Digital Commons Network^™

Gifted Is As Gifted Does, Theresa Monaco

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

In the last decades, interest in instructional process has drawn the attention of linguists to classroom discourse studies (Lee, 2007; Chen, 2007; Hall, 2007; Macbeth, 2004). Such growing attention has been attributed to the importance associated with verbal discourse in meaning making (Chin, 2006). Chin further notes that a common ground available in the literature on pedagogical discourse is the three-turn sequence interaction called “triadic dialogue” (Lemke, 1990 cited in Macbeth, 2004), or Initiation Response Evaluation (IRE) (Menham ,1979 cited in Chin, 2006), or Initiation Response Feedback (IRF) (Sinclair & Coulthard, 1975 cited in Macbeth, 2004). In other words, a …

Communicating Quantitative Literacy: An Examination Of Open-Ended Assessment Items In Timss, Nals, Ials, And Pisa, Karl W. Kosko, Jesse L. M. Wilkins

Numeracy

Quantitative Literacy (QL) has been described as the skill set an individual uses when interacting with the world in a quantitative manner. A necessary component of this interaction is communication. To this end, assessments of QL have included open-ended items as a means of including communicative aspects of QL. The present study sought to examine whether such open-ended items typically measured aspects of quantitative communication, as compared to mathematical communication, or mathematical skills. We focused on public-released items and rubrics from four of the most widely referenced assessments: the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS-95): the National Adult Literacy …

The Cnn Effect: Mass Media And Humanitarian Aid, Jared R. Bredeson

Senior Honors Theses

Mass media have great power and great responsibility. The CNN Effect states that when news media broadcast emotionally driven stories of human crisis, this provokes a major response by domestic audiences and political elites. This power to influence public policy can help save people from danger and even death. Acts of massive genocide were committed in Rwanda and Darfur. Because the media failed to act quickly and report accurately on these situations, many people lost their lives due to slow international reaction. News media need to learn from these tragic mistakes and never let genocide go on unnoticed by those …

Reading Comprehension Strategies In Children With High-Functioning Autism: A Social Constructivist Perspective, June Ann Cotter

Communication

Individuals with autism see the world, by definition of the diagnosis, in a very different way than the typical student. Communication, both verbal and non-verbal, is a defining characteristic of this disability. Students with autism both can and need to learn to comprehend when reading to be successful in school and in life. This study evaluated the reading comprehension abilities of three students with autism and using a strength-based approach targeting comprehension strategies. These strategies also appear to have increased the students' communication skills. All participants were medically or educationally diagnosed with autism. All had an educationally-defined label of autism …

Music, Anthropology, And The Senses: Cognition For Social Change, Marcia Mikulak

Anthropology Faculty Publications

Both anthropology and music embrace the method of participant observation: performance and observation of self and others. As a classical musician, I bring a musical heritage in both classical and experimental music performance, and as a cultural anthropologist my training in ethnology allows me to couple musical sensibilities with participant observation. This paper explores three venues of human expression: experimental musical improvisation, musical performance with and for street and working youth in Brazil, and anthropological fieldwork. I argue that the combination of musical expression and participant observation provide unique opportunities to share the universality of lived experiences, while augmenting complex …

The Use Of Verbal And Nonverbal Cues In Computer-Mediated Communication: When And Why?, Monica Ann Schepers Riordan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Research in face-to-face communication indicates that nonverbal cues such as facial expression, prosody, and gesture are significant for interpreting the emotional content of a message. The lack of these nonverbal cues in computer-mediated communication (CMC) suggests a high possibility of miscommunication. However, recent research shows that interlocutors using CMC adapt to the lack of visual and vocal cues in the channel and are able to express themselves with the use of text-based nonverbal cues and word choice. Yet the manner in which many nonverbal cues are used in computer-mediated communication is still unknown, as is the relationship between nonverbal and …

Ypsilanti: A Cultural Assessment, Sarah Mark

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This research examines the culture of Ypsilanti, Michigan. Participants consisted of four leaders and five residents, all long-term citizens of Ypsilanti. Participants were interviewed and first asked to describe the general culture of Ypsilanti, then asked to comment on the potential presence of a music and arts scene as part of the culture of Ypsilanti. These questions are research questions one and two, respectively. Participants were recruited through word-of-mouth as people heard about the research through people I know. A content analysis of the interviews was conducted to find conceptual patterns in participants’ descriptions of the general culture as well …

Pantomime In Great Apes: Evidence And Implications, Ann E. Russon, Kristin Andrews

Sentience Collection

We recently demonstrated, by mining observational data, that forest-living orangutans can communicate using gestures that qualify as Pantomime. Pantomimes, like other iconic gestures, physically resemble their referents. More elaborately, pantomimes involve enacting their referents. Holding thumb and finger together at the lips and blowing between them to mean balloon is one example. Here we sketch evidence of pantomime in other great apes, methodological concerns, and sophisticated cognitive capabilities that great ape pantomimes suggest.

