Classroom Diversity Inclusiveness in communication skills classes

ADPR 5920 (PR Communication) Course objectives Strategic thinking before writing Styles and formats Typical topics Lectures on strategies for working with reporters, using research to inform writing Skills labs (news release, fact sheet, PSA)

Course objectives

Strategic thinking before writing

Styles and formats

Typical topics

Lectures on strategies for working with reporters, using research to inform writing

Skills labs (news release, fact sheet, PSA)

Adding diversity to the mix Beginner Including multicultural names and faces Intermediate Thinking about diverse publics Advanced Questioning the concepts

Beginner

Including multicultural names and faces

Intermediate

Thinking about diverse publics

Advanced

Questioning the concepts

Diversity for beginners Use examples that include people from different population subgroups

Use examples that include people from different population subgroups

Beginners When creating assignments or providing examples, include names of different ethnic origins

When creating assignments or providing examples, include names of different ethnic origins

Beginners Bring in guest speakers who represent different population groups, even if they don’t talk about diversity per se. Suchita Vadlamani, Fox 5 morning anchor

Bring in guest speakers who represent different population groups, even if they don’t talk about diversity per se.

ADPR 5920 guest lecturer Nadine Randall, BellSouth

Intermediate level Make assignments that require students to learn about different kinds of people

Make assignments that require students to learn about different kinds of people

Sample assignment Write a pitch letter that tries to convince editors to assign a reporter to interview someone about the UNCF’s campaign to help the affected schools. Background: United Negro College Fund Today, of the approximately 65,000 students UNCF supports at about 900 colleges and universities, some 60% are the first in their families to attend college and 62% have annual family incomes of less than $25,000. UNCF provides operating support to 39 member historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), which helps the member schools keep tuition down to a rate 54% lower than tuition at other comparable schools….

Write a pitch letter that tries to convince editors to assign a reporter to interview someone about the UNCF’s campaign to help the affected schools.

Background: United Negro College Fund

Today, of the approximately 65,000 students UNCF supports at about 900 colleges and universities, some 60% are the first in their families to attend college and 62% have annual family incomes of less than $25,000. UNCF provides operating support to 39 member historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), which helps the member schools keep tuition down to a rate 54% lower than tuition at other comparable schools….

Intermediate Ask students to conduct research on different target populations

Ask students to conduct research on different target populations

Intermediate Bring in guest speakers who can talk about race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, etc. Example: Enrique Carrion

Bring in guest speakers who can talk about race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, etc.

Example: Enrique Carrion

Guest lecture on gatekeepers In class: Questions about editors’ preferences in dealing with PR people Questions about the Hispanic community in Athens Out of class: Paper on gatekeeping Must include examples about targeting a bilingual news publication

In class:

Questions about editors’ preferences in dealing with PR people

Questions about the Hispanic community in Athens

Out of class:

Paper on gatekeeping

Must include examples about targeting a bilingual news publication

Advanced level Rather than assuming differences, question or problematize concepts relating to race, gender, sexual orientation, age, etc.

Rather than assuming differences, question or problematize concepts relating to race, gender, sexual orientation, age, etc.

“ Problematizing” differences Q&A with Enrique “ What are some of the problems for Latinos in Athens?” “ The same problems everyone has: housing, education, consumer issues…” Enrique Carrion

Q&A with Enrique

“ What are some of the problems for Latinos in Athens?”

“ The same problems everyone has: housing, education, consumer issues…”

Questions and comments