Communication Commons^™

Assessing Global Citizenship Pathways In A Communication, Advocacy, And Global Citizenship Classroom In The Midwest, Satveer Kaur-Gill

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

To assess instruction in an undergraduate communication course titled Communication, Advocacy, and Global Citizenship, this qualitative inquiry examined how undergraduate students at a Midwest university engaged with global citizenship as a communicative process by conducting a content analysis of student assignments, guided by three key research questions formulated from four course objectives. The assessment found that place-based learning on global issues enhanced students' understanding of the meaning of global citizenship in a globalized world. Based on a qualitative evaluation of their key assignments, students successfully articulated threads and connections between local community concerns and issues as globally situated communicative phenomena. …

The W.A.I.T. Method - Better Listening In Conversations, Gedaliah Dimbert

B. Listening In Conversations

A 1-page infographic on the W.A.I.T. Method based on an article by Tod Perry. W.A.I.T. has two different meanings, as the horizontal and vertical presentation in this infographic demonstrates.

Manatee Dock Sign Distribution And Its Influence On Publicly-Sourced Sighting Reports In Alabama, Daniela Payán Arias, Sophia C. Corde, Ruth H. Carmichael

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Doping And The Discourse Of Crisis: A Communication Case Study Of Paul Pogba, Emmanuel Karikari

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study examines crisis communication in elite sports through the case of Paul Pogba’s doping scandal. The study addressed the existing crisis communication frameworks, which primarily focus on strategic messaging and reputation management while giving limited attention to identity and audience interpretation. As a Black Muslim athlete and global sports celebrity, Pogba’s case provides an opportunity to explore how crisis communication, identity, and audience responses interact in contemporary digital media environments.

A qualitative case study design was employed. Data consisted of public statements, interviews, media reports, and audience responses on X/Twitter collected across different stages of the crisis. Public texts …

Health Literacy/Numeracy-Related Factors Affecting Interpretation In Medical Laboratory Values, Rachel L. Childs

School of Medical Diagnostics & Translational Sciences Publications

Background

Health literacy and numeracy are broad terms that relate to a patient’s understanding of their health information. While there is a substantial amount of research on this topic in a general sense as well as in relation to how deficiencies in these skills impact patients’ understanding of laboratory results, little is known regarding the extent to which underlying factors, which are impacted by health literacy/numeracy, affect how patients interpret their results. This literature review attempts to shed light on the current literature on this more focused and narrow issue, including recommendations to address these barriers.

Content

To perform this …

Early Stem Impressions, Student Engagement, And Readiness For Digitalization, Myron Sheu

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

This study examines how early impressions of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) shape business students’ learning behaviors and, ultimately, their readiness for organizational digitalization. Focusing on gender differences, subgroup identities, and perceived obstacles, the analysis uses survey data processed through correlation matrices, regression models, and subgroup heatmaps to trace the relationship between initial attitudes toward STEM and subsequent engagement patterns. The findings reveal consistent links between positive early impressions and active participation in structured STEM activities, along with gender-based distinctions in action preferences. Subgroup analyses further uncover nuanced patterns where stereotypes or perceived barriers correspond with reduced engagement. Collectively, …

Does Digital Innovation Matter For Hospital Efficiency? Evidence From U.S. Hospitals, C. Christopher Lee, Shihui Fan, Jung Young Lee, David W. Hwang

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Purpose – This study examines the impact of digital innovation on hospital performance, providing evidence to guide healthcare administrators and policymakers in making informed decisions regarding digital investment.

Design/Methodology/Approach – Using data from the 2020 American Hospital Association (AHA) U.S. Hospital Survey and the 2019 AHA Information Technology Survey, we empirically analyze the relationship between five dimensions of digital innovation—automation, cybersecurity, telehealth, health information exchange (HIE), and IT spending—and three efficiency indicators: occupancy rate, capacity productivity, and manpower productivity.

Findings – The results show that digital innovation has varying effects on hospital efficiency. Automation is positively associated with capacity and …

The Crowdfunding Paradox In Crisis: Rising Funder Demand Vs. Declining Entrepreneur Supply, Dan Liu, Guangzhi Shang, Cynthia Fan Yang

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

This study investigates how the crowdfunding marketplace responds to major crises, focusing on behavioral shifts among funders and entrepreneurs. Results show a dual impact on platform dynamics. On the demand side, funders become more engaged, with notable increases in the number of backers, average contributions, and total pledge amounts. This heightened activity suggests stronger altruistic motivations, as individuals view crowdfunding as a way to support others during difficult times. On the supply side, however, entrepreneurs act more cautiously, leading to a decline in new project launches. This drop likely reflects increased risk aversion and uncertainty as creators navigate volatile conditions. …

Engagement Across The Cultural Divide: Accommodative Communication In The Study Abroad Context, Charles W. Choi Ph.D.

All Faculty Open Access Publications

Study abroad contexts can generate apprehension and reluctance to communicate across cultural difference, constraining opportunities for meaningful intercultural engagement. This qualitative study examines how students described intercultural willingness to communicate and intercultural competence during study abroad. Using Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) as an interpretive framework, semi-structured interviews were analyzed thematically, yielding four interrelated themes: intercultural apprehension as it relates to a willingness to communicate, intergroup dynamics, accommodation, and intercultural communication competence. Participants described how apprehension and perceived group boundaries shaped whether interaction felt possible or worthwhile, while accommodation (both behavioral and psychological) helped them remain engaged, manage perceived distance, and …

Exploring The Use Of Strategic Influencer Leadership (Sil) In Health Communication: A Cross-Cultural, Multi-Case Study, Katharina Wolf, Catherine Archer, Syafiq B. Assegaff, Joseph Nalloor

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose This study challenges the social media-centric view of influencers, arguing that health communication benefits from diverse strategic influencers beyond commercial figures. Trust, credibility and cultural resonance are essential for effective public health messaging, yet contemporary approaches often prioritise engagement metrics over strategic influence. Design/methodology/approach This paper employs a multi-case study approach to examine the strategic use of influencers in health communication across Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates and Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic. It explores how health professionals, royal representatives and a politician shaped public health messaging within culturally specific contexts. A mixed-methods approach, incorporating ethnographic research and thematic …

No Screens Before Two: How First-Time Australian Parents Negotiate Enduring Digital Media Guidelines, Stephanie C. Milford, Emma Jayakumar, Harrison W. See, Lelia Green

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Digital parenting guidance often fails to reflect early caregiving realities, particularly for first-time parents navigating screentime. Although professional guidelines have shifted from rigid time limits toward co-engagement and content quality, these shifts are inconsistently communicated and poorly absorbed into public discourse. Meanwhile, technopanic narratives fuel confusion, guilt, and social judgement. While some studies link extended screen use with adverse outcomes, we examine how correlational findings become blanket prescriptions in early caregiving. Drawing on two interview rounds and three focus groups with 23 Australian first-time parents of children aged birth-to-four, and informed by a socio-ecological approach, we explore how parents interpret …

#Shoutyourabortion And Being Heard: The Affordances Of Hashtags For Feminist Counterpublics In Hostile Digital Atmospheres, Claire Fitzpatrick

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This article critically explores counterpublic responses to the overturning of Roe v Wade and the intense contestation on Twitter (now X) between pro-abortion and anti-abortion advocates. Focusing on networked acts of deliberation, this study shows how #ShoutYourAbortion and #RoevWade facilitated the formation of defensive publics and Counterpublics. Hashtag feminism can enable affected groups to share experiences that are often marginalised by traditional media outlets, while witnessing and affirming similar experiences shared by others within their community. In this article, I examine the extent to which the collectivising hashtag #ShoutYourAbortion facilitates deliberation and listening in the context of polarising abortion debates …

Ethical Positionings Of Risk And Harm For Adolescents Encountering Sexual Content Online, Lelia Green, Giselle Woodley, Carmen Jacques, Elisabeth Staksrud, Liza Tsaliki, Brian O’Neill, Debra Dudek, Despina Chronaki, Thuy Dinh, Kelly Jaunzems

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper interrogates the ethical complexities of talking with 12 to 17-year-olds about sexual content online. Authors were granted ethics approval by the Edith Cowan University Human Research Ethics Committee (2019-00583-GREEN) with three other participant countries translating Australian ethical protocols into their national contexts: Greece, Ireland and Norway. This paper addresses the four national contexts and examines the ethical issues arising for different countries’ ethics procedures when researchers conduct sensitive research with adolescents. Given widespread concern around the risk that children will be ‘sexualised’ by encountering sexual content online the ethical procedures adopted in each national context, and the way …

Influencer Marketing Through The Decades: Evolution And Future Pathways, Raisha Yesmin, Chandan Goswami

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

Influencer marketing has evolved over the past few years, shifting from the conventional way of celebrity endorsement to a data-driven digital world. A systematic review has outlined the history of influencer marketing from the early days of the use of traditional mass media to development of social media platforms, the development of micro and nano Influencer marketing, and the different perceptions about authenticity and trust in consumer.

