November 2009 - Air-L - lists.aoir.org

Re: [Air-L] What happened to Second Life? (BBC) (Michael Gurstein)
by Catherine Middleton 20 Nov '09

20 Nov '09

Here's an interesting article about Telstra (Australian telco) getting out of Second Life, but also revoking unmetered access to Second Life for its broadband customers. In a country with bandwidth caps, this is a concern for users: “By removing the unmetered usage from Second Life will actually remove the ability of so many to be able to remain in Second Life and to be able to remain in contact with friends. Those that suffer from disabilities, depression, etc will once again become isolated. This is totally discrimination against the housebound, the disabled, the depressed, the gamers,” said the user, who is planning to take the matter to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman." http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/bigpond-pulls-plug-on-seco… Catherine Middleton Ryerson University Toronto, Canada catherine.middleton(a)ryerson.ca

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Media/Technologies position at the University of Memphis
by Kris M. Markman 20 Nov '09

20 Nov '09

Please see the announcement below regarding a tenure-track opening at the University of Memphis. I'm happy to answer questions from anyone who might be interested. Thanks, Kris --- The Department of Communication at the University of Memphis seeks a tenure-track assistant professor, with appointment beginning August 2010. The Department seeks an individual with a research specialization in media theory and new technologies and who also has teaching and research interests in one or more of the following areas: political communication, health communication, organizational communication, and critical/cultural studies. Experience in some form of media production is desirable. The position requires willingness to work collaboratively with colleagues in a department that places high value on research and teaching that cross areas of specialization. PhD strongly preferred. For more details about the Department, College, and University, see the Department’s web page http://www.memphis.edu/communication/ Applicants should apply at http://workforum.memphis.edu. Applicants will be required to upload a letter of application, vita, evidence of teaching excellence and scholarly achievement, and contact information for at least three references. Review of applications begins January 14, 2010 and may continue until the position is filled. The University of Memphis is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. ---------- ---------- ---------- Kris M. Markman, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Dept. of Communication University of Memphis https://umdrive.memphis.edu/kmmrkman/www/index.html

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Facebook, Tweet In Class ? You're In The Hotseat @ Purdue
by McKiernan, Gerard [LIB] 20 Nov '09

20 Nov '09

Colleagues/ Some Like It Hot ! /Gerry November 2, 2009 / Hotseat Lets Students Facebook, Tweet In Class To Improve Learning / Steve Tally WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - College students have always talked about their classes, and lately the conversations have moved to Facebook, Twitter and text messages, often during the class lecture itself. Now, in a clever bit of educational jujitsu, an application developed at Purdue University uses those backchannel conversations to improve the students' learning. "Hotseat is really sort of subversive in a delightful way, taking technologies more often used for things like dating or spontaneous get-togethers, and applying them to learning," says Gerry McCartney, chief information officer and vice president for information technology. " [snip] Hotseat is a software application that captures student comments about a class and allows everyone in the class to view those messages, including the professor and teaching assistants. Students can post messages to Hotseat using their Facebook, MySpace or Twitter accounts, or they can send text messages or simply log into the Hotseat Web site. Currently being pilot tested in two Purdue courses, the application has become a favorite of both instructors and students. [snip] Students in the class most often use Hotseat to ask questions about the material that they don't care to ask in class. [snip] Lead developer Kyle Bowen, director of informatics at Purdue, says students can post messages from a variety of social media sites. "We're not asking them to go to a new destination or use a new technology. We're letting them work on their studies from where they already live digitally ... ." As an advanced Web 2.0 technology, Hotseat requires the extra bandwidth provided by Purdue's new campus network, ... . The network, and Hotseat, are expected to be fully deployed across the West Lafayette campus during the 2010-11 academic year. Links To >>> Full Press Release YouTube Videos > Hotseat At Purdue University ; What Is Hotseat In Your Own Words? Hotseat Web Site Facebook Page (Public) And Facebook App (Purdue Community Only) At [ http://tinyurl.com/y88z39t ] !!! Thanks To / Mashable: The Social Media Guide / For The HeadsUp !!! As Previously Requested > I Am Greatly In Any / All Library ; Educational Uses / Applications Of Twitter / Other Microblogging Technologies || Please Post As A Comment(s) On The Blog Entry ... Thanks A Million !!! Regards, /Gerry Gerry McKiernan Associate Professor Science and Technology Librarian Iowa State University Library Ames IA 50011 gerrymck(a)iastate.edu There Is No Answer, Only Solutions / Olde Irish Saying The Future Is Already Here, It's Just Not Evenly Distributed Attributed To William Gibson, SciFi Author / Coined 'Cyberspace

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Job: Info Graphics and Data Viz at UNC Chapel Hill
by paul jones 20 Nov '09

20 Nov '09

*Please forward as appropriate * * * *OUTSTANDING ASSISTANT OR ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN INFORMATION GRAPHICS AND DATA VISUALIZATION* *Working title/rank:* Assistant or Associate Professor in Information Graphics and Data Visualization *Type of appointment:* Tenure-track faculty *Position category:* Tenure-track faculty *Department or school:* Journalism/Mass Communication *Application deadline:* Open until filled (Applications will begin to be reviewed on January 15, 2010) *Proposed start date:* July 1, 2010 *Position summary* The School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is searching for an outstanding assistant or associate professor specializing in information graphics and data visualization. The successful applicant will teach courses in information graphics and visualization, which includes cartography and statistical representation, 3D design, animated graphic storytelling and other appropriate courses over time. All of the school’s graphic design courses are taught in our state-of-the-art Macintosh labs. The successful candidate will teach a 2/2 course load and perform other customary duties of a faculty member in the school’s research tenure track: research, advising, service and teaching/advising students at the graduate and undergraduate levels. *Education requirements* A Ph.D. in journalism/mass communication or a relevant related field is required. ABD will be considered with a firm anticipated completion date. *Experience and qualifications* - Preferred 7 years of full-time professional experience as an informational graphic artist/specialist. - Entrepreneurial and/or freelance work experience. - An outstanding, international award-winning professional portfolio that includes print and online journalistic work. - Proficiency in appropriate software including Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and a 3D software program such as Maya or Lightwave. Working knowledge of Flash and Dreamweaver. Proficiency in programming languages such as ActionScript and R. - A well-defined research agenda that addresses pertinent issues in information visualization and new technologies. - Ability to be an outstanding teacher. *Special instructions* Go to *http://jobs.unc.edu/1002162* <http://jobs.unc.edu/1002162> to apply. Please submit a letter, vitae, names and contact information of least three references and a link to online portfolio materials. Supporting documents including course syllabi and other materials will be helpful in selecting finalists and should be submitted as electronic attachments to the application when possible. Any other materials may be mailed to: Jo Bass / Assistant to the Dean / School of Journalism and Mass Communication / UNC-Chapel Hill / Campus Box 3365 / Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3365.

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Call for Papers: 2010 AEJMC Midwinter Conference
by Jacob Groshek 20 Nov '09

20 Nov '09

CALL FOR PAPER ABSTRACTS AND PANEL PROPOSALS – 2010 AEJMC MIDWINTER CONFERENCE March 5-7, 2010 Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication University of Oklahoma (Link to conference web page through http://www.ou.edu/gaylord) The AEJMC Midwinter Conference is an annual forum for the presentation of research and debate in areas relevant to the 12 AEJMC groups (divisions, interest groups and commissions) sponsoring the event. It follows a rather informal structure that allows for presentations and extended discussions in a relaxed setting. The upcoming conference is scheduled for March 5-7, 2010 at the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication (University of Oklahoma) in Norman, Oklahoma. The location offers participants many winter diversions outside the conference activities, including world-class museums and art galleries. Questions about paper and panel submissions must be directed to the appropriate midwinter chairs below. General questions about the conference can be sent to Elanie Steyn, Conference Site Host (elanie(a)ou.edu) Paper submissions: Authors should submit research paper proposals consisting of a 300 to 500-word abstract by email to the midwinter chair (from the list below) of the group (division/interest group/commission) they wish to submit to. Please keep in mind that you can only submit any given paper abstract to one of the groups participating in the conference – submitting the same paper abstract to several groups is not allowed. Do not submit full papers. The abstracts should give a clear sense of the scope of the research and the method of inquiry. If researchers have completed their projects by the submission deadline, paper abstracts should also include research conclusions. Once their paper abstracts have been accepted, authors must submit complete research papers (not exceeding 30 pages) to the discussant of their session on the program. Discussants should receive full papers at least two weeks before the conference. Keep in mind that papers presented at this conference are also eligible for presentation at the AEJMC national convention. Authors are encouraged to use the midwinter conference as an opportunity to get feedback on their research, improve and finalize it for submission to the national conference. Panel submissions: Panel organizers should submit proposals to the midwinter chair (from the list below) of the group (division/interest group/commission) they wish to present the panel to. Panel submissions should include the panel title, a description of the session’s focus, the issues to be discussed, and a list of panelists (potential and confirmed), including affiliation. Format: Identify the paper’s author(s) or panel’s organizer(s) on the title page only and include the mailing address, telephone number and e-mail address of the person to whom inquiries should be addressed. The title should be on the first page of the text and on running heads on each page of text. Include your abstract or proposal as an attachment (saved with your last name as file name) in a standard word-processing format (preferably Word or RTF) and email it to the relevant midwinter chair. Also, ensure that you remove any identifying information from your document (with the exception of the title page). Deadline: All submissions should reach the appropriate division/interest group/commission’s midwinter paper chair (see below) by December 1, 2009. Midwinter chairs will notify authors of acceptances and rejections by January 6, 2010. Registration: Details on conference registration, hotel accommodation, and travel information will be available at http://www.ou.edu/gaylord. AEJMC 2010 Midwinter Chairs by Division/Interest Group/Commission Civic & Citizen Journalism Interest Group Glenn Scott, Elon University (gscott3(a)elon.edu) Communication Technology Division Jacob Groshek, Iowa State University (jgroshek(a)iastate.edu) Commission on the Status of Women Tracy Everbach, University of North Texas (everbach(a)unt.edu) Cultural and Critical Studies Division Jacque Lambiase, Texas Christian University (j.lambiase(a)tcu.edu) Entertainment Studies Interest Group Mina Tsay, Boston University (minatsay(a)bu.edu) Graduate Education Interest Group Erica Salkin, University of Wisconsin-Madison (salkin(a)wisc.edu) International Communication Division Melinda Robins, Emerson College (Melinda_Robins(a)emerson.edu) Mass Communication & Society Division Janet A. Bridges, Sam Houston State University (jab005(a)shsu.edu) Media Management and Economics Division Susan Westcott Alessandri, Suffolk University, (salessandri(a)suffolk.edu) Minorities and Communication Division Frances Ward-Johnson, Elon University (Fward2(a)elon.edu) Religion and Media Interest Group Amanda Sturgill, Baylor University (Amanda_Sturgill(a)baylor.edu) Visual Communication Division Jeremy Gilbert, Medill School Northwestern University ( jgilbert(a)northwestern.edu -- Dr. Jacob Groshek Assistant Professor Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication Iowa State University (515) 294-0485 jgroshek(a)iastate.edu http://www.jgroshek.com

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What happened to Second Life? (BBC)
by Michael Gurstein 20 Nov '09

20 Nov '09

(with thanks to Christian Wagner who first identified the article... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8367957.stm The comments after the article are at least as interesting as the article itself. MBG Michael Gurstein, Ph.D. Director: Centre for Community Informatics Research, Development and Training Vancouver, CANADA http://www.communityinformatics.net Cape Town, SA (in conjunction with Izandla Zethu SA) http://www.izandlazethu.co.za/

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Conference: DIGITAL FORMALISM / DZIGA VERTOV. "Method Has Left Home."
by Jana Herwig 20 Nov '09

20 Nov '09

Fellow AoIRers, I'd like to invite you to the final conference of the "Digital Formalism" project our dept. is co-hosting in January in Vienna, Austria - no conference fees apply. Would be a pleasure to meet some of you here:) Best wishes Jana Herwig (PhD Candidate, Dept. of Theater, Film and Media Studies, University of Vienna) - SAVE THE DATE - DIGITAL FORMALISM / DZIGA VERTOV. "Method Has Left Home." Conference and Filmscreenings Jan 14 - 16, 2010, Vienna at Austrian Filmmuseum (Thursday) and Vienna University (Friday and Saturday, Aula, Campus AAKH) Speakers: John MacKay (Yale University), Annette Michelson (New York University), Alexander Deriabin (Moscow), Barbara Wurm (Basel/Berlin/Vienna), Julia Kursell (Berlin), Vera Kropf (Vienna University), Michael Loebenstein (Vienna), Adelheid Heftberger (Vienna), Georg Wasner (Vienna), Stavros Alifragkis (Cambridge University), Ute Holl (University of Basel), Matthias Zeppelzauer (TU Vienna), Dalibor Mitrovic (TU Vienna), Maia Zaharieva (TU Vienna), Wolfgang Beilenhoff (Weimar/Bochum), Thomas Tode (Hamburg) Film screenings: A Sixth Part of the World (Dziga Vertov, 1926), Mirror Films. Reflections on Vertov (a programme of films and digital works by Manuel Knapp, Peter Kubelka, Almut Rink and others) Opening of conference: Jan 14, 2010, 3 pm End of conference: Jan 16, 2010, 2 pm Conference language: English No admission fee! A detailed programme will be available at the website http://digitalformalism.org from Dec 10th 2009. Details of the conference's concept are available here: https://typo3.univie.ac.at/uploads/tx_cal/media/DigitalFormalismSaveDate.pdf Conference organisation board: Andrea B. Braidt, Klemens Gruber, Vera Kropf, Barbara Wurm Project partners: TFM Department of Theatre, Film and Media Studies (Vienna University); Austrian Film Museum; Institute of Software Engineering and Interactive Systems (Vienna University of Technology) The conference and project are funded by WWTF Vienna Science and Technology Fund. If you have any questions, please send an email to andrea.braidt(a)univie.ac.at.

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Re: [Air-L] Textbook on the social web?
by RBerkman＠aol.com 20 Nov '09

20 Nov '09

As it looks like we are starting to get a small sub group of persons interested in helping pull this together--and I/we hope we can get a few more people to join in, I suggest we set up a separate discussion group somewhere (Ning, Yahoo Groups, an AIR-l sublist if avail??) so we can discuss and pull this together as a group. Bob Berkman

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CFP: Who am I Online?
by Charles Ess 20 Nov '09

20 Nov '09

Dear AoIR-ists, the following may be of interest to some - with the usual apologies for cross-posting and duplication, please do send on to potentially interested colleagues. Many thanks, - charles ess Institut for Informations- og Medievidenskab Helsingforsgade 14 8200 Århus N. Denmark mail: <imvce(a)hum.au.dk> tel: (+45) 8942 9250 Distinguished Research Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies Drury University, Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA Exemplary persons seek harmony, not sameness. -- Analects 13.23 === Workshop: Who Am I Online? University of Aarhus, Kalovig Centre, Denmark 10-11 May 2010 Organisers: Charles Ess (Drury/Aarhus) Luciano Floridi (Hertfordshire/Oxford) 1st Call For Papers (Deadline: 31 March 2010) As time and technology progress, how we interact with the world and each other becomes increasingly complex and articulated. The quantity and diversity of information in our environment, and the ease with which we can access that information and integrate it into our daily lives, have increased exponentially over the past decade. For many of us, the environment with which we interact has changed to make possible entirely new ways of working with information and being with others. Interest in these topics has recently been amplified by the advent of the so-called ³Web 2.0², a (continuing) expansion of interactive venues such as social networking, blogging and microblogging such as Twitter, and ³pro/sumer² activities in which consumers of media content such as music and videos are simultaneously its producers. Psychologists, sociologists and anthropologists - including those whose research is gathered under the general domain of computer-mediated communication (CMC) - have for some time been interested in the ways in which such changes in our informational environment might affect us and our self-conceptions. The relevance of new technologies to our lives has attracted academic attention in large part because it appears to raise questions about how new kinds of interactions with others and our environment might alter, shape or otherwise affect our self-conceptions, our thoughts and other aspects of our cognitive, emotional and moral lives. And the project of ascertaining which properties of ourselves and our activities make essential contributions to our moral and mental lives and personhood is one in which philosophers are traditionally engaged. Yet these topics have, thus far, been relatively neglected by philosophers. This is especially strange when considered alongside the emphasis in recent philosophy of mind on the essential contributions that the embedding environment and our modes of interaction with it can make to our mental lives. If it¹s possible that our informational environment and our capacities for interaction with it can constitutively shape our mentality and our moral conduct, we should consider whether radical changes in that environment and its interactive affordances may have implications for the character of our mental and moral lives, and perhaps for the sorts of persons we are. There is already significant evidence that such changes are upon us in both what we used to call the Western and Eastern worlds - most obviously, as apparent changes in self-conception are affiliated with dramatically changing understandings and expectations of privacy,¹ especially informational or online privacy. So, what implications do new informational environments and affordances have for philosophical and ethical views of personal identity? And what light, if any, can existing philosophical work on personal identity shine on the conceptual issues that arise when talking and thinking about agents, environments and interactions that span or blur the real/virtual and online/offline divides? The workshop will address these issues. We welcome proposals for papers dealing with the construction of personal identities online. Please submit extended abstracts (between 1000 and 1500 words all included, preferably in MS Word format) for papers suitable for 40-minute presentations to Dave Ward (D.Ward2(a)herts.ac.uk) by 31 March 2010. Bursaries: a number of bursaries for graduate students presenting papers will be available, on a competitive basis, to contribute to travel and accommodation expenses. Publication: successful submissions will be selected for publication. Series: the workshop is part of a series of meetings organized as part of the AHRC-funded project ³The Construction of Personal Identities Online². More information about the project is available here: http://www.philosophyofinformation.net/grants/pio/index.html

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information about burma/myanmar social networks
by Nikki Usher 20 Nov '09

20 Nov '09

Hi: I'm beginning to do some research on social networks (particularly online) in Burma/Myanmar. If anyone has information about expat networks, activist groups, or more importantly, knowledge about social networks inside burma, that'd be great - I'd appreciate any leads. Many thanks. -- Nikki Usher Doctoral Student Knight Digital Media Center Research Assistant Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism University of Southern California mobile: 213-220-7824

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