Communicating Privacy A Politico-Philosophical Investigation Of Private Autonomy In Deliberative Democracy, Kristin Malossi

Theses & ETDs

This thesis is a dual interrogation of the right to privacy and communication in the public sphere as two essentially-related components of a constitutional democracy. A �paradox of privacy� occurs when the law oversteps its own self-limit under the purported goal of enhancing private autonomy. In light of this paradox, any established normative account of privacy runs the risk of contradicting the actual experiences of some citizens. When private autonomy is freedom of action within the limits of the law, a normative account of what is private may marginalize voices offering a different account, and may ultimately marginalize those citizens …

Resolutions And Their Incongruities: Further Thoughts On Logical Mechanism, Christian F. Hempelmann, Salvatore Attardo

Faculty Publications

This paper is a contribution to the study of the resolution of incongruities in humor. We reject some criticisms of logical mechanisms and analyze three different types of incongruities in humorous texts: completely backgrounded, backgrounded, and foregrounded. Only the latter are addressed by logical mechanisms. We identify a mechanism of “incongruity shifting” which may be a candidate for “deep” logical mechanism (along the lines of “parallelism” in Attardo et al. HUMOR: International Journal of Humor Research 15: 1–44, 2002). We finally discuss the similarities between Oring's (Engaging humor, University of Illinois Press, 2003) “appropriate incongruity” theory and our approach, which …

The Power Of Words: The Use Of Language In Ethan Frome, Heather Faye Spear

Masters Theses

Edith Wharton's novel, Ethan Frome, has been sharply criticized for its tragic ending, yet Wharton's compelling storytelling which depicts universal conditions of mankind accomplishes something powerful through its narrative: it defends language. The complicated relationship between the three main characters, Zeena, Ethan, and Mattie is rooted in their utilization of language. Using a combination of close reading for textual analysis and identifying a communicative style for each character, this thesis asserts that how the characters in this novel utilize language contests the meaninglessness and relativity supported by deconstructionists. Wharton clearly illustrates Zeena's linguistic power over both Ethan and Mattie, and …

The Relationship Of Leadership Styles, Context, And Outcomes, Max A. Anawalt

CMC Senior Theses

New and experienced leaders sometimes underestimate the importance of the follower and context in their ability to be effective and successful in the long term.  During an organization crisis or in a conflict situation, a leaders’ verbal and nonverbal communication behaviors and an awareness of the contextual factors and followers’ feelings involved may contribute more to long-term effectiveness and success more generally than certain characteristics or type of leadership, even if that style is the prevalent model of leadership within the organization. In theory, every leader should benefit from a greater understanding of the evolving study and theory of leadership …

Comparing The Emotional Intelligence, Personal Traits, And Work Impacts Of Performing Versus High-Performing Middle Managers, Teresa Lara

Theses and Dissertations

The study of emotional intelligence (EI) has grown in popularity over recent decades. Some authors have argued that EI results in heightened personal and professional success. Middle managers, in particular, are believed to require EI, as they are tasked with linking and coordinating the strategic and operational levels of the organization. Having EI is believed to help middle managers develop relationships; influence others and garner their support; create harmony among stakeholders; and communicate, collaborate with, and lead others. All of these activities require understanding and managing others, their needs, and their emotions--in short, all of these activities require EI. However, …

The Architecture Of First Amendment Free Speech, Edward J. Eberle

Law Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Sustaining Voice Through Leadership: How Do Deaf Leaders Sustain Voice In Challenging Dominant Systems, Darlene Goncz Zangara

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The vehicle in communicating cultural identity, recognition, and justice is voice. Reclaiming or sustaining one's voice is to stand up for what one believes in, or to preserve one's identity and place in society. The deaf individual or any other marginalized individual is expected to proceed through a series of deliberations to determine favorable actions that will be persuasive, with the goal of embracing the voice of the marginalized. The deaf individual's voice or meaningful intentions will need to be effectively interpreted into mainstream American society's language and paradigms. This requires one to reconstruct the meanings and mediate the facts …

Statutory Meanings: Deriving Interpretive Principles From A Theory Of Communication And Lawmaking, Mathew D. Mccubbins, Daniel B. Rodriguez

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Still Flying: The Communicative Constitution Of Browncoat Fandom As Culture, Jonathon Nicholas Lundy

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

In contemporary western culture, fandom is common. Many academics and members of the general public alike conceive of fandom as outside the norms of spectatorship; to be a spectator is to enjoy an interest individually and passively. However, others contend that fandom is a more significant cultural achievement.

