Short Courses
Short Courses Director
Guillermo G. Caliendo
Carnegie Mellon University
gcaliend@andrew.cmu.edu
What are Short Courses?
Short courses are 75-minute interactive workshops designed to provide training and/or practical application of information. Short Courses are offered at no cost and require pre-registration. Each course is capped at 25 participants. Conference attendees may select up to three short courses when registering for the conference.
What Short Courses will be offered at ECA 2026?
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Emerging Tools for Emerging Students: Using AI Superheroes to Maximize Student Support and Unbounded Learning (Thursday, April 9 10:00 - 11:15 AM)
- Elevate the student experience and free up your time for meaningful connections! AI tools can serve as a co-instructor and success coach, lightening your workload and allowing you to focus on developing students' critical thinking skills. This session offers strategies and tools for partnering with AI to deepen learning and support. You'll interact with 10 Superhero AI Personas designed to tackle common student challenges, including: academic integrity, engagement, reading comprehension, metacognition, and critical thinking. Participants will choose 3 personas for hands-on activities and reflection. We will see AI tools in action and leave with a repertoire of teaching ideas, ethical considerations, and an expanded network. This session is the gift of all G.I.F.T.S., made possible by AI, that allows learning to emerge.
- Elevate the student experience and free up your time for meaningful connections! AI tools can serve as a co-instructor and success coach, lightening your workload and allowing you to focus on developing students' critical thinking skills. This session offers strategies and tools for partnering with AI to deepen learning and support. You'll interact with 10 Superhero AI Personas designed to tackle common student challenges, including: academic integrity, engagement, reading comprehension, metacognition, and critical thinking. Participants will choose 3 personas for hands-on activities and reflection. We will see AI tools in action and leave with a repertoire of teaching ideas, ethical considerations, and an expanded network. This session is the gift of all G.I.F.T.S., made possible by AI, that allows learning to emerge.
- Principles of Inter-Group Dialogue: Tools for Dialogue and Conflict Resolution in the the Classroom (Thursday, April 9 11:30 AM -12:45 PM)
- Inter-Group Dialogue (IGD) is a course addressing the needs of an increasingly diverse United States by teaching students how to more effectively communicate with others and practice self-reflexivity as they navigate differences in identity and conflict with their peers. This short course, taught by a former IGD student and facilitator, will introduce IGD and its principles, as well as have participants engage in an activity that is conducted in an IGD course. Through learning about IGD, participants will gain a greater understanding of how the course encourages community-building and reflection among students, and how to incorporate principles of IGD in their own classrooms. Through partaking in an IGD activity, participants will gain a first-hand understanding of how these activities can challenge students, foster relationships between students from diverse backgrounds, and create a respectful environment where conversations about controversial topics can be productive and uphold the integrity of every student involved.
- Inter-Group Dialogue (IGD) is a course addressing the needs of an increasingly diverse United States by teaching students how to more effectively communicate with others and practice self-reflexivity as they navigate differences in identity and conflict with their peers. This short course, taught by a former IGD student and facilitator, will introduce IGD and its principles, as well as have participants engage in an activity that is conducted in an IGD course. Through learning about IGD, participants will gain a greater understanding of how the course encourages community-building and reflection among students, and how to incorporate principles of IGD in their own classrooms. Through partaking in an IGD activity, participants will gain a first-hand understanding of how these activities can challenge students, foster relationships between students from diverse backgrounds, and create a respectful environment where conversations about controversial topics can be productive and uphold the integrity of every student involved.
- Communication Instruction, Emerging Adulthood, and College Student Retention (Thursday, April 9 1:00 -2:15 PM)
- Research has demonstrated an emphatic relationship between communication instruction and college student retention. Although communication instruction facilitates retention for all students, its impact in helping certain demographics (e.g. Black, first-generation, commuters, males) to successfully emerge into campus life is striking. Traditional college students need to be understood as emerging adults, with psychological needs that differ from adolescence and from adulthood. This course will review retention research, explain emerging adulthood theory, examine communication retention related content, review the relational and learning impact of mobile technology, and identify effective instructional retention practices that can be incorporated into a wide range of communication courses. Participants can expect to emerge with an understanding of high impact retention practices and program initiatives for communication instruction at all levels, including basic course instruction. The course will benefit teachers and administrators.
- Research has demonstrated an emphatic relationship between communication instruction and college student retention. Although communication instruction facilitates retention for all students, its impact in helping certain demographics (e.g. Black, first-generation, commuters, males) to successfully emerge into campus life is striking. Traditional college students need to be understood as emerging adults, with psychological needs that differ from adolescence and from adulthood. This course will review retention research, explain emerging adulthood theory, examine communication retention related content, review the relational and learning impact of mobile technology, and identify effective instructional retention practices that can be incorporated into a wide range of communication courses. Participants can expect to emerge with an understanding of high impact retention practices and program initiatives for communication instruction at all levels, including basic course instruction. The course will benefit teachers and administrators.
- Reclaiming Time to Focus on Pedagogy: Designing Eļ¬cient Feedback Systems (Thursday, April 9 2:30 - 3:45 PM)
- When faculty are asked to identify the most motivating factor in their careers, one answer consistently stands out: the students. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, many faculty members agree that teaching provides a deep sense of purpose. However, they also note numerous responsibilities that take valuable time away from teaching such as administrative tasks, research obligations, and the pressures of promotion and tenure. Add grading to demands, and it is no surprise that faculty often wish for more time to focus on the craft of teaching. This short course helps faculty create a qualitative feedback system that integrates grading seamlessly with classroom instruction, freeing up time outside of class to focus on pedagogy. Throughout this course, faculty will be introduced to various grading methods to harness the power of feedback as an instructional method so they can spend more time enhancing inside and outside classroom experiences.
- When faculty are asked to identify the most motivating factor in their careers, one answer consistently stands out: the students. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, many faculty members agree that teaching provides a deep sense of purpose. However, they also note numerous responsibilities that take valuable time away from teaching such as administrative tasks, research obligations, and the pressures of promotion and tenure. Add grading to demands, and it is no surprise that faculty often wish for more time to focus on the craft of teaching. This short course helps faculty create a qualitative feedback system that integrates grading seamlessly with classroom instruction, freeing up time outside of class to focus on pedagogy. Throughout this course, faculty will be introduced to various grading methods to harness the power of feedback as an instructional method so they can spend more time enhancing inside and outside classroom experiences.
- From Disruption to Discussion: Rhetorical Tools for Managing Controversial Issues in Class (Friday, April 10 8:30 - 9:45 AM)
- This course will teach ECA attendees how to create and sustain their chosen teaching agenda within politicized emergent issues. Using rhetorical processes and methodologies, attendees will learn how to maintain a focused class discussion that bypasses a counter social agenda. To do so, examples will comprise national, international, and domestic political issues such as conflict in the Middle East and United States' election issues. Through video technology, we will discuss various rhetorical strategies that can help instructors to identify how interpretation and meaning can be manipulated depending on a persuader's goals. In doing so, this course allows attendees to reflect on the ethical constraints within a socio-political agenda-setting and spin control.
- This course will teach ECA attendees how to create and sustain their chosen teaching agenda within politicized emergent issues. Using rhetorical processes and methodologies, attendees will learn how to maintain a focused class discussion that bypasses a counter social agenda. To do so, examples will comprise national, international, and domestic political issues such as conflict in the Middle East and United States' election issues. Through video technology, we will discuss various rhetorical strategies that can help instructors to identify how interpretation and meaning can be manipulated depending on a persuader's goals. In doing so, this course allows attendees to reflect on the ethical constraints within a socio-political agenda-setting and spin control.
