Communication Commons^™

Coming Out To My Christian Loved Ones: Online Workshop Effectiveness For Increasing Lgbtq+ Individuals And Lgbtq+ Ally Communication Efficacy And Impacts On Personal-Enacted Identity Gaps, Samantha Renee Leggett-Bradley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

It is not uncommon for passages from the Christian Bible to produce schisms in families, friendships, mentorships, workplace relationships, individual churches, and denominations. These challenging conversations are often around LGBTQ+ topics. Many marginalized LGBTQ+ individuals and allies in these spaces become outgroup members who feel insecure and less confident enacting aspects of their own identities or identities they support. A lack of communication efficacy for how to navigate LGBTQ+ related conversations with Christian loved ones may lead to detrimental physical, mental, and emotional outcomes.

This study surveyed 134 LGBTQ+ individuals and allies as well as conducted semi structured interviews with …

Cultivating The Competitor: Advocacy, Competition And Education, Vanessa Fowler

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This thesis explores the intricate balance between advocacy, competition, and education within collegiate forensics, aiming to understand how these elements coexist and influence the experiences of students and coaches. The literature review highlights the multifaceted nature of student success, emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach that includes personal development, emotional well-being, and societal contributions. The research examines the critical role of self-efficacy and motivation, both intrinsic and extrinsic, in driving student achievement. It also addresses the tension between competition and education, advocating for a balanced approach that supports holistic student development. Through semi-structured interviews with current competitors, coaches, and …

A Word From The Writing Team (January 2025), Pam Walter, Mfa, Hemma Murali, Ms

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

This issue includes:

• New Year and a New Consultant at the OPWPC
• Publication Spotlight
• Attend First Friday Writing Retreats (Online)
• Workshop Series: Write that Baby in 9 Weeks
• Waived fees for open access publishing!
• The OPWPC Canvas Page offers helpful tools

Apocalyptic Technical Communication From Clockface To Briefcase: Revealing The Spurious Coin Of Nuclear-Security Rhetoric, Ryan Cheek

English and Technical Communication Faculty Research & Creative Works

This article the Doomsday Clock and the Nuclear Football as interconnected technical communication artifacts that function as two sides of a "spurious coin" in the securitization of nuclear deterrence. While the Clock externalizes existential risk through apocalyptic rhetoric, the Football internalizes it within exclusive military command structures—together legitimizing perpetual nuclear crisis. Drawing on technical communication scholarship and critical security studies, the analysis argues that both artifacts sustain nuclearist ideology by reinforcing deterrence as common sense. The Clock's ominous countdown and the Football's ever-present launch capability are mutually validating and together normalize nuclear brinkmanship as the price of global security.

Floating Signifiers: Ai, Semiotics, And The Crisis Of Meaning In Music, Kehinde Aruwajoye

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

This thesis examines how AI-generated music disrupts traditional meaning-making processes in musical expression. Through semiotic analysis (Saussure, Peirce) and cultural theory (Hall), I demonstrate how AI produces technically proficient but culturally hollow compositions, what I term "floating signifiers." Case studies reveal AI's inability to replicate the lived experiences that give music its depth, despite accurate stylistic reproductions. The work identifies three fundamental losses: contextual grounding, authentic hybridity, and historical consciousness. I propose ethical frameworks for human-AI collaboration that preserve music's essential humanity while leveraging algorithmic capabilities. Ultimately, this research shifts the debate from technical possibility "Can AI compose?" to cultural …

Political Communication In A Multicultural Metropolis: Chinese Ethnic Media And The 2023 Toronto Mayoral By-Election, Dongwei Lin

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Chinese are the second largest visible minority group in Canada and the most frequently reported ethnic or cultural origin in Toronto. Mandarin and Cantonese are, respectively, the largest and third largest non-official languages in Toronto. However, little research exists on the role of the Chinese ethnic community in Toronto municipal politics, especially the role of Chinese ethnic media in Toronto municipal elections.

