Animation is a powerful teaching tool. Ideas can be expressed through animation using only a fraction of the time needed with conventional teaching methods [John Halas 1987]. In short, a picture is worth a thousand words. However, educational budgets rarely allow for the expensive time-consuming task that animation entails. This thesis tackles the challenge of creating substantial quality educational animation using limited time, labor and money resources. A National Science Foundation sponsored planetarium show on lightning will be used as a demonstration project to document the techniques employed and results achieved. Anyone interested in reducing costs can reference this thesis for insight on what or what not to implement in their own production process.

Animation is a powerful teaching tool. Ideas can be expressed through animation using only a fraction of the time needed with conventional teaching methods [John Halas 1987]. In short, a picture is worth a thousand words. However, educational budgets rarely allow for the expensive time-consuming task that animation entails. This thesis tackles the challenge of creating substantial quality educational animation using limited time, labor and money resources. A National Science Foundation sponsored planetarium show on lightning will be used as a demonstration project to document the techniques employed and results achieved. Anyone interested in reducing costs can reference this thesis for insight on what or what not to implement in their own production process.

Digital data has many benefits, but what happens if it’s in error? Moreover, how can we tell if a bit has been flipped? Our discussion begins with parity.

The social media usage in this decade has seen a vast expansion, expansion that has been observed in the amount of time users spend on social media. This has provided ground for advertising within the media. Exploiting those opportunities, a number of advertisement tricks have been contrived and exercised with the intention of drawing the users’ attention and turning them into potential customers, although the effectiveness of these advertising has shown mixed results. Moreover there is an insufficient amount of scientific research within social media advertising, as well as the forms and effects of this form of advertising. The aim of this study is to identify and explain the main forms of social media advertising, acquire an understanding of the reasons behind the labeling, by the users, of these advertising techniques as irritating, as also, rank the tricks based on the irritation levels effectuated by them to the users. As a result the paper will provide a concentrated guide of social media advertising techniques, with positive and negative aspects of each type of trick and distinguish those tricks that effectuate the most consequential effects. To achieve this goal, a questionnaire was conducted and aimed to a demographic representing the majority of social media users and as a derivate the users that most frequently encounter social media advertising tricks. The results indicated an inclination towards advertisement that make use of celebrity personalities. The reasons and motivations that lead to this eventuality can be due to contempt, appreciation or practical post characteristics.

Cette thèse de doctorat est consacrée à la technique de l’incrustation. Il s'agit plus précisément d'analyser la portée anthropologique de cette pratique, afin de mettre en lumière une certaine disposition du cinéma spectaculaire actuel par l'étude des pratiques du passé en repérant les survivances et les interdépendances entre les maniements techniques, les représentations esthétiques et les transpositions narratives d’une forme à une autre. L’objet de cette thèse est donc de proposer un certain point de vue de la culture populaire et des techniques employées à la représentation d’un imaginaire de l’extraordinaire, c’est-à-dire d’un cinéma spectaculaire s’inscrivant dans une anthropologie des images et des techniques qui dépasse largement le cadre cinématographique. / This PhD thesis is a study on the techniques of insertion. Its subject is to analyze the anthropological reach of this practice, and thus to develop a particular tendency in modern-day spectacular cinema by the study of past practices, seen through the survivals and interdependencies between technical handlings, aesthetic representations and narrative transpositions of one shape or another. The object of this thesis is therefore to propose a particular point of view on mainstream culture and on the techniques used to represent an imaginary of the extraordinary, or in other words, of spectacular cinema, which remains in keeping with an anthropology of images and techniques that goes way beyond the field of cinema.

