Abstract
The increased focus on assessment has resulted in a greater demand and pressure for communication programs to validate that students have learned and can apply communication competencies. However, for the most part, communication educators have offered no well-defined guidelines or systematic approaches that have been endorsed unequivocally. Although literature has described Relationship Enhancement (RE) as an extremely successful approach for improving oral communication, it has not been studied by the majority of communication educators. Through its nine basic skills, the RE Approach offers specific guidelines that systematically operationalize how to communicate effectively. This essay shares integrative research that develops a rationale for an interdisciplinary approach to communication pedagogy. Specifically, this research suggests taking two significant communication constructs, rhetorical sensitivity and communication competence, and using one or both in combination with RE when teaching these competencies. This interdisciplinary approach can improve students’ understanding of effective oral communication both in theory and in practice which, in turn, can lead to successful communication assessment outcomes.
Recommended Citation
Mino, M. (2012). Clarifying communication competencies through an interdisciplinary approach to communication pedagogy. Journal of the Association for Communication Administration, 31(1), 14-28.
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