Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T18:12:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ana Carolina Weffort de Andrade.pdf: 599045 bytes, checksum: 7944d456b9d8d1a0103a0133b44f0e39 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-08-14 / This research is to analyze the dynamics found in places that offer the service of access to computer and Internet by simply providing the machine, in contrast to projects that offer courses and activities that encourage creativity and critical. Thus, the aim of this paper is analyze the process of digital inclusion in Sao Paulo, is thinking about the impacts of communication technologies by educational bias, is to understanding this process, how it occurs, who are actors and that institutions such as think these initiatives. As justification, we have the twentieth century was marked by profound changes in society and advances in technology were key to these events, especially with the development of information and communication. However, Brazil still faces difficulties as regards access to all this advances and therefore appear initiatives to promote access to computer. The methodology adopted is in the first step, a literature in the works of Rogério da Costa and Pierre Levy about the digital culture, Manuel Castells and the concept of network society, the work of Eugenio Trivinho and the theme of dromocracy cybercultural, and finally the idea of digital inclusion in this work of Sergio Amadeu. Following a case study of initiatives it proposes to undertake work in this direction, the Sesc Program Internet Livre/SP and the SP Access, the state government action. Finally, it is evident the importance of analyzing the issue because the importance acquired by technologies in our daily lives next to unfound as the digital inclusion has done that much, but there still much to do themselves / Esta pesquisa consiste na análise da dinâmica encontrada em locais que oferecem o serviço de acesso ao computador e à Internet através da simples disponibilização da máquina, em contrapartida aos locais que oferecem cursos e atividades que estimulem a criatividade e a crítica. Dessa forma, o objetivo desse trabalho é analisar o processo de inclusão digital da população em São Paulo; é pensar os impactos das tecnologias de comunicação pelo viés educativo; é compreender esse processo, de que forma ele ocorre, quem são seus atores e de que forma tais instituições pensam essas iniciativas. Como justificativa, temos que o século XX foi marcado por profundas mudanças na sociedade e os avanços tecnológicos foram fundamentais para tais acontecimentos, especialmente com o desenvolvimento das tecnologias da informação e comunicação. Entretanto, o Brasil ainda enfrenta dificuldades no que diz respeito ao acesso de todos a tais avanços e por esse motivo surgem iniciativas de promoção de acesso ao computador. A metodologia adotada é, em primeira etapa, um levantamento bibliográfico nas obras de Rogério da Costa e Pierre Levy a respeito da cultura digital; Manuel Castells e o conceito de sociedade em rede; a obra de Eugênio Trivinho e a temática da dromocracria cibercultural e, por fim, a ideia de inclusão digital presente na obra de Sérgio Amadeu. Na sequência um estudo de caso de iniciativas que se propõe a realizar trabalhos nesse sentido, o programa Internet Livre do SESC/SP e o Acessa SP, do governo paulista. Por fim, fica evidente a importância de analisar a questão em virtude da relevância adquirida pelas tecnologias em nosso cotidiano ao lado de como desenrolam os projetos de inclusão digital que muito tem feito, mas há ainda muito o que se fazer nesse sentido

The Public Internet Terminal (PIT) is the Department of Communication initiative that aims to bring electronic communication to all South African citizens. It was launched in 1998 as a joint venture between the Department of Communications (DoC) and the South African Post Office (SAPO).This study postulates that the massive roll out of the Public Internet terminals (PIT‘s) has enhanced the lives of the poor by providing easy access to government services. It further assumes that the PITs are able to facilitate access of eService‘s to all the citizens in particular where electronic services are not freely available such as in the rural and remote under serviced areas of South Africa. In addition, it explores the envisaged value added initiatives stipulated in the memorandum of understanding entered in between the Department of Communication (DOC) and the South African Post Office (SAPO).

The paper discusses the scientific and policy debate as to whether access to the Internet can be considered so fundamental for human interaction as to deserve a special legal protection. In particular, it examines the impact of computer-mediated communication on the realization of individual’s rights and freedoms as well as on democratization processes. It then considers how Internet content governance is posing regulatory issues directly related to the growing importance of an equitable access to digital information. In this regard, the paper looks at conflicts arising within the systems of rights and obligations attached to communication (and especially content provision) over the Internet. The paper finally concludes by identifying emerging tensions and drawing out the implications for the nature and definitions of rights (e.g. of communication and access, but also of intellectual property ownership) and for regulations and actions taken to protect, promote or qualify those rights. All these points are illustrated by a series of recent examples.

In this new media paradigm, the production, viewing, funding and distribution of documentary films are changing too. Through four case studies and four articles, this thesis explores different aspects of how these changes impact on documentary content as well as the industries that produce, transmit and distribute documentary film, and asks how we are to understand documentary in a multiplatform context.

Community Wireless Networks (CWNs) are a fairly new phenomenon. One of the first projects, NYC Wireless, started in 2001. These wireless initiatives are often a response to the lack of high-speed ubiquitous computing. Many of the first users, frustrated neighborhood “techies,” jerry rigged low cost WiFi antennas to rooftops and the side of buildings in order to access a high-speed broadband service. By doing this the wireless pioneers shared high speed wireless signals with neighbors and anyone within reach of their signal. As wireless computing became more popular, and it’s social and economic benefits more obvious, CWNs became an attractive alternative for many rural and low-income urban communities. Populations that had been overlooked by large cable and telephone service companies. The success of CWNs has paved the way for municipalities to build publicly supported wireless projects. Cable and telephone companies, major providers of broadband service, view municipal networks as unfair competition, and thus began the legislative battle over municipal wireless networks. The battle continues to wage. Cable and telephone companies have had some success at the state level and the federal debate is underway at this moment. Therefore, the purpose of this report is to understand the role Austin’s nonprofits play to ensure that high speed broadband access is made available for everyone and how lessons learned in Austin can be applied to other cities and locations around the country. The study found that Austin, compared to other cities of the same size, has a very small nonprofit community to addresses the issue of universal broadband access. Although the group is small, networking and mingling between community service organizations, the city government and wireless projects has created a community that effectively addresses the issue of high-speed access to the Internet. / text

One of the key complications in connecting citizens to the Internet is "remoteness," or distance from a community to the nearest metropolis. Rural areas often have higher communication and transportation costs, and have difficulty attracting investment and services in areas with insufficient telecommunication infrastructure. The communication perspective distinguishes communication from information transport, and asserts communication as the principal function of both technology and policy. The study utilizes a political economy approach to examine the interaction of specific Internet technologies, Universal Service and Texas Expanded Local Calling (ELC) policies, and commercial investment patterns with Internet access in rural Texas. A statistical analysis of 208 rural telephone exchanges was conducted to determine the relationship between Internet access, demographic characteristics and the presence of ELC policy. A concentrated case study of seven rural Texas counties, including interviews with Internet Service Providers, determined the quality and bandwidth of rural connections and the viability of state policy in addressing access issues for remote citizens. Remote communities were far less likely to have Internet access. However, those communities with ELC were much more likely to be connected than their counterparts. ELC policy favors those communities closer to metropolitan areas and served by major telephone carriers. The specific rules of ELC policy eliminate the neediest communities from regulatory relief. Rural citizens also are more likely to have Internet access in areas served by major carriers, with relatively low Hispanic populations and relatively high incomes. There are fewer ISPs in remote regions and those few are rarely prosperous. Bandwidth is generally lower, prices can be higher, and fewer services are offered. This study indicates the importance of the "last mile" of telecommunications infrastructure in connecting citizens to the Internet and highlights the need to examine a complex array of factors that condition the discursive and expressive potential of citizens in our communication age. / text

In the context of continuous innovations in information and communication technology (ICT) and its impact on higher education, this descriptive study explores the state of instructional technology (IT) integration by university lecturers in pre-service secondary school teacher education programs in Zimbabwe. Specifically, the study examines how the lecturers conceptualize IT integration, how they integrate IT into their instruction, the support given by their institutions, and the constraints they face. The qualitative methodology used is basic or generic in nature (Merriam, 1998). Twenty-one lecturers in the colleges of education at 3 universities participated. The 3 data collection methods used are questionnaires, interviews and analysis of documents. Analysis of data was inductive and Miles and Huberman’s (1994) interactive data analysis model was employed. Findings show that the conceptualization of IT and its integration by the majority of the lecturers was largely as hardware in nature, with focus put on viewing technological tools as audiovisual aids. Lecturers with qualifications in educational technology (ET) viewed IT and its integration from what Schiffman (1995) calls a narrow systems view. Most of the lecturers used technological tools for illustrating key points in their lecture delivery and lecturers who used computers used these for lecture preparation. Lecturers’ computer proficiency and competencies were at the basic level in Internet usage, with little confidence shown in basic productivity software skills and in IT integration tasks and processes. The lecturers’ integration of IT was at the Entry and Adoption stages (Dwyer, Ringstaff and Sandholtz, 1991). Institutional support was characterized by poor availability and access to appropriate technological tools by both lecturers and students, and in the context of a hyper-inflationary operating environment, constraints ranged from lack of institutional funding, to the absence of an IT integration policy framework, and lack of appropriate initial and continuous staff development. This study is part of the genesis of instructional technology research in the Zimbabwean context. It is hoped that insights gleaned will influence policy, practice and future research. From a global perspective, this study will add to the limited knowledge and literature on instructional technology integration in “developing” and/or low-income countries like Zimbabwe.

The object of the dissertation is the impact of public libraries on users. The research is aiming at answering the question what is the impact of library public access computing on users and how can we evaluate it. The objectives of the dissertation are solved in three parts. The first part discusses definitions of impact, theoretical models and frameworks of its assessment and reviews the literature on impact evaluation in librarianship, highlighting the similarities and differences of general impact assessment concept and its adoption in librarianship. The second part presents the methodology of empirical study including target groups, methods, sampling, data collection and analyses. The third part describes study results which are summarized in the conclusions. The annexes provide additional information on research methodology as well as the extended results and research instruments. / Disertacijos objektas yra viešųjų bibliotekų poveikis vartotojams. Moksliniu tyrimu yra sprendžiamas klausimas kokį poveikį vieša interneto prieiga per viešąsias bibliotekas daro vartotojams ir bendruomenėms ir kaip jis galėtų būti įvertinamas. Iškeltą problemą sprendžiantys uždaviniai įgyvendinami trijose disertacijos dalyse. Pirmojoje dalyje atskleidžiama poveikio samprata ir pristatomi jo vertinimo teoriniai modeliai bei apžvelgiami užsienio autorių bibliotekininkystės srityje atlikti poveikio vertinimo tyrimai, išryškinami panašumai ir skirtumai tarp bendrosios poveikio vertinimo teorijos ir jos taikymo bibliotekų poveikio vertinimui. Antrojoje dalyje pateikiama empirinio tyrimo metodologija: išsamiai pristatoma tyrimo metodika, pagrindžiamas metodų pasirinkimas, aptariamas tyrimo dizainas ir vykdymas bei išdavos. Trečiojoje dalyje pristatomi tyrimo rezultatai, kurie apibendrinami išvadose. Prieduose pateikiamas išplėstinis tyrimo metodikos taikymo aprašymas, pateikiami papildomi empirinio tyrimo duomenys ir jų rinkimo instrumentai.

This article provides an overview of Internet shutdowns in Pakistan, which have become an increasingly common phenomenon, with 41 occurring between 2012 and 2017. It argues that to understand how shutdowns became normalized in Pakistan, it is necessary to look at the specific dynamics of how the shutdowns take place. In doing so, the concept of communicative ruptures develops to better understand intentional government shutdowns of communications. The article argues that strategic prevention of mobilization is key for short-term shutdowns, whereas long-term shutdowns can be better explained by looking at disciplinary mechanisms and denying the existence of "others". The article then discusses Internet shutdowns in the wider context of authoritarian practices before concluding with the urgent need for further research on this topic, both in Pakistan and beyond.

<div><b>The Internet is a technology that has been one that has been transformed American society. </b><b>The role of the Internet had become apparent in the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 in light of shutdowns and quarantines by the government. </b><b>As a result, the technologies surrounding the Internet have created a space where there are inequalities in which the Internet is accessed. </b><b>As a result, these inequalities affect not only socioeconomic factors, but political behaviors as well. </b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div><b>This dissertation also seeks to explain the political behaviors that are enabled by Internet access quality.</b></div><div><b>I argue that a person's level of Internet access can affect their ideological and partisan identity, as well as political engagement, especially in behaviors such as political giving. I use data from the Cooperative Congressional Election Survey and the 2010 U.S. Decennial Census to test these theories. </b><b>By using a measure I develop called the Quality of Internet Access (QoIA), I find evidence that Internet access has affects on ideological and partisan identity. </b><b>I also find that QoIA affects political engagement positively, specifically in how donations are given to, and solicited by political campaigns. </b><b>I conclude that the QoIA measurement should be flexibly used and research in taking account for Internet access quality should continue as the inequalities of the digital divide still exist. </b></div>