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Based on the news coverage published 2020 that exposed practices of censorship and shadowbanning of LGBTQ+ creators implemented with the help of the TikTok algorithm the aim of this thesis was established (Ryan et al., 2020). The thesis analyze communication published on the Reddit forum r/actuallesbians regarding the lesbian community on TikTok to examine if there had been algorithmic “folk theories” created regarding the platform’s algorithm. This was done by performing a qualitative thematic content analysis of posts dedicated to the subject of TikTok’s algorithm and lesbian TikTok creators sourced from the Reddit forum. The data sample collected was 4 Reddit posts and their 116 subsequential comments published by 68 users. This analysis found that there were two main themes present in the user’s algorithmic theories; algorithm as it is and algorithm as you make it. Depending on the individuals’ beliefs regarding the algorithm it also affected their belief on the platforms ability to host a diverse lesbian community. The study found that the community had created opposing “folk theories” regarding the function of the algorithm and to what extent the community could create narratives representing the whole community. Depending on the “folk theory” the users were analyzed to fit into, they exhibited different behaviors and beliefs on how community could be created on the platform.

This dissertation studies the social and ethical implications of the core Buddhist teaching of Interdependent Co-Arising, which is the logic of Buddhist reasoning and the guiding principle of Buddhist ethics. By appealing to the Nikaya-s, the foundational texts recognized by all Buddhist schools on the one hand, and referencing contemporary socio-economic studies and poststructuralist feminist theories on the other, I revive and theorize about a dynamic sense of Buddhist social ethics, examine its relevance in the contemporary world, and make it acceptable and accessible to the largest number of Buddhists and non-Buddhist scholars and activists. This approach of appropriating non-Buddhist sources in order to make the Buddhist Dhamma relevant in alleviating dukkha is grounded in the Buddha's own teachings and examples. Poststructuralist feminist theories not only offer a much needed critique to the pervasive androcentrism in Buddhist circles, but are also useful in capturing the dynamic complexities that are conveyed by the teaching of Interdependent Co-Arising. In poststructuralist feminist language, any individual subject is a socio-psycho-physical compound shaped and delimited by socio-cultural sedimentations as well as by his/her mental formations, hence the Buddhist teaching of Non-Self. At the same time, it is due to people's repeated actions that socio-cultural sedimentations are formed and dukkha is created and perpetuated in the world. Therefore, in the Buddha's teachings, kamma inevitably has a social dimension and demands attention to the dukkha-producing social norms. Ethics is thus not a set of rigid, inalterable rules, but an ongoing process of striving to be ethical in the midst of ever-changing relations among ever-changing beings. And Sangha, one of the Three Jewels in which all Buddhists take refuge, is not a closed community bound by blood relation or geographical proximity, but an unending effort of building communities and working interconnections with multiple different others. The cessation of dukkha, in this view, is not a static existence where nothing happens, but a dynamic endeavor of working on one's behavioral, emotive, and conceptual transformation in order to alleviate dukkha and continuingly make peace in this world. It requires the participation of everyone entangled in the interconnected web of life. / Religion

Tango invites communication and creativity, it offers growth and community, and, in Philadelphia, it draws a unique cohort of dancers. What forces have driven growth of the Philadelphia tango community, who exactly are its members, and why do they dance tango? This qualitative and quantitative study recounts the community's history, reveals the people at its core, and explores what the dance means to them. It is a mixed-method, multi-layered integration of dance history, community profile, and individual narrative. Twenty-six instructors and event organizers provided data on the community's history. More than 100 dancers participated in a survey that gathered descriptive and demographic data, and nine dancers gave interviews on their lived experiences of tango. The community grew steadily from 1991 through 2006. Early local entrepreneurs modeled an ethos that placed a premium on tango's community-building capacity. This ethos remained a central force in the community's growth, drawing a unique cohort of dancers. Compared to Philadelphia census data, tango survey respondents were fifteen years older on average, more likely to be divorced or to have been born outside of the continental United States, better educated with higher incomes, and more likely to work in the arts. Ethnographic, quantitative, and mixed methods analysis reveals how tango may serve these unique cohorts and how many dancers perceive that tango enhances their physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social lives. Phenomenological inquiry explores dancers' concepts of spirituality and how some made spiritual meaning from tango experiences. Four central themes that emerged--tango music, tango dance, interactive experience, and internal experience--can be theorized to intertwine in a cycle wherein tango invites human interaction that leads to internal growth, which improves one's capacity to dance tango, thus creating a more satisfying interactive and internal experience. This research represents the first comprehensive study of tango in Philadelphia. It documents the creation of a popular social dance community in a major U.S. city and offers new data and theories on community building. It is also the first study to explore intersections between spirituality and tango and offers new insights into how tango improves adults' health and well being. / Dance

