Communication Technology and New Media Commons^™

An Analysis Of Immigration Frames In The News Media Post- Second Trump Administration, Olivia Hartley

Communication Studies

Immigration has been a particularly controversial issue since the 2nd Trump Administration. There has been an increase in Immigration Customs Enforcement activity, including deportations and detainments of immigrants across the United States (Craft & Witherspoon, 2026). Given the uptick in media coverage regarding these events, it is essential to understand how this information is being presented to the public. The framing of news media impacts how the public perceives issues, determining the acceptable treatment of immigrants in our society. In this study, a content analysis was performed to determine the prevalence of generic immigration news frames following the start of …

Report On The Ethical Use Of Ai For Participatory Planning, Sahana Kotha, Blythe Wilson

City and Regional Planning

This report provides an overview of key considerations for using artificial intelligence for community engagement in urban planning. As interest in AI adoption in the public sector increases, an understanding of ethical issues is needed to guide responsible AI implementation. Informed by a literature review and interviews with urban planning practitioners and academics, this report describes and analyzes different AI-supported community engagement methods, explores case studies, and outlines key concerns and opportunities for using AI. We recommend that AI use for community engagement prioritizes transparency, human oversight and accountability, intentional AI implementation, and community involvement.

Digital Print Ordering System For Ugs, Han Nguyen

Graphic Communication

This project redesigns the UGS digital storefront to make ordering custom prints clearer and less confusing for students. Research showed that many delays happen because users submit incorrect files, such as wrong formats, low-resolution images, or missing fonts. To address this, I created an interactive prototype that guides users step-by-step through the ordering process and includes a built-in file checklist with simple export instructions. Instead of relying on a separate PDF guide, the new system supports users directly within the workflow, helping reduce errors and making the process smoother for both customers and UGS staffs.

Beyond The Csu Ai Initiative Rollout: Exploring The Continued Uses, Gratifications, And Literacy Of Generative Artificial Intelligence Integration At Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Marshall Piros, Kaylie Marrs

Communication Studies

This case study examines the use of ChatGPT on the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (hereafter referred to as Cal Poly or Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo) campus as part of the system-wide CSU AI Initiative. This is a follow-up study to previous work in which the researchers examined AI usage and gratifications during the early rollout of the CSU AI Initiative during Spring 2025. Using a qualitative approach, we used semi-structured interviews (N = 24) to gather in-depth perspectives on AI usage, gratifications, concerns, and definitions of AI literacy from students and faculty. Findings indicate that while …

Teaching About Abortion Access With Charley The Chatbot, Laura E. Willis, Kim O'Neill, Nicole Cushman

Feminist Pedagogy

Following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022) decision which countermanded federal abortion protections, artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to identify, monitor, and track people seeking medical treatment. The teaching activity presented here asks students to consider data privacy concerns and the role of AI in seeking abortion care, before introducing them to Charley the Chatbot, an AI interface designed to protect and inform abortion seekers. Students interact with the chatbot based on a series of fictional vignettes about abortion seekers in various stages of pregnancy and geographic locations. Following a peer discussions, students examine both how restrictive …

Embracing Uncertainty And Resisting Suspicion In The Faculty-Student Relationship, Natalia Rybas

Feminist Pedagogy

This critical essay discusses the suspicion and distrust appearing when educators think that students can (mis)use generative AI tools. The essay argues that education is rife with relations of inequality, reminds us that technologies are never neutral, and explores using uncertainty as a method of resistance to suspicion about students. The suspicion grows from the relations embedded in higher education because power, privilege, and oppression shape the experience of teaching and learning. Technological innovations, such as AI, carry power relations embedded in their designs and assumed uses, making all participants of the learning process vulnerable and disrupting the process itself. …

Exploring Female-Centered Storytelling Techniques In Travel Podcasting With 'Chicks Take Flight', Layla M. Bakhshandeh

Journalism

The following study explores storytelling through the lens of podcasting to effectively engage audiences. This study addresses the gap in academic literature regarding gender-specific audio storytelling techniques by analyzing how narrative structure, vocal delivery, and content authenticity in podcasts specifically resonate with female audiences, providing practical applications for podcast creators targeting this demographic. Accompanying this literary research is a travel podcast titled Chicks Take Flight. This entertainment podcast tells the stories of young women’s travel experiences. Its goal is to provide a platform to discuss modern travel tips and stories for female audiences. Utilizing the podcasting advice from research findings …

Review Of The Heumann Perspective Podcast, Jennifer Woody Collins

Feminist Pedagogy

This media review of the Heumann Perspective podcast encourages educators to use it as a way to discuss and teach disability justice and activism.

