ICS Materials. Towards a re-Interpretation of material qualities through interactive, connected, and smart materials.

The domain of materials for design is changing under the influence of an increased technological advancement, miniaturization and democratization. Materials are becoming connected, augmented, computational, interactive, active, responsive, and dynamic. These are ICS Materials, an acronym that stands for Interactive, Connected and Smart. While labs around the world are experimenting with these new materials, there is the need to reflect on their potentials and impact on design. This paper is a first step in this direction: to interpret and describe the qualities of ICS materials, considering their experiential pattern, their expressive sensorial dimension, and their aesthetic of interaction. Through case studies, we analyse and classify these emerging ICS Materials and identified common characteristics, and challenges, e.g. the ability to change over time or their programmability by the designers and users. On that basis, we argue there is the need to reframe and redesign existing models to describe ICS materials, making their qualities emerge

Designing interfaces in public settings

The rapidly increasing reach of computation into our everyday public settings presents new and significant challenges for the design of interfaces. One key feature of these settings is the increased presence of third parties to interaction, watching or passing-by as conduct with an interface takes place. This thesis assumes a performative perspective on interaction in public, presenting a framework derived from four empirical studies of interaction in a diverse series of public places---museums and galleries, city streets and funfairs---as well as observations on a variety of computer science, art and sociological literatures. As these settings are explored, a number of basic framework concepts are built up: * The first study chapter presents a deployment of an interactive exhibit within an artistic installation, introducing a basic division of roles and the ways in which visitors may be seen as `audience' to manipulations of interactive devices by `participants'. It also examines how visitors in an audience role may transition to active participant and vice versa. * The second study chapter describes a storytelling event that employed a torch-based interface. This chapter makes a distinction between non-professional and professional members of settings, contrasting the role of `actor' with that of participants. * The third study chapter examines a series of scientific and artistic performance events that broadcast live telemetry data from a fairground ride to a watching audience. The study expands the roles introduced in previous chapters through making a further distinction between `behind-the-scenes'---in which `orchestrators' operate---and `centre-stage' settings---in which actors present the rider's experience to the audience. * The final study chapter presents a performance art game conducted on city streets, in which participants follow a series of often ambiguous clues in order to lead them to their goal. This chapter introduces a further `front-of-house' setting, the notion of a circumscribing performance `frame' in which the various roles are situated, and the additional role of the `bystander' as part of this. These observations are brought together into a design framework which analyses other literature to complement the earlier studies. This framework seeks to provide a new perspective on and language for human-computer interaction (HCI), introducing a series of sensitising concepts, constraints and strategies for design that may be employed in order to approach the various challenges presented by interaction in public settings

The use of Internet-based communication by people with autism

Despite having difficulties in the areas of social interaction and communication, the introduction of the Internet seems to have encouraged some high-functioning autistic people to communicate with each other via chat rooms and bulletin boards. The Internet can address the social isolation of autism by improving the potential to find others who have similar experiences. Additionally it may be that, for autistic people, the Internet also offers a comfortable space more suited to their communication style, perhaps one in which their interaction seems less odd. If so, there are possible implications for this group of people in terms of education, employment and social inclusion. However there are risks. Autistic people may be particularly vulnerable to individuals misrepresenting themselves or to the possibility of over-reliance on computer-mediated interaction resulting in an exacerbation of obsessive behaviour and withdrawal from face-to-face interaction. An initial survey, to discover the extent of Internet use among people with autism and investigate their motivations for using it, was carried out, obtaining responses from 138 people with high-functioning autism or Asperger syndrome. Results indicated a high level of computer and Internet use amongst respondents and implied that email was a popular means of communication, more so than face-to-face communication even when interacting with friends. This introductory survey raised issues and questions which were explored in more depth with a subset of the respondents who were interviewed by email about their experiences, motivations and perceptions regarding Internet-based communication. In addition to 19 email interviews, data were also collected from 4 non or reluctant users of the Internet who were sent a series of questions by post. A grounded theory analysis of the data revealed a heightened awareness of communication amongst this group of participants, who offered insights into the process of communication in terms of its component parts and how it breaks down for them. Central to the analysis is a theme of the interviewee as observer, feeling detached to some degree from mainstream interaction and like an outsider. From this perspective participants offered their analysis of the complex process of communication, online and offline as they experienced it, highlighting key aspects of the Internet in relation to their own needs, ones which made it a unique form of communication. Their insights into communication are described in four themes: control, clarity, the role of nonverbal communication and the social role of communication. Additionally the interviewees expressed a sense of liberation that could come with online communication for people with Asperger syndrome/high-functioning autism such that they may interact with others on a more equal basis. This could be empowering but with the sense of liberation there was a risk of losing control over one’s interactions. The interviewees’ perceptions of CMC are explored within a uses and gratifications framework which posits that people use particular communication channels to satisfy their individual needs and motives. By using computer-mediated communication some of the social and communication barriers which contribute to the disability of autism may be broken down

