Date of Award

Spring 8-1-2002

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Communication

First Advisor

David W. Worley

Second Advisor

Debra A. Worley

Third Advisor

Michele Welkener

Abstract

Instructors who teach the hybrid oral communication course are often looking for time efficient instructional methods to use when teaching the public speaking component of the course. These methods must create student satisfaction as well as produce satisfactory student grades. By conducting a case study that followed an honors hybrid oral communication class as they used a technologically based cognitive instructional aide outside the classroom and applied the concepts through active learning during class time, three research questions were answered. R. Q. 1 asked, "What in-classroom pedagogy emerges when using technologically based cognitive instructional aides outside the classroom while teaching the public speaking component of an honors section of the hybrid oral communication course?" Participant observation answered this question, and three pedagogical strategies emerged: individual work, small group work and student manipulation of pre-made materials. R.Q. 2 asked "How satisfied are students when using technologically based cognitive instructional aides outside the classroom while participating in the public speaking component of an honors section of the hybrid oral communication course?" Inductive data analysis of student surveys answered this question. Students were iv unsatisfied with the technological component of the instruction, but were satisfied with the other instructional methods. R. Q. 3 asked "How well do students perform on public speaking assignments when using technologically based cognitive instructional aides outside the classroom while participating in the public speaking component of an honors section of the hybrid oral communication course?" Descriptive statistics computed from student grades on informative and persuasive speaking assignments answered this question. Although students only used the CD ROMs in the informative speaking unit, the student grades were exceptional for both assignments. This study found that although the technology component left students unsatisfied, a combination of cognitive based outside instruction and active learning in the classroom created effective instructional methods, satisfied students and satisfactory student grades.

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