Improving online communication for students in higher education contexts

The study reported here sought to identify Higher Education students’ preferred modes of online communication whilst studying a wholly online research subject at University. The teacher education student participants from an Australian university were required to collaboratively conduct inquiry research projects in groups whilst relying upon computer-mediated communication. How do students communicate as a collaborative research group whilst only meeting online? The data were collected via the use of online pre-test and post-test surveys conducted ‘prior to’ and ‘post’ involvement in the unit of study and descriptive statistical analysis was applied. The findings revealed that important influences affecting students’ choice of communication mode included their own views on the capacity of online communication, their prior experience and the availability and accessibility of the modes. Furthermore, it was found that when given a choice, students preferred the use of asynchronous forms of digital communication to synchronous forms. Recommendations for improving online teaching, learning and research contexts in Universities are provided and the importance of considering blended mode delivery for wholly online units is argued.

O ensino e aprendizagem online da estatística descritiva

Tendo em conta que a Universidade Eduardo Mondlane é a primeira instituição, em Moçambique, a oferecer cursos completamente baseados na Web, o presente estudo constitui uma das primeiras investigações com a qual se pretende perceber qual o impacto de um módulo assente na compreensão de conceitos e na resolução de tarefas, fortemente apoiadas por uma Folha de Cálculo, estruturado numa lógica de webquest e lecionado a distância, rentabilizando-se potencialidades da plataforma virtual Aulanet, no desenvolvimento de competências tecnológicas e de conhecimentos, capacidades e atitudes relacionados com a Estatística descritiva. Para dar resposta às questões de investigação formuladas, optou-se por uma abordagem qualitativa e por uma estratégia de estudo de caso que se desenvolveu num contexto próximo da lógica da investigação - ação. Os principais participantes foram alunos do Curso de Licenciatura em Gestão de Negócios da UEM em Moçambique, a frequentar a disciplina de Estatística Aplicada. Para a recolha de dados, privilegiaram-se as técnicas da inquirição, análise documental e observação direta e participante, e diversos instrumentos como questionários e entrevistas, produções dos alunos, intervenções no fórum de debate, no Chat, testes e trabalhos, diário de bordo e notas de campo, com vista à triangulação metódica. A análise estatística e de conteúdo dos dados recolhidos permite constatar que a aprendizagem, à distância, de Estatística Descritiva, explorando-se meios tecnológicos de informação e de comunicação online e folha de cálculo Excel, inscritos numa estratégia de webquest ,potencia o desenvolvimento de competências tecnológicas e de conhecimentos, capacidades e atitudes relacionados com o tema. Paralelamente, permitiu refletir sobre as condições de ensino e de aprendizagem que podem favorecer tais práticas.

Proposta de melhoria da presença online da marca Cabeça, Aldeia Natal

Relatório de estágio apresentado à Escola Superior de Comunicação Social como parte dos requisitos para obtenção de grau de mestre em Publicidade e Marketing.

A educação global e o diálogo intercultural em contexto de aprendizagem online : os cursos de educação global

A enorme interdependência entre os povos, que caracteriza o mundo contemporâneo, justifica a importância crucial da aquisição de competências de comunicação intercultural, uma vez que poderão ter um efeito catalisador na resolução de grandes questões globais. O desafio que é colocado à Educação, para colaborar na aquisição de tais competências, é de adaptação aos novos meios de comunicação globais e de reinvenção de novas metodologias e abordagens. Destacam-se neste campo a Educação Global, como um campo interdisciplinar que se concretiza num processo de aprendizagem transformativa, focando-se nas questões e desafios globais, e o Ensino Online, possuidor da capacidade de quebrar barreiras físicas e temporais e juntar num mesmo “espaço” pessoas dos mais variados pontos do planeta. Com o objetivo geral de analisar a importância dos contextos de formação online no desenvolvimento de competências interculturais, esta investigação propõe-se mostrar de que forma cursos online, oferecidos em contexto multicultural, na área de Educação Global, promovem o desenvolvimento de competências de comunicação intercultural. De entre os resultados da investigação destaca-se a aquisição moderada de uma maior consciência intercultural e de aptidões de comunicação intercultural, considerando-se como elementos fundamentais para a promoção de diálogos interculturais ao longo do curso o facto de a turma ser multicultural, a colaboração entre pares e algumas das ferramentas de comunicação existentes na plataforma onde decorreu a formação.

An exploration of the marketing readiness of websites

The aim of the reported study was to assess the marketing readiness of websites using a tool developed from studies in the late 1990s. The research hypotheses suggest that, in line with earlier studies, government websites are more marketing ready than commercial service organisation sites in Australia. The paper reports findings that commercial service organisation websites are not as marketing ready as might be expected. The research hypotheses are partially supported in that Victorian local government websites show evidence of more sophisticated marketing capability than those of commercial service organisations in Australia and that the service organisations sampled are less likely to employ the Web as a marketing channel than local government.

E-Simulations for educating the professions in blended learning environments

This chapter introduces digital, role-based simulations as an emerging and powerful educational approach for the professions and for broader workforce development purposes. It is acknowledged that simulations used for education, professional development, and training, have a long history of development and use. The focus is on digital simulations (e-simulations) situated in blended learning environments and the improved affordances of the newer digital media used via the web to enhance the value of their contribution to learning and teaching in professional and vocationally-oriented fields. This is an area which has received less attention in the whole “e-learning” literature compared with the voluminous body of knowledge and practice on computer-mediated communication, online community building, social networking, and various forms of online (usually automated) assessment. A framework of blended e-simulation design is outlined. The chapter concludes by examining what the future might hold for simulations in further and higher education, and ongoing work-based learning.

Sistema de guía para personas invidentes a través de bluetooth

El planteamiento inicial era proveer al individuo invidente de un sistema autónomo capaz de guiarle según sus preferencias. El resultado obtenido al finalizar este proyecto ha sido un dispositivo autónomo configurable por el usuario mediante una aplicación sw , desarrollada en la plataforma móvil Android capaz de comunicarse con el dispositivo autónomo(móvil personal). La idea de utilizar como plataforma de desarrollo sw Android, se basó fundamentalmente en que es código open source, es gratuito y está presente en el 70 por ciento de los móviles de Europa. La idea inicial era que ambos hubieran sido integrados en un mismo dispositivo, pero una vez comenzado el proyecto y habiendo evaluado los hábitos actuales, decidimos adaptar la idea general del proyecto, a nuestros días. Para ello hicimos uso del dispositivo móvil más usado hoy en día, como es nuestros teléfonos móviles, o más bien los llamado Smartphone, con los cuales podemos desde su aplicación originaria que es llamar, hasta realizar multitud de operaciones al mismo tiempo como puede ser comunicación por internet, posicionamiento via GPS, intercambio de ficheros por bluetooth… tantas como podamos programar. Sobre este último atributo, intercambio de información a través de bluetooth, es la interfaz que vamos a aprovechar para la realización de nuestro proyecto. Hoy en día el 90% de los Smartphone tiene entre sus características de conectividad la posibilidad de intercambiar información vía bluetooth. Una vez se tiene resuelto el interfaz entre el medio y el usuario se debe solucionar la forma de transformar la información para que los dispositivos móviles recojan la información y sepan discernir entre la información importante y la que no lo es. Para ello hemos desarrollado una tarjeta configurable, con un módulo bluetooth comercial para enviar la información. El resultado final de esta tarjeta proporciona una manera fácil de configurar diferentes mensajes que serán utilizados según la situación. ABSTRACT The initial approach consisted of a system that shows the way for blind people to get somewhere or something or provide to them important information, an autonomous system able to guide to their preference. After several analyses the project accomplish is a standalone device configurable by the user via an application sw, developed in Android mobile platform capable of communicating with the standalone device (personal cell phone). The decision of using the sw development platform of Android was due to the open source code concept and the great extent of presence on 70 percent of European mobiles. The first idea was that the sw and the device were integrated into a single device, but once the project had been started and having assessed the current habits, it has changed to be adapted to the present technology to get a better usability on the present-day. To achieve the project goals the most used mobile device today was used, our mobile phones, or rather called Smartphone, which you could use to phone your mother or perform many operations simultaneously such as communication online, positioning via GPS, bluetooth file trading program, etc. On this last attribute, information sharing via bluetooth, is the interface that it has been taken to complete the project. Today 90% of the Smartphone include in its connectivity features the ability to exchange information via bluetooth. Once that it was solved the interface between the environment and the final user, the next step incorporates the transformation of the information that the mobile devices collect from the environment to discern between the information the user configure to be notified or not. The hardware device that makes it possible is a configurable card with a bluetooth module that is able to send the information. The final result of this card provides an easy way to configure different messages, that we could use depending of the situation.

Estructuras argumentativas de estudiantes para profesores de matemáticas en un entorno en linea

El objetivo de esta investigación fue estudiar cómo aprenden estudiantes para profesores de educación secundaria a analizar la enseñanza de las matemáticas como un aspecto del desarrollo de su competencia docente. Para ello, analizamos la estructura argumentativa de una discusión en línea entre estudiantes para profesores de enseñanza secundaria cuando están identificando e interpretando aspectos de la comunicación matemática como un rasgo característico de la enseñanza de las matemáticas. Para realizar el análisis, usamos el esquema de un argumento de Toulmin y centramos nuestra atención en cómo los estudiantes para profesor establecían la relación entre las conclusiones y los datos y cómo usaban las garantías. Los resultados muestran tres características de las estructuras argumentativas generadas por los estudiantes para profesor en un debate en línea que determinan oportunidades para el aprendizaje de la competencia docente “mirar con sentido” la enseñanza de las matemáticas: refinar garantías para apoyar una conclusión, discutir sobre cómo se debe establecer una conclusión para que sea admitida, y poner en duda las conclusiones.

Consumers' accounts of perceived risk online and the influence of communication sources

The purpose of this paper is to extend marketing knowledge into perceived risk in online transactions beyond the current positivistic, hypotheses-driven research by providing qualitative insights into how individuals construct their accounts of perceived risk online. Additionally, the study reported in this paper aims to explore how communication sources influence both these subjective constructions and individuals' behavioural experiences with transaction activity on the web. Design/methodology/approach - The study was developed within a grounded theory method.Ten in-depth interviews were conducted which were analysed using constant comparison of incidents procedures to provide rich descriptions of the interviewees' subjective perceptions and lived experiences with online transaction activity. Findings - The findings provide insights into how the human clement is present in individuals'perceptions and constructions of their accounts of the risk involved online.The findings also identify the influence of mass communication sources on the construction of these accounts. The study provides insights into whether change agent communication sources, such as marketers or web designers,influence consumers' behaviours towards online transaction activity through mediating their perceptions of the risks involved. The study also reveals how social communication networks influence the interviewees' decisions to use the web (or transaction activities, in particular online purchasing, and how the group in this study might act as a communication source to influence others. Research limitations/Implications - While the findings cannot be generalised to the internet population overall, the sample used was able to provide relevant information regarding the phenomenon of interest. Future research should continue to examine perceived risk and the influence of communications sources, such as e-mail, discussion groups and virtual communities. Originality/value - The value of the paper lies in permitting the participants to account for perceived risk for themselves. The findings ex.plore what this means at increasing levels of personal relevance and the influence of communication sources to create, sustain or mediate perceptions of this phenomenon.

The relationship of loneliness and social anxiety with children’s and adolescents’ online communication

Children and adolescents now communicate online to form and/or maintain relationships with friends, family, and strangers. Relationships in “real life” are important for children’s and adolescents’ psychosocial development; however, they can be difficult for those who experience feelings of loneliness and/or social anxiety. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in usage of online communication patterns between children and adolescents with and without self-reported loneliness and social anxiety. Six hundred and twenty-six students aged between 10-16 years completed a survey on the amount of time they spent communicating online, the topics they discussed, the partners they engaged with, and their purposes for communicating over the Internet. Participants were administered a shortened version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale and an abbreviated sub-scale of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A). Additionally, age and gender differences in usage of the aforementioned online communication patterns were examined across the entire sample. Findings revealed that children and adolescents who self-reported being lonely communicated online significantly more frequently about personal things and intimate topics than did those who did not self-report being lonely. The former were motivated to use online communication significantly more frequently to compensate for their weaker social skills to meet new people. Results suggest that Internet usage allows them to fulfill critical needs of social interactions, self-disclosure, and identity exploration. Future research, however, should explore whether or not the benefits derived from online communication may also facilitate lonely children’s and adolescents’ offline social relationships.

The relationship of loneliness and social anxiety with children's and adolescents' online communication

Children and adolescents are now using online communication to form and/or maintain relationships with strangers and/or friends. Relationships in real life are important for children and adolescents in identity formation and general development. However, social relationships can be difficult for those who experience feelings of loneliness and social anxiety. The current study aimed to replicate and extend research conducted by Valkenburg and Peter (2007b), by investigating differences in online communication patterns between children and adolescents with and without selfreported loneliness and social anxiety. Six hundred and twenty-six students aged 10-16 years completed a questionnaire survey about the amount of time they engaged in online communication, the topics they discussed, who they communicated with, and their purposes of online communication. Following Valkenburg and Peter (2007b), loneliness was measured with a shortened version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3) developed by Russell (1996), whereas social anxiety was assessed with a sub-scale of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (La Greca & Lopez, 1998). The sample was divided into four groups of children and adolescents: 220 were “non-socially anxious and non-lonely”, 139 were “socially anxious but not lonely”, 107 were “lonely but not socially anxious”, and 159 were “lonely and socially anxious”. A one-way ANOVA and chi-square tests were conducted to evaluate the aforementioned differences between these groups. The results indicated that children and adolescents who reported being lonely used online communication differently from those who did not report being lonely. Essentially, the former communicated online more frequently about personal things and intimate topics, but also to compensate for their weak social skills and to meet new people. Further analyses on gender differences within lonely children and adolescents revealed that boys and girls communicated online more frequently with different partners. It was concluded that for these vulnerable individuals online communication may fulfil needs of self-disclosure, identity exploration, and social interactions. However, future longitudinal studies combining a quantitative with a qualitative approach would better address the relationship between Internet use and psychosocial well-being. The findings also suggested the need for further exploration of how such troubled children and adolescents can use the Internet beneficially.

New Media and Public Communication: Mapping Australian User-Created Content in Online Social Networks

Presentation describling a project in data intensive research in the humanities. Measuring activity of publically available data in social networks such as Blogosphere, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube