Digital Commons Network^™

An Exploration Of Communication Perceptions Between Elementary School Staff And The Parents Of The Children They Serve, Cynthia Gardner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to explore the perceived school communication between elementary school staff and the parents of the children they serve. Staff members and parents, from a central Florida public school district, in both Title I and Non-Title I schools completed an online survey regarding (1) timely school communication, (2) school's website being informative and easy to use, and (3) staff members knowing what is going on in schools. Researchers have long explored the importance of family involvement in children's academic success, communication between home and school is an important link in the process. The …

Texting And The Friction Of Writing, Lindsey P. Gustafson

Law Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Communication Neutrosophic Routes, Florentin Smarandache, Ştefan Vlăduţescu

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

Any manifestation of life is a component of communication, it is crossed by a communication passage. People irrepressibly generate meanings. As structuring domain of meanings, communication is a place where meanings burst out volcanically. Manifestations of life are surrounded by a halo of communicational meanings. Human material and ideatic existence includes a great potential of communication in continuous extension. The human being crosses the path of or is at the intersection of different communicational thoroughfares. The life of human beings is a place of communication. Consequently, any cognitive or cogitative manifestation presents a route of communication. People consume their lives …

Towards A Practical Communication Intervention, Florentin Smarandache, Stefan Vladutescu

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

The study starts from evidence that several communication acts fail, but nobody is called to intervene and nobody thinks of intervening. Examining different branches (specialties) of the communication discipline and focusing on four possible practices, by comparison, differentiation, collating and corroboration, the current study brings arguments for a branch of the communication discipline that has as unique practical aim the communicational intervention, the practical, direct and strict application of communication research. Communication, as discipline, must create an instrument of intervention. The discipline which studies communication globally (General Communication Science) has developed a strong component of theoretical and practical research of …

Learning To Retell Stories Through Comparative Teaching: Writing And Drawing, Rachel L. Lindle

Theses and Dissertations--Art and Visual Studies

Students who are emergent readers and writers are often difficult to assess, as they are unable to communicate understanding in writing. From my observations, these students communicate ideas best through concrete forms of expression, rather than the abstract formation of letters and writing that is unfamiliar to them. Drawing provides an alternate form of expression from writing. Based on information found in literature review and personal experiences from working with students who are emergent readers and writers, pictures and drawings are a bridge to communicate ideas with these students. This form of expression and communication may be a useful assessment …

Book Review: Understanding The Misunderstandings In Pilot-Controller Dialogue, Jason M. Newcomer

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Misunderstandings in any environment can be detrimental, if not counterproductive, to the intentions, expectations, or objective(s) of any communication, but in complex airspace congested by heavy traffic, pilot-controller transmissions, and various meteorological phenomena, they can be catastrophic. Barshi and Farris combine 45 years of aviation experience, 20 years of related research, and advanced education with sound methodology to deliver a well-balanced combination of theoretical and practical work to the fields of aviation, human factors, and psychology. Though Misunderstandings in ATC Communications, the authors guide readers through a series of experiments, literature, and transcribed air traffic control recordings to explore …

Seeking Survival, Justice, And Recovery: Citizen Critics’ Therapeutic Interpretation Of Alice Sebold’S Lucky, Sarah Stone Watt

All Faculty Open Access Publications

This essay explores reader reviews of Alice Sebold’s memoir, Lucky, which describes her rape in college while simultaneously employing and confronting dominant rape scripts. Even so, reviews of the memoir on Amazon.com employ a therapeutic interpretation of the story that emphasizes Sebold’s ability to survive, seek justice, and recover. I argue that readers’ reliance on therapeutic rhetoric reinforces the myth that rape is a problem for individual women, rather than society as a whole, and reflects an ongoing barrier to the success of feminist anti-rape efforts.

