comments on their evaluations than students who did not receive training. These findings reiterate the necessity for speech evaluation training while offering practical implications for revising training methods and preparing individuals for providing effective feedback.

The relevance of the communication graduate student association

November 16, 2017

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, Dallas, TX

The evidence concerning the various pressures faced by graduate students can, in itself, be overwhelming. At the National Communication Association annual convention in Dallas, a group of graduate student leaders from across the country held a panel entitled The Relevance of the Communication Graduate Student Association, where we shared many of the personal and professional issues faced by our departments’ respective programs. In reality, such organizations are a microcosm of larger, institutional-level difficulties that graduate students may or may not realize directly affect their everyday lives. While we bicker and gripe about our peers and colleagues who refuse to attend organizational meetings, our student representatives at the institutional level from disciplines like biology and agriculture are attempting to reconcile massive amounts of funding and fee allocation problems that ultimately dictate how we exist as students in the future. Although we as communication professionals are uniquely positioned to take part in these reforms, we often fail to integrate ourselves in these situations due to the constraints placed upon us by our respective circumstances. Herein lies the “wicked problem” (Rittel & Weber, 1973): graduate students in communication need administrative experience through increasing involvement at higher levels of institutional functioning so that the discipline can flourish, yet the lack of resources available to these same graduate students disincentives this extracurricular involvement.

Rethinking student engagement: Comparing behavioral and agentic orientations

April 20, 2017

Conference proceedings talk, Southern States Communication Association, Greenville, SC

An analysis of existing research in the field of education suggests that the current conceptualization and operationalization of student engagement falls short of fully capturing the entire learning phenomenon. In particular, Reeve and Lee (2014) claimed that engagement “is a multi-dimensional construct that has been conceptualized as consisting of three, and sometimes of four distinct, yet intercorrelated and mutually supportive aspects of behavior, emotion, cognition, and agency” (p. 528). The current research serves two specific functions. First, the research seeks to further explore the development of the Student Engagement Scale by discriminately analyzing items related to behavior and agency to establish a difference between these concepts. Second, the research should extend knowledge surrounding classroom learning by providing a more meticulous and precise method of assessing students outcomes.

What do I say? Investigating students’ sensitive disclosures from the instructor’s perspective

April 01, 2017

Conference proceedings talk, Western States Communication Association, Salt Lake City, UT

This study examined students’ self-disclosure of sensitive topics to their instructors and the instructors’ respective responses. Using communication privacy management (CPM; Petronio, 2002) as a framework, the researchers explored (1) the nature and type of sensitive disclosures shared by students in the classroom context, (2) the instructor’s appropriate or non-appropriate responses to the disclosure, (3) the instructor-student communicative interaction during student self-disclosure of sensitive subject matter, and (4) the practical implications regarding classroom best practices following sensitive student disclosures. Following the distribution of an open-ended questionnaire to instructors (N = 39), the researchers engaged in a process of open and axial coding and identified key themes and concepts from the data. Students engaged in conversations about sensitive information with their instructors (e.g., sexually-related disclosures (n = 12), mental health (n = 7), and personal or family members’ drug and alcohol abuse (n = 4). Additionally, instructors’ responses to these disclosures ultimately shaped their future interactions with students. These findings, as well as practical implications, are discussed in detail.

The development and validation of the classroom cell phone policy attitudes and policy compliance instruments

March 20, 2017

Conference proceedings talk, Central States Communication Association, Minneapolis, MN

The current study applied Fulk’s (1993; Fulk, Schmitz, & Ryu, 1995) social influence (SI) model of technology use to students’ perceptions of classroom syllabi in the basic communication course. More specifically, the study evaluated students’ attitudes toward policies and intended compliance with policies attempting to regulate cell phone use in the classroom. Results demonstrate that students report to use their phones most often for social purposes while in class, students exhibit more positive attitudes when they encounter encouraging cell phone policies, students do not differ in their intended compliance to either encouraging or discouraging policies, and students’ general attitudes toward cell phones significantly predict their intended compliance with classroom syllabi. These findings have significant implications for researchers, instructors, and basic course directors in designing usable course syllabi and better understanding how to manage students throughout the basic course.

Communicating instructor presence: Construct development and validation of a new measure

March 20, 2017

Conference proceedings talk, Teachers, Teaching, and Media Conference, Winston Salem, NC

The idea of presence as a communication construct has received considerable attention from a wide variety of scholars. However, multiple definitions and their subsequent scale developments have become problematic for the discipline. This is especially prevalent considering the sustained interest in understanding presence as facilitated through online rather than face to face contexts. In this study, some of the limitations of previous iterations are resolved by forwarding a new term, instructor presence, grounded in Brown and Levinson’s (1978; 1987) politeness theory and specific to classroom instruction. This theoretical lens suggests that certain sociological factors embedded within an instructor’s communication (i.e., social distance, power, and ranking of imposition) contribute to students’ perceptions of bearing and subsequently affect their communication behaviors. To construct a measure of instructor presence, this paper presents an overview of the elements believed to influence each factor individually, as well as three independent focus groups with students and faculty members to further refine and develop the construct.

Mediated misbehaviors: The mediating effect of online classroom climate on instructor misbehaviors, credibility, and affective learning

November 16, 2016

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, Philadelphia, PA

Using expectancy violations theory as a lens, the current study explored online classroom climate as a mediator of the effect of instructor misbehaviors on both a) credibility and b) affective learning. Results indicated that online classroom climate partially mediated the relationship between instructor misbehaviors and both outcome variables. When students in the distance education classroom perceive a positive classroom climate, the severity of the instructor’s misbehavior is lessened. Despite the effects of their inappropriate misbehaviors, instructors can create an environment in which students can still perceive positive outcomes following a typically unexpected behavior.

Classroom cell phone policy attitudes and intended compliance in the basic course

November 16, 2016

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, Philadelphia, PA

The current study applied Fulk’s (1993; Fulk, Schmitz, & Ryu, 1995) social influence (SI) model of technology use to students’ perceptions of classroom syllabi in the basic communication course. More specifically, the study evaluated students’ attitudes toward policies and intended compliance with policies attempting to regulate cell phone use in the classroom. Results demonstrate that students report to use their phones most often for social purposes while in class, students exhibit more positive attitudes when they encounter encouraging cell phone policies, students do not differ in their intended compliance to either encouraging or discouraging policies, and students’ general attitudes toward cell phones significantly predict their intended compliance with classroom syllabi. These findings have significant implications for researchers, instructors, and basic course directors in designing usable course syllabi and better understanding how to manage students throughout the basic course.

Half manners, half lying: A review and critique of politeness theory

June 12, 2016

Conference proceedings talk, International Conference on Language and Social Psychology, Bangkok, Thailand

Politeness theory suggests that humans, as rational beings, deviate from efficient and logical forms of speaking to avoid conflict and protect face. Accordingly, scholars from across the spectrum of social science have relied on politeness theory as a means of understanding various social processes across cultures. While this attention has led to a more robust understanding of social relationships, it has also resulted in conceptualizations of politeness across disciplines that move away from Brown and Levinson’s (1978; 1987) original construction. Instead of concentrating on the complex series of events that characterize the theory in its entirety, scholars tend to rely on individual theoretical components like face support and face threats. Through a systematic review of the literature, this paper aims to critique various applications of politeness theory from the perspective of a discipline infatuated with its value: communication. First, the paper provides an overview of the propositions that make up politeness theory as a whole. Considering the tendency of social science researchers to selectively apply aspects of the theory to their work, the review then moves toward a critique of the theory’s overall theoretical value. Third, insight into the current state of the theory and its application is offered, paying particular attention to areas of concern in politeness research. Finally, the work provides a wealth of potential future directions for politeness theory, including an increased focus on nonverbal behaviors, practical implications, and individual action.

Building a solid foundation for the speech lab: A revised training plan for Graduate facilitators based on needs assessment

April 03, 2016

Conference proceedings talk, Central States Communication Association, Grand Rapids, MI

The present needs analysis examines the nature and structure of a training process designed to prepare graduate assistants in their new roles as Speech Laboratory facilitators. Survey data and open ended responses indicate training deficiencies in the following areas: 1) locating the appropriate individual for troubleshooting issues, 2) conducting Speech Lab assessment before and after student visits, and 3) operating necessary audio/video equipment. A revised training plan based on the results is described in detail.

