This thesis focuses on systems for mediated communication that run on mobile technology. The aim has been to give an answer to the question about what require- ments there are for situation awareness for domain experts when communication is secondary and supports the primary task. This thesis originated in a critical approach to the common practice of design- ing mediated communication systems with the face-to-face meeting as a guiding scenario. Instead, this thesis explores a design process that is based on the task and the strength of the technology itself. Different tasks do, of course, make different de- mands on a system, and a task that is strongly connected to the face-to-face meeting will probably be best served by a system that is designed from that perspective. Three cases that are presented in this thesis share three common themes that have characteristics that set them apart from the face-to-face meeting. The first theme is that the communication is a secondary task that is used to support a primary task. The second theme is that the cases involve domain experts active in the primary task. The use of experts implies that communication will be task- centered and also that the need for information to sustain a valuable situation awareness may be different from a person with less experience in the domain. The third theme is that all cases and the corresponding tasks benefit from some kind of situation awareness among the participants for optimal execution of the task. The three cases are based on: Wearable computers using mediated communication with wearable computers and how to handle interruptions for users of such computers Multidisciplinary team meetings improving access to patient information and enabling individual and group interaction with this information Trauma resuscitation giving a remote trauma expert’s correct and valuable in- formation while minimizing disturbance when supporting a local trauma re- suscitation team Prototypes are central in all three cases, and different prototypes have been designed and evaluated to validate the benefit of designing tools for communication that do not try to replicate the face-to-face meeting. The main findings in this thesis show that the shift of focus to the primary task when designing mediated communication systems has been beneficial in all three cases. A conflict between the secondary communication that is used to support sit- uation awareness and the primary task has been identified. Full situation awareness should therefore not be a goal in these designs but communication should support enough situation awareness to benefit the primary task with minimal disturbance to it. / <p>QC 20140221</p>

Distance learning began as a means of catering to students who needed to learn in isolated, individual learning environments but, more recently, has been evolving to offer an interactive and collaborative learning environment supported by Computer Mediated Communication (CMC). However, research has found that not all online discussions are productive for learning and that simply making discussions boards accessible to students does not achieve the interactive and collaborative experience for which they are promoted. One of the first requirements needed for successful online discussions is student participation. This study sought to identify what encourages student participation in online discussions. Motivation and social presence were investigated in this study because they have been identified as two concepts that assist in the encouragement of student participation. Motivation assists participation because it is the process whereby goal-directed activity is both instigated and sustained, and social presence because it has been found to increase interaction. This study sought information regarding what motivated or demotivated student participation in online discussions and what Social Presence behaviours students found most important for maintaining their desire to participate in online discussions. It also investigated relationships among, and changes in, student state motivation, student sense of social presence and student perceived sources of motivation and demotivation across the course of a semester. Finally, students' opinion about their motivation, sense of social presence and reasons for participation were investigated through open-ended questions. A Sequential Exploratory design was used to first obtain breadth of data (quantitative) through online surveys (n equals 60 participants). This included a test/retest design. Depth of the data (qualitative) was then explored through interviews that were based on the results of the quantitative data analysis (n equals 14 participants). The main findings of this study were that students' sense of social presence changed significantly across the course of the semester and this change was a decrease in sense of social presence for 50 percent of the students. Context and Social factors were mentioned more frequently as both motivators and demotivators for participation than Structure/format factors. Correlations revealed a significant relationship between state motivation and social presence. Finally, open-ended questions generated a number of major themes that help to promote participation. All of these findings have implications for teachers and designers of online courses. They show that many factors influence student participation and that some of these factors may change over the course of a semester. Teachers and designers should use this information when designing and implementing courses to not only initiate student participation, but also to maintain participation throughout the course.

The use of communication strategies (CSs) has been of interest on research into second language acquisition (SLA) since it can help learners to attain mutual comprehension effectively and develops understanding of interaction in SLA research. This study investigates and clarifies a wide range of CSs that learners of English and learners of Chinese use to solve language problems as well as to facilitate problem-free discourse in both text-based and video-based SCMC environments. Seven Chinese-speaking learners of English and seven English-speaking learners of Chinese were paired up as tandem (reciprocal) learning dyads in this study. Each dyad participated in four interactions, namely, text-based SCMC in English, text-based SCMC in Chinese, video-based SCMC in English and video-based SCMC in Chinese. The interaction data were analysed along with an after-task questionnaire and stimulated reflection to explore systematically and comprehensively the differences between text-based and video-based SCMC and differences between learners of English and learners of Chinese. The results showed that learners used CSs differently in text-based and video-based SCMC compared with their own performance and indicated different learning opportunities provided by these two modes of SCMC. Although the difference in language was less salient than the medium effect, learners of English and learners of Chinese tended to have their own preferences for particular CSs. When these preferences appear to reflect an appropriate communicative style in one particular culture, learners might need to raise their awareness of some strategies during intercultural communication to avoid possible misunderstanding or offence. Some possible advantages of tandem learning interaction were also identified in this study, such as the potential to develop sociocultural and intercultural competence due to the opportunity to practice culturally appropriate language use with native speakers in a social context.

