Today’s younger generations have been born into the digital communication paradigm, with 1 in 3 adolescents using social media almost constantly to stay in contact with others (1,2). In the digital world, messages are distilled to tweets, visuals outpace text, and the average attention span is on a downward trend. As social media environments alter the communication habits of the youth, the importance of preparing young adults for effective communication in the workplace is increasingly evident.

To this effect, Katerina Nikolopoulou and Georgia-Zozeta Miliopoulou are exploring in their working paper “Teaching Professional Communication: A Practical Approach” how college educators can better equip students with vital communication skills. In an era where employers increasingly prioritize soft skills like effective communication over technical expertise, this research addresses the shifting landscape of professional competencies. Their paper highlights strategies for teaching communication in ways that enhance students’ clarity, persuasion, and adaptability—skills essential in a post-COVID digital workplace.

If you want to read more on the paper’s teaching approach, read here.

References

1. Boniel-Nissim, M., Marino, C., Galeotti, T., Blinka, L., Ozoliņa, K., Craig, W., Lathi, H., Wong, S. L., Brown, J., Wilson, M., Inchley, J., & van den Eijnde, R. (2021/2022). A focus on adolescent social media use and gaming in Europe, central Asia and Canada: Health Behaviour in School-aged Children international report from the 2021/2022 survey (Volume 6). World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/378982

2. Vogels, E. A., Gelles-Watnick, R., & Massarat, N. (2022, August 10). Teens, social media and technology 2022. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/