AS 202: Game On
by Colleen DeFruscio
In a few weeks, while the majority of undergraduate students will be cramming for finals, putting the finishing touches on ten page papers and sharpening pencils to fill out those beloved scan-trons, one CAS class will be preparing to propose ideas to members of the Penn State University administration.
Dr. Rachel Smith’s CAS 202 (Communication Theory) class final project is unlike any final most students have ever completed. On Wednesday, December 19 from 2:30 to 3:30 PM in Boardroom 1 of the Nittany Lion Inn, Dr. Smith and her 90 CAS students will host a poster session, displaying propositions regarding how to reach and educate specific groups within the University population on the Penn State Principles. “The Penn State Principles embody the values that our students, faculty, staff, administration, and alumni possess,” according to Penn State’s website (http://www.psu.edu/ur/principles.html). The principles read: I will respect the dignity of all individuals within the Penn State community, I will practice academic integrity, I will demonstrate social and personal responsibility, and I will be responsible for my own academic progress and agree to comply with all University policies.
“The assignment is to find a segment of the PSU population and use the right theories of communication to get the principle across,” explains Dr. Smith. The idea is that since a lot of people do not know or are not very familiar with the Penn State principles or what they involve, changes need to be made regarding how the information is communicated so that people will be educated on the four principles. Each student chose a principle and a target audience (i.e. freshmen of a certain major, faculty members in a particular department, etc.) and using the information from lessons, came up with a method or plan to meet the objective. Ideas range from reevaluating advertising techniques, to orientation programs, to online initiatives. The students will use posters to aid their presentations and visually outline their proposals.
“Multiple choice tests can be unsatisfying in showing the mastery of material – this is an opportunity to use what you learn and apply it,” says Dr. Smith. Also, she notes that in such a large class at such a large university, students can often feel like numbers or faces in the crowd. This project gives each student a voice and a chance to be heard by administrators. Administrators that plan to attend the poster session include Dr. Robert Pangborn, Vice President and Dean for Undergraduate Education, and Rodney A. Erickson, Executive Vice President and Provost. Dr. Pangborn provided the funding for this event.
“Knowing that administrators are going to be there motivates me to do better,” says Margaret Morrow, a student in Dr. Smith’s CAS 202 course. “This will be the first time I’ve actually had contact with the administration; the fact that they’re coming makes me feel like they really care, and it will be good to get their feedback.” Though some students appear to be nervous about presenting their ideas, most agree that the assignment is innovative. “I’m excited, it’s unlike any final I’ve ever had; it’s professional.” Morrow continues, expressing the idea that unlike studying for a test and forgetting the information shortly after, this assignment requires practical application of what one has learned and she feels it will benefit her in the long run.
The students have been building up to this final project all semester. They have completed smaller assignments that have aided their preparation for their presentations, focusing on things like claims and warrants, audience analysis and presentation to clients. Dr. Smith has been working with her students every step of the way; “I hope that they (the students) are excited. I could’ve heard a pin drop the first day when I told them what the final assignment would be. Some people dropped the class, but I told those that were willing to stay, ‘if you’re game on, I’ll be with you all the way.’”
All are welcome to attend this poster session that will be held from 2:30 to 3:30 PM in Boardroom 1 of the Nittany Lion Inn, on Wednesday December 19.