Social network sites have recently become extremely popular online destinations as they offer users easy ways to build and maintain their relationships with each other. Consequently, students, lecturers, teachers, parents and businesses are using these tools to communicate with each other in a fast and cost-effective manner. However, literature suggests that the full potential of social network sites has not yet been revealed since users are still battling to overcome the various negative characteristics surrounding these sites. A framework for appropriate use of these sites is needed so that users are able to overcome these negative aspects, allowing them to be more effective and use the sites successfully. The goal of this research is to construct a framework for perceived successful use of social computing tools in educational institutions. This framework will include critical success factors that need to be adopted by users in order to develop the positive aspects of social computing, while at the same time overcoming the disadvantages experienced by users. Factors for successful use were derived from the literature and consolidated into a theoretical framework in order to understand the factors that drive successful use of social network sites. Measures used to test successful use of social network sites were also derived from these sources and were included in the same theoretical framework; these measures allow users to evaluate the extent of perceived successful use of social network sites. This framework was tested empirically by means of a pilot study and online survey, and revised according to the results of the survey. The factors were identified using Cronbach alpha coefficients (in the pilot study) and exploratory factor analysis to confirm the reliability of the scales developed. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient analysis, t-tests and Pearson Chi-Square tests were used to measure the relationships amongst the variables in the framework proposed in this research. The factors influencing perceived successful use of social network sites were identified by the empirical study as: • Privacy and Security Settings need to be enabled. These are split into: - Settings: content that users allow others to see - Viewers: people who are allowed onto a user's profile • It is necessary for users to practise Legal and Acceptable Activities when using social network sites • Suspect Information needs to be checked before sharing it with others • Personal and Professional Time needs to be separated to ensure that work is completed before social activities occur • Users need to practise Professional and Ethical Behaviour • Users need to have a Positive Attitude when using social network sites • Usability of sites affects their success. This includes: - technical capacity (broadband) - ease of use - functionality (range of features and functions) • Current and Controversial Issues need to be discussed on social network sites. The extent to which social network sites are being used successfully can be evaluated by the presence of the following measures: • Range of Content must be available to users. This includes: - Content displayed on profiles - Viewers able to visit profiles • Visitors Behaviour is monitored and no unwanted visitors are present users' profiles • Social Contracts found on sites are followed by users • Critical Thinking Skills and Accurate Information are displayed by users • Work is completed before social activities occur on sites • A Variety of Users is present on sites • Collaboration between people as well as variety of opinions exist on sites • Social Capital (well-being) is present after users have been on sites • Learning and Advising Skills are enhanced on sites. The framework developed provides users with a useful instrument to overcome the negative characteristics associated with social network sites. If used successfully, social network sites can offer lecturers and students a unique method to develop their relationship, creating a positive learning experience.

A lo largo del trabajo entonces notarán un análisis constante desde el corazón mismo de la observación, así, son las categorías y definiciones surgidas desde el terreno mismo las que interpelan al lector y promueven una lectura activa y no pasiva, son las grietas de la propia naturaleza de lo observado, los limites que toda participación observante conlleva y lo complejo de reflejar una realidad siempre en movimiento, lo que hará las veces de puntales de acceso al texto. El trabajo está dividido en tres segmentos. El punto de partida son nociones más o menos fijas que sirvan de soporte para el surgimiento de las categorías de la segunda parte, las cuales darán paso a un zoom out que permita tener un plano general de lo analizado y reverberar aquello que podría haber sido omitido en la primera y segunda parte, así como presentar matices dentro de ellas. / Trabajo de investigación