There has been extensive literature on the subject of subcultures in the fields of criminology and sociology. The term has undergone decades upon decades of revisions and debate amongst scholars. Despite the vast amount of literature available on the term subculture, there is unfortunately no clear-cut definition of what a subculture is, especially after what many sociologists referred to as the Post-Subcultural Turn. While that is problematic in and of itself, the term subculture still has yet to be framed and understood in light of recent technological advancements and strides towards globalization. This thesis will attempt to shed light on the muddled conceptions of the term subculture, as well as expanding subcultural theory to include subcultural engagement in online settings. Chapter 1 will provide a chronological account of the term subculture, including many of its evolutions, revisions and interpretations based on different schools of thought. Chapter 2 will follow up by discussing many of the criticisms directed at past conceptualizations of subculture, and where the term subculture should be heading with regards to expanding its conceptualization without conflating it with other terms. Chapter 2 will finish by suggesting a new path towards conceptualization by adapting subculture to include how subcultures are being formed and maintained through the use of the Internet. To make sense of subcultures using social networking sites in future chapters, Chapter 3 will delve into some of the main technological developments of the Internet including computer-mediated communication, social networks, and how they function as virtual conduits for facilitating social interactions and the spread of knowledge. Chapter 4 will pick up from Chapter 3 by discussing deviance in online settings, as well as introducing a new Goffmanian approach to understanding the presentation of self in online settings. Lastly, Chapter 5 will seek to answer three main questions about subcultures and their existence in online settings: 1. How do social networking sites operate as virtual conduits for the presentation of self? 2. How do subculturalists use social networking sites to create a sense of online community and membership? 3. How do subculturalists employ presentation of self strategies? These questions will be answered by employing an adapted Goffmanian approach to the presentation of self in online settings while also rethinking the concept of subcultural style. Lastly, this thesis will seek to provide guidance on where gaps in the literature still exist and can be explored in the near future.

Magister Artium - MA / This study focuses on a story featured on Sowetan LIVE, one of South Africa’s online newspapers. The flexibility of the mode in which the newspaper is produced, enables users to comment on its articles as they are published. The online newspaper was preferred due to its socio-political history and the huge South African audience it seems to attract. This study looks at one particular story which appeared on Sowetan LIVE and generated much interest in South Africa. The story is about a painting depicting President Jacob Zuma with his genitals exposed, termed The Spear by Brett Murray. This painting triggered a high volume of comments and engagement among South Africans on the Sowetan LIVE website, making it a valuable resource of online discourse. Therefore, this study explored comments in response to the two articles published on the Sowetan LIVE namely, “ANC takes battle of The Spear to court” and “Will Zuma’s spear stay up?” which when combined, ‘generated’ 1358 comments. This study particularly investigates the identities that emerged from the discourses found in the data and analyses the type of linguistic practices evident in the comments. In this regard, the main objective of the study is not only to determine how users style their social identities, but also their ‘linguistic’ ones during online interactions. In terms of social identities, the findings illustrate a distinction between traditional and modern identities ‘represented’ by Jacob Zuma and Brett Murray, respectively. However, although a distinction is evident, contradictions exist among the respective identities which feed back into the notion of identity as performative and fluid. In this way, the study reveals that the identities emanating from these discourses provide a glance at South Africa’s intricate identity ‘battle’, a ‘battle’ which is no longer solely based on race or collective identity, but more on the creation of new identities and perceptions based on traditional ones or a complete divorce of traditional identities. With regards to linguistic identity, the findings indicate that hybrid linguistic practices are a norm among the participants. This is because all participants employ netspeak features such as phonetic spellings, letter / number homophones and creative use of punctuation / capitalisation for emphasis or stress. Interestingly, although netspeak is evident from the findings common in online linguistic practices, this study has found that the use of such features is not random. This is so because participants tend to strategically fuse these features into the linguistic practices as a means to avoid censorship. This fusion and, ultimately, censorship avoidance strategies, rely on the re-purposing of semiotic resources. In this vein, the most used censorship avoidance strategies in the study are discussed and analysed in terms of context and the discourses that inform them. Furthermore, upon analysing the usernames and avatars selected by participants as part of identity construction, the findings demonstrate that these are used as an extension of the participants’ identities. From the findings of the study, it can be concluded that the South African youth’s identity and their perception of identity itself is in flux – ‘norms’ are constantly being re-invented. In essence, this study adds to an understanding of how historical material is re-purposed through an exploration of an online interactive feature that is posting of comments on an article of interest. It also contributes to an understanding of the hybrid nature of online linguistic practices.

Magister Artium - MA / The last few decades have seen the development of a large body of scholarly work on drag queens and performances of femininity by men (see Barrett 1995, 1999). However, performances of masculinity by women have largely been overlooked. Research by scholars like Judith Halberstam (see Halberstam 1997, 1998) on female masculinity and the drag king performer has attempted to address this imbalance, but the phenomenon has yet to receive any attention from sociolinguists. This study aims to bring attention to performances of masculinity by women in the South African context through a multi-sited ethnography of the country’s first known drag king troupe, Bros B4 Ho's. The study will examine not only the group's stage performances, but also their activity on the online social networking platform of Facebook, using multimodal critical discourse analysis. The internet has revolutionised the way we communicate and share information, and has provided interesting new arenas for individuals to explore identity performance. In extending the investigation to include the group's online activity, the study will give a more complete picture of the negotiation of drag king subjectivities across different spaces.

