Digital Commons Network^™

Visual Communications On The Road In Arkansas: Analysis Of Secondary Students Videos, Stuart Estes, Kristin M. Pennington, Leslie D. Edgar

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

In the summer of 2010, the Visual Communications on the Road in Arkansas: Creative Photo and Video Projects to Promote Agriculture program was initiated. The program consisted of a two-week agricultural communications curriculum that would be taught by agricultural science teachers in Arkansas. The curriculum was composed of lessons about photography, writing, and videography, and the program introduced students to digital photography and videography equipment and the proper uses of equipment. Once the curriculum was taught in secondary schools, a mobile classroom unit—consisting of a travel trailer, photography and videography equipment, and laptop computers equipped with editing software—would visit the …

Employee Perceptions Of Productivity: Virtual Workplace Location Vs.Working In The Office, Stephen Patrick Guida

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study focused on perceived productivity. The key question answered explored how the perception of one’s productivity when working in a virtual workplace setting compared to working in the office. A 24 question survey was given to 100 employees within a financial organization resulting in 46 total useable surveys to analyze. Findings revealed that workplace setting does not significantly affect an employee’s perception of productivity. The result supports the Coordinated Management of Meaning theory of interpersonal communication as presented by Pearce and Cronen (1989) because communication required of an employee to be productive within an organization is learned and constantly …

"Dear Jane": An Examination Of Female Combat Warriors, The Communiaction Styles Used During War Vs. The Communication Used In The Home, Renee Humphrey

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

War has been happening for centuries. Women have been in the United States Armed Forces since the War of Independence in 1775, with very little research done on how war affects these women once on the home front. The purpose of my research is to evaluate the role of communication because of being a female in a combat zone at a time of war, and how it has affected the female‘s life back home once returned. Specifically, I used Relational Dialectic Theory and Expectancy Violations Theory as a basis of ethnographic research and one on one interviews to research the …

Teleconferencing In Large Corporations, Thomas E. Howard

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Technology based communication tools in business represent an area that has been intensely researched. Of all the available tools, teleconferencing remains the most widely and frequently used in business communication. This case study explores whether teleconferencing is a useful communication tool for leadership to express objectives to the organization’s members. Philosophical assumptions in this paper are based on Aristotle’s components of rhetoric: ethos, pathos, and logos. Media Naturalness (Kock, 2004) and Social Presence Theory (Short & Williams, 1976) provide the theoretical basis for this paper. The study is based on qualitative data gathering and analysis surrounding the 3rd Quarter Organization-wide …

Impact Of Improvisation On Interpersonal Communication, Brooklin Green

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Improvisational games have grown outside the scope of performance to become tools to enhance, creativity, and communication. Recently, people have begun to use these games in a variety of fields including psychology, public speaking, corporate businesses, medicine, and education. Improvisational games help people learn through play. It shows that the use of these games can create an environment that opens communication to achieve learning and innovation. It is a positive tool in promoting confidence, empathy, listening skills, self-awareness, group awareness, quick thought and focus in the moment. While research on the benefit of improvisation does exist, few concentrate on the …

Communication In Engineering: Developing A Targeted Course, Krysta Nicole Kirsch

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

In many technical undergraduate programs, specifically engineering, focus is placed on developing the technical abilities of students. Little emphasis is placed on communication, to include verbal, written, and presentation skills. In a dynamic corporate world, technical students can be put at a disadvantage if they are not taught the importance of being able to communicate with a variety of demographics in varying contexts. Companies are looking for engineering graduates who have strengths in both arenas. To address this issue, a semester-long communication course for engineering majors has been developed. The foundation is in current research on communication apprehension, the communication …

Keeping Church Goers Motivated: Church Worship Communication Study, Anne Trelstad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

At a time when mainline Protestant churches in America are concerned with stagnant or declining worship attendance (Duin, 2008) a better understanding of worshippers' motivations could help church leaders plan and create positive worship experiences (Katt & Trelstad, 2009). This study extends the scope of the previous research of Katt and Trelstad by employing a larger sample of purposively selected churches. It attempts to more clearly answer the following question more clearly: What types of incidents serve as motivator and de-motivator factors in the church worship service setting? A sample of 105 church members from thirty-eight churches participated in a …

Examining Gender In Pharmaceutical Rhetoric Through A Cultural Studies Lens: A Case Study On The Gardasil Vaccine, Jennifer Fickley-Baker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