This study explores similarities and differences in turntaking structures in the discourse of a group of typical children and one atypical child. Nineteen normally developing pre-school children and one atypical child were videotaped reading books with their parents. Each of the nineteen parent/child dyads were videotaped at the child's pre-school, and the atypical child (Ben) was videotaped at school both with a trained educator and with his mother. Analyses of the resulting videotapes yielded categorical data on types and structures of turntaking. The utterances of the typical children appeared most often in the category of response. This finding also applied to Ben when he was interacting with his teacher, although when Ben was interacting with his mother the majority of his utterances appeared in the category of imitation. Parents of the typical children used primarily responses, mands and turnabouts. The greatest difference between Ben's mother and the other parents is found in the categories of response and mand which were lower in the case of Ben's mother. It appears that conversational turntaking in a language delayed child is different from the pattern of conversational turntaking in a group of typical children. If indeed the This study explores similarities and differences in turntaking structures in the discourse of a group of typical children and one atypical child. Nineteen normally developing pre-school children and one atypical child were videotaped reading books with their parents. Each of the nineteen parent/child dyads were videotaped at the child's pre-school, and the atypical child (Ben) was videotaped at school both with a trained educator and with his mother. Analyses of the resulting videotapes yielded categorical data on types and structures of turntaking. The utterances of the typical children appeared most often in the category of response. This finding also applied to Ben when he was interacting with his teacher, although when Ben was interacting with his mother the majority of his utterances appeared in the category of imitation. Parents of the typical children used primarily responses, mands and turnabouts. The greatest difference between Ben's mother and the other parents is found in the categories of response and mand which were lower in the case of Ben's mother. It appears that conversational turntaking in a language delayed child is different from the pattern of conversational turntaking in a group of typical children. If indeed the difficulty lies with interaction, or turntaking skills, this may have significant implications for approaches to remediation used with children who are identified as autistic or severely learning disabled. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

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This thesis suggests other ways of helping students resist blind submission to the discourse of the university. The primary objective is to discuss meaningful ways of transforming composition classrooms into counter hegemonic cultural environments where students can critically examine the complications of cultural dynamics and power relations within the communication process.

Language brokering is known as the translating transaction between two individuals. This study seeks to investigate the language brokering which occurs between Latino parents and their children. In particular, it seeks to examine Latino parents' comfort level in different brokering settings/places and with different individuals.

The key objective of this master's thesis is to elucidate processes that increase the effectiveness of interpersonal communication in company Saint-Gobain Weber Terranova, Inc. The paper is divided into two main sections. The first part provides a theoretical summary. Followed second empirical section which is based on research of actual quality of interpersonal communication in company. The results of a questionary research as the main data-collecting tool will make a headstone for a set of proposals which will result in more effective internal communication in the above-mentioned company.

This study was designed to examine two questions. First, does increasing Myers-Briggs Type similarity correlate with improved performance by counselor supervisor/supervisee dyads? Second, is the Communication Style Adjustment Index superior to the cognitive style scale matching procedure as a method of quantifying MBTI similarity in dyads? Sixty-eight supervisor/supervisee dyads were recruited from University of North Texas Counselor Education Master's level practicum classes. Supervisee class rankings and supervisor performance ratings were correlated with the dyads' MBTI similarity as measured by the Communication Style Adjustment Index and the cognitive style matching procedure. While none of the hypotheses were supported it was noted that there was interaction approaching significance between dyadic similarity using the Communication Style Adjustment Index and supervisor performance ratings.

The study compared an experimental group (n=26) who participated in weekly SIS sessions as an adjunct to existing treatment protocols for a period of 6-8 weeks, to a control group (n=14) who matriculated in treatment without the addition of SIS training for a period of 6-8 weeks. Subjects completed a battery of questionnaires at the beginning of the measurement period and at the end of the measurement period. The SASSI-2, The McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD), and the Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control Scale were used to measure groups on recovery related variables at Pre-Test and Post-Test. Results demonstrated a consistent pattern of improvement over the time measure. The results of the interaction of group and time demonstrated a pattern of gains which did not reach statistical significance, partially as an artifact of the small sample size. An investigation of effect sizes was conducted to detect the effect of SIS training. The training was found to have a moderate effect size, which was consistent with other research using SIS training. Some areas for possible future research were addressed.