<p>This research is based on Construal Level Theory (CLT) and explores the impact of inducing high-level vs low-level construals through various message content on health behavior intentions in the context of medication taking in depression and anxiety. In addition to the direct effects on intentions, the research also explored the mediating roles of perceived psychological distance and risk perception on these intentions and the moderating effects of age and mental health stigma.</p><p>Previous work in CLT suggests that concrete low-level construals, or mental representations, are likely to dominate thinking near decision times, but those who remain focused on more abstract high-level construals are more likely to follow through with good intentions and that a person can be induced to focus on these abstract benefits and goals through messaging. However, evidence that a person’s construal level mindset can be maintained over time to support ongoing intended behavior in the face of daily cognitive demands is lacking.</p><p>Messages were sent via secure text service to a mobile device twice weekly for 4-weeks. Results of within and between-subjects analysis showed that low-level construal messages have the greatest direct effect on behavioral intentions (BI) (<i>Wilks’ λ F</i>=11.591, <i>p</i><.001, <i>η</i>^<em>2</em>=.056) and actual medication taking behavior (<i>Wilks’ λ</i> <i>F</i>=2.979, <i>p</i>=.051, <i>η</i>^<em>2</em>=.271) as compared to controls. Significant changes were also seen in perceived social distance to a future risk (SD) (<i>Wilks’ λ F</i>=61.654, <i>p</i><.001, <i>η</i>^<em>2</em>=.240) and overall risk perception (RP) (<i>Wilks’ λ</i> <i>F</i>=3.393, <i>p</i>=.019, <i>η</i>^<em>2</em>=.058) over the 4-week study vs controls, but no mediation effect was detected between messaging, SD, or RP and BI. Finally, mental health stigma (MHS) was seen to moderate the direct effect of the messaging on BI (<i>F</i>=2.701, <i>p</i>=.048, <i>R</i>^<em>2</em><i>chng</i>=.043).</p><p>Results suggest text messages delivered over time can positively impact treatment adherence intention, behavior, and health attitudes in patients with depression and anxiety. In addition, the construal level focus of the messages is likely to impact those outcomes differentially in various patient groups.</p>

<p>  </p> <p>Science by its very nature is a networked discipline. Experiments and research build off of past experiments and research. Labs are collaborative spaces where many individuals work together with an array of technologies and other infrastructural elements. Much of the work of network building in science is done online as scientists communicate with each other and with the public on platforms like Twitter. But how do science communicators work in these online, digital spaces to build their networks and communicate? What kinds of rhetorical choices do science communicators make when they share research or reach out to connect with others? How do social media, networking, and other technologies influence those choices? What kinds of networks are created in these online, public discussions? In this study, I draw from actor-network theory and assemblage theory methodologies to begin answering these questions. Using snowball sampling, I recruited 12 climate science communicators from three network clusters: Purdue scientists, scientists whose work was highlighted by the nonprofit Black in Environment, and science writers for NASA. Drawing from choices I observed in the Twitter writing of participants, I then spoke with each participant in a discourse-based interview, inviting them to reflect on the choices they made as they wrote online. </p> <p><br></p> <p>The resulting conversation indicated the nonhuman (such as technologies) and human influences on their online discourse. Our discussions also revealed how participants used rhetorical strategies around identification and emotion to better appeal to their specific audiences. With identification, they not only asked themselves how an audience might react to their writing, but also engaged in internal dialogue with their imagined audiences and used conversational language. With emotion, participants emphasized the importance of humor and positivity as strategies by which to make online spaces more appealing and welcoming. This study offers four takeaways from the data: (1) science communicators should be aware of and take control of the networks that surround them; (2) public science communication should still be specific and directed at smaller audiences; (3) science communication—especially in online public spheres like Twitter—should not shy away from engaging with emotion; and (4) those of us who teach writing can (and should) teach writing as a networked process. </p>

