Category Archives: Teaching Briefs

Creativity in the PR Classroom: Answering CPRE’s Call to Strengthen Students’ Critical Strategic Thinking Skills

Editorial Record: Submitted September 19, 2025. Accepted March 9, 2026.

Authors

Amy McCoy
Assistant Professor
Drake University
Iowa, USA
Email: amy.mccoy@drake.edu

Kelly Bruhn
Professor
Drake University
Iowa, USA
Email: kelly.bruhn@drake.edu

ABSTRACT

The 2023 report of the Commission on Public Relations Education (CPRE) identified key areas of focus for PR educators to enhance students’ learning and preparation for successful public relations careers. Their research found both educators and PR practitioners desired strong problem solving, creative thinking, analytic thinking and strategic planning abilities, but scores were lower when asked if students delivered those in the workplace. This in-class exercise, administered in two upper-level courses, included a pre-test to assess students’ confidence in creativity and collaboration, small-group work to develop measurable objectives and creative activations for a select “Audience” and “Action” (see worksheet in Appendix C). The session ended with a post-test to reassess the same factors listed above, as well as a whole-class discussion about creativity and critical strategic thinking in public relations (see Appendix A for a step-by-step guide and discussion prompts). This exercise reinforced the CPRE recommendations noted above, as well as their call to “Encourage curiosity” and “…Teach students to align…with measurable organizational outcomes and public relations objectives rather than low-level outputs.”

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Integrating Corporate Ethics and Border Privacy Cases into PR Pedagogy

Editorial Record: Submitted November 17, 2024. Revised May 27, 2025. Accepted February 7, 2026.

Author

Sheila B. Lalwani
Doctoral Student
University of Texas at Austin
Texas, USA
Email: sheila.lalwani@utexas.edu

ABSTRACT

This teaching brief outlines the banking data breach scandal as an instance of a border privacy and corporate ethics crisis communication case taught to undergraduates. In this assignment, students analyzed and presented the scandal to hone skills necessary for ethical and practical public relations crisis communication management and leadership. Skills emphasized in this assignment were critical thinking, memo writing, and public speaking. Four parts characterize this teaching note. Part I introduces the course within the university, the learning goals, and the key theories emphasized. Part II outlines assignment details. Part III summarizes student performance. Part IV reflects on this lesson and concludes the brief.

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A Simulation Exercise on Tackling AI-triggeredCrisis

Editorial Record: Submitted December 18, 2024. Revised July 18, 2025. Accepted
September 22, 2025.

Authors

Ruoyu Sun
Assistant Professor
University of Georgia
Georgia, USA
Email: rsun@uga.edu

Yan Jin
Professor
University of Georgia
Georgia, USA
Email: yanjin@uga.edu

Wenqing Zhao
Ph.D. Candidate
University of Georgia
Georgia, USA
Email: Wenqing.Zhao@uga.edu

ABSTRACT

The rise of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) introduces new challenges to crisis communication. This teaching brief describes a crisis simulation exercise, conducted separately in two crisis communication classes at a university in the United States, where undergraduate public relations students apply crisis communication theories to address a GenAI misuse scenario based on the artificial intelligence (AI) scandal involving Sports Illustrated. Students assume roles of crisis management team members, board members, or journalists to perform specific tasks throughout the simulation. A mock press conference is integrated into the simulation, enabling students to engage in real-world crisis communication dynamics and practice their crisis communication skills in a realistic, high pressure setting. Afterward, the crisis responses developed in each class are shared for critique, objective feedback, and reflective learning.

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Using AI Arts-based Audience Personas for Deepening Audience Analysis Incorporating DEI

Editorial Record: Submitted October 18, 2024. Accepted November 19, 2025.

Authors

Denisse Vasquez-Guevara
Assistant Professor
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
California, USA
Email: denissev@cpp.edu

ABSTRACT

Audience analysis is crucial for planning and developing effective communication strategies. It involves gaining a deeper understanding of audience demographics and psychographic data to create strategies that engage audiences around the specific goals of an organization, brand, or public figure. Through the theoretical lens of audience analysis theories in strategic communication and marketing, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles and ethics, and arts-based pedagogical techniques, this teaching brief explores audience personas and the practical application of artificial intelligence (AI) prompt engineering for image generation. Through this assignment, students enhanced their understanding of audience analysis and segmentation while practicing the ethical use of AI guided by DEI guidelines. Specifically, students learned how to represent audience diversity in research data collection equally, audience segmentation profile descriptions that reflect respectful and realistic representations of gender identities and race, detailing the visual and textual descriptions of their needs, interests, and culture. This class assignment could be useful for undergraduate courses such as public speaking, public relations, strategic communication, communication research, public relations campaigns, and social media marketing.

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Facilitating Students´ Career Readiness Through Social Media Micro-internships with On-Campus Clients

Editorial Record: Submitted August 12, 2024. Revised December, 2024. Accepted May 5, 2025.

Authors

Denisse Vasquez-Guevara
Assistant Professor
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
California, USA
Email: denissev@cpp.edu

Preeti Wadhwa
Professor
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
California, USA
Email: pwadhwa@cpp.edu

ABSTRACT

Facilitating student career readiness is one of the key goals of baccalaureate communication programs. Specifically, employers seek professionals with technical skills (copywriting, editing, and content creation) and soft skills (critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork). However, first-generation students face disparities in accessing internship opportunities. This GIFT highlights a micro-internship experience offered to students enrolled in the course titled “Online and Social Media.” As a part of this course-embedded experience, student teams developed social media strategies and content for on-campus clients. The student learning objectives included (a) creating a social media strategy aligned with the client’s goals; (b) developing social media content adapted to varied target audience so as to increase reach and audience engagement; (c) helping students develop critical thinking, negotiation, teamwork; and last, but not the least, (d) exposing students to professional behavior and expectations. The associated assignments, rubric, teaching materials, and students’ qualitative self-evaluation results are discussed.

