The Oral Communication Competency Requirement at Florida State University
Florida State University is tasked with developing informed, engaged, thoughtful citizens, and so it is incumbent on our University to help students develop essential communication skills. The College of Communication and Information takes leadership in several core courses meeting the oral communication competency requirement, although OCCR courses are offered across the university. Teaching oral competency not only helps us graduate students with varied expertise and the ability to effectively communicate said expertise, it also very naturally feeds into all aspects of one’s life, enhancing both personal and professional exchanges and the potential for success (Each sub-heading below provides a link to more supporting examples and documentation.)
The Crucial Significance of Oral Communication Skills
Oral communication is an important part of professional preparation, including working in teams, and developing leadership skills. Employer surveys demonstrate the high priority placed on a range of non-technical or non-specialist skills. Numerous surveys of employers, as well as career advisors, place a top priority on oral communication skills.
Oral Communication Competency at Florida State University
At Florida State University, “Competence in oral communication is indicated by an individual demonstrating the ability to clearly transmit ideas and information orally in a way that is appropriate to the topic, purpose, and audience. It also involves demonstrating the ability to discuss ideas clearly with others, to hear and respond to questions, and to assess critical response appropriately.”
Clear, Creative, and Convincing Oral Communicators: “Generate, develop, organize, and convey original ideas orally, using language, presentation skills, and/or other media (for example, digital texts, images, and graphs) to present those ideas clearly, confidently, and in a manner appropriate to different audiences and specific communication situations.”
Oral Communication is Central to the Goals and Outcomes of Liberal Studies
Oral communication skills are an important part of liberal education, and serve as a foundation for all disciplines and professions. The preparation of a message for an audience requires research, organization, critical thinking, analysis, writing, and effective delivery of the message are crucial to the type of workplaces and society our graduates will face after graduation. The effective communication of ideas and information helps prepare students to thrive in a number of face-to-face settings, as well as virtual settings, in careers and community.
Recently a number of surveys of alumni, career advisors and employers have indicated the importance of the skills that are a core part of Liberal Studies. Oral communication is mentioned often as part of the skills derived from Liberal Studies that are of highest importance.
Sean Decatur, President of Kenyan College, states: “The relationship between the liberal arts and career success has been studied extensively. Reports by the Association of Colleges and Universities point to the value that employers give to hiring employees with proven writing and communication skills, the ability to learn and integrate new material, a broad understanding of the humanities, natural and social sciences, and analytical skills — which are all hallmarks of a liberal education.”
A report on an employer survey by the American Association of Colleges and Universties/Hart Research states: “Echoing findings from previous Hart Research employer surveys, employers say that when hiring, they place the greatest value on demonstrated proficiency in skills and knowledge that cut across all majors. The learning outcomes they rate as most important include written and oral communication skills, teamwork skills, ethical decision-making, critical thinking, and the ability to apply knowledge in real-world settings. Indeed, most employers say that these cross-cutting skills are more important to an individual’s success at their company than his or her undergraduate major.”
Oral Communication is Also Important for STEM and Other Disciplines
The Committee on Communicating Chemistry in Informal Settings states: “The committee’s report seeks to enhance the effectiveness of public communication by chemists at activities that foster engagement and learning outside the classroom setting. We build on two trends: One is the interest shown by many chemists in sharing their knowledge and experience with the public through activities such as National Chemistry Week, science festivals, museum exhibits or events, science cafés, and online media. The second is the growing research on science communication, informal learning, and chemistry education.”
National Science Foundation. Award Abstract, Technically Speaking, Mathematical Sciences: “This project is developing innovative curricular resources to improve the oral communication skills of undergraduate mathematics students. The materials support the learning of effective communication skills for delivering technical ideas to both math-oriented and general audiences. The centerpiece of the project is the creation of a series of instructional video vignettes, to be offered free of charge on the web, that provide a completely new approach to introducing the art of mathematical communication to undergraduates. Based on a compare-and-contrast pedagogical design, the instruction delivered on the website contains multiple vignettes juxtaposing effective and poor oral communication examples.”
Employer surveys, as well as granting agencies and educators in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, as well as in business, recognize the central importance of effective oral communication.