Esta pesquisa parte do problema acerca do sentido de jogar videogame. Estudos sobre videogame nunca foram muitos na área acadêmica, todavia vemos um crescimento na preocupação séria com o tema nos últimos anos com os game studies que englobam estudos interdisciplinares vários. O objetivo deste trabalho é compreender como é jogar videogame com base em um relato referente à experiência em Phantasy Star . Propõe-se a utilização do método fenomenológico como forma de análise dos dados e um diálogo com autores que corroboram com esta perspectiva de pesquisa e autores da área dos videogames. Com esta pesquisa, busca-se contribuir com a psicologia do Brasil além dos game studies de modo geral. E, não obstante, ser uma fonte para a reflexão acerca de estereótipos promovidos pela mída e muitas vezes corroborados por cientistas sobre jogadores de videogame. / The present research starts with the problem concerning the meaning of playing videogames. There are few academic videogame studies, but it is possible to see a growing development in research as we can see with the game studies that unite interdisciplinary studies. The goal of this work is to comprehend how it is to play videogames based on one discourse concerning an experience in Phantasy Star. We propose the phenomenological method as a way to analyze the data and a dialog with authors who adopt the same perspective and others in the specific field of videogame studies. It is intended with this research to improve the Brazilian psychology and game studies as a whole. And nonetheless to be a critical source concerning the stereotypes prevalent about videogame players as shown in the media, and often adopted by scientists.

My thesis seeks to examine the relationship that exists between queer selfidentification and heterosexual hegemonic/heteronormative power in three works of and about the AIDS era. Working from feminist and queer theory perspectives, I first chart the way in which a problematic identity—be that identity a non-identity of utter invisibility, a sick identity, a dangerous identity, or (most commonly) an identity of utter hedonism disconnected from any notions of attachment, affection, or love beyond the physical sexual act—has been and is still wholly adopted by some. I do this principally with a close reading of Renaud Camus' 1981 novel Tricks, as well as with substantial historical grounding. I assert that this is not just a problem in queer literature, but in queer life which queer literature deeply reflects. Through a close reading of Tony Kushner's play Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes, I seek to illustrate the consequences of accepting entirely and without question a constructed and problematic identity for gay men. Historical examination also comes strongly into play through correspondence and personal narratives of men who lived through (and died in) the AIDS era, casualties of war of queer self-definition. Employing a close literary analysis of Larry Duplechan's 1986 novel Blackbird, my thesis seeks to chart a way to a stable, holistic, queer identity negotiated from a position of strength. In a larger sense my thesis explicates constraints upon queer identity intended to limit queer people to a heteronomous, damaged, vulnerable social position. I raise awareness of these constraints in attempt to navigate a way around them with the ultimate destination of this navigation being a perpetually increasing humanization of a historically and institutionally dehumanized population.

Esta pesquisa parte do problema acerca do sentido de jogar videogame. Estudos sobre videogame nunca foram muitos na área acadêmica, todavia vemos um crescimento na preocupação séria com o tema nos últimos anos com os game studies que englobam estudos interdisciplinares vários. O objetivo deste trabalho é compreender como é jogar videogame com base em um relato referente à experiência em Phantasy Star . Propõe-se a utilização do método fenomenológico como forma de análise dos dados e um diálogo com autores que corroboram com esta perspectiva de pesquisa e autores da área dos videogames. Com esta pesquisa, busca-se contribuir com a psicologia do Brasil além dos game studies de modo geral. E, não obstante, ser uma fonte para a reflexão acerca de estereótipos promovidos pela mída e muitas vezes corroborados por cientistas sobre jogadores de videogame. / The present research starts with the problem concerning the meaning of playing videogames. There are few academic videogame studies, but it is possible to see a growing development in research as we can see with the game studies that unite interdisciplinary studies. The goal of this work is to comprehend how it is to play videogames based on one discourse concerning an experience in Phantasy Star. We propose the phenomenological method as a way to analyze the data and a dialog with authors who adopt the same perspective and others in the specific field of videogame studies. It is intended with this research to improve the Brazilian psychology and game studies as a whole. And nonetheless to be a critical source concerning the stereotypes prevalent about videogame players as shown in the media, and often adopted by scientists.