Lingvistiskā variācija elektroniskajā akadēmiskajā diskursā

Promocijas darbā ir atspoguļota jauna īpaša angļu valodas diskursa veida, kas notiek akadēmiskajās aprindās ar datora starpniecību, leksisko un gramatisko formu sastopamības variācijas teorētiskā un empīriskā izpēte. Ir izstrādāta oriģināla elektroniskā akadēmiskā diskursa (EAD) definīcija. EAD piemīt specifiskas lingvistiskās īpašības, kas to atšķir no citiem angļu valodas diskursa veidiem. Ir piedāvāta oriģināla tipoloģiska EAD klasifikācija. Ir norādīti seši tipiskākie EAD veidi: akadēmiskie e-pasti, sinhronās konferences, tiešsaistes diskusijas, emuāri, hiperteksti un elektroniskie semināri. Katra EAD veida raksturošanai tika izveidoti seši specializēti tekstu sakopojumi. Lingvistisko leksisko un gramatisko formu sastopamības daudzdimensiju analīze (Biber 1988) tika izmantota kā galvenais kvantitatīvais izpētes paņēmiens. Būtiskas izmaiņas ir atklātas piecdesmit piecu leksisko un gramatisko formu. Pretēji tradicionālajam uzskatam, ka elektroniskais akadēmiskais diskurss būtiski nemainās, pētījumā iegūtie rezultāti pierāda būtisku multidimensiju variāciju dažādu EAD veidu lingvistisko līdzekļu sastopamības biežumā. Šajā pētījumā iegūtie rezultāti var būt noderīgi pētījumu veicējiem, kas pēta elektroniskās valodas atšķirības, valodas pasniedzējiem un citiem speciālistiem lietišķajā valodniecībā.The dissertation presents the undertaken theoretical and empirical research investigating a new specific type of English discourse that takes place in academic settings and is mediated by computer. An original definition of computer-mediated academic discourse (CMAD) has been elaborated. The author has demonstrated that CMAD has specific linguistic characteristics distinguishing it from other types of English discourse. An original typological classification of CMAD has been proposed. The following six most typical types of CMAD have been distinguished: academic e-mails, synchronous conferencing, online discussions, weblogs, hypertexts and computer-mediated seminars. Six specialised corpora were complied to represent each type of CMAD. Multidimentional analysis of variance of linguistic features (Biber 1988) was applied as the main quantitative research method. Considerable changes have been revealed in the use of fifty-five types of linguistic features in the corpus. Contrary to the traditional view, which regards academic discourse mediated by computer not significantly varying, the research results provide the evidence of significant multidimensional variation in the frequency of appearance of linguistic features in different types of CMAD. The findings obtained in the present research may be of interest to the researchers investigating varieties of computer-mediated language, language educators and other specialists in applied linguists