The key argument of this thesis is that “Chinese ethnic media represent complementary public sphere(s) for informing and engaging Chinese Canadians in local political participation and discussion.” Through the 2023 Toronto Mayoral By-Election case study, this thesis examines …

Creativity, Fame And Power: A Critical Political Economy Of Social Media Comedy Skit In Nigeria, Idowu Badmus

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study explores social media comedy skits in Nigeria as a novel type of creativity that is both an economic and cultural activity with political and social implications within the context of the rapidly expanding global ecosystem of online content creation. Academic interest in social media comedy skits has grown as a result of their emergence as a popular culture within Nigeria's entertainment landscape. However, most research has focused on understanding this form of humour through its positive societal correlates. Hence, within the notion of industrialization of culture, which suggests that various methods of financing and arranging communication resources have …

Mapping Reputational Shifts: Lessons From U.S. Professional Sports Communities During The Black Lives Matter Social Crisis, Dean Austin Hess Iii

Theses and Dissertations

From 2013 through 2024, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) social crisis had profound impacts on major U.S. professional sports communities. Prior crisis research has concentrated on the BLM-related player protests in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Football League (NFL) over momentary periods of upheaval. Based on a review of crisis response and communication literature and its application to sports, this research offers a previously missing longitudinal account of how major professional sports communities (i.e., NBA, NFL, MLB, MLS, NHL, and NASCAR) responded to the BLM social crisis. It aims to offer a better understanding of community group …

From Poetry To Policy: How H-Stem Has Guided My Research Path, Kayla D. Taylor

Student Works

Embry-Riddle PhD student Kayla Taylor was invited to share how Humanistic STEM has shaped her educational journey at the third annual Humanistic STEM symposium.

World As Other, World As Self: Beyond Dualism In Environmental Narratives, Tamara Wallace Ramirez

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Stories of place matter to the way we live with the Earth. A dualistic perspective that pits "culture" against "nature" enables environmental degradation on small and large scales. Conversely, understanding humans and nonhumans as entwined allows us to think and act differently with our planetary community. This view entails integrating the "self" and the "other." Instead of being antithetical to the other, the self arises through engagement with others, human and nonhuman. Understanding our mutuality with others while respecting their alterity and agency fosters caring and dedication. Our sense of connection with the more-than-human world inspires our compassion. However, such …

Audience Attention: A Lesson In Confident Public Speaking, Leah F. Stein

ENGS 15.11: Design and Education

We’ve all sat through a speech that lost our attention. This lesson helps students ensure their own isn’t one of them. This lesson serves as an introduction or a supplementary lesson in the art of public speaking. Many people have nerves about public speaking, so this lesson will provide students with tools to grow more confident in public speaking, specifically in keeping their audience engaged. Through discussions, a mini-lecture, and interactive speeches, students explore how rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, and logos) and the concept of identification help build a stronger connection with their audience. The lesson begins with a discussion …

Designing Your Next Read: How Psychology Shapes The Way We Choose Books, Stephanie M. Xu

ENGS 15.11: Design and Education

Designing Your Next Read invites students to explore the psychology behind everyday choices through the familiar act of picking a book. Using the lens of design psychology, the lesson examines why decision-making often feels overwhelming and how small shifts in perception, environment, and heuristics can make choices easier and more enjoyable. Students engage in interactive exercises, including a book-browsing activity, mini-lectures on choice biases, and a “Book Blurb” exercise, to reveal how heuristics such as availability, affect, and familiarity shape responses.

Through guided discussion and reflection, students connect psychological theories like the paradox of choice and decision paralysis to their …

Your Words Matter, Sophie Thai

ENGS 15.11: Design and Education

This lesson focuses on helping students understand the profound impact that affirmations and gratitude can have on their mindset and well-being. Applicable for everyone, students are encouraged to take their learnings and practice them in real life, hoping to promote a shift in perspective. Students will be able to recognize the benefits of their words and the way they speak to themselves, and understand how they can make changes in their lifestyle.

