James W. Gibson

The basic speech course at U.S. colleges and universities: IV

The basic course continues to emphasize the public speaking and performance dimensions with enrollment in the course increasing at a rate generally equal to or greater than the institution in which it is taught. Junior faculty and graduate teaching assistants continue to be the primary teachers. Major instructional concerns continue to be class size and sufficient time to cover course content.

The basic course in speech at U.S. colleges and universities: III

The basic course has changed its orientation substantially in the past five years moving toward a more pronounced public‐speaking emphasis with increased attention to performance activities and instruction based on topics which stress the return to public speaking. Growth is greater than that of either the department or the institution, but the course is staffed with a greater percentage of graduate teaching assistants and junior faculty than five years ago.

A re‐examination of the first course in speech at U.S. colleges and universities

This investigation replicates a nationwide survey of the basic course in speech conducted five years ago. Results indicate a decided tendency to report a “communication” or “multiple” orientation toward the teaching of the course. Enrollments generally continue to be held at reasonable levels, and the growth in the basic speech communication course is paralleling or exceeding the growth of the college itself.

Programmed instruction in communication education: An idea behind its time

This essay briefly reviews the basic assumptions upon which linear and branching programmed instruction methods are based, then speculates about why those methods did not catch on in communication education. The nature of the materials themselves; the timing of the development of programmed instruction methods; economic circumstances in the publishing industry; and faculty resistance which is based partly on fear and partly on ignorance, all guaranteed that programmed instruction, a good idea, could not have a future in communication education.

Predicting speech grades from selected spoken language variables

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which selected spoken language characteristics predict grades for an introductory public‐speaking course. A Flesch reading‐ease score, Flesch human‐interest score, and type‐token ratio were computed for the first five hundred words of a public‐speech sample for forty‐five subjects. A multiple regression analysis was computed in which the scores on the spoken‐language characteristics (predictor variables) were regressed on the final grades in the speech course (criterion variable). Results indicated that the final grades in an introductory speech course were significantly related to the number of syllables used by students in public‐speech behavior.

Computer analysis of verbal behavior in the classroom

This article describes the development, testing, and effectiveness of computer analysis in modifying student/teacher behavior. The study yielded indices for evaluating verbal effectiveness of teachers in interacting with and directing classroom, activities. It revealed that teacher behavior could be modified, that greater student participation could be achieved, and that low‐cost computer programs which enable modification of teacher behavior are possible and desirable.