Editorial Record: Submitted May 18, 2023. Revised September 19, 2023. Accepted November 13, 2023. Published March 2024.

Author

ABSTRACT

This two-part assignment builds students’ creative thinking, effective storytelling, and good communication skills, which can help address the gaps noted for those skills and abilities in the Commission on Public Relations Education’s Fast Forward report in 2018. Using the intuitive video tool within Adobe Express, students produce 1- to 2-minute narrated videos covering characters, setting, plot, and themes relevant to their lives to introduce themselves to their class. In the second part of the assignment, students watch each other’s videos in search of commonalities with their peers and play BINGO, which provides an engaging opportunity for students to build rapport with others.

GIFT Overview

In an assignment that centers on creative thinking, effective storytelling, and good communication, students produce 1- to 2-minute narrated videos to introduce themselves to their class using the video tool within Adobe Express, which is a free online program. Students watch each other’s videos in search of commonalities with their peers. Two public relations professors teaching at public universities in different states adopted this two-part assignment in order to build students’ creative storytelling skills.

Students creatively combine highlights from their life story to present themselves professionally (see Template Assignment Guide and Assignment Grading Criteria or Rubric). Students introduce the main characters in their story (i.e., family and friends), the setting (i.e., where they grew up), the plot (i.e., dream career; a challenge they triumphed over), and themes (e.g., favorite advice that fits with their story). Limiting the videos to 2 minutes forces students to practice concise storytelling.

Because of Express’ intuitive video tool, the focus of the assignment remains on students’ ability to communicate rather than on using highly technical skills; however, they do gain exposure to basic audio/video technology.

After creating and sharing the videos, students engage in observational learning by viewing each other’s stories, and they build rapport with each other by searching for commonalities. When these student introduction videos were assigned initially in 2019, students created and viewed them during class in person. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the videos and responses were completed online and viewed asynchronously. Beginning in fall 2021, a BINGO game was incorporated to motivate student attention to each other’s videos, which is important to observational learning about storytelling. During the first class to use this game, each student (n = 46) received a link to a unique digital BINGO card for their 12-person discussion group. The instructor created the cards using a free website (see Appendix A). When students viewed other students’ videos and identified a characteristic they had in common with a group member’s video, they clicked the student’s name on the BINGO card. Students submitted a screenshot of their BINGO card and a list of what they had in common with their teammates. If they did not notice any commonalities with their peers, they shared additional information about themselves (e.g., in a 12-person group, they listed 12 additional things about themselves).

At another university during the pandemic, a group Slack channel was used, so students could each see one another’s videos and responses. Due to the small class size (n = 14), each student viewed all of the videos. Since resuming in-person class meetings in spring 2023, the assignment has been used in the same course with videos submitted asynchronously via Slack, and the BINGO activity was completed synchronously in class (spring: n = 10; fall: n = 8). When a student called out “BINGO,” that student shared aloud what they had in common with each of the students’ squares they had marked on their digital BINGO card. This opportunity to share commonalities lends an opportunity for students to gain experience in building rapport with others, which is a highly valued skill, according to the Commission on Public Relations Education 2021 Industry/Educator Summit Report. In fact, following the recognition of the BINGO winner, classmates responded eagerly to the instructor’s invitation to share what they had in common with others in the class. Learning to build rapport through sharing commonalities was an added benefit of this assignment.

Assignment Rationale

According to the 2018 Fast Forward CPRE report, public relations professionals expect entry-level practitioners to communicate well, use storytelling effectively, and think creatively; however, they reported a “significant gap” between what is desired by PR professionals and what entry-level practitioners can do (p. 46). The skill of communication fell in the top three skills rated by practitioners and educators in the CPRE survey. Communication was highly desired by practitioners (M = 4.75 out of 5); however, in the entry-level practitioners they hired, PR professionals indicated finding that skill at a much lower frequency than desired (M = 3.04).

