Welcome to the World of Communication-Intensive Teaching
Explore the transformative power of Communication-Intensive (C-I) teaching, with practical strategies and insights for educators seeking to enhance student communication skills.
In college classrooms all over the world, teachers spend time and energy supporting learners as they connect, create, and discover new ideas. There is little doubt that communication skills are a critical component in that process. The ability to communicate effectively isn't just a desirable skill; it's a critical skill required in the 21st century.
At LSU Communication Across the Curriculum (aka LSU CxC), we have been working for 20 years to embed communication skills training and learning into university coursework. We call this Communication-Intensive (C-I) teaching. In these decades, we have gained so much from the hundreds of faculty and students who work alongside us to think deeply about the intersections of communication skill development and content learning.
We came to this work as teachers motivated to find new ways to engage students and extend their learning in ways that would meaningfully connect with real-world experience. Our team is made up of faculty representing many disciplines (literature, ecology, geography, oceanography, education, business, etc.), and we partner with teachers from across our LSU campus and beyond. In this Substack, we’ll share collectively and individually our experiences with C-I pedagogy. Follow along to embark on a journey exploring its core principles, innovative strategies, and profound impact on student learning.
What to expect from this Substack
If you are like us, so many interesting items come across your inbox daily, many “flagged” to read, and you have a large TBR stack of books in your office and/or home. If you have found your way here, you are likely asking, “Will this help me with my teaching?” So here is what we see as the focus of the Substack.
We hope this will be a place for all teachers interested in helping students increase their communication skills in writing, speaking, visual, and technological modes. While we will share what we have learned, we’re even more excited about what we can learn from others engaged in this work. Whether you're a seasoned C-I educator looking for ways to refine your instructional approaches or you have never heard of C-I pedagogy before, we’re excited to begin this conversation to share knowledge and resources related to C-I teaching, including:
practical strategies and actionable tips for integrating communication learning into your courses,
real-world examples of how other faculty are doing this, including specific assignments and activities that spark student engagement and help to deepen content learning while also practicing communication skills,
some information about the research—and what we have learned about the impact of C-I teaching on student learning,
stories from faculty who use C-I pedagogy and how this approach has impacted their teaching, as well as students who share what it is like to be in a C-I course,
and finally, ideas, wonderings, and a chance to be part of a larger community. We are big on community at LSU CxC, and we hope this Substack will open new opportunities for connection so we can wonder together and share ideas about teaching.
Join us on this journey of discovery!
Our experience with faculty and students across the last two decades has led us to believe that cultivating a culture of communication in our classrooms can equip our students with the skills, confidence, and passion to become lifelong learners and effective communicators.
We're so excited about this Substack and the opportunity to build a larger community of educators interested in harnessing the power of communication in education. Let's exchange ideas, learn from each other's experiences, and celebrate the transformative potential of communication in shaping the future of learning.
New posts coming soon. We hope you’ll join us in the conversation by leaving comments, sharing your insights, and asking questions.
We can't wait to embark on this exciting journey with you!