Convergence Behaviour of Bystanders: An Analysis of 2016 Munich Shooting Twitter Crisis Communication

Educational theory has purported the notion that student-centric modes of learning are more effective in enhancing student engagement and by extension, learning outcomes. However, the translation of this theoretical pedagogy of learning into an applied model for medical training has been wrought with difficulty due to the structural complexity of creating a classroom environment that enables students to exercise full autonomy. In this paper, we propose an intelligent computational e-learning platform for case-based learning (CBL) in Medicine that enriches and enhances the learning experiences of medical students by exposing them to simulated real-world clinical contexts. We argue that computational systems in Medicine should not merely provide a passive outlay of information, but instead promote active engagement through an immersive learning experience. This is achieved through a digital platform that renders a virtual patient simulation, which allows students to assess, diagnose, treat and test patients as they would in the real-world

I am what I am – Convergence Behaviors on Online Discussion About the Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines

Using data from an online discussion on the risk of getting blood clot from Johnson & Johnson vaccine moderated by the New York Times Facebook page, we investigated the presence of eleven convergence behaviors, and the interaction between them. While recent research focuses on misinformation or fake news as the object of analysis, we argue in this exploratory research that it is equally important to analyze who and, whenever possible, why people engage in information exchange given a particular crisis, hence their convergence behaviors. Mapping the types of postings to their authors would be an additional step to design, develop, implement, and possibly, regulate online discussions for a more effective and just civic engagement. As we witness a mass manipulation of public opinion, our findings suggest that the number of netizens that seek to correct misinformation is growing. If the society goal is to swiftly rebut as many conspiracy theories as possible, we advocate for a dual social media control strategy: restrain as much as possible the misinformation spreaders/manipulators and encourage correctors to help propagate countervailing facts

An examination of the role of images in the spread of disinformation on social media: The case of the Westminster Bridge photograph

By deeply and intensely investigating how a high-profile and well-known example of visual disinformation evolved, the thesis contributes a nuanced understanding of the phenomenon of visual disinformation as it works to shape public debate and, consequently, society and the democratic process. This was achieved through the examination of the Westminster Bridge photograph, a press photograph taken in the aftermath of a terrorist attack in the UK. The photograph was shared on Twitter by an account operated by Russian’s Internet Research Agency and was verbally reframed with an Islamophobic message, thus changing its meaning. Yet, while mis-/disinformation is of significant academic interest and has seen a substantial increase in research from a range of different disciplines, the role of images is often overlooked despite a considerable amount of mis-/disinformation being visual. Therefore, the thesis works to highlight the power and persuasiveness of a press photograph, shared in the aftermath of a terrorist attack with opportunistic framing, to spread Islamophobic disinformation. Long-recognised theories of photographic representation with contemporary conceptualisations of disinformation are incorporated to establish an understanding of how this photograph functioned as disinformation. With the photograph’s journey across social and traditional media being the principal component that drives the research, a case study methodology was established. This involved collecting data from Twitter, online news, and focus groups with British Muslim women, accompanied by content, thematic, and semiotic analysis, to encapsulate the photograph’s evolution. The examination of this case shows how, when recontextualised and shared in a context that fosters anxiety and division, a photograph can snowball from an inconsequential, rarely shared press photograph to visual disinformation to news story. That the photograph used was a press photograph is significant; audiences treat such images as visual facts, so press photographs like this example can be used to ascribe truthfulness to the accompanying verbal message. Moreover, the thesis reinforces that visuals can be harmful vehicles for spreading mis-/disinformation, especially when images are recontextualised to elicit an emotional response. The evolution of the photograph across media also highlights the significant consequences of a foreign state actor meddling in domestic politics