NSXNational Skills ExchangeSign in
Back to Framework

Communications Teachers, Postsecondary

SOC 25-1122.00Job Zone 5 · Extensive Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers postsecondary communications teaching practice — from entry-level course delivery and grading through advanced curriculum leadership, faculty development, and institutional program strategy — anchored to university and college instructional environments.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Course syllabi and homework assignments — draft and organize under faculty mentorship for undergraduate communications courses.
  2. Classroom discussions on introductory communications topics — facilitate using structured prompts with guidance from supervising faculty.
  3. Student written assignments and participation records — evaluate using departmentally provided rubrics in a postsecondary classroom setting.
  4. Lecture content on foundational topics such as public speaking and media literacy — prepare and deliver to small undergraduate sections under faculty supervision.
  5. Course examinations aligned to stated learning objectives — compile and administer following established departmental protocols.
  6. Student attendance and grade records — maintain accurately in university-designated systems under administrative oversight.
  7. Word processing and document management software — use to produce course handouts and instructional materials for a postsecondary communications course.
  8. Assigned readings and scholarly articles in communications and media — comprehend and synthesize to inform introductory lecture preparation.
  9. Scheduled office hours — hold consistently to respond to basic student inquiries and refer complex advising needs to senior faculty.
  10. Active listening techniques — apply during student interactions to identify comprehension gaps in an entry-level postsecondary teaching role.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Undergraduate and graduate lecture content on topics such as oral traditions and media criticism — prepare and deliver independently with minimal supervisory review.
  2. Student class work, papers, and examinations — evaluate and grade with calibrated, constructive feedback across multiple course sections.
  3. Seminar and discussion-based classroom environments — facilitate and moderate to promote critical inquiry among postsecondary communications students.
  4. Course curricula and instructional materials — review and revise periodically to reflect current scholarship and pedagogical best practices.
  5. Learning management systems and computer-based training software — integrate into course delivery to support hybrid or online postsecondary instruction.
  6. Advisement during scheduled office hours — provide to undergraduate students on academic progress, course selection, and communications career pathways.
  7. Inductive reasoning strategies — employ to guide students from specific case studies toward broader communications theories in a classroom context.
  8. Examination design and grading workflows — coordinate across a course section, delegating components to teaching assistants and verifying consistency.
  9. Video creation and editing software — use to produce supplementary instructional media that enhances lecture content for postsecondary learners.
  10. Time management practices — apply to balance teaching, grading, advising, and ongoing scholarly development within a full-time faculty workload.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Full-scope curricula for undergraduate and graduate communications programs — plan, evaluate, and revise autonomously to align with disciplinary standards and institutional goals.
  2. Advanced graduate seminars on topics such as rhetorical theory, media criticism, and intercultural communication — design and deliver to diverse postsecondary student populations.
  3. Complex non-routine student performance challenges — diagnose and address by adapting instructional strategies and assessment methods to individual learner needs.
  4. Scholarly communications literature across English language, sociology, psychology, and media studies — synthesize critically to inform curriculum development and original research.
  5. Analytical and scientific software tools — apply to support research-informed course content and to model evidence-based argumentation for graduate students.
  6. Graduate student theses and capstone projects — supervise and evaluate with expert feedback on methodology, argumentation, and scholarly writing standards.
  7. Problem sensitivity and deductive reasoning — exercise to anticipate curricular gaps and proactively restructure course content before performance outcomes decline.
  8. Interdisciplinary course content drawing on philosophy, history, and fine arts — integrate into communications instruction to broaden students' critical analytical frameworks.
  9. Collaborative faculty course development initiatives — lead within a department, coordinating with colleagues to ensure coherent program sequencing.
  10. Social perceptiveness and empathy — deploy consistently to recognize diverse student needs and adapt instructional tone and pacing across classroom and advising contexts.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Departmental and program-level educational strategy — set and champion through curriculum governance, accreditation processes, and institutional planning committees.
  2. Junior faculty and graduate teaching assistants — mentor and develop through structured observation, formative feedback, and modeling of evidence-based pedagogy.
  3. Communications discipline standards and emerging research agendas — shape by publishing influential scholarship and contributing to national professional associations.
  4. Program assessment frameworks measuring student learning outcomes — design, implement, and continuously improve across undergraduate and graduate communications degrees.
  5. Cross-institutional partnerships with media organizations, public affairs bodies, and professional associations — negotiate and steward to expand experiential learning opportunities for students.
  6. Departmental resource allocation, scheduling, and faculty coordination — oversee to sustain high-quality instructional delivery across a diverse portfolio of communications courses.
  7. Persuasion and negotiation competencies — exercise at the administrative level to secure funding, faculty lines, and curricular approvals from institutional leadership.
  8. Innovative instructional technologies including desktop publishing, graphics software, and advanced video platforms — evaluate and champion for adoption across a postsecondary communications department.
  9. Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives embedded in communications pedagogy — lead institutionally, integrating perspectives from sociology, anthropology, and intercultural communication scholarship.
  10. Complex organizational challenges affecting program reputation and student outcomes — resolve through strategic judgment and systemic problem-solving at the college or university level.

