Abstract
Current research in our discipline urges awareness of a variety of ethical concerns in the teaching of speech communication. We are cautioned about sexist language in communication texts, bias in performance assessment, counterproductive behavior alteration techniques, how we evaluate communication behavior, and which social communication skills to teach our students. These and other concerns affirm an "inherent relationship" between ethics and speech communication.
The topics of concern fall into three general categories: course content, method of instruction, and expectation of outcome. I simplify this list in order to discuss one type of course that should be especially concerned with these three areas: the fundamentals course. Why? There are several reasons. (1) The fundamentals course is the first, and in many cases the only, speech communication course our undergraduates encounter. (2) The fundamentals course should serve as the flagship for the rest of the communication courses, setting standards for education in speech communication. (3) The fundamentals course is a highly visible course on many college and university campuses, especially if it is a general education requirement; our concern for ethics in content, method, and expectation of outcome conveys an important message to those outside our discipline that we are motivated by the highest of principles.
Journal Title
Iowa Journal of Speech Communication
Volume
20
Issue
1
First Page
19
Last Page
26
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Litterst, Judith K.
(1988)
"The Importance of Ethical Standards in the Fundamentals Classroom,"
Iowa Journal of Communication: Vol. 20:
No.
1, Article 5.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/ijc/vol20/iss1/5
Copyright
©1988 Iowa Communication Association