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Thesis (LLM. (Development and Management Law)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / We live in a Fourth Industrial Revolution(4IR) era where people exchange goods and services through the internet. Such transactions and communications are regulated by the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (ECTA) 25 of 2002. The ECTA however amongst others, excludes the execution of testamentary wills from its application thus leaving no room for electronic wills. The execution of a valid will in South Africa is governed by the Wills Act 7 of 1953. Against this background, the study investigates whether the presence of enhanced 4IR innovations and methods have the potential to render the Wills Act obsolete and how the exclusion in the ECTA will contribute towards the formation of legal gaps in the law of succession. In confronting these questions, the study seeks to create a synergy between the two abovementioned statutes. The formalities of a valid will are contained in section 2(1) of the Wills Act, it can be deduced from them that a will should be in writing and signed by the testator and two witnesses. Any will not complying with the formalities is dependent upon the discretion of the High Court for validity as per section 2(3) of the Wills Act. The cases of MacDonald v The Master 2002 5 SA 64 (N) and Van der Merwe v The Master 2010 6 SA 546 (SCA) have confronted issues that relate to wills executed in electronic formats. The study interrogates the meaning of ‘writing’ and ‘signature’ and their significance and probes whether they can be fulfilled using electronic means. A comparative approach is adopted to establish the status of electronic wills in the USA and UK. The USA has promulgated legislation to deal with electronic wills and the UK has initiated the process of adopting their own electronic wills legislation in response to the 4IR. With the lessons learned from these jurisdictions the study makes recommendations on how synergy can be created between the Wills Act and the ECTA.

[pt] O tema deste trabalho de conclusão de curso é o ensino de história por meios digitais, A partir da análise de materiais, notadamente as aulas de história online do curso Descomplica – fonte de estudo escolhida – e entrevistas com os professores de História, procurei investigar as práticas pedagógicas que tenham como objetivo o aprendizado do conhecimento histórico em meios digitais definidos como educacionais. Importante salientar que o ensino de história por meios digitais não se trata de ensino de história à distância, pois não existe necessariamente a pretensão de substituir a escolaridade tradicional. Não falarei sobre as modalidades de ensino à distância (EAD), apesar da substituição das aulas presenciais por EAD em diversas localidades do país pela modalidade tele presencial, ou à distância – notadamente em tempos de Covid-19. Um dos resultados foi perceber que as aulas de História transmitidas por meios digitais se enquadram na modalidade de ensino remoto, que se contrapõe ao ensino presencial de História, apesar de manter vários de seus elementos pedagógicos. Assim, a pesquisa, que se situa na interseção dos campos da Educação e da História, teve também como objetivo identificar e analisar as permanências e as mudanças no ensino de História, a partir de experiências pedagógicas do ensino presencial e do ensino remoto. O estudo foi desenvolvido por meio de uma metodologia de trabalho que consistiu na análise das aulas online, aplicação de instrumentos da História oral no tratamento das entrevistas com os professores de História do curso Descomplica e comparação com as diretrizes curriculares e com as exigências do Enem. / [en] The theme of this final course work is the teaching of history through digital means, especially in the largest online course in Brazil – Descomplica – which stands out in the preparation for competitions, mainly for Enem - Exame Nacional do Ensino Medio. From the analysis of materials, notably the online history classes of Descomplica course – chosen object of study – and interviews with the history teachers, I tried to investigate the pedagogical practices that have as objective the learning of historical knowledge in digital educational media. It is important to point out that the teaching of history through digital means is not about the teaching of history at distance, as there is not necessarily the intention to substitute traditional schooling. I will not focus on distance learning modalities, despite the growing governmental interest in replacing face-to-face classes in different parts of the country for telepresence, or distance learning – notably in times of Covid-19. One of the results was to realize that the history classes transmitted by Descomplica fit into the modality of remote teaching, which opposes to face-to-face history teaching, despite maintaining several of its pedagogical elements. Thus, the research, which is located at the intersection of the fields of Education and History, also aimed to identify and analyze the permanences and changes in the teaching of history, based on pedagogical experiences of classroom and remote teaching. The study was developed through a methodology that consisted of the analysis of online classes, application of instruments of oral history in the treatment of interviews with history teachers from the course Descomplica and comparison with the curricular guidelines and the requirements of Enem.

This dissertation describes and presents a new type of interactive visualization for communicating about evolutionary biology, the dynamic evolutionary map. This web-based tool utilizes a novel map-based metaphor to visualize evolution, rather than the traditional "tree of life." The dissertation begins with an analysis of the conceptual affordances of the traditional tree of life as the dominant metaphor for evolution. Next, theories from digital media, visualization, and cognitive science research are synthesized to support the assertion that digital media tools can extend the types of visual metaphors we use in science communication in order to overcome conceptual limitations of traditional metaphors. These theories are then applied to a specific problem of science communication, resulting in the dynamic evolutionary map. Metaphor is a crucial part of scientific communication, and metaphor-based scientific visualizations, models, and analogies play a profound role in shaping our ideas about the world around us. Users of the dynamic evolutionary map interact with evolution in two ways: by observing the diversification of bird orders over time and by examining the evidence for avian evolution at several places in evolutionary history. By combining these two types of interaction with a non-traditional map metaphor, evolution is framed in a novel way that supplements traditional metaphors for communicating about evolution. This reframing in turn suggests new conceptual affordances to users who are learning about evolution. Empirical testing of the dynamic evolutionary map by biology novices suggests that this approach is successful in communicating evolution differently than in existing tree-based visualization methods. Results of evaluation of the map by biology experts suggest possibilities for future enhancement and testing of this visualization that would help refine these successes. This dissertation represents an important step forward in the synthesis of scientific, design, and metaphor theory, as applied to a specific problem of science communication. The dynamic evolutionary map demonstrates that these theories can be used to guide the construction of a visualization for communicating a scientific concept in a way that is both novel and grounded in theory. There are several potential applications in the fields of informal science education, formal education, and evolutionary biology for the visualization created in this dissertation. Moreover, the approach suggested in this dissertation can potentially be extended into other areas of science and science communication. By placing birds onto the dynamic evolutionary map, this dissertation points to a way forward for visualizing science communication in the future

Hintergrund: Die Digitalisierung der Patientendokumentation und die Einführung der elektronischen Patientenakte (ePA) stellen den klinischen Alltag vor große Herausforderungen. - Fragestellung:Wir untersuchten die Akzeptanz und den Stand der Digitalisierung von Patientendaten sowie die Einführung der ePA bei den deutschen Urologen. Material und Methoden: Nach einem iterativen Entwicklungsprozess erhielten wir einen Fragebogenmit 30 Items,welcher über den Forschungsnewsletter der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Urologie e.V. versendet wurde. - Ergebnisse: Insgesamt beantworteten 80 Urologen den Fragebogen (Rücklaufquote 2%). Digitale Plattformen wie Urotube oder Researchgate wurden von 63% der Teilnehmer verwendet. Die komplette Einführung der digitalen Patientendokumentation erfolgte bei 72% der ambulant Tätigen und bei 54% der in der Klinik Tätigen (p= 0,042). 76%der Befragten sahen den Digitalisierungsprozess als sinnvoll an. 34% äußerten teilweise oder starke Bedenken bzgl. einer kompletten Digitalisierung der Patientendokumentation. Nur 14% der Teilnehmer haben eine Videosprechstunde angeboten. Als Vorteile für die ePA wurden u. a. die bessere Vernetzung des Gesundheitswesens 73%), die Verbesserung der Diagnose, der Indikations- (41%) und der Behandlungsqualität (48%) sowie die Vermeidung von Fehlmedikation (70%) gesehen. - Schlussfolgerung: Die deutschen Urologen stehen der Digitalisierung der Patientendokumentation und der ePA insgesamt offen gegenüber. Insbesondere jüngere Urologen nutzen digitale Medien. Die Vorteile der Digitalisierung sind insbesondere eine Verbesserung der Behandlungsabläufe. Für eine reibungslose Einführung sind eine bereichsübergreifende Etablierung und ggf. eine Anpassung der Behandlungsprozesse notwