This teaching brief presents an end-of-course essay assignment that tasks graduate students to share their expertise publicly through a thought leadership-style article. Through stepping out of the role of “learner” and into the role of “expert” and publishing their articles on LinkedIn, students face the heightened stakes of sharing their insights beyond the classroom walls. By highlighting key knowledge, skills, and abilities they have gained through their graduate education, students can demonstrate the unique perspective and value they offer future employers while further developing their own professional brand. This assignment was developed for a course focused on accessibility, diversity, and inclusion on social media; however, the thought-leadership style essay can be adapted to fit the learning outcomes of many public relations courses.
Editorial Record: Submitted June 9, 2023. Revised September 20, and November 17, 2023. Accepted November 21, 2023. Published March 2024.
Author
Steven Ryan Assistant Professor of Instruction The Media School Lew Klein College of Media and Communication Temple University Pennsylvania, USA Email: steve.ryan0001@temple.edu
ABSTRACT
With generative artificial intelligence – or generative AI – use on the rise, particularly in content creation, public relations students need to gain skills in applying such tools in PR writing. This article documents the author’s experience requiring the use of generative AI in writing assignments. The results, including research findings, are intended to help PR educators implement generative AI in their classrooms.
Since the advent of generative AI systems, like the well-known ChatGPT (and GPT-3), both trade and academic articles have tried to make sense of its potential for and potential consequences in communication fields, like PR (Carufel, 2023; Luttrell et al., 2020). The author and two colleagues have also been researching the attitudes of PR educators, practitioners, and students about teaching emerging technologies (including generative AI). The preliminary findings of that research were a significant inspiration for the assignment detailed herein.
Additionally, a recent survey of executives found that 49% of their companies use ChatGPT, and 93% plan to expand its use (ResumeBuilder. com, 2023). There are, however, calls to pause its surge (Samuel, 2023).
Yet, Krishna et al. (2020) assert it is “imperative for [PR] educators to design courses and curricula to reflect the needs of the profession and prepare students … with the key tools and skills they need to be successful in their careers” (p. 4). And still, during a presentation about generative AI, an emerging technology expert said, “You won’t be replaced by AI. You’ll be replaced by someone who knows how to use AI” (A. Hood, personal communication, Nov. 22, 2022).
Connection to KSATs
Incorporating generative AI into our curricula is essential to support knowledge, skills, abilities, and traits (KSATs) identified in the Commission on Public Relations Education report by Duhe et al. (2018), namely writing, digital literacy and technology, and critical thinking.
Numerous studies, including Krishna et al. (2020), have confirmed writing is a vital PR skill. Furthermore, Floridi and Chiaratti (2020) concluded those who write professionally (e.g., PR practitioners) will need to use generative AI to prompt proper output, assemble, and edit it. Additionally, this author posits the ability to train AI models to produce writing in a particular voice is needed. Thus, if educators are to prepare students to be effective PR writers, they must ensure students can use generative AI. Xie et al. (2018) noted “a dire need to incorporate digital components in the curricula and believed it is important to transform students into digital thinkers” (p. 296). Indeed, Duhe et al. (2020) concluded digital technology is an area of “growing importance to the [PR] profession” (p. 63). Even more important than how to use generative AI, PR students must also develop the ability to discern when not to use generative AI. Indeed, Tóth et al. (2020) identified activities a digitally-competent person should be able to perform, including, “correctly applying digital technologies to solve various functional tasks; effectively using digital technologies and obtaining real practical results…self-confident[ly], critical[ly], and creative[ly] using digital technologies” (p. 153).
Assignment Learning Objectives
The generative AI assignments herein feature in an upper level PR writing course. The learning objectives (below) support, at higher levels of Fink’s taxonomy (2013), the overall course objectives:
Recognize the strengths and weaknesses of generative AI.
Create public relations writing using generative AI.
Compare and contrast generative AI writing with human writing.
Reflect on the use of generative AI in the writing process.
Connection to Public Relations Practice and/or Theory
Xie et al. (2018) found advertising and PR education was “… outdated in terms of preparing students for the changing industries, especially in terms of coping with emerging media technologies…” and respondents further believed digital skills “…should be embraced at every step in the program of study…” (pp. 302-303). Indeed, underscoring these points, the Commission for Public Relations Education recently highlighted the urgency of both addressing the lack of industry vision for AI and the need for entry-level graduates to possess AI skills and knowledge to prepare them for a field in which AI is being used in a variety of applications. (Toth & Bourland-Davis, 2023, pp. 27-28). The mandate for these skills will only grow as generative AI proliferates.
An analysis of PR job ads by Meganck et al. (2020), however, revealed “technology skills” were sought in just 4.1% of ads, while “social/digital media” appeared in 35.3% (p. 3). This is puzzling, given a comment by Panda et al. (2019) that “communication specialists are under pressure to unlearn old manual skills and learn new digital capabilities to survive in the new work environment” (p. 198).
The current environment feels like certain periods when PR had to adapt to “new digital capabilities” like email, websites, social media, and blogs. When those technologies debuted, PR practitioners evaluated benefits, costs, risks, and applications, preparing for when implementation became advisable or inevitable. The advent of generative AI is similar, so we must integrate it into the PR writing curriculum.