Most public relations professionals responding to the CPRE survey also indicated a desire for entry-level practitioners to have the skill of storytelling (M = 4.03) but did not tend to find that skill as often as desired in recent college graduates (M = 2.50). In opposition to what practitioners thought, educators believed the skill of storytelling was delivered in their programs (M = 4.40). The difference between educators’ and practitioners’ perspectives was statistically significant. Although the assignment discussed in this manuscript will not unilaterally bridge this gap, it has the potential to contribute to reducing the difference. Storytelling is also mentioned in another area of the CPRE (2018) Fast Forward report, specifically the data gathered from the Industry-Educator Summit hosted in 2015. Storytelling was voiced by Summit participants as part of an essential list of skills. One summit participant commented, “Developing content is essential, but it’s essential that we can wrap it into a compelling story” (p. 28). Good storytelling can serve as a key differentiator between PR practitioners and artificial intelligence tools: “Storytelling is one way to future-proof your job because it requires empathy. That and creativity, which go hand-in-hand” (Dietrich, 2018, para. 37). More recently, Dietrich (2023) added that ChatGPT is a helpful AI tool for practitioners, but “it can’t tell stories; it can’t provide context; it doesn’t have expertise; and it doesn’t have unique thoughts. But you know who CAN do all of those things? You!” (2:39). This assignment is an opportunity for students to gain storytelling practice as they tell their unique stories.

In addition to desired skills, the CPRE survey asked practitioners about desired abilities for entry-level practitioners. The top ability rated by practitioners was creative thinking (M = 4.55); their agreement level indicated finding creative thinking abilities at a lower rate than desired (M = 3.34). The CPRE survey also asked which traits public relations professionals and educators thought were most important for entry-level practitioners. Through an open-ended question on the survey, 101 participants listed creativity as a top trait.

In addition to being highly rated in the CPRE report, the results from Krishna et al.’s (2020) study also pointed to the importance of creativity and storytelling. Krishna et al. (2020) presented PR professionals (N = 799) 32 items with the question: “How important is it for the next generation of communicators to have skills/expertise in each of the following areas?” (p. 39). Krishna et al.’s participants rated creative thinking (M = 4.61), creativity (M = 4.54), and digital storytelling (M = 4.41) quite highly on a 5-point scale, with 5 indicating “very important.”

Although technical fluency was not a driving factor in adopting this assignment, the use of the introductory video assignment can enhance basic technical abilities and increase confidence with using audio and video programs. Like creativity and storytelling, this benefit also relates to the finding within CPRE’s (2018) Fast Forward report indicating that practitioners found a significant difference between the level of audio/ video production skills they desired and what their new hires exhibited.

Specifically, they rated their desire for these skills at a mean of 2.85 on a 5-point scale but rated the level they found that skill in their new hires at a mean of 2.22. In addition, within the technology-focused chapter in the Fast Forward report, the authors stated: “Public relations practitioners need to understand many skills related to core technologies, such as design, multimedia creation including audio and video production, strategic thinking, storytelling, and analyzing data” (Kinsky et al., 2018, p. 86). Relatedly, CPRE survey participants’ wish list of other courses and skills they would include if there were room in the curriculum includes audio/video production. In fact, the report advises, “The hope is that these content areas can be taught within the existing PR requirements” (Duhé et al., 2018, p. 63). This video assignment allows instructors to give students exposure to this wish list area without the addition of another course.

The assignment and activity described in this GIFT build these sought-after skills and abilities of communication, storytelling, and creative thinking, as well as multimedia content creation, and can provide one method to help address the gap shared in the CPRE Fast Forward report.

Assignment Learning Objectives

• Use creativity to synthesize life moments, transforming them into a thematic narrative that advances a personal brand.
• Creatively select content to visually explain the main points.
• Communicate an effective story using multimedia.
• Practice concise storytelling by creating a 1- to 2-minute video.