AI-at-Work Competency Framework

Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.

A 4-level framework describing how a worker at each mastery level uses, directs, and evaluates AI tools in this occupation. Each statement cites its evidence inline. Subscribe for $19.99/mo to read the full framework — or sign in if you have a subscription.

  1. Emerging
  2. Developing
  3. Proficient
  4. Advanced
Monthly subscription · Stripe-hosted · unlocks AI-at-Work and Pathsmith™ Durable Skills across the full library

Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework

Sources:Pathsmith™ Durable SkillsPathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Subscriber feature

Ten durable-skill domains mapped to four proficiency levels for this occupation. Subscribe to unlock the full Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework across all 1,016 occupations.

Monthly subscription · Stripe-hosted · unlocks AI-at-Work and Pathsmith™ Durable Skills across the full library
Show O*NET source anchors65 anchors · skillscrosswalk.com

O*NET enrichment · skillscrosswalk.com

Suggest an O*NET correction

Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Adjunct Communications Faculty Member · Adjunct Communications Instructor · Adjunct Instructor · Adjunct Lecturer · Adjunct Professor · Assistant Professor · Associate Professor · College Faculty Member · College Professor · Communication Arts Lecturer · Communication Arts Professor · Communication Instructor
RAPIDS apprenticeships
—
O*NET skills
Reading ComprehensionSpeakingActive ListeningInstructingWritingActive LearningLearning StrategiesCritical ThinkingMonitoringComplex Problem SolvingJudgment and Decision MakingSocial PerceptivenessTime ManagementCoordinationPersuasionNegotiationService OrientationSystems AnalysisSystems Evaluation
Knowledge domains
English LanguageEducation and TrainingCommunications and MediaPsychologyComputers and ElectronicsSociology and AnthropologyCustomer and Personal ServicePhilosophy and TheologyAdministrativeHistory and ArcheologyAdministration and ManagementFine Arts
Abilities
Oral ComprehensionOral ExpressionSpeech ClarityWritten ComprehensionWritten ExpressionInductive ReasoningSpeech RecognitionDeductive ReasoningNear VisionProblem Sensitivity
Work styles
Intellectual CuriositySocial OrientationDependabilityCooperationEmpathyAchievement Orientation
Technology
Document management softwareMusic or sound editing softwareGraphics or photo imaging softwareDesktop publishing softwareVideo creation and editing softwareComputer based training softwareData base user interface and query softwareCalendar and scheduling softwareWord processing softwareAnalytical or scientific software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
  2. Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
  3. Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
  4. Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
  5. Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as public speaking, media criticism, and oral traditions.
  6. Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
  7. Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
  8. Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
CIP education codes
09.010009.010109.010209.040109.040209.040509.040609.040709.049909.070109.070209.090009.090209.090309.090409.090509.090609.090709.090809.999950.060752.050152.0599

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me®, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.