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Communication Skills Development through Experiential Learning in Nutritional Sciences
Author(s) -
Nojima Akiko,
Ravia Jennifer,
Hongu Nobuko
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.975.6
Subject(s) - psychology , public speaking , experiential learning , class (philosophy) , feeling , medical education , communication skills , interview , mathematics education , pedagogy , medicine , social psychology , political science , law , philosophy , linguistics , artificial intelligence , computer science
Purpose Effective communication skills are recognized as crucial for the successful future career of college graduates. The purpose of this study was to examine the communication skills in undergraduate nutrition students and explore the ideas how Experiential Learning class (i.e. offers undergraduate students work opportunities outside of classroom in addition to the classroom lectures in Nutritional Sciences), could help improving student's communication skills throughout the semester. Methods The 5‐minute surveys were distributed to the students who were taking Experimental Learning class. Most of these students were Junior or Senior in nutrition majors who plan to pursue a career in the field of dietetics. The survey was composed of 21 statements asking about their feeling of public speaking (e.g. enjoy, good at, terrified, tense, etc.) at 3 types of communication events (one‐on‐one, small group, large group – public speaking). In addition, these students were asked to have a 10‐minute face‐to‐face interview conducted by the interviewer (PI) at the end of semester. At the face‐to‐face interview, the students were asked what activities were most effective to improve their communication skills through Experiential Learning class, and what made students gain confidence at public speaking. Data were analyze with descriptive and multiple liner regression. Results 45 students answered the survey both at the beginning and the end of the semester and 24 students volunteered to have the face‐to‐face interview. At the beginning of the semester, 22% of students (n=10) reported high degree of anxiety (e.g., terrified of speaking in public), and 42% of students (n=19) reported moderate degree of anxiety (e.g., I avoid speaking in public, if possible) in public speaking. At the end of semester, numbers of students who had moderate degree of anxiety in public speaking decreased significantly (29%, n=13, p<0.05), but the numbers of students who had high degree of anxiety did not change. Also, at the end of semester none of students reported high degree of anxiety in a small group speaking. In the face‐to‐face interviews the students who had high and medium degree of anxiety reported the Experiential Learning course provided opportunities and helped to improve their talking and meeting new people, but they wanted more feedbacks or instructions how to improve their communication skills. Conclusions The Experiential Learning course in Nutritional Sciences is an effective way to improve communication skills in dietetic students. The results of this study will further contribute to develop teaching materials for students who have high and medium degrees of anxiety in public speaking. Support or Funding Information International Research Fund ‐ Ritsumeikan University