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Bring Joy Back to the Basic Course through Intentional Course Design

Bringing Renewed Relavance to the Classroom

  • Higher Education
  • Event
  • On-demand
  • Introduction to Communication
  • Composition Lunch & Learn
  • 50 Minutes
  • On-Demand Video

Description

As higher education navigates shifting student expectations and evolving disciplinary demands, this session examines how intentional course design can bring renewed relevance and joy to the classroom. We explore strategies that leverage practical tools to align learning outcomes while cultivating curiosity, resilience, and a shared sense of purpose. With attention to the realities of teaching in a post-COVID, AI-driven world, the session offers actionable approaches to reframe challenges as opportunities, ensuring that classroom experiences remain rigorous for students and deeply rewarding for teacher-scholars.

About Your Speaker

  • Jeff Fox -

    Jeff Fox

    Jeff Fox is an Associate Teaching Professor at Northern Kentucky University, where he teaches a wide range of courses, including Public Speaking, Introduction to Communication, Business Communication, Interviewing, Strategies of Persuasion, and First-Year Experience for students in the College of Informatics.

    Beyond the classroom, Jeff serves as the Basic Course Director for Public Speaking and Introduction to Communication and as the Associate Director for the School of Media & Communication, where he supports course scheduling and curriculum planning. As a strong advocate for digital tools, he is always exploring new ways to enhance the classroom experience and improve student learning. He has been using GoReact since 2018 and values its ability to streamline grading and drive student engagement through personalized, time-saving feedback.

  • Whitney Darnell -

    Whitney Darnell

    Dr. Darnell is an Associate Professor of Communication at Northern Kentucky University whose scholarship examines health communication, health campaigns, patient-provider interactions, and the impact of conversational quality in clinical care. She has published in leading journals such as Health Communication, Journal of Applied Communication Research, and Communication Teacher, advancing understanding of the ways communication can empower patients and communities and improve outcomes. In addition to her research, Dr. Darnell is deeply committed to teaching and curriculum innovation; through intentional course design she prepares students to excel in interdisciplinary collaboration, equipping them with the skills to connect communication theory with practice across health, education, and community contexts. She also contributes to textbook development and master product course design, extending her impact beyond the classroom and helping shape the future of communication education.