Lingvistiskā variācija elektroniskajā akadēmiskajā diskursā

Promocijas darbā ir atspoguļota jauna īpaša angļu valodas diskursa veida, kas notiek akadēmiskajās aprindās ar datora starpniecību, leksisko un gramatisko formu sastopamības variācijas teorētiskā un empīriskā izpēte. Ir izstrādāta oriģināla elektroniskā akadēmiskā diskursa (EAD) definīcija. EAD piemīt specifiskas lingvistiskās īpašības, kas to atšķir no citiem angļu valodas diskursa veidiem. Ir piedāvāta oriģināla tipoloģiska EAD klasifikācija. Ir norādīti seši tipiskākie EAD veidi: akadēmiskie e-pasti, sinhronās konferences, tiešsaistes diskusijas, emuāri, hiperteksti un elektroniskie semināri. Katra EAD veida raksturošanai tika izveidoti seši specializēti tekstu sakopojumi. Lingvistisko leksisko un gramatisko formu sastopamības daudzdimensiju analīze (Biber 1988) tika izmantota kā galvenais kvantitatīvais izpētes paņēmiens. Būtiskas izmaiņas ir atklātas piecdesmit piecu leksisko un gramatisko formu. Pretēji tradicionālajam uzskatam, ka elektroniskais akadēmiskais diskurss būtiski nemainās, pētījumā iegūtie rezultāti pierāda būtisku multidimensiju variāciju dažādu EAD veidu lingvistisko līdzekļu sastopamības biežumā. Šajā pētījumā iegūtie rezultāti var būt noderīgi pētījumu veicējiem, kas pēta elektroniskās valodas atšķirības, valodas pasniedzējiem un citiem speciālistiem lietišķajā valodniecībā.The dissertation presents the undertaken theoretical and empirical research investigating a new specific type of English discourse that takes place in academic settings and is mediated by computer. An original definition of computer-mediated academic discourse (CMAD) has been elaborated. The author has demonstrated that CMAD has specific linguistic characteristics distinguishing it from other types of English discourse. An original typological classification of CMAD has been proposed. The following six most typical types of CMAD have been distinguished: academic e-mails, synchronous conferencing, online discussions, weblogs, hypertexts and computer-mediated seminars. Six specialised corpora were complied to represent each type of CMAD. Multidimentional analysis of variance of linguistic features (Biber 1988) was applied as the main quantitative research method. Considerable changes have been revealed in the use of fifty-five types of linguistic features in the corpus. Contrary to the traditional view, which regards academic discourse mediated by computer not significantly varying, the research results provide the evidence of significant multidimensional variation in the frequency of appearance of linguistic features in different types of CMAD. The findings obtained in the present research may be of interest to the researchers investigating varieties of computer-mediated language, language educators and other specialists in applied linguists

Proceedings of the tenth international conference Models in developing mathematics education: September 11 - 17, 2009, Dresden, Saxony, Germany

This volume contains the papers presented at the International Conference on “Models in Developing Mathematics Education” held from September 11-17, 2009 at The University of Applied Sciences, Dresden, Germany. The Conference was organized jointly by The University of Applied Sciences and The Mathematics Education into the 21st Century Project - a non-commercial international educational project founded in 1986. The Mathematics Education into the 21st Century Project is dedicated to the improvement of mathematics education world-wide through the publication and dissemination of innovative ideas. Many prominent mathematics educators have supported and contributed to the project, including the late Hans Freudental, Andrejs Dunkels and Hilary Shuard, as well as Bruce Meserve and Marilyn Suydam, Alan Osborne and Margaret Kasten, Mogens Niss, Tibor Nemetz, Ubi D’Ambrosio, Brian Wilson, Tatsuro Miwa, Henry Pollack, Werner Blum, Roberto Baldino, Waclaw Zawadowski, and many others throughout the world. Information on our project and its future work can be found on Our Project Home Page http://math.unipa.it/~grim/21project.htm It has been our pleasure to edit all of the papers for these Proceedings. Not all papers are about research in mathematics education, a number of them report on innovative experiences in the classroom and on new technology. We believe that “mathematics education” is fundamentally a “practicum” and in order to be “successful” all new materials, new ideas and new research must be tested and implemented in the classroom, the real “chalk face” of our discipline, and of our profession as mathematics educators. These Proceedings begin with a Plenary Paper and then the contributions of the Principal Authors in alphabetical name order. We sincerely thank all of the contributors for their time and creative effort. It is clear from the variety and quality of the papers that the conference has attracted many innovative mathematics educators from around the world. These Proceedings will therefore be useful in reviewing past work and looking ahead to the future

