My teaching philosophy is founded on four key ideas: 1) knowledge in action; 2) professionalism; 3) mutual expectations and respect; and 4) pedagogical flexibility. All of these dimensions are interwoven.

Knowledge in action

My guiding pedagogical principle is "knowledge in action." As my course syllabi and assignments indicate, I require students to show evidence that they are applying the information learned in the classroom in their professional and personal lives. I vigorously pursue the connection between theory and application in all of my classes. Textbook knowledge and understanding of theoretical foundations are necessary, but not sufficient.

Examples of my commitment to knowledge in action abound. In CMCH 201 (Introduction to Speech Communication) and CMCR 250 (Public Speaking), the desired outcome is not only knowledge, but behavioral change. Students know that they should deliver speeches without vocalized pauses; their assessment, however, is based on their ability to do this. In CMHC 414 (Gender & Communication), students develop a scrapbook/journal that documents their recognition of their own gendered communication practices and their understanding of these differences in the world around them. Students have reported that they come away from this exercise with a new perspective on communication and the world in which they live. In CMPR 460 (Public Relations Campaigns), students are expected to design and execute a public relations campaign for a real world client. As a capstone course, the campaigns class allows the students to put into action the theoretical foundation and skills they’ve acquired in their previous courses.

Professionalism

My emphasis on "knowledge in action" is tied to my expectations for professionalism, the second element of my teaching philosophy. I expect students to operate in the classroom as they would on the job. This means keeping up to date on changing technologies, meeting deadlines, working cooperatively with other students, being on time, producing materials at the highest professional level possible, and preparing themselves for professional placement.

One measure of a teacher’s effectiveness is the success of her/his students. Particularly in a performance-oriented discipline like communication, the connection between the professor’s professional abilities and the students’ professional abilities is undeniable. Several of my students have demonstrated professional success, and many of them have volunteered that my teaching influenced this success. I offer on student’s comments as documentation. Earlier this year, Mercedes Miller wrote me an unsolicited letter to tell me that the framework for analyzing communication campaigns that I offered in one of her classes continues to be the model she uses as a communication trainer.

Additionally, I have dozens of evaluation from intern employers who have positively evaluated the communication/public relations interns I have helped prepare. Perhaps carrying more weight is the fact that Western’s own Admissions Office is using communication/public relations’ students in well-paid internships to help promote the university.

Since the development of the public relations sequence in 1994, the students have increasingly developed a reputation for professional performance. To foster students’ professional development, I spearheaded in 1995 the organization of Western’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter and its subsidiary, Catamount Communications, a student-run public relations firm. PRSSA is the leading pre-professional, national organization in the field. Since that time, I have served as the PRSSA advisor, and students have traveled with me to attend national and regional PRSSA conferences in Baltimore, Seattle, St. Louis, Nashville, Charlotte, and Atlanta. Such participation clearly exemplifies my expectations for students’ professional preparation and development.

Mutual expectations & respect

The third element in my teaching philosophy is mutual expectations and respect. I don’t expect students to do anything that I don’t do. This means that I try to keep up to date on technology, arrive on time, meet deadlines, prepare for class and work cooperatively with the students. I also strive to foster an open communication climate, where students feel comfortable expressing ideas and disagreeing with my and others’ opinions.

As evidence of my commitment to staying abreast of the technology that impacts my profession, I offer the following two examples. In 1995, I applied for and received a University Microgrant to attend the first cyberspace technology conference for public relations professionals. During the fall 1997 semester, I have required students in the CMCR 250 (Public Speaking) class to produce a class project using PowerPoint. The goal of this project is to develop a 30-minute presentation that Western’s Admission office could use in its recruiting. This illustrates mutual expectations because I had to learn PowerPoint along with the students.

I have heard that I have a reputation on campus for being a demanding teacher. I do expect a great deal from my students, but they know that it is no more than I expect from myself. Students know that I will be as committed and as dedicated to their projects as they are. I know of professors who have thrown students into unfamiliar waters with the attitude of "sink or swim." I am very much opposed to this approach. Unfamiliar waters, yes; sinking, no. This means that my role as a teacher goes well beyond the classroom. I help students set up for events, edit their press releases at unusual hours to meet deadlines, and give them advice about handling problems. Being heavily involved with the students outside the classroom has enabled me to build a rapport of camaraderie and respect.

Pedagogical flexibility

The fourth and final element of my teaching philosophy is one of pedagogical flexibility. Just as the commitment to knowledge in action is my guiding principle, this element is the thread that binds the two other elements together. I vary my teaching strategy depending on the subject matter and students’ knowledge and skill levels. I believe one of the keys to successful teaching is knowing when to lecture when to hold group discussions and when to use field assignments.

To encourage both knowledge and behavior, I combine objective tests over the subject matter with scholarly research and applied activities. Students are tested over the foundation materials and are given assignments that allows them to apply what they have learned. This process doesn’t only occur while I stand in front of the chalkboard; it occurs as students make mistakes and learn from those mistakes; it occurs as students tackle a project so big they think they cannot possibly accomplish it, but do; and it occurs when students realize that they can, indeed, do the job.

My pedagogical approach to teaching the public relations campaigns class has been favorably peer reviewed by scholars in my field. The article, "Using SPE Context Analysis in the PR Campaigns Class" has been accepted for publication in Teaching PR, the only juried publication devoted to pedagogical issues in PR.