Class Testing
Following the imperative noted by Krishna et al. (2020) to prepare students for success (p. 4), the author also bore in mind the guidance of Galloway and Swiatek (2018), who wisely noted that PR practitioners need not be technology experts, but have a “…sufficient understanding of AI and related technologies…” so they can better advise clients (p. 736). The author required students to use Craftly, a generative AI tool for PR, advertising, and marketing writing, on four of five primary writing assignments (PWAs): backgrounders, blog posts and social posts, feature and social posts, and a letter to the editor. How students used Craftly varied by assignment (for example, see Figure 1). However, to establish a baseline of their writing ability, students wrote their first assignment – a news release – without AI.
As noted, each PWA has specific AI use requirements. Students were required to use Craftly as follows for each:
Feature – outline the article, rewrite sentences, create quotes, or create a social media post to promote the article.
Backgrounder – outline the document, rewrite sentences, or write the introduction.
Letter to the Editor – outline the document, rewrite sentences, write the introduction, or create quotes.
In addition to the PWAs, students used Craftly for in-class learning activities to develop AI prompt-generating skills, including headlines, quotes, news release ledes, and similar output.
Evidence of Learning Outcomes
At the semester’s end, students completed a survey about their use of generative AI in class. The research plan and instrument received institutional review board approval. Of 10 students in the class, nine attempted the survey, and eight finished it. Due to the small class size, no demographic data were collected to ensure confidentiality. The author acknowledges the data set is small (as is often the case with scholarship of teaching and learning—or SoTL—research) and plans to continue this research in future course sections and grow the data set. There are, however, a few notable findings worth sharing that support this assignment.
Early-semester discussions about generative AI tools revealed students had little knowledge of generative AI’s uses, limitations, and risks. Therefore, the author wanted to know how student attitudes about AI changed as they used the technology, specifically its importance in their future careers, its danger, its ability to enhance PR practitioners’ effectiveness, ethical concerns about its use, and if understanding it would set them apart from other job candidates (see Table 1).
Table 1
Changes in Student Attitudes Regarding Generative AI/GPT-3
When considering if GPT-3 skills and their future careers the most remarkable increase was related to seeing the importance of GPT-3 to success in their future careers (t=-4.27, p=0.003) from the beginning of the semester (M=3.11, SD=1.17) to the end of the semester (M=4.56, SD=0.53). The findings suggest students see value in learning generative AI skills to help them advance in their careers and support the admonition of Krishna et al. (2020) to “prepare students to enter the workforce with the key tools and skills they need to be successful in their careers” (p. 4).
When asked to rate potential threats of GPT-3 (see Table 2; 1= is less of a threat to 5 = more of a threat), students expressed concern about loss of writing skills (M=3.75, SD=1.04), which suggests the need not only to teach the effective use of generative AI as a writing tool but also to ensure the ongoing development of fundamental writing skills. Further, with low consumer trust in AI-produced content (Owen, 2023), PR graduates knowledgeable in how to effectively employ generative AI will be valuable contributors to the new AI-enabled PR workforce.
Table 2
Student Attitudes About Generative AI/GPT-3 Use Threats in PR
A common misconception, however, is that younger generations are automatically more adept with and interested in new technologies. Indeed, Tóth et al. (2020) found while students possessed generally high levels of digital competence when switching to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, “… their knowledge and skills are limited to…basic office suite skills, emailing, using social sites, and surfing the Internet. They are thus digital users and consumers of content rather than its creators” (p. 152).
Given the sophisticated nature of generative AI technology, the author wanted to understand student attitudes regarding technology, generally, to understand how those attitudes might shape class teaching using generative AI. Research by Goode (2010a and 2010b) introduced the concept of a technology identity, which helps classify a person’s relationship with technology using an identity model to assess “four areas of an individual’s belief system, namely beliefs about one’s technology skills, opportunities, and constraints to use technology, the importance of technology, and one’s own motivation to learn more about technology” (2010a, p. 590).
Data collected (see Table 3) using Goode’s model (which the author adapted to use a 5-point Likert-type scale) revealed all students saw themselves as fluent in the use of technology and most were motivated to learn more about technology. This model can help educators understand potential barriers and opportunities before introducing generative AI technology in the classroom to use in an assignment such as this.
Table 3
Student Technology Identity Self-Report
Anecdotal student comments were, in many ways, more compelling and offered greater insight than the survey findings. This is an excerpt from one student’s introspection:
My final submission was a huge improvement from my draft and I really enjoyed this assignment. I also enjoy this course in general because it encourages us to utilize a brand-new tool that is frowned upon by others… Generally speaking, many teachers/professors were immediately against ChatGPT before even giving it a chance. I feel as though this is a tool that is supposed to benefit us and improve our writing skills.
Additional student comments included:
“I have a very difficult time editing my own work. It’s easier to edit [AI]. It feels less personal.”
“I want to start finding ways to implement AI into my life more. After using it in this class, I can see that it isn’t perfect, and it probably never will be, but there are some useful factors to it. I also do not see AI going anywhere anytime soon, so finding a way to work with it seems helpful for my future in PR.”
“I noticed that when I begin my papers, I tend to have trouble beginning the writing process. I found that Craftly can easily help me start and end ideas in a very descriptive but to-the-point way.”
