Courses & Syllabi
Undergraduate
| COMM 2540: | Introduction to Communication Technologies | ||
| COMM 3513: | Video Games & the Individual | ||
| COMM 3545: | Principles of Human-Computer Interaction | ||
| COMM 3554: | Social Implications of Media Technologies | ||
| COMM 4554: | Social Media |
Graduate
| COMM 940: | Media & Relationships | |
| COMM 7820: | Foundations of Interpersonal Communication | |
| COMM 7850: | Computer-Mediated Communication | |
| COMM 8970: | Human-Computer Interaction |
Mission
The best part about studying Communication is the ability to share it with students through teaching. The field is not obtuse or something that will be compartmentalized for infrequent extraction; rather, Communication classes provide information and strategies that students can implement in their daily interactions.
Currently, my teaching focus is communication technologies. Technology can be a tricky thing to teach when so many trends are here today and gone tomorrow. Because these technologies are so pervasive, however, it is important that we examine their effects and implications, which are less likely to be fleeting. The fun part about teaching tech is that it encompasses every aspect of our field, and I get to discuss everything from media effects to relationship development to health campaigns. It’s also fun because we are constantly exploring new tools (and toys!)
The primary goal of my courses is to give students something that they can use in their everyday lives. Given that most people are never taught how to consume media, I feel it is incredibly important to equip students with the tools of media literacy—namely, to access, analyze, evaluate, critique, and create media. I also enjoy teaching students theories—not just the tenets, but the ability to apply them and make predictions in their own lives and experiences. Methods give students the tools to approach and answer some of their own questions, as well as giving them invaluable experience for future employment. I feel it is equally important for students to develop scientific literacy by studying methodology and statistics—that is, how to understand, evaluate, and criticize the research from which we draw our conclusions. These literacies will help them to become not only better scholars, but better citizens.