This study qualitatively investigated how Browncoats, or fans of the cancelled television series Firefly , communicatively construct their fandom culture. Methods included participant observation, semi-structured interviews, data analysis through Grounded Theory, and a comparative thematic analysis of the original Firefly source texts and Browncoat cultural data in order to discover meaningful themes …

Gender Bias As Evidenced On Political Blogs In The 2008 Presidential Election, Lori Ann Gardner

Theses and Dissertations

Political blogs played a significant role in the 2008 presidential election serving not only as news sources on the latest political coverage, but also as communities where people expressed political opinions, interacted with others who shared similar beliefs, as well as attempt to persuade and influence the audience members, often making calls to action. A rhetorical analysis, drawing from gendered mediation and frame theory, of 183 political blog posts revealed that gendered mediation was quite common on blog posts in the 2008 presidential election. Further, the mediation was often followed by gendered discourse that was much more blatant in content …

Students Say The Darndest Things! A Conversation Analysis For Teaching Assistants In The First-Year-Writing Classroom, Meredith Mcmillan

Theses and Dissertations

Teaching writing is about more than just the writing itself. It's about effective communication between students and teachers, which should create a positive and productive writing environment. However, within conversations, challenges of authority are likely to occur. This project discusses the pitfalls of communication between teaching assistants and students in the first-year-writing classroom. These pitfalls are defined as discourse violations, and are further explained and analyzed using concepts of language theory. Case studies of discourse violation scenarios are presented for discussion. Each scenario illustrates various types of discourse violations, and creates an awareness of the need for classroom management. Ultimately, …

A Midsummer Night's Dream On The Radio: Technology In Voice And Speech, David Becker

Theses and Dissertations

Recent advances in sound technology have had significant implications for the teaching of voice and speech that are only now becoming apparent. As more students become “plugged in” it becomes more difficult, both for the instructor and the student, to communicate, let alone find a voice. We are becoming increasingly addicted to communicating through our devices, rather than through the traditional and accepted modes of the past: using the human voice. In light of these rapid and various new developments, voice training, especially at the introductory level, needs to be examined anew. A number of traditional approaches and teaching methods …

Expressive Writing: A Technique For Improving Communication In Individuals With Autism And Related Disorders, Taryn G. Aldrich

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

This capstone provides a survey of personally expressive writing approaches in psychology and composition and rhetoric, followed by an overview of symptoms and treatments of autism, Asperger's Syndrome, and ReH Syndrome. A series of graduated expressive writing exercises is proposed to facilitate communication in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. These exercises are intended to serve as a complement to traditional autism therapies.

Transnational Social-Change Network Learning. Introduction: Shared Responsibility, Collective Reflection. Boston–Haifa Learning Exchange Network, Donna Haig Friedman

New England Journal of Public Policy

This LEN project has emerged as both experiential and active. The in-person learning exchange seminars, which since the project’s inception have been taking place once a year in Haifa, Israel, and once a year in Boston, Massachusetts, were planned and facilitated jointly by the NGO partners as well as by outside trainers. Dedicated staff time and collaborative, generous attitudes on the part of planners in both cities have been essential for power sharing, efficiency, and thoroughness in the planning processes. Preparation has been extensive, requiring the core planning team, a Haifa–Boston mix, to use conference calls and e-mail communications, months …

Communication Mode Among Malaysians, Ching Hei Kuang, N.L. Wong, Maya Khemlani David

Research Publications (2006 to 2010)

Malaysia is a multicultural society which comprises three dominant ethnic groups: Malays (68%), Chinese (28%), Indians (10%) with other minorities (10%) (The Star July 21, 2009). Most Malaysians tend to behave in ways that could be predictably Asian, that is keeping a low profile when it comes to personality issues and tending to keep things to themselves rather than highlighting them. However, there is a slight difference in how the three ethnic groups communicate when it comes to the discussion of particular issues. This study looks at how Malaysians view ‘silence’ as a tool in human communication. Using surveys as …