Use Of The Diagnostic And Statistical Manual-5 Among Current Music Therapy Students, Jasmine Simons

Theses and Dissertations--Music

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) provides updates of diagnostic criteria and it is crucial that clinicians from all relevant fields are aware of new terminology. Music therapists are increasingly being added to interdisciplinary teams and need to efficiently communicate with other professionals. This study aimed to discover if current music therapy students are familiar with the DSM-5 before they enter their professional practice. Music therapy students from two American Music Therapy Association-approved universities completed a survey aimed to assess their use and knowledge of the DSM-5. A total of 58 participants were included in the analysis. Findings from …

Silent Voice: Buberian Philosophy And Nonverbal Disability, Elizabeth M. Minium

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Individuals who are developmentally disabled and nonverbal, possessing little if any symbolic expressive or receptive language, are virtually invisible in the United States. This study presupposes that all persons, including those who are nonverbal and/or developmentally disabled, have a unique “voice” and contribution to the communication practices of humanity and society. This philosophical study analyzes the qualities of communication of developmentally disabled, nonverbal individuals and their communication partners through the lens of Martin Buber’s dialogic philosophy. Conclusions suggest: 1) developmentally disabled, nonverbal persons do relate and communicate, and definitions of “communication” and “dialogue” should include those who do not think …

Mothers, Daughters, And The Intent To Breastfeed, Aquila Brooke Mendez-Valdez

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The decision to breastfeed is a deeply personal one for every woman. There are often factors such as family and medical support that are outside a new mother's control and can influence her in how she views the nourishment of her infant. Previous studies have documented the effect doctors, nurses, and lactation consultants have on breastfeeding success. Less popular, however, is investigating how familial support and interpersonal communication plays a role in encouraging or discouraging the practice. This study examines how mothers and daughters communicate about breastfeeding, and the role it plays in both Mexico and the United States in …

Communication And Longevity In Deaf-Hearing Marriage, Michael B. Ballard

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

"Marriage with a hearing person is frowned upon. Deaf marry Deaf approximately nine times out of ten" (Lane et al, 1996, p. 71). With the assistance of Burgoon's (1988) Expectancy Violations Theory and Philipsen's (1997) Speech Codes Theory, this thesis identifies cultural and language conflicts that may arise in Deaf-hearing marriages and questions the general assumption that 90% of all Deaf-hearing marriages end in divorce. This assumed statistic prompts the research question: What communicative practices do spouses use to contribute to the longevity of Deaf-hearing marriages? Fifty-seven individuals completed an original mixed-method survey identifying how they resolve cultural and language …

Communication At Tradeshows--Face-To-Face Versus Online, Megan C. Powers

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The question is regularly posed within communication academia as to whether computer mediated communication (CMC) is a “richer” form of communication than face-to-face (FtF). Similarly, the necessity of meeting FtF with regard to business has been repeatedly called into question since the downturn of the economy in 2008-2009. One reason professionals gather FtF is for tradeshows. This thesis looks at the quality of the communication that takes place at FtF tradeshows, and reveals attitudes and opinions with regard to the importance of the relationship-building and commerce that occurs in person and/or online. The results inform what we can and cannot …

Foreign Language Study Coupled With Internship Experience As An Entrée To Professional Opportunities, N. Anthony Brown

Russian Language Journal

Today’s global age presents its share of unique challenges, not the least of which is communication. Whereas in past centuries, fossil fuels played a central role in driving economies and influencing policy decisions, “language is the new oil” in the twenty-first century.1 Some forward thinking individuals and organizations have responded to the times and teamed up with universities and government agencies to develop new and innovative foreign language programs. Consider, for example, the U.S. federally funded National Flagship Language Program that offers upwards of nine months to one year of intensive language instruction in the target language culture and experiential …

Evaluating The Application Of Research-Based Guidance To The Design Of An Emergency Preparedness Leaflet., E. Hellier, J. Edworthy, L. Newbold, K. Titchener, M. Tucker, E. Gabe-Thomas

School of Psychology

UNLABELLED: Guidelines for the design of emergency communications were derived from primary research and interrogation of the literature. The guidelines were used to re-design a nuclear emergency preparedness leaflet routinely distributed to households in the local area. Pre-test measures of memory for, and self-reported understanding of, nuclear safety information were collected. The findings revealed high levels of non-receipt of the leaflet, and among those who did receive it, memory for safety advice was poor. Subjective evaluations of the trial leaflet suggested that it was preferred and judged easier to understand than the original. Objective measures of memory for the two …

Entre Familia: Immigrant Parents’ Strategies For Involvement In Children’S Schooling, Luis E. Poza, Maneka Deanna Brooks, Guadalupe Valdés

Faculty Publications

Teachers and administrators in schools with large, working-class Latino populations often complain of parents’ indifference or lack of involvement in children’s schooling because of their low visibility at school events and relatively little face-to-face communication with teachers and school administration. In a series of semi-structured interviews with Latino immigrant parents, this study finds that, despite different educational experiences than those of their children in the United States, these parents engage in many of the parent involvement strategies observed by previous research to be most beneficial, though often through avenues bypassing the school itself. This finding presses schools and districts to …