“I also feel like I trusted Craftly a little bit too much. Although Craftly did help me develop my first [blog post] pretty much perfectly, it didn’t do the same for my second one. I should have only used Craftly for the brainstorming process…and crafted it myself. I think that the final results would have been much clearer and there would be less confusion using my own words and phrases.”
“The biggest thing for me…is the outlining. Sometimes I have a hard time getting started and organizing my thoughts. Craftly saves me at least 15 minutes.”
“I used to believe AI was just meant to be used for generating…silly responses, I hadn’t considered how useful it could be as a writing tool… AI has become one of my favorite ways of organizing my thoughts.”
… I had trouble making sure what the AI came up with was not an error. Craftly often sounded repetitive, and it made my writing a bit glib. In the beginning, it was harder for me to scrutinize and correct Craftly’s work, but by the end of the semester, I got much better at it.
…using AI is not something I thought I would ever be doing in a class. Before this class, I was very skeptical about AI as many others are. As someone with an interest in art and…the world of freelancing, the push for AI art almost put me off the idea completely. However, since using it in this class I am still skeptical but do not hate it as much as I did.
One student even expressed their feelings in poetry form:
I don’t trust AI, efficiency be damned.
Innocent at first but who knows where it’s going. Power beyond our control, some men have evil hands. Give the men time, we’ll reap what they’re sowing.
Minds will become grey, wastelands, reliant on something they could never be.
See, you and I don’t comprehend its power.
To destroy our lives in new and creative ways; a new tool for the bourgeoise.
Our cries go unheard as, our creativity, they devour.
Humans are unique, dreaming in a universe greater than our comprehension.
Innovation doesn’t end because we choose to reject a dreamless invention.
Important themes emerged in these and other comments, which included writing efficiency, learning how to work with generative AI, and distrust of/skepticism about generative AI.
The business case for generative AI becomes clear when considering the revelations about saving time: 15 minutes (and associated overhead costs) saved in the writing process is significant when multiplied across numerous projects and clients. As previously noted, students agreed faster content creation was an AI-use opportunity.
Students also noted AI can be repetitive and generate inappropriate tone. As the semester progressed, students became more adept at removing such flaws from their drafts.
The author believes healthy skepticism about generative AI is the most vital insight students gain by doing these assignments. The students’ comments expressing such skepticism reinforce the survey findings and recall Galloway and Swiatek’s (2018) caution, “the [PR] profession’s more immediate need to acquaint itself with the broader societal and economic AI impacts should be considered alongside the need to apply AI” (p. 736).
Template Assignment Guides
Blog Post Instructions
Draft two blog entries about topics of your choosing that affect or relate to your nonprofit. Consider:
new laws or regulations
social issues
race issues
demographic issues
services offered
challenges faces
expertise to share Your blog posts will include:
A related photo (with alt text)
Meta description
Word limit 800-1000 words
Writing Your Blog with Craftly
Think of a brand subject your want your blog posts to be about (e.g. demographics)
Use Generate Blog Topics tool
Select a topic for your first post, go to Blog Builder
Follow the steps and prompts to create the blog content
Edit and revise
Select a topic for your second post, use the Blog Outline tool
Use the Blog Introduction to start your blog post
Use the other Craftly tools as much, or as little, as you wish
Be sure to take notes about the process of using Craftly for your introspection and cite Craftly content in your blogs
For the images…
Use Craftly to create at least one image. The other can be a stock image, screen grab, or original photo.
Your alt text for each should be <125 characters and should describe what is seen in the image, as discussed in class. Remember the purpose of the alt text is both to describe the picture to someone using a screen reader and index the image for search engine retrieval.
For the social posts…
Each blog post must include one social post to drive traffic to the blog:
You can choose Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn, based on what is most relevant for your nonprofit.
Use Craftly to generate one of your social posts (identify which one).
You may use internet slang and/or emojis as appropriate for your nonprofit and the blog post messages.
Introspection Instructions
The introspection is a short piece that asks you to consider errors, word choice, clarity, adherence to the creative brief, generative AI use, and an overall reflection on your writing. Use the guide below to write the introspection. Because it is written, quality counts. See the attached rubric, too.
After each major writing assignment, you must complete an introspective reflection on the assignment from draft to final. Step away from the assignment for a day or so. Then re-read it and respond to the following:
Errors
Were there any surprise errors? What about consistent errors?
Are there words you regularly misspell? What are they? How can you avoid in the future?
Word Choice
Were any word choices called out in the feedback? How would you resolve them?
Looking at your final with fresh eyes, are there any other word choices you would change?
Clarity
Were any sentences called out in feedback for lack of clarity? How would you resolve them?
Creative Brief
Did you miss any requirements specified in the creative brief? Why do you think that happened?
Overall
Upon re-reading, did you find other improvements you could make?
How did you feel about your draft compared with your final?
Was there instructor feedback you found valuable? Confusing?
What were your thoughts on using AI for the assignment?
Were there any challenges you faced when writing the assignment? Technical process, inspiration, other.
How will you resolve those challenges for the next assignment?