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers notes regarding oral communication: Public Speaking is verbal communication to a group, usually a substantial audience, in a way that connects in a deeper manner. Interpersonal skills are critical, as the speaker needs to understand how to communicate with an audience emotionally as well as intellectually. Combining a strong, effusive voice with the possible use of backing visual aids, it is the synergy of persuasion and engagement. Anxiety is a strong psychological component of public speaking, as it is seen as difficult by many. (https://www.asme.org/career-education/public-speaking)
National Academies Press published, “Communicating Science Effectively: A Research Agenda” in December 2016:
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“Science and technology are embedded in virtually every aspect of modern life. As a result, people face an increasing need to integrate information from science with their personal values and other considerations as they make important life decisions about medical care, the safety of foods, what to do about climate change, and many other issues. Communicating science effectively, however, is a complex task and an acquired skill. Moreover, the approaches to communicating science that will be most effective for specific audiences and circumstances are not obvious. Fortunately, there is an expanding science base from diverse disciplines that can support science communicators in making these determinations.”
Oral Communication is a Key Factor in Career Success
Oral communication is an important part of professional preparation, including working in teams, developing leadership skills. Employer surveys demonstrate the high priority placed on a range of non-technical or non-specialist skills. Numerous surveys of employers, as well as career advisors, place a top priority on oral communication skills.
A Forbes Survey identified the “Top 10 Skills Employers Most Want in 2015 Graduates”
- Ability to work in a team structure
- Ability to make decisions and solve problems (tie)
- Ability to communicate verbally with people inside and outside an organization
- Ability to plan, organize and prioritize work
- Ability to obtain and process information
- Ability to analyze quantitative data
- Technical knowledge related to the job
- Proficiency with computer software programs
- Ability to create and/or edit written reports
- Ability to sell and influence others
The American Association of Colleges and Universities, noted in its 2014 report on an employer survey, “It Takes More than a Major..”:
- Nearly all those surveyed (93 percent) say that “a demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems is more important than [a candidate’s] undergraduate major.”
- More than 9 in 10 of those surveyed say it is important that those they hire demonstrate ethical judgment and integrity; intercultural skills; and the capacity for continued new learning.
- More than 75% of employers say they want more emphasis on 5 key areas including: critical thinking, complex problem-solving, written and oral communication, and applied knowledge in real-world settings.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers (2016) states: “When asked to assess candidate skills/qualities, employers rated verbal communication skills the most important, according to NACE’s Job Outlook 2016 report. Employers rated verbal communication skills (4.63 on a five-point scale) highest this year, above teamwork (4.62) and the ability to make decisions and solve problems (4.49), the two skills that tied for the top spot last year.”
OCCR at Selected Peer and Aspirational Universities
Examples from peer and aspirational universities show the inclusion of oral communication competency. These include Georgia Tech, the University of Florida, the University of Georgia, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Virginia, and Indiana University, Bloomington, and are included in the attachment at the link above.
From GeorgiaTech: “A mode is the manner you choose to express your ideas. You may think that the communication courses you take at Georgia Tech are simply variations of the writing courses you’ve already had, but here at Georgia Tech writing is just part of what you need to master. Start to think of communication as multimodal, or WOVEN: Written, Oral, Visual, Electronic, and Nonverbal.”
From the Warrington School of Business at the University of Florida: “The Management Communication Center aims to equip undergraduates and graduates in business with the strong communication skills they require to succeed in our information economy. The Center emphasizes a wide range of essential communication strategies. Its courses instruct business students in the optimal use of written, oral, and non-verbal communication to meet workplace demands. Courses integrate the latest research to examine methods for presenting information persuasively, addressing diverse audiences, and adapting messages to suit a spectrum of technological demands.”
Selected Unsolicited Emails from Students in Oral Communication Classes
“I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful semester and bestowing on me lessons and guidelines I can use in future schooling, upcoming business and casual circumstances and assisting me in developing, maintaining and creating relationships between friends and family, peers, and coworkers.”
“We were in you public speaking class last spring, and we just wanted to reach out and say thank you! With what we learned in your class about job interviews and overall communication skills, we were both able to successfully get jobs as analysts for Deutsche Bank in Jacksonville!”
“This past summer, I went to Officer Candidate School for the Marine Corps, which is basically boot camp for officers. Your lecture on the elements of powerful talk was extremely informative, and I use those tools everyday when I’m in charge of my own platoon.”
The feedback from students completing these courses has been consistently very positive. Student comments note how important these courses are in their university experience and personal and professional development.
Many of these students are very apprehensive about taking a public speaking course prior to doing so. But overwhelmingly students communicate (in person, via email, and in class evaluations) how instrumental oral competency classes are at helping them to better manage anxiety and boost confidence, how beneficial the courses are personally and will be in their professional lives. Overcoming this apprehension is also an important part of higher education’s role, and we address challenges of communication apprehension in OCCR courses.