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Music's Front Runner in Immersive Live and Playback Experiences
Get PDF[ABSTRACT ONLY; NO FULL TEXT] This is a graduate project that dives into one of the entertainment industry's business of immersive live and playback experiences and how specifically it impacts the music industry. The project is separated into multiple parts, journaling the graduate project from the beginning to end with constant interaction with the client that specializes in immersive live and playback experiences. Based on a consultation with the client, the project explores all aspects of the introduction, findings, contribution, methodology, challenges and risks, success and quality of project, and recommendations that the client can obtain and apply directly to their business. The methodology used in this project was a mixture of a few different kinds. Most importantly, the group understood that there was a need to decide on the metrics that were going to be used to give the graduate project a consistent and reliable measurement. That consistent metric is used to correctly measure the success of the goals set forth by the group to solve the issue originally presented by the business client. The other methods were through research questions to the client's organization and open communication with updates relayed to the client and California State University Northridge staff. These research questions and communication included interviews conducted through zoom and emails received and sent in a timely manner. The graduate project took into consideration the potential internal challenges, external challenges, and what the implications of inappropriate recommendations would be on the client's business. The determination of success and quality of the graduate project will be based on the client satisfaction, high quality deliverables and quality assurance, rigorous research, and long-term results. The goal to solve the client's original issue is to increase sales, brand awareness, and traffic to one of the client's specific services. Initially there was a stall before creating recommendations due to slow client responses. However, after some more meetings with the client and others in the organization as well as data provided, the consultant group was able to create adequate and appropriate recommendations revolving around social media and marketing, community outreach and engagement with artists and fans, and finances. These recommendations look to cover multiple different facets of the client's business. In addition, the consultants conducted qualitative research and analysis, competitive analysis, and SWOT analysis that helped to unequivocally solve the problem presented by the client. Personal contribution can be seen throughout the paper. I had a hand in the format of the paper, introduction, findings, recommendations, and the creation of complete references and organization of the appendix. The findings description includes qualitative research of client organization meetings and data presented by the client. There was also research into their social media to pull analysis from. I took part in brainstorming, organizing and describing the recommendations. I was in charge of the proposition of an entire recommendation regarding live events, an introduction of parasocial relationships that could be applied to businesses to retain loyal customers within a separate recommendation, as well as contribution to the expansion of community
Volunteer Management and Fundraising Strategies for Musical Non-Profit Organizations
Get PDF[ABSTRACT ONLY; NO FULL TEXT] A nonprofit music organization dedicated to enriching its community by curating performances varying widely in cultural influence and national origin, while simultaneously facilitating and funding educational programs in music to the youth, is currently facing inefficiencies with its organizational operations. The issues they are facing are resulting in financial vulnerabilities such as decline in fundraising, challenges with governance between its main branch of staff, and volunteer segments. Since its founding as the region's first music-centered organization in the mid-1950's, it has built a strong community of audience members, volunteers, and stakeholders. However, its reliance on the volunteer auxiliary groups for fundraising and program support has led to structural issues that threaten long-term sustainability. The goal is to provide recommendations to strengthen volunteer engagement, diversify funding sources, improve governance, and to ensure the satisfaction and retention of this client for future cohorts of the CSUN MIA program
EXAMINING LITERACY INSTRUCTION APPROACHES IN CENTRAL VALLEY ELEMENTARY TEACHER CREDENTIAL PROGRAMS: A STUDY OF PRACTICES AND ALIGNMENT WITH LEGISLATION AND READING MODELS
Get PDFABSTRACT This study investigates literacy instruction within credential programs, aiming to answer the following research question: How do Central Valley Elementary Teacher Credential Programs (CVETCPs) teach literacy, and why? The study involved two program directors from multiple subject credential programs and three faculty members from three different institutions specializing in literacy instruction. A qualitative approach was employed to gather comprehensive insights into instructional practices. Data was collected through one-on-one interviews, allowing for an in-depth exploration of participants' perspectives. The results indicate that while credential programs are committed to adequately preparing future teachers, they often encounter significant time constraints and a limited understanding of the science of reading (SOR) theory. The thematic analysis revealed several key findings: a shared understanding of the definition and significance of literacy, challenges in striking a balance between theoretical knowledge and practical application within the limited time, and minimal direct influence of external policies on instructional practices within teacher credential classrooms. In conclusion, this research contributes to a broader understanding of literacy instruction in teacher credential programs and the factors influencing faculty decisions regarding literacy education. The findings highlight the critical need for collaboration between schools, credential programs, and policymakers to enhance literacy education and better prepare future educators
