Frances Ward-Johnson, associate professor in the School of Communications, presented research on blogging in public relations classes at the 2009 International Association of Online Communicators Annual Conference held Oct.1-2 in Washington, D.C.
Ward-Johnson’s paper, titled “From Teacher-Directed Instruction to Peer-to-Peer Learning: The Impact of Using Blogs in Public Relations Classes,” focused on her study of using blogs in public relations writing classes and the senior seminar course. The research examines how the social media tool allows students to learn from one another, display their problem solving skills, and disclose experiences that might not be revealed face-to-face.
Ward-Johnson’s study included a content analysis of three semesters of class blogs. Her research argues that blogging is one of the most effective tools in building community among students.
Ward-Johnson was among a group of selected communication professionals and educators who presented their research papers in a popular roundtable format where presenters interacted with their audiences in small group settings.
The research will be published in the IAOC journal.