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