Communication Commons^™

Where Do We Go From Here: The Intersection Of Culture, Communication, And Technology, Mokhtar Bouba Ma, Med, Instructional Technologist, Sora Friedman Phd, Associate Professor And Degree Chair

Fostering Multicultural Competence and Global Justice: an SIT Symposium

SIT has long been involved with the nexus between culture and communications. Historically, this has caused us to ask how we can “properly” and “effectively” navigate in cultures that are foreign to us. More recently, however, communication platforms are changing and therefore, we see a rising need for rethinking some of the cross cultural models in use. This session will thus explore the changing nexus between cultures, communication, and technology.

Our context will consider questions such as how students’ experiences are different because of increased use of technology, how social media affects cross cultural experiences, and the degree to which …

Social And Community Media In Poor And Marginalized Urban Communities: A Study Of Collective Action In Kiber, John Perkins

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Traditional media is often thought of as a space for resourced storytellers to inform a passive and silent audience. In the Kibera informal settlement, this paradigm has allowed large commercial media houses to misrepresent the realities of everyday life. Community media houses have the opportunity to correct this misrepresentation and redefine who we perceive to be the storyteller. By striving to highlight news and issues affecting the community, media houses such as Pamoja FM radio station and the Kibera Journal have given a voice to Kibera. Yet with the introduction of innovative media technologies, the distinction between the storyteller and …

Consumption As Lifestyle: The Use Of Western Lifestyle As A Status Symbol In Multinational Corporations' Advertising In India, Alissa Goddard

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper examines the use of Western lifestyle as depicted in advertising by multinational companies through the use of English in advertising; sexually evocative imagery; and background images in advertisements that reflect Western lifestyles. These messages perpetuated by multinational companies of the elite status of Western lifestyle are further enhanced due to the pervasive influences of the mediums in which these lifestyles are communicated to Indian consumers (e.g. primarily television and magazines). However, this paper also examines how the products that the Indian consumer purchases to emulate this Western lifestyle are actually not the same products sold in the Western …

Vital Correspondence: Analyzing Local And International Media Coverage Of Armed Conflict, Marissa Moran

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The atrocities of armed conflicts such as those in Israel’s Gaza Strip and the Darfur region of Sudan are not reaching and affecting Westerners as clearly and potently as they should, considering the technological capabilities of today’s international news media. In this paper, I will argue that media coverage of armed conflict in the developing world is stifled by the politics of international and transnational news media organizations and the unique challenges and limitations to local news organizations at the site of conflict. Private interests, financial constraints, and physical and political limitations cause global media to emphasize mainly the violent …

The Effectiveness Of Using Computer Assisted Instruction In Teaching English As A Foreign Language In A Japanese Secondary School (Fukuoka, Japan), Robert Guy Chartrand

MA TESOL Collection

This paper examines the history and the current state of computer-assisted language teaching and learning to provide a context for the present study. A discussion of teaching English using computer-mediated communication in japan is also described along with the explanation of the courseware used. The study involved one hundred eighty-six high school students learning Oral Communication 1 in a traditional classroom environment and in a computer classroom environment using Dynamic English 1 courseware. The participants were assessed quantitatively and qualitatively before and after five lessons to determine their progress and attitudes towards CALL. The students’ results were analyzed and compared. …

Internet Users’ Manual For English Language Teaching Professionals: Enjoyable Internet Understanding, Jack Bailey

MA TESOL Collection

This paper serves as an overview of the Internet and its resources available to English Language Teaching professionals. The intended audience is both instructors new to Internet technologies as well as those well versed in the Net but looking for further resources. Initial sections give the reader a brief overview of the Internet, its history, and its most prominent component parts including e-mail, mailing lists, newsgroups and chat rooms. Primary emphasis is placed on the categorizing and description of key web sites most useful to English Language instructors and administrators. Each site listing contains addresses (URLs), general site descriptions and …

The Independent Professional Point: Use Of A Recorded Musical Story, Entitled The Point, For Teaching English To Speakers Of Other Languages, Robert Stuart Duncan

MA TESOL Collection

This project discusses use of The Point, a recorded story of songs and narrations, as a TESOL tool. A brief summary of the story line is provided followed by why the author feels it has valuable TESOL application. Actual case studies, in which The Point was used, plus suggestions towards classroom applications are presented.

The following materials are included: letters to students which introduce The Point; a transcription of the recording; a comic book; a do-it-yourself dictionary; a cassette recording of The Point and an animated film suggestion.

The project encourages creative thinking and creative teaching.