Connection to Public Relations Practice and/or Theory

This assignment requires students to creatively exercise their digital storytelling skills, which connects to PR practice (CPRE, 2018) and to theories related to storytelling (e.g., Fisher, 1978, 1984, 1985) and creativity (e.g., Tierney & Farmer, 2002).

Storytelling

Good stories validate past, present, and future decisions or actions (Fisher, 1985). Stories help people make sense of their experiences by organizing overarching patterns of continuity and change. Fisher (1978, 1984) proposed a framework to explain the ways in which people evaluate stories. The two general criteria for assessment include narrative probability and narrative fidelity. Narrative probability (also referred to as narrative coherence in Fisher, 1987) refers to whether the story fits together and whether the story, characters, and actions are consistent and non-contradictory (Fisher, 1985). Narrative probability is assessed in the assignment rubric when examining the cohesiveness of each student’s narrative.

Narrative fidelity refers to the matter of truth (Fisher, 1984). Narrative fidelity is reflected in the assignment based on the alignment of the student’s story with qualities that advance an individual’s professional brand. A related consideration is whether the student goes beyond the facts in their qualitative statements about themselves (e.g., positioning themselves as a leader in an industry would violate narrative fidelity).

Green and Brock’s (2000) research supported the criteria of probability and fidelity. They found that people were more engaged in stories that included main characters whom they liked and beliefs and evaluations that were consistent with the ones they held. Their research adds weight to the assignment requirement for students to present themselves in ways that are attractive to employers. In addition, they found that mediators of a narrative’s impact on beliefs include but are not limited to attentional focus, production of imagery, and emotional expressiveness. Assignment components tapping into these mediators include the use of effective visuals and an engaging voiceover.

Creative Thinking/Creativity

Creative self-efficacy (CSE) is the “belief one has the ability to produce creative outcomes” (Tierney & Farmer, 2002, p. 1138). The successful completion of this assignment can build creative self-efficacy. Cohen (2020) pointed to the benefit of using less complicated tools with students as they learn: “It’s important to just build those skills—that creativity lens through visual and verbal communication… you don’t have to have 35 hours of training in professional software” (n.p.). Pressgrove and Kinsky (2023) added, “One factor leading to confidence is experience with a process” (p. 42). Perceived student creativity is enhanced in the sense that students can produce a finished, creative product without first mastering the technical skills traditionally required to produce a video. As they complete the video, their confidence increases. Students’ “confidence in creative ability represents the core of creative thinking and performance” (Alotaibi, 2016, p. 903). The current assignment helps address the need for skill-building practice for creative storytelling work.

How the Assignment Was Class-Tested

The student video assignment was used within 10 classes between 2019 and 2023. The assignment was modified after repeated use as the instructors found new ways to improve the activity. The authors used the assignment in the Principles of Public Relations course (undergraduate level), the Media Innovations course (graduate level), and a student-run public relations firm, which included undergraduate and graduate students.

In the Principles of Public Relations course, the assignment related to the objective to “apply foundational communication and public relations theories.” With regard to the Media Innovations course, the assignment aligned with the following objective: “Demonstrate competence with the presentation of ideas.” The assignment also fulfilled a learning objective in the PR agency course: “Demonstrate professional written, oral, and visual communication.”

Empirical Evidence of Learning Outcomes/Assessment

Students were asked for their feedback about the assignment. For the most part, that feedback was qualitative in nature, but for one class, a survey was employed with multiple choice and yes/no questions. Four of those seven students rated feeling “somewhat comfortable” with storytelling before completing the exercise, and three of those indicated increased comfort after creating the video; those three rated feeling “extremely comfortable” after creating the video. Others expressed a range of comfort levels before completing the exercise. Five of the seven students responding to the survey indicated an increase in their comfort level after completing the assignment. All of the students indicated “yes” that the exercise prompted creative thinking and should be continued.

