Dear Instructional Communication Division Members,
Welcome to Pittsburgh for Eastern Communication Association Conference 2026! It is a pleasure to have you here in my hometown. We are experiencing some *surprisingly* beautiful weather, and I hope you have the opportunity to enjoy a few local highlights during your stay. If you can, grab a sandwich at Primanti Bros., catch a Pirates game at PNC Park, or take the Duquesne Incline up to Grandview Avenue for one of the best views of the city (I promise you won't regret it).
I also hope you will join us for what promises to be a fun and upbeat Instructional Communication Business Meeting tomorrow (Friday, April 10th, 10:00–11:15 AM in the Waterfront Room).
Attached to this email, you will find the 2026 meeting agenda and the 2025 minutes.
I have also included a list of the remaining instructional communication sessions over the next few days. I strongly encourage you to attend and support the excellent work being presented by our colleagues.
| Instructional Communication Division Business Meeting Agenda 2026 | Instructional Communication Division Business Meeting Agenda 2025 |
~Thursday~
Emergent Neurodiversities: Rethinking Learning, Teaching, and Identity Across Generations
4:00–5:15 PM | Haselton 2
Scholars in this panel consider how neurodivergence and generational identity are reshaping higher education and call for more adaptive and inclusive pedagogical practices.
~Friday~
Instructional Communication Business Meeting
10:00–11:15 AM | Waterfront Room
All members and those interested in instructional communication are warmly invited to attend as we reflect on the past year, discuss new business, and plan future initiatives for the division.
Top Papers in Instructional Communication
1:30–2:45 PM | Haselton 2
This competitive session features the highest-rated papers submitted to the division and showcases innovative research on instructor clarity, instructor communication, and public speaking pedagogy.
Emergence: New(er) Perspectives on Stimulating College Student Interest and Engagement When Teaching Communication Courses
3:00–4:15 PM | Haselton 1
Panelists share practical strategies for increasing student interest and engagement through experiential learning, curiosity, relevance, networking, and other high-impact teaching practices.
Emerging Voices: Rethinking Fear, Stigma, and Support in Instructional Communication
4:30–5:45 PM | Stoops Ferry
This panel explores instructional communication in contexts shaped by anxiety, stigma, and structural constraints, with particular attention to supportive communication, belonging, and confidence-building.
~Saturday~
How Do We Manage Our Grief and Student Grief in Our Current Political Climate?
8:30–9:45 AM | Edenburg
This panel examines how instructors can compassionately support students who are navigating grief and emotional strain in today’s political and social climate.
AI Literacy and Workplace Readiness for Communication Educators
10:00–11:15 AM | Haselton 1
This interactive panel focuses on how communication educators can integrate AI literacy into their teaching to prepare students for ethical, creative, and workplace-ready communication.
Stories of GTA Emergence: Early Moments That Shape Teaching Identity
1:00–2:15 PM | Stoops Ferry
Graduate teaching assistants reflect on formative teaching moments that shaped their instructional identities and connect those experiences to concepts such as clarity, immediacy, credibility, and confirmation.
Thank you for your continued contributions to the division. I look forward to seeing you throughout the conference.
Best,
Stephen Kromka