Utilização de resíduos agronômicos da mandioca para fabricação de papéis especiais como recurso alternativo para a comunicação visual

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

Modelagem IEEE 1815 DNP3 em VHDL e análise de comunicação SG via IEEE 802.15.4 e IEEE 802.11

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Elétrica - FEIS

Contesting Sphere Boundaries Online: Private/Technical/Public Discourses in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Discussion Groups

The internet is fast becoming a means for people to obtain information, creating a unique forum for the intersection of the public, technical, and private spheres. To ground my research theoretically, I used Jürgen Habermas’s sphere theory. Habermas (1987) explains that the technical sphere colonizes the private sphere, which decreases democratic potential. In particular, the internet is a place for altering technical colonization of the private and public spheres. My research focuses on women’s health because it is a particularly useful case study for examining sphere tensions. Historically, the biomedical health establishment has been a powerful agent of colonization, resulting in detrimental effects for women and their health. The purpose of this study is to examine how the internet encourages expert and female patient deliberation, which empowers women to challenge the experts and, thus, make conversations between the private/technical spheres more democratic. I used PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) as a case to observe the changing sphere boundaries by studying the discourse that took place on multiple patient and doctor websites over a four-year period. Through my research, I found that the PCOS women challenge the biomedical model by appropriating medical language. By understanding the medical talk, the women are able to feel confident when discussing their health conditions with the doctor and with each other. The PCOS women also become lay-experts who have personal and medical experience with PCOS, reducing private sphere colonization. This case study exemplifies how female empowerment can influence expert culture, challenging our conventional understanding of democracy.

A Culture of Relationships: Early Care for Italian and American Children

A culture of childhood is a shared vision – an agreed upon vision – of the needs and rights of children, including ideas about how the people of the community can collectively nurture them and at the same time be renewed by them. In other words, it is a set of values, beliefs, and practices that people have created to guide their way of nurturing young children and their families. The vision is about investing in young children and investing in the supports and relationships that children need to learn and grow, both for the reason that children carry our future and because they carry our hopes and dreams for the future. These hopes and dreams begin with birth. Sensitive, emotionally available parents create the framework for interaction with their children by responding to the baby’s cues, engaging the baby in mutual gazes, and imitating the baby. The baby, born with a primary ability to share emotions with other human beings eagerly joins the relationship dance. The intimate family circle soon widens. Providers, teachers, and directors of early childhood programs become significant figures in children’s lives—implicit or explicit partners in a "relationship dance" (Edwards & Raikes, 2002). These close relationships are believed to be critical to healthy intellectual, emotional, social, and physical development in childhood and adolescence as well. These conclusions have been documented by diverse fields of science, ranging from cognitive science to communication studies and social and personality psychology. Close relationships contribute to security and trust, promote skill development and understanding, nurture healthy physical growth, infuse developing self-understanding and self-confidence, enable self-control and emotion regulation, and strengthen emotional connections with others that contribute to prosocial motivation (Dunn, 1993; Fogel, 1993; Thompson, 1996). Furthermore, many studies showing how relationship dysfunction is linked to child abuse and neglect, aggression, criminality, and other problems involving the lack of significant human connections (Shankoff & Meisels, 2000). In extending the dance of primary relationships to new relationships, a childcare teacher can play a primary role. The teacher makes the space ready--creating a beautiful place that causes everyone to feel like dancing. Gradually, as the dance between them becomes smooth and familiar, the teacher encourages the baby to try out more complex steps and learn how to dance to new compositions, beats, and tempos. As the baby alternates dancing sometimes with one or two partners, sometimes with many, the dance itself becomes a story about who the child has been and who the child is becoming, a reciprocal self created through close relationships.

Recepção: divergências metodológicas entre adorno e Lazarsfeld

Lazarsfeld convidou Adorno para, juntos, realizarem uma pesquisa sobre a audição de música no rádio. Nada deu certo, tornando a colaboração impossível. Na raiz da discórdia está a divergência entre a metodologia funcionalista de Lazarsfeld e a teoria crítica de Adorno. Este criticava no primeiro o apego à imediatez da escuta, sem levar em conta a categoria dialética da mediação.

