Dr. Marcia Dixson's Home Page

          

 

 

Who I am

 

My "credentials"

EDUCATION

1993 PhD., Communication Research, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA

1983 MA English Education, Northeast Missouri State University, Kirksville, MO

1979 BSE English, Northeast Missouri State University, Kirksville, MO


TEACHING CAREER

 July, 2024 - present

Professor of Communication at Purdue University, Fort Wayne, IN 

July 2017 - June, 2024

Professor of Communication and Associate Vice Chancellor for Teaching and Learning at Purdue University, Fort Wayne, IN

July 2015 - June, 2017

Associate Professor of Communication and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Teaching and Learning at Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne, IN

January 2006 - May 2015

Chair and Associate Professor of the Department of Communication at Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne, IN.

September 2002 - August 2006

Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in Communication at Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne, IN.

May, 2000 - May, 2003

Associate Professor of the Department of Communication and Director of the Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching at Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne, IN.

May, 2000 - December, 2002
Associate Professor of the Department of Communication and Director of the Communication Basic Course at Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne, IN.

Aug 1993 - May, 2000
Assistant Professor (Associate Professor as of July 1, 1998) and Basic Course Director. Department of Communication, Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne, IN.
Undergraduate courses taught: : Fundamentals of Speech Communication, Group Communication, Organizational Communication, Interpersonal Communication; Family Communication; Communicating Peace, Gender Roles and Communication, Freshman seminar: Critical Thinking and Communication
Graduate/Undergraduate courses taught: Nonverbal Communication, Theories of Interpersonal Communication, Theories of Small Group Communication, Communication in Personal Relationships; Communication in the Classroom, Experimental and Observational Communication Research Methods, Inequlity seminar.

Aug 1991 - Aug 1993
Graduate instructor. Communication Studies Dept, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA.
Undergraduate courses taught: Interpersonal Communication, Business and Professional Speaking, Advertising; Graduate/Undergraduate courses taught: Family Communication, Methods of Communication.
University supervisor of Communication student teachers.

Aug 1989 - 1991
Graduate instructor. Rhetoric Department, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA.
Undergradute courses taught: Rhetoric (oral and written communication skills course).

Aug 1983 - Aug 1989
Part-time Communication Instructor. Language and Literature Division, Northeast Missouri State University, Kirksville, MO. Undergraduate courses taught: Speech Communication, Public Relations, Advertising.

Aug 1979 - May 1982
Instructor. Knox County R-I High School, Edina, MO. Courses taught: English, Speech and Drama.


PUBLICATIONS

 in-press  Dixson, M.  D. & Saam, J. (in-press)    Sustaining teaching during a crisis: What does it take?  Journal of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

2020 Saam, J. & Dixson, M.D. (2020). Sustaining teaching and learning. Lilly Advancing Teaching and Learning Conference Proceedings. 45-47.

2017 Dixson, M.D. Greenwell, M.G., Weister, T., Rogers-Stacy, C. & Lauer, S. Nonverbal immediacy behaviors and online student engagement: Bringing past research into the present virtual classroom. Communication Education, 66(1), 37-53. doi: 10.1080/03634523.2106.1209222

2015 Measuring Student Engagement In The Online Course: The Online Student Engagement Scale (OSE). Online Learning Journal, 19(4).

2015 Samm, J. & Dixson, M.D. “Compartmentalizing, prioritizing, personalizing: Balancing competing demands” in Quick Hits: Teaching tips for adjunct faculty and lecturers. IU Press

2015 Introduction to “Enhancing professional development”chapter in Quick Hits: Teaching tips for adjunct faculty and lecturers with Julie Saam IU Press

2015 Kern, B., Mettetal, G., Dixson, M.D., & Morgan, R. The role of SoTL in the academy: Upon the 25th anniversary of Boyer’s scholarship reconsidered. Journal of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 15(3), pp. 1-14

2014 An Instrument to Investigate Expectations about and Experiences of the Parent-Child Relationship: The Parent-Child Relationship Schema Scale. Social Sciences, 3(1), 84-114; doi:10.3390/socsci3010084 with Emily Bermes and Suze Fair.

2012 Grading Discussion Forums in the Online Environment. Quick Hits: Teaching with Technology. IU Press: FACET.

2012 Using Team-Based Learning to Engage Students in Online Courses. Quick Hits: Teaching with Technology. IU Press: FACET

2011 Book Review of Engaging the Online Learner: Activities and Resources for Creative Instruction in Journal of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

2010 Creating effective student engagement in online courses: What do students find engaging? Journal of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 10(2), pp. 1-13.

2010 “Distance Makes the Heart Grow Anxious: Managing Long-Distance and Commuter Relationship” for Casing Interpersonal Communication: Case Studies in Personal and Social Relationships. Braithwaite, D. & Wood, J.T. (Eds.). Kendall Hunt.

