Biography
Rebecca Litke is from the San Fernando Valley where she lived in a rich environment influenced by strong family relationships and diverse school and community activities. Her parents instilled in her an appreciation for education, creativity, and initiative, qualities that continue to influence her life today.
Her university education started at USC, where her original focus was on law. Like many undergraduates, however, she explored a number of different fields before she committed to the field of communication. Ultimately, she completed her B.A. in Speech Communication at CSUN (1985), her M.A. in Speech Communication at CSUN (1987), and her Ph.D. in Communication Arts and Sciences at USC (1990). Her dissertation explored the use of qualitative research methods in communication. She was appointed to full time faculty at CSUN in 1990.
Professor Litke has taught a variety of courses. Presently, she teaches courses in language behavior, gender, nonverbal communication, organizational communication, internship, and research methods. She also serves on the Linguistics Interdisciplinary program at CSUN. In 1987, she established the Communication for Youth Institute (CYI), a community service learning program that offers CSUN students the opportunity to teach oral communication skills to community youth, grades 5 -12. Her work in CYI and in public speaking has resulted in the development of a number of instructional materials to assist others in the teaching of oral communication.
Her research has focused primarily on the enhancement of instructional practices in communication classrooms and in other instructional settings. Among her publications are analyses of multicultural classrooms, large class settings, and service learning pedagogy. Her commitment to instructional improvement has twice been awarded the Advancement of Teaching Effectiveness Award at CSUN. She frequently leads workshops on classroom climate and pedagogy.
Rebecca Litke presently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Eczema Association for Science and Education (NEASE) and provides patient support and education to caregivers of children with eczema.
Professor Litke and her husband have two children. They enjoy traveling, creative activities, and spending time with their family.