Despite a marked increase in the use of digital games among older persons, there is insufficient research that provides insight into the gaming experiences of this population. A major demographic shift within the senior gaming market has ushered in a new perspective on the use of digital games as a tool for physical and cognitive health, and improved socialization. It is proposed that individual notions of play, which are developed over the life course, influence digital game play engagement and interaction preferences, and contribute to well-being. This study explored how self-perceptions of play over the course of the senior gamer’s life influence digital game engagement. Because the emerging area of senior gaming lacks theoretical structure, grounded theory methodology was employed. A qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews of aging gamers was conducted. A total of forty participants (age 44 to 77 with a digital gameplay average of 11 hours per week) were identified and interviewed with the aid of an interview guide. Designed with a life course perspective in mind, this guide sought to explore each participant’s perception of play, personal forms of play throughout their life, and the role of digital games as a component of play in old age. Transcription and analysis (open, axial, and selective coding utilizing the method of constant comparisons) was employed throughout the entire interview process. Findings indicated that digital gaming is a valued form of play and a means for play continuity. An analysis of emergent themes led to the development of a theory that emphasizes three domains: ability, motivation, and experience. Two theoretical models that represent the static and dynamic nature of these domains within the life of a gamer demonstrate the theory. This theory provides understanding of the key factors that influence gameplay, which has the potential of being applied toward the development of better age- and ability-appropriate digital games for aging gamers.

Since its inception, the video game industry has been both a new medium for art and innovation as well as a major driving force in the advancements of many technologies. The often overlooked video game industry has turned from a hobby to a multi-billion dollar industry in its short, forty year life. People of all ages and genders across the world are playing video games at a higher clip than ever before. With so many new gamers and emerging technologies, it is an exciting time for the industry. The landscape is constantly changing and successful business models of the past will need to find ways to adapt if they wish to remain successful in the growing industry. Looking at how past trends and technological innovations have driven the industry gives understanding and insight into where it is at today and where it will go in the future. Video games have become an interactive art medium which inspires users to explore and create. The digitalization of games and their extreme popularity reflect our instinctive desire to seek out game-playing for its fun, cooperative, and competitive nature.

There is a national need to increase the STEM-related workforce. Among factors leading towards STEM careers include the number of advanced high school mathematics and science courses students complete. Florida’s enrollment patterns in STEM-related Advanced Placement (AP) courses, however, reveal that only a small percentage of students enroll into these classes. Therefore, screening tools are needed to find more students for these courses, who are academically ready, yet have not been identified. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which scores from a national standardized test, Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test/ National Merit Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), in conjunction with and compared to a state-mandated standardized test, Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), are related to selected AP exam performance in Seminole County Public Schools. An ex post facto correlational study was conducted using 6,189 student records from the 2010 - 2012 academic years. Multiple regression analyses using simultaneous Full Model testing showed differential moderate to strong relationships between scores in eight of the nine AP courses (i.e., Biology, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Physics B, Physics C Electrical, Physics C Mechanical, Statistics, Calculus AB and BC) examined. For example, the significant unique contribution to overall variance in AP scores was a linear combination of PSAT Math (M), Critical Reading (CR) and FCAT Reading (R) for Biology and Environmental Science. Moderate relationships for Chemistry included a linear combination of PSAT M, W (Writing) and FCAT M; a combination of FCAT M and PSAT M was most significantly associated with Calculus AB performance. These findings have implications for both research and practice. FCAT scores, in conjunction with PSAT scores, can potentially be used for specific STEM-related AP courses, as part of a systematic approach towards AP course identification and placement. For courses with moderate to strong relationships, validation studies and development of expectancy tables, which estimate the probability of successful performance on these AP exams, are recommended. Also, findings established a need to examine other related research issues including, but not limited to, extensive longitudinal studies and analyses of other available or prospective standardized test scores.

