159 research outputs found
Softbridge: a socially aware framework for communication bridges over digital divides
Computer scientists must align social and technical factors for communication technologies in developing regions yet lack a framework to do so. The novel Softbridge framework comprises several components to address this gap. The Softbridge stack abstraction supplements the established Open Systems Interconnect model with a collection of technical layers clustered around 'people' issues. The Softbridge stack aligns the technological design of communication systems with awareness of social factors characteristic of developing regions. In a similar fashion, a new evaluation abstraction called Quality of Communication augments traditional Quality of Service by considering socio-cultural factors of a user's perception of system performance. The conceptualisation of these new abstractions was driven by long-term experimental interventions within two South African digital divides. One field study concerned communication bridges for socio-economically disadvantaged Deaf users. The second field study concerned a wireless telehealth system between rural nurses and doctors. The application domains were quite different yet yielded similarities that informed the Softbridge and Quality of Communication abstractions. The third Softbridge component is an iterative socially aware software engineering method that includes action research. This method was used to guide cyclical interventions with target communities to solve community problems with communication technologies. The Softbridge framework components are recursive products of this iterative approach, emerging via critical reflection on the design, evaluation and methodological processes of the respective field studies. Quantitative and qualitative data were triangulated on a series of communication prototypes for each field study with usage metrics, semi-structured interviews, focus groups and observation in the field. Action research journals documented the overall process to achieve post-positivist recoverability rather than positivistic replicability. Analysis of the results from both field studies was iteratively synthesised to develop the Softbridge framework and consider its implications. The most significant finding is that awareness of social issues helps explain why users might not accept a technically sound communication system. It was found that when facilitated effectively by intermediaries, the Softbridge framework enables unintended uses of experimental artefacts that empower users to appropriate communication technologies on their own. Thus, the Softbridge framework helps to align technical and socio-cultural factors
Recommended from our members
The role of HG in the analysis of temporal iteration and interaural correlation
Design of a Mobile Support and Content Authoring tool to Support Deaf Adults Training in Computer Literacy Skills
This dissertation investigates the challenges that Deaf adults encounter at the task of learning computer literacy skills. Deaf adults who communicate using South African Sign Language (SASL) come from poor socio-economic backgrounds are not familiar with the written form of English. They rely on interpreters and Deaf teachers to translate written text into SASL for them to learn computer literacy skill.
We present our theme of support, in which Deaf people learn via an intermediary, a teacher or facilitator, in intermediated supported learning. We propose a shift from intermediated supported learning to multimedia supported learning which is most appropriate for the context.
Using Community-based co-design we implement two systems: an authoring tool to support lesson content creation by the teacher and a mobile prototype that uses sign language videos to provide computer literacy instruction. We evaluate the two systems to evaluate if they support multimedia-supported learning.
The authoring tool allowed the facilitator to create tailored lessons for the Deaf learners using pre-recorded SASL videos and images. The Deaf learners demonstrated ability to do self-paced learning while using the mobile system, better suited to Deaf learners with basic exposure to computer literacy skills
A ciência da leitura e a produção acadêmica: caminhos trilhados
Linguistics focuses on the different phenomena of language. In macrolinguistics areas, there
is Psycholinguistics. This subfield researches (de)coding processes of messages with verbal
codes. Thus, one of its influential fields of activity is reading. Reading is one of the most
complex information processing tasks. It begins with the graphemes decoding and it finishes
with the text comprehension. Regarding the assessment of reading, there are several exams
and large-scale tests, such as Pisa, Saeb (Aneb and Anresc/Prova Brasil), ENEM. Alarming
statistics come with the indicators from these evaluative instruments. There are, among
Brazilians, low levels of reading comprehension and marked functional illiteracy rate.
Therefore, this study aimed to research what scientific communication has shared in terms of
knowledge about reading. Specifically, the objectives were synthesize, considering the
psycholinguistic approach of reading research, studies and research with the most recurrent
theme in the reading field evidenced from the electronic communication, in order to
investigate the dimensions and limitations of knowledge about this subject. For this, through
WebQualis system, Qualis A1 and A2 scientific journals with electronic format and with
focuses/scopes related to reading from the areas of (1) Language Arts/Linguistics, (2)
Psychology and (3) Education were selected. With the selected journals and through Capes
Journals Portal, all their volumes and issues from 2011 to 2015 were analyzed. With this,
scientific articles related to reading were mapped. With the mapped articles abstracts, the
recurrent themes in reading in the scientific production were observed. Finally, with the full
articles that had the recurrent theme, the researches results were integrated, synthesizing and
pondering about them. With a critical-reflexive assessment of the data, relevant information
was found. First, on one hand, it was noted that the reading has achieved a stable and upward
space through the electronic communication. On the other one, it was checked that the
contributions of Psychology have a great influence in reading and comprehension research.
