This study examines students' motives for use and perceptions of the web site http://www.ratemyprofessors.com, one of the main sites that allow students to post anonymous ratings of college professors in the United States and Canada. The contents of comments posted to the web site are examined for relationships to numerical ratings on the site and motivations expressed by students for participating in the rating process. Qualitative (focus group interviews) and quantitative (content analysis) investigations are presented. Students' motives for accessing Ratemyprofessors.com include information seeking, convenience, and interpersonal utility. As regards teacher ratings, the results indicate that students were primarily concerned with issues such as instructor competence and the classroom experience.

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The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the use of the online virtual world Second Life (SL) for the delivery of health communication messages designed to encourage individuals to make healthy lifestyle choices regarding physical activity and nutrition. Research questions addressed participants’ impressions of the usefulness and relevance of health information received via an online virtual world and participants’ overall impressions of an online health education intervention program. Forty individuals participated in a health education intervention and completed a post-test survey. Four focus groups were also held, one in real life and three in Second Life and included a total of 28 participants. Overall, participants rated the health intervention positively, found the information useful in helping them think about changing their health behaviors, and reported finding the information easy to understand and personally relevant. Participants were also consistent in reporting they found the use of Second Life to be a unique and novel approach for the delivery of health information.

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This research summarizes organizational and community impacts reported by nonprofit community partners participating in an academic service-learning program with communication capstone students at Eastern Michigan University. Community partners discussed internal and external communication-focused capstone projects, perceived short-term and long-term impacts, as well as organizational versus community impact. Analysis of the data revealed that internally focused projects delivered more long-term impact at the organizational level, while several of the externally focused projects delivered short-term impact at both the organizational and community level. A small number of projects delivered little to no impact. In addition, three specific long-term organizational impacts were discovered: new organizational learning, enhanced personal and professional development, and increased student engagement. While student learning outcomes related to service-learning have been well documented, this research adds to the growing body of literature on the organizational and community outcomes associated with academic service-learning courses. This research also illustrates the need for communication-focused projects within the nonprofit sector. Advanced undergraduate students in communication and other allied disciplines are ready and able to fill such needs in meaningful ways through these partnerships.