Browsing by Author "Niinivaara, Janne"

Purposes of the study The purpose of this study is to understand phenomenologically the experience of the communication anxiety among university students during speech communication special course. In addition, the purpose of the study is to discuss how the speech communication teachers can deal with the communication anxiety of the students. Anxiety among university students has been noted as a problem for their studies and future career. Within the branch of communication studies the communication anxiety has been conceptualized in many ways, and it's been highly noted field of study for decades. The aim of this study is to understand the communication anxiety as an experience: How is the experience formed, and how does it change during special course? In addition, this thesis views how speech communication teachers understand students experience of communication anxiety when trying to influence the experience pedagogically. Method For the purposes of this study six university students and four university teachers were interviewed. All interviewees participated a special course as a student or a teacher. In addition, 21 learning assignments written by students at the end of the special course were analyzed. The thesis pursues a phenomenological research approach. The data collected were analyzed by phenomenological method. Results and conclusions The experience of anxiety narrated by students was considered to be an experience of being an outsider. The experience lived changed during the special course. The certain communication situations that earlier had aroused anxiety, were considered not to isolate the student from the others any more. The results indicated that the teacher of the special course cannot understand the experience of anxiety lived by the student. However, via the communication of the student group and by his/her own teacher role, the teacher is able to influence the experience. Both the students and the teacher are able to build an approval of the experience of communication anxiety within the special course. The experience of communication anxiety lived in a special course is a layered phenomenon related to peer support, self-approval and pedagogical decision making.