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AI Hackathon: Igniting and Connecting Students’ Generative AI Knowledge

Editorial Record: Submitted September 13, 2024. Revised November 25, 2024. Accepted May 5, 2025.

Authors

Regina Luttrell
Associate Professor
Syracuse University
New York, USA
Email: rmluttre@syr.edu

Jason Davis
Professor
Syracuse University
New York, USA
Email: jdavis72@syr.edu

Carrie Welch
Adjunct Professor
Syracuse University
New York, USA
Email: ctwelch@syr.edu

ABSTRACT

An artificial intelligence (AI) hackathon was utilized in three class sessions in an innovative assignment designed for courses in public relations writing, campaigns, digital marketing, or capstone projects within communication majors to prepare students for the AI-driven modern workplace. The hackathon’s objectives centered on developing students’ technical understanding, practical application skills, and ability to work collaboratively with AI tools in public relations and communications contexts. Participants gained hands-on experience with image-based generative AI, demystifying the technology and exploring its strengths and weaknesses. This approach aimed to equip students with the necessary competencies to navigate and excel in communication strategies where AI can be productively incorporated. A survey of student participants revealed a positive experience as well as the acquisition of new skills.

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Creating a Prompt Library: Applying Generative AI Skills to Public Relations Practice

Editorial Record: Submitted June 30, 2024. Revised June September 21, 2024. Accepted February 10, 2024.

Authors

Pauline Howes
Associate Professor
Kennesaw State University
Georgia, USA
Email: phowes1@kennesaw.edu

ABSTRACT

Preparing public relations students with knowledge and skills to apply generative artificial intelligence (AI) to professional practice has become an essential part of PR education. This teaching brief presents a public relations course assignment, Creating a Prompt Library, that involves developing prompting skills, applying AI tools to a variety of public relations tasks, and critically analyzing AI output.

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Preparing Students for the Workplace: Integrating Job Application Practice into a Campaigns Course

Editorial Record: Submitted July 19, 2024. Revised October 14, 2024. Accepted February 10, 2025.

Authors

Breann Murphy
Associate Professor
Jacksonville State University
Alabama, USA
Email: bmurphy5@jsu.edu

Teddi Joyce
Associate Professor
Jacksonville State University
Alabama, USA
Email: tjoyce@jsu.edu 

ABSTRACT

Public relations industry professionals express a growing need for undergraduate students to be profession-ready upon graduation. As a result, educators must continue to creatively integrate assignments and experiential learning experiences into the classroom that simulate real-world practices and emphasize job readiness. This teaching brief provides an assignment sample to help educators provide students with practice and experience on applying for a job in public relations and how this assignment can be implemented into a public relations campaigns or capstone course.

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When Group Work isn’t Dream Work: Insights to Enhance Students’ Active Participation in Group Projects After the COVID-19 Era

Editorial Record: Submitted Record March 31, 2024. Revised June 10, 2024. Accepted September 4, 2024.

EunHae (Grace) Park
Assistant Professor
Ball State University
Indiana, USA
Email: epark@bsu.edu

ABSTRACT

Although collaborative skills are essential in public relations due to its interdisciplinary nature, challenges of group projects are always main barriers to successful implementation in higher education. The challenges are exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to decreased student motivation in group work sessions. The article explains diverse strategies derived from intrinsic and extrinsic motivational cues to encourage students’ active participation in group projects. These strategies are designed to maximize the intrinsic value of projects while mitigating common concerns and worries about group project work outcomes. Evidence from students shows the effectiveness of these strategies in fostering active participation and positive group outcomes.

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Actualizing the DEI Mission in Public Relations Classrooms

1 Reply

Teaching Brief

Editorial Record: Submitted March 7, 2024. Revised April 11, 2024. Accepted May 27, 2024. Published June 2024.

Author

Rosalynn A. Vasquez
Assistant Professor
Baylor University
Texas, USA
Email: Rosalynn_Vasquez@baylor.edu

Nneka Logan
Associate Professor
Virginia Tech University
Virginia, USA
Email: nlogan@vt.edu

Hilary Fussell Sisco
Professor
Quinnipiac University
Connecticut, USA
Email: Hilary.FussellSisco@quinnipiac.edu

Katie Place
Professor
Quinnipiac University
Connecticut, USA
Email: Katie.Place@quinnipiac.edu

ABSTRACT

Building upon one of the five key recommendations of the Commission on Public Relations Education 2023 standards report, this teaching brief examines how educators can actualize their diversity, equity, and inclusion missions in public relations classrooms. Public relations educators can use this teaching brief to help undergraduate students understand the meaning, significance, and current climate of DEI, as they facilitate an in-class, interactive assignment where students examine organizations’ DEI missions by engaging in research, critical strategic thinking, and class discussions. Overall, this teaching brief aims to strengthen the ongoing work of embedding DEI in the public relations curriculum, as well as share practical implications for the public relations industry.

Keywords: Public relations education, diversity, equity, inclusion, resistance, belonging, actualizing DEI


Keywords: Public Relations Ethics

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To cite this article: Vasquez, R.A., Logan, N., Fussell Sisco, H., & Place, K. (2024). Actualizing the DEI mission in public relations classrooms. Journal of Public Relations Education, 10(1), 133-149. https://journalofpreducation.com/?p=4667