This study focuses on 37 peer-reviewed articles and books published between 1956 and 2025 from databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Emerald Insight, ScienceDirect and Taylor & Francis. Studies shows …

Food Access Disparities In Fulton County, Georgia: Examining Structural Barriers And Community-Level Determinants, Paige J. Perry

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Food insecurity remains a significant public health issue affecting communities at global, national, and local levels, including Atlanta, GA. Despite being an affluent and rapidly growing urban area, disparities in food access persist across Fulton County. This study examines the structural, demographic, and socioeconomic factors associated with food access at the census tract level. Using quantitative analysis, the study evaluates how geographic location, population characteristics, transportation access, and economic conditions influence the likelihood of low food access. Findings highlight significant disparities linked to transportation availability, demographic composition, and geographic variation within the county. These results underscore the importance of addressing …

Swimming In Uncertainty: Filling Data Gaps And Providing An Educational Platform For Beach Water Quality At Tybee Island, Georgia, Lukas Roberson

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

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Swimming in beaches water contaminated with high levels of bacteria can make you sick. Current monitoring at the public beaches on Tybee Island consists of weekly monitoring and enumeration of fecal indicator bacteria that takes 24 hours for results. If the number of bacteria exceed regulatory limits, a public health advisory is issued, and affected waters are retested until …

A Holistic Approach To Country Branding: Examining A Master Brand And Sub-Brand Framework, Musa Pinar, Aycan Duran Tekoglu, Tulay Girard

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Recently, nation branding has drawn the attention of policymakers worldwide, as nations recognize its strategic importance in achieving and sustaining success in the global competitive landscape. This study provides a conceptual framework based on master brand and sub-brand architecture to examine country branding holistically by integrating macro and micro perspectives, country brand equity, and their effects on consumer preferences. The specific objectives are to 1) identify the dimensions of master brand, sub-brand, and country brand equity and develop reliable and valid measurement scales for each dimension, and 2) develop a conceptual framework that integrates the master brand, sub-brand, and brand …

Slow Fashion Behavior In Young Consumers, Melissa Clark

Atlantic Marketing Journal

The purpose of this research is to better understand the gap between Generation Z’s (Gen Z) knowingness and attitude toward sustainable clothing and their behavior including repair and disposal. A theoretical model was created based on the known relationships among Knowledge-Attitude-Behavior (KAB), specifically considering environmental sustainability knowingness (ESK), environmental sustainability attitude (ESA), and slow fashion behavior (SFB) while extending it with the addition of repair and disposal. The data were collected via online survey of consumers identifying as Gen Z and analyzed via regression analysis in SPSS. The findings suggest that the established construct relationships (ESK, ESA, and SFB) held …

Sweet Skepticism: Health Consciousness And Consumer Resistance To Health-Oriented Gummy Products, Raghava Gundala Dr, Kathleen Mckee, Pritosh Kumar

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Health consciousness is usually modeled as a driver of demand for healthier food. This study asks what happens to that relationship when the product itself is indulgent. Survey data were collected from students at a public university in the United States, and a first-stage moderated mediation model (PROCESS Model 7) was estimated on the 231 respondents with complete data. After adjustment for perceived marketing effectiveness and demographic covariates, health consciousness was negatively related to perceptions of health-oriented gummy products and to purchase frequency, although its zero-order correlation with product perception was near zero. Part of the health-consciousness relationship with purchase …

Provoking Generative Ai Futures: Merging Theory And Praxis, Regina M. Luttrell Ph.D., Nick Bowman

Media Studies - All Scholarship

An accessible exploration of the myriad applications and challenges of generative AI for media and communication students, scholars, and practitioners alike.

The latest emergence of increasingly low-cost and scalable AI technologies presents a point of both celebration and concern for the contemporary media and information ecosystem. To this end, this edited volume gathers media and communications scholars and practitioners to engage in discussions and exchange ideas about current trends and developments in the field. Questions this volume asks include: What are the essentials of generative AI from a media and communication perspective? How has generative AI influenced research and scholarship? …