Exploring the Relationship Between Adolescents' Perceived Impact of COVID-19, Self-Efficacy, and Social Support
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic was a destructive event that impacted the lives of individuals, including the lives of adolescents. This present retrospective study investigated the relationship between self-efficacy, social support, and the perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents. It was predicted that adolescents who have higher social support and self-efficacy would also have a low perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample size for this study was 95 participants. The results suggest adolescents who had higher self-efficacy during the COVID-19 pandemic also had higher social support. These findings suggest that it is beneficial for adolescents to have social support during times of crisis because it supports their self-efficacy, which allows them to be resilient
The SoCal Sound - Feasibility for Growth
Get PDF[ABSTRACT ONLY; NO FULL TEXT] This was a report created as a consulting project for the California State University, Northridge public radio station, 88.5FM The SoCal Sound. The radio station was operated out of the Soraya, the university's on-campus premier performing arts venue, with a simulcast at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo. The goal was to provide consultation to The SoCal Sound and create recommendations for growth and financial feasibility. I worked to develop strategic recommendations through in-depth internal and external analysis with information provided to us by our client, such as financial statements, media kits, donor data, and organizational charts. The objective was to identify station's market position, operational efficiency, and revenue streams vi by using secondary data sources to analyze the radio station's opportunities and weaknesses. The analysis considered revenue streams, cost structures, funding opportunities, and potential financial risks associated with growth. My primary contribution involved creating an analysis of the client organization's internal functions, with a specific focus on operations, inventory management, human resources, and social media presence. I reviewed materials provided by the client to establish a foundational understanding of current practices in these areas, which was substantiated by secondary research. I identified key operational patterns and gaps, which informed my development of the internal SWOT analysis and shaped our strategic interpretation of the organization's internal environment. I contributed to the design of research tools and refined these tools with the help of our faculty advisors, ensuring alignment with our project goals. I collaborated with our client to distribute these tools to the client's stakeholders and later helped analyze the responses. For the external analysis, I helped write the introduction and contributed on the client's competitors in order to contextualize their position within its industry. Throughout the course of the project, I maintained transcripts and notes of meetings we had with our client and faculty advisors for our group to have access to records for past meetings. I supported the integration of faculty feedback, and assisted in editing and refining the final written report. I also helped identify the client's critical strategic issues and contributed to the development of actionable recommendations. I presented these findings to the client at the end of the semester and provided them with a written report
Tatum Games' Strategic Shift: From Analytics to Full-Service Solutions
Get PDF[ABSTRACT ONLY; NO FULL TEXT] This report was constructed as a consulting project for a gaming analytics company called Tatum Games that desired to transition to full-service solutions. The company is a gaming solutions provider that uses patent technology called M2M technology to differentiate its products and services from those of others. As Vanguard Consulting Group, we conducted extensive primary research to figure out what Tatum Games currently practices and how they stand out in the Saas industry compared to competitors. For primary research, I gathered insights through the business and marketing plan that the CEO shared with us. Besides that, consistently meeting with him helped me collect enough information and data to grasp their role in the industry and figure out what the best marketing plan is for them to take on the transition to full-service solutions. As for secondary research, I focused on using IBIS World, the CSUN database library, statistical articles from Statista, and others to see what other fortunate approaches similar companies in the same industry have done. I found what trending patterns there are in the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning categories in this specific industry and the sub-categories for each that professionals have used and succeeded in. The feedback from the survey we created and sent out to hundreds of game developers helped us better understand what other competitors exist in the same industry and what clients are looking for. Although we collectively discussed and shared our findings in the group weekly, each one of us took responsibility for a specific section to multi-task this project. In this consulting project, I owned the technological and environmental topics of the PESTEL analysis we used for the external analysis. I also contributed to adding a handful of