Requiring Onsite, as Well as Online Audience in a Totally Online Speech Course

Collection: 
Student-Generated Content
Author Information
Author(s): 
Dr. Mary Jane Clerkin
Institution(s) or Organization(s) Where EP Occurred: 
Berkeley College
Effective Practice Abstract/Summary
Abstract/Summary of Effective Practice: 

Good public speakers must always keep their audience in mind anticipating audience response and adapting to it. This effective practice will show how students in a totally online public speaking course were able to research, analyze, and adapt both to a live audience, as well as to an online audience in their online course.

Description of the Effective Practice
Description of the Effective Practice: 

Good public speakers must always keep their audience in mind anticipating audience response and adapting to it. This effective practice will show how students in a totally online public speaking course were able to research, analyze, and adapt both to a live audience, as well as to an online audience in their online course. Students in this course were required to select a live audience, videotape their speeches in front of the live audience, and post their speeches in their online course where their online classmates could view them. Like many public speakers today, students were able to speak to a live audience and watch their reactions. Like many of today's news anchors, they were able to speak to a wider unseen virtual audience and through research gauge their reactions. This presentation will demonstrate their ability to do both.

We enroll only twenty students into this class to encourage a high level of interaction. Students use webcams to add their videos to the course. When videotaping their speeches they must choose am audience. Then students post their videotaped speeches in the discussion board for all of their peers to view. Students are provided with a speech rubric and using netiquette are encouraged to review each other's speeches.

This is a very interactive course. In addition, to using webcams, students use the Wimba Voice Board for voice discussions, as well as Pronto "talk" to send messages to their professor and their peers.

Outlines and proper research are required for all major speeches. What is more, students must always keep in mind the audience that is receiving their messages.

Supporting Information for this Effective Practice
Evidence of Effectiveness: 

Students were able to post their video speeches after researching and gauging the reactions of their onsite and online audience. 

How does this practice relate to pillars?: 

Faculty, student, and learning effectives was achieved in this very interactive course.  Students videotaped their speeches for their onsite and online audience.  They were provided with an opportunity to speak to each other using the Wimba Voice Discussion Board, as well as to intract with their professor.  They were also provided with an opportunity to speak to each other, as well as text each other,and their professor, using the Wimba Pronto IM feature.

There was a great deal of professor presence in this course.  The professor provided video, voice, and text lectures, participated in the regular and Wimba Voice Discussion Board, and participated using the Pronto IM feature on a regular basis.

The students were provided with ways to understand that they were indeed a community of learners.

Equipment necessary to implement Effective Practice: 

Student were able to use any type of webcam.  The Help Desk supported the students in this class.

 

Estimate the probable costs associated with this practice: 

There were few costs.  Students could use any inexpensive webcam.  Professors who teach online courses at Berkeley must provide students with the option to use the regular hard-cover or soft-cover test or the e-text.  Many students chose the e-text since they enjoyed all of the many resources, such as videos and simulations.  What is more the e-text was half the price of the regular text.

References, supporting documents: 

Susan Ko in her latest edition of Teaching Online:  A Practical Guide referenced this speech course.

Useful Links: 
Teaching Online: A Practical Guide
Contact(s) for this Effective Practice
Effective Practice Contact: 
Dr. Mary Jane Clerkin
Email this contact: 
mjc@berkeleycollege.edu
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