In this lesson, students will have a chance to reflect and learn about the science behind affirmations and gratitude while being introduced to strategies used to implement them …

Casd 2482 Introduction To Rehabilitative Audiology, Rosette Reisman

Open Educational Resources

Auditory intervention for children and adults; implications for early hearing detection and intervention; assessing communicative needs. Amplification devices, cochlear implants, hearing assistive technology, hearing protection and modes of communication. Experiential clinical-related activities.

Introduction To Communication Disorders, Anne Therese Frederiksen

Open Educational Resources

In this course, students will get an overview of the field of Communication Disorders and gain an understanding of the distinction between communication differences and disorders. We will discuss multicultural concerns in the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology, as well as the following: roles, responsibilities in professional practice across the lifespan and work settings; scope of practice related to speech, language, communication, and swallowing disorders; interprofessional practice; prevention, assessment, and intervention from an evidence-based perspective. 

Donald Trump's Digital Media Campaign: How Podcasts Shaped The Political Views Of Young Men, Natalie Teare

CMC Senior Theses

This paper investigates the increase in Donald Trump’s young male voters in the 2024 presidential election through his digital media campaign. Trump was a guest on over 15 podcasts and livestreams, almost exclusively hosted by men. This paper examines three podcasts to discover what techniques Trump used to appeal to male voters: Impaulsive with Logan Paul, This Past Weekend with Theo Von, and The Joe Rogan Experience. The demographic of young men has specific interests, fears, and challenges that affect the strategies politicians use to garner their support. The advents of social media and podcasting have allowed young …

Trigger Factors And Intervention Strategies Of Information Addiction Among College Students: An Analysis From The Perspective Of Stimulus-Organism-Response(S-O-R) Theory, Chen Zhang, Weihan Jiang, Pengbo Qian

Journal of Scientific Information Research

[Purpose/significance]This study aims to explore the influencing mechanisms of information addiction behavior among college students, providing valuable reference for the prevention and management of information addiction behavior among college students. [Method/process]The Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) theory is introduced,and the external stimuli in the process of college students' information addiction are summarized through literature review. The cognitive psychology that arises in the addiction process of the body is deeply analyzed, and the theoretical model of college students' information addiction behavior is constructed. The trigger path of college students' information addiction is empirically analyzed using structural equation modeling. [Result/conclusion]Based on the research results, information …

Good Arts, Good Mental Health®: The Effectiveness Of An Australian Health Promotion Media Campaign In Promoting Community Mental Wellbeing Via The Arts, Christina R. Davies, Melanie T. Pescud, Rhonda Clifford, Richard Mcgrath, Annie Thomson, Mia Jeffrey, Melissa Stoneham, Terri Pikora, Peter Wright, Sonya Girdler, Loretta Baldassar, Stephen Clift

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: This study describes and evaluates Good Arts, Good Mental Health^® (GAGMH), a groundbreaking, population-level, arts-mental health promotion media campaign. The objectives of the campaign (Wave 1) were to increase brand awareness, comprehension, and agreement with the tagline Good Arts, Good Mental Health^® and empower the general population to form an intention to engage in the Arts for their mental wellbeing. Methods: The campaign ran from August to September 2024 (4 weeks), cost AUD$198,965 (23% creative and 77% media/advertising distribution), and targeted the Western Australian (WA) general population aged 18–65 years, all genders, in both metropolitan and regional …

The Reasons For The Silence Of First Officers: A Qualitative Study, Seda Ceken, Pinar Unsal Bayrakci

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

This study explores the reasons why first officers choose to remain silent in the cockpit or refrain from reporting errors after a flight. Effective communication and error reporting is crucial for flight safety, yet limited research has examined the factors contributing to silence among first officers. To address this gap, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 first officers (13 males, 6 females) working in the Turkish aviation sector. Data were collected through online Zoom interviews and analyzed using creative coding techniques in MAXQDA 22. Content analysis revealed 14 themes related to cockpit silence, including the captain’s manner, power distance, lack …

