A framework for instructional communication theory: The relationship between Teacher Communication Concerns and Classroom Behavior

This study provided a framework for the development of instructional communication theory, the relationship between a teacher's concerns about communication and his/her classroom behavior. Our case study of a college/university instructor served as a preliminary test and verification of the framework. We identified three distinct types of teacher concerns about communication—self, task, impact—and established a relationship between the various types of concerns and patterns of behavior in the classroom. We found that the instructor's communication concerns changed in a manner consistent with previous concerns research, thus strengthening the usefulness of the communication concern construct. In addition, we found that changes in behavior also occurred in direct relation to the changes in communication concerns.