Blinda personers icke-verbala kommunikation : studier om kroppsspråk, icke-verbal samtalsreglering och icke-verbala uttryck

The purpose of this thesis is to deepen the understanding of grown-up blind people’s non-verbal communication, including body expressions and paralinguistic (voice) expressions. More specifically, the thesis includes the following three studies: Blind people’s different forms of body expressions, blind people’s non-verbal conversation regulation and blind people’s experience of their own non-verbal expressions. The focus has been on the blind participants’ competence and on their subjective perspectives. I have also compared congenitally and adventitiously blind in all of the studies. The approach is mainly phenomenological and the qualitative empirical phenomenological psychological method is the primary methodological source of inspiration. Fourteen blind persons (and also some sigthed persons) participated. They have no other obvious disability than the blindness and their ages vary between 18 and 54. Data in the first two studies consisted of video recordings and data in the last study consisted of interviews. The overall results can be summarized in the following three points: 1. There are (almost) only similarities between the congenitally blind and adventitiously blind persons concerning their paralinguistic expressions. 2. There are mainly similarities between the two groups with respect to the occurrences of different body expressive forms. 3. There are also some differences between the groups. For example, the congenitally blind persons seem to have a limited ability to use the body in an abstract and symbolic way and they often mentioned that they have been told that their body expressions deviate from sighted people’s norms. But the persons in both groups also struggle to see themselves as unique persons who express themselves on the basis of their conditions and their previous experiences.

Climate Engineering: gesellschaftliches Konfliktpotenzial und öffentliche Partizipationsmöglichkeiten

Aufbauend auf den Ergebnissen einer Literatur- und Medienanalyse wurde erstmals zum Thema Climate Engineering ein sogenanntes Gruppen-Delphi durchgeführt, um aktuelle und argumentativ fundierte Einschätzungen von Experten zu den möglichen sozialen und kulturellen Folgen von Climate Engineering, insbesondere auch in Deutschland, zu erhalten. Die Ergebnisse dieser diskursiven Form der Expertenbefragung zeigen deutlich, dass die Verfahren des Climate Engineering differenziert betrachtet und bewertet werden müssen. Auf Akzeptanzprobleme stoßen vor allem Maßnahmen, bei denen hohe Unsicherheit über die potenziellen Nebenwirkungen besteht. In der Literatur und unter den Experten besteht Einigkeit darüber, dass es bereits jetzt, in der Frühphase der Entwicklung von Climate Engineering-Strategien, notwendig sei, die Bürger über diese Technologien und Strategien aufzuklären.

Jóvenes y blogs : Construcciones de sentido en torno a la delgadez

La presente investigación indaga los sentidos construidos por jóvenes que producen blogs PRO ANA en castellano, en torno a la delgadez como un estilo de vida a seguir. Desde los estudios de comunicación/cultura, y a partir de una perspectiva y un análisis socioculturales, se realiza un recorrido por diferentes blogs en donde se encuentran modos de comunicarse: ayunos, credos, la determinación de mandamientos y la firma de contratos, entre otras estrategias analizadas para sostener el estilo de vida. Así mismo, se problematiza a partir de le exploración a quién/es están explícitamente dirigidas estas plataformas identitarias. Enmarcados en las condiciones sociales e históricas del mundo que transitan, los jóvenes son foco de discursos que estigmatizan sus prácticas cotidianas. Sus decisiones son puestas en cuestión cuando desean alcanzar la delgadez a través de restringir su alimentación y, a su vez, darlo a conocer en el espacio virtual. La intención de este estudio no fue la de formular una definición, sino comprender procesos de significación y producción de sentido desde una dimensión cultural que dé cuenta de la vida social de jóvenes ubicados material y simbólicamente en el espacio social actual. En la investigación se realiza, además, un posicionamiento conceptual sobre la juventud, el consumo y la relación que se establece entre jóvenes, consumo y cuerpos delgados, así como un recorrido por las investigaciones que han servido de insumo para la problematización de la tesis

Jóvenes y blogs : Construcciones de sentido en torno a la delgadez

La presente investigación indaga los sentidos construidos por jóvenes que producen blogs PRO ANA en castellano, en torno a la delgadez como un estilo de vida a seguir. Desde los estudios de comunicación/cultura, y a partir de una perspectiva y un análisis socioculturales, se realiza un recorrido por diferentes blogs en donde se encuentran modos de comunicarse: ayunos, credos, la determinación de mandamientos y la firma de contratos, entre otras estrategias analizadas para sostener el estilo de vida. Así mismo, se problematiza a partir de le exploración a quién/es están explícitamente dirigidas estas plataformas identitarias. Enmarcados en las condiciones sociales e históricas del mundo que transitan, los jóvenes son foco de discursos que estigmatizan sus prácticas cotidianas. Sus decisiones son puestas en cuestión cuando desean alcanzar la delgadez a través de restringir su alimentación y, a su vez, darlo a conocer en el espacio virtual. La intención de este estudio no fue la de formular una definición, sino comprender procesos de significación y producción de sentido desde una dimensión cultural que dé cuenta de la vida social de jóvenes ubicados material y simbólicamente en el espacio social actual. En la investigación se realiza, además, un posicionamiento conceptual sobre la juventud, el consumo y la relación que se establece entre jóvenes, consumo y cuerpos delgados, así como un recorrido por las investigaciones que han servido de insumo para la problematización de la tesis

Jóvenes y blogs : Construcciones de sentido en torno a la delgadez

La presente investigación indaga los sentidos construidos por jóvenes que producen blogs PRO ANA en castellano, en torno a la delgadez como un estilo de vida a seguir. Desde los estudios de comunicación/cultura, y a partir de una perspectiva y un análisis socioculturales, se realiza un recorrido por diferentes blogs en donde se encuentran modos de comunicarse: ayunos, credos, la determinación de mandamientos y la firma de contratos, entre otras estrategias analizadas para sostener el estilo de vida. Así mismo, se problematiza a partir de le exploración a quién/es están explícitamente dirigidas estas plataformas identitarias. Enmarcados en las condiciones sociales e históricas del mundo que transitan, los jóvenes son foco de discursos que estigmatizan sus prácticas cotidianas. Sus decisiones son puestas en cuestión cuando desean alcanzar la delgadez a través de restringir su alimentación y, a su vez, darlo a conocer en el espacio virtual. La intención de este estudio no fue la de formular una definición, sino comprender procesos de significación y producción de sentido desde una dimensión cultural que dé cuenta de la vida social de jóvenes ubicados material y simbólicamente en el espacio social actual. En la investigación se realiza, además, un posicionamiento conceptual sobre la juventud, el consumo y la relación que se establece entre jóvenes, consumo y cuerpos delgados, así como un recorrido por las investigaciones que han servido de insumo para la problematización de la tesis

How vague can your patent be? Vagueness strategies in U.S. patents

Patent claims defi ne the protection scope of the intellectual property sought by the patent applicant or patentee. Broad claims are valuable as they can describe more expansive rights to the invention. Therefore, if these claims are too broad a potential infringer will more easily argue against them. But if the claims are too narrow the scope of protection of the intellectual property is greatly reduced. Patent claims have to be, on the one hand, determinate and precise enough and, on the other hand, as inclusive as possible. Therefore patent applicants must fi nd a balance in the broadness of the scope defi ned by their claims. This balance can be achieved by the choice of words with a convenient degree of semantic indeterminacy, by the choice of modifi ers or other strategies. In fact, vagueness in patent claims is a desirable characteristic for such documents. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of a corpus of 350 U.S. patents provides a promising starting point to understand the linguistic instruments used to achieve the balance between property claim scope and precision of property description. To conclude, some issues relating vagueness and pragmatics are suggested as a line of further research.

NA PALMA DA MÃO: A difusão de celulares e smartphones e possibilidades para o ensino-aprendizagem no Brasil

A pesquisa considera a difusão de celulares e smartphones e as consequências deste fato em possibilidades para o ensino-aprendizagem. Aparatos de comunicação sempre estiveram ligados ao processo de ensino-aprendizagem. Entretanto, com o desenvolvimento mais intenso, nas últimas décadas, das Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação (TIC), essa relação vem ganhando novos contornos. Surge a Internet, a evolução das máquinas computacionais e, recentemente, a explosão dos dispositivos móveis, fornecendo novos produtos e serviços convergentes. Nesse contexto, celulares e smartphones tem sido utilizados e recomendados para apoio e complemento do processo de ensino-aprendizagem: a chamada Aprendizagem Móvel. Esse ramo cresce devido à rápida expansão e barateamento dessas tecnologias na sociedade. Para verificar cientificamente essa relação foi realizada uma pesquisa de natureza qualitativa, do tipo exploratória, com dois projetos de Aprendizagem Móvel em andamento no Brasil, o Palma – Programa de Alfabetização na Língua Materna e o Escola Com Celular – ECC. Assim, a partir dos dados provenientes da pesquisa, identificamos alguns aspectos relacionados ao uso de celulares e smartphones para o processo de ensino-aprendizagem que contribuem na compreensão desse campo ainda em construção no Brasil. O uso desses dispositivos como suporte para processos de ensino-aprendizagem nos projetos estudados é delineado pelos aspectos tecnologia, dispositivo, público e contexto e novas tecnologias e Aprendizagem Móvel. O aspecto dispositivo desdobra-se em dimensões como disseminação, multifuncionalidade e acessibilidade que embasam os projetos, ainda favorece características apontadas como importantes para o processo de ensino-aprendizagem na atualidade, como mobilidade e portabilidade. Os projetos pesquisados demonstram potencial e metodologia adequada aos contextos para os quais foram criados e aplicados. Entretanto, a pesquisa indicou que ao mesmo tempo em que celulares e smartphones representam o ápice da convergência tecnológica e são considerados extremamente populares e acessíveis na sociedade contemporânea, com possibilidades concretas como nos projetos estudados, não conseguiram conquistar uma posição sólida como suporte para o ensino-aprendizagem. Tal indicação se deve, de acordo com o corpus, à carência de alguns fatores, como: fomento, as práticas se mostram extremamente dependentes da iniciativa pública ou privada para sua extensão e continuidade; sensibilização para o uso de tecnologias disponíveis, não consideram o aparelho dos próprios alunos e um planejamento que inclua, capacite e incentive o uso desses dispositivos. Além disso, a pesquisa também destaca a necessidade de uma visão crítica do uso e papel da tecnologia nesses processos.

Performing the personal within the organizational: Communicating professional identities through Taiwanese commercial airline pilots' personal narratives

This dissertation project explored professionalism and the performance of identities by examining Taiwanese commercial airline pilots' discursive practices in everyday life. The intentions for this project were to not only expand current knowledge of organizational communication from a critical rhetorical perspective, but to further explore the under-appreciated concept of professionalism of organizational members. Theoretically, I traced theoretical analysis in the sociology of professions and further investigated scholarship from identity research in organizational communication studies. This research agenda helped to advance communication-based understandings of the meanings and practices of professional identity as a complement to the sociological conception. I further merged a performance paradigm and critical rhetorical perspective to examine the discursive practices of organizational members and to challenge the bias of traditional textual approaches. Methodologically, I conducted ethnographic interviews with Taiwanese commercial airline pilots in order to understand how they construct their personal, social, and professional identities. Five narrative themes were identified and demonstrated in this project: (1) It takes a lot to become a commercial airline pilot, (2) Being a professional commercial airline pilot is to build up sufficient knowledge, beyond average skill, and correct attitude, (3) Pilots' resistance and dissent toward company management, (4) Popular (re)presentation influences professionalism, (5) Power and fear affect professionalism. Pilots' personal narratives were presented in performative writing and in poetic transcription to make word alive with sounds featuring their meanings. Their personal storytelling created a dialogic space to not only let pilots' voice to be heard but also revealed how identities are created within and against a larger organizational identity. Overall, this project demonstrated the interdisciplinary examination of the meanings, functions, and consequence of discursive practices in everyday professional life. It also critiqued relationships between power, domination, and resistance while reintroducing the roles of the body and materiality in the domain of professionalism, and provides ethical readings of larger and complex organizational cultures. Applying communication-oriented analysis to study professionalism indeed challenged the long time neglected phenomena regarding the power of the symbolic in sociological approaches and raised the awareness of structural, material, and bodily condition of work.