Using Technology to Facilitate Collaboration in Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR)

This study explores the use of Computer-Supported Collaborative Work (CSCW) technologies, by way of a computer-based system called iCohere. This system was used to facilitate collaboration conducting Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR). Data was gathered from 13 members of a Community Collaborative Board (CCB). Analysis revealed that iCohere served the following functions: facilitating communication, providing a depository for information and resource sharing, and allowing for remote meeting attendance. Results indicated that while iCohere was useful in performing these functions, less expensive technologies had the potential to achieve similar goals if properly implemented. Implications for future research on CSCW systems and CBPR are discussed.     

Making sense of the senses across species boundaries: designing the Animal Senses gallery at National Museums Scotland

As one of a suite of natural science galleries in the National Museum of Scotland, Animal Senses presents a comprehensive overview of how animals have evolved senses as they have adapted to different ecological niches in order to find food or avoid predation. Using different sensory channels, they also have evolved means of communication to attract mates, deter rivals, and remain hidden from predators and prey. Some of the most extraordinary examples of evolution are those which mimic the appearance of another unrelated species or some feature of the environment such as a thorn on a bush or a piece of coral. New taxidermy and models, engaging text presented hierarchically, and fun interactives were developed specifically for this gallery in order to present an up-to-date review of senses and communication. However, its real strength is the wide array of real specimens and life-size models which allow visitors to see what these animals really look like and how big they are, experiences which cannot be emulated by books or electronic media. By taking a thematic approach, we have created an unrivalled opportunity to compare animals from different taxonomic groups to see how they have solved the problems of life by evolving similar structures or completely different ones in order to find food, avoid being eaten, navigate, find mates and deceive rivals and predators.     

Feminist power and its implications on Uganda’s malaria communication campaign

This paper examines power and its manifestation in Uganda’s “Stop Malaria Campaign.” It specifically questions the apparent radical feminism, which is conceptualized as a quest for power, and how such excesses drive implementation of the campaign. The paper explains data collected through focus group discussions and key informant interviews using feminist communication theory as informed by the critical ideas of feminism and power. These three ideas help to put into perspective: domination of the campaign by one gender, interpretation of the campaign’s objectives to suit that one gender, and communication methods used in the campaign. Analysis of the above three processes shows that men are the weaker gender in the malaria prevention drive, an idea that has clashed with the existing male chauvinism on which several families still thrive in Africa. A view that radical feminism should be seen as an organized form of power that needs to be checked if Uganda’s malaria communication campaign is to be implemented successfully is herein proposed, along with some solutions to the challenges.     

传播符号学及其理论建构

具有百年历史的传播学研究在当代遇到了相当多的理论瓶颈，甚至被某些学者称之为传播学范式的危机。如何化解这种范式危机便成为传播学界孜孜以求的话题。某种程度上，正在成为“显学”的符号学恰恰能够提供这种化解危机的理论资源，符号学作为人文科学的“公分母”，本质上是一门“意义之学”，具体到传播而言，关注的是传播文本的意义建构，而非表象的传播效果。将符号学用于传播研究，能够从深层次揭示传播现象背后的原因。这样的背景下，传播符号学呼之欲出，传播符号学作为一门学科便具有了学理上的合法性与正当性。     

Does Iconicity in Pictographs Matter? The Influence of Iconicity and Numeracy on Information Processing,Decision Making,and Liking in an Eye‐Tracking Study

Researchers recommend the use of pictographs in medical risk communication to improve people's risk comprehension and decision making. However, it is not yet clear whether the iconicity used in pictographs to convey risk information influences individuals’ information processing and comprehension. In an eye‐tracking experiment with participants from the general population (N = 188), we examined whether specific types of pictograph icons influence the processing strategy viewers use to extract numerical information. In addition, we examined the effect of iconicity and numeracy on probability estimation, recall, and icon liking. This experiment used a 2 (iconicity: blocks vs. restroom icons) × 2 (scenario: medical vs. nonmedical) between‐subject design. Numeracy had a significant effect on information processing strategy, but we found no effect of iconicity or scenario. Results indicated that both icon types enabled high and low numerates to use their default way of processing and extracting the gist of the message from the pictorial risk communication format: high numerates counted icons, whereas low numerates used large‐area processing. There was no effect of iconicity in the probability estimation. However, people who saw restroom icons had a higher probability of correctly recalling the exact risk level. Iconicity had no effect on icon liking. Although the effects are small, our findings suggest that person‐like restroom icons in pictographs seem to have some advantages for risk communication. Specifically, in nonpersonalized prevention brochures, person‐like restroom icons may maintain reader motivation for processing the risk information.     

Information geodesics for gamma models of communication clustering

Recently, Akyildiz called for further work on non-Poisson models for communication arrivals in distributed networks such as cellular phone systems. The basic ‘random’ model for stochastic events is the Poisson process; for events on a line this resuits in an exponential disiribuuon of intervals between events. Network designers and managers need too monotor and quantify call clustering in order to optimize resaurce usage; the natural reference state from which to measure departures is that arising from a Poisson, process of calls. Here we consider gamma distributions, which contain exponential distributions as a special case. The surface representing gamma models has a natural Riemannian information metric and we obtain some geodesic sprays for this metric. The exponential distributions form a 1-dimensional subspace of the 2-dimensional space of all gamma distributions, so we have an isometric embedding of the random model as a subspace of the gamma models. This geometry may provide an appropriate structure on which to represent clustering as quantifiable departures from randomness and on which to impose dynamic control algorithms to optimize traffic at receiving nodes in distributed communication networks. In practice, we may expect correlation between call arrival times and call duration, reflecting for example peaks of different users of internet services. This would give rise to a twisted product of two surfaces with the twisting controlled by the correlation. Though bivariate gamma models do exist, such as Kibble's, none has tractabie information geometry nor sufficiently general marginal gammas,but a simulation method of approach is suggested.     

Corporate communication in large-scale organizations in Turkey: Structure and responsibilities

The current investigation aimed to gather data about how communication is structured in large-scale organizations, which departments are seen as part of corporate communication and what practitioners’ perceptions are about the structure and responsibilities of corporate communication departments. Data were gathered from 51 large-scale organizations and 122 practitioners in Turkey via a questionnaire.     

对话的艺术--新时期高校大学生思想政治教育沟通刍议

当代大学生作为社会中的重要群体，他们需要与外界的交往，处理关系，如何建立，发展，巩固这种关系，就要靠沟通来完成。在高校中，针对大学生的思想政治教育过程就是一个如何与他们沟通的过程。面对当下个性彰显，不断追求新事物的年轻群体，怎样把握沟通的要素和形式，它有哪些特点和功能，遵循什么样的原则和策略，以及新时期下师生沟通过程中出现的障碍和问题，正是本文要探讨的内容。