Dr. Karen Anderson
Assistant Professor and Basic Course Director
Office Location: GAB 302
Phone: (940) 369-7612
E-mail: kanders@unt.edu

Research Interests:
Instructional Communication:  Dr. Anderson’s work in instructional communication focuses on online and blended (combines online learning with traditional face-to-face instruction) learning environments and directly relates to improving the department’s large basic course, COMM 1010:  Introduction to Communication.  Dr. Anderson was awarded a $12,000 Quality Enhancement Plan Grant to redesign COMM 1010. As a N-Gen (link at http://qep.unt.edu/Content/Home/comm1010.html) course, the course redesign incorporates experiential problem-based learning using a blended learning environment.

Communication and Aging:  Dr. Anderson’s communication and aging research program specifically focuses on intergenerational and family communication.  Recent projects examine the grandparent-grandchild relationship within the context of age-stereotype models of intergenerational communication.  Dr. Anderson was awarded the top paper in the Division of Communication and Aging at the 2004 National Communication Association Convention for her work in this area.  Publications of Dr. Anderson’s work can be found in Communication Reports, Human Communication Research, and Journal of Family Communication.

Recent Publications and/or Productions:
Anderson, K., & Harwood, J.  (in press).  Cultural images, later life.  In D. Carr (Ed.), Encyclopedia of the Life Course and Human Development.  Farmington Hills, MI: Gale

Anderson, K., Harwood, J, & Hummert, M.L.  (2005).  The grandparent-grandchild relationship:  Implications for models of intergenerational communication.  Human Communication Research, 31, 268-294.

Soliz, J., Lin, M.-C., Anderson, K., & Harwood, J.  (2005).  Friends and Allies: Communication in Grandparent-Grandchild Relationships.   In K. Floyd & M. T. Morman (Eds.), Widening the circle:  New Research on Family Communication.  Thousand Oaks, CA:  Sage.

Koesten, J., & Anderson, K.  (2004).  Exploring the influence of family communication patterns, cognitive complexity, and interpersonal competence on adolescent risk behaviors.  Journal of Family Communication, 4,99-121.

Teaching:
Dr. Anderson coordinates the department’s TA Orientation and Training and directs the large basic communication course, COMM 1010:  Introduction to Communication. 

Graduate Courses Taught:
COMM 5080:  Introduction to Graduate Studies
COMM 5320: Quantitative Research Methods
COMM 5820: Seminar in Communication and Aging
COMM 5880: Seminar in Pedagogy and Communication

Grants & Contracts:
2007                       Quality Enhancement Plan II Grant, University of North Texas (UNT)
                              Title:  COMM 1010 Introduction to Communication
                              Status:  Funded 5/9/2007 for $12,000

2004                       Faculty Research Grant (Research Initiation Grant Program), UNT
                              Title:  Developing a relationship-inclusive model of intergenerational                               communication:  The impact of the grandparent-grandchild                               relationship.
                              Status: Funded 12/03/2004 for $3,500.

2004-2006               Blended Learning Research Grant, Center for Distributed Learning,                               UNT
                              Title:  Re-envisioning the Basic Communication Course:  A                               comparison of the Basic Course in online, blended, and face-to-face                               formats.
                              Status:  Funded 10/25/2004 for $10,000.

Awards:
2004                       Pioneer Award, Center for Distributed Learning, University of North                               Texas
2004                       Dissertation Award Nominee, Communication and Aging Division,                               National Communication Association (NCA).
2004                       Top Paper in Communication and Aging Division at NCA Convention,                               Chicago, Illinois (Paper co-authored with Jake Harwood).

Curriculum Vita