The easy accessibility, ubiquity, and plurilingualism of popular SNSs such as Facebook have inspired many scholars and practitioners of second language teaching and learning to integrate networked forms of communication into educational contexts such as language classrooms and study abroad programs (e.g., Blattner & Fiori, 2011; Lamy & Zourou, 2013; Mills, 2011; Reinhardt & Ryu, 2013; Reinhardt & Zander, 2011). At the same time, the complex and dynamic patterns of interaction that emerge in these spaces quickly push back upon standard ways of describing conversational genres and communicative competence (Kern, 2014; Lotherington & Ronda, 2014). Drawing from an ecological interactional analysis (Goffman, 1964, 1981a, 1981b, 1986; Kramsch & Whiteside, 2008) of the Facebook communications of three German-speaking academics whose social and professional lives are largely led in English, the authors consider the kinds of symbolic maneuvers required to participate in the translingual conversational flows of SNS-mediated communication. Based on this analysis, this article argues that texts generated through SNS-mediated communication can provide classroom opportunities for critical, stylistically sensitive reflection on the nature of talk in line with multiliteracies approaches.

Computers afford an environment in which use of communication tools can promote deep learning. This may be ascribed to the creation of a varied learning environment, and to the induction of active, collaborative and self-directed learning. A quantitative study was performed based on the results of a questionnaire developed to evaluate the students experience of web-supported learning. The association between presumed active use of communication tools, and perceptions concerning learning principles (varied and challenging learning environment, application of higher order thinking skills, and lecturer feedback and encouragement to interact frequently), was evaluated. The results indicate that in general, learners associated a varied and challenging learning environment with the lecturer’s feedback and encouragement to interact frequently (e.g. with discussions; e-mail contact etc.) and with perceived active communication via the bulletin board and e-mail facility. It appears that CMC using all communication tools, excluding the calendar, was dependent on encouragement by the lecturer to interact frequently. Perceived active use of e-mail and the chat facility was significantly associated with recognition of the need to apply higher-order thinking skills in order to do well in the course. These findings support previous reports that CMC promotes deep learning. It is recommended that · The e-mail facility is used for deeper problem analysis and where alternate solutions and strategies are to be generated. · The bulletin board is used for application, analysis, evaluation, and synthesis. · The chat facility is used to build attitudes, beliefs, confidence and motivation. · The challenge of an environment should be created in which communities of learners are formed. Opportunity should be provided for socialising as well, as this promotes interdependence and collaboration. · Feedback to individuals and groups and encouragement is provided timely and continually via e-mail and the bulletin board. / Dissertation (MEd (CIE))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

This article provides a case study account of the language functions of tipo, which is a pragmatic feature of Argentine Spanish vernacular, as used by 10 young adult native speakers of the language (ages 18-25), in the context of oral face-to-face and synchronous technology-mediated written interactions with young adult Spanish L2 learners. An examination of naturally occurring and self-reported language awareness data suggests that tipo has acquired a wide array of pragmatic functions it is a marker of hesitation, exemplification, reformulation, vagueness, and quoted speech. In its non-pragmatic marking uses, it can refer to an unspecified man, preface a hyponym, and be used to make a comparison. Participants' usage patterns, in conjunction with their understanding of sociopragmatic variability in the use of tipo, are discussed as a direction for research in colloquial features of youth vernacular.

This study examined how social anxiety, gender, and mode of presentation influenced miscommunication and perception of negativity in children’s interpretation of computer-mediated messages. The initial phase of the research involved developing and validating the stimuli for emotion recognition via presentation of various emotionally toned messages. Following preparation of the stimuli, the 98 participants (aged 8-12 years) in the main study were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: audio-visual, audio-only, and text message. The same emotionally toned messages were presented in each of these three conditions. Participants were instructed to select from a list of six emotions (happy, sad, disgusted, angry, surprised, scared) which emotion each message conveyed. Participants then rated how positively or negatively they perceived each sentence, using a 5-point Likert scale that ranged from very negative to very positive. Following the emotion recognition and Likert rating task, participants completed questionnaires that gathered information about social anxiety and attribution bias. Findings revealed that additional nonverbal and paralinguistic, as in the audio-visual or audio-only condition, allowed participants to more accurately identify the emotion being conveyed in the message, compared to the text message condition. This advantage was found for all emotions with the exception of happiness. For happy messages, participants were able to identify the intended emotion at above-chance levels regardless of mode of presentation. When making interpretations about angry messages, a significant three-way interaction was observed between sex, condition and social anxiety. Likert rating analyses revealed that condition, sex, and social anxiety played important roles in the interpretation of both ambiguous and unambiguous emotions, such as surprise and happiness.