Research
Oral Communication in an Integrated STEM and Humanities First-Year Experience
Authors:
Derek Sherman ,
Purdue University, US
About Derek
PhD student at Purdue University
Tejasvi Parupudi,
The University of Texas at Dallas, US
About Tejasvi
Post-Doctoral Research Associate at The University of Texas at Dallas
Nathan Mentzer,
Purdue University, US
About Nathan
Associate Professor of Technology and Engineering Education at Purdue University
Amelia Chesley,
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, US
About Amelia
Assistant Professor of Technical and Professional Writing at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Dawn Laux,
Purdue University, US
About Dawn
Associate Clinical Professor of Computer and Information Technology at Purdue University
Sweta Baniya
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
About Sweta
Assistant Professor of Rhetoric, Professional, and Technical Writing at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Abstract
This study looks at Purdue University's Integrated First-Year Experience of Design Thinking in Technology, Fundamentals of Speech Communication, and First-Year Composition and its effects on oral communication. We examined whether this three-course integration inspired by writing-across-the-curriculum and communication-across-the-curriculum would lead students to develop more effective oral communication skills than a nonintegrated course. Frameworks for 21st century skills and the National Association of Colleges and Employers (2017) have pinpointed the importance of oral and written communication skills and initiatives. Still, research has produced mixed results on how well universities are preparing students for the workplace. Our study investigated whether the integrated program had better end-of-semester group oral presentations than student groups enrolled only in our Design Thinking in Technology course. A quasi-experimental design and post-only analysis revealed that integrated sections had more effective oral presentations than the nonintegrated sections
How to Cite:
Sherman, D., Parupudi, T., Mentzer, N., Chesley, A., Laux, D., & Baniya, S. (2020). Oral Communication in an Integrated STEM and Humanities First-Year Experience. Journal of Technology Education, 32(1), 50–64. DOI: http://doi.org/10.21061/jte.v32i1.a.4
Published on
21 Sep 2020.
Peer Reviewed
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