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Information and Communication Technology (ICT) nowadays is constantly evolving and drastically impacting different fields of human activity, such as higher education. University education, due to ICT, was able to move from the traditional teaching and learning practices to e-Learning. That is, delivering education to the learner regardless of place and time via leveraging technology, such as computer-mediated platforms, based on synchronous video conferencing. The next generation of computer-mediated communication tools is ready to facilitate synchronous holographic communication among users. However, such tools have not been designed specifically for the field of university education and have not been taken into consideration the design requirements and needs of users to be successfully integrated to the e-Learning model.     Hence, this master’s thesis study explores the perceptions of higher education teachers and students about the potential use of holographic ICT tools in the context of e-Learning, as well as their desired characteristics in regard to the design of such tools. For this, an interpretive qualitative ethnographic research was conducted. Data was collected through passive observations and focus group discussions with purposively selected university teachers and students, and by leveraging the method of Thinking Aloud. The collected data was subjected to thematic analysis to conclude to seven themes, which represent the findings of this study. These research findings were discussed in relation to the research aim, research questions and the theoretical framework including the approach of User-Centered Design.     The research findings showed that university teachers and students acknowledge the potential of the holographic ICT tools and have an interest to try them out in the context of e-Learning activities. The potential use of holographic ICT tools was described as improving the quality of communication between teachers and students when on distance; delivering education globally and making it more accessible; lifting the current technological limitations and enriching the e-Learning practices. Some concerns, though, in regard to the use of such tools were expressed in terms of complexity and disturbances. The research findings also showed the university teachers’ and students’ desired characteristics in regard to the design of such tools, which include interoperability with the other systems used in e-Learning activities; high quality of human and non-human holographic representations; and indicators in holographs of the participants’ status, along with additional interactive features. In addition, the university teachers and students suggested the holographic ICT tools to be designed as a pair of comfortable augmented reality (AR) glasses, which can be easy to control and can be connected to personal devices. Finally, it was suggested to include main tools of teaching and learning activities -such as whiteboard, screensharing, slides presentation-; and multiple modes that can be used depending on the users’ teaching and learning needs.  Thus, the research outcome contributes theoretically to the research field of informatics by providing insights and new knowledge about the potential use of novel holographic ICT tools for e-Learning. The research outcome also contributes practically to designers, developers, technology companies, and other interested stakeholders as it shortens the knowledge gap regarding the design principles of holographic ICT tools and their use cases within the context of education, and provides suggestions regarding their design from a user-centered approach.

<p>The hyperpersonal model predicts computer-mediated communication can allow for relationships formed in that medium to become more intimate than their offline counterparts. Specifically, it combines ideas first presented in social information processing (i.e., that the volume of information exchanged over time within computer-mediated relationship is more important than how long it takes to exchange that volume) with the technological affordances given to the sender, receiver, message, and channel in order to create a feedback loop of assumed good intentions within the CMC medium that allows for online relationships to surpass face-to-face relationships in terms of their emotional intimacy. Existing research has shown that a variety of factors influence how people feel about an online friend, including the richness of the medium, personality, and the amount of emotional self-disclosure that had been exchanged within the relationship. However, studies to date have inconsistently measured self-disclosure and largely rely on survey or experimental methods rather than the examination of existing text-based datasets. This study proposes and tests a model that the relationship between an initial person’s emotional self-disclosure and the reciprocal self-disclosure the friend responds with in a CMC medium is mediated by the degree to which their language converges, or the degree to which they empathize with each other, and is moderated by the volume of text exchanged by the pairs during their relationship. The study uses a corpus of the text messages exchanged between 2,174 pairs of people. The results indicate that there is an indirect relationship between initial self-disclosure and reciprocal self-disclosure which is mediated by is empathetic convergence. Furthermore, the volume of information exchanged may also play a role in some of these interactions. This study offers implications and suggestions for refining the hyperpersonal model to be applicable in the current digital zeitgeist.</p>

This research investigates how a communication system could support urban gardeners intheir activities. By looking at agriculture not as a mere activity for food production but as arich social practice, this research addresses gardeners dual need of acquiring knowledge and develop social relationship.Findings from an ethnographic research of two local agriculture communities are described.Participatory design has been used to identify design opportunities and co-create conceptideas. Prototypes have been used to evaluate key aspects and refine the final concept. Byinviting intended users to take an active role during the entire design process, the result of this research is grounded not only in the theory but also on people's aspirations and realexperience.

Struktur är en viktig del av att möjliggöra kommunikation. Om informationen levereraspå ett ostrukturerat eller direkt felaktigt sätt kan det bli omöjligt för mottagaren attgöra sig en sammanhängande bild av hur informationen hänger samman. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka om, och på vilket sätt, informationens struktur påverkar hur användare diskuterar i datormedierade kommunikationssystem inomsociala medier som bloggar, communities, forum och tidningars kommentarsfält.Med hjälp av en inventering togs de vanligast förekommande designstrukturernafram och med utgång från dessa gjordes en studie av hur användarna kommenterar.Resultatet visar att designen av ett kommentarssystem verkar påverka användarnasrespons i hög grad beroende av diskussionstrådens utformning, antal visade svar och placeringen av dess olika element. Utifrån detta rekommenderas därför skilda strukturella designer beroende av om syftet med att ha en kommentarsfunktion är att skapa en dialog, en diskussion eller att enbart få återkoppling. / Structure is an important aspect of communication. If the structure of the informationdelivery is faulty or non-existent the user might not be able to form a coherent historyof a topic. Due to messages not being sufficiently organized to provide context this might cause information overload. The aim of this thesis is to investigate if, andhow, the structure of information-presentation in computer-mediatedcommunication-systems affect how the users communicate within social media andinteractive sites such as blogs, social networking-communities, forum boards and on-line magazines' commenting sections.First an inventory of the most common design structures was made and then acontextual study of the user comments within these structures was performed.The results show that the design of a commenting system seem to affect the userresponse to a high degree depending on the threads design; number of shownprevious comments and placing of the different elements. From these findingsdifferent designs are recommended depending on the purpose of the commentingsection is to generate a dialogue, discussion or to just get feedback.

This study examined an innovative, project-based curriculum in a freshman biology laboratory by focusing on how students developed their conceptual understanding of a biological species. A model for learning was posed based on learners working in small groups. This model linked a sociocultural approach to teaching and learning to conceptual change theory. Qualitative research methods were employed to collect a variety of data. Documentation of this innovative curriculum is provided. This investigative curriculum incorporated the research practices that scientists use. A wide range of dynamic interactions with students actively investigating problems and sharing both their findings and thoughts during this time occurred. This essentially modeled the authentic practices of scientists. A direct comparison was made with this learning environment and the model for learning. Peer tutoring, cooperative learning, and most importantly, peer collaboration were observed when students grappled with difficult problems for which there was no single right answer. Teachers served as guides in learning, shifting responsibility to the students. Analysis of student writing revealed richer, more complex definitions of species after the experience of the laboratory project. Several of the students used knowledge gained directly from their experiences during the laboratory project to help elaborate their definitions. The electronic discussions showed a range of social interactions and interactivity. High quality discussions were found to be rich in scientific thought, engaging discussants by offering information, questioning, and actively hypothesizing. Mediating and facilitating discussions by the participants was found to be an important factor in their success. Groups exhibiting high quality discussions also had a lower response time than other groups, indicating that more substantive dialogues which are rich in thought proceed at a slower pace. Significantly, an important connection has been made between the socio-cultural approach to learning and conceptual change theory. A closer examination of how small groups of learners develop conceptual understanding is needed. This approach also needs to be extended into other settings where reform in science education is taking place. / Ph. D.

Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) refers to any form of communication that can only be achieved through the use of a computer. This includes such diverse means as e-mail, MXit, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. Many of these forms of communication have become extremely popular within the past few years. Research internationally has shown that adolescents rapidly adopt new technologies, but there is very little research on how this process is impacting South African adolescents. This leaves parents, educators and academics without adequate information about the advantages and dangers of adolescent CMC use. The aim of the study was to investigate the views of adolescents around the topic of CMC. The central research question related to adolescents‟ views of the impact of CMC on their lives. Sub questions related to the reasons behind the popularity of CMC, the advantages of CMC use, the effect of CMC use on language, schoolwork and relationships, the dangers of using CMC and the use of CMC for bullying. The study was of qualitative design and was guided by a constructivist theoretical framework. A qualitative design was chosen because it was felt that qualitative methodology is most suited to investigating the subjective experiences of participants, and thus answering the research questions. Two focus groups participated and three semi-structured interviews were conducted with grade 11 learners from a Cape Town private school. Focus groups were used because this was felt to be an effective means to gather the opinions of multiple participants at once. Individual interviews were used as a means to supplement the focus groups and thus increase the trustworthiness of the study. A semi-structured approach was chosen for the interviews because this allowed the researcher to probe specific areas of interest and thus gather further data on these areas. The focus groups and interviews were audio recorded and the recordings transcribed. Content analysis was performed on the transcriptions. After several rounds of coding, the codes that occurred most often within and across the focus groups and interviews formed the basis for thematic analysis. Several central themes around CMC use emerged from this analysis. The most central of these related to the importance the participants placed on ease of use, and the speed at which CMC can satisfy their desires. Further issues related to how CMC can have both positive and negative effects on relationships and the various dangers of CMC use. Something that recurred throughout the analysis was the idea that a CMC can, in a sense, form a semi-permeable barrier between users. These barriers allow a user to control their communications with others, typically allowing users to express whatever they wish to express while restricting possible negative effects of their communication. A model of adolescent CMC use was created that was based on these findings. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Rekenaar-bemiddelde kommunikasie (Computer-Mediated Communication of CMC) verwys na enige vorm van kommunikasie wat slegs met behulp van rekenaargebruik kan plaasvind. Dit omvat „n verskeidenheid metodes soos e-pos, MXit, Facebook, MySpace en Twitter. Vele sulke kommunikasiemiddele het oor die afgelope aantal jare uiters gewild geraak. Navorsing op internasionale vlak het getoon dat nuwe tegnologie snel deur adolessente aangeneem word, maar weinig navorsing is nog onderneem oor hoedanige impak hierdie proses op Suid-Afrikaanse adolessente het. Dit beteken dat ouers, opvoeders en akademici onvoldoende inligting oor die voordele en gevare van adolessente se gebruik van rekenaar-bemiddelde kommunikasie het. Die doel van die studie was om die uitkyk van adolessente in verband met die gebruik van rekenaar-bemiddelde kommunikasie te ondersoek. Die sentrale navorsingsvraagstuk het verband gehou met adolessente se opinies oor die impak van rekenaar-bemiddelde kommunikasie op hul lewens. Ondergeskikte vrae het verband gehou met redes vir die gewildheid van rekenaar-bemiddelde kommunikasie, die voordele van die gebruik daarvan, die effek van rekenaar-bemiddelde kommunikasie op taalgebruik, skoolwerk en verhoudings, die gevare van die gebruik van rekenaar-bemiddelde kommunikasie en die gebruik daarvan om ander te treiter. Die studie het van „n kwalitatiewe ontwerp gebruik gemaak en het binne „n konstruktiwistiese teoretiese raamwerk plaasgevind. Die kwalitatiewe ontwerp is gekies omdat die kwalitatiewe metodologie as die mees geskikte metodologie vir die ondersoek van subjektiewe ervarings van deelnemers, en dus vir die beantwoording van die navorsingsvrae, beskou is. Twee fokusgroepe het aan die ondersoek deelgeneem en drie semigestruktureerde onderhoude is met graad 11 leerders van „n private skool in Kaapstad gevoer. Fokusgroepe is gebruik omdat dit as „n doeltreffende metode vir die onmiddellike verkryging van die menings van „n verskeidenheid deelnemers beskou is. Indiwiduele onderhoude is gevoer om die fokusgroepe aan te vul en die betroubaarheid van die studie te verhoog. „n Semi-gestruktureerde benadering is vir die onderhoude gekies omdat dit die navorser in staat gestel het om areas van spesifieke belang meer deurdringend te ondersoek en daardeur verdere inligting oor hierdie areas in te samel. Die fokusgroepe en onderhoude is op band opgeneem en die opnames is getranskribeer. Inhoudsontleding van die transkripsies is uitgevoer. Na verskeie rondtes kodering, is die kodes wat met die grootste reëlmaat binne en oor die fokusgroepe en onderhoude heen voorgekom het, as basis vir tematiese ontleding gebruik. Verskeie sentrale temas rondom die gebruik van rekenaar-bemiddelde kommunikasie het uit hierdie ontleding na vore gekom. Die mees sentrale hiervan het verband gehou met die belangrikheid van gebruiksgemak vir deelnemers en die snelheid waarmee rekenaar-bemiddelde kommunikasie verlangens tevrede stel. Verdere kwessies het verband gehou met hoe rekenaar-bemiddelde kommunikasie „n positiewe sowel as „n negatiewe effek op verhoudings kan hê en met die onderskeie gevare van die gebruik van rekenaar-bemiddelde kommunikasie. „n Idee wat by herhaling gedurende die ontleding na vore getree het, was dat rekenaar-bemiddelde kommunikasie op „n manier „n semi-deurdringbare versperring tussen gebruikers daarvan vorm. Hierdie versperring laat die gebruiker toe om beheer oor kommunikasie met ander uit te oefen; dit laat tipies toe dat gebruikers uitdrukking gee aan enigiets wat hulle wil oordra terwyl dit terselfdertyd moontlik is om „n moontlike negatiewe uitwerking van die kommunikasie te bekamp. „n Model van adolessente se gebruik van rekenaar-bemiddelde kommunikasie is op die grondslag van hierdie bevindings gesk

Although a substantial body of research exists on gender differences in Computer Mediated Communication, relatively little empirical attention has been directed toward the special case of CMC - Instant Messenger (IM) and the area of self-disclosure. This study analyzes gender differences and relationships in self-disclosure in the away message of MSN of 329 male and female Taiwanese university students. Applying the five subscales of self-disclosure by Wheeless and Grotz (Wheeless, 1978; Wheeless & Grotz, 1976) and the six topic areas of self-disclosure by Jourard and Lasakow (1958) revealed the following results: Findings show that males and females often do not show the gender differences anymore, which were previously found in face-to-face communication on certain aspects of self-disclosure e.g. frequency, depth, breadth, honesty or accuracy and valence of self-disclosure. However, findings pointing out the different motives and the use of self-disclosure on IM are similar to face-to-face communication, such as females prefer discussing their “personality” while male MSN users prefer “work or studies” especially the more buddies they have. Also males disclose with awareness and intention suggesting the make use of selective self-presentation (Walther, 1996) for rather males than females. Female MSN users write more impulsively in their away message, however they are found to be more selective than males in to whom they chose to disclose or not by blocking buddies. The number of buddies on the buddy list seems to have hardly any effect on males’ and females’ self-disclosure. The gender of buddies on the buddy list as a moderating factor showed that males feel more comfortable (honest and less understated) when disclosing to females. Extra findings include that for both gender self-disclosures on IM is not less honest and not exaggerated, rather understated. Previous findings in face-to-face communication on preferred topics of self-disclosure of both genders of Asian background were confirmed on IM. On IM, self-disclosure by males and females seem to be free of the importance of the degree of social distance within Chinese society as hardly any primary groups and secondary groups but almost only mixed groups of buddies on buddy lists were found.

This study explored how course instructional format (i.e., online, face-to-face, or hybrid) is related to the frequency and duration of out-of-class communication (OCC) between college instructors and students, to student motives for communicating with teachers, and to perceived teacher approachability for conversation outside of class. Though differences in frequency of and student motives for engaging in OCC were not significant, students enrolled in face-to-face courses reported significantly more ongoing/durative OCC with their instructors compared to students enrolled other course types (i.e., online or hybrid). Students in fully online courses reported instructors to seem less receptive to but also less discouraging of OCC than students in face-to-face or hybrid courses. Overall, this study offers a sense of how students who seek informal interaction with instructors beyond the classroom are faring amid the increased reliance on web-based learning environments in higher education.