The use of Internet-based communication by people with autism

Despite having difficulties in the areas of social interaction and communication, the introduction of the Internet seems to have encouraged some high-functioning autistic people to communicate with each other via chat rooms and bulletin boards. The Internet can address the social isolation of autism by improving the potential to find others who have similar experiences. Additionally it may be that, for autistic people, the Internet also offers a comfortable space more suited to their communication style, perhaps one in which their interaction seems less odd. If so, there are possible implications for this group of people in terms of education, employment and social inclusion. However there are risks. Autistic people may be particularly vulnerable to individuals misrepresenting themselves or to the possibility of over-reliance on computer-mediated interaction resulting in an exacerbation of obsessive behaviour and withdrawal from face-to-face interaction. An initial survey, to discover the extent of Internet use among people with autism and investigate their motivations for using it, was carried out, obtaining responses from 138 people with high-functioning autism or Asperger syndrome. Results indicated a high level of computer and Internet use amongst respondents and implied that email was a popular means of communication, more so than face-to-face communication even when interacting with friends. This introductory survey raised issues and questions which were explored in more depth with a subset of the respondents who were interviewed by email about their experiences, motivations and perceptions regarding Internet-based communication. In addition to 19 email interviews, data were also collected from 4 non or reluctant users of the Internet who were sent a series of questions by post. A grounded theory analysis of the data revealed a heightened awareness of communication amongst this group of participants, who offered insights into the process of communication in terms of its component parts and how it breaks down for them. Central to the analysis is a theme of the interviewee as observer, feeling detached to some degree from mainstream interaction and like an outsider. From this perspective participants offered their analysis of the complex process of communication, online and offline as they experienced it, highlighting key aspects of the Internet in relation to their own needs, ones which made it a unique form of communication. Their insights into communication are described in four themes: control, clarity, the role of nonverbal communication and the social role of communication. Additionally the interviewees expressed a sense of liberation that could come with online communication for people with Asperger syndrome/high-functioning autism such that they may interact with others on a more equal basis. This could be empowering but with the sense of liberation there was a risk of losing control over one’s interactions. The interviewees’ perceptions of CMC are explored within a uses and gratifications framework which posits that people use particular communication channels to satisfy their individual needs and motives. By using computer-mediated communication some of the social and communication barriers which contribute to the disability of autism may be broken down

DRAMATIC ARCHITECTURES. THEATRE AND PERFORMING ARTS IN MOTION

This work was funded by national funds through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., within the project UIDB/04041/2020 (Centro de Estudos Arnaldo Araújo).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Wild but wired? The construction of society and technology in rural Strathclyde.

This study critically examines the co-construction of society and technology in rural Strathclyde during the late 1990s. A range of uses of information and communications technology (ICT) - spanning employment, community development and education – is accounted for, in a variety of highly localised settings on the islands of Arran, Islay and Jura and the Kintyre peninsula. Explanation is offered as to why certain outcomes have been arrived at. The reflexive relationship between technology and society is then highlighted, as it is shown that the challenge of introducing ICT to the region has affected change in local governance structures, catalysing new partnerships while challenging existing power relations. Building upon recent work in rural studies relating to the post-productivist countryside, theories derived from the sociology of science (specifically Social Construction of Technology and Actor Network Theory approaches) are employed in an attempt to heighten understanding of local sensitivity to 'globalising' technologies. A qualitative methodology is employed, consisting of depth interviews conducted with leading local actors throughout 1997 and 1998. The narratives give insight into these actors' beliefs and motivation as they have attempted to guide the innovation, diffusion and application of ICT in the region. Critical insight is sought as to how their frequently conflicting understanding of rural needs acts as a constraint upon the contingency of technical development locally, prompting certain courses of action to be favoured above others. The study draws more generally upon the experiences of rural Strathclyde to build a model of local sensitivity to technical change in the countryside. It is argued that the power to act rests in many hands and that those local actors who possess the necessary skills and resources to act as 'conduits' - linking local and 'global' circuits of production and consumption - do not always behave in ways that optimise local outcomes. Only under certain conditions can the effective deployment of ICT enable 'powerful' localities to act competitively 'at a distance' in seeking new trade and investment. It is argued that failure to appreciate the diversity of possible local responses to the provision of ICT has sometimes left policy-makers with exaggerated expectations for technically driven rural restructuring

Communication management: Theory and practice in the 21st century

The current volume “Communication Management: Theory and Practice in the 21st Century” consists of the articles presented at the international scientific conference of the same name, which was held in Sofia in June 2019. The event was organized by the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication at the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, in cooperation with the ECREA Central and East European Network and the CEECOM Consortium.Both the scientific forum and the current volume are dedicated to an important anniversary for the Bulgarian scientific and academic community – 45 years of the founding of the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication (FJMC) at the Sofia University as an independent academic unit with the aim to educate students in the fields of social communication, journalism and media