This paper was written using various research based sources to determine the effects of self-esteem on learning and behaviors and whether or not the use of magic tricks can play a role in raising self-esteem and in motivating learning for children with exceptionalities. There have been multiple studies that show self-esteem has a significant effect on a child's ability to learn as well as studies that show self-esteem plays a role in a child's behavior. There are opposing studies showing that self-esteem has no effect on learning and behavior in children with and without exceptionalities. There was no information found that state high self-esteem has a negative effect on learning or motivation in children with exceptionalities or without exceptionalities. Regardless of whether or not one agrees that self-esteem affects learning and behavior in children with exceptionalities, it is important that educators find ways to help all children with exceptionalities, as well as without exceptionalities, improve their self-esteem thereby possibly helping improve learning, behavior, and motivation. One possible way to help raise self-esteem in children with exceptionalities is the use of magic tricks inside and outside the classroom. Incorporating the use of magic tricks in lessons seems to motivate learning. The information on the use of using magic tricks to raise self-esteem is limited to few articles and only one study. While the information on using magic to improve self-esteem in children with exceptionalities is limited, the information collected to date all state positive results using magic tricks to not only raise self-esteem but to also to motivate learning in children with exceptionalities.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo investigar o lugar da brincadeira nas atividades das crianças indígenas Parakanã e descrevê-las no contexto do modo de vida desses índios. Os índios Parakanã ainda mantêm muitas de suas tradições culturais, tais como, a língua, o preparo da farinha, a pintura corporal, as reuniões diárias (tekatawa) para solução de problemas da aldeia, a caça e os festejos. A população é predominantemente jovem e o espaçamento de nascimentos é de aproximadamente dois anos e meio. Foram observadas 29 crianças indígenas Parakanã (16 F e 13 M), de quatro a 12 anos, da aldeia Paranowaona, sudeste do estado do Pará. O método de observação utilizado foi sujeito focal com sessões de cinco minutos. O número médio de sessões para cada criança foi 11. As crianças foram subdivididas nas classes etárias konomia (quatro a seis anos) e otyaro (sete a doze anos), conforme categoria de idade dos próprios índios. Os resultados indicaram que: a) as crianças passam a maior parte do seu tempo brincando; b) meninas trabalham mais que meninos; c) a brincadeira simbólica e a de construção ocorrem com maior freqüência entre as crianças mais jovens e posteriormente começam a surgir os jogos de regras; d) crianças brincam com companheiros do mesmo sexo e grupo etário; e) as brincadeiras simbólicas são representações muito próximas das atividades dos adultos. De uma maneira geral, as crianças Parakanã passam a maior parte do seu tempo brincando em seu próprio mundo. A partir de dois ou três anos, começam a brincar em grupo sem supervisão de adultos. Elas não só representam a vida adulta que observam livre e abundantemente, mas parecem recriá-la, como se fosse uma cultura peculiar, específica: a cultura da brincadeira. / This study aims to investigate the role of play in the activities of Parakanã Indian children, as well as to describe their play using the context and the way of life of these Indians. The Parakanã Indians preserve many of their cultural traditions, such as their language, the preparation of manioc flour, body painting, daily meetings (tekatawa) to deliberate on the village’s problems, game hunting and festive celebrations. Their population is predominantly young and births occur approximately with a two-and-a-half-year gap between them. Twenty-nine Parakanã children (16 F and 13 M) from 4 to 12 years of age and from the Paranowaona village, located in the southeast region of Pará State, were observed. The focal sample method was applied with 5-minute sessions. The average number of sessions for each child was 11. The children were subdivided in age classes, namely: konomia (four to six years old), otyaro (seven to twelve years old), according to the Indians’ own age categorization. The results point out that a) children spend most of their time playing; b) girls work more than boys; c) the symbolic, as well as the construction play occur more often among young children and games with rules start to emerge subsequently; d) children play with same-sex and age-class peers; e) their symbolic play is a very close representation of the adults’ activities. In general, Parakanã children play most of the time and in their own world. From two to three years old they start playing in groups, without any adult supervision. They not only depict the adult life that they observe freely and abundantly, but also recreate it as if it were a very peculiar and specific culture: the culture of playing.