EXPANDING FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS’ ADAPTATION OF STREAMING TECHNOLOGY

In the field of technical communication there exist few studies that specifically address faith-based organizations’ use of communication technology. The purpose of this dissertation was to show how these organizations can expand their use of streaming technology by using principles and practices that are common in technical communication. This was addressed in three phases. First, a review of the relationship between religion and media was conducted. It revealed that faith-based organizations are early adaptors of communication technology. Communication technology is used to widely broadcast their organizational missions, tenets and goals. By accomplishing these tasks, faith-based organizations seek to educate and reinforce cultural norms, images, and belief systems among their adherents and attract new members. Second, an examination of theories and instructional practices found in technical communication was conducted. It was determined that adapting a learning-centered approach to instruction can be applied to a distance education model for faith-based education. Third, faith-based websites were analyzed to determine types and current uses of communication technology. It was established that most of the organizations that offer educational courses do not conduct them online, even if they already use streaming media for other purposes. The findings suggest that faith-based organizations’ use of streaming technology for educational purposes is an area of inquiry that should be further explored by technical communicators. Technical communication provides a rich array of disciplines from which to draw, such as Instructional Design, Information Architecture, and Usability.Ph.D. in Technical Communication, May 201