From a love of travel to a passion for helping others, students identified shared characteristics and experiences with their classmates and professors as they watched each other’s videos and played the BINGO game. One participant said the experience was “useful to help team members become more familiar and comfortable with each other.”

Students also commented on the opportunity for storytelling and creativity. For example, one student said, “I think it works really well as an icebreaker and to prompt creative thinking through multimedia storytelling.” Students said they appreciated learning the program, and they enjoyed making and watching the introductory videos. One student said, “I enjoyed how the assignment allowed everyone to introduce themselves creatively through storytelling, especially through using the combination of photos and voice. People are often asked to tell a bit about themselves verbally, but the visual element of storytelling brings a whole new dimension of depth and personalization.”

Students pointed out specific aspects of storytelling they learned. For example, one participant said, “I learned about telling concise stories and supplementing information with visuals and other storytelling techniques.” Another student said, “It helped me improve my storytelling skills, my listening skills with the BINGO activity, and it improved my ability to build connections with others.” Beyond the storytelling and rapport skills, a student mentioned learning through the introspection it required: “I discovered some threads of my own story that come together in ways I hadn’t previously seen and thought more deeply about how to coherently present myself as a brand.”

In addition, this assignment potentially has the benefit of humanizing members of the class, which is valuable for both instructors and students in online and in-person classes. This was an unexpected outcome of the assignment. Self-reported accounts from both instructors provide initial evidence for the possibility of students’ stories to assist instructors with “meeting students where they are.” For example, one instructor was particularly careful with building a student’s self-concept in feedback throughout the course after hearing the student’s story. After learning more about the students’ personal stories and career goals, content and instruction were tailored to better engage with those students and to help them reach their objectives even beyond this assignment. Both instructors found the humanizing element of this assignment increased their enjoyment of teaching and assessment with regard to stepping into each student’s story as a mentor, and it helped with balancing corrective feedback with encouraging, motivational feedback. Research is needed to explore the impact of humanizing assignments on instructors’ teaching.

Template Assignment Guides

Assignment Guide for Personal Brand Story

Public relations involves storytelling and creativity, so we are going to do that right out of the gate! You will share your story with the class in a one- to two-minute video via Adobe Express. This assignment involves creating slides and adding narration to them. Once this assignment has been submitted, I will share your videos with each other, and you will watch the videos in your discussion group and share responses to them in the BINGO portion of the assignment.

Assignment Objectives

Use creativity to synthesize moments from your life, transforming them into a thematic narrative that advances your personal brand (suitable for sharing in a professional setting).

• Creatively select content to visually explain your main points.
• Communicate an effective story using multimedia.
• Practice concise storytelling by creating a one- to two-minute video.

Creation of Your Personal Brand Story

When sharing a story, whether it is your own personal brand story for this assignment or a client’s story in the professional world, start with the plot by brainstorming your responses to the questions below. Not all of your answers will be included in your video, but the answers will help you shape your story.

1. For any brainstorming process, embrace your creativity by generating any responses to the questions that come to mind.

2. Then, review your results and pick out your favorite responses that can help you design a powerful arc.

Plot Questions

• What is your professional dream?
• What is a cause you are passionate about?
• What obstacles have you overcome to be where you are today? Remember to position yourself as someone with positive qualities when discussing any challenges. For example, complaining about an obstacle will not position you well.

Thematic Element (choose one answer after the brainstorming process)

• Is there a motto you live by?
• What is your favorite advice?
• What is an inspirational quote that fits you and the plot?

Setting and Main Characters

• What is your hometown?
• Describe the broader environment where you grew up and how it shaped you, relative to the plot you chose.
• Who are the main characters in your story (e.g., family, friends, pets, mentor)?

3. Next, put your story in chronological order. Start with a beginning by introducing yourself, the setting and the main characters. Transition into the plot of the story by sharing relevant information generated by your response to the earlier plot questions in this assignment description. Include any thematic element that drives you. Add a conclusion by summarizing where you are now and a concluding message (e.g., something you are looking forward to this semester).

