Abstract
The purpose of this study was to test whether increasing the relevancy of course assignments in a large multi-section introductory public speaking course would lead to improvements in student perceptions of course outcomes. Survey responses from 1,878 students were analyzed to test whether differences exist between students enrolled in classes held during the Spring 2015 semester and those enrolled in classes held in Fall 2015 during which the more relevant course assignments were incorporated. Results reveal that increasing the relevancy of assignments is associated with greater perceived course relevance, motivation for participating in the class, and perceptions of learning. This course redesign demonstrates that simply altering course assignments can positively impact student perceptions and motivation for participating in the class in multi-section introductory courses.
Keywords
Course relevance, student perceptions, public speaking, introductory courses, multisection courses, course assignments
Date of this Version
2017
DOI
10.1080/03634523.2016.1268697
Recommended Citation
Fedesco, H.N., Kentner, A., & Natt, J. (2017). The effect of relevance strategies on student perceptions of introductory courses. Communication Education, (66)2, 196-209, doi: 10.1080/03634523.2016.1268697
Included in
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons
Comments
Published in Communication Education in 2017. See publisher version here https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03634523.2016.1268697