Teaching

Mission

As an instructor, regardless of subject or audience, I aim to make materials accessible and relevant to a wide range of learners. I believe it is my job to help students build lifelong skills, such as advanced organizing, critical thinking, and writing skills, for utility in a variety of future environments. In order to determine how manageable students find materials, I regularly assess their learning in creative ways, creating a feedback loop between instructor and learner.

Dillon Teaching Statement

Course Syllabi

Graduate Teaching Assistants are permitted to customize syllabi for any course for which they are the instructor of record. Besides the four courses listed below, I have also taught public speaking, lead by a course director who designs activities, rubrics, and syllabi for all instructors. For more specific information on my experiences, please see my Teaching Experience Narrative. For complete syllabi, please see below.

COM290S Media Literacy

COMM 3163 Industry Research Methods

COMM 3554 Social Implications of Communication Technology

COMM 2540 Introduction to Communication Technology

COMM 4554 Social Media

Sample Course Activities

Social Media Group Project Topics: Student groups chose the topic to explore in social media. Topics ranged from health communication (e.g., disease awareness) to brand-management to stereotypes. Each topic description includes a what (define the specific topic pacifically), a why (why is social media important in this topic?), who (who is the key audience? Who is leading the charge on the topic? Who manages/disseminates/controls the topic?) and how (how is social media used in the topic?).

Social Media Mini-Task Assignments: Students were assigned to complete three mini-task assignments during the term to illustrate how social media can be used to address each of the topics. Each mini-task required students to engage with social media in a creative, visual way, connecting theory to application. End of term feedback suggested students responded well to the alternative assessment of their understanding of course material and appreciated the new outlet for their knowledge.

Reflection Task Essay Choices: In each course I independently teach, I challenge students to grow as writers. Working from existing course assignments, I expanded my repertoire of reflection task essay topics. Each asks students to actively engage with a communication phenomenon (e.g., personalized news, qualitative coding of online comments, writing a letter to someone in the past about a current technology), connect to research on the topic, and reflection on their personal experience.  Students time and again laud these essays as great way to become familiar with concepts covered in lecture in a hands-on way.

Student Evaluations

The Ohio State University and the School of Communication request separate student evaluations (SEI) at the end of each term.

  • The University wide student evaluation instruments are quantitative in nature, and scores are compared to previous iterations of the course. Instructors are permitted to request open-ended comments should students wish to leave them. A comprehensive report of my SEIs can be found here.
  • The Department student evaluation instruments are strictly qualitative. Students are requested to report their general opinions of the course and instructor of record. These evaluations are entered into a department database and used for annual reviews, both course and personnel. Five comments from each of my courses can be found here.
  • When possible, I ask my students to complete an anonymous midterm evaluation survey. Students are given an opportunity to evaluate course components, structure, and scheduling, as well as my approach, pace, and helpfulness. A comprehensive report of these midterm evaluations can be found here.

Guest Lectures

Whenever possible, I appreciate the occasion to deliver guest lectures or trainings in other classroom settings. If you are interested in extending an invitation, please contact me.

  • Cultivating empathy and combatting bullying in arts programs, Momentum Excellence, July 2016
  • Bullying & Cyberbullying: Definitions, antecedents, and responses, Grandview Public Schools Intake Service, April 2016
  • Cyberbullying and cyberbystander intervention choices, Asbury College, Social Media & Emerging Technologies, April 2016
  • Bullying & Cyberbullying: Educating parents and students on causes, effects, and responses, Grandview Public Schools Parent and Community Presentation
  • Workplace bullying: Research and implications, The Ohio State University, Organizational Communication (COMM 3325), July 2015
  • Research in deindividuation and disinhibition, The Ohio State University, Social Implications of Communication Technology (COMM 3554), July 2015
  • Research methods to investigate bullying and cyberbullying, University of George, Research Methods, January 2015
  • Bystander research: On and offline ramifications in terrorism and media campaigns, The Ohio State University, Media & Terrorism (COMM 3597), November 2014.
  • Efficient Presentation and Public Speaking Skills, The Ohio State University, Department of Engineering, Women in Engineering, November 2014.
  • Cyberbullying: Defining and applying research to practice. Consultant, Nationwide Insurance Digital Aggression Workshop, October 2014.
  • Presentation and Public Speaking to Industry, The Ohio State University, Fisher College of Business Industry Clusters Program, August 2014.
  • Developing Effective Presentation Skills, The Ohio State University, University Center for the Advancement of Teaching Graduate Teaching Orientation, August 2014.
  • Bullying & Cyberbullying, The Ohio State University, Violence and Society (COMM 3442), March 2014
  • Delivering Impromptu Speeches: How to prepare, The Ohio State University, Intro to Public Speaking (COMM 2110), June 2014
  • Teaching as a Grader, The Ohio State University, University Center for the Advancement of Teaching Graduate Teaching Orientation, August 2013.

 

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