Communication Professor Nichelle McNabb is on a mission to empower students in a system that sometimes makes them feel powerless. Enter her First Year Seminar course, 411 on Election 2024. We asked her to share more about this cool course!

FYS 1039: 411 on Election 2024

Course description: It is easy to be disillusioned by politics and to convince oneself that individual citizens are not empowered to make improvements. However, this situation seems hopeless because of how the election and daily governance are portrayed by the media. Restore lost hope by analyzing some of the challenges the media faces by examining the candidates’ communication in the context of the Election. Explore recurring communication strategies in candidates’ advertising, speeches, and presidential debates. Examine strategies and gaffes that emerge in this particular campaign.

What inspired you to develop this course?  

Love of elections and politics. Also, my research is political communication and political debates.  

Why do you love teaching this course?  

Students learn about debates, speeches, advertisements, and issues in the current election. They also learn to assess and make arguments. That is so important! In these days of increasing misinformation and disinformation it is important that students know where to look for information. It is also important that citizens be able to analyze campaign rhetoric in order to determine what is in their interest. 

What is the most unexpected thing students learn in this course?  

Maybe, that they like the content or that following political events is interesting to them. One thing they find generally is that we have more in common than we do differences, and we can usually talk about these topics and disagree without being disagreeable to one another. 

How do the themes in your course prepare students to think critically?  

Class discussions often ask them to think about things from other perspectives. We watch and analyze debates, ads, etc. They research issues and report back to the class where we might discuss/critically evaluate their findings. 

What is some of your favorite student feedback you have received about this course?  

I couldn’t tell you off the top of my head because I teach it once every four years. But I often stay in touch with students from that class. 

What are some interesting projects or activities you do to engage your students in your course?  

I ask them to get involved and do something. We often attend rallies. This year I have also noted that they can volunteer for a campaign, serve as a poll worker, or volunteer for Raise Your Voice, Otterbein’s student-led, non-partisan voting education and awareness group. 

What is a dream course you would like to develop or teach?  

I don’t know. I like this class a lot! Maybe I would just like more time in the semester.