Taught By:
Benjamin Bates
Professor & Coordinator for Global Outreach
School of Communication Studies
Ohio University
Read profile here.
Motivation to Teach Social Action:
From reading the Myers-Lipton books, it seems that this is a student-centered, student-empowered approach, which is something that I'd like to see more of in our classes at Ohio University. The structured approach to the workshop seems able to provide specific guidance and help that goes beyond reading the books. Since many of my colleagues employ an instructor-centered approach to our communication and public advocacy course, having the opportunity to exchange ideas with other action-oriented teachers in the context of a student-centered course framework seems helpful to developing these ideas.
Course Description:
Introduces students to the theoretical, philosophical, and methodological influences integral to communication and public advocacy. To provide a theoretical and technical vocabulary of public advocacy research that will establish a foundation for successful advancement in the major, writing is integrated into this course in several ways. First, students will write regularly throughout the term. Course Assignments will require that students engage with the content of the course and recognize their own positions and those of others on controversial issues, while simultaneously attending to principles of writing. Second, we will devote class time to learning about substantive writing through lectures, discussions, and in-class activities. Writing assignment topics will include personal position statements, argument analysis, and argument development.