On June 8, 2006, Merck announced the debut of Gardasil, the world's first vaccine found successful in preventing human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, a sexually transmitted infection that is one of the main causes of certain cancers in men and women, including cervical, vulvar, penile and anal cancers. To promote the vaccine's release, Merck launched Gardasil's "One Less" advertising campaign that included television commercials, print ads and a consumerfocused website (www.Gardasil.com), each promoting the message that "you" could now be "one less woman" affected by cervical cancer ("One Less" campaign). The vaccine, tested and approved only for females age 9-26, was …

This Is The Art Form: Examining Concept Albums' Methods Of Constructing Meaning In The Digital Age, Mario Alonzo Dozal

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study examined how the communicative characteristics of concept albums (music albums that center on a specific theme) have been adapted from a traditional physical form to exist in the digital age. Using three rock concept albums, this study examined how three different formats (vinyl, audio compact disc, and digital download) of the same concept album communicated the overall theme of the album to listeners, and also examined the advantages and disadvantages of each format. Additionally, using discursive analysis, this study sought to expand the academic literature on concept albums by examining the role that supplementary material plays in helping …

The Use Of Humor In The Classroom: Exploring Effects On Teacher-Student Immediacy And Student Learning, Francisco Antonio Galindo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The field of education is constantly evolving; however, the goal of bridging the gap between teacher and student relationships remains the same. The focus of pedagogical theories is to inform and orient educators on how they can maximize the learning experience of their students through effective and constantly evolving teaching methods. Many studies have been conducted in regards to how educators can establish a positive learning environment while promoting solid comprehension and lasting retention of the material being taught. Among the methods being tested and practiced by educators is the use of humor (Garner, 2005) in order to achieve immediacy …

The Role Of Narcissism On Concerns For Sns Privacy: Vulnerable Narcissism In Threatening Situations, Elizabeth A. Kwolek

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study aims to identify psychological factors that predict one's likelihood to disengage with privacy-threatening activities on Social Networking Sites (SNS). Particularly, it pays special attention to the concept of narcissism and its impact on one's response to SNS privacy-threatening situations. By evaluating narcissism in two different ways --- grandiose and vulnerable --- the study attempts to provide a better understanding of the role of narcissism in SNS usage and concerns over privacy issues. Study I shows that vulnerable narcissism has a significant influence on consumers' likelihood of disengaging with privacy-threatening activities on SNS while grandiose narcissism has no influence. …

A Suggested Methodology For The Application Of Parent Training In Teaching Verbal Behavior To Children With Autism, Amanda L. Moretto

Research Papers

One diagnostic criterion of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a dysfunction of or lack of communication. Many individuals with autism struggle to communicate effectively and require extensive training to use verbal behavior. Parent training has been shown to be successful in teaching a variety of skills to children with autism; this paper compiles various aspects of parent training and teaching verbal behavior to children with autism in order to form a methodology of teaching parents to help their children communicate effectively.

Curriculum Circus: Juggling Curriculum, Science, And The Arts, Domenica Devine

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Education should open the door to better lives and better jobs. The fact is that it does not. In part, there are many causes including rigidity, political interference, and the separation between disciplines that we teach without context and without dialogue with our students. Specifically, I think that we should use education as a way to help students make better choices and have a better life. One way we can do it is by reconciling science with the other disciplines. And that is what is at the heart of curriculum studies.

There is a pervasive belief that the Western ideology …

Examination Of The Reliability And Validity Of A New Observation Measure For Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Autism Spectrum Disorder Observation For Children, Daniene Neal

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

With increasing attention being drawn to autism spectrum disorders (ASD), specifically with regard to early and accurate diagnosis and treatment, researchers and clinicians alike have placed emphasis on finding assessment tools that can aid in this goal. The purpose of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of a new observation measure for ASD, the Autism Spectrum Disorders-Observation for Children (ASD-OC). The ASD-OC was found to have good to excellent interrater reliability, and excellent internal consistency (ƒÑ = .96). As a result of these initial reliability analyses, nine items were removed from the scale. The resulting 45 item ASD-OC …

An Introduction To Prayer Research In Communication: Functions, Contexts, And Possibilities, E. James Baesler

Communication & Theatre Arts Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Constructing And Deconstructing Border Wars, Damien Chadsworth Wendel

