Building Bridges: Developing Inclusive Business Communication Curricula Through Local Collaboration

Type of Presentation

Individual paper/presentation

Conference Strand

Outreach and Partnership

Target Audience

Higher Education

Second Target Audience

K-12

Location

Ballroom C

Relevance

This proposal emphasizes workplace communication skills, which include effectively locate evaluate and using information. All skills are essential to workplace communication. Furthermore, the proposal highlights a scaffolded approach and experiential learning, which incorporates local business collaboration. This type of partnership not only builds information literacy by exposing students to industry-relevant information but also teaches them to adapt and transfer skills learned in class across different contexts.

Proposal

This presentation, Building Bridges: Developing Inclusive Business Communication Curricula Through Local Collaboration, explores an innovative approach to curriculum development that enhances the relevance and inclusivity of business communication education. With the development of AI, employers view communication as one of the top “soft skills” critical to workplace success. Business professionals regularly engage in complex exchanges- such as networking, leading teams, and presenting ideas 0 that require clear, persuasive communication (Robles, 2012; Cardon et al., 2024).

Kolb’s (1984) theory of experiential learning suggests that students learn best through direct experiences, reflection, and application. The ENG 332 course is structured to equip students with essential communication skills through a scaffolded approach, progressively integrating experiential learning projects. These projects are designed to simulate workplace scenarios, allowing students to apply their knowledge in real-world contexts while simultaneously enhancing their communication literacy and readiness for professional environments.

The presentation will begin with an overview of the historical context surrounding the literacy needs of business majors as they transition into the workplace, highlighting evolving employer expectations. Following this, the presentation will explore the history and principles of experiential learning, emphasizing its relevance to business communication education. The presenter will then outline the design of a current curriculum tailored for business majors, demonstrating how it incorporates experiential learning elements and partnerships with local business leaders. This collaborative approach aims to enhance students' communication literacy and career readiness, equipping them with the skills necessary for effective workplace communication.

Short Description

This presentation outlines an experiential learning-based ENG 332 curriculum. By partnering with local businesses, it equips students with essential communication skills employers prioritize. The curriculum emphasizes real-world scenarios, enhancing career readiness and literacy for business majors through scaffolded projects and a focus on practical application, reflection, and engagement with workplace demands.

Keywords

Curriculum Development, Experiential Learning, Communication Literacy, Business Communication

Publication Type and Release Option

Presentation (Open Access)

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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Feb 8th, 9:00 AM Feb 8th, 9:45 AM

Building Bridges: Developing Inclusive Business Communication Curricula Through Local Collaboration

Ballroom C

This presentation, Building Bridges: Developing Inclusive Business Communication Curricula Through Local Collaboration, explores an innovative approach to curriculum development that enhances the relevance and inclusivity of business communication education. With the development of AI, employers view communication as one of the top “soft skills” critical to workplace success. Business professionals regularly engage in complex exchanges- such as networking, leading teams, and presenting ideas 0 that require clear, persuasive communication (Robles, 2012; Cardon et al., 2024).

Kolb’s (1984) theory of experiential learning suggests that students learn best through direct experiences, reflection, and application. The ENG 332 course is structured to equip students with essential communication skills through a scaffolded approach, progressively integrating experiential learning projects. These projects are designed to simulate workplace scenarios, allowing students to apply their knowledge in real-world contexts while simultaneously enhancing their communication literacy and readiness for professional environments.

The presentation will begin with an overview of the historical context surrounding the literacy needs of business majors as they transition into the workplace, highlighting evolving employer expectations. Following this, the presentation will explore the history and principles of experiential learning, emphasizing its relevance to business communication education. The presenter will then outline the design of a current curriculum tailored for business majors, demonstrating how it incorporates experiential learning elements and partnerships with local business leaders. This collaborative approach aims to enhance students' communication literacy and career readiness, equipping them with the skills necessary for effective workplace communication.