Amy R. Franzini

Amy R. Franzini, PhD

  • Associate Professor
Areas of Expertise:
  • Communications & Marketing
  1. About Widener
  2. Faculty Directory
  3. Amy R. Franzini

Download CV

Download Hi-Res Image

Programs I Teach

Education

  • PhD, Mass Media & Communication (2003)
    Temple University (PA)

About Me

I have been a member of the Widener faculty since 2001. I teach a wide variety of courses in COMS, from COMS Freshman Seminar to Senior Capstone, with many fun and interesting courses in between, such as Film Analysis and Interpersonal Communication. As a service-learning fellow, I am a strong supporter of Widener's mission. I strive to have my students connect what they learn in the classroom to their everyday lives—past, present, and future.

I strongly believe that learning is a lifelong endeavor, and I'm consistently learning from my students. I have a passion for communications and teaching, and more than anything I want to help my students to find their own personal passions.

Research Interests

I research the intersections between children, parents, and the media. This research varies from studying children's television content to helping parents use media as teachable moments with their children.

Publications

  • Franzini, A.R. (2012). Children and media in parenting. In V.B. Cvetkovic & D.C. Olson (Eds.), Portrayals of children in popular culture: Fleeting images (15–26). Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.
  • Franzini, A.R. (2008). Is school cool? Academics and intelligence on teen television. In L. Holderman (Ed.), Common sense: Intelligence as presented on popular television. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.
  • Franzini, A.R. (2007). The world of teenage television: A longitudinal content analysis of prime-time programming most popular among adolescents. The National Social Science Journal, 27(2).

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

National Communication Association (NCA), Popular Culture/American Culture Association (PCA/ACA)