M.Ed. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

This qualitative study used a multiple case study methodology to explore the nonverbal communication behaviors and role perceptions of pre-service band teachers, and the extent to which these individuals found meaning and value in theatre seminars with respect to those factors. The informants participated in three theatre seminars taught by theatre faculty at the researcher's university. The researcher collected data in the form of videotaped theatre seminar observations, videotaped classroom teaching observations, videotaped informant reflections of teaching episodes, online peer discussions and journaling, and informant interviews. Data were analyzed, coded, and summarized to form case summaries. A cross-case analysis was performed to identify emergent themes. The broad themes identified were past experience, adaptation, realization, and being aware. The informants found that the theatre seminars increased their awareness of nonverbal communication behaviors in the classroom, and had the potential to be meaningful and valuable with respect to their perceptions of their roles as teachers.

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Instructional communication research clearly indicates that instructor immediacy contributes significantly to effective instruction. However, the majority of immediacy studies have been conducted in traditional (face-to-face) classroom environments. More recently, instructional communication research has focused on assessing the impact of immediacy in online classroom environments. Again, immediacy appears to significantly contribute to effective instruction. The challenge is that most recent immediacy studies use immediacy measurements developed to test immediacy behaviors in face-to-face settings. Considering the lack of nonverbal communication and limited or absent synchronous or verbal communication in online instructional settings, the behaviors contributing most significantly to perceived immediacy, researchers need to reassess the immediacy construct in online environments. The present research explores and identifies behaviors reported by instructors to establish psychological closeness (i.e., immediacy) in online learning environments and assesses to what extent these behaviors are similar to or different from face-to-face immediacy-producing behaviors.

A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the Requirements for the degree of MA in Communication Science University of Zululand, 2002 / In this thesis I present my recommendations regarding the role of organisational com¬munication and record keeping in Outcomes-Based Education within the intermediate phase classroom. I reveal that the fundamental switch from the traditional educator-centred teaching to learner-centred teaching in Out-comes Based Education requires that both educators and learners be in command of a range of communication strategies in order to construct meaning in the real-world social contexts. It will also be illustrated that intra-personal, interpersonal and small group involvements are all essential for successful teaching and learning to take place. The importance of verbal as well as nonverbal communication skills are also given due attention. Outcomes-Based Education is based not on knowledge, but on how we think learning takes place. The focus is on the mind of the learner as an knaginer, an inventor, a creator of ideas. What is clearly evident with this approach is the manner in which learners constandv ne¬gotiate, renegotiate and construct their own meaning. The focus is on the individual and not on the group. With this in mind, we need to note that everyone learns differently and we need to assess accordingly. As educators we also need to recognise what learners have learnt and we need to find ways of acknowledging that learning has indeed taken place. Out-comes Based Education requires a cooperative method of teaching which allows for democracy in the classroom. Learners are allowed to contribute freely about their daily ex¬periences. Further to this I examine the forms of communication that learners and educators must be in command of to succeed in OBE. I further recommend tools that can be imple¬mented to successfully manage assessments in OBE classrooms. A flexible database of spread¬sheets will be presented which could be adapted to suit individual schools.

This qualitative study investigated the use of instructor affinity-seeking through two distinct channels- face-to-face and e-mail- to understand the effects of and ways to improve out-of-class communication. This research explores the frequency and nature of interactions, sheds light on the preferred channels of communication, and reveals the effectiveness of instructor initiated affinity-seeking. Undergraduate students enrolled at a mid-sized private university were asked to participate in a series of focus groups. Focus group results indicated that students have minimal contact with faculty outside the class and mostly formal topics are discussed. Students reported that instructors were successful at gaining affinity by using appropriate nonverbal cues during face-to-face communication. In general, students reported that computer-mediated affinity-seeking was misunderstood and inappropriately presented. Results also illustrated which affinity-seeking strategies encouraged and hindered frequency of out-of-class communication.

Chamber music courses are known to be an effective instructional practice for classical music training, especially for developing and pre-professional musicians’ listening and cooperative communication skills. In most current chamber music classrooms in Chinese conservatories, the greatest potential of this training, which includes informal and cooperative group learning as well as self-directed learning, goes largely unrealized. In this study, preservice classroom interviews and observations of student groups were employed to investigate independent and informal chamber music learning experiences in three string quartets. Both enhancements and impediments to group work were explored, and the findings indicate that learning outcomes may vary greatly when sufficient scaffolding is not present. The findings of this study indicate that if a series of preparation classes are inserted early in the learning sequence, then many Chinese conservatory students show markedly improved skills in co-operative learning and independent rehearsing. The participants in this study developed a sense of community within a classroom that provided an open learning environment and facilitated discussion.