The Conversational Geography of Word-of-Mouth Communication and Marketing Practices

This study was a test of the utility of a diary-based methodology for revealing how word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing agents perceive their campaign and non-campaign-related WOM communication episodes. A modified version of the Iowa Communication Record, originally designed for presenting the “geography of everyday conversation,” was the base for the collection of 2,088 self-reports of the agents' WOM episodes. Data were subjected to a principal components factor analysis. The resulting factors—communication quality, value, impact, relational change, and conversational control—served to gauge differences attributable to the institutional nature of the WOM, sex of respondent and conversational partner, relationship type, and day of week.     

Critical moments in the process of educational change: understanding the dynamics of change among teacher educators

This study examines the complex process of change among teacher educators who have chosen to improve their practice in a professional development community. Storyline methodology was used to reveal the dynamic process which teacher educators undergo when they consider adopting innovative pedagogy. Findings reveal critical moments in professional development which are characterised by evaluation of feedback from colleagues and students. Professional growth results not only from interaction and negotiation of meaning within the community but also from the effects of messages received from outside the communal context. A two factor model taking into account implementation and feedback is used to show the dynamic process of evaluation and negotiation in teacher educators’ professional development trajectory. This study deepens understanding of transition towards change within learning communities, while providing insight into the development of teacher educators as a distinct professional group.     

Girls and computer science: experiences,perceptions, and career aspirations

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine ways to promote computer science (CS) among girls by exploring young women’s experiences and perceptions of CS as well as investigating factors affecting their career aspirations. American girls aged 10–16 participated in focus group interviews as well as pre-, post-, and follow-up surveys while attending a CS camp. The analysis of data revealed that although the participants were generally positive about the CS field, they had very limited knowledge of and experience with CS, leading to little aspiration to become computer scientists. The findings also indicated that girls’ affinity for and confidence in CS were critical factors affecting their motivation for pursuing a CS-related career. The study demonstrated that participation in the CS camp motivated a small number of participants to be interested in majoring in CS, but the activity time was too short to make a significant impact. Based on the findings, we suggest that providing CS programming experiences in K-12 classrooms is important in order to boost girls’ confidence and interest in CS.     

Institutional Image and Retention

The image or `branding' issue hasbecome a strategic managerial decision forpostsecondary institutions because it impactsupon the desire of a student to persist andcomplete, or to drop out. This paper examinesthe relationship that exists between students'expectations and their lived experience asreported by students in an actual institutionalsetting. It is a case study which suggestsactionable outcomes for the particularinstitution. More importantly, the approachused here is easily replicable and may beemployed to provide useful information forimage enhancement in other university settings.     

Film Biography

Gary Carey, All the Stars in Heaven: Louis B. Mayer's M-G-M (New York: E. P. Dutton, 1981 -- $18.50 hardcover).

Wyn Wachhorst, Thomas Alva Edison: An American Myth (Cambridge: MIT Press, 1981 -- $15.00).

Alexander Walker, Garbo: A Portrait (New York: Macmillan, 1980 -- $19.95 cloth).

Henry C. Rogers, Walking the Tightrope: The Private Confessions of a Public Relations Man (New York: William Morrow, 1980 -- $10.95 hardcover).

Scott Palmer, A Who's Who of British Film Actors (Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1981 -- no price given).

Tony Thomas, The Films of Ronald Reagan (Secaucus, N.J.: Citadel Press, 1980 -- $16.95).

Jim Connor, Ann Miller: Tops in Taps, An Authorized Pictorial History (New York: Franklin Watts, 1981 -- $10.95 paper).

Raymond Strait and Terry Robinson in Lanza: His Tragic Life (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: 1981 -- $10.00 hardcover)

Irene Adler in I Remember Jimmy: The Life and Times of Jimmy Durante (New York: Arlington House, 1981 -- $8.95 paper)

Jack Oakie, Jack Oakie's Double Takes (San Francisco: Strawberry Hill Press, 1980 -- $10.95 paper).

Marilyn Henry and Ron De Sourdis, The Films of Alan Ladd (Secaucus, N.J.: The Citadel Press, 1981 -- $16.95).