4. Then, storyboard the ideal visual elements for the slides you will narrate for your story. Storyboarding involves sketching visuals to represent each part of your story. Once you know the visuals you require, search through existing pictures and take new photos if needed to represent every part of your story. Keep your personal brand in mind when selecting photos. Casual clothes are welcome; however, clothes that could be deemed inappropriate to a personal brand video should be avoided (e.g., clothes that are too revealing or that otherwise position you poorly). Similarly, photos featuring beer or other elements not fitting to a personal brand video should be avoided. Keep your photo composition in mind by scrutinizing the background of your photos. Also, use high-quality photos rather than pixelated images or awkwardly cropped pictures.

5. Watch the tutorial below to learn how to create a free Adobe Express account and create your video.

6. Rehearse your story and record it as many times as needed to achieve a confident, well-paced delivery that stays within one to two minutes. Additional recording tips are listed below:

• When you record, let a couple of seconds go by between when you hit the record button and when you begin speaking.
• Similarly, let a couple of seconds go by between when you stop speaking and when you end the recording by letting go of the button.
• Don’t let music overpower you. Either turn it off or set it at a low volume. Re-record as much as you want.
• If you re-record, when you publish the video, you might see a lightning bolt asking you whether to save the updates. Choose “yes!”

7. Turn in the assignment by going to the publish area and download the video. Once the videos are all in our shared learning space, you will be ready to complete the second part of this assignment, which involves playing BINGO.

My Express Tutorial

https://youtu.be/gx8OBDBUZNo

My Example

https://youtu.be/NTCbHuaQgpE

Grading

See the assignment rubric on Canvas [listed in Assignment Grading Criteria or Rubric].

Late Assignments

I will deduct 5% from your score for each day the assignment is late. I will not accept assignments submitted more than a week late without a university-excused absence (i.e., an email prior to the deadline to let me know you’re sick or have a family emergency).

Questions

If you have questions, feel free to text or call me at [xxx-xxx- xxxx], or you can email me: x@x.edu.

Assignment Grading Criteria or Rubric

Assignment Rubric for Personal Brand Story

Categories of mastery, developing, introductory, and absent are shared for the following criteria:

Creativity and Storytelling (50 points)

Creativity is applied by selecting aspects of your life and shaping them into a cohesive narrative that includes a beginning, middle and end (in accordance with the instructional details). The setting, main characters, plot, and thematic elements are blended into a cohesive narrative, which should display your engaging storytelling skill, position you as someone people want to hire, and be workplace appropriate (see the instructions for details).

Visual Communication (25 points)

The slides are designed well, and your own original photographs are used. The pictures are enticing and bring the narrative to life. The pictures are appropriate for advancing your personal brand (e.g., wear modest clothing and avoid unprofessional content). The pictures are high quality (not stretched and pixelated) and do not have people who are obviously cropped out.

Audio Communication (25 points)

The voiceover is well-paced (not rushed, not too slow). Filler words are absent (e.g., um, okay, anyway). If music is added, the volume is at the lowest setting, and the voiceover can be heard easily. You speak naturally and comfortably, as if you are having a conversation with someone. You speak with enough excitement to keep the audience engaged while being authentic. Your delivery shows your personality and makes you seem like someone who would be an excellent employee. The delivery shows your confidence (but not arrogance); for example, do not end your sentences on a high note unless deliberately creating a dramatic moment that makes sense with the narrative. The recording lasts for one to two minutes.

Teaching Note

The assignment instructions have evolved as the two professors have continued to teach this course (including the addition of the BINGO element), and the instructions have been refined for this publication.

Ideal PR Classes for the Assignment

This assignment is flexible enough to be used across all PR classes and all course delivery methods as students introduce themselves to others. In fact, one of the students said, “You can use this exercise to explain different issues or to explore people’s stories. It can be adapted to any lesson!” Another participant commented that the exercise could be used beyond public relations or even communication courses, “It can help familiarize individuals outside of communications to be creative,” and “It can also help organization skills as well as improving basic technical skills like video editing and audio recording.” An additional student also suggested that because “plenty of industries require creative thinking and storytelling,” this brand storytelling video assignment could be useful across many types of classes, and a student suggested it be used at all levels, from the introduction to media communication courses to the senior capstone class. Related to that idea of spanning the courses, one of the participants suggested the value of repeating the exercise: “I think this a hugely helpful exercise and it would even be valuable to do new ones in different semesters to continue thinking about these things.”

For larger classes or team-based classes, the assignment can be adjusted so that individual students introduce themselves to their group or team rather than to the whole class. For example, in a class of 46, discussion groups were created of 10-12 students to make the class feel smaller. The video activity can be followed by a BINGO game to encourage engagement, or classmates can be required to respond to a specified number of classmates’ discussion board posts noting commonalities with each student in their group.

Best Practices of Implementing the Assignment

The assignment has been successfully employed for both online and in-person classes at the undergraduate and graduate levels with students posting the video file or link to their video within a discussion board or other shared communication platform (e.g., Slack).

Recommended student guidance includes a video tutorial by the instructor and an assignment sample by the instructor or a previous student.

Recommended Resources Related to the Assignment

Instructors who would like to learn how to complete the assignment can use the video tutorial used at one of our universities here: https://youtu.be/gx8OBDBUZNo. Instructors can either record their own similar walkthroughs for their classes or use this walkthrough for their own courses. When instructors are ready to incorporate the BINGO element, they can visit https://myfreebingocards.com/ to customize BINGO cards for their classes.

Limitations or Challenges of Implementing the Assignment

The Adobe Express video tool is straightforward and includes a short tutorial, so even less tech-savvy students should figure it out relatively easily. Students may encounter technical difficulties related to browser compatibility, WiFi availability, or issues with the device they use (for example, their microphone might not be turned on). Also, the time limit of 1 to 2 minutes could be expanded to allow for more detailed storytelling. In the latest version of Express, the video tool only shared 1:30 of the video if a student submitted the link rather than the video file; however, the entire video would show if it were submitted as the actual video file. Thus, students will need to download the file from Adobe Express and upload it to Slack or their learning management system rather than submitting a hyperlink. Instructors are advised to see if this cut-off remains an issue before allowing students to submit via hyperlink.

References

Alotaibi, K. N. (2016). Psychometric properties of creative self-efficacy inventory among distinguished students in Saudi Arabian universities. Psychological Reports, 118(3), 902–917. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033294116646021

Cohen, M. (2020). Creating epic student diagrams with Spark Post. [Webinar]. https://edex.adobe.com/teaching-resources/how-to-create-epic- diagrams-using-adobe spark-post

Commission on Public Relations Education. (2021). 2021 industry/ educator summit report. http://www.commissionpred.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ CPRE-2021-Summit-Report-Final.pdf

Commission on Public Relations Education. (2018). Fast forward: Foundations and future state. Educators and practitioners. http://www.commissionpred.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/ report6-full.pdf

Dietrich, G. (2023, September 12). AI generative search is coming: Will you be ready? Spin Sucks. [Podcast]. https://open.spotify.com/episode/1H1zbOqUhpW5ZkFwzOGCKj

Dietrich, G. (2018, October 13). AI and storytelling: The four things the robots cannot replace. Spin Sucks. [Website]. https://spinsucks.com/communication/robots-cannot-replace- storytelling/

Duhé, S., Ferguson, D., Halff, G., & Shen, H. (2018). Undergraduate curriculum: Courses and content to prepare the next generation of public relations practitioners (Fast Forward: Foundations and Future State. Educators and Practitioners). Commission on Public Relations Education. http://www.commissionpred.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/ report6-full.pdf

Fisher, W. R. (1978). Toward a logic of good reasons. The Quarterly Journal of Speech, 64(4), 376–384. https://doi.org/10.1080/00335637809383443

Fisher, W. R. (1984). Narration as human communication paradigm: The case of public moral argument. Communication Monographs, 51(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/03637758409390180

Fisher, W. R. (1985). The narrative paradigm: An elaboration. Communication Monographs, 52(4), 347–367. https://doi.org/10.1080/03637758509376117

Fisher, W. R. (1987). Human communication as narration: Toward a philosophy of reason, value, and action. University of South Carolina Press.

Green, M. C. & Brock, T. C. (2000). The role of transportation in the persuasiveness of public narratives. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79(5), 701–721. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.79.5.701

Kinsky, E. S., Freberg, K., Ehrlich, S., Breakenridge, D., & Gomes, P. (2018). Technology: Harnessing the tools for public relations now and future state (Fast Forward: Foundations and future state. Educators and practitioners). Commission on Public Relations Education. http://www.commissionpred.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/ report6-full.pdf

Krishna, A., Wright, D. K., & Kotcher, R. (2020). Curriculum rebuilding in public relations: Understanding what early career, mid-career, and senior PR/communications professionals expect from PR graduates. Journal of Public Relations Education, 6(1), 33– 57. https://aejmc.us/jpre/wpcontent/uploads/sites/25/2020/01/ KRISHNA-ET-AL-JPRE-6.1-Curriculum-Rebuilding in-PR.pdf

Pressgrove, G., & Kinsky, E. S. (2023). “Unapologetically original”: Building creative self confidence in the public relations curriculum. Journal of Public Relations Education, 9(1), 35–61. https://journalofpreducation.com/?p=3650

Tierney, P. A., & Farmer, S. M. (2002). Creative self-efficacy: Its potential antecedents and relationship to creative performance. Academy of Management Journal, 45(6), 1137-1148. https://doi.org/10.5465/3069429

Appendix A

Assignment Guide for BINGO Activity

The assignment below can be shared on your discussion board if using this platform for the activity. To set up BINGO, visit https://myfreebingocards.com and create a BINGO card for each of your discussion groups (i.e., groups of 10 people were used in a class of approximately 40 students). Name each group (perhaps using elements of your university identity such as school colors and mascot), which will make it easier to organize your BINGO groups. Enter the names of each team member in a group, and the website will produce BINGO cards, populating each space with a student’s name. The discussion board text is shared below.

Team B-I-N-G-O: Bringing Back Game Night

• We are going retro with this assignment by playing team BINGO!
• Here is how it works: Once I post the Adobe Express introduction videos for each discussion group, you will watch the ones for your group members. If you see something you have in common with someone on your team, you get to mark their space on the BINGO card and note what it is that you have in common. Here are BINGO Cards for each team (just choose the link that corresponds to your team – your team can be found in the “People” menu area of Canvas (then, toggle over to “Groups”): [Team name]: [custom URL for the team based on this website: https://myfreebingocards. com] [Repeat for each team.]
• The website will declare a winner on each team for the first person who gets BINGO.
• For your discussion board submission, this assignment involves writing a list of the people you marked on your BINGO sheet and what you have in common with them. Add a screenshot of your BINGO – because it’s fun, and we need to have fun in this class!
• You do not have to get an entire BINGO row to earn points.
• Also, if you do not have anything in common with anyone, explain that and post 12 facts about yourself!
• Once the videos are shared in this assignment description, the game will be on!
• You will earn 12 points for participating, which includes your BINGO card and either a list of what you have in common with each person in your group or a list of 12 additional facts about yourself.

© Copyright 2024 AEJMC Public Relations Division

To cite this article: Kinsky, E.S., and Gallicano, T.D. (2024). Express yourself: Developing creative storytelling skills. Journal of Public Relations Education, 9(3), 65-85. https://journalofpreducation.com/?p=4262