Educational Technology & Public Speaking

Robinson, James, Turner, Jeanine, & Watters, Kathleen

Measurement Issues: PRCA

The identification of appropriate measures for the assessment. PRCA – Personal Report of Communication

Apprehension 6 item measure of public speaking anxiety

PRCA used in 1,000 published studies. Reliabilities reported in the .80 range

PRCA Items

“My thoughts become confused when I give a speech.”

“I face the prospect of giving a speech with confidence.”

“Certain parts of my body feel tense or rigid while giving a speech.”

“I get so nervous I forget facts I know.”

Measurement Issues: SPCC

SPCC – The self perceived communicative competence measure.

3 item measure of public speaking competence

SPCC widely used in research & assessment of public speaking courses.

Reliabilities reported in the .75 range

SPCC Items

On a scale of 0% to 100% how competent are you at the following: “Present a talk to a group of strangers.” “Present a talk with a group of acquaintances.” “Present a talk to a group of friends.”

Pilot Study

o Measures were tested in class (n = 109 Ss).o Internal consistency PRCA = .86* for public

speaking items.o Internal consistency for SPCC = .79* for

public speaking items.*Cronbach’s alpha

Assessment Website

An assessment website was constructed. An introduction & explanation on the

assessment process was included. The measures were then turned into forms

using Microsoft FrontPage

The Assessment Website

Reduces time spent generating & distributing assessment materials.

Reduces the money spent reproducing the materials Reduces the time spent analyzing assessment data.

No scanning & importing ASCII files. No reproducing variable labels.

Additional Technology

Ss typically make two speeches in this course.

Both are made in class – utilizing 45% of all class time.

Ss typically give a variation of the same speech.

Additional Technology

To alleviate this problem, Ss are required to tape their speech outside of class and bring it to the instructor

Ss may practice and record the speech as many times as they like.

This forces Ss to practice the speech before they present it in class.

Additional Technology

Ss receive more instruction & less time listening to speeches that are not well prepared or are redundant.

Instructors can pour over the speech and look back and rewind speech.

Instructors can point out specific problems and shoe the Ss.

Discussion

Putting Ss in charge of solving the technology problem, empowers Ss.

Taped speeches reduce Ss complaints about differences in perceptions of the speech. Vocal segregates, eye contact, note of finality,

transitions.

Discussion

Instructors perceive speeches to be much improved.

Ss report feeling more clear about what the instructor “wants.”

Ss watch their speech and realize there are many things they could do to enhance their performance.

Future Projects

Stream the speech on assessment website instead of using transcript.

Provide Ss with firewire webcams for public speaking courses.

Submit the speeches to their instructors as video attachments on the new media server system.

Future Projects

Create a video speech library for Ss. Identify the most common Ss errors to

improve future speech education. Provide instructors software to embed

comments in a second audio track.

New Instructional Website

Fractionate speech into components. Attention Purpose Preview Main Points

Evidence

New Instructional Website

Conclusion Closing summary Note of finality Efforts at credibility Message adaptation

Ss provide each component online to instructor.