Second, it was shown that the most frequent theme in electronic productions is
comprehension. Finally, with the synthesis, it was found that, increasingly, comprehension
topics related to reading neurobiological aspects were empirical and directly investigated. In
addition, there are several studies that propose reading teaching methods as well as strategies
for improving the comprehension, including the use of TICs. Moreover, it was found that
many research results are limited. This is because the comprehension involves several
components – cognitive processes and skills. Researches often focus attention on one or the
other component of it only, and each research fixes a specific methodology design and that
vary considerabably. Regarding the assessment of reading, many of the methodological
apparatus tasks evaluate only the product of comprehension and not its process. In other
words, built mental representations are evaluated and not how the encoding of this text
occurred. Therefore, in short, both the researches advancement in the comprehension field and
several limitations were observed.A LinguĂstica atĂ©m-se aos mais diferentes fenĂ´menos da lĂngua(gem). Nos domĂnios
macrolinguĂsticos, há a PsicolinguĂstica. Essa subárea tem como foco de investigação os
processos de (de)codificação de mensagens de códigos verbais. Assim, um de seus influentes
campos de atuação é o de leitura. A leitura é uma das tarefas de processamento de
informações mais complexas. Ela tem como princĂpio a decodificação grafĂŞmica e como fim a
compreensão textual. Em relação à avaliação da leitura, existem diversos testes e provas em
larga escala, como o Pisa, o Saeb (Aneb e Anresc/Prova Brasil), o ENEM. Com os
indicadores desses instrumentos avaliativos, vĂŞm estatĂsticas alarmantes. Há, entre os
brasileiros, baixos nĂveis de compreensĂŁo leitora e acentuado Ăndice de analfabetismo
funcional. Por conseguinte, este trabalho pretendeu investigar o que a comunicação cientĂfica
tem compartilhado em termos de conhecimento sobre leitura. Especificamente, objetivou-se
sintetizar, considerando a abordagem psicolinguĂstica de investigação da leitura, estudos e
pesquisas cuja temática evidenciada da comunicação eletrônica fosse a mais recorrente no
campo da leitura, a fim de investigar dimensões e limitações do conhecimento a respeito dessa
temática. Para isso, selecionaram-se, por meio do sistema WebQualis, periĂłdicos cientĂficos
Qualis A1 e A2 em formato eletrônico e com focos/escopos relacionados à leitura, das áreas
de (1) Letras/LinguĂstica, (2) Psicologia e (3) Educação. Com os periĂłdicos selecionados e
por meio do Portal de PeriĂłdicos Capes, analisaram-se todos os seus volumes e nĂşmeros de
2011 a 2015, a fim de mapear artigos cientĂficos com assunto em leitura. Com os resumos dos
artigos mapeados, evidenciaram-se temáticas mais recorrentes na produção cientĂfica em
leitura. Por fim, dos artigos completos cuja temática era a mais recorrente, integraram-se
resultados das pesquisas, fazendo-se uma análise, com fins de sĂntese e reflexĂŁo. Da
apreciação crĂtico-reflexiva dos dados, constataram-se relevantes informações. Em primeiro
lugar, de um lado, observou-se que a leitura tem conquistado um estável e ascendente espaço
em meio à comunicação eletrônica. De outro, demonstrou-se que contribuições da Psicologia
tĂŞm forte influĂŞncia na pesquisa de leitura e compreensĂŁo. Em segundo, evidenciou-se que a
compreensĂŁo Ă© a temática mais frequente nas produções eletrĂ´nicas. Por fim, com a sĂntese,
constatou-se que, cada vez mais, se investiga empĂrica e diretamente facetas da compreensĂŁo
em relação às bases neurobiológicas da leitura. Igualmente, há diversas pesquisas que
propõem metodologias de ensino da leitura, bem como estratégias para a melhoria da
compreensão, incluindo a utilização das TICs. Além disso, concluiu-se que muitos resultados
de pesquisas são limitados. Isso porque a compreensão envolve diversos componentes –
processos cognitivos e habilidades. E as pesquisas, muitas vezes, apenas focam a atenção em
um ou em outro componente, alĂ©m de definirem especĂficos e variados designs de
metodologia. Em relação à avaliação da leitura, muitas das tarefas do aparato metodológico
das pesquisas apenas avaliam o produto da compreensĂŁo e nĂŁo o seu processo. Ou seja,
avaliam-se representações mentais construĂdas e nĂŁo como ocorreu a codificação desse texto
na mente do leitor. Por conseguinte, em suma, tanto o avanço de pesquisas no campo de
compreensão quanto, também, diversas limitações ficaram evidentes
Designing technology for young children: guidelines grounded in a literature investigation on child development and children's technology
This thesis is about the design of technology for children from five to eight years of age. The majority of available guidelines and principles for design or evaluation of technology support the design of products aimed at adults. The limited guidelines available for design of young children's technology do not focus sufficiently on age-related requirements or they offer high-level advice that is only useful in the planning stages of design. Working from the assumption that knowledge available in the literature provides sufficient information to support this process, my aim with this study was to demonstrate how a dependable and useful set of guidelines for the design of technology for children aged five to eight years could be derived from an existing body of knowledge.