questions for our survey, which I sent to over one hundred game developers for feedback. On top of that, I found the gaming companies and developers from LinkedIn, Instagram, and Reddit to send the surveys out to and oversaw sending them out as well. I then recorded the survey results and created another separate analysis based on the feedback. I also made the survey prompt I used to contact clients. For findings of opportunities and threats, I spent about one to two weeks tackling the opportunities section with one other peer, using great research from IBIS World and Statista. Another analysis included in the project that I helped complete was the four P's and C's of the company, gathering weeks' worth of research. Throughout our analysis, many of my findings via primary and secondary research were used in creating competition and consumer analyses. For the final recommendations stage, I helped my team organize the best solutions for the company's success. For the presentation, implementation plan, and recommendations, we gathered our ideas as a group to choose which paths were appropriate for Tatum Games to take to become successful in their new services. For the presentation, each group member was responsible for presenting their portion of the project within the time frame given. Everyone practiced their section, and we hosted a few mock practice presentations as a group. After identifying the critical issues and developing the appropriate recommendations, we presented our findings to our client
From Green to Glucose: Investigating the Relationship Between Marijuana Usage and the Risk of Developing Diabetes in California Adults
Get PDF[ABSTRACT ONLY; NO FULL TEXT] Diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases among Americans, with 11.6% of the population being diagnosed as of 2021. However, little research has investigated the relationship between marijuana usage and diabetes diagnosis. Marijuana is recognized as a federally illegal drug, but despite increasing research, the relationship between marijuana use and diabetes has remained inconclusive. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between marijuana usage and diabetes diagnosis among California adults in 2023. Methods: Data from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) (n=21,671) included asking participants if they had ever been diagnosed with diabetes by their doctors. Participants were also asked if they were current users of marijuana. The relationship between marijuana use and diabetes was assessed in a cross-sectional analysis. Logistic regression analysis determined the association. Results: Marijuana use among participants and its association with diabetes was assessed, and it was found that compared to those who are not current marijuana users, those who are current marijuana users have lower odds of being diagnosed with diabetes (OR: 0.84, 95%CI [0.74, 0.97]). Conclusion: Marijuana usage may decrease the odds of being diagnosed with diabetes among California adults. Greater public health awareness should be given regarding the medicinal properties of marijuana. Further investigation of the relationship between marijuana and diabetes diagnosis is needed, as there are inconsistent findings in the literature
USC WorkWell - Strategies for Succesful Workplace Wellness
No full text[ABSTRACT ONLY; NO FULL TEXT] In the United States, the average employee works up 90,000 in their lifetime with some spending an average 8.5 hours a day and 5.4 hours on the weekend working creating a stressful work environment (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019). However, the presence of Employee Wellness Programs (EWP) effectively addresses positive employee wellbeing and increases job satisfaction. However, when analyzing workforces, university employees score poorly in employee wellbeing and organizational productivity due to lack of wellness programming and administrative support. This facilitates an environment that creates health disparities related to blood pressure, cholesterol, and high stress for faculty and staff. To address this, University of Southern California (USC) WorkWell is an EWP that currently offers a cardiovascular based physical activity (PA) walking program called WalkUSC. Although a PA program is present, there is a need for a larger scope of PA programs related to resistance training and other forms or cardio. Overall, a WorkWell collaboration with USC Recreational Sports will foster desirable health outcomes, decrease perceived barriers to PA, which will increase sense of belonging and foster positive behavior changes towards PA. Vital to this project are identifying the specific needs for PA programming, an environment that develops higher self-efficacy towards PA, increased ease of access to services, and permission and support from departmental administration. The proposed intervention is evidence-based and driven by concepts from the Social Cognitive Theory and the Transtheoretical Model of Change. An EWP partnership with campus recreation will provide a feasible framework for other universities to collaborate within departments to promote positive attitudes and behaviors towards PA, greater willingness to participate in PA, and a greater sense of belonging
Effects of Attire on People's Perception of Clinical Competence