In the history of scientific visualization techniques there is a lack of social science practices and methodologies. The advent of modern computer graphics brought the use of visualizations into a whole new era, but even though the tools by which such modern visualizations are created become easier to access and use, the lack of social science researchers harvesting the benefits of such tools still remain. This ease of use, increase in power and accessibility plus the ever growing need within the natural sciences to augment the human senses has further complicated the relationship between scientific methodologies, validity, reliability and the use of visualization techniques. This relationship must be explored, demystified and understood in order to fully grasp the impact of visualization practices when incorporated into any given scientific method. Within the social sciences there is one example of a tradition that has since its conception carried within it a graphical notion and a visualization practice. Time geography, a theory/method from the field of human/cultural geography has at its core a set of visualization techniques that encapsulate the very framework of time geographical analysis. Since it has been an integral part of the method trough out its history, it provides the perfect example for the study of the relationship between graphical visualization techniques and methodological development. The essay uses time geography as a case to construct and try out a set of scientific and methodological perspectives on the use of modern visualization techniques in social science practices. It is not an attempt to critically deconstruct this relationship within time geography, rather it points to a possible approach to the study of visualization techniques and their impact/role in the development of social science practices. / Den vetenskapliga visualiserings historia visar en tydlig brist på exempel från samhällsvetenskapliga praktiker och metoder. Den moderna datorgrafikens utveckling har tagit den vetenskapliga visualiseringen till nya nivåer, men trots att verktygen för skapandet av moderna datorgrafiska visualiseringar blivit lättare att hantera och förfoga över lyser de samhällsvetenskapliga exemplen på adopterandet av dessa verktyg fortfarande med sin frånvaro. Vertygens ökande grad av användarvänlighet och kraft, samt de naturvetenskapliga traditionernas ständigt växande behov att gå bortom de mänskliga sinnenas begränsningar har gjort relationen mellan visualiseringstekniker och vetenskapliga metoder, dess reliabilitet och validitet ytterligare komplicerad. För atttill fullo förstå hur inkorporerandet av visuella praktiker och modeller påverkar en metods utveckling i övrigt måste denna relation utforskas och analyseras. Inom samhällsvetenskapen finns en tradition som sedan sin tillkomst burit med sig ett visuellt språk och en visualiseringspraktik. Tidsgeografin, en delvis kulturgeografisk tradition har i själva sitt kärnspråk en serie viusaliseringsmodeller vilka är central del av metodens analysverktyg. Tidsgeografin erbjuder därmed ett utmärkt exempel för studier av relationen mellan vetenskapliga visualiseringspraktiker och metodologisk utveckling. Uppsatsen använder tidsgeografins metod och historia som en fallstudie i ett försök att konstruera och pröva ett antal vetenskapsteoretiska och metodologiska perspektiv på användandet av vetenskaplig visualisering inom samhällsvetenskapen. Uppsatsen är inte ett försök att kritiskt dekonstruera tidsgeografin, snarare visar den på en möjlig väg att närma sig studiet av moderna visualiseringsteknikers påverkan/roll i samhällsvetenskaplig metodutveckling.

The popular Social Networking Site, Facebook, offers its users the ability tocommunicate with others from all over the globe. Individuals can create a virtual identity for themselves enabling members to call, message, and locate others in a matter of seconds. The number of Facebook users appears to increase; yet, the number of members who die daily is not normally accounted. Facebook now permits the memorialization ofthe deceased’s profile. This allows members to continue commenting, sharing photos and videos, and visiting the deceased’s Facebook page. This trend led to the central question of this study, “What benefits, if any, are individuals receiving by utilizing Facebook status updates in order to cope with loss?” A gap in the literature exists pertaining to the creation of status updates for adults (25-64 years old) who have lost an immediate family member within the past year, as other studies have focused on adolescents’ and college students’ grieving processes on Facebook. As the principal investigator, I looked for what may or may not be different for individuals using Facebook status updates to cope after the loss of a loved one. I did so by interviewing seven participants, transcribing digital voice recordings, and using a grounded theory methodology to code and search for themes and patterns within the data. Participants were recruited using fliers, word of mouth, and emails sent to members of Nova Southeastern University. Findings from this study led to the discovery of the theory Social Grief after participants shared they received support, validation, and closure by using Facebook status updates to cope with the loss of an immediate family member.

Le interfacce aptiche, ovvero le tecnologie che trasmettono delle sensazioni tattili digitalizzate, si stanno diffondendo in vari contesti sociali come telerobotica, comunicazione mobile, arte, videogiochi e cinema. Queste tecnologie stanno permettendo agli ingegneri di realizzare qualcosa mai fatto prima: la digitalizzazione del tatto (che ora può quindi essere registrato e mediatizzato). L’obbiettivo di questa tesi è di decostruire il tatto digitalizzato come un artefatto tecnologico socialmente costruito, il quale sta prendendo forma in un sistema di pratiche interrelate performate da attori in campi disparati della conoscenza. Questi attori si muovono all’interno e attorno ad una comunità di ingegneri apticisti. Adottando un approccio ispirato alla grounded theory, sono stati raccolti dati qualitativi attraverso interviste presso un campo etnografico multi-situato composto da laboratori europei e conferenze internazionali, in cui la conoscenza riguardo il tatto è collettivamente creata e condivisa. Due framework teorico-metodologici sono stati presi in considerazione: la tradizione dei Science and Technology Studies (STS) è stata scelta come principale guida metodologica; in seguito, l’intreccio tra pratiche sociali e tecnologie è stato approfondito attraverso una prospettiva practice-based tipica della cosiddetta ‘practice theory’. Al fine di cogliere il processo in corso di costruzione sociale e flessibilità che caratterizzano il tatto digitalizzato, lo studio si è concentrato sull'assenza di standardizzazione che caratterizza gli aspetti sia hardware che software di questa tecnologia emergente. Inoltre, è stata prestata attenzione alla distinzione controversa e scivolosa tra feedback tattile simbolico e realistico usata nel gergo degli apticisti. Infine, sono stati analizzati i diversi significati, o potenzialità d'uso, che gli intervistati attribuiscono a questa tecnologia. Questi significati si collegano a specifici immaginari sociotecnici geograficamente situati, ad ampi discorsi sociali riguardo l’innovazione tecnologica, e a diverse visioni riguardo le pratiche che possono beneficiare dell’implementazione di queste interfacce. / Devices that provide tactile feedback, called haptic interfaces, are spreading in various contexts such as tele-robotics, prosthetics, videogames, mobile communication, and arts. These technologies are allowing engineers to accomplish something never done before: the digitization of touch (which can now be stored and mediatized). This dissertation aims to deconstruct the digitized touch as a socially constructed technological product, emerging from a system of interrelated practices enacted by actors performing in disparate fields which revolve around the community of haptics engineers. Using a grounded-theory inspired approach, qualitative data were collected through interviews in a multi-sited ethnographic field consisting in European laboratories and international conferences, where knowledge about touch is collectively created and shared. Two theoretical-methodological frameworks have been taken into consideration: the tradition of Science and Technology Studies (STS) has been chosen as the main methodological guide; moreover, the interlacements between social practices and technology have been deepened through the adoption of a practice-based perspective proposed by different approaches in social sciences gathered under the umbrella term ‘practice theory’. In order to grasp the ongoing process of social construction and flexibility that characterize digitized touch, the study focused on the absence of standardization involving both hardware and software aspects of this emerging technology. Furthermore, attention has been paid to the controversial and slippery distinction between ‘symbolic’ and ‘realistic’ tactile feedback which is used in engineers’ jargon. Finally, the different meanings or potentialities of use, which respondents attributed to this technology, have been analysed. These meanings are connected to geographically located socio-technical imaginaries, to broad social discourses about technological innovation, and to different visions regarding the practices that can benefit from the implementation of these interfaces.

I examine whether Uber and Lyft are currently complements or substitutes of public transit, and how partnerships between cities and ride sharing companies can increase their complementary relationship and solve parking and mobility issues. The results suggest that transportation network companies (TNCs) like Uber and Lyft do not have a statistically significant effect on public transit ridership overall, but are complements of public transit for certain populations. Policies that give discounts for TNC rides taken to and from transit stops help solve the first mile / last mile problem, which consequently help increase transit ridership.

Comment penser la relation entre les cultures scientifiques contemporaines et l’usage grandissant de l’ordinateur dans la production des savoirs ? Cette thèse se propose de donner une réponse à telle question à partir de l’analyse historique et sociologique d’un domaine scientifique fondé par le Santa Fe Institute (SFI) dans les années 1980 aux États-Unis : les « sciences des systèmes complexes » (SSC). Rendues célèbres par des publications grand-public, les SSC se répandent au cours des années 1990 et 2000 en Europe et dans d’autres pays du monde. Ce travail propose une histoire de la fondation de ce domaine en se concentrant sur le SFI et sur le Réseau National des Systèmes Complexes français. Avec un regard sociologique ancré dans les Science & Technology Studies et dans le courant pragmatiste, elle pose ensuite des questions sur le statut socio-épistémique de ce domaine, sur les modalités de l’administration de la preuve dans des savoirs fondés sur la simulation numérique et enfin sur les engagements épistémiques tenus par les spécialistes des systèmes complexes. Le matériau empirique – composé d’environ 200 entretiens, plusieurs milliers de pages d’archives et quelques visites de laboratoire – nous amène non seulement à mieux connaître ce champ de recherche – dont le langage est très répandu aujourd’hui, mais peu étudié par les historiens et les sociologues ; il nous porte aussi à questionner trois opinions courantes dans la littérature humaniste à propos des sciences numériques. À savoir : 1) l’ordinateur produit des connaissances de plus en plus interdisciplinaires, 2) il donne vie à des savoirs de type nouveau qui nécessitent une toute autre épistémologie pour être pensés et 3) il fait inévitablement advenir des visions du monde néolibérales. Or, cette thèse déconstruit ces trois formes de déterminisme technologique concernant les effets de l’ordinateur sur les pratiques scientifiques, en montrant d’abord que, dans les sciences computationnelles, les rapports interdisciplinaires ne se font pas sans effort ni pacifiquement ou sur pied d’égalité ; ensuite que les chercheurs et les chercheuses des SSC mobilisent des formes d’administration de la preuve déjà mises au point dans d’autres disciplines ; et enfin que les engagements épistémiques des scientifiques peuvent prendre une forme proche de la vision (néo)libérale, mais aussi des formes qui s’en éloignent ou qui s’y opposent. / How to think the relationship between contemporary scientific cultures and the rising usage of computer in the production of knowledge ? This thesis offers to give an answer to such a question, by analyzing historically and sociologically a scientific domain founded by the Santa Fe Institute (SFI) in the 1980s in the United States : the « complex systems sciences » (CSS). Become well-known thanks to popular books and articles, CSS have spread in Europe and in other countries of the world in the course of the 1990s and the 2000s. This work proposes a history of the foundation of this domain, by focussing on the SFI and on the French Complex Systems National Network. With a sociological take rooted into Science & Technology Studies and into pragmatism, it then asks some questions about the socio-epistemic status of such a domain, about the modalities of production of evidence as they are employed in the context of digital simulation and, finally, about the epistemic engagements hold by complexity specialists. Empirical material – composed by circa 200 interviews, several thousands archival pages and a small number of laboratory visits – allows us not only to improve knowledge about this field – whose language is very common today, but little studied by historians and sociologists ; it also brings us to question three current opinions in the human and social sciences literature regarding digital sciences. That is : 1) that the computer produces more and more interdisciplinary knowledge, 2) that it gives birth to a new type of knowledge which needs an entirely new epistemology to be well understood and 3) that it inevitably brings about neoliberal visions of the world. Now, this thesis deconstructs these three forms of technological determinism concerning the effects of computer on scientific practices, by showing firstly that, in digital sciences, the interdisciplinary collaborations are not made without any effort and in a symetrical and pacific way ; secondly, that CSS’ researchers mobilize a kind of evidence production techniques which are well known in other disciplines ; and, thirdly, that scientists’ epistemic engagements can take (neo)liberal forms, but also other forms that depart from neoliberalism or that stand against it.

Cyber attacks by domestic and foreign threat actors are increasing in frequency and sophistication. Cyber adversaries exploit a cybersecurity skill/knowledge gap and an open society, undermining the information security/privacy of citizens and businesses and eroding trust in governments, thus threatening social and political stability. The use of open digital hacking technologies in ethical hacking in higher education and within broader society raises ethical, technical, social, and political challenges for liberal democracies. Programs teaching ethical hacking in higher education are steadily growing but there is a concern that teaching students hacking skills increases crime risk to society by drawing students toward criminal acts. A cybersecurity skill gap undermines the security/viability of business and government institutions. The thesis presents an examination of opportunities and risks involved in using AI powered intelligence gathering/surveillance technologies in ethical hacking teaching practices in Canada. Taking a qualitative exploratory case study approach, technoethical inquiry theory (Bunge-Luppicini) and Weick’s sensemaking model were applied as a sociotechnical theory (STEI-KW) to explore ethical hacking teaching practices in two Canadian universities. In-depth interviews with ethical hacking university experts, industry practitioners, and policy experts, and a document review were conducted. Findings pointed to a skill/knowledge gap in ethical hacking literature regarding the meanings, ethics, values, skills/knowledge, roles and responsibilities, and practices of ethical hacking and ethical hackers which underlies an identity and legitimacy crisis for professional ethical hacking practitioners; and a Teaching vs Practice cybersecurity skill gap in ethical hacking curricula. Two main S&T innovation risk mitigation initiatives were explored: An OSINT Analyst cybersecurity role and associated body of knowledge foundation framework as an interdisciplinary research area, and a networked centre of excellence of ethical hacking communities of practice as a knowledge management and governance/policy innovation approach focusing on the systematization and standardization of an ethical hacking body of knowledge.

