Promoting Informal Learning Using a Context-Sensitive Recommendation Algorithm For a QRCode-based Visual Tagging System

Structured Abstract Context: Previous work in the educational field has demonstrated that Informal Learning is an effective way to learn. Due to its casual nature it is often difficult for academic institutions to leverage this method of learning as part of a typical curriculum. Aim: This study planned to determine whether Informal Learning could be encouraged amongst learners at Durham University using an object tagging system and a context-sensitive recommendation algorithm. Method: This study creates a visual tagging system using a type of two-dimensional barcode called the QR Code and describes a tool designed to allow learners to use these ‘tags’ to learn about objects in a physical space. Information about objects features audio media as well as textual descriptions to make information appealing. A collaboratively-filtered, user-based recommendation algorithm uses elements of a learner’s context, namely their university records, physical location and data on the activities of users similar to them to create a top-N ranked list of objects that they may find interesting. The tool is evaluated in a case study with thirty (n=30) participants taking part in a task in a public space within Durham University. The evaluation uses quantitative and qualititative data to make conclusions as to the use of the proposed tool for individuals who wish to learn informally. Results: A majority of learners found learning about the objects around them to be an interesting practice. The recommendation system fulfilled its purpose and learners indicated that they would travel a significant distance to view objects that were presented to them. The addition of audio clips to largely textual information did not serve to increase learner interest and the implementation of this part of the system is examined in detail. Additionally there was found to be no apparent correlation between prior computer usage and the ability to comprehend an informal learning tool such as the one described. Conclusion: Context-sensitive, mobile tools are valuable for motivating Informal Learning. Interaction with tagged objects outside of the experimental setting indicates significant learner interest even from those individuals that did not participate in the study. Learners that did participate in the experiment gained a better understanding of the world around them than they would have without the tool and would use such software again in the future

Understanding Juuling Trends Among Differing Age and Gender Demographics Through Social Sensing

Middle schoolers, high schoolers, and college students have increasingly begun using the Juul, which is a type of e-cigarette. In fact, in 2017 a study showed that “2.1 million high schoolers and middle schoolers used e-cigarettes” (Richtel and Kaplan, 2018). The reason why my research specifically addresses the Juul is that it “is now the largest e-cigarette brand measured by retail sales companies” (Huang et al., 2018b). Studies have been done to show the short time it takes for a child to lose autonomy over tobacco use, ranging from 2 to 30 days of first inhaling a cigarette (DiFranza et al., 2007). What are the potential consequences of a nicotine addiction for developing youth? Nicotine is widely believed to inhibit normal mental development. (Goriounova and Mansvelder, 2012). Additionally, youths are much more susceptible to nicotine relative to adults (Goriounova and Mansvelder, 2012). Companies have claimed that they are unintentionally trying to market their product to youth and that a Juul’s primary purpose is to act as an alternative to currently smoking adults above the age of 35. Recently from The University of Mississippi Medical Center, a documentary came out about vaping in Mississippi (Remedy, Aired 08/30/18). Nicotine aside, is it healthy to breath in propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin after being heated? To summarize, more middle, high school, and college students are beginning to use e-cigarette products. More specifically, they are using the most popular e-cigarette product, the Juul. Because we know the dangers of nicotine addiction in developing brains coupled with the uncertainty of the safety of the chemicals within a vape device in general, strong concern for youth from associations such as the FDA and cancer society has succeeded in putting pressure on the Juul company to discourage young students from partaking in their products. Recently at the completion of this thesis, the FDA has been a force to be reckoned with. In order to understand the appeal of Juul, one can examine the tweets of those who mention the Juul. Additionally, in order to understand the total appeal of the Juul from twitter, one should explore its perception in di↵erent age and gender demographics, a method which has not been widely explored to date. As far as I am aware, this is the first attempt to make a model which takes into account gender and age demographics. This is a complicated task considering that Twitter does not provide age and gender information about their users. Why is this problem important to my research, scientific, and academic community? Computer Scientists have the ability to dive into Large Data questions and have a moral responsibility to look into the safety of the younger generation. The Honors College at Ole Miss states that it seeks to prepare citizen scholars who are fired by the life of the mind, committed to the public good and driven to find solutions. This is a citizen question, because many of my contemporaries partake in Juuling and I am driven to help explore the nature of their subsequent nicotine addiction and the nicotine addiction of those younger than us. My computer science department states that it seeks to enable its undergraduate students to master the fundamental principles of computing and to develop the skill needed to solve practical problems using contemporary computer-based technologies and practices. Data analyses is a growing field in Computer Science, and I will have the opportunity to use these skills to help solve this problem. Lastly, the scientific community is eagerly trying to understand the e↵ects of vaping and how to produce some oversight on this industry. Understanding each demographic (age and gender) attraction to the product through Twitter content will allow one to compare which aspect of the Juul is most appealing to each age band. Further research into this may begin to uncover particular ways to help the FDA combat the current youth epidemic in terms of knowing where to cut o↵ the appeal of the Juul at its source. I have collected as many tweets which contain content regarding #Juul, normalize the data, determine whether or not a tweet comes from a person or an organization, identify the age and gender of each Twitter user, and implement LDA (Latent Dirichlet Allocation) Topic Modeling and Association Rule Mining on the processed data. From this information, I will determine the most popular topics regarding Juul in each demographic as well as rules which reveal correlations between the Juul and other words from the tweets. This information will provide useful knowledge that can be utilized when considering how best to implement Juul policy while waiting to better understand its e↵ect on health

Social informatics

5th International Conference, SocInfo 2013, Kyoto, Japan, November 25-27, 2013, Proceedings</p

The 2009 H1N1 pandemic narrative in newspapers distributed within Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

It is known that disease outbreaks, either at a local or a global scale, elicit a social response from the society that it affects which follows a characteristic narrative. An epidemic narrative reflects and shapes the perception of the outbreak. An examination of the mass media provides a glimpse of the epidemic narrative that occurs alongside a disease outbreak. The primary objective of this study is to construct the 2009 H1N1 pandemic narrative from newspaper coverage available in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, with a focus on how discourse in the news changes over time and geographically. The study draws on and combines three conceptual frameworks: epidemic narrative, anchoring, and framing, in order to construct the pandemic narrative as reflected by the newspaper coverage. The three frameworks were combined to address three aspects of a narrative: 1) there are common stories for common experiences; 2) new stories relate to old stories; and 3) stories of the same experience can have multiple perspectives and interpretations. When combined, these frameworks provide a nuanced understanding and analysis of an epidemic narrative. Articles from four local Saskatoon papers, the StarPhoenix, Saskatoon Sun, Planet S, and The Sheaf and two Canadian national newspapers, the National Post and the Globe and Mail were analyzed for the study. To analyze the articles, an approach referred to as qualitative content analysis was adapted. The primary focus of this approach is on the discourse and meanings of the text. The study provides an overview of the evolving newspaper coverage of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic in newspapers distributed within Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The findings of the study highlight the importance of meaning and how meanings are constructed and reflected with a narrative. The findings also show how the broader socio-cultural context influences a narrative. The results illustrate the difficulties with communication during a fluid and uncertain situation such as a pandemic. This work can provide a basis for communication advice for future disease outbreaks

ANALYZING IMAGE TWEETS IN MICROBLOGS

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

Understanding well-being data : improving social and cultural policy, practice and research

This Open Access book addresses the need to think about well-being data: how well-being is understood and the ways evidence is ostensibly used to improve society. Well-being data is pivotal in decisions that affect our life chances, livelihoods and quality of life. It is increasingly valuable to companies with their eyes on profit, organisations looking to make a social impact, and governments focussed on societal problems. ‘Following the data’ is a now-familiar phrase in Covid-19 policy communications. This book follows well-being data back centuries, showing it has long been used to track the health and wealth of society. It questions assumptions that have underpinned over 200 years of social science, statistical and policy work. Understanding Well-being Data is a readable, introductory book with real-life examples. It offers practitioners an accessible view ‘under-the-bonnet’ of data collection, analyses and uses to see how they actually operate and what they enact. Understanding the contexts of data and decision-making are critical for policy, practice and research that aims to do good, or at least avoid harm. While the limitations of well-being data remain unaddressed, its positive contribution for society can never be fully realised. Through its comprehensive survey and critical lens, this book provides tools to promote better understanding of the power and potential of well-being data, and the limits of their application

Tweets from the Campaign Trail

Hailed by many as a game-changer in political communication, Twitter has made its way into election campaigns all around the world. The European Parliamentary elections, taking place simultaneously in 28 countries, give us a unique comparative vision of the way the tool is used by candidates in different national contexts. This volume is the fruit of a research project bringing together scholars from 6 countries, specialised in communication science, media studies, linguistics and computer science. It seeks to characterise the way Twitter was used during the 2014 European election campaign, providing insights into communication styles and strategies observed in different languages and outlining methodological solutions for collecting and analysing political tweets in an electoral context