Assignment Grading Criteria or Rubric
This course uses ungrading principles, relying heavily on feedback (Blum, 2020). Students submit each PWA first draft for instructor feedback. Students do not receive a letter grade for each PWA. Instead, they work to improve their writing through feedback until it is of A quality (16-18 points) based on a rubric (see Figure 1).
Figure 1
Primary Writing Assignment Rubric
Each student then works with a pre-assigned peer review partner to critique one another’s work. Students then submit a final draft (subject to further revision) noting any AI content (see Figure 2).
Figure 2
Example of Student Canvas Submission Identifying AI Use
The introspection rubric (see Figure 3) assesses students’ ability to interrogate and better understand their writing process, as well as examine their own use of generative AI.
Figure 3
Introspection Rubric
Teaching Note
These assignments are appropriate in upper-level PR writing courses because they are as much about how to not use generative AI as they are about how to use it. Students should have a foundation in PR writing, grammar, AP style; law and ethics; and PR theory.
Generative AI use varied by assignment and was explicitly defined.
The instructions for a pair of blog posts and an associated social media post are in the Template Assignment Guide. Introspections were also required because they “…have the metacognitive function of helping writers become more aware of their own thinking processes” (Bean & Melzer, 2021, p. 88). Such awareness is essential when writing with generative AI, as illustrated by the student comments.
Based on the author’s experience with these assignments in the classroom, instructors should consider the following when deciding how or if to implement generative AI use in their classrooms:
Generative AI Tool Knowledge
Become power users of the chosen generative AI tool. Instructors should understand how to navigate the tool, know its strengths and weaknesses, and be able to provide instruction in its use and troubleshoot student problems.
Train students thoroughly in how to use the chosen AI tool. The author’s students received training from Craftly.
Consider assessing student technology identities using Goode’s model to understand the students’ orientation and motivation regarding tech use. It can also help to identify peer technology champions who could help their fellow students.
Generative AI Use
Prescribe a variety of specific ways to use AI. As noted, students were required to use Craftly to outline, generate quotes, create social media posts, write blogs, craft headlines, and even create images. Allow them to create no- or low-stakes content before using the tool for a graded assignment. Also, require students to reflect on their use of AI and assess AI’s strengths and weaknesses.
Require students to identify AI output used (see Introspection Instructions) and caution students against using AI in other classes, as it may be prohibited.
Course Content
Teach best practices for completing each writing assignment, irrespective of AI use.
Review effective proofreading and editing techniques, focusing on identifying AI-generated shortcomings. Teach shortcomings of AI writing (e.g., redundancy, factual errors, lack of AP style use, and inconsistent or inappropriate tone) to help them effectively edit AI output. Finally, pair each student with a peer editor to support the revision process.
Any generative AI tool should work for these assignments. A paid platform is ideal, as free or “freemium” versions may have word limits or restrictions that may hinder students’ ability to complete assignments and affect the instructor’s assignment parameters. Craftly proved to be an effective tool.
Institutional IT policies may stipulate accessibility requirements for any AI tool chosen (or even prohibit their use). The author’s university requires all institution-purchased software to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. Smaller software companies, especially start-ups, may not prioritize such compliance in early go-to-market plans. Instructors should verify IT requirements before comparing platforms and understand how long university approval and testing processes take to avoid implementation delays.
Opposition from colleagues or the administration is certainly possible. The author’s department supported experimentation with generative AI, but not all institutions will have the same attitudes.
While not a guarantee of acceptance, crafting what Fink (2013) refers to as “significant learning experiences” (p. 7) that comprise (a) meaningful learning objectives, (b) teaching and learning activities, and (c) feedback and assessment, as well as applying appropriate academic rigor are, in the author’s opinion, essential precursors to reassure skeptics. Another important reminder: Generative AI is just a tool. Knowing how to use it does not make one a writer any more than knowing how to use Adobe Illustrator® makes one an artist.
Conclusion
Incorporating mandatory generative AI use in a PR writing course initially seemed risky. However, it also seemed risky not to incorporate the technology given the incredible attention ChatGPT and other generative AI tools were receiving in the media.
Students seemed surprised to be trusted with using generative AI on school writing assignments. It was as if they were being offered a secret code granting them special powers. The author thinks this is true and believes they will be among the first to enter the PR workforce having had guidance in how to (and how not to) use generative AI in PR writing.
References
Bean, J. C., & Melzer, D. (2021). Engaging ideas: The professor’s guide to integrating writing, critical thinking, and active learning in the classroom (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Blum, S. D. (Ed.). (2020). Ungrading: Why rating students undermines learning (and what to do instead) (1st ed.). West Virginia University Press.