2006, July Teaching Family Communication Concepts through Family Stories: An Analysis of Stories and Rituals in David Bradley's Harvest Home. Communication Teacher

2006 Creating effective online discussions: Instructor and student roles. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 10 (3) with Michelle Kuhlhorst, MA and Amber Reiff, MA

2001 “Teaching Social Construction in the Basic Course: Opening Minds and Integrating Contexts” in Basic Course Annual, 13, pp. 151-173

1999 Distance makes the heart grow fonder: Managing long-distance and commuter relationships. In Braithwaite, D.O. & Wood, J.T. (Eds.) Case studies in interpersonal communication: Process and problems. ITP/Wadsworth Publishing.


1996 "The social construction of marital reality: A lesson plan" Personal Relationships Issues, 3(2), pp. 15-16.

1996 “Directing associate faculty: A rich resource for the basic course” Journal of the Association for Communication Administration, 3, pp. 187-204.

1995 Book review of Stepfamilies - Who benefits? Who does not? Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 13(1), pp. 153-154.

1995 Models and perspectives of parent-child communication. In Socha, T.J. & Stamp, G.(Eds.). Parents, children and communication: Frontiers of theory and research (pp. 43-62). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

1993 with Steve Duck. Understanding relationship processes: Uncovering the human search for meaning. In Duck, S. (Ed.) Individuals in relationships. Vol. 1. London: Sage.

1993 Single mothers and their sons: Everyday communication as a foundation for relationships and children's coping with divorce. Iowa Journal of Speech Communication, 26(1), pp. 45-59.

AWARDS AND HONORS/INVITED TALKS

2021 Invited Keynote about Communicating with Online Students: Student Engagement for Northern State University, South Dakota and Truman State University, Missouri

2021 Invited Keynote Indiana University Southeast on Crisis Conscious Teaching with Yvonne Zubovic

2017 PA Mack Talk, FACET Retreat

2016 PA Mack Award, FACET (Demonstrated excellence and distinguished service to teaching)

2015 Top Panel Paper, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Division, National Communication Association Annual Convention, Las Vegas, NV. with Kern, B., Mettetal, G., and Morgan, R

2014 Top Panel Paper, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Division, National Communication Association Annual Convention, Chicago, IL. with Mackenzie Greenwell, Sara Lauer, Christie Rogers-Stacy, and Tyson Weister

2014-2015 Bender Fellow to create SoTL website

2012 Invited as one of four experts in scholarship of teaching and learning for first MACK Center videoconference “SoTL 101”

2011 Invited Speaker for 3rd Annual Robin Hass Birky Lecture at the 16th Annual Associate Faculty and Lecturers' Conference, October 14th.

2009 Top Panel Paper, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Division, National Communication Association Annual Convention, Chicago, IL.

2008 Phi Kappa Phi

2007 MACK Fellowship

2007 IPFW Friends of the University Outstanding Teacher

2006 FACET Membership

CONVENTION PRESENTATIONS

 2024  Dixson, M.D., Saam, J., Zubovic, Y. (November, 2024) Sustaining quality teaching: What do you need? Original Lilly Conference on Teaching and Learning, Oxford,Ohio.

2022 Sustaining teaching during a crisis. Midwest SoTL Conference, South Bend, IN with Saam, J.

2021 Sustaining teaching excellence in a crisis. FACET Retreat, Indianapolis, IN with Saam, J.

2019 Guiding sustainable learning with sustainable teaching results.Lilly Conference on Advancing Teaching and Learning, Traverse City, MI, October with Reinhardt-Saam, J.

2018 Creating a sustainable learning environment within and beyond the classroom. Lilly Conference on Advancing Teaching and Learning, Traverse City, MI, October with Reinhardt-Saam, J.

Sustaining Excellent Teaching. Lilly Conference on Advancing Teaching and Learning, Traverse City, MI, October with Reinhardt-Saam, J.

2015 Marcia Dixson, Beth Kern, Gwynn Mettetal, and Robin Morgan – Enter Another Dimension! Exploring the Depths of Teaching, IU's FALCON Conference, Indianapolis, IN.

Smile at your students - online! at IU's FALCON Conference, Indianapolis, IN.

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: Is it teaching? Is it scholarship? with Kern, B., Mettetal, G., and Morgan, R at FACET Retreat, Pokagon, IN

The role of SoTL in the academy: Upon the 25th anniversary of Boyer’s scholarship reconsidered. Top Panel Paper, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Division, National Communication Association Annual Convention, Las Vegas, NV, November with Kern, B., Mettetal, G., and Morgan, R.

2014 Nonverbal Immediacy Behaviors and online student engagement: Bringing past instructional research into the present virtual classroom. Top Panel Paper, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Division, National Communication Association Annual Convention, Chicago, IL. November with Mackenzie Greenwell, Sara Lauer, Christie Rogers-Stacy, and Tyson Weister

Developing a teaching philosophy. Invited presentation (again). IU’s FALCON Conference, Indianapolis, IN.

