Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Knowledge sharing is increasingly important in educational organizations. This article looks at peer-to-peer knowledge sharing within educational institutions, from the instructors' perspectives. The study was conducted in Singapore at an public education, with the qualitative approach adopted via in-depth interviews.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Source credibility theory states that people are more likely to be persuaded when the source presents itself as credible. In the process of exploring this theoretical perspective, this study attempted to determine to what extent source characteristics such as gender and ethnicity play in the perceptions that university students have in the student/professor relationship.
At a bi-national U.S. university with a predominantly Latino student body, students perceived European American professors as more competent and caring, and hence more credible overall, than Latino professors. Female professors were perceived as more trustworthy and caring, as well as more credible overall, than male professors. While results failed to yield a significant MANOVA effect between instructor gender and instructor ethnicity, female Latino professors were perceived as somewhat less competent than their male and female European American and Latino male counterparts. In addition, on overall credibility, European American female professors were rated higher than their European American male, and male and female Latino counterparts. In order of relative significance, competence, immediacy and attractiveness significantly contributed to student learning.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: This study provides an examination of differences in students' perceptions of DARE officers across six metropolitan areas in the United States.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Many discussions of self-disclosure in the classroom assume that students' educational interests are best served when their teachers remain circumspect about their own identities, interests, and political views. This paper questions that assumption, arguing that the benefits to student learning are potentially greater than the risks presented by instructor self-disclosure.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: This study is an exploration of students’ perception of hurtful messages communicated by instructors, as well as the students’ responses to these messages. To date, there is a deficiency in the scholarly literature on communicative hurtful messages. One area where scholars have not concentrated on hurtful messages is in the context of instructional communication. Studying students’ perception of hurtful messages communicated by college instructors is important because many instructors may not understand that a message they are communicating is actually perceived as being hurtful. A qualitative/interpretive analysis of interview data resulted in the recognition of five forms of hurtful messages that students report experiencing (humiliation, verbal/nonverbal aggression, shock, mistaken intent, and discouragement), as well as two forms of responses (active verbal and acquiescent). These findings serve to extend Vangelisti et al.’s (2005) general typologies of hurtful messages and receiver responses. Framed in facework theory, students perceived hurtful messages to be consistent with threats to either their positive or negative face. Similarly, students enacted both preventive and corrective facework as responses to these face threats. Categorically, I propose the addition of “Relational Nonexistence” to the theory of facework for the context of instructional communication, as each student felt that they needed to end their relationship with the instructor who had hurt them. It is my goal that instructors utilize the results of this study as a tool for the possible improvement of communication competence and instructional effectiveness, as well as the improvement and/or repair of their relationship with the offended student.