Like Father like Son

Boyds finally present together after years of 'collaboration'

Dr. Steve Boyd, left, and his son, Dr. Josh Boyd, at the NCA conference in November.

By Laura Simmons
Journalism junior

It was a special father-son moment when Purdue Assistant Professor Josh Boyd and his father presented a paper professionally together for the first time, at the 2004 National Communication Association convention.

The pair presented their findings on the many benefits of teaching journals for college professors. Teaching journals are reflections of instructors' experiences in each of their classes.

Josh Boyd said that he is honored to have his name alongside that of his father, Dr. Steve Boyd, on the same work.

"It was also a special kind of collaboration because, in a way, he's collaborated with me my whole life," said Josh Boyd. "He has influenced my career and my teaching so much that writing about one aspect of pedagogy was kind of a natural outgrowth of the more informal collaboration we've done for a long time."

Both father and son were published in the Southern Communication Journal on separate topics 27 years apart. The NCA convention marks the first time the father-son team joined forces to research in communication and present their findings together.

"Collaborating with Josh was easy to do since we have been working together on a variety of projects since he was small," Steve Boyd said of the speech contests he judged and the after-school jobs Josh held at the family business.

"I learned that he is a talented scholar," Steve Boyd said of the most recent project.

Steve Boyd has kept a teaching journal for 19 years and reviews it to make improvements in teaching his classes. Josh Boyd has also started using a journal for the same reason.

According to their paper, when used effectively, a teaching journal is not just about reflection, but about reflection that leads to action, and action that creates improvement. Another benefit is that it provides motivation. Reading about past successes increases a teacher's energy level and that helps them to look forward to teaching.

There is not a lot of training for teaching assistants or college professors like there is for elementary school teachers, according to Josh Boyd. There are no education requirements; you are just supposed to learn by experience.

"Using a teaching journal is a valuable tool for college instructors and not just elementary school teachers," said Josh Boyd.

Steve Boyd, left and Josh Boyd during presentation

The father-son team wrote this paper from the knowledge gained through these journals and through Josh Boyd's research. They hope to aid college professors in teaching effectively.

The NCA is a non-profit organization of approximately 7,700 educators, practitioners and students nationwide that promotes research and teaching in the principles of communication.

Josh Boyd teaches Graduate Issues Management, Corporate Rhetoric and Introduction to Public Relations at Purdue. He received his Ph.D. from Indiana University and his master's from Ohio University. Currently he teaches both Critical Perspectives on Communication and Introduction to Public Relations.

Steve Boyd is teaching his 33rd year at Northern Kentucky University, and his specialty is in training and development.