Expériences Vécues Et Perceptions De Personnes Étudiantes Internationales Sur Les Mesures Et Les Services Offerts Par Les Universités Québécoises Pendant La Pandémie De Covid-19 = Experiences And Perceptions Of International Students Regarding Measures And Services Offered By Quebec Universities During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Farrah Bérubé, Jessica Dubé, Jorge Frozzini, Daniel Côté

Études primaires

Cet article fait état d’une partie des résultats d’une recherche menée auprès de personnes étudiantes internationales (PÉI) qui fréquentaient des universités québécoises pendant la pandémie de COVID-19. La recherche portait sur les usages sociaux des technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC) et sur la qualité de vie des PÉI en période de confinement. Les résultats présentés et discutés dans cet article se rapportent plus spécifiquement aux expériences et perceptions des PÉI sur les mesures et les services offerts par les universités en contexte de confinement. Afin de répondre à cet objectif, des entretiens semi-dirigés, menés auprès de 40 …

The Monstrous-Digital: Data Necropolitics, Social Media, And The Assassination Of Brian Thompson, Laura Glitsos

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This research article examines the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the ensuing social media attention on the alleged shooter Luigi Mangione. I argue that the incident can be read as a cultural moment that captures the essence of an emergent sensibility that I call the “monstrous-digital” because of its layered and complex interconnections with the digital apparatus as a space of control and contestation. Specifically, I connect it to the biopolitical weaponization of computational systems, McQuillan’s (2015) algorithmic states of exception, and Pele and Mulholland’s (2023) data necropolitics. I approach this research using a qualitative case study method, …

No Consistent Evidence For Between- And Within-Person Associations Between Objective Social Media Screen Time And Body Image Dissatisfaction: Insights From A Daily Diary Study, Adalia Y. H. Goh, Andree Hartanto, K. T. A. Sandeeshwara Kasturiratna, Nadyanna M. Majeed

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

With the abundance of social media content that promotes unrealistic beauty standards, there are growing concerns about the potential negative impact of social media use on body image satisfaction. While some studies highlight negative associations, others present null effects, pointing to methodological limitations like biased and unreliable self-reported screen time measures and a focus on singular platforms. Addressing these gaps, our study employed a daily diary method to objectively measure social media screen time across six major platforms (Twitter, Reddit, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook), alongside daily body image dissatisfaction among 252 young adults (Mage = 21.67 years, 67.77% female) …

Submission To The 'Inquiry Into The Harm Young New Zealanders Encounter Online, And The Roles That Government, Business, And Society Should Play In Addressing Those Harms', Siobhan Healy-Cullen, Giselle Woodley, Lelia Green, Leon Huxtable

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

We are a group of researchers and educators from Aotearoa New Zealand (Massey University), and Australia (Edith Cowan University), who collaborate on research, grant applications, scholarly articles, policy debates and youth-led interventions to define and co-create strategies that support young people in navigating and processing their experiences with online sexual content.

We welcome the chance to submit to this parliamentary inquiry, and thank the Aotearoa New Zealand parliament for the opportunity to contribute our expertise and offer input into your deliberations. We are encouraged that the terms of reference stipulate that "not all young people experience the world in the …

Creation And Use Of Sbs’S The Boat; Principles For The Co-Creation Of Online Interactive Learning Environments For Innovative Digital Pedagogy, Prue Miles, Kylie Boltin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Teachers and students rely more on online-learning environments than ever before, including open, trusted and high-quality online learning resources produced by public broadcasters. For educators, this represents both an inspiration and challenge in the wake of new techologies and online learning environments. This article is a case study of one such online learning environment created by Australia’s multicultural broadcaster, the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), an adaptation of Nam Le’s award-winning short story, “The Boat” (2008). SBS’s The Boat (2015) is an immersive online experience that explores a refugee perspective and is accompanied by SBSLearn online learning materials. The Boat (2015) …

A New Theater For Age-Old Social Patterns: An Exploratory Study Of Interpersonal Dynamics And The Overlay Of Gender Within Ai Companionship, Miriam Wolff

