<p> This thesis is a discussion and analysis of the piece I presented at Signal Flow, the graduate music festival at Mills College, on March 8th, 2018 called pls don&rsquo;t(!) silence ur cellphones. This analysis will be punctuated with various theoretical asides meant to shed light on different aspects of the work and to present a clearer view of my own artistic mission. Since one of the hardest parts of doing work similar to mine is finding the right ways to do it, I hope this paper will at least serve as a resource for those with similar goals. In the spirit of open source, I want the tools and the processes to be as transparent as possible in order to encourage other artists and to expand a now relatively small community. My piece uses only the audience&rsquo;s cellphones as sound sources. I use a centrally-located projected display supplemented by the cellphone displays themselves to choreograph the audience&rsquo;s movements around the space. The piece aims to encourage interesting, fulfilling interactions for the audience while producing a complex sonic result through these interactions. In doing this, there arose many intersecting (and often extramusical) concerns and issues that I needed to address. This paper then serves largely to examine the failures and successes of this pursuit in the hopes of outlining future directions for the project. For this piece, audience members are invited to log onto a website on their cellphone. This website contains a brief set of instructions as well as a &ldquo;start&rdquo; button which, when pressed, activates a Web Audio app which produces sound. Each phone then basically becomes a mobile speaker in a large speaker array composed of the aggregate of all of the audience members&rsquo; phones. The interface on the phones is intentionally spare and minimal in order to encourage audience members to keep their focus elsewhere; it merely displays a solid block of color indicating which group the audience member belongs to at different parts of the piece and flashes white briefly when a new instruction is sent out. The main interface which all audience members react to is a projected image which acts as a sort of topographical map of the performance space. The audience is directed through a sequence of different spatial orientations which are accompanied by changes in the sonic material presented on their phones. The main goals of the piece are 1) to quickly and cheaply create an accessible &ldquo;high-tech&rdquo; listening experience, 2) to encourage and foster social contact (while problematizing and questioning the role of instruction and suggestion), and 3) to present various compositional ideas which are inherent to the work&rsquo;s form and sonic affect.</p><p>

<p> Bullying prevention in schools has arguably met with limited success in the United States. Diversity negatively impacts the success of bullying prevention programs. Furthermore, researchers do not agree upon intervention timing and appropriate grade-level to implement bullying prevention and social-emotional learning and skill-building programs. Urban schools faced with high poverty have an increased need for bullying prevention programs to alleviate bullying and aggression. The purpose of this study was to test for significant differences between urban elementary schools after a treatment group participated in a targeted bullying prevention and social skill-building program and to test for grade-level differences from fall to spring using a quantitative causal-comparative design. The sample included four urban schools in Ohio with 24 grade-levels and six time points each. The data generated were analyzed retrospectively in a causal-comparative research design. A two-way mixed ANOVA BBW was conducted on the summary totals of the number of students disciplined for bullying and aggression using six time points with three for fall or before treatment and three for spring or after treatment comparing a treatment group to a control group. Significant differences were not found between control and treatment or between grade groups (<i>p</i> > .05). Bullying and aggression started the school year and ended the school year slightly higher in the 4-6^th grade group. Significant differences were found from fall to spring (<i>F</i> (5,16) = 7.704, <i>p</i> = .001). Overall the study findings indicate the targeted bullying prevention and social-skill building program did not result in reducing bullying and aggressive behavior in the sample population.</p><p>

<p> First created in 1974, the largest table-top role-playing game (RPG) <i> Dungeons &amp; Dragons</i> (D&amp;D) started out as a war game where multiple players could join in and fight monsters. Grounded in fantasy conventions and as a way to explore fantasy genres, <i>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</i> popularity continued through new editions and add-ons. In addition, <i> Dungeons &amp; Dragons</i> legacy has lived on in the gaming world as the father of most RPGs and fantasy games with a large fan following across various editions and over multiple decades. The fan following is still evident today due to D&amp;D's foundations in high fantasy. An exploration of the ways in which fantasy narrative plays a role in the fan culture of D&amp;D is necessary to understand how the aspects of fantasy affect gameplay and how players view D&amp;D. By conducting a study of <i>Dungeons &amp; Dragons </i> players which focused on close game play, players' relationships to other fantasy genres, and how players interacted with game conventions, I explored the ways in which <i>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</i> introduced players to fantasy and how they participated in a fandom. This paper will present the findings of the study as well as situate <i>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</i> in relationship to other fantasy and gaming subcultures. </p><p>

