August 2006 - Air-L - lists.aoir.org

Meeting in Montreal this week?
by Bernie Hogan 08 Aug '06

08 Aug '06

Hi Everyone, As many of you might know, particularly the sociologists, this week the American Sociological Association's meetings begin in Montreal. (And no, the sociologists haven't been kicked out of the US yet - they voluntarily left for a week). There are two technology-oriented sections of the ASA: SKAT (science, knowledge and technology) and CITASA (communications and information technology). CITASA is more Internet-oriented. Like last year, CITASA is having a miniconference the day before the ASAs. This time around it will be live online! There are three roundtables at the miniconference: "Ubiquitous Computing", "Online Social Networks" and "Online Health Resources". I'm the moderator of the second session (Online Social Networks). And I encourage you to check out our wiki, and perhaps even add a journal article / news story or two. http://wiki.citasa.org/index.php/Main_Page http://www.citasa.org/ If you'll be in Montreal, don't hesitate to check out the miniconference or the other CITASA events. And if you've already broke the bank on a trip to Australia, consider checking out the event live online. Take care, BERNiE Bernie Hogan PhD Candidate, Department of Sociology Research Coordinator, NetLab Graduate Fellow, Knowledge Media Design Institute University of Toronto

1 0

Re: [Air-l] conceptual lexicon
by Christopher J. Richter 07 Aug '06

07 Aug '06

I think that you (Elijah, Ellis, Jeremy and others) may be working at cross-purposes here because of the slipperiness of the term "identity"--illustrating again (ironically?) the need for us to define specifically how we use a term. Concerning collective identity I see three possibilities--there may be more. 1)If by collective identity you mean a sense of self-identity like that held by an individual, then collective identity isn't possible unless you believe that a collective has/can have a consciousness (or sub/unconscious) above/separate from those of the individuals making it up. Note that I am specifying consciousness here, not collective behavior. I am unconvinced by supposed empirical evidence of collective consciousness, the appeal of functionalist or Jungian explanations of the social world not withstanding. 2)If by collective identity you mean that individuals' sense of identity is intertwined with/formed in some measure through their membership in/identification with a group, then it obviously does exist. To use a trivial example, living in the shadow of Virginia Tech I constantly encounter neighbors who first and foremost identify themselves as "Hokies" (whatever that means). Though it may mean somewhat different things to the different people who identify themselves in this way, they certainly have enough in common--shared symbols (e.g. a fiberglass statue of a turkey in a business suit--really, I'm serious!) and rituals (watching "the game," modes of discourse, etc.)--that they relate to each other fairly unproblematically, and give every appearance of sharing meaning beyond a general drift. As an aside, this also raises the question of the stability of individuals' sense of identity--how it seems to change with context or over time. Again my neighborhood lots of people seem to identify themselves as Hokies on football Saturdays who otherwise identify themselves as bankers, farmers, parents, Budweiser drinkers, whatever, the rest of the week. And some of them claim to identify with collectivities such as political parties the values of which seem to contradict their self proclaimed identities in other contexts. 3) If by collective identity you mean that we, as observers, can identify collectives and members of collectives by their use of symbols, participation in rituals, etc., again, it seems to me obvious that it does, in this sense, exist. Of course, I may be off-base here. Good discussion, though! chris Christopher J. Richter Assoc. Prof. & Chair, Communication Studies Hollins University P.O. Box 9652 Roanoke VA, 24020 Tel. 5403626358 Fax 5403626286 e-mail crichter(a)hollins.edu web www.hollins.edu -----Original Message----- From: air-l-bounces(a)listserv.aoir.org [mailto:air-l-bounces@listserv.aoir.org] On Behalf Of Jeremy Hunsinger Sent: Friday, August 04, 2006 5:28 PM To: ellis.godard(a)csun.edu Cc: air-l(a)listserv.aoir.org Subject: Re: [Air-l] conceptual lexicon Umm, I don't think we dodged it, it is just that it can't be described to you given the framework that you require. It exists, you can see it all over. The clearest physical expression of collective identity is usually expressed relation to in architecture, local customs, and related activities. Do three friends always hug when they meet, what always happens in groups that takes no individual decision... tons of things. Some families have collective identities, some schools do, and almost all military units do too, which was one of the major military critiques of the 'army of one' campaign. On Aug 4, 2006, at 5:19 PM, Ellis Godard wrote: > Jeremy wrote: >> You can't get there from where you are. you have to toss the >> atomism and start considering that there are molecules and moles >> which act fundamentally different as a whole than as a collection of >> atoms. > > I'm of course not questioning that collective behavior is distinct > from > atomistic or unitary behavior. I'm questioning whether "collective > identity" > meaningfully exists, anywhere - a question you and Elijah both > dodged, even > though I invited a half dozen kinds of possible responses. For example > (again) what is the "collective identity" of this list? > > -eg > jeremy hunsinger Assistant Professor Pratt Institute www.cddc.vt.edu wiki.tmttlt.com www.tmttlt.com () ascii ribbon campaign - against html mail /\ - against microsoft attachments http://www.stswiki.org/ sts wiki http://cfp.learning-inquiry.info/ Learning Inquiry-the journal http://transdisciplinarystudies.tmttlt.com/ Transdisciplinary Studies:the book series _______________________________________________ The air-l(a)listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/