Get PDF[ABSTRACT ONLY; NO FULL TEXT] The attire in athletic training plays a vital role in shaping the public's perception of their competence and personal identity as healthcare providers. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects different forms of attire have on people's perception of clinical competency. A cross-sectional survey designed to explore the perception of clinical competence was conducted among 131 participants including students, student-athletes and non-students, which included school faculty and members of the public. The survey was disseminated in the Los Angeles and Inland Empire areas, to receive a wider insight on the various perceptions of individuals from different backgrounds. Participants younger than 18 years of age were excluded from the study. The survey consisted of 19 questions revolving around the core competencies of athletic training: emergency care, general medical conditions, rehabilitation, and orthopedic evaluations. Participants evaluated whether medical scrubs, business casual, a lab coat, khakis with a polo, or a school branded t-shirt with shorts presented higher levels of clinical competence. From the one-hundred thirty-one completed responses, 40.5% were identified as students, 33.6% as student-athletes and 25.9% as non-students. Across all groups, medical scrubs were perceived as conveying the highest level of clinical competence in emergency care, receiving 34.6% of student votes, 36.8% from student-athletes and 35.4% from non-students over the other forms of attire. Khakis with a polo followed medical scrubs with 31.4% from students, 26.4% from student-athletes and 32.3% from non-students. In the domains of orthopedic evaluation and injury rehabilitation, an individual wearing khakis paired with a polo shirt was most frequently perceived with having the highest level of clinical competence. In the domain of orthopedic evaluation, khakis with a polo received 37.7% of the votes from students, 33.3% from student-athletes and 30.3% from non-students. Medical scrubs followed with 25.5% from students, 30.9% from student-athletes and 28.8% from non-students. Khakis and a polo received 55.7% from students, 45.8% from students-athletes and 50.8% from non-students in injury rehabilitation. Regarding general medical conditions, a lab coat was most commonly perceived as signifying the highest level of clinical competence, receiving 53.8% of student responses, 43.9% from student-athletes and 53% from non-students. In conclusion, the three populations demonstrated similar responses in each domain regardless of individualized experiences or encounters with healthcare professionals. Although participants perceived specific attire demonstrated competence, comfortability and functionality remains untested. This study suggests that attire influences the public's perception of athletic trainer's expertise in the field. As the field continues to seek recognition within healthcare, adopting a dress code that aligns with the public's perception may enhance the credibility and professional standing of athletic trainers
The Impact of Balance Training on Knee and Ankle Injuries in Athletes: A Literature Review
Get PDF[ABSTRACT ONLY; NO FULL TEXT] Balance and proprioceptive training have gained significant attention as effective strategies for reducing lower-limb injuries in athletes, particularly in sports that involve frequent jumping, pivoting, and rapid directional changes. Ankle and knee injuries, including anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears and ankle sprains, are among the most common and debilitating injuries in sports such as basketball, soccer, and gymnastics (Eils et al., 2010; Mandelbaum et al., 2005). Despite the increasing implementation of proprioceptive and balance training programs, inconsistencies remain regarding their effectiveness in preventing injuries across various athletic populations. This systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy of different balance and proprioceptive training interventions in reducing injury incidence, improving postural control, and enhancing neuromuscular stability in athletes. A systematic literature search was conducted using electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus. The search focused on studies published within the last 15 years, prioritizing the most recent 10 years where available. Keywords included "balance training," "proprioception," "neuromuscular," "postural control," "injury prevention," "athletes," "ankle sprains," and "ACL injury." Only studies involving structured balance and proprioceptive training interventions, targeting injury reduction or performance enhancement, were included. A total of 10 studies met the inclusion criteria, examining diverse athlete populations across basketball, soccer, rhythmic gymnastics, and running (Baltich et al., 2014; Cumps et al., 2007; Dobrijevic et al., 2020; Emery et al., 2018; Eisen et al., 2016; Eils et al., 2010; Mandelbaum et al., 2005; Riva et al., 2016; Verhagen et al., 2004; Brachman et al., 2021). Outcomes of interest included injury incidence rates, postural control, biomechanical changes, and neuromuscular adaptations. Overall, balance and proprioception training were found to significantly reduce ankle and knee injury rates in various athletic populations. The Multistation Proprioceptive Exercise Program decreased ankle injury incidence in basketball players (Eils et al., 2010), while balance board interventions were particularly effective in preventing recurrent ankle sprains (Verhagen et al., 2004). Mandelbaum et al. (2005) demonstrated a reduction in ACL injuries among female athletes through neuromuscular training. Similarly, Emery et al. (2018) reported a 36% decrease in lower-limb injuries in youth basketball players using a structured warm-up program. However, some studies found no significant impact on first-time ankle sprains (Cumps et al., 2007), and the effects on athletic performance remained inconclusive (Brachman et al., 2021; Eisen et al., 2016). Balance and proprioceptive training programs effectively reduce injury rates, particularly for recurrent ankle sprains and ACL injuries. However, the effectiveness of these interventions varies depending on training duration, compliance, and sport-specific factors. Future research should explore optimal program designs, long-term adherence, and the integration of strength training components to maximize benefits. Coaches and clinicians should implement evidence-based balance training protocols as part of comprehensive injury prevention strategies