no abstract provided by author / Master of Architecture

In today’s education context, not all young people are able to complete their high school education. In fact, in 2016, the number of low-income young people ages 16 to 24 years who did not complete high school or were not enrolled in high school was 3.7 times higher than those of high-income families (McFarland et al., 2018). This may be due to discipline policies, conflicts with teachers and administrators, and other factors creating a poor school climate. The COVID-19 pandemic further created a sense of isolation amongst many students, causing disengagement from traditional approaches and revealing a need for an increased focus on community building. Sense of belonging is an important factor impacting school climate, academic outcomes, and well-being for students. However, research regarding the practices which foster belonging is limited. This qualitative study investigated teacher perceptions of sense of belonging in their context, as well as the classroom and school-wide practices that influence and foster a sense of belonging with their students. Findings suggest that student belonging is observable, impacted by previous schooling experiences, and fostered through caring, relational practices. Findings reveal effective classroom and school-wide practices linked to elements of critical hope that teachers used in order to build a sense of belonging with their students. Findings culminate in a graphic displaying these practices which could serve as a framework for implementation. In order to create classroom environments that empower students, the findings suggest the need for teachers to apply practices such as setting community agreements; embracing student-centered, collaborative instruction; and having hard conversations instead of removing students from class. This research indicates the need for school site leaders to review existing school policies and practices to be more inclusive of high-need students. The findings also suggest that policy makers allocate increased funding for schools to become community centers, allowing them to better foster social interaction and recreational activities.

Public housing provides affordable housing for low-income families. However, the physical and social conditions have deteriorated since its inception, resulting in housing environments that are isolated and disconnected from surrounding neighborhoods and often plagued by crime and violence. This study explores opportunities for enhancing residents' sense of ownership, control, and efficacy through the redesign of outdoor spaces at the Fulton public housing development in Richmond, VA. Residents participated in a design process that produced a Conceptual Landscape Master Plan based on their preferences, and a set of guidelines and recommendations for the implementation and maintenance of the proposed external spaces of the Master Plan. The study presents design objectives and criteria addressing public-private spatial delineations, public space, pedestrian and vehicular circulation, development image, and safety considerations. These objectives and criteria were used to evaluate design options and to generate two design concepts from which the residents selected appropriate design solutions for their housing development. The study concludes with the presentation of a preferred Conceptual Landscape Master Plan. The plan presents a hierarchy of public-to-private spaces, clear delineations of semi-public and semi-private spaces, and the location of active and passive public recreational spaces. It also addresses the legibility of pedestrian and vehicular access, circulation, and parking, as well as safety issues such as natural surveillance, access control, and territoriality. The participatory process guided the redesign of the Fulton public housing site, and also provided an understanding of the underlying social conditions that significantly impact the residents and their use of space. The preferred landscape design reflects the residents' needs, concerns, and wishes, and creates opportunities to foster interaction and involvement among the residents and the surrounding communities. / Master of Landscape Architecture

This master's thesis deals with marketing and building communities on social networks with an emphasis on Facebook. Its purpose is to present the possibilities utilization of social networks in marketing with a focus on building communities. The thesis analyze the possibilities of using social network Facebook for the specific case of an internet portal then formulate proposals and recommendations for work and then evaluate the implemented activities. At first, the author defines the social network, attends to their historical evolution, defines the types and describes the most widely known world and Czech services. Further, the master's thesis discusses a marketing potential of social networks and especially of Facebook, on which is the practical part applied. At that is described and evaluated the specific case of building a community of web site Marketing Journal.