<p> The purpose of this qualitative research study was to examine and identify the best practices and strategies for human resource managers and organizational leaders to utilize to decrease the generational gaps amongst the four generations currently employed in the labor force, and to create and sustain a vital, multigenerational workforce. The four generations currently working side-by-side in the United States are the Traditionalists, the Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y, better known as the Millennials. Each generational cohort brings unique variables to the workplace such as behaviors, expectations, personal values, communication styles, and motivational factors that create challenges for organizations. Learning how to overcome these challenges will assist in creating connectivity among the cohorts, benefiting organizations in numerous ways, including greater operating efficiency and retention of employees. </p><p> By understanding the different characteristics and needs of the four respective generations, as well as recognizing how to utilize the strengths of each generation, organizational leaders and human resource professionals can utilize the findings to advance generational management strategies for creating and managing a vital intergenerational workforce which is accomplished by staff from each of the four generations working together constructively to support the goals and purpose of the organization. Findings from this study may also contribute to the existing methods human resource managers and business leaders currently use to create workplaces of greater understanding, mutual respect, appreciation, acceptance and inclusiveness of the four different generations in the workforce, as well as facilitate new human resource policies to address workplace differences and conflict amongst the four generations. Further, the benefits from a vital intergenerational workforce may increase employee productivity, satisfaction, retention, loyalty, and the ability of employers to attract new talent from each of the four generations to its workforce. </p><p>

<p> The whereabouts of the unsheltered homeless population in Orange County, CA is determined by various push-pull factors. Access to services, methods and intensity of policing, and general tolerance by local residents or business owners all factor into where those experiencing homelessness will congregate. Public policy is related to these concepts as it is influenced by resident input and is the tool used to implement services and guide law enforcement. This thesis takes a closer look into factors specific to the rapid growth of homeless encampments at the Santa Ana Riverbed in Northern Orange County. The research tracks the growth of homeless encampments in the study area dating back to 2013 using geospatial techniques and analyzes the increase in numbers in relation to changes in local policies, such as anti-camping ordinances. Specifically, the research relied upon analysis of aerial imagery and data collected in the field. The study finds that disproportionate enforcement of anti-camping laws in the riverbed and adjacent cities created a hospitable area for homeless persons in the Santa Ana Riverbed. Finding a catalyst that explains the rapid growth of encampments in the last two years is less clear, but likely due to a variety of factors.</p><p>

<p> This researcher examined the recruitment process to identify best practices for law enforcement leaders to populate vacant positions with a competent and skilled workforce. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to identify best practices for law enforcement agencies to recruit and maintain trustworthy officers to protect local communities. The conceptual framework for this study was based on the historical evolution of recruitment practices. The researcher used a review of past and present police-recruitment practices to help identify best practices by which law enforcement administrators can select trustworthy officers. This case study was used to examine and compare recruitment practices, minimum requirements, disqualifiers, advertising campaigns, testing procedures, background investigations, and panel interviews. The researcher conducted face-to-face interviews with law enforcement officers and human resource personnel from four of Virginia&rsquo;s law enforcement departments, and identified three themes based on the sample population&rsquo;s responses: strategy, trends, and requirements. The researcher identified a progression of recruitment practices executed by a layered-approach. The recruitment process addressed eligibility requirements and potential disqualifiers established by hiring authorities and the State of Virginia. Through the findings of this study, law enforcement leaders may be armed with new knowledge to improve the recruitment process, with the end result of recruiting a qualified and competent workforce.</p><p>

abstract: There is a popular notion that creativity is highly valued in our culture. However, those "in the trenches," people in creative endeavors that actually produce the acts of creativity, say this is not so. There is a negative correlation between the value stated and the true value placed on creativity by our contemporary culture. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate that correlation as well as a possible contributing factor to this negative correlation--the fear of risk involved in enacting and accepting creativity. The methods used in this study were literature review and interview. An extensive literature review was done, as much has been written on creativity. The review was done in four parts: 1) the difficulty in defining creativity; 2) fear and the fear of creativity; 3) solutions - ways to be, express, and accept creativity; and 4) the plethora of articles written about creativity. Six one-on-one interviews were conducted with creative individuals from a variety of commercial creative endeavors. Creatives in commercial fields were chosen specifically because of their ability to influence the culture. The results of this study showed that the hypothesis, that there is a negative correlation between the value stated and the true value placed on creativity, is true. The fear of risk involved in enacting and accepting creativity as a factor in this dichotomy was also shown to be true. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S.D. Design 2013

