“The biggest surprise of online teaching is the sheer depth and volume of class discussion that can be even more engaging than face-to-face courses.” – Kevin Thompson, online BA in communication lecturer
It was a childhood condition that first made the importance of communication clear to Kevin Thompson. While still in grade school, he pursued activities to improve his communication abilities. Years later, he’s a lecturer with UT Permian Basin’s communication program and, at the time of this writing, just months away from completing a PhD.
Thompson offered some insight into his motivation for becoming a communication teacher and his experience as a lecturer for our online Bachelor of Arts in Communication. Along the way, he highlighted the advantages of our program over others of its kind, outlined the broadly applicable career skills students will build, and offered prospective students two simple words of advice.
Forging a Path to Articulate, Accomplished Educator
“At a young age I learned I had Tourette Syndrome and a speech impediment,” Thompson said. “With the help of my parents and doctors, I thrust myself into the world of speech and debate by the seventh grade. I became interested in communication through this experience. Learning how to manage my speech anxiety as someone who twitched and stuttered became both a goal and a surprisingly positive experience.”
“After graduating high school, I started coaching my alma mater’s debate team,” Thompson continued. “This experience in helping high school students become confident in their speech and argumentation skills laid the foundation for my passion to teach communication.” Thompson attended Texas Tech University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in communication studies and political science and a master’s degree in communication studies. He’s currently pursuing his PhD in communication and information sciences at the University of Alabama.
Thompson’s early challenges and ensuing education in communication set the stage for teaching within our BA in communication program—an experience he’s found most rewarding. “Honestly, the students at UTPB make my job fulfilling [and] worthwhile. I continue to learn from them every day and that makes the experience beautiful. I love teaching online at UTPB because the University and members of the Department of Communication provide the tools for teachers to succeed in online pedagogical systems. From assessment of core courses to the evaluation of online programs, UTPB has done a great job providing the resources necessary to [foster] a good online environment for students and teachers.”
Making a Personal Connection With Students
Thompson explained how he forges a close connection with students in UTPB’s online BA in communication program: “I build strong rapport with online students by being responsive, timely, thorough, and available. Students feel like they can learn best when they have a teacher that’s available to answer whatever questions they need, and to do so in a timely manner is also extremely important for online students.”
“I think it’s important that teachers see students as people first before seeing them as students, as students have complex lives inside and outside of UTPB,” Thompson continued. “Students are more receptive to learning when they feel that their instructor has a vested interest in them as a student and as a person. This also helps [faculty] be responsive to student needs, because students are more open about their needs when they feel comfortable personally with their instructor. For example, each class I teach I encourage conversations about mental health so that students feel comfortable opening up about their experiences and allow me to adapt my pedagogy accordingly.”
Still, Thompson must contend with the unique challenges of remote learning, noting: “The biggest challenge I face when teaching online is getting students to read. I overcome this by adapting to different learning styles, i.e., instead of just offering an article, I’ll contextualize that article in a podcast, and give students a visual aid they can download and follow along with. The labor is intensive, but it’s worth it.”
Reasons for Choosing UTPB’s Online BA in Communication
Why should students choose UTPB for this degree? “UTPB just has a higher quality education than a lot of other colleges and universities,” Thompson said. “Class sizes are small and typically individualized. The faculty care about students and their success [and] are brilliant scholars who research a plethora of communication topics. A generalist communication program like UTPB’s is ideal for students because [it] prepares students for real-world issues by focusing on a broad range of communication topics, simultaneously allowing students to pick and choose their interests from a variety of course offerings.”
Thompson outlined the crucial career skills students can acquire in our program. “[It’s] great for career preparation because it helps students understand different communicative elements that shape career experiences, like working in groups, being leaders, advertising and public relations, developing speech skills, working with media technology, and more. I’ve had several students [say] they’ve gained great relationship management and writing skills from their time in the communication program. I believe these skills are fostered through coursework as well as the open kindness our faculty has for students.”
In closing, Thomson offered a couple of words of encouragement for anyone still on the fence about applying to our online BA in communication program: “Do it!”
Earn your BA in communication online under the guidance of dedicated faculty like Kevin Thompson! Get program details and apply now.