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Increasing Civic Engagement: Adopting a Communities for All Ages Model in Gilbert, AZ
No full textThe Gilbert Historical Society is expanding their vision and programming to encapsulate a Communities for All Ages (CFAA) approach. CFAA is an intergenerational approach where people of different generations purposefully work together to address the needs of a community. Gilbert is seeking to encourage social capital and civic engagement within the town. High levels of social capital, resulting in increased civic engagement, have proven to have a positive effect on many aspects of a community (Debertin, 1996, Forward, 2000, Grillo, Teixeira & Wilson, 2010, Henkin, Brown & Leiderman, 2012, Liberato, Brimblecombe, Ritchie, Ferguson & Coveney, 2011, Putnam, 1995, Robins, 2008). A qualitative study was completed with representatives from six of the twenty-three pilot CFAA programs interviewed, seeking to find best practices to encourage civic engagement and foster diversity. Four key outreach themes were uncovered: organizational partnerships, strong leadership core, social media, and person-to-person communication. The study also revealed program examples for fostering generational and ethnic diversity, along with successful programs and lessons learned. The key outreach themes and examples provided through the study will aid Gilbert in implementing their model with a higher level of knowledge and insight, resulting in a quicker growth of Gilbert’s program and less hurdles along the way
Best Practices for Facilitating Diversity in the Online Classroom
No full textThis project, Facilitating Diversity in the Online Classroom – Best Practices, explores four best practices for facilitating diversity in the online classroom. The philosophical and ethical framework for this study is built on Martin Buber’s belief that people must be open to dialogue and interested in participating in it and that they stay attentive to another’s uniqueness and how it matters. Grounded in the theory of Critical Pedagogy, this study urges teachers to be open-minded to change and to affect and shape he environment around them. The eLearning course is designed to offer teachers a foundational set of best practices that can be applied to their online classroom. The best practices included in the course include: creating a classroom culture, recognizing diversity among students, using technology, and creating a connection with the larger community. While this course is only one piece of the learning process, it offers teachers four best practices to enhance conversations in their classroom and create an environment where students learn from others differences
It\u27s Not My Story to Tell: A Study of Disclosure in an all Female Group
No full textThis thesis examined how women who share membership in a close social group use communication to manage the private information of other members of the group. Carol Gilligan’s work in In A Different Voice introduces a moral development theory that women’s ethics are defined by their need for human connection and caring. Communication Management theory was used as an interpretive lens to examine the decisions and behaviors behind a member’s choice to disclose or not disclose the personal information about another member. Research to determine whether the existence of an established group influenced the decision to share or not share was also completed. The research also considered the introverted/extroverted nature of the participants and compared currently accepted characteristics of these personality traits with the behaviors of the participants in the group. The data were gathered as part of an anonymous survey where the participants were asked to answer open-ended questions to share their experiences, personal ethics, and reactions to the idea of disclosure of another person’s private information. The results show that, even as women are more likely to disclose their own information with trusted friends, when it comes to the privacy of someone else, their ethical decisions are driven more by respect for established privacy rules. The results additionally showed that, although privacy rules direct their course of action, their reasons for following those rules are rooted in a need to show care. These results support Gilligan’s moral development theory that, in a trusted group of women, trust is rooted in the need to connect, and that respect for others’ privacy rules can overrule a person’s own privacy rules and natural tendencies to disclose. These findings will serve to further communication studies in regards to information disclosure within a group of women, particularly as it applies to the disclosure of another person\u27s information
NOW 2015-01 January
No full textCorpus of News on the Web data for January 2015.
The TAR folder contains linguistic data in three formats: Database: This is the format allows for the most robust searches and allows for powerful JOINs across corpus, lexicon, and source tables but requires knowledge of SQL. See Full-text corpus data for more information on how to use the database format. Linear Text: This format provides a textID for each text, and then the entire text on the same line. In this format, words are not annotated for part of speech or lemma. In addition, contracted words like can\u27t are separated into two parts (ca n\u27t) and punctuation is separated from words (eye level . As her). Word, Lemma, Part of Speech: Texts are separated by a line with ## and the textID
Generational Identity, Communication and Knowledge Sharing: A Study of Intergenerational Communication and Its Impact at ABC Enterprise
No full textEmployees in today’s corporations have the ability to span across four different generations. The largest group of them, the Baby Boomers, will soon be retiring leaving the younger generations to fill in the gaps. How information is passed from senior personnel to new hires is of utmost importance to maintaining successful business practices. This study sought to understand the effect identity had on knowledge transfer and communication in an organizational context. The theoretical basis for this study used social identity theory (SIT) (Tajfel & Tuner, 1979). SIT is an attempt to understand how a person’s belongingness to a specific group influences their self-concept and group behavior. A case study approach of one organization, ABC Enterprise, was used to explore the constructs of identity, knowledge transfer and communication practices across multiple generations. Data was gathered through the use of a survey and qualitative analysis was used to recognize those groups that employees identify with the most, the influence generational stereotyping has on knowledge transfer and what employees believed were the best practices for communication. Results indicated that employees most strongly identified with their own workgroups and that generational stereotyping was prevalent in what employees perceived others’ preferred methods of communication to be. These perceived stereotypes only nominally impacted knowledge transfer, but it was found that the relationships people develop in the workplace had the greatest effect on knowledge transfer and identity. The majority of all respondents agreed that face-to-face communication was the best method when communicating with others regardless to which generation he or she belonged