<p> This mixed methods study employed an instrumental single-bounded case approach to explore how a policing executive develops and sustains an ethically performing organization, given the phenomenological "<i>policing power-public trust</i>" relationship. Policing is foundational to rule of law and ethical performance in policing is fundamental to developing and sustaining a healthy policing power-public trust relationship. A review of relevant policing literature reveals a history of tension and conflict in this complex relationship. The literature review included relevant social <i>contract theory</i>, history of policing and the policing power-public trust relationship, relational leadership, servant leadership, transformational learning and leadership and change management. Organizational related literature included relevant aspects of organizational learning, performance, change and transformation. </p><p> Qualitative interviews were conducted with the policing executive and a quantitative survey instrument was pilot study validated and subsequently administered to the organization's sworn personnel. From qualitative and quantitative data collected, analyzed and integrated, 26 findings emerged. Further analysis of the findings resulted in four emergent themes. Results suggest that in a highly dynamic environment, a pragmatic role-modeling and holistic leadership strategy to drive ethical performance by leveraging a culture of accountability, best practice, and change readiness has potential external ecological application. In turn, ethical performance may generate public trust when an organization leverages innovative capacity to connect with its community through a robust strategy of active communication and transparency. </p><p> Although emergent findings or themes may have limited ecological application with similarly situated chiefs, organizations and communities, external generalizability is not foreseeable. Recommendations for future research include use of a multiple case study methodology to focus on one or more themes identified in this inquiry. A study could be undertaken to identify how leaders in organizations with relatively stable environments lead their respective organizations to perform ethically and build public trust. Given this organization's current success and expected future benefits from having developed and implemented a robust community engagement strategy, a study of similarly effective external communication strategies could be undertaken to identify the relative value and community impact.</p><p>

<p> This research was an investigation into the retirement experiences of people who reported that they really enjoyed (or continue to enjoy) work. A brief history of retirement and a literature review of theories of human development relevant to retirement were provided. Myths about retirement were addressed. A new definition of retirement was offered. Retirement was found to be, for most people, a desired and positive experience. Outliers were identified for whom this was not the case, among them, those who really liked or like their work. This project investigated the retirement experiences of these workers when they retired after a primary career, and when they decided never to retire. Many of those who really liked or like their work were found to prefer their working lives to retirement.</p><p>

<p> This dissertation determined the perceptions of school board presidents regarding their superintendent's leadership style and the self-perceptions of superintendents regarding their personal leadership style. The leadership framework of Bass and Avolio (2004) was used to focus on three specific leadership styles of superintendents: transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership. This information was vital because superintendents are considered the chief executive officers responsible for the day-to-day management of school districts.</p><p> The methodology for this study was quantitative with a correlational design. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire ([MLQ], 2004) was used to gather perceptions regarding transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership styles from school board presidents regarding the leadership style of their superintendent and from superintendents regarding their personal leadership style. Seventy-five matched pairs (school board presidents and superintendents from the same school district) were collected to analyze research questions.</p><p> To address research questions one and two, the researcher conducted descriptive statistics on the data to describe the school board presidents&rsquo; perceptions regarding superintendent's leadership style. In addition, a one-sample <i> t</i>-test was used to compare the mean leadership style scores to a hypothesized mean. Once analyzed, data indicated that school board presidents perceived their superintendents to exhibit transformational and transactional leadership styles and did not perceive their superintendents to exhibit a laissez-faire leadership style. Superintendents&rsquo; ratings of their own leadership style indicated a strong tendency towards transformational leadership, with some tendencies towards the transactional leadership style. Superintendents scored lowest in laissez-faire leadership style.</p><p> For research question three, the assumption of linearity was assessed using a Pearson <i>r</i> correlation analyses. There were no statistically significant relationships between public school board presidents&rsquo; and superintendents&rsquo; behavior scores.</p><p> This study illustrated the importance of finding a superintendent&rsquo;s leadership style and skills. It specifically highlighted the importance of ensuring a positive fit between a superintendent&rsquo;s leadership style, the needs of a school board, and the needs of the district. The research established a statistically strong link between school board presidents&rsquo; and superintendents&rsquo; perceptions of leadership.</p><p>