Cal State Fullerton
Outstanding Professor to
Address Communication Skills in Effective Teaching
Wiseman will share some
of his insights into teaching, coaching and mentoring when he
presents this year's Outstanding Professor Lecture,"Communication
Skills in Effective Teaching."
April 14, 2005 :: No. 173
“I believe that the most important
factor in students’ classroom learning is to involve
them in its content,” said Richard Wiseman, professor
of human communication studies and recipient of the Outstanding
Professor Award at Cal State Fullerton. “If students
get involved with the material, then the learning will be
long-lasting and have a greater potential to make a difference
in how students apply that knowledge.”
Each year, the individual selected to receive
the university’s Outstanding Professor Award presents
a public lecture the following year. Wiseman’s scheduled
address coincides with his selection as one of five recipients
of the 2005 Wang Award from the 23-campus California State
University system. CSU Trustee Stanley T. Wang, who gave the
CSU $1 million to recognize outstanding achievements of faculty
members and administrators, established the Wang awards.
Wiseman will share some of his insights into
teaching, coaching and mentoring when he presents the 2005
Outstanding Professor Lecture, “Communication Skills
in Effective Teaching,” at 11 a.m. Monday, April 18,
in the Titan Student Union’s Portola Pavilion.
“I will discuss ways that faculty relate
to students and look at such skills as active listening and
empathy,” Wiseman explained. “When students come
to professors for advice, I think we, as faculty members,
have a tendency to jump in and focus on solutions. Sometimes,
we don’t really listen to what students may be trying
to tell us. That’s where active listening becomes critical.”
Among the ways that faculty members can enhance
these relationships is by providing support to students and
looking at the techniques they use in teaching.
“One of the elements I encourage among faculty members
is immediacy,” Wiseman said. “For instance, how
do they demonstrate warmth and closeness? Immediacy is closely
correlated with student satisfaction and learning. Through
guided practice, faculty members can learn how to enhance
their skills in this area.”
He noted that some simple steps professors
can take to enhance teaching include stepping out from behind
the podium, changing the modulation of their voices, making
eye contact with students and engaging them in conversation
more frequently.
“Interestingly enough, some faculty members
are shy,” Wiseman said. “It’s difficult
for them to maintain eye contact, but since there are usually
at least two or three supportive students in a class, I tell
them to look to these students. The act of visually scanning
the room makes students feel included.”
Knowing students’ names is another way
of creating immediacy.
“I know it’s sometimes difficult
to remember all the names when you’re teaching large
classes,” Wiseman admits. “We may also have problems
with unfamiliar names. For instance, it’s sometimes
difficult for me to pronounce certain Asian names because
of the tonal nature of the language. Sometimes I put the stress
on the wrong syllable, or I’m not sure how to pronounce
certain letter groupings. In those instances, I try to get
the students to help me pronounce their names correctly, realizing
it may take several attempts. What I have discovered, however,
is that simply making the attempt is appreciated.”
Often international students will anglicize
their names, but Wiseman encourages his students not to do
that.
“Our names are part of our identities,”
he said. “As a teacher, I should be willing to try to
learn a name even if it is difficult for me to pronounce.”
Community building is another area that Wiseman
will focus on during his presentation.
He recently conducted research on how to develop
a sense of community at Cal State Fullerton. The study published
in Intercultural Communications Studies, XIII—2004,
focuses on three variables: the relationships between faculty
members and students, relationships between students and students,
and those between students and resources (such as e-mail portals).
Wiseman’s research found that the critical component
in developing a sense of a campus community is the students’
relationships to faculty members.
“Students appreciate it when their professors
provide career advice or discuss different facets of students’
education,” he said. “This leads full circle back
to advisement. By focusing on how we interact with students,
faculty not only enhance the teaching of their particular
subject but have an effect on students’ appreciation
of Cal State Fullerton and university life as a whole.”
Media Contacts: |
Richard Wiseman, Human Communication
Studies,
657-278-3902 or rwiseman@fullerton.edu
Valerie Orleans, Public Affairs, 657-278-4540 or vorleans@fullerton.edu |
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