You have an interesting direction. Due at the same time as the research paper. Most of our courses are not designed to teach people how to improve specific skills, but to understand the nature of human communication, even in skill-based courses we tend to teach about the skills rather than the actual skills. I am not suggesting we are doing something wrong, I want to make the point and the distinction between the knowing and the doing. Students in our courses tend to confuse becoming aware of their speaking and listening skills with improving them.
Awareness is the first step.
Awareness without specific action has a brief, if any, effect on actual behavior. Interestingly and perhaps unfortunately, it does appear that awareness can have a longer effect on our emotions. Our lectures and textbooks are full of ideal, competent and effective communicating. People feel motivated with the desire to change what they have been doing wrong, but without a specific plan of action, this is where we usually stop. Awareness without action tends to have the effect of making people feel guilty, and it is regrettable that this is the status when the term is over.