Development of the guidelines firstly involved research into the psychological theories of children's development to identify those elements of development and the characteristics of children that may have bearing on children's use of technology. Secondly, the literature on children's development of specific skills such as literacy and mathematics was investigated. The available literature on young children's use of technology was studied next and, finally, the applicability of existing design guidelines and principles for children's products evaluated. Throughout this literature investigation the researcher gathered design-relevant factors that could potentially become design guidelines. Using qualitative data analysis techniques, more than five hundred such data elements were systematically coded, processed, analysed and categorised. The result is three hundred and fifty guidelines organised into a framework of six categories and twenty-six subcategories that integrates the relevant theoretical fields and provides practical support for designers. To demonstrate the credibility and usefulness of the emerging guidelines they were used to do an evaluation and re-design of an existing product aimed at the target group.
The thesis reports in detail on the different stages of the research, and systematically takes the reader through the process of deriving guidelines from existing theory and research findings, and integrating them into a useful framework.School of ComputingPhD. (Computer Science
Proceedings of the 8th international conference on disability, virtual reality and associated technologies (ICDVRAT 2010)
The proceedings of the conferenc
Orality and Literacy 25 Years Later
Given the influence of the series and particularly of Orality and Literacy—“Ong’s most widely known book; translated into 11 other languages” (Farrell, n.d.)—this issue of COMMUNICATION RESEARCH TRENDS looks back at Orality and Literacy: the book, its reception, and its subsequent use in communication studies. Ong’s work certainly influenced more than communication, but to attempt to review all of that runs well beyond the possibility of a focused review. However, TRENDS will attempt to indicate the scope of the influence of Orality and Literacy with several bibliographies. And so, this issue also includes a (most likely incomplete) citation bibliography as well as—in the spirit of Hawkes’s “informative bibliography”—an abridged classified bibliography of themes introduced in Orality and Literac
Dance performance in cyberspace - transfer and transformation
The aim of this research undertaking is to understand the potential development of dance performance in the context of cyberculture, by examining the way practitioners use new media to create artworks that include audience participation, and by endeavouring in their theorization. With specific reference to cyberspace as a concept of electronic, networked and navigable space, the enquiry traces the connections such practices have with conventions of the medium of dance, which operate in its widely known condition as a live performing art. But acknowledgement that new media and new contexts of production and reception inform the characteristics of these artworks and their discursive articulation, in terms of the way people and digital technologies interact in contemporary culture, is a major principle to their analysis and evaluation. This qualitative research is based on case-study design as a means of finding pragmatic evidence in particulars, to illustrate abstract concepts, technological processes and aesthetic values that are underway in a new area of knowledge. The field where this research operates within is located by a mapping of published literature that informs a theoretical interdisciplinary framework, which contextualizes the interpretation of artworks. The selected case studies have been subject to a process of systematic and detailed analysis, entailed with a model devised for the purpose of this enquiry. From this undertaking it can be claimed that while an extensive array of technologies, media and interactive models is available in this field, the artists pursue a commitment to demonstrate their worth for specifically developing (new media) dance performance, and for dance performance to articulate technological and critical issues for cyberculture studies. The results of this enquiry also contribute to conceptual understanding of what dance can be, today, in the light of technological changes
The Posthuman Reality of Feed-Based Social Media Systems
The conceptual boundary between the subject and user parallels the boundary between humanist and posthumanist definitions of human being, and the challenges of new media communications technology today impel this evolution. My dissertation discusses subjectivity as the self-differentiation of a particular set of processes, and the influence of communications media upon this process. Here, it includes the basis of differentiation for an I, including: the question of identity, potential agency, and knowledge. The collage of attributes that constitute a portrait of what I call the user, the subject of online social media, is demonstrably emergent, dispersed, and discursive; in terms of agency and sovereignty, the useras with other instances of posthuman subjectivityis contingent upon its media ecology and is decidedly less free than other definitions of subjectivity (such the self-sovereign individual of the social contract, which comes to be as a negation of contingency). The concept of self-sovereignty excludes the influences of history, and other influences upon the emergence of the subject, emphasizing an exclusively internal causation. The users existence, conversely, is processual and dispersed throughout networks; its being and agency are dividual, not individual. The subjectivity of the user must thus be thought in terms of its mediated contingency, as the self-sovereign agency that is characteristic of humanist traditions is less applicable to todays media ecologies. I argue that the traits of the subject in humanist traditions can be interpreted as the epiphenomena of societies whose information ecology was dominated by logocentric, typographic literacy. Today, with the advent of social media and its users, we can understand from a new vantage how subjectivities are modulated, amplified, and attenuated by technical distributions, particularly the unseen (and unseeable) non-human agents in the computation systems that constitute online social networks
- …