Spotlight on Scholarship:
Recent Work by HCTD members
Hargittai, E. (2008). The role of expertise in navigating links of influence. In J. Turow and L. Tsui, (Eds.) The Hyperlinked Society: Questioning Connections in the Digital Age (pp. 85-103). Ann Arbor, MI: The University of Michigan Press.
Abstract:
In this essay, I focus on how the influence of links may be mediated by the skills and expertise that both content producers and viewers are able to mobilize when using the Internet. My main argument is that while lots of factors influence how links are presented on the Web and how users respond to the content that shows up on their screens, people's Internet user abilities remain an important and understudied aspect of navigating links of influence. Both content creators and content users (readers, listeners, viewers) can benefit from a more in-depth understanding of how the Web works. Since such skills are not randomly distributed among the population, certain content providers and content users stand a better chance of benefiting from the medium than others. Relevant know-how will help producers attract attention to their materials. Savvy about the medium will assist users in sidestepping potentially misleading and malicious content.
The entire book is available for free here: http://hdl.handle.net/2027/spo.5680986.0001.001
Hargittai, E. (2008). The digital reproduction of inequality." In D. Grusky (Ed.) Social Stratification (pp. 936-944). Boulder, CO: Westview Press. [no abstract available]
Abstract:
The proliferation of wireless and mobile communication technologies gives rise to important changes in how people experience space and time. These changes may be seen in many realms of social life, such as the transformation of public into private space and vice versa, the blurring of lines demarcating work and personal life, and new patterns of coordination and social networks. The purpose of this volume is to continue and deepen the dialogue on how space and time change as a result of the lower threshold for interaction due to mobile communication technologies.
Howard III, J. W. (2008). "Tower, am I cleared to land?": Problematic communication in aviation discourse. Human Communication Research, 34, 370-391.
Abstract:
This study examined problematic communication in pilot–air traffic controller (ATC) interaction. More than 15 hours of pilot–ATC dialogue were collected by monitoring control tower frequencies at 15 U.S. airports. The transcribed data yielded a total of 34 ATCs, 270 pilots, and 1,799 turns of talk. Analyses revealed that (a) communication problematics manifested in pilot turns more than ATC turns, (b) higher amounts of information led to increased problematic communication in the subsequent turn, and (c) linguistic violations of ATC protocol increased problematic communication in the subsequent turn. Partial support was found for the effect of frequency congestion on problematic communication. No effect was observed for airport size on problematic communication. The discussion addresses the significance of protocol deviations and system constraints for problematic communication. Applications for the findings in pilot–ATC radio interaction are also suggested.
Ling, R. & Campbell, S. W. (eds). (Winter 2008). The Reconstruction of Space and Time: Mobile Communication Practices. Transaction Press.
Parker, R. E., Bianchi, A., & Cheah, T. Y. (2008). Exploring student and faculty perceptions of technology in education. Journal of Education, Technology & Society, 11(2).
Abstract:
The use of instructional technologies such as PowerPoint ™ and WebCT ™ are nearly ubiquitous in contemporary college classrooms. The literature is rich with ideas about the transformative powers of technology. What is less understood is how users perceive technology and its effects on classroom dynamics such as student attendance and participation as well as student learning. The literature offers neither an empirical nor rhetorical consensus about the efficacy of classroom technology. This study explores perceptions about the effects of two commonly used technologies through surveys of faculty (n= 485) and students (n= 3145) at a large, public university. Results indicate that individual factors such as gender, grade point average, class/faculty rank, and length of tenure influence orientation toward technology. Results indicate student and faculty differ in their perceptions of the impact of technology on student attendance, class discussion, and connections between students. We explore potential reasons for these differences and how they provide clues for improving the usefulness of technology in meeting learning objectives for all students.