A Business Communication Assessment Tool Based on Workplace Assessment Processes and Service-Learning

Abstract

The instructor developed an assessment tool based on Service-Learning (S-L) for developing business and professional communication (BPC) skills in business school students in India ( N = 117). The students practiced their organizational, leadership, and interpersonal communication skills in an authentic, contextual, and workplace atmosphere during this S-L assessment project. The effectiveness of the assessment tool has been studied with a posttest and then pretest. The need for an innovative and holistic BPC skills assessment tool is discussed. The article also presents implications of the project for students and pedagogy along with the challenges in using the assessment project.

Making Meaningful Connections and Learning Workplace-Like Business Writing Through LinkedIn and Blogging

“…This methodology is used to develop, improve, or change a process. In an educational setting, researchers and instructors use action research to develop, improve, or change teaching-learningassessing processes (Plant & Slippers, 2015;Sharma 2021Sharma , 2022. This research used action research methodology to develop and improve an innovative business writing assessment tool that creates an authentic role and a real purpose, and facilitates an actual readership of the student writing with the help of Web 2.0 tools and platforms like blogging and LinkedIn.…”

“…In this context, both researchers and industry experts call for a better mechanism that teaches and assesses BPC and writing skills in a context-specific and applied manner with a focus on the effectiveness of the communication along with the style and mechanics of communication. Several innovative tools and mechanisms, such as service-learning (Sharma, 2021, 2022), client-based projects (Dauletova, 2014, 2015), multimedia cases (Arduser, 2016; Lind, 2020), simulations (Drury-Grogan & Russ, 2013; Ismail & Sabapathy, 2016), have been used by BPC faculty and researchers to fill the gap between industry’s expectations and academic practices and create authentic learning experiences.…”

Teaching Professional Use of Social Media Through a Service-Learning Business Communication Project

“…S-L pedagogy has various approaches and models, which can be selected according to the needs and requirements of the course and its learning goals (Munz et al, 2018). Students can learn and practice a particular subject area (BPC) and a skill set (SMC) with the help of the chosen model and approach to S-L pedagogy (Sharma, 2021a). The D-B S-L model and S-SPR approach enables students to participate in community projects as well as learn a particular subject area and/or skill set.…”

“…BPC as an area has strong ties with S-L pedagogy as S-L can provide real-life conversations instead of abstract discussions to learn, experience, and practice various BPC skills (Britt, 2012; Munz et al, 2018). Several BPC instructor-researchers have applied S-L pedagogy in BPC courses and assignments (Littlefield, 2006; Mahin & Kruggel, 2006; Melton & Hicks, 2011; Oster-Aaland et al, 2007, Sharma, 2021a; Williams & Love, 2005). S-L pedagogy has been applied to teach public speaking (De La Mare, 2014), organizational and team communication (Sharma, 2021a), argumentation skills (Hinck & Scheffels, 2015), and client-based real-time BPC projects (Melton & Hicks, 2011).…”

“…Several BPC instructor-researchers have applied S-L pedagogy in BPC courses and assignments (Littlefield, 2006; Mahin & Kruggel, 2006; Melton & Hicks, 2011; Oster-Aaland et al, 2007, Sharma, 2021a; Williams & Love, 2005). S-L pedagogy has been applied to teach public speaking (De La Mare, 2014), organizational and team communication (Sharma, 2021a), argumentation skills (Hinck & Scheffels, 2015), and client-based real-time BPC projects (Melton & Hicks, 2011). S-L enables students to practice the acquired skills in a meaningful way and contribute toward the betterment of the community.…”