- Harnessing Digital Emergence: A Practical Guide to Social Media Analytics (Friday, April 10 10:00 - 11:15 AM)
- As digital communication continues to shape public discourse and academic inquiry, there is a growing need for scholars to leverage social media data. This workshop bridges the gap between traditional communication research methods and computational techniques, focusing on the emergence of social media as platforms for public discourse. Participants will acquire both theoretical knowledge and practical skills in social media analytics, including data scraping, visualization, and interpretation. Attendees will learn to use freely available tools and platforms to extract insights from platforms like YouTube and Reddit to understand how public opinion and audience behavior emerge in real time. The course will empower educators and researchers to incorporate these analytics tools into their classroom and research settings, enabling them to navigate the dynamic world of digital communication with confidence and address the contemporary issues that emerge from these evolving spaces.
- As digital communication continues to shape public discourse and academic inquiry, there is a growing need for scholars to leverage social media data. This workshop bridges the gap between traditional communication research methods and computational techniques, focusing on the emergence of social media as platforms for public discourse. Participants will acquire both theoretical knowledge and practical skills in social media analytics, including data scraping, visualization, and interpretation. Attendees will learn to use freely available tools and platforms to extract insights from platforms like YouTube and Reddit to understand how public opinion and audience behavior emerge in real time. The course will empower educators and researchers to incorporate these analytics tools into their classroom and research settings, enabling them to navigate the dynamic world of digital communication with confidence and address the contemporary issues that emerge from these evolving spaces.
- The Emergent Academic Profile: Visual Pedagogy, Professional Identity, and Public Engagement (Friday, April 10 1:30 - 2:45 PM)
- This course equips students to analyze, evaluate, and create strategic digital identities using LinkedIn as an emergent site of visual pedagogy that shapes how academic labor and knowledge circulate across disciplines and publics. Scholars will identify and articulate their scholarly positioning; apply best practices to design visually coherent, keyword-optimized profiles; and develop content strategies that communicate research and teaching to diverse audiences. By building intentional networks and aligning their digital presence with academic job market cycles, scholars will synthesize communication theory and practice to address contemporary societal, technological, and economic challenges-such as visibility in competitive markets, the democratization of scholarly discourse, and cross-sector collaboration. Through evaluating analytics and iterating strategies, scholars will engage in the emergence of communication practices that extend scholarship beyond the academy, positioning Communication Studies as vital to solving pressing issues in civic, organizational, and global contexts.
- This course equips students to analyze, evaluate, and create strategic digital identities using LinkedIn as an emergent site of visual pedagogy that shapes how academic labor and knowledge circulate across disciplines and publics. Scholars will identify and articulate their scholarly positioning; apply best practices to design visually coherent, keyword-optimized profiles; and develop content strategies that communicate research and teaching to diverse audiences. By building intentional networks and aligning their digital presence with academic job market cycles, scholars will synthesize communication theory and practice to address contemporary societal, technological, and economic challenges-such as visibility in competitive markets, the democratization of scholarly discourse, and cross-sector collaboration. Through evaluating analytics and iterating strategies, scholars will engage in the emergence of communication practices that extend scholarship beyond the academy, positioning Communication Studies as vital to solving pressing issues in civic, organizational, and global contexts.
- Human + Machine: Teaching Ethical AI Communication Practices (Saturday, April 11 8:30 - 9:45 AM)
- The rapid emergence of generative AI presents both opportunities and ethical challenges for communication educators. This 75-minute interactive short course equips instructors and scholars to teach ethical AI communication practices in their classrooms. Participants will examine real examples of AI-generated texts and media to identify issues of authorship, bias, transparency, and misinformation. Through guided discussion and collaborative exercises, they will develop strategies to integrate AI ethically into assignments, activities, and assessment. The session culminates in the creation of a Responsible AI Use Framework that participants can adapt for syllabi or classroom policies. Emphasizing critical thinking, digital citizenship, and communicative integrity, this course moves beyond using AI as a tool, positioning it as a teaching partner that fosters accountability, inclusivity, and creativity. The workshop directly supports the ECA 2026 theme "Emergence" by highlighting how new technologies reshape communication ethics and pedagogy.
- The rapid emergence of generative AI presents both opportunities and ethical challenges for communication educators. This 75-minute interactive short course equips instructors and scholars to teach ethical AI communication practices in their classrooms. Participants will examine real examples of AI-generated texts and media to identify issues of authorship, bias, transparency, and misinformation. Through guided discussion and collaborative exercises, they will develop strategies to integrate AI ethically into assignments, activities, and assessment. The session culminates in the creation of a Responsible AI Use Framework that participants can adapt for syllabi or classroom policies. Emphasizing critical thinking, digital citizenship, and communicative integrity, this course moves beyond using AI as a tool, positioning it as a teaching partner that fosters accountability, inclusivity, and creativity. The workshop directly supports the ECA 2026 theme "Emergence" by highlighting how new technologies reshape communication ethics and pedagogy.
- Emerging Pedagogy: Teaching Media Literacy for Social Awareness and Civic Engagement (Saturday, April 11 10:00 - 11:15 AM)
- Given the increased use of social media and students' reliance on producing and watching media content, we argue that this short course is essential because of the need for more pedagogical development that focuses on media literacy, critical thinking skills, and practical applications to real world social and community issues in our media saturated world. By connecting course content to real world applications, this short course considers to what extent media-based pedagogies can incorporate active learning and encourage conversations that can lead to greater social awareness. Through small group discussions and examples from facilitators of sample assignments, this short course analyzes what tools are needed to facilitate the connections between scholarship and application in media-based classrooms. Inspired by ECA's theme of "Emergence", we explore how we can advance student engagement through examining and creating media that promotes social and cultural awareness as well as civic action.
- Given the increased use of social media and students' reliance on producing and watching media content, we argue that this short course is essential because of the need for more pedagogical development that focuses on media literacy, critical thinking skills, and practical applications to real world social and community issues in our media saturated world. By connecting course content to real world applications, this short course considers to what extent media-based pedagogies can incorporate active learning and encourage conversations that can lead to greater social awareness. Through small group discussions and examples from facilitators of sample assignments, this short course analyzes what tools are needed to facilitate the connections between scholarship and application in media-based classrooms. Inspired by ECA's theme of "Emergence", we explore how we can advance student engagement through examining and creating media that promotes social and cultural awareness as well as civic action.
- Integrating Community-Engaged Learning into the Communication Classroom (Saturday, April 11 1:00 - 2:15 PM)
- This interactive short course guides instructors on integrating Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) into the Communication classroom. CEL provides students opportunities to learn through reciprocal partnerships with community organizations, co-creating knowledge while fostering civic responsibility. Participants will explore CEL's conceptual foundations and its distinction from experiential, service-learning, and "charity" models through an emphasis on reciprocity, reflexivity, and long-term collaboration. Guided examples and applied exercises will illustrate how Communication uniquely supports CEL; from message design and public discourse to advocacy and civic engagement. Case studies drawn from courses within the discipline will demonstrate low-, medium-, and high-threshold approaches. Implementing CEL is often a natural fit for communication courses, and can start with as little as revising one existing assignment, and expand up to a semester-long project. Participants will leave with resources to implement CEL into their own courses at any level, and will reflect on CEL's role in preparing students for twenty-first-century challenges.
- This interactive short course guides instructors on integrating Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) into the Communication classroom. CEL provides students opportunities to learn through reciprocal partnerships with community organizations, co-creating knowledge while fostering civic responsibility. Participants will explore CEL's conceptual foundations and its distinction from experiential, service-learning, and "charity" models through an emphasis on reciprocity, reflexivity, and long-term collaboration. Guided examples and applied exercises will illustrate how Communication uniquely supports CEL; from message design and public discourse to advocacy and civic engagement. Case studies drawn from courses within the discipline will demonstrate low-, medium-, and high-threshold approaches. Implementing CEL is often a natural fit for communication courses, and can start with as little as revising one existing assignment, and expand up to a semester-long project. Participants will leave with resources to implement CEL into their own courses at any level, and will reflect on CEL's role in preparing students for twenty-first-century challenges.
All Short Courses
None at this time.