Master's Theses

Discussing a border's location, how it functions, and who is allowed to cross it can quickly give rise to heated arguments that at times escalate to violent disputes. In order to better understand the tension surrounding borders, a mediated-rhetorical critique of National Geographic's television show Border Wars was conducted. Performing this critique enables an understanding of the rhetorical strategies the show employs to construct and reify the Mexico/U.S. border, keep out outlaw discourse from influencing the civic imaginary, and answer the question, "Is there an end in sight?" This thesis will specifically address these questions: What rhetorical strategies does Border …

Examining The Use Of Social Media Among Four-H Alumni In Louisiana, Kali Boudreaux Zammit

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the use and determine the preferred method of social media among 4-H alumni in Louisiana. Based on a review of literature, communicating with youth through social media has become a major trend and necessity, especially among 4-H Youth Development and Cooperative Extension Service professionals. The Zammit Social Media Questionnaire, a 24-item instrument that includes multiple choice, multiple answer, open-ended, ranking, and Likert scale questions, was developed and administered online to 161 Louisiana 4-H alumni who received the 2011 Louisiana 4-H Senior Honor Cord and provided usable e-mails. The final response count was …

Global Csr And Photographic Credibility: Exploring How International Companies Portray Efforts Through Photographs In Csr Reports, Janel Lynn Norton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

We are living in the age of the visual. Imagery is an important element in constructing and deriving meaning through symbols, colors, and context. Images may hold persuasive power, be used as evidence, or simply provide a moment of beauty. Organizations rely on photographs to help them convey an image to their stakeholders within annual reports. Telling an organizations' story through photographs has become an intrinsic part of their efforts to convey sustainability. We live in the age of transparency, and organizations that construct an image that is not truthful will face consequences in today's socially connected and conscious world. …

Disaster Preparations And Relief: The Partnership Between The American National Red Cross And Amateur Radio, Bayley B. Brown

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The goal of this master's thesis is to evaluate the current state of the partnership between the American National Red Cross chapters and Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) groups. The alliance between these organizations has historically been outlined by national representatives, the most recent being the 2010 Memorandum of Understanding between the American National Red Cross and ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio. This partnership was assessed through a nationwide survey of American National Red Cross chapter representatives. Findings suggest that most Red Cross chapters have current partnerships with their local ARES group, and collaboration occurs primarily for disaster …

Exploring The Effects Of Implementation Intentions And Goal Formation On Anxiety And Communication Effectiveness When Discussing Difficult Interpersonal Topics, Colleen C. Malachowski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study addressed the effects of two specific types of planning (i.e., goal intention and implementation intention formation) on interpersonal discussions of difficult topics (e.g., discussing the future of a relationship, discussing past romantic partners, discussing the current status of a relationship). Goal intentions specify a certain end point (e.g., "I intend to reach x"), and implementation intentions (Gollwitzer, 1999) specify when, where, and how a goal will be achieved (e.g., "If x, then y"). In addition, four personality traits (i.e., need for cognition, cognitive flexibility, self-efficacy, and trait dyadic communication apprehension) were examined in order to further understand the …

Impact Of A Rural Elementary School Closing On Parents’ Satisfaction Level, Crycynthia F. Gardner

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation study sought to determine what impact the closing of a small elementary school whose students were predominately Black had on parents’ levels of satisfaction with their children’s education now that they attended an integrated school and what cultural differences, if any, existed among and between different ethnic groups of parents. The Parent Opinion Inventory and an open-ended, structured interview were used to gather data in this mixed-method study.

A random select technique was used to generate a pool of 226 participants from 1 rural elementary school in the southern part of the United States. Eighty of these …

Teaching Presence And Communication Timeliness In Asynchronous Online Courses, Erik Skramstad

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The purpose of this study was to examine student perceptions of teaching presence and communication timeliness in asynchronous online courses using a survey research methodology. The community of inquiry model developed by Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000) provided the framework of the study while asking the following research questions:

1. What are student perceptions of teaching presence in asynchronous online courses?

2. What is the communication timeliness of instructors for direct feedback on students’ assignments?

3. What is the relationship between instructor communication timeliness for direct feedback on students’ assignments and student perceptions of teaching presence?