1 0

OSS Watch report released - Open Source Software use in Higher Education (UK)
by E.J.Helsper＠lse.ac.uk 07 Aug '06

07 Aug '06

For all those interested in Open Source Software use: OSS Watch published a report last week about software use in higher education (UK institutions). The key findings are detailed below. Best wishes, Ellen J. Helsper Department of Media and Communications London School of Economics and Political Science Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE T: 020 7955 6106 >> Apologies for crossposting In February and March of 2006, OSS Watch conducted a survey of ICT Directors at colleges and universities across the UK. We are delighted to announce that the report from that survey is now published. Key findings include: * 77% of colleges and universities report that they regularly explore open source options in procurement exercises, yet only 25% of institutions report mention of 'open source' in their institutional policies * 56% of further education colleges reported use of Moodle, an open source course management system * 100% of institutions provide Internet Explorer on their Windows desktop PCs, yet 68% now also provide Mozilla Firefox * there is no clear leader amongst Content Management Systems (CMS) with more than 29 different solutions being used by respondents * cost continues to be the principal driver in reasons for considering OSS The full report and executive summary are available at http://www.oss-watch.ac.uk/studies/survey2006/ -- Randy Metcalfe Research Technologies Service OSS Watch University of Oxford

1 0

ideas-cyberspace-education (ICE3): call for papers
by Jen Ross 07 Aug '06

07 Aug '06

ideas. cyberspace. education 3: 'digital difference' 21-23 March 2007 Ross Priory, Loch Lomond, Scotland. Keynote Speaker: Professor Gunter Kress, Institute of Education, University of London. _____________________________________________________________________ Dear AoIR colleague, We warmly invite you to travel to the shores of Loch Lomond in Scotland for the third ICE symposium. ICE3 - the last of the series - will address the question of 'digital difference', and the call for abstracts is now open. Held over three days in the delightful setting of Ross Priory, the symposium will give lecturers, developers, researchers and theorists an opportunity to discuss the culture, theory and politics of learning and teaching in digital spaces. Details of the symposium, including more about its key themes, are available from our website: http://www.education.ed.ac.uk/ice3 As in previous years, the symposium will be for a maximum of 40 people to keep the event intimate and allow a high degree of interchange and discussion. Papers will be presented in a single stream to allow a shared experience of the event. The deadline for extended abstracts of 1000 words is the end of November 2006. ICE3 is jointly organised by the University of Strathclyde and the University of Edinburgh. We very much hope you can join us at ICE3 and look forward to welcoming you to Scotland. Best wishes, Jen Ross Higher and Community Education University of Edinburgh jen.ross(a)education.ed.ac.uk

1 0

FW: mode differences across cultures
by Ellis Godard 07 Aug '06

07 Aug '06

Shared w/ Dr. Leeuw's permission... -----Original Message----- > > -----Original Message----- > > From: AAPORNET [mailto:AAPORNET@asu.edu] On Behalf Of Edith de Leeuw > > Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2006 11:24 AM > > To: AAPORNET(a)asu.edu > > Subject: mode differences across cultures > > > > > > Apologies for cross-posting. > > > > A colleague asked me a very intriguing question, but unfortunately I > > could not give him a detailed answer, except the suggestion, to > > look up Internet > > penetration in each country, and treat this as a proxy of 'being > > acquainted/used to Internet technology in a specific country. > > > > I am posting his question below. Please send your reply to him > > directly. A.DeBeuckelaer(a)fm.ru.nl > > I will ask him to send me a summary of answers to share with > > the list again. > > > > Thanking you on his behalf, Edith > > > > Dr. Edith D. de Leeuw, MethodikA > > Plantage Doklaan 40, NL-1018 CN Amsterdam > > tel + 31 20 622 34 38 fax + 31 20 330 25 97 > > e-mail edithl(a)xs4all.nl > > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > God do you still have a blue print of my cat? > > J.B. Charles (Willem Hendrik Nagel > > 1910-1982) > > > > __________________text question________________________ I > > am struggling with the following issue: > > Topic: Are between-mode (survey) effects expected to be > > CONDITIONAL on > > culture/nation? > > -------------------------------------------------------------- > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > > In the literature on mixed-mode surveys (in particular: online and > > paper-and-pencil), the issue of measurement equivalence of a survey > > instrument across both modes of data collection has been (and > > still is) > > highly debated. Although many empirical studies in the U.S. > > (and Spain) > > have reported no violations of measurement equivalence of the > > survey across > > online and paper-and-pencil surveys (e.g., Stanton, 1998; > > Buchanon & Smith, > > 1999; Vispoel et al., 2001; Cole et al., 2006), some studies > > actually did > > find some important differences (e.g., Taylor, 2000 in terms > > of choosing > > extreme responses with Likert-type of scales; Ployhart et > > al., 2003 showing > > differential effects in mean- and variance structures, > > internal consistency > > of measures, and item correlations). > > I am wondering whether the literature has provided any > > "STRONG" ARGUMENT to > > believe that the extent of between-mode effects (online and > > paper-and-pencil) would show substantial cross-cultural or > > cross-national > > variation. So far, I did not find such strong arguments in > > the literature. > > One possible argument could relate to differential > > familiarity with the > > Internet (as a research tool) across nations or cultures. As > > the population > > I am investigating is highly 'computer literate', this > > argument is not > > relevant for my study. > > Actually, I just wonder whether a STRONGER ARGUMENT could be > > given (based > > on cross-cultural or cognitive psychology). Please help me > > (if you can). Please send your reaction to: > > A.DeBeuckelaer(a)fm.ru.nl THANKS A LOT! Alain DE BEUCKELAER, > > PhD Radboud University Nijmegen Nijmegen School of Management > > Thomas van Aquinostraat 1 6500 HK Nijmegen The Netherlands > > A.DeBeuckelaer(a)fm.ru.nl T +31 (0)24 361 14 67 F +31 (0)24 361 19 33 > > > > ---------------------------------------------------- > > Archives: http://lists.asu.edu/archives/aapornet.html . Please ask > > authors before quoting outside AAPORNET. Unsubscribe?-don't reply to > > this message, write to: aapornet-request(a)asu.edu > >

1 0

Re: [Air-l] Community and our Conceptual Lexicon
by Ellis Godard 04 Aug '06

04 Aug '06

Ian Goodwin wrote: > ...community has always been tied to normative > prescription as well as empirical description. Yet the most > important point about community is that it pervades everyday > life. I'd go so far as to say it seems to be indispensable to > social discourse. That's pretty far. > Thus, as Peter Hamilton put it in his > perceptive introduction to Cohen's (1985) classic study (The > Symbolic Construction of Community), community would have > long ago been "discounted as grist to the scholarly mill were > it not for the remarkable hold that the idea of community > exerts over both the intellectual and popular mind" (p.7). The popularity of a notion, within or beyond scholarship, is a poor criteria for the evaluation of its use in describing anything other than its popularity. > It is for this reason we should be careful about discounting > community. People manifestly believe in community and use the > term in their everyday discourse. In this sense community > motivates, sustains, and structures social action. By what logic does the publicly consequential nature of a term render it having descriptive or explanatory value? > ...For example fears of 'community decline', whilst > difficult if not impossible to verify from an objective > perspective, often motivate residents of localities to become > involved in online initiatives (and structure how they then > interact online - the topics they deem 'relevant', the goals > of the online group etc) - this was certainly the case in the > community informatics initiatives I studied in Birmingham (UK). Fears of goblins do not goblins make. -eg

1 0

Re: [Air-l] Online Survey Reviews
by Porsche VanBrocklin-Fischer 04 Aug '06

04 Aug '06

Try these online survey resources: Best, S. J., and Kruger, B. S. (2004). Internet Data Collection. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Baker, LC, M. Kate Bundorf, Sara Singer, and Todd H. Wagner. 2003. “Validity of the Survey of Health and Internet and Knowledge Network’s Panel and Sampling”. Stanford, CA: Stanford University; 2003. Couper, Mick P., Michael W. Traugott, and Mark J. Lamais. 2001. “Web survey design and administration”. Public Opinion Quarterly. 65 (2): 230 (24). Dillman, Don, A. 2000. Mail and Internet Surveys: The Tailored Design Method. NY, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Evans, Joel R. and Anil Mathur. 2005. “The Value of Online Surveys”. Internet Research. 15(2):195-219.Porsche VanBrocklin-FischerDoctoral StudentDepartment of SociologyWayne State UniversityDetroit, MI > From: charlie(a)balch.org> To: air-l(a)listserv.aoir.org> Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2006 09:39:04 -0500> Subject: [Air-l] Online Survey Reviews> > I'm looking for references that review/compare Internet survey delivery> systems. Either there are few or none of these references or I can't figure> out the syntax for a search. I'm aware that Reips recently posted an> indication that he intends to create such a resource.> > Can anyone suggest some good articles that review Internet survey delivery> systems?> > Thanks,> Charlie Balch> LSU Doctoral Candidate, Instructional Technology (in dissertation hell)> Arizona Western College, Professor CIS (my first day is in two weeks)> http://charlie.balch.org> mailto:charlie@balch.org> > > > > _______________________________________________> The air-l(a)listserv.aoir.org mailing list> is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org> Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org> > Join the Association of Internet Researchers: > http://www.aoir.org/ _________________________________________________________________ Try Live.com: where your online world comes together - with news, sports, weather, and much more. http://www.live.com/getstarted

3 2

from air-l list manager re: HTML vs. plain text
by Holly Kruse 04 Aug '06

04 Aug '06

I'm about to be away from my home computer for a few days and have only spotty internet access, and before I leave I think it might be useful to post here to let everyone know that, for a number of reasons, there is a size limit on air-l posts. Many people in the past several days have greatly exceeded the limit, and posts larger than 10 KB automatically are held for approval rather than being directly posted to air-l. This means that messages sent in HTML or other formats than plain text may end up languishing for hours, or in some cases, even a day, before I see them and can let posters know what the problem is. Excessively large posts are rejected, and the poster receives the following message: "If your message was rejected for length because you included most or all of an air-l digest in a response, please edit the excerpted material and re-send your post. If it was overly long because it was posted in HTML or MIME, then please try not to post in HTML/MIME - it messes up the digest version of AIR-L and our web archive. This is not a rejection of your posting, only its format, so please re-post in plain text. Instructions for almost all e-mail programs can be found at http://www.expita.com/nomime.html. "Another reason for not using HTML or MIME is that such postings tend to be inordinately large. We don't accept postings larger than 10 KB. If you have information in excess of that limit, a link to a relevant web page is often a better option." So if you want to ensure that your message appears on air-l in a timely fashion, please send it in plain text. Thanks, Holly Kruse List Manager holly(a)aoir.org holly-kruse(a)utulsa.edu

1 0

Re: [Air-l] Statistics Canada - General Social Survey: The Internet and the way we spend our time
by Sarah Stewart 03 Aug '06

03 Aug '06

Thank you everyone for your replies on the topic of measuring time using the Internet. I am carrying out a project comparing online (email) mentoring with traditional face-to-face mentoring for new graduate midwives and nurses. One of the elements I want to look at is time, comparing the time of face-to-face meetings with the amount of time spent reading and replying to emails. Your replies have helped me think about the issues in greater depth. regards Sarah Sarah Stewart PhD Candidate Senior Lecturer School of Midwifery Otago Polytechnic Forth St Private Bag 1910 Dunedin New Zealand Tel: 0800 762786 sarahs(a)tekotago.ac.nz

1 0

FW: Pew biennial media consumption report (plus cell-only analysis)
by Ellis Godard 03 Aug '06

03 Aug '06

FYI... -----Original Message----- ...Pew Research Center's latest media consumption survey (we do this study every two years). Among other topics, this year's report looks at the online audience for newspapers. ... http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=282

1 0