Increasing speech evaluation fidelity between instructors and students through in-class peer workshops and assessment

April 03, 2016

Conference proceedings talk, Central States Communication Association, Grand Rapids, MI

This study investigates the role of speech evaluation training in a) creating speech evaluation fidelity between instructor scores and student self-evaluation scores and b) facilitating the type and quality of written feedback on speeches by both students and instructors. The results suggest that students who undergo speech evaluation training achieve a higher level of evaluation fidelity with their instructors. Second, negative feedback comments by instructors and students significantly predicted the score provided on the speeches by both parties, respectively. Finally, students who received speech evaluation training provided significantly more constructive comments on their evaluations than students who did not receive training. These findings reiterate the necessity for speech evaluation training with the basic communication course classroom while also offering several practical implications in terms of revising training methods and preparing individuals within a classroom for providing effective feedback.

Peer assessment and use of written speech feedback in the basic communication course

November 16, 2015

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, Las Vegas, NV

In order to continue developing teaching and learning in the basic communication course, assessment efforts must seek to evaluate the quality of pedagogical programs relying on criterion-based grading systems. Previous research has already examined the nature of instructor feedback comments and student feedback comments during self-critiques of their own speeches; however, a gap in literature exists regarding whether or not peers should evaluate one another as practice for applying grading criteria that will determine their final scores. Qualitative and quantitative analyses revealed that the classroom context, along with the desire to save positive face, results in students evaluating each other’s speeches differently than instructors. In terms of the basic course, this finding has implications for the future development of both the basic communication course and speech evaluation training.

Celebrating your choice: Online social sup- port for individuals facing traditional abortion stigmas

November 16, 2015

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, Las Vegas, NV

This study seeks to understand the role of communication in an online support group celebrating individual freedom to receive an abortion. The research draws on contemporary social support literature to examine the manifestation of previously researched communicative support behaviors, along with the emergence of new behaviors. The results indicate the emergence of two support strategies unique to this context: attacks/criticisms and storytelling. These forms of support allowed members to symbolically justify their controversial beliefs, as well as narratively make sense of their personal and social relationships before, during, or after the decision to undergo an abortion. The findings demonstrate the dark side of social support as it relates to stigmatized beliefs by showing how the open source nature of the support group perpetuates the prevalence of potentially chastising, yet meaningful, communicative behaviors.

You’ll never walk alone: Liverpool Football Club as an imagined fan community online

April 01, 2015

Conference proceedings talk, Central States Communication Association, Madison, WI

The following qualitative study examines geographically displaced and local fans of one of England’s most famous football teams, Liverpool Football Club (LFC). Specifically, the research explores the extent that international LFC fans within a discussion-based online forum resemble Anderson’s (1991) construction of an “imagined community”, with displaced fans using computer-mediated technologies to construct their own self-reflected fan identity and position themselves within the larger grouping. By understanding how international fans construct communities without being directly linked to localized cultures, this research seeks to shed light on the way in which individuals attempt to compensate for a lack of lived experience through a collection of virtual knowledge, as well illuminating the limits of the virtual environment in creating a sense of authenticity and group cohesion.

Text me back: Response time as a relational predictor across text and email messages

April 01, 2015

Conference proceedings talk, Central States Communication Association, Madison, WI

This paper researches the use of chronemics as a nonverbal cue in two CMC media: text messages and email messages. An online survey was developed using pre-existing scales to measure perceived social attraction and affinity-seeking competence toward a message sender in a 2 x 2 experiment: fast response to text message, delayed response to text message, fast response to email message, and delayed response to email message. Results indicated that response time produced a main effect on perceptions of social attraction, while media channel did not produce a main effect. Also, results indicated an interaction effect between response time and media channel on perceived social attraction. The context in which the media channel is used ultimately results in varying meanings of what constitutes a “fast” response and how social attraction is constructed. Implications of these findings will be discussed in detail.

The science of (dis)satisfaction: Satisfaction as a product of negative group experiences

November 16, 2014

Conference proceedings talk, National Communication Association, Chicago, IL

Students at higher education institutions often find themselves overloaded with many different responsibilities and requirements. Students joining Greek organizations and service groups are just two examples of small groups that emphasize this idea. By examining satisfaction among these groups, we can begin to understand the factors affecting individual fulfillment and how these group experiences can become more beneficial to the overall development of the university. This specific study provides unique and relevant information on current knowledge of satisfaction by examining individual notions of satisfaction produced through negative group experiences. Results indicated that group member perceptions of Productivity significantly predicted an individual’s dissatisfaction with their group experience. At the same time, an individual’s Outside Involvement with group members did not significantly predict dissatisfaction. These results provide practical implications for focusing on group productivity and efficiency when constructing positive group experiences.