This study investigated a synchronous web-based course system (SWBCS) as a supplement todistance learning courses. Although challenges exist (such as the complex interface and potentialtechnological problems); these systems hold the potential to enhance the distance learning experiencethrough increased interaction, immediacy, social presence, group work, and collaboration. Using a rigorous blend of research methods, the study investigated the following questions: (1) what types of pedagogical strategies do instructors implement, (2) how do instructors utilize the tools, (3) which tools do instructors choose to use, (4) why do instructors use the tools and strategies that they choose, and (5) what perceptions do students and instructors have about using a SWBCS? A total of five unique cases were examined using surveys, interviews, focus groups, analysis of archival documents and extensive classroom observations. The classrooms observations were essential to answering the research questions; a comprehensive observation instrument was developed and validated during this research. Results show instructors implemented familiar strategies based on their teaching styles. The most successful strategies were: (1) mini lectures with interactive exercises, (2) structured group work and collaborative exercises, and (3) case study discussions. Each instructor used the tools in the synchronous system to solve a problem or address an issue, such as lack of immediacy or the need to guide the assimilation of information. Most instructors used a wide variety of the tools, including: (1) VOIP, (2) textual chat, (3) white board, (4) hand raising and emoticons, and (5) breakout rooms. Although some tried many tools, most chose to use tools based on training, experience, the teaching strategies selected and student needs. Both instructor and student perceptions were positive and all of the instructors planned to continue to use a SWBCS in the future. Overall, the SWBCS was found to supplement existing distance courses, allowing educators to build connections with and among students more efficiently and increase the potential for interaction in the online classroom. In addition, this research provided the initial framework for the development of a set of guidelines to support the planning and use of SWBCS in higher education instruction.

Computing education requires qualified computing teachers. The reality is that too few high schools in the U.S. have computing/computer science teachers with formal computer science (CS) training, and many schools do not have CS teacher at all. Moreover, teacher retention rate is often low. Beginning teacher attrition rate is particularly high in secondary education. Therefore, in addition to the need for preparing new CS teachers, we also need to support those teachers we have recruited and trained to become better teachers and continue teaching CS. Teacher education literature, especially teacher identity theory, suggests that a strong sense of teacher identity is a major indicator or feature of committed, qualified teachers. However, under the current educational system in the U.S., it could be challenging to establish teacher identity for high school (HS) CS teachers, e.g., due to a lack of teacher certification for CS. This thesis work centers upon understanding the sense of identity HS CS teachers hold and exploring ways of supporting their identity development through a professional development program: the Disciplinary Commons for Computing Educators (DCCE). DCCE has a major focus on promoting reflection on teaching practice and community building. With scaffolded activities such as course portfolio creation, peer review and peer observation among a group of HS CS teachers, it offers opportunities for CS teachers to explicitly reflect on and narrate their teaching, which is a central process of identity building through their participation within the community. In this thesis research, I explore the development of CS teacher identity through professional development programs. I first conducted an interview study with local HS CS teachers to understand their sense of identity and factors influencing their identity formation. I designed and enacted the professional program (DCCE) and conducted case studies with DCCE participants to understand how their participation in DCCE supported their identity development as a CS teacher. Overall,I found that these CS teachers held different teacher identities with varied features related to their motivation and commitment in teaching CS. I identified four concrete factors that contributed to these teachers' sense of professional identity as a CS teacher. I addressed some of these issues for CS teachers' identity development (especially the issue of lacking community) through offering professional development opportunities with a major focus on teacher reflection and community building. Results from this work indicate a potential model of supporting CS identity development, mapping the characteristics of the professional development program with particular facets of CS teacher identity. This work offers further understanding of the unique challenges that current CS teachers are facing in their CS teaching, as well as the challenges of preparing and supporting CS teachers. My findings also suggest guidelines for teacher education and professional development program design and implementation for building committed, qualified CS teachers in ways that promote the development of CS teacher identity.