“Rampant Signs And Symbols”: Artifacts Of Language In J.D. Salinger’S “For Esmé—With Love And Squalor” And Glass Family Stories, Courtney Sviatko

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the use of language in J.D. Salinger’s “For Esmé—With Love and Squalor,” “A Perfect Day for Bananafish,” and Raise High the Roofbeam, Carpenters. It establishes a narrative pattern in which sensitive individuals such as Seymour Glass and Sergeant X are isolated by the insensitivity of the superficial modern world, attempt to communicate their concerns to others through an exchange of language in material forms, and ultimately find relief in silence. By analyzing various examples of linguistic artifacts and the impact they have on both sender and receiver, this thesis identifies criteria for successful communication as well as …

Efficacy Of Cultural-Based Psychoeducational Group Therapy For Increasing Marital Satisfaction Among Latino Couples, Maria Jesus Ampuero

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous research has indicated the importance of providing marriage education to ethnic minority couples who are struggling with their marital relationships. Despite this known importance, significantly fewer resources are available for Latino couples, who have a high rate of divorce. The purpose of this quantitative, randomized, wait-list control group trial design was to determine whether Couples in Contact, a culturally-based, psychoeducational intervention group program for Latino couples, increases marital satisfaction, as measured by the Marital Satisfaction Inventory, Revised (MSI-R). This study drew on cognitive behavioral therapy applied to couples, and the supportive theories underlying family systems theory and Gottman's theory. …

Effects Of Personality, Communication, And Cross-Training On Virtual Team Performance, Jennifer L. Morgan

Theses

As use of virtual teams continues to grow, it is important to the success of businesses that the most effective individuals are selected for these teams. The present study explored which personality traits influenced the formality of communication and language use in virtual team communication. Additionally, the effects of virtual communication characteristics and cross-training styles on virtual team performance were also examined. Participants (N = 210) worked in teams of three as a team of Vice Presidents at a fictional Hollywood movie studio in the business simulation Tinsel Town to maximize profit for a simulated business year. The results of …

Addressing The Challenges Of Cross-Cultural And Virtual Communication In The Workplace, Sarabjit Sundar

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The move toward a more global or geographically dispersed organization, together with the technology that is being used to enable this, has dramatically changed work and the workplace in the United States and United Kingdom within the last few decades (Ouye, 2011). This is prompting leaders to communicate with teams consisting of vastly different backgrounds, languages and styles, and to essentially ‘work at the same table’ in the absence of physical cues, such as facial expressions and gestures. Leaders of such teams are challenged to create a smooth operation despite the many differences; the possibilities for misunderstandings and cultural blunders …

The Effects On Students' Intercultural Competence From Intensive Intercultural Service-Learning Through The $100 Solution™ Model, Nadia De León Sautú

Dissertations

This study evaluates the effects of an intensive intercultural service-learning program on the intercultural competence of undergraduate students enrolled in Cultural Diversity in the U.S., a general education course at Western Kentucky University. This program utilized The $100 Solution™ model, in which groups of students partnered with local immigrant and refugee families, to teach them about U.S. culture, learn about their cultures, and implement a project to assist them in their integration process. The program included two hours of out-of-classroom work for over twelve weeks. Through the principle of reciprocity, The $100 Solution™ model provided an interaction framework in which …

Talking Across Borders : Information And Communication Technology Use Among Iraqi Refugees In Amman, Jordan, And Louisville, Kentucky., Irene Levy

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

A series of interviews conducted in Amman, Jordan and Louisville, Kentucky posed the following questions: “How is information and communication technology (ICT) use affecting interpersonal communication patterns within the displaced Iraqi community in the US and Jordan?” and “What are the factors that limit the proliferation of the internet as a communication tool in that community?” Participants were individuals with legal refugee status and Iraqi nationality who left Iraq after the beginning of the 2003 Iraq War. Eight interviews were conducted in Louisville during the summer of 2012 and twelve were conducted in Amman during November 2012. Participants were asked …

Research Outlook Issue - 6, The Aga Khan University

Department of Research Archives

This inaugural issue of Research Outlook (October 2013) highlights research achievements and initiatives across Aga Khan University. It features groundbreaking biomedical studies, educational innovations, archaeological collaborations, and updates from various departments, reflecting AKU’s growing role as a global research leader.