Starbucks: Building a Global Brand
No full textGlobal brand positioning is an integral part of international marketing and branding. It requires an effort to connect to local cultures and to focus strategies for diverse markets. To successfully position itself internationally, an organization must develop a brand and product that offers distinct value to the consumer in each unique marketplace. This thesis explores the global brand positioning of Starbucks, an organization with continued international growth and success. The study follows the philosophy of Martin Buber’s I-Thou relationship and takes the position that communication is a dialogue. In the case of Starbucks, the organization’s brand helps create the dialogue it has with consumers. This study is grounded in multiple theories, including cultural adaptation theory as it relates to acculturation, global consumer culture and the theory of cultural dimension. The study utilized a qualitative meta-analysis to determine concurrent themes in the existing research. Throughout the study, several trends emerged including Starbucks’ development of a tailored third place and the glocalization of their stores and products. The analysis shows a need for further research on global marketing and branding strategies to better understand the benefits of incorporating culture
Online Gender Discussions: Student Experiences in Discussions of Gender Diversity
No full textThis thesis examined graduate level students’ experiences of (mainly gender) diversity in the online classroom. The philosophical framework for this study came from John Rawls’ work utilizing the veil of ignorance as a strategy to create more objective determinations free from situational and circumstantial biases. Both critical pedagogy and the theory that individuals construct social and cultural meaning through communication provided the theoretical foundations for the thesis. The study analyzed experiences of the students via their contributions to the online discussion boards.. The study also utilized interviews of current and former students to discuss their experiences with diversity in their online classrooms. The study came from an understanding that diversity represents a unique component of the online classroom and rests in the idea that students can all benefit from the diversity of other students’ experiences. This work provides a jumping off point of analysis on how best to facilitate discussions of diversity in the online classroom. Facilitating these discussions can become a primary way to break down systemic and institutionalized inequalities that exist for minority groups. Thus, this research, while not the end point, can provide a continued impetus to discover ways to make the online classroom a place of equalized learning to maximize its purpose for all students regardless of their identity. Chief findings in the study indicate the following (not-exhaustive) items: students overwhelmingly report that they value diversity conversations, students do not seem to think that conflicting ideas represent an inherent negative, and student’s see the role of the instructor in facilitating, but not inserting personal commentary into the diversity discussions
Incorporating Situational Crisis Communication and Attribution Theories Into a Crisis Communication Plan for Xyz Organization
No full textA crisis can be defined as “an unexpected, non-routine event that creates uncertainty and threatens an organization’s priority goals” (Dean, 2004, p. 192). If not handled properly, it may have negative effects on the organization’s reputation and overall viability. Therefore, it is essential that organizations prepare an effective crisis response plan to implement once a crisis occurs. Situational crisis communication theory (SCCT) is a proven theory used in developing effective crisis response strategies. This theory asserts that organizations must select the crisis strategies most appropriate to the type of crisis (Coombs, 2006). Heider’s attribution theory asserts that how we react to situations is based on our perception of the situation and our judgment of the situation (Coombs & Holladay, 1996). Informed by these perspectives, the purpose of this project is to develop a custom crisis communication plan for xyz organization. This organization is very well known among its publics, as its history of legendary member service has stood for nearly a century. However, the organization lacks a crisis response strategy. This is alarming as the organization has a large customer-facing workforce that deals with thousands of customers per month in a variety of situations. This standalone crisis communication plan will enable xyz organization to respond to a variety of crises in order to minimize any reputational or financial harm
Creating a Sense of Community in Online, Graduate Education
No full textThis study investigates aspects of creating a sense of community in online, graduate education environments. Specifically, this study was designed to seek out very precise, practical actions that professors and universities can enact to create a greater sense of community for their online, graduate students. This study conducted research exclusively on a small, private, liberal arts university in the northwest United States, focusing exclusively on the institution’s MA program with online options. The courses observed were comprised of roughly 185 students. This study used both quantitative and qualitative data to uncover specific actions that professors and universities might take to increase an overall sense of community. Findings revealed that there are in fact several specific suggestions for implementation, largely surrounding: communication speed and platforms, learning environments, professor communication and presence, and student engagement
Cracking the Code of Silence in African American Communities
No full textThe use of a code of silence continues to serve as a major communication barrier, specifically in African American communities. This well-known no-snitching rule, blocks law enforcement officers from getting the information they need to solve cases in African American communities. This thesis looks into the effects of the silent dialogue through the Communication Privacy Management Theory and the Social Identity Theory in an effort to better understand and identify factors that lead to police distrust, communication gaps, and uneasiness among people in high-crime African American communities. The increasing media reports of African American young men (who are seemingly innocent) killed by people in “authority” is creating an even larger gap between police and the African American community. Ethnographic research through interviews with former gang members, a Dressor, police officer, and people found similar themes that enhance the already-existing code of silence. Results find that the code of silence continues to live in these high-crime African-American communities due to cultural factors, socioeconomic status, dis-trust of law enforcement agencies, and lack of racial diversity among these law enforcement agencies. The people interviewed also posed realistic solutions to combating this problem such as restructuring the racial makeup of police departments, improving policing tactics in African American communities, and police taking an active approach to improve relations with people in these communities