Participants were 59 anonymous …

The Infant Orienting Response As It Relates To Mother-Infant Co-Regulation And Attachment, Sarah Ann Ahlander Stone

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between 6-month old infants' orienting response to maternal arm-restraint (as measured by bradycardia), the quality of mother-infant communication at 6 and 9 months (as measured by the Relational Coding System) and attachment at 12 months (as measured by the Strange Situation Procedure). As positive mother-infant communication increases, the chances the infant will experience bradycardia increases. As negative mother-infant communication increases, the chances that the infant will experience bradycardia decreases. For mothers and infants who have more positive communication patterns, orienting response to the maternal arm-restraint suggests that maternal disruption of infant activity was a novel …

A Comparison Of Student And Teacher Perceptions Of Classroom Management In Secondary Band Rehearsals In Florida Schools., Susana M. Lalama

Open Access Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare student and teacher perceptions of classroom management in secondary band rehearsals in Florida schools. Twenty-one schools participated with ensemble teachers (N = 34) and their students (N = 749). Participants were surveyed collecting information for the variables of teacher expectations, teacher behaviors, teacher expectation congruency, teacher behavior congruency, and student rehearsal conduct. Demographic information was also collected for teachers, students, and schools. Descriptive analyses reveal that teachers and students had similar mean scores, however teachers consistently had higher mean scores for teacher expectations and teacher behaviors. MANOVA results suggest that teachers and …

Exploring The Relationship Between Facebook, Face-To-Face And Intercultural Communication, Rebecca Schaefer

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

My Capstone Experience/Thesis project seeks to explore and examine the effects of Facebook on communication between American and international students. The use of social media as a means to communicate with others is increasing at an amazing rate. Facebook has become my generation’s favorite way to communicate with friends and family and “to Facebook” has unofficially become a verb that many college students will use. While social media, such as Facebook and Linked-In, may encourage American college students to communicate with international students beyond the classroom and campus, it seems that Facebook is on the way to becoming a substitute …

Reputation Management: A Qualitative Analysis Of The Effective Use Of Reputation Management Techniques Applied To Personal Reputations During A Crisis, Joseph A. Saulen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Understanding the concept of image has been a cornerstone of public relations since its professional beginnings in the early 20th century. However, practitioners and scholars have introduced crisis management and reputation management techniques into the repertoire of public relations relatively recently. This research study analyzes the concepts of reputation management and image and their applications in respect to people during a crisis. It uses content analysis to examine John Edwards and Eliot Spitzer; and the resultant tone of media coverage to ascertain the effectiveness of their reputation management strategies.

Youtube For Doc Burnstein's Ice Cream Lab: Employee Training And Social Media Pr/Marketing Through The Use Of Video Production, Lauren Margaret Scott

Journalism

Every small business owner is looking for ways to improve their customer base and increase their profits with the smallest amount of investment possible. Two of the most important elements of successful small restaurants are consistent employee training and PR/marketing strategies. This paper addresses the importance of effective employee training methods and PR/marketing methods. The effectiveness of YouTube videos is addressed as it pertains to Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream Lab in Arroyo Grande, California. There is a focus on two-way communication and communication with publics.

The Cowl - V. 76 - N. 11 - Dec 1, 2011

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Volume 76 - Number 11 - December 1, 2011. 40 pages.

Transparency Through Social Media: Improving The Credibility Of Pr Professionals In The Twenty-First Century, Pete Voss

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This correlational study identifies opportunities for PR (public relations) professionals to gain trust by engaging online communities using unprecedented levels of transparency. The thesis begins by reviewing literature and setting the stage for how and when PR gained its PR problem (Thomas et al., 2009). The study observes how PR professionals are currently engaging these audiences, and also demonstrates how the public perceives these actions. The philosophical framework for this study stemmed from Aristotle's belief in goodwill in communities (Book 1, Chapter 1), and Augustine's (1909) belief that "All wish to rejoice in truth" (p. 186). Sherif's Social Judgment Theory …

Cultivating Culturally Empathic Environments In The Academic Setting, Sharon-Rose Lau

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Teachers, as leaders and facilitators in the classroom, not only disseminate information, but ultimately propagate and perpetuate ideologies that shape their students' cognitive world. However, with the enrollment of minority students increasing in the United States, greater challenges are encountered as teachers struggle to promote advocacy, respect, and understanding in the classroom. Navigating the relationally ambiguous or uncertain requires certain cognitive tools. The Uncertainty Management Theory which encompasses relational mindfulness and empathy assists individuals in developing the communicative skills necessary to fortify relational contingencies. This thesis explores the communicative methods teachers use to create culturally empathic environments within the academic …