Duhe, S., Ferguson, D., Halff, G., & Shen, H. (2017). Undergraduate Curriculum: Courses and Content to Prepare the Next Generation of Public Relations Practitioners. In E. L. Toth & K. Lewton (Eds.), Fast Forward: The 2017 Report on Undergraduate Public Relations Education (pp. 59-63). Commission on Public Relations Education. http://www.commissionpred.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/report6-full.pdf
Fink, L. D. (2013). Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to designing college courses. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Galloway, C., & Swiatek, L. (2018). Public relations and artificial intelligence: It’s not (just) about robots. Public Relations Review, 44(5), 734–740. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2018.10.008
Goode, J. (2010a). Mind the gap: The digital dimension of college access. The Journal of Higher Education, 81(5), 583–618. https://doi.org/10.1353/jhe.2010.0005
Goode, J. (2010b). The digital identity divide: How technology knowledge impacts college students. New Media & Society, 12(3), p.497–513. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444809343560
Luttrell, R., Wallace, A., McCollough, C., & Lee, J. (2020). The digital divide: Addressing artificial intelligence in communication education. Journalism & Mass Communication Educator, 75(4), 470–482. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077695820925286
Meganck, S., Smith, J., & Guidry, J. P. D. (2020). The skills required for entry-level public relations: An analysis of skills required in 1,000 PR job ads. Public Relations Review, 46(5), 101973. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2020.101973
Panda, G., Upadhyay, A. K., & Khandelwal, K. (2019). Artificial intelligence: A strategic disruption in public relations. Journal of Creative Communications, 14(3), 196–213. https://doi.org/10.1177/0973258619866585
Tóth, T., Virágh, R., Hallová, M., Stuchlý, P., & Hennyeyová, K. (2022). Digital competence of digital native students as prerequisite for digital transformation of education. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 17(16), 150–166. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v17i16.31791
Xie, Q., Schauster, E., & Neill, M. S. (2018). Expectations for advertising and public relations education from agency executives: A comparative study between China and the United States. Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising, 39(3), 289–307. https://doi.org/10.1080/10641734.2018.1490358
To cite this article: Ryan, S. (2024). Generative AI in the classroom: Teaching a critical skill for the public relations writing student. Journal of Public Relations Education, 9(3), 25-45. https://journalofpreducation.com/?p=4241
Note from the Editor-in-Chief: We are pleased to share Volume 6, Issue 1, which offers our readers three research articles, two teaching briefs and two book reviews. The articles cover a variety of topics: public diplomacy training around the world, a comparison of expectations for PR graduates made by practitioners at different levels in their careers, and suggestions for helping students increase their knowledge and confidence in using statistics. We believe you will gain both inspiration and guidance from the teaching briefs, as they explore multicultural training through writing assignments and building recognition of the connections within and across personal networks. Finally, the book reviews offer helpful insights into how these two books might fit into your classes.
The editorial team expanded in November 2019 to include Dr. Kelly Vibber. We are grateful to have her join us as Dr. Lucinda Austin transitions deeper into leadership within the AEJMC PR Division. Dr. Austin has been a great help these past 2 years and will be missed. I am thankful for this entire team, which invests countless hours into proofreading, formatting and preparing each issue. Their service to the field is greatly appreciated. I also want to express my gratitude to our reviewers who offer useful advice through the blind- review process and help us maintain a solid reputation. Thank you!
A publication of the Public Relations Division of AEJMC Copyright 2020 AEJMC Public Relations Division
The Journal of Public Relations Education (JPRE) is devoted to the presentation of research and commentary that advance the field of public relations education. JPRE invites submissions in the following three categories:
Research Articles
Teaching Briefs
Book/Software Reviews
Learn more by visiting the About JPRE page and the Authors/Contributors page for submission guidelines. All submissions should follow the guidelines of the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA).
Editorial Record: Original draft submitted to JPRE June 13, 2019. Revision submitted August 13, 2019. Manuscript accepted for publication September 23, 2019. First published online January 21, 2020.
Author
Arhlene A. Flowers Associate Professor Integrated Marketing Communications Department of Strategic Communication Roy H. Park School of Communications Ithaca College Email: aflowers@ithaca.edu
ABSTRACT
Studies and reports from public relations scholars,
educators, and practitioners have shown that public relations students should
gain intercultural competencies and multicultural perspectives before they
enter the public relations industry. This article explains how a blog calendar
and social media assignment for specific global markets can help students
acquire international and multicultural competencies in the area of writing for
the public relations classroom.
Keywords: writing, blog, social media,
diversity, teaching
In today’s increasingly
multicultural and globalized world, public relations professionals and students
alike need to develop skills to communicate with diverse communities within
their own country and abroad. In addition, communicators must create verbal and
visual content to reach multicultural and international audiences, particularly
with the increasing use of online platforms around the globe.
The author developed an assignment
for students in a public relations writing class to create social media content
and an editorial calendar for a blog on behalf of a fictitious retailer seeking
to connect with diverse audiences in a specific international market. This
assignment not only provided students with greater challenge and creativity but
also required them to research and learn about multicultural populations and
cultural traditions abroad.
Economic Reality and Shifting Demographics
Today’s
U.S. public relations practitioners, regardless of where they work, most likely
will communicate with global markets. For example, foreign sales based on a
percentage of total Standard & Poor’s 500 sales exceeded 40%—43.6% in 2017, 43.2% in 2016, 44.3% in 2015, and 47.8% in
2014 (Silverblatt, 2018). The U.S. Small Business Association (Glaccum,
2019) touts on its website that “nearly 96 percent of consumers live outside
the U.S., and two-thirds of the world’s purchasing power is in foreign
countries” (para. 2).
