Oral Communication Definition
Oral communication is a prepared, purposeful presentation designed to increase knowledge, to foster understanding, or to promote change in the listeners' attitudes, values, beliefs, or behaviors.
Learning Outcomes
- Convey a central message (the main point/thesis/"take-away" of a presentation).
- Employ effective delivery techniques, including posture, gestures, eye contact, and use of the voice.
- Use appropriate language, including vocabulary, terminology, and sentence structure.
- Organize material strategically by grouping and sequencing of ideas and supporting material in a presentation.
- Convey appropriate supporting material, such as explanations, examples, illustrations, statistics, analogies, quotations from relevant authorities, and other kinds of information or analysis that supports the principal ideas of the presentation.
Ways to Fulfill Competencies
Courses:
- Successful completion of a 100-level or higher public speaking course at an accredited college or university will show that students have met this competency.
- Any course that has been approved by the Core Curriculum Committee.
- Courses must include a multiple opportunities for feedback in the development of at least one sustained classroom presentation. (Presentations must include researched content and are recommended to be at least seven minutes in length.)
- The final presentations will be assessed for both style and content, using the AAC&U Oral Communication VALUE rubric
Placements:
- A student with significant public speaking experience may present a portfolio demonstrating proficiency in oral communication to the Director of Core Curriculum for review.
Current catalog list of LIVE courses
Expected Achievement
Foundational level will be Milestone 2 on AAC&U Oral Communication VALUE rubric