Tackling Networked Misogyny Through Graduate Curriculum Design, Carolyn M. Cunningham

Feminist Pedagogy

This paper explores the importance of sharing feminist research through digital projects. One of the barriers of digital projects is the networked misogyny that graduate students face. This paper offers several strategies for addressing networked misogyny, including teaching about digital privacy, strategies for documenting harassment, collective engagement, and integrating trauma-informed pedagogy.

Design And Test The Effectiveness Of Interpretive Signs Using Eye Tracking And Biometric Data, Hadara Gordon, Wendy Miyazaki

Baker/Koob Endowments Awarded Projects

Recreational trails on forested lands should satisfy the needs of recreationists, safeguard important habitats, and maintain the natural environment (Kortenkamp et al., 2021). Appropriate management is critical because of the increasing number of visitors. Signs are a cost-effective method to reduce the negative impacts on visitors and enhance visitor experiences (Brown et al., 2010). This research aimed to investigate how visitors pay attention to signs, view the trail surrounded by trees and behave in a natural space.

An Imc Plan For The Blue Dolphin Company, A Local Nonprofit, Allison Evelyn Campbell

Journalism

Alan Godley's journey into marine preservation began as a dock boy, a role that brought him face-to-face with the environmental impact of boat cleaning practices. Witnessing the washing of harsh chemicals into the ocean and waterways fueled his environmental consciousness. Years later, he founded the Blue Dolphin Company in 1989, an “organization focused on furthering the awareness of whales and dolphins, and all marine life … [supporting] the rehabilitation and release of marine mammals and other wildlife”. Over the three decades, Mr. Godley has operated this nonprofit and small business, leveraging educational initiatives to inform people of all ages about …

Digital Waves: Communicating Feminist Movements, Shauna M. Macdonald

Feminist Pedagogy

Online learning provides opportunities for pedagogical growth and innovation. When tasked with teaching an undergraduate Gender and Communication class during a virtual semester (amid the COVID-19 pandemic), I sought ways to engage students through online technologies rather than working against or despite them. The Digital Waves (DW) assignment, one that asks students to research and then create digital representations of a particular “wave” of feminism, was one of several strategies I adopted; it quickly evolved into a favorite.

Let's Talk Body: An Applied Senior Project On Social Media Body Image, Katherine R. Tonges, Lindsey J. Dwyer

Communication Studies

This paper discusses the overwhelming presence of social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok in the recent generation's (Gen-Z) daily lives. Influencers have become the new celebrities by creating a “relatable and desirable” lifestyle that users aspire to gain. However, the pressure to conform to unrealistic beauty standards and buy promoted products can lead to negative effects on users' mental health and self-esteem. The authors of this paper (Tonges and Dwyer) have created a podcast and Instagram account to encourage an honest conversation about the impact of social media on one’s actions, emotions, and brain chemistry. By analyzing social media …

Documentary Review: Coded Bias, Sydney Elaine Brammer

Feminist Pedagogy

No abstract provided.

Correlation Between Social Media Use And Eating Disorder Symptoms: A Literature Review, Makenna Rose Burger

Kinesiology and Public Health

Importance: Social media is a pervasive influence in modern society presenting many potential public health implications.

Objective: The purpose of this literature review is to synthesize current research regarding social media and eating disorders.

Methods: Primary research was gathered from Google Scholar and OneSearch database resulting in 7 articles. Articles were examined for common themes.

