Search

The results of phone and e-mail interviews from group of thirty-three young professional on their views of the value of the gatekeeper assignment they had completed are analyzed. Analysis of more than 100 pages of transcribed data collected from the focus groups and in-depth interviews reveals that former students who had completed the gatekeeper interview assignment consider it beneficial to their practice of public relations and their writing for and interactions with media gatekeepers.

Public relations educators and practitioners in the United States increasingly voice the need to bridge the gap between current undergraduate curricular content and the international and multi(inter)cultural complexities of today's industry. However, students' views on this topic have not been studied. In-depth responses were elicited from a purposive sample of undergraduate public relations students at a large Midwestern state university. The findings indicate that students are far from apathetic about multicultural and international learning. They feel that the current public relations curriculum does not help enhance a sense of global and cultural connectedness, however. They cite certain curricular and structural impediments to expanding their multicultural and international competence. They express the desire to learn, to provide self-reflexive accounts that elucidate the sociocultural contexts of such pedagogy, and to engage in multicultural and international experiential learning. Keywords: multicultural education, public relations pedagogy, international public relations.

The introductory course in public relations that serves as a 'tone-setter' for potential public relations, journalism/mass communication and speech communication majors and provides a framework of learning that is necessary for all disciplines poses a difficult task for professors trying to offer autonomy and individual instruction to a throng of students. A study conducted on such a class is analyzed to understand the possible correlation between the choices made from the contract options offered to students and the factors such as choice of major, motivation and student involvement.

The article examines the growth of joint advertising and public relations courses in colleges. The number of graduates went up by 78.1% over a five-year period. The number of advertising programs fell by 6.1%.

Integrating a public relations and advertising curriculum requires tutors to be well prepared. They have to be sensitive to each other's needs so they can work effectively together.

A survey conducted on the perceptions of advertising and public relations faculty members on integrated marketing communications (IMC) and its impact on existing advertising and public relations curricula is presented. IMC is the integration of marketing and public relations techniques to achieve optimum results when communicating with clients through different advertising channels. Results show that faculty members believe that curriculum integration would undermine the numerous distinct roles and operating principles in advertising and public relations.

A study was presented to determine the extent and limitation of the negotiation model in teaching public relations professionalism to public relations students. The method used by the model involved the development of scenarios which were given to the students for comment and reaction. Results revealed that the negotiation model in teaching public relations professionalism can be oversimplified but it can also become an effective approach in teaching the subject.

A study was conducted to determine how public relations education should be taught to students. Results of a survey of the views of various public relations executives, which were obtained through a questionnaire, were presented. They revealed that in order to provide sufficient academic knowledge and exposure to public relations students, public relations programs should have a curriculum that promotes the establishment of advisory boards and guest lectures by practitioners.

Student organizations are important for both students and their universities as these provide additional educational value that can enhance classroom learning and public relations education. However, these organizations, such as the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), and their faculty advisers do not receive adequate support from and are not properly recognized for their value by their universities. Six recommendations for the development of PRSSA in particular and student organizations in general are presented.

A professor of journalism narrates his experiences of bringing together journalism and public relation students to enhance creativity. The students' bewilderment at taking journalism classes for public relations majors are narrated. The importance of the Communication 260 course in the screening of competent and noncompetent students in both professional courses is discussed. The maxim that journalists seek the truth and public relations professionals never lie is elaborated. The importance of journalistic courses in the training of public relations professionals is discussed.

A study revealed that public relations educators are more likely to have an outer-directed worldview concerning issues management than issues managers, whereas previous research had suggested that an inner-directed worldview is more appropriate to issues management. The results of the study also indicate that issues management is a crucial component in the public relations education curriculum and that students must be made aware of the implications of issues management practice for public relations management. The findings also stress the need for greater understanding of the two worldviews to help enhance future education on issues management.

A study conducted in 1993 revealed that 71% of the 570 public relations majors who participated in the survey had chosen an academic minor and that business administration was by far the most favored choice as a minor. The dominant reason for choosing a minor was that the skills acquired helped enhance their public relations education. The results of the study imply that public relations curriculum planners must include academic minors in their discussions and examine whether such minors are essential to augment public relations education.

Organizational communication and public relations courses should instruct students on the features of democratic communication processes to understand the society's challenges and to uphold democratic ideals. This helps the students consider the differences between public sphere and private economic sphere. The theories of Marx, Habermas and Gramsci suggest the nature of democratic communication and organizational practice.

A critical analysis of literature, especially poetry, can help develop the analytical skills of students of public relations and enable them to understand the public mind. Such critical thinking skills are necessary to facilitate a harmonious combination of the theory and practice of public relation. Analytical thinking helps the students form their perceptions of reality and recognize patterns of cultural reality in particular contexts.

The academic requirements of journalism and mass communication students are not being satisfied. A review of the popular textbooks on mass communication laws reveal that vital public relation cases are divided into chapters on advertising, commercial appropriation in privacy and public affairs, programing and catering to the electronic media. This reveals their parochial tendencies. No attempt is made to integrate public relations with the rest of the curriculum. The inclusion of legal instruction in journalism and mass communication courses will teach them to comprehend the risks involved in mass communications.

A form of education that integrates advertising and public relations fields needs to be developed. In professional courses, there is little or no difference between the interests of public relations practitioners and the interests of people involved in small market advertising. Courses should meet the practical needs of people working in both fields. Also, communication schools should provide continuing education for the many professionals who desire additional training.

A public relations consultant can combine teaching and practice to bridge the distinction between public relations within the schools and in practice. Professors can help prepare students for public relations internships by emphasizing discipline and knowledge of theories and research practices. Diligence can also help students making the transition from classrooms to public relations agencies. Universities and colleges should fulfill their role in education by hiring faculty qualified to teach public relations, and by encouraging teachers to gain public relations experience.