Star A. Muir

Star A. Muir

Star A. Muir

Associate Professor

Rhetoric and technology, public communication, digital natives

Dr. Star A. Muir Biography

Star Muir is Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at George Mason University, receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh in Rhetoric and Communication, his M.A. from the University of Central Florida in Communication Studies, and his B.A. from Wake Forest University in Communication. 

Star’s early research on language and the symbolic in environmental and scientific communication resulted in a co-edited book on Earthtalk:  Communication Empowerment for Environmental Action, and articles in Philosophy and Rhetoric, Critical Studies in Mass Communication, Etc.:  A Review of General Semantics, and Speech Communication Teacher, among others.  Exploring critical themes of attention and distractability in today’s students, Star has focused his research most recently on the challenges of teaching, learning and labeling for “digital natives” as they navigate their online and social media environments.

A debate coach for almost 20 years, Star received Distinguished Service awards from debate programs at the University of Massachusetts and George Mason University. Working for eight years as the Director of Learning Support Services in the Information Technology Unit at Mason, he supervised twenty-two staff and assisted faculty, students and staff in building critical IT skills. Star has taught writing-intensive courses for over 30 years, and has presented writing and communication workshops to the Centers for Disease Control, the Office on Women’s Health and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Star has received several teaching awards at the local and national level, and his innovative educational media won both Telly and Communicator awards of distinction. Most recently he has served as the President of the National Communication Association.

Selected Publications

  • Muir, S. (2017). Digital natives. In Mike Allen (Ed.), SAGE Encyclopedia of Communication Research Methods (pp. 384-386). Thousand Oaks, CA:  SAGE Publications.
  • Muir, S. (2013). Privacy, identity, and public engagement among Digital Natives. In S.J. Drucker and G. Gumpert (Eds.), Regulating Social Media: Legal and Ethical Considerations (21-43). New York, NY: Peter Lang. 
  • Muir, S. (2012). The gloss and the reality of teaching digital natives: Taking the long view. In S.P. Ferris (Ed.), Teaching, Learning, and the Net Generation: Concepts and Tools for Reaching Digital Learners(19-41). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.

Courses Taught

COMM 300:  Rhetorical Criticism

COMM 386:  Digital Advocacy

Education

B.A. Wake Forest University, 1980

M.A. University of Central Florida, 1982

Ph.D. University of Pittsburgh, 1990

Recent Presentations

  • Muir, S.  (2015, November 21). Flipping the rhetorical criticism course:  Lessons and opportunities. Presentation at the National Communication Association Convention, Las Vegas, NV.

     

  • Muir, S.  (2015, September 18). The science of learning and the art of teaching. Presentation at the Innovations in Teaching and Learning Conference, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA.

     

  • Muir, S.  (2014, November 23). Slipping in the sacred: Secular ‘Jedi mind tricks’ for easily distractable learners.  Presentation at the National Communication Association Convention, Chicago, IL.

  • Muir, S. (2013, November 23). Rhetorical criticism for Digital Natives: Using guided discovery and enhancing focused critical analysis. Presentation at the Annual Convention of the National Communication Association, Washington, D.C. 

  • Muir, S. (2012, September 21). Critical thinking and writing in an era of distraction: Engaging today’s students through staged inquiry. Presentation at the Conference on Innovations in Teaching and Learning, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia.
  • Muir, S. (2013, March 31). Political debates. Presentation to the Fulbright Scholars, U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C.

Dissertations Supervised

Barry McManus, A Curriculum Structured Design for Educating Adults in Detecting Deception and Eliciting Information (2013)