Results: Common themes found in the resulting research is the prevalence of ‘thinspiration’, gamified content, and overlap of eating disorders with other mental illnesses. Several articles found a significant correlation between social media use and the severity of eating disorder symptoms. …

The Power Of Video Games: How Celeste And Hellblade Address Mental Health, Victor M. Ortiz

Communication Studies

The media has the power to educate audiences on topics through effective storytelling. This paper shows how video games as a medium possess unique potential to affect players through interactive experiences. Two video games titled Celeste and Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice serve as examples of social cognitive learning through media exposure. This paper conducts a content analysis on the two titles. From the analysis, we learn the stories in Celeste and Hellblade aim to help those who play them learn how to cope with mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. The literature review section discusses past research done on …

Market To Me: A Case Study On The Marketing Efforts Of Salesforce Software Company, Marissa Adrianna Spiess Espinola

Experience Industry Management

Social media platforms constitute outstanding channels for fostering relationships with consumers. Recently, there has been a drastic shift towards social media marketing and away from traditional marketing. Marketers are beginning to understand the importance of social media opportunity and are implementing social media marketing strategies and initiatives into companywide marketing practices. Companies cannot afford to lack presence on social media, as competitors could outpace them with marketing efforts of products and services to the public. Social media has become a necessary tool when marketing and advertising. The purpose of this study was to examine social media marketing practices of Salesforce …

Becoming Agricultured: Creating An Agriculture Literacy Podcast For Consumers, Madalyn C. Souza

Agricultural Education and Communication

Today’s consumers want to become more aware of where their food comes from. There is a need and a desire to bridge the gap between consumers and production agriculture. One way to reach consumers is through audio podcasts. Podcasts are digital audio recordings that are streamed online. The podcast Becoming Agricultured will be a platform to show the relationship between agriculture and the environment, food, fiber and energy, animals, lifestyle, the economy and technology. The podcast is aimed to tell agriculture's story through factual research and personal accounts of those involved in different sectors of the agriculture industry and cultivate …

The Effect Of Communication Medium On Mental Health Outcomes, Brooke Emily Lyon

Communication Studies

This study examined which form of mental health treatment was considered to be most appealing if an individual is seeking help for a mental health related concern. Furthermore, it detected which communication media was perceived to make people feel the most comfortable, bring the most benefits to mental health, and was the easiest to access when it comes to mental health treatment. This study utilized a posttest-only experimental design to manipulate the different images of communication media that participants saw during the context of a hypothetical therapy session (face-to-face, group, or digital application). Following the experiment, differences amongst groups were …

A Screenplay For Bystander Intervention For Sexual Harassment Scenarios For College Students, Shanti Herzog

Journalism

This project was developed to describe the drafting of a screenplay for an interactive, virtual reality sexual harassment training module for students of the California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo. The research began with the examination of the prevalent and persisting issue of sexual harassment within college campus communities, and how to present college students with the tools to intervene as bystanders, thus encouraging them to intervene when encountering sexual harassment scenarios. The resulting screenplay was written to provide college students at Cal Poly with strategies to identify and take action when encountering sexual harassment, especially in small group gatherings …

From Urban To Agriculture, Jacqueline V. Aenlle

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

"From Urban to Agriculture" is a website utilizing a blog and podcast to connect with consumers and share reliable information about agriculture. In addition to covering specific topics such as organic production, dairy animal welfare, and honey production, this forum also address cross disciplinary topics such as media literacy and critical thinking. The website not only appeals to everyday consumers, it also provides resources for educators seeking to integrate a lesson on agricultural advocacy into their curriculum. The following report details the creation process for this website, development of blog content, acquisition of podcast materials, and future plans for the …

The Effect Of Social Media Platforms On Perceptions Of Flirtatiousness And Discomfort, Brynn Alyssa Motal

Communication Studies

This study examines recipients’ perceptions of an acquaintance’s message when sent through various social media platforms to identify the effect it has on the perception of discomfort and flirtatiousness. A posttest-only experimental design was utilized in which participants viewed hypothetical messages over varying platforms for each of the three conditions (Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram). After viewing one of the manipulated messages, participants (N = 71) completed measures to assess their perceptions related to perceived flirtatiousness and discomfort. Primary results indicate that there was no variation between perceptions of flirtatiousness between the three platforms. However, Facebook provided the most discomfort for recipients, …