Linguistic Accommodation: Perception Of Malaysian Lawyers, Maya Khemlani David, Kah Hui Gan, Yoong David, Balbir Singh

Research Publications (2006 to 2010)

Language Accommodation is “we adjust our communicational behavior to maintain integrity, distance or identity” (Giles and Coupland,1991:66). Do lawyers shift their discourse norms in order to obtain the information required from witnesses in a courtroom? In this study, 24 lawyers were interviewed to elicit the strategies and discourse norms used when questioning the elderly, minors, women and uneducated. The findings are discussed. This is part of a larger study where courtroom discourse is observed to determine if the perceptions of the lawyers are realized in authentic settings. Keywords: accommodation, courtroom, discourse

Grounding Theory In Practice: A Reflection On Designing And Delivering A Workshop On Intercultural Sensitivity For Korean Public School English Teachers, Kevin Giddens

MA TESOL Collection

In this paper I will use a process of rigorous reflection to explore the design and implementation of a cross-cultural simulation workshop as a means of developing intercultural sensitivity among Korean public school English teachers in Daegu, South Korea. After introducing the workshop design I will describe in detail my experience of delivering the workshop. I will overlay Milton J. Bennett’s model for developing intercultural sensitivity (1993) with participant reflections as a means of grounding theory to practice and exploring whether or not participants were able to demonstrate observable movement within Bennett’s model. I will then highlight some possible modifications …

Identification Of Effective Strategies To Promote Language In Deaf Children With Cochlear Implants, Ivette Cruz

Theses and Dissertations

A great deal of evidence suggests that parental communication and involvement are essential for the development of language in young children. However, hearing parents of deaf children face unique challenges in providing appropriate stimulation and language input to their deaf children. To date, few studies have determined which types of input are best. This study utilized data collected from the largest, youngest, nationally representative sample of deaf children receiving cochlear implants. The purpose of this study was to identify the facilitative language techniques that are most effective in facilitating receptive and expressive language development in young deaf children. Ninety-three deaf …

Commerce, Jack M. Balkin

Michigan Law Review

This Article applies the method of text and principle to an important problem in constitutional interpretation: the constitutional legitimacy of the modem regulatory state and its expansive definition of federal commerce power Some originalists argue that the modem state cannot be justified, while others accept existing precedents as a "pragmatic exception" to originalism. Nonoriginalists, in turn, point to these difficulties as a refutation of originalist premises. Contemporary originalist readings have tended to view the commerce power through modem eyes. Originalists defending narrow readings offederal power have identified "commerce" with the trade of commodities; originalists defending broad readings of federal power …

Mapping The World: Facts And Meaning In Adjudication And Mediation, Robert Rubinson

All Faculty Scholarship

This Article explores what is and what is not in adjudication and mediation, thus illuminating the profound differences between these two processes. The Article does this work in four parts. First, it offers an analysis of cognitive mapmaking and its inevitability in constructing meaning. It then explores how adjudication defines meaning in a particular way. This Article then conducts a comparable analysis of mediation. Finally, it focuses on the bridging function attorneys play between the worlds of mediation and adjudication.

"Do It For Me, My Dear": Structuration And Relational Dialectics Among Mother-Daughter Dyads In Lebanese Arranged Marriages, Khaled Nasser

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research applied a two-step triangulation approach to the study of mother-daughter communication in arranged marriages among the religious Sunnis of Beirut, Lebanon. Combining the theory of structuration and relational dialectics in one theoretical framework, the study investigated the role of mother-daughter interactions in the socialization of the daughter into the marital experience. The study investigated the process of marital socialization by first surveying 199 mother-daughter dyads, representing 398 individuals. In the second step, in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 families (three interviews per dyad), randomly selected out of the 199 surveyed pairs. The dyadic data analysis of the surveys …

Reading Between The Lines: Reactions To Gendered Managerial Communications, Melissa Waitsman

All Theses

Some of the earliest research on women in the workplace demonstrated that women are not perceived as competent leaders and managers. Several decades have passed since that time, but, on average, American women still earn less than their male counterparts, and women still occupy only 12 Chief Executive Officer positions in Fortune 500 companies, up from 2 in 2007 (Fortune, 2008). Recent research suggests that negative stereotypes about women's managerial competence persist, particularly in regards to their assertiveness and forcefulness, two core managerial characteristics.
Current research on gender differences indicates that females are significantly more concerned with social relationships in …