IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication Dec 2024 Open Access

Training Empathy Competence in a Professional Communication Program: Course Development, Evaluation, and Student Reflections

Melissa M. Fuller ; Menno D. T. de Jong ; H. A. van Vuuren University of Twente

Abstract

Introduction: Research shows that empathy is a core competence of communication professionals. Still, the pedagogy of including empathy in professional communication curricula has been underexposed in the literature. About the case: This article describes the development and evaluation of a course aimed at increasing students’ empathy competence in the final year of a Dutch bachelor-level communication program. A detailed description of the course is provided. Situating the case: The course operationalizes a recent model of empathy competence in professional communication settings. It focuses on empathy-related skills, knowledge, and attitudes. Experiential learning and student-led discussions are core elements in the course. Methods/approach: The course was taught in two different classes (N = 47). Student evaluations and reflections included standard institutional course assessment data, a report from an institution-led student panel evaluation, and student reflections during coursework as well as before, immediately after, and two years after the course. Results/discussion: The course was evaluated very positively in the institutional course assessment and panel evaluation. The student reflections show that students had a great appreciation for the course overall, as well as for specific course elements. The course made them aware of the complexity and multifaceted nature of empathy, and had a profound impact on their professional and personal identity. Conclusion: This article demonstrates the effectiveness of a course designed to develop empathy competence in communication professionals and advocates for future research to explore long-term effects and cross-industry applications.

Journal
IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
Published
2024-12-01
DOI
10.1109/tpc.2024.3455448
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Topics
writing pedagogy curriculum design service learning assessment professional writing
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    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
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    Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
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    Embodying empathy: using game design as a maker pedagogy to teach design thinking
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  4. Tham (2022)
    Pasts and Futures of Design Thinking: Implications for Technical Communication
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  5. Fuller et al. (2021)
    Conceptualizing Empathy Competence: A Professional Communication Perspective
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Show all 6 →
  1. Friess et al. (2021)
    “Dude, that Sucks”: Examining Scrum’s Influence on Empathy in Student Teams
    Technical Communication Quarterly
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