In zahlreichen Forschungsprojekten wird unter Einsatz großer finanzieller und personeller Ressourcen daran gearbeitet, dass Roboter die Fabrikhallen verlassen und Teil von Alltagswelten wie Krankenhäusern, Kindergärten und Privatwohnungen werden. Die Konstrukteurinnen und Konstrukteure stehen dabei vor einer nicht-trivialen Herausforderung: Sie müssen die Ambivalenzen und Kontingenzen alltäglicher Interaktion in die diskrete Sprache der Maschinen übersetzen. Wie sie dieser Herausforderung begegnen, welche Muster und Lösungen sie heranziehen und welche Implikationen für die Verwendung von Sozialrobotern dabei gelegt werden, ist der Gegenstand des Buches. Auf der Suche nach der Antwort, was Roboter sozial macht, hat Andreas Bischof Forschungslabore und Konferenzen in Europa und Nordamerika besucht und ethnografisch erforscht. Zu den wesentlichen Ergebnissen dieser Studie gehört die Typologisierung von Forschungszielen in der Sozialrobotik, eine epistemische Genealogie der Idee des Roboters in Alltagswelten, die Rekonstruktion der Bezüge zu 'echten' Alltagswelten in der Sozialrobotik-Entwicklung und die Analyse dreier Gattungen epistemischer Praktiken, derer sich die Ingenieurinnen und Ingenieure bedienen, um Roboter sozial zu machen.:EINLEITUNG 1. WAS IST SOZIALROBOTIK? 1.1 Roboter & Robotik zum Funktionieren bringen 1.2 Drei Problemdimensionen der Sozialrobotik 1.3 Forschungsstand Sozialrobotik 1.4 Problemstellung – Sozialrobotik als „wicked problem“ 2. FORSCHEN, TECHNISIEREN UND ENTWERFEN 2.1 Wissenschaft als (soziale) Praxis 2.2 Technisierung und Komplexitätsreduktion in Technik 2.3 Entwurf, Technik, Nutzung – Technik zwischen Herstellungs- und Wirkungszusammenhang 2.4 Sozialrobotik als Problemlösungshandeln 3. METHODOLOGIE UND METHODEN DER STUDIE 3.1 Forschungsstil Grounded Theory 3.2 Ethnografie und narrative Experteninterviews 3.3 Auswertungsmethoden und Generalisierung 3.4 Zusammenfassung 4. DER ROBOTER ALS UNIVERSALWERKZEUG 4.1 Roboter als fiktionale Apparate 4.2 Robotik als Lösungsversprechen 4.3 Computer Science zwischen Wissenschaft und Design 4.4 Fazit – Das Erbe des Universalwerkzeugs 5. FORSCHUNGS- UND ENTWICKLUNGSZIELE DER SOZIALROBOTIK 5.1 Bedingungen projektförmiger Forschung 5.2 Dimensionen und Typen der Ziele von Sozialrobotik 5.3 Beschreibung der Typen anhand der Verteilung der Fälle 5.4 Ko-Konstruktion der Anwendung an Fallbeispielen 5.5 Fazit – Typen von Sozialität in Entwicklungszielen 6. EPISTEMISCHE PRAKTIKEN UND INSTRUMENTE DER SOZIALROBOTIK 6.1 Praktiken der Laboratisierung des Sozialen 6.2 Alltägliche und implizite Heuristiken 6.3 Inszenierende Praktiken 6.4 Fazit – Wechselspiele des Erzeugens und Beobachtens 7. FAZIT 7.1 Phänomenstruktur der Sozialrobotik 7.2 Entwicklung als Komplexitätspendel 7.3 Methodologischer Vorschlag für den Entwicklungsprozess