The world is also experiencing shifting populations, geographical distribution
of the middle class, and religious adherents. Demographic trends show a
significant rise in global migration—among a population of 7.3 billion people, one
out of every 30 residents resides outside his or her country of birth
(International Organization for Migration, 2018)—bringing increasing diversity
to countries with existing generations of multicultural people. In 2015, half
of the 3 billion people classified as the global middle class were from Asian
countries, while the proportion of the middle class is estimated to increase to
two-thirds from Asia by 2030 (Kharas, 2017). Predictions also indicate that the
world’s religious populations will continue to shift by 2050, with Muslims
almost equaling Christians, the largest religious faith. The Buddhist
population is predicted to remain stable, while Hindu and Jewish populations,
various folk religions, and other religions (such as Baha’is, Jains, and
Sikhs) will grow in size (Pew Research Center, 2015).
Global Interconnectivity
Interconnectivity steadily rises
with more than half of the world online—56% of the world’s population are
active internet users (Statista, 2019a). In 2019, almost 3.5 billion people
used social media platforms, a 9% rise over the previous year (Chaffey,
2019). Facebook draws 1.47 billion
desktop daily active users and 1.57 billion mobile daily active users, with 85%
of daily active users coming from outside of North America (Omnicore, 2019a).
YouTube has over 2 billion logged-in visitors worldwide every month, with
content in 80 languages and local versions in over 100 countries (YouTube,
2019). Instagram has approximately 1 billion monthly active users (Omnicore,
2019b) with the United States leading, followed by Brazil and India (Statista,
2019b), while 79% of Twitter’s accounts are from outside the U.S. (Omnicore,
2019c). In addition, the blogosphere remains vibrant, with an estimated 505
million blogs (SoftwareFindr, 2018).
Need for Multicultural Perspectives in Public Relations
A number of scholars over the past few decades have recommended a greater emphasis on global perspectives, as well as multicultural, intercultural, and international skills for public relations students in the U.S.; they also recommend an integration of global and cultural diversity learning experiences in the classroom and overall curriculum (Bardhan, 2003; Creedon & Al-Khaja, 2005; Sriramesh, 2009; Zaharna, 2000). Taylor (2001) called for “internationalization” in undergraduate education to enable students to become competent and culturally sophisticated public relations professionals in the global arena. Over the past decade, studies have examined other dimensions of global public relations education. Tsetsura (2011) recommended that students learn multidimensional diversity, with an analysis of master characteristics and interactional identities, to prepare for communicating within a global marketplace. Azionya et al. (2019) addressed the benefits of a value-based education approach that fosters an ethical and poly-contextual examination of diverse societies in public relations education. Wolf and Archer (2016) looked at successful learning outcomes for communicators to effectively manage in a global and digital era, which acknowledges not only technological skills, but “more importantly [demands] excellent on- and offline communication skills, tolerance, empathy and diplomacy” (p. 9).
Connection to Practice
The Commission on Public Relations
Education 2017 Report on Undergraduate Education (2018) ranked writing for all
platforms as a top skill for public relations. It addressed the desirability of
diverse multicultural perspectives for entry-level job candidates in public
relations. The report included diversity and inclusion results from the 2016
omnibus survey and found that public relations practitioners and professors
rated diversity and inclusion as important KSAs (Knowledge, Skills, and
Abilities) for new hires to have; for practitioners, the concept of diversity
and inclusion was one of the top three ranked areas of knowledge needed by new
hires. Practitioners “value candidates who demonstrate a multicultural
perspective, but also indicated that they are not seeing that perspective” (p.
143-144). Not surprising, writing ranked as the most desirable skill (4.88 out
of 5), followed by communication (4.76) and social media management (4.33). The
report also examined preferred characteristics for new employees, which again
pointed to writing performance as highly desired by practitioners (4.88), but
not found as frequently as desired (2.90).
The Global Communications Report
(USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations, 2019) surveyed both public
relations practitioners and students about their views on the future impact of
technology in the field. Following the PESO model (paid, earned, shared, and
owned media), CEOs selected shared media (social media and online influencers)
as the most valuable media for the future at 38%, whereas students ranked shared
media as even more important at 70%. Another finding was the importance of the
storytelling characteristics of imagery in the future: “YouTube and Instagram,
whose popularity are based on photographs and videos, are projected to be the
big winners in an era of decreasing attention span” (USC Annenberg Center for
Public Relations, 2019, p. 30).
Assignment and Implementation
A multicultural blog and social
media assignment was introduced in a 300-level Writing for Public Relations
course that requires students to create an editorial calendar for a new blog
and write content and select visual imagery for specific social media platforms
for a certain country. The author created a fictitious American-based retailer
of home accessories and food products (a blend of Williams Sonoma, Sur La
Table, and Pier 1), which was launching stores in a new international market.
The fictitious co-founders of the retailer are a man and woman, with one from
the U.S. and the other from another country. The retailer sells home décor,
kitchenware, dinnerware, serving dishes, seasonal decorations, and food
products from around the world. This context provides students with the ability
to draw upon rich opportunities for storytelling and visual imagery. Food, for
example, plays an important part in cultures of all kinds and continues to be a
tradition handed down from generation to generation, particularly during the
holidays and special occasions. Avid cooks of any background also enjoy trying
recipes from other cultures. Croatian-Italian-American celebrity chef Lidia
Bastianich (PBS, 2017) explains the cultural significance of food: “Food feeds
our souls. It is the single great unifier across all cultures. The table offers
a sanctuary and a place to come together for unity and understanding” (para.
1). In addition, the fictional retailer’s holiday decorations provide content
to illustrate diverse secular and non-secular celebrations on online platforms.
To date, the assignment has covered
Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, Singapore, and South Africa. The
country or countries for new markets can vary by semester. Students are
required to reset the English language setting on Microsoft Word, which
currently offers 16 versions of English. Although the computerized English
language settings do not capture all nuances, they do help students grasp key
differences between American English and other versions of English.
Before students work on the
assignment, the instructor should cover the following topics:
Intercultural and multicultural writing considerations on editing U.S. idioms
and applying culturally sensitive verbal and visual content that avoids ethnocentrism
and othering (i.e., avoid language “used to
communicate instances of perpetuating prejudice, discrimination, and injustice
either through deliberate or ignorant means,”
MacQuarrie, 2010, p. 635);
An overview of social media strategies, such as establishing clear
communication goals and building brand awareness with relatable, shareable, and
interactive content appealing to specific audiences, and writing tactics to
attract a following;
Preferred terms (following the latest edition of The Associated Press Stylebook), ethics,
and decorum for blogs and social media platforms, along with real-world
examples of blogs, tweets, and posts with impactful and appropriate visual
imagery.
Students are required to research a
specific country’s diverse population and religious preferences, as well as its
national, secular, and religious holidays, in order to create content that
makes the retailer’s products relatable with a soft-sell approach to the new
market. The first part of the assignment is preparing a 12-month editorial
calendar for a new blog. Students develop various story ideas (headline and
first few sentences) that address the opening dates of the new stores;
religious holidays celebrated by the diverse population; leading secular and
national holidays; and other special events that celebrate the country’s
diversity (a few examples in Canada could include National Indigenous Peoples
Day, Toronto Caribbean Carnival, Small World Music Festival, TD Mosaic Fest,
and Pride Toronto).
Drawing upon the topics in the blog
editorial calendar, students then create content for Twitter (three tweets with
proposed handle, hashtags and image), Facebook (three posts with images,
hashtag, and copy), Instagram (three posts with image, hashtag, and copy), and
YouTube (explanations for three different videos describing visuals, story
concept, and storytellers).
Students would require a minimum of
one week to work on the assignment, which can be completed on an individual
basis or in collaboration with one other student. Instructors should allocate
one class session for in-class writing, where instructors can review and
discuss drafts with students. A debriefing should take place after the
assignments are graded and returned. The professor can show examples of both
high- and lesser-quality student work (without identifying the students) on
PowerPoint and engage in a discussion on culturally appropriate and respectful
content with the entire class.
An assignment example with Canada as
the new market is included in the Appendix.
Assessment
The key learning objectives for the
multicultural blog and social media assignment are as follows: 1) to identify
cultural traditions and holidays that showcase the diversity of the population
in other countries; 2) to compose visual and verbal content for the blog
calendar and social media platforms; and 3) to develop intercultural writing
skills in communicating with specific global audiences and their diverse
populations, as well as skills for communicating online with the LGBTQ
community.
Assignments are evaluated on the
students’ ability to accomplish the following: 1) to demonstrate knowledge of a
range of holidays and cultural traditions covering diverse religions and populations
in a specific country; 2) to write culturally respectful copy and select
supporting imagery; 3) to incorporate the retailer’s founders and types of food
and home accessory products in the blog’s editorial calendar and social media
platforms as appropriate by using a tasteful, soft-sell approach; and 4) to
edit and proofread copy thoroughly. This assignment counts for 10% of the total
grade.
Conclusion
The author has observed that
students seem to enjoy learning about cultural traditions in other countries
and find the assignment engaging yet rigorous. One challenge has been helping
the students learn how to write with an authentic voice, not one that sounds
like hard-sell advertisements. Other students may need help learning how to
avoid American idiomatic expressions. The solution can be to show examples of
real-world tweets and posts that highlight various respectful, soft-sell
approaches.
Although this assignment was
designed for the Writing for PR course, it could be used in an International
Public Relations course. With technology constantly evolving, the social media
platforms could be adjusted to apply the most popular social media platforms
worldwide. In addition, the instructor could change the “client” from a
retailer of home accessories and food products to another type of organization.
As noted earlier, the country selection could vary and include more than one
country.
References
Azionya, C., Oksiutycz, A., & Benecke, D. R. (2019). A model for value based public relations education in a diverse and poly-contextual society. Public Relations Review, 45(3), 101767. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2019.04.001
Bardhan, N. (2003). Creating spaces for international and multi(inter)cultural perspectives in undergraduate public relations education. Communication Education, 52(2), 164-172. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634520302473
Creedon, P., & Al-Khaja, M. (2005). Public relations and globalization: Building a case for cultural competency in public relations education. Public Relations Review, 31(3), 344–354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2005.05.021
Tsetsura, K. (2011). How understanding multidimensional diversity can benefit global public relations education. Public Relations Review, 37(5), 530-535. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2011.09.020
Zaharna, R. S. (2000). Intercultural communication and international public relations: Exploring parallels. Communication Quarterly, 48(1), 85-100. https://doi.org/10.1080/01463370009385582
APPENDIX
ASSIGNMENT (EXAMPLE FOR CANADA):
EDITORIAL CALENDAR FOR BLOG AND SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT
Assignment Guidelines: Your new “client,” Home Decor & Celebrations (a fictitious company like a blend of Pier 1, Sur La Table, and Williams Sonoma), is a retail chain based in Chicago, with 10 stores across the U.S., with new stores opening in Toronto, Ontario, in September 20XX and in Vancouver, British Columbia, in March 20XX. The company sells home accessories, such as rugs, lighting, and window treatments; decorations for the holiday indoors and outdoors; dinnerware sets, cutlery, serving dishes, cookware, table linens, glasses, and barware; and coffees, teas, sauces, rubs, spices, oils, vinegars, pastas, condiments, baking mixes, cocktail mixes, and food gift sets. The company focuses on selling distinctive decorative, culinary, and utilitarian products from around the world.
It
also has hired a team of experts to prepare tips on how to decorate and
entertain for various holidays and celebrations; how to use spices and sauces
to liven up dishes; and how to decorate your home or apartment with
international flair.
The
founders are James Chandler, who was a chef at one of Chicago’s most celebrated
steakhouses, and Amanda Chang, who is from Vancouver and an award-winning
interior designer in North America. They both have traveled to all continents
and started an online business selling cookware, spices, and home decor from
their journeys, and they later set up retail outlets in major cities in North
America.
Your
“client” needs your help in creating an editorial calendar for a new blog and
social media content that announces the opening of the new stores and
celebrates different holidays and religions in its new market, which reflect
the multicultural diversity of the country’s population. The company wants to
appeal to diverse consumers at different stages of life—young professionals
setting up their first home, newlyweds, and parents. The retailer sells low
budget to higher-end products, many of which would be hard to find elsewhere.
Facts
of interest on ethnicity, religion, holidays, and special events in Canada:
1. Create a 12-month Editorial Calendar for the Canadian Market.
Develop content for a new blog that
provides how-to advice and tips on decorating one’s home and celebrating
holidays and special events in Canada, as outlined in required topics. Give the
blog a creative name and prepare an editorial calendar for a 12-month period,
with three different story ideas for every month of appeal to this market. You
can make up guest bloggers and add expert advice from the founders for some of
the topics. Think about tips, fun trivia, and top ways to make things better or
simpler.Write a headline for each
story idea and a brief description (using full sentences) of two to four lines.
Please use the template posted on Sakai.
Required Topics: The blog calendar must include the following events and holidays that tie in social gatherings, cooking, celebrations, holidays, decorating, and the seasons:
Acknowledgement of the opening dates of the two new stores in Canada;
Christian, Muslim, and Jewish holidays, as well as Lunar New Year, Vesak Day, and Diwali;
Secular holidays, such as Thanksgiving and National Indigenous Peoples Day;
National holidays celebrated in Canada, such as Victoria Day;
Special events in both cities that celebrate Canada’s culture and diversity, as well as the LGBTQ community.
2. Develop Examples of Social Media Content for the Canadian Market.
Create content for a variety of
social media that would position the retailer as the go-to source for advice on
home décor and recipes for special occasions and holidays for its multicultural
markets. You will have to use your imagination and find relevant images
online—and identify special occasions and holidays in the country. Remember the
retailer is trying to sell its products—but use a soft sell approach. Please
address the country’s diverse audiences and religions, as well as holidays and
special events. Refer to the blog calendar for ideas on topics.
Prepare content for each of the
following social media platforms targeted to the country:
Twitter (three tweets with a
maximum of 280 characters and proposed handle and hashtags plus image)
Facebook (three posts with
images, hashtag, and copy with full sentences)
Instagram (three posts with
image, hashtag, and copy with full sentences)
YouTube (concept for three
different videos; describe in full sentences—visuals, story concept, and
storytellers/spokespeople)
English: Reset the Review/Language setting to English (Canada). In the real world, the copy would be edited to Canadian English, which mostly uses Oxford English spelling, along with a French-language version. Apply such writing characteristics as culturally appropriate and respectful language; authentic and human tone, not institutionalized and hard sell; helpful and engaging tips and news; and relatable verbal and visual content for people to like, share, comment, or bookmark. See Sakai Resources/Social Media for links to articles about creating social media content for businesses and developing verbal and visual content for international audiences. Refer to your stylebook for usage of terms (gender, race, and religion, etc.).
Scott Kuehn (left), Clarion University of Pennsylvania
Andrew Lingwall (right), Clarion University of Pennsylvania
Abstract
This study explored student self-perceptions of writing skills in mass communication programs at 13 public state universities in the Mid-Atlantic region. Responses to three open-ended questions revealed heavy student concern with their basic skills, a desire for extensive faculty contact and feedback, and for many respondents, an immaturity or naiveté regarding professional standards. This study addresses implications for faculty members who wish to better understand their students in order to devise more effective writing instruction.
Kuehn, S., & Lingwall, A. (2015). In their own words: A thematic analysis of students’ comments about their writing skills in mass communication programs, Journal of Public Relations Education, 1 (1), 19-30.
