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Theorizing with Purpose: A Five-Step Approach to Motivate and Guide Students in Communication Theory Courses

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Title: Theorizing with Purpose: A Five-Step Approach to Motivate and Guide Students in Communication Theory Courses
Language: English
Authors: Weixu Lu (ORCID 0000-0002-3794-3606)
Source: Journal of Communication Pedagogy. 2025 9:2-17.
Availability: Central States Communication Association. University of Montevallo, Department of Communication, 75 College Drive, Station 6625, Montevallo, AL 35115. e-mail: csca.ed@gmail.com; Web site: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jcp/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Communication (Thought Transfer), Theories, Novices, Models, Student Motivation, Instruction, Communication Research, Comprehension, Undergraduate Students, Student Attitudes
ISSN: 2640-4524
2578-2568
Abstract: This study addresses the challenges of effectively teaching communication theories to undergraduate students by highlighting the gap between the need for developing higher-order, transferrable knowledge and the learning needs of novice learners. To bridge this gap, it introduces a novel five-step model integrating motivation, direct instruction, revisiting, assessing, and invention steps into the teaching process. Assessment results from two semesters were compared to evaluate the efficacy of this model, showing significant improvements in students' comprehension of communication theories, ability to theorize communication phenomena, and proficiency in formulating research questions based on theoretical insights. These findings suggest the potential of the proposed model to enhance educational practices in theory-heavy courses.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1480555
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
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  Data: Theorizing with Purpose: A Five-Step Approach to Motivate and Guide Students in Communication Theory Courses
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Weixu+Lu%22">Weixu Lu</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3794-3606">0000-0002-3794-3606</externalLink>)
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  Data: Central States Communication Association. University of Montevallo, Department of Communication, 75 College Drive, Station 6625, Montevallo, AL 35115. e-mail: csca.ed@gmail.com; Web site: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jcp/
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  Data: This study addresses the challenges of effectively teaching communication theories to undergraduate students by highlighting the gap between the need for developing higher-order, transferrable knowledge and the learning needs of novice learners. To bridge this gap, it introduces a novel five-step model integrating motivation, direct instruction, revisiting, assessing, and invention steps into the teaching process. Assessment results from two semesters were compared to evaluate the efficacy of this model, showing significant improvements in students' comprehension of communication theories, ability to theorize communication phenomena, and proficiency in formulating research questions based on theoretical insights. These findings suggest the potential of the proposed model to enhance educational practices in theory-heavy courses.
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 16
        StartPage: 2
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        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Theories
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      – SubjectFull: Novices
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      – SubjectFull: Models
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      – SubjectFull: Student Motivation
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      – SubjectFull: Instruction
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      – SubjectFull: Communication Research
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      – SubjectFull: Undergraduate Students
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      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Theorizing with Purpose: A Five-Step Approach to Motivate and Guide Students in Communication Theory Courses
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