SoTL Method presentation: Regional Campus Research/Creative Activity Workshop at IU Kokomo with Beth Kern and Julie Saam.

SoTL Methods 1: Marcia Dixson, Irwin Mallin, Gwynn Mettetal, and Julie Saam at FACET Retreat, Indianapolis, IN.

SoTL Methods 2 Marcia Dixson, Beth Kern, Irwin Mallin, Gwynn Mettetal, and Julie Saam  at FACET Retreas, Indianapolis, IN.

2013   Developing a teaching philosophy. Invited presentation. IU’s FALCON Conference, Indianapolis, IN.

 

2012 Connecting to the Family Communication Course by Using Family Stories. Central States Communication Association Annual Conference, Cleveland OH.

Bringing Your Authentic Self into the Classroom. Lilly Conference on College and University Teaching Washington, D.C.

Teaching with Technology: Our Tips and Yours! with Kimberly Tommorrow-Olivares. Lilly Conference on College and University Teaching Washington, D.C.

2011 Teaching Innovations as a Strategic Path to Promotion and Tenure. Central States Communication Association Annual Conference, Milwaukee, WI.

Using Team-Based Learning in Online Courses: Making Virtual Connections. Team Based Learning Conference. Las Vegas, NV.

2009 Creating effective student engagement in online courses: What do students find engaging? Top Panel Paper, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Division, National Communication Association Annual Convention, Chicago, IL.

2007 Connecting the wired generation with each other:  Effectively using small group discussion forums in online courses.  Presented at FACET Retreat, Indianapolis, IN. 

Effective Cooperative Learning via Discussion Forums: An Online Application of Team Principles a 45 minutes interactive workshop presented at Lilly Conference – West in Pomono, CA, March, 2007.

Online or in class discussion:  A comparison of products and students’ perceptions of process a round table discussion presented at Lilly Conference in Traverse City, MI, October, 2007.

It’s not what you say, it’s that you say it!: No difference between teacher messages poster presentation at Lilly Conference in Traverse City, MI, October, 2007.

Are We in Sync?  Instructor and Student Communication Priorities in Online and Traditional Courses 45 minute interactive session presented at Lilly Conference in Oxford, OH November, 2007.

2004 Creating Effective Online Discussions: Instructor and student roles. with Amber Reiff and Michelle Kuhlhorst presented at National Communication Association Annual Convention, Chicago, IL.

An instrument to investigate the expectations of and experiencess with the parent-child relationship: The parent-child relationship inventory with Suze Fair and Emily Bermes presented at National Communication Association Annual Convention, Chicago, IL.

Panel member for Roundtable for the Terminal MA in Communication at National Communication Association Annual Convention, Chicago, IL.

2001 Panel member for "I dream of a world where students actually graduate!" to discuss advising as an interpersonal communication activity. Central States Communication Association Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio.

"What do you want?: Teens unmet expectations about the parent-child relationship" with Suze Fair presented at the National Communication Association Annual Convention, Atlanta, GA.

"The role of communication in meeting adolescents' relational expectations about the parent-child relationship: Satisfying teenagers" with Jackie Fisher presented at the National Communication Association Annual Convention, Atlanta, GA.

1999 with Al Pugh, Process Mapping and Teams. Presented at Annual Conference of Computers and Industrial Engineering in New Orleans, LA.

Researching difficult topics with private people. Panel presented at Joint Annual Conference of International Network of Personal Relationships and International Society of Social and Personal Relationships. Louisville, KY.

with Jeanne Barone. Team Testing. Presented to FACET Associate Faculty Conference, Indianapolis, IN.

with Al Pugh. Process Mapping as a Tool for Quality. Presented to Asmerican Society for Quality 50th Annual All-Davy Quality Conference at Fort Wayne, IN.

1997 "The role of communication in meeting young adults' relational expectations about the parent-child relationship: Satisfaction in launching families" with Ava Stein presented at the National Communication Association Annual Convention, Chicago, Il.

"Centralizing communication in the Basic Course: Deemphasizing Context" accepted for presentation at the National Communication Association Annual Convention, Chicago, Il.

"Generalized communicative suspiciousness (GCS) and personal relationships: A reciprocal effects perspective" accepted for presentation at the National Communication Association Annual Convention, Chicago, Il.

with Ava Stein. "Children's models of the parent-child relationship: What do young children expect?" presented at International Network of Personal Relationships Annual Conference, Oxford, Ohio.

with Ava Stein "Models of the parent-child relationship: What do college students expect?" poster presented at International Network of Personal Relationships Annual Conference, Oxford, Ohio.

 

In Memory of Zeus 2000 - 2010 and Shadow 1999 - 2017 and Skyy 2010-2020