Theses and Dissertations

The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) companions fundamentally shifts the landscape of interpersonal communication, introducing artificial entities as relational partners rather than mere facilitators of human-to-human interaction. This exploratory study examines the interplay of machine gendering, self-disclosure, perceived partner responsiveness (PPR), and interpersonal satisfaction within human-AI interactions. Participants engaged in conversations with gendered AI companions through the program Replika, completed structured surveys, and participated in qualitative interviews. Findings indicate that users' willingness to self-disclose was influenced by their perceptions of AI responsiveness, while gendered characteristics of AI significantly shaped user expectations and communication patterns. Specifically, users often attributed distinct personality …

Cultural Identity In Mental Health Services And Helpseeking Behaviours Among African International Students, Mark Ofosu Asirifi

Theses and Dissertations

Acculturation stress impacts international students’ psychological well-being and academic success, yet research on African students remains limited. For African international students, this stress is intensified by cultural stigma surrounding mental health services, deterring help-seeking due to fears of judgment and ostracization. This identity negotiation complicates their willingness to access support, reinforcing cultural barriers to mental health care. This study explores how cultural identity shapes the mental health perceptions and help-seeking behaviors of African international students in the United States. Grounded in the Communication Theory of Identity (CTI) and the Health Belief Model (HBM), the research examines how acculturative stress, stigma, …

As Above, So Below: Environmental Justice Stories Of Seeds, Mining And Migration, Cassidy M. Motahari

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Environmental justice issues directly impact the health, cultural heritage and livelihoods of communities. This multimedia master’s project examines how federal policies, legal frameworks and the prioritization of corporate interests perpetuate environmental justice issues in the western United States. Three distinct stories provide a more nuanced understanding of the impact of systemic inequities on seed saving, mineral extraction and humanitarian aid on public lands.

With four companies controlling over 60 percent of the global seed market, declining genetic diversity in seeds limits the potential to cultivate and develop crops that meet the regional and cultural needs of diverse growers. In a …

Ai-Based Steganography Method To Enhance The Information Security Of Hidden Messages In Digital Images, Nhi Do Ngoc Huynh, Jiajun Jiang, Chung-Hao Chen, Wen-Chao Yang

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

With the increasing sophistication of Artificial Intelligence (AI), traditional digital steganography methods face a growing risk of being detected and compromised. Adversarial attacks, in particular, pose a significant threat to the security and robustness of hidden information. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a novel AI-based steganography framework designed to enhance the security of concealed messages within digital images. Our approach introduces a multi-stage embedding process that utilizes a sequence of encoder models, including a base encoder, a residual encoder, and a dense encoder, to create a more complex and secure hiding environment. To further improve robustness, we integrate …

Fostering Critically Conscious Lesson Planning In A Generative Artificial Intelligence Era, Derek Riddle, Paula Cristina Azevedo, Catharyn Shelton, Jaime Colwell, Jori Beck

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Teacher candidates (TCs) use digital resources and social media to plan and develop learning material, and with publically accessible generative artificial intelligence (GAI), TCs are able to generate lesson plans within seconds rather than hours or days. While there is research on how to support TCs' evaluation of reliable digital media, there is little known on how to prepare TCs for GAI content. Using the complementary frameworks of Freire’s (1970) critical consciousness and Jonnasen’s (1991) theory of constructivism, this in-progress design based research seeks to develop an adaptable framework that addresses the evolving nature of technology, specifically GAI, and the …

Guiding Principles For Stakeholder Engagement In Supporting Children’S Digital Citizenship: The 4a Model, Kylie J. Stevenson, Harrison W. See, Emma Jayakumar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This article outlines an evidence-based model of children’s digital citizenship stakeholder engagement, reporting the final outcome of a project conducted in the Asia Pacific region, titled Digital Safety and Citizenship Roundtables: Using Consultation and Creativity to Engage Stakeholders (Children, Policy Influencers, Industry) in Best Practice in India, South Korea, and Australia. This qualitative research positioned young children aged 3 to 13 years as key stakeholders in their digital citizenship development. Their views were communicated to adult stakeholders with an interest in digital citizenship policy and practice. The authors outline the 4A model, based on evidence collected from child and adult …