Exploring Student Motivations In Using A Newly Developed Study Abroad Application, Danica L. Schutt

Communication Studies

This study examined student motivations to use a newly developed application for their study abroad needs. Though prior research suggests that identifying with certain perceived groups increases their sense of belonging, critics also recognize that every unique individual has his/her own set of specific needs to be satisfied regardless of social membership. A survey style interview was conducted in which twelve Cal Poly students answered open-ended questions surrounding application use and travel needs. The interview assessed their opinions on perceived membership as a Cal Poly student, their motivations to utilize travel applications, and their ideas on what features make travel …

Egg Awareness, Hailee J. French

Agricultural Education and Communication

In 2008, Proposition 2 passed, forcing all egg producers in California to provide more room inside of cages to their laying hens. The Humane Society of the United States [HSUS] initiated this battle and won but, less than a decade later decided that still wasn’t enough room for the birds. HSUS is now pushing to have a new measure on the ballot in November 2018 forcing all egg producers in California to produce their eggs cage free.

This project will survey the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo campus to gauge the campus’s understanding of egg production in California. …

Effects Of Para-Social Presence On The Consumer Decision Journey, Ayda Tahmasbi

Communication Studies

Para-social presence is investigated in this research study to determine its effects on the consumer decision journey. Attachment styles are also taken into consideration as a possible influence on establishing para-social presence. This study specifically looks at an internet personality’s social media platforms, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, and her social media marketing efforts for the release of her new book, Almost Adulting. This study found statistically significant relationships between increasing level of para-social presence across Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Further, the study found that para-social presence has a positive correlation with consumers’ initial consideration, purchase decision, and post-purchase experience. Finally, …

Modernizing A Podcast Media Organization Via Social And New Media Rebranding Methods, Randi A. Hair

Journalism

The following study and subsequent public relations campaign is intended to explore the difficulties, opportunities, caveats and all facets of transitioning a traditional travel media organization to new media. It unearths the pitfalls/barriers that naturally occur and aggregate over time when an organization or journalist (specifically “Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer” in this scenario) has not adapted nor altered their practices for changing common practices in the media industries. In this campaign, journalist Thomas Wilmer is seeking to increase his podcast audience and digital presence.

The research conducted for this study is two-fold. Firstly, the research demonstrates best practices …

Transitioning College Media From Print Focused Business Models To Digitally Focused Business Models, Celina Oseguera

Journalism

The noticeable downturn in print advertising indicates a need for change in the news industry business model. College media is not immune to this decline and need for change. A change in business model calls for transitioning to an alternative system that does not primarily rely on print products and advertising — a digitally focused business model. Many college media organizations around the United States have started to pursue this type of model, changing the way they produce and present news in the process. Taking into account the state of print focused business models in the general and collegiate news …

The Use Of Video Outreach To Increase Incoming Students’ View Of The Higher Education Institution As A Whole: A Case Study At California Polytechnic State University, Leah Horner, Michelle Logan

Journalism

No abstract provided.

Texting Etiquette And Its Effects On Our Perceptions Of Intimate Relationships, Taylor Clarke

Communication Studies

Abstract

This study seeks to understand the association between texting habits and characteristics and partner perceptions of intimate relationships. This study investigates multiple aspects of texting such as: temporality, participants’ perceived satisfaction with their significant other, length of text messages, frequency of communication, among others. It is hypothesized that texting etiquette and its various sub-components will be influential in how participants will rate their level of satisfaction (closeness, intimacy, emotional support, and effort) with their significant other. Ten in-depth interviews were conducted with college-aged participants. They were asked questions regarding the texting etiquette of their significant other as well as …

Pretty Princess And Hurdling Heroes: A Content Analysis Of Walt Disney Studio Movies, Jessica Noll

Communication Studies

This study investigated the portrayal of active and passive behaviors of male and female characters in Walt Disney Studio original animated films. It was hypothesized that males would exhibit more active behaviors than their female counterparts and that females would exhibit more passive behaviors than their male counterparts. The results indicated that both of these hypotheses were supported. The study also found that the least likely interaction of male and female characters was when the male character was being passive and the female character was being active. The most likely was male characters performing active behaviors and female characters performing …