As technology has become a part of our everyday lives, including our educational institutions, it will definitely have an impact on the teaching and learning. The premise is that the use of ICTs has the ability to transform teaching and learning effectively if it is implemented constructively. The research is to ascertain whether Facebook is used for academic purposes as well as the integration of other Information and Communications Technologies. The study was conducted with a group of lecturers at the University of the Witwatersrand. Data was collected by conducting semi-structured interviews. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed at a later stage. Common themes were identified. Positivity about the implementation of ICTs as well as institutional support is imperative for lecturers to continue their commitment to the process.

This study discusses Facebook as a social network site and a social media application. It compares perceived emotional support, general life stress, and media affordance-based stress from two participant samples - one that reported using the Facebook desktop site most frequently to reach out for emotional support, and one that reported using the mobile application. The media affordance measure asked participants if perceiving a media affordance was more likely to increase or decrease their stress. In both samples, persistence was more likely to decrease stress, and personalization was more likely to increase stress. On the Facebook Desktop site, searchability was more likely to increase stress. On the Facebook mobile application, pervasiveness was more likely to decrease stress, and association to increase stress. When comparing affordances between samples, there were no significant differences found. When comparing samples, the Facebook mobile application users reported higher life stress, but there was no difference found in perception of emotional support. Within samples, there was no correlation between perceived stress and perceived emotional support. Finally, there was a significant correlation found between perception of emotional support on the site and frequency of reaching out for emotional support. On the Facebook desktop site, users reached out by public post and by private message significantly less frequently if they perceived a higher level of emotional support to be available on the site. On the Facebook mobile application, users reached out by public post significantly less frequently if they perceived a higher level of emotional support to be available on the application. No correlation was found for reaching out by private message on the Facebook mobile application.

Submitted by Maria de Lourdes Mariano (lmariano@ufscar.br) on 2016-10-18T11:20:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 PINHEIRO_JUNIOR_Ari_2016.pdf: 64249028 bytes, checksum: 174206f50c95ac571bf1a0f3a8358de6 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria de Lourdes Mariano (lmariano@ufscar.br) on 2016-10-18T11:21:44Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 PINHEIRO_JUNIOR_Ari_2016.pdf: 64249028 bytes, checksum: 174206f50c95ac571bf1a0f3a8358de6 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria de Lourdes Mariano (lmariano@ufscar.br) on 2016-10-18T11:22:00Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 PINHEIRO_JUNIOR_Ari_2016.pdf: 64249028 bytes, checksum: 174206f50c95ac571bf1a0f3a8358de6 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-18T11:22:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PINHEIRO_JUNIOR_Ari_2016.pdf: 64249028 bytes, checksum: 174206f50c95ac571bf1a0f3a8358de6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-29 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / This dissertation is the result of empirical monitoring of political demonstrations where young people expressed through the Black Bloc tactic. It is a participant observer report. Seeks, in acts of street protests and social networking sites, how is the construction of knowledge and realities of these young people. Seeks to understand the political forces opposing the idea of autonomous organization that tracks youth social movements and collective action close to the fans of tactical Black Bloc. Analyzes the pages of Brazilian mass media, the dispute the meaning of the 2013-2014 protests among the ultra-liberal discourse, government supporters and revolutionaries. This research follows the steps of how was built the historical image of the Black Bloc in the national press and proposes a historical script to its spectacular appearance in Brazilian media in June 2013. The research seeks to understand the contemporary scene of street protests across narratives gathered in demonstrations against the FIFA World Cup 2014 and interviews marked the tactical fans in their living spaces. Part of this work an audiovisual documentary, edited with scenes observed in fieldwork. / Esta dissertação é resultado do acompanhamento empírico de manifestações políticas onde jovens se expressavam através da tática Black Bloc. É um relato observador participante. Procura, nos atos de protestos de rua e nos sites de rede social, como se dá a construção de saberes e realidades destes jovens. Busca compreender as forças políticas contrárias a ideia de organização autonomista que acompanha a juventude dos movimentos sociais e ações coletivas próximos aos adeptos da tática Black Bloc. Analisa, nas páginas da mídia de massa brasileira, a disputa do significado dos protestos de 2013-2014 entre os discursos Ultraliberais, Governistas e Revolucionários. Esta pesquisa segue os passos de como foi construída a imagem histórica da Black Bloc na imprensa nacional e propõe um roteiro histórico até de seu aparecimento espetacular nas mídias brasileiras em junho de 2013. A pesquisa procura compreender o cenário contemporâneo dos protestos de rua através de narrativas recolhidas nas manifestações contra a Copa do Mundo da FIFA 2014 e em entrevistas marcadas com adeptos da tática em seus espaços de convivência. Faz parte deste trabalho um documentário audiovisual, editado com cenas observadas no trabalho de campo.

M.A. / The use of the Internet and New Media is becoming increasingly relevant for 21st century politics, not only as a means of political campaigning but also as a platform used by the public to engage in political discussion, debate and opinion formation. As the field of study is relatively new, there has been much argument regarding the opportunities that New Media, such as the Social Media network Facebook, holds for political use. However, not enough research has been done to scrutinise the outcomes of truly utilising the platform. Furthermore, not enough research concerning the use of Social Media in the South African political sphere has been done. Thus, this study concentrates on how the public and the political parties are using Facebook. The research questions examine the nature of (a) political party (ANC and DA) and (b) public participation on the respective Facebook sites. It also enquires as to what benefits and challenges Social Media such as Facebook offer to political parties in South Africa. The study relies on a qualitative methodological orientation. Firstly, content analysis by means of thematic analysis was applied to all posts present on the Facebook pages of the ANC and the DA during the timeframe of 14-21 June 2010. The overall themes were World Cup 2010 and Youth Day, and their emergent sub-themes were explored in this context. Secondly, in-depth interviews were conducted with representatives from each political party who dealt with the Social Media output and monitoring of the party. It would appear that political parties are not capitalising on the full range of Social Media offerings and not promoting two-way communication. Instead they are merely using it as a monitoring tool or as a way to disseminate information. However, the research shows that the members of the public are utilising the Facebook site(s) to engage in discussion of a political nature as well as using the platform to connect with and reach individuals in new ways.

Recognizing the importance of civic engagement to the health of local communities and the overall success of a democracy, this research sought to better understand the relationship between online media use and civic engagement. Specifically, the constructive potential of the social networking site Facebook was explored using the theoretical framework of communication infrastructure theory (CIT; Ball-Rokeach, Kim, & Matei, 2001). Results of a cross-sectional survey with a national sample of 375 participants indicated that Facebook does hold potential for civic engagement. The two most important findings of the research were that Facebook facilitated connection to neighborhood storytelling and that connection to storytelling was positively associated with civic engagement. As such, results indicated that Facebook holds potential for civic engagement insofar as the site facilitates connection to neighborhood storytelling. Additionally, Facebook was a regular part of participants’ daily routines, a means to maintain social capital, and a forum for occasional civic participation. Cumulatively, these results highlight a number of strengths that citizens and communities can build upon to improve social capital and increase civic engagement.

Facebook is among the top used websites in the world, and research has shown that Facebook use is related to individual personality characteristics such as well-being and self-esteem. This study builds on previous research, expanding to investigate attachment-related anxiety and avoidance and relational certainty. The current study examined relationships between Facebook use (both general and for surveillance) and relational certainty, attachment-related anxiety and avoidance, and self-esteem in undergraduate students (N = 261). Online methods were used for data collection, and individuals with their relationship displayed on Facebook reported more relational certainty; however, the more time they spent on the site, the less certain they were with their relationship. Individuals with high attachment-related anxiety were more likely to use Facebook for surveillance, and both attachment anxiety and Facebook use for surveillance were linked to lower self-esteem. These findings indicate that individuals with their relationship status displayed on Facebook have more relational certainty and exhibit less attachment-related anxiety and avoidance. Individuals with high attachment anxiety use Facebook for surveillance. These results add to the expanding literature on Facebook and social networking sites, showing that different people use Facebook in varying ways. As social networking continues to be a staple in the lives of nearly one billion users, it is important to keep researching how people use it and what the potential implications of this use are.

Thesis (M. A. (Media Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / Social networking became a common international trend which has spreads and reached almost every corner of the world. The use of social media platform has developed and exploded into an online platform where individuals can generate content, share it, bookmark it and network at an enormous rate. Amongst the users of social media, students and youth are the main users of social media sites. The research explored Facebook as a tool for improving marketing services at University of Limpopo. Institution of higher learning utilise Facebook for various reasons such getting more followers, maintain existing relationship between the university and its audience and also to communicate with the university audience. Social media can have a great impact on the university and its audience depending on the usage as a two-way communication platform. The main objectives of the study are to identify the manner in which institutions of higher learning use Facebook for marking purposes; examine the performance of Facebook for marketing; and establish the challenges and opportunities of using Facebook as a marking tool. The study employed Nick Couldry’s practice theory and Marketing communication mix theory which are highlighting the relationship between the media, people and organisations. The study also analysed other literature that supports the aim and objectives of the study. A qualitative method was used in the study and results obtained through the use of online observation and semi-structured interview. Content and thematic analysis was applied to analyse the data collected. The population used as a sample were marketing and communication department employees at the University of Limpopo who are working with the university social media pages. With online observation of the University of Limpopo’s Facebook page the findings show that the university’s social media portray specifically Facebook as a one-way communication which they convey messages on the platform without taking into consideration the comments, criticism and queries of the students or audience at large. The empirical findings of the study indicate that Facebook is the most used social media platform at the University of Limpopo. Moreover, participants have highlighted that the purpose of all social media platforms are used to market the institution and as platforms to convey messages to their followers, staff members and university community. v The findings expose the various opportunities and challenges in using social media. However, it is proved that the opportunities outweigh the threats. Some institutions of higher learning use more than one social media platform. However, Facebook was proven to be the most widely used social media followed by YouTube, Twitter and Instagram.

This thesis examines the political public relations campaign of the Democratic Alliance in the 2009 elections in order to explain the party’s performance in these elections. The research is premised on John Petrocik’s (1996) issue ownership theory. A number of quantitative and qualitative content analyses were conducted to provide answers to the main research questions. These involved: the party’s 286 media releases; party leader Helen Zille’s 2009 campaign speeches; and Zille’s Facebook platform. Results revealed that although the DA demonstrated extreme political resilience amidst fierce challenges in the 2009 elections, the party primarily campaigned on an anti-ANC ticket and a fair amount of negative advertising against the governing party to win itself votes. Not only did the party fail to “associate” itself with real issues affecting South African voters—especially the poor Black African majority which constitutes the largest voting bloc—it failed to pronounce itself clearly on other issues. Instead, the party attached itself to a multitude of shared issues, often “trespassing” on issues of common concern not necessarily “owned” by any one political party. This study also deduced that while Facebook facilitated public opinion on the DA in the 2009 elections, it still could not be regarded as a genuine public sphere in the South African context. / Communication Science / M.A. (Communication)

DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF COMMERCE IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS TO THE FACULTY OF COMMERCE, LAW AND MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, JOHANNESBURG FEBRUARY 2015 / Social Network Sites (SNS) such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Piniterest and Google+ have made it easy for youth to communicate, produce and share information. Using SNS has become a daily activity for many youth and young adults around the world, including South Africa. The use of SNS by youth may be motivated by needs for safety, belonging, self-esteem and self-actualization, and others such as enjoyment. Yet, the use of SNS by youth may also carry a number of risks. They include risks to violations of privacy, social and psychological risks that may harm the user’s self-image, as well as time and financial risks resulting from excessive SNS usage. The purpose of this study is to understand the tension between risks and motivation in the use of SNS by university students. To do so, this study developed an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Multi-dimensional risk and motivation constructs were examined for their interactions with TAM constructs of perceived ease of use and perceive usefulness and their effects on SNS usage intentions and actual usage were examined. To test the model, a non-probability convenience sampling method was adopted using students from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Five hundred and fifteen students participated in the study. The ages ranged between 18 and 34 years, 26% males and 74% females took part in the study, and included students from 1st year through to 4th year undergraduate or Honours level. Facebook was found to be the most used SNS. Approximately 80% of respondents reported accessing SNS on their mobile phones and 66% reported being always connected. More than 25% of respondents were actively using SNS for more than 3 hours a day, with 35% using less than one hour per day. Interestingly, only 35% reported having public profiles although 10% did not know whether their profiles were public or private, and nearly 40% of respondents knew less than half the “friends” they were connected to on SNS Partial least squares approach to structured equation modelling was used to test the hypothesised research model. Results showed that motivation influences perceived usefulness (β=0.239, p<0.001) and perceived ease of use (β=0.319, p<0.001) positively. The results suggest that when motivations such as enjoyment and need to belong are high, SNS will be perceived as useful and easy to use. Risk was found to have a negative influence on perceived usefulness (β=-0.0764, p<0.05) and perceived ease of use (β=-0.3265, p<0.001). The results show that when risks are considered high, users are likely to increase their vigilance and consequently will report SNS as less easy to use. Moreover, as a result of risk users may find the SNS less useful. Perceived usefulness (β=0.295, p<0.001) influences intention to use SNS positively. This suggests that when SNS is useful to users, they will have intentions to use it. Intention to use SNS is also influenced by perceived ease of use (β=0.0396, p<0.01). An easy to use SNS will make users want to use it, as opposed to one considered more complex and requiring more effort. Motivation (β=0.281, p<0.001) was found to have more of an effect than risk (β=-0.071, p<0.05) on intentions to use. Respondents thus appear to recognize some risks associated with SNS use, but they appear to be driven more by motivations and less by risk avoidance when deciding on SNS usage. The study will have implications for researchers, SNS providers and users. The results of the study have implications for how researchers conceptualize risk and motivation. The study shows how different dimensions of risk and dimensions of motivation affect the overall risk and overall motivation construct respectively. Currently SNS providers may not have deep understanding of the risks which hinder the use of SNS and motivations which drive the use of SNS. Providers will be better informed to design SNS that are less risky and where possible mitigate the risks. Results also show that SNS providers should not only mitigate risks but also provide online social networks that better fulfil motivational needs of youth. Users will be aware of different risks they are exposing themselves to by using SNS. Since users will be aware of the different types of risks, they can be vigilante when using SNS. / MT2017

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2018-08-01T11:33:09Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Jéssica Oliveira Pereira.pdf: 1581561 bytes, checksum: d63ddbb079b507f6d3dc66ddc75cb4ad (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-01T11:33:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Jéssica Oliveira Pereira.pdf: 1581561 bytes, checksum: d63ddbb079b507f6d3dc66ddc75cb4ad (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-06-12 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This dissertation analyzes which discourses involve the body in Brazilian feminist pages on Facebook and how the modes of presence (or absence) of these bodies signify feminisms in Brazil. They are public pages and with massive participation and sharing, according to the dynamics of the digital network researched. As criterion, we choosed those that are admittedly feminist, in other words, that are interlocutors of the movement in the digital network; and those that are active, with recurring and current posts. The thematic of the body is highlighted because we consider that the discourses derived from it are determinant for the exercise of feminism - they are central in the claims of a movement that has in the body its maximum representation. This issue makes it possible to analyze the meanings deriving from it and the demands of the movement: which bodies are considered legitimate in the feminist struggle, under which stereotypes they operate and which norms they ask. This is, what are the discursive constructions of the treated bodies, considering that in feminist theory the body has been apprehended as a source of knowledge and resistance, as well as an object of subjectivity. For the research, we use Foucault's (1988, 2005, 2008, 2017) studies to identify the prevailing discourses on the pages, and the statements that operate in those posts, as well as the powers that are at stake. Not less important, we use feminist bibliographies or inspired by the movement to provide a critical bias to the gender condition, such as: Butler (2015), Beauvoir (2008), Margaret Rago (1998, 2007/2008, 2013, 2014), Margaret A McLaren (2016), Coletivo Não Me Kahlo (2016), Djamila Ribeiro (2017), Angela Davis (2016), Virginie Despentes (2016), Connell (2016), among others. The results point to a greater understanding: of the power dynamics that act on the question of the feminist woman's body; the treatment of the gender issue in feminism in Brazil; and the role of digital networks in the development of feminist discourse / Esta dissertação analisa quais são os discursos que envolvem o corpo em páginas brasileiras feministas no Facebook e como os modos de presença (ou ausência) dos corpos significam os feminismos no Brasil. São páginas públicas e com massiva participação e compartilhamento, de acordo com a dinâmica da rede digital pesquisada. Como critérios, escolhemos aquelas que são assumidamente feministas, ou seja, que são interlocutoras do movimento na rede digital; e as que estão ativas, com postagens recorrentes e atuais. A temática do corpo vem em destaque por considerarmos que os discursos advindos dele são determinantes para o exercício do feminismo – eles são centrais nas reivindicações de um movimento que tem no corpo sua máxima representação. Esta questão possibilita analisar quais os sentidos decorrentes dele e as demandas do movimento: quais corpos são considerados legítimos na luta feminista, sob quais estereótipos operam e quais normas indagam. Em suma, quais as construções discursivas dos corpos tratados, tendo em vista que na teoria feminista o corpo tem sido apreendido como uma fonte de saber e de resistência, além de objeto da subjetividade. Para a pesquisa, utilizamos os estudos de Foucault (1988, 2005, 2008, 2017) para identificar os discursos predominantes nas páginas, e quais os enunciados que operam nessas postagens, bem como os poderes que estão em jogo. Não menos importante, utilizamos de bibliografias feministas ou inspiradas no movimento, para nos fornecer um viés crítico à condição de gênero, a exemplo de: Butler (2015), Beauvoir (2008), Margareth Rago (1998, 2007/2008, 2013, 2014), Margaret A. McLaren (2016), Coletivo Não Me Kahlo (2016), Djamila Ribeiro (2017), Angela Davis (2016), Virginie Despentes (2016), Connell (2016), entre outras. Os resultados apontam para uma maior compreensão: das dinâmicas de poder que atuam na questão do corpo da mulher feminista; do trato da questão do gênero no feminismo no Brasil; e ainda, da função das redes digitais na elaboração do discurso feminista