The Relationship Between Socio-Economic Status And The Academic Achievement Of Culturally Diverse Students, Yvette P. Ford

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

Test results have shown that culturally diverse students from both high and low socioeconomic groups have continued to underperform when compared to the dominant group.

The study focused on high achieving minority students in order to gain deeper insight of factors that lead to high academic achievement of culturally diverse students (Hispanics and Blacks) from both high and low socio-economic groups. The data for this study included the 2012 CRCT of middle school students, and interview records with 4 students, 4 parents and 4 teachers. The quantitative data were analyzed and sought to answer the following research questions: (a) Does …

Executive And Nonverbal Contributions To Pragmatic Language In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Ashley B. De Marchena Ph.D.

Doctoral Dissertations

Pragmatic language deficits are universal in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Pragmatic language skills require the integration of multiple communicative and social skills, and as such represent an intersection of two of the three major domains of impairment in ASD: communication and social interaction. Data from typically developing (TD) populations also suggests that pragmatic language is supported by complex skills such as gesture and the executive functions. Here we investigate common ground, a pragmatic language skill in which speakers adjust the contents of their speech based on their listener’s perceived knowledge, in adolescents with ASD and TD. We designed an …

Meeting The Communities Standard Through Language Exchange Via Video-Based Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication And Effects On Motivation Of First-Year Spanish Language Learners, Emily Andrews

Theses and Dissertations

Current research supports a link between the foreign language Communities standard, learner motivation, and the use of computer-mediated communication in the language classroom. The Communities standard, although it is the least addressed in classrooms, calls for learners to interact with the target language community. Research into motivation has found that learners react positively to the use of communication technologies in the classroom and the opportunity to use the target language for authentic communication with native speakers. However, few studies have been done to assess how connecting with target language community members through online video-based conversation affects learner motivation. This study …

Design And Evaluation Of A Nonverbal Communication Platform Between Assistive Robots And Their Users, Anthony Threatt

All Dissertations

Assistive robotics will become integral to the everyday lives of a human population that is increasingly mobile, older, urban-centric and networked. The overwhelming demands on healthcare delivery alone will compel the adoption of assistive robotics. How will we communicate with such robots, and how will they communicate with us? This research makes the case for a relatively 'artificial' mode of nonverbal human-robot communication that is non-disruptive, non-competitive, and non-invasive human-robot communication that we envision will be willingly invited into our private and working lives over time. This research proposes a non-verbal communication (NVC) platform be conveyed by familiar lights and …

Recognizing A Shift Toward Continued Secondary Orality: The Iphone's Contribution To The Development Of Human Communication, Heather Christina Parks

Communication Studies

No abstract provided.

Perception Of Profanity In Interpersonal Relationships, Ashley Pivaronas, Jessica Benham, Stephanie Melhaff

Communication Studies Student Works

Swearing is a form of language commonly used, yet its use is oftentimes viewed negatively in certain contexts (Johnson & Lewis, 2010). Swearing is an interesting form of expression because it is not a behavior typically taught or encouraged by authority figures (Thelwall, 2008). Hamilton (1989) emphasized the importance of examining the influence of perception of profanity usage by the receiver of the profanity, noting that perceived obscenity can differ from person to person. This study examined how gender and political orientation influence perception of profanity usage. Relationship to the user of the expletive, as well as the specific expletive …

Communication-Based Teaching For Chinese Language Learners, Hsiao-Mei Tsai

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This portfolio is founded on the author’s principles of communicative teaching for Chinese language learners, which were cultivated and developed in the Master of Second Language Teaching program. The initial part of the portfolio is the teaching philosophy, which contains the author’s beliefs of teacher and student roles and effective teaching approaches in the Chinese as a foreign language classroom. The teaching philosophy is supported by three artifacts, which further clarify how to associate culture, literacy, and linguistics with language learning. The literacy artifact explains the process of Chinese and English biliteracy acquisition. The culture artifact is a comparison of …

Working In A Second Language, Nicole V. Lyu

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

Research on the perceptions that native Mandarin speaking employees have about their personal ability to communicate with their native English speaking co-workers and the perceptions the native English speaking employees have about the native Mandarin speaking coworkers' ability to communicate with them.