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School of Communication

Dr. Cheri Simonds

Professor
School of Communication
Office
FEL Fell Hall 412
Office Hours
Monday and Wednesday 2:00-3:00 Or by appointment
Office Phone
(309) 438-7550office
phone
Email
cjsimon@ilstu.eduemail
Website
my.ilstu.edu/~cjsimon/website
  • About
  • Education
  • Awards & Honors
  • Research

Current Courses

110.006Communication As Critical Inquiry: Classroom Communication-Teacher Education

383.001Communication for Teachers and Trainers

400.035Independent Study

110.006Communication As Critical Inquiry: Classroom Communication-Teacher Education

483.001Seminar in Instructional Communication

Teaching Interests & Areas

Public Speaking; Classroom Communication; Communication Pedagogy; Instructional Communication; Communication Assessment

Research Interests & Areas

Teacher Clarity, Credibility, and Immediacy; Student Initiated Challenges; Portfolio Assessment; GTA Training; Speech Evaluation and Feedback; Student Engagement

Ph D Instructional Communication

University of Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma

MS Rhetoric and Public Address

University of North Texas
Denton, Texas

BS Speech/Theater/Education

Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, Oklahoma

Inaugural Recipient of the John Chizmar and Anthony Ostrosky Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award, Illinois State University, 2014.

Cross Endowed Chair, Illinois State University
2014

Recipient of the 2013 Inaugural Distinguished Faculty Award sponsored by the National Communication Association’s Basic Course Division.

National Communication Association
2013

Recipient of the College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Service Award, Illinois State University, 2012.

Illinois State University
2012

Recipient of the 2008 Inaugural Program of Excellence Award sponsored by the National Communication Association’s Basic Course Division.

National Communication Association
2008

Recipient of the 2008 Rives Excellence in Undergraduate Education Award (with Steve Hunt).

Illinois State University
2008

Recipient of the 2007 College of Arts & Sciences Dean’s Award for Outstanding Teaching.

College of Arts and Sciences
2007

Recipient of the 2006 Outstanding University Teacher—Category I, Illinois State University.

Illinois State University, CTLT
2006

2005 Bronze Telly Award Winner for Leading Instructional Discussions. (w/ Brent Simonds and Steve Hunt).

2005

Recipient of the 2005 College of Arts & Sciences Outstanding Teacher Award, Illinois State University.

College of Arts and Sciences
2005

Book, Chapter

Mazer, J., Hunt, S., & Simonds, C. Incorporating Critical Thinking Instructional Strategies in the Basic Communication Course. L. W. Hugeberg, S. Morreale, D. W. Worley, B. S. Hugenberg, & D. A. Worley (EDs), Basic Communication Course Best Practices: A Training Manual for Instructors. Kendall/Hunt (2007): 81-90.
Hinchliffe, L., Kubiak, C., Hunt, S., & Simonds, C. What Students Really Cite: Findings From a Content Analysis of First-Year Student Biographies. J. K. Nims, R. Baier, R. Bullard, & E. Owens (EDs), Integrating Information Literacy into the College Experience. Pierian Press (2002): 69-74.
Simonds, C., & Hunt, S. Using Student Portfolios as Authentic Assessment of the Basic Communication Course. L. W. Hugeberg & B. S. Hugenberg (EDs), Teaching Ideas for the Basic Communication Course. Kendall/Hunt (1999): 241-250.

Journal Article

Simonds, C. J., & Hunt, S. K. (2022). Healing the disciplinary divide between communication and English to secure the future of communication education: A response to forum essays. Communication Education, 71(3), 262-266. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634523.2022.2069832

Vu, N. C., Hooker, J. F., & Simonds, C. J. (2020). Cooperative, competitive, or
individualistic? Exploring the role of social interdependence in the classroom. Communication Education, https://doi.org/10.1080/03634523.2020.1851733

Simonds, C. J., & Hooker, J. F. (2018). Creating a culture of accommodation in the public-speaking course. Communication Education, 67(3), 393-399. doi: 10.1080/03634523.2018.1465190

Frey, T. K., Simonds, C. J., Hooker, J., Meyer, K, & Hunt, S. K. (2018). Assessing evaluation fidelity between students and instructors in the basic communication course: The impact of criterion-based speech evaluation training. Basic Communication Course Annual, 30, 2-31.
Wright, A, Rohman, B. Horn, D, Meyer, B. & Simonds, C. (Spring 2018). Teaching
Talk: An Exploration of the Content and Implementation of the Common Core State
Standards. Basic Communication Course Annual. Available: https://ecommons.udayton.edu/bcca/vol30/iss1/5

Textbook, New

Simonds, C., Hunt, S., & Simonds, B. Public Speaking: Prepare, Present, and Participate. Allyn & Bacon (2010)
Simonds, C., Hunt, S., & Simonds, B. Communication as Critical Inquiry: Becoming Critical Producers and Consumers of Messages. Pearson Custom Publishing (2008)

Textbook, Revised

Simonds, C. J., Hunt, S. K., & Simonds, B. K. (2017). Communication as critical inquiry. Southlake, TX: Fountainhead Press.
Simonds, C., & Hooker, J. Com 110: Communication as Critical Inquiry Supplementary Materials Packet Fall 2014 (2014)

Presentations

Finding inspiration amidst the chaos: Advancing scholarship in the introductory communication course. Central States Communication Association. (2021)
Renewing and Transforming the Instructional Communication Course. National Communication Association. (2021)
Textbook Alternatives in the Basic Course: Empirical results and personal reflections. Central States Communication Association. (2021)
The Syllabus as a Rhetorical Document: Investigating the Impact of Mediated Immediacy on Students’ Willingness to Communication Out-of-Class with Instructors. National Communication Association. (2021)

Simonds, C. J., Hooker, J., Hunt, S. K., Aboagye, D. N., Vu, N., Mazer, J. Hosek, A. M., Sikapokoo, G. O., Ikram, I., Hingle, A., & Adebayo, A. L. (2020, April). Exploring internationalizing the basic course: Crossing borders and making breakthroughs. Panel accepted for presentation at the annual meeting of the Central States Communication Association, Chicago, IL. (Conference canceled) (Melissa Beall Top Competitive Panel Award, Basic Course Interest Group)



Westwick, J., Chromey, K. J., Alvey, A., Hunt, S. K., Simonds, C. J., Kritselis, A., Tyler, J., Sorenson, A. A., & Zomer, D. (2019, April). Administrivia trifecta: Basic course dialogue perspectives. Panel presented at the annual meeting of the Central States Communication Association, Omaha, NE. (Melissa Beall Top Panel, Basic Course Interest Group)

Synthesizing the current state of the Basic Communication Course Annual: Furthering the research of effective pedagogy. Central States Communication Association Convention. (2018)
Frey, T. K., Simonds, C. J., Hooker, J. F., Meyer, K. R., & Hunt, S. K. (2017, November). Assessment in the basic communication course: Evaluating a criterion-based speech evaluation training program for students. Presented at the annual meeting of the National Communication Association, Dallas, TX.
Hess, J. A., Fassett, D. L., Simonds, C. J., Mello, B. W., Broeckelman-Post, M. A., MacArthur, B., & Hunt, S. K. (2016, November). The basic communication course forum: A SWOT analysis of the basic course. Presented at the annual meeting of the National Communication Association, Philadelphia, PA. (Top Panel, Basic Course Division)
Hunt, S. K., Myers, S. A., Sellnow, D. D., & Simonds, C. J. (2015, April). Converging basic course pedagogy/administration and published peer-reviewed scholarship. Presented at the annual meeting of the Central States Communication Association, Madison, WI.

Grants & Contracts

Assessing Curricular Coherence in the Department of Communication. Center for the Advancement of Teaching. Illinois State University.
Portfolio Assessment: Using student portfolios to assess learning in COM110 (Language & Communication). Cetner for the Advancement of Teaching (Teaching-Learning Development Program). Illinois State University.
Student engagement: The use of reading objectives and participation sheets as effective tools to help motivate students and assess students' preparation for and particiation in COM110. Cross Endowed Chair in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Small Grant Program. Illinois State University.
Using student portfolios as authentic assessment of COM110. Illinois State University's Office of Undergraduate Studies. Illinois State University.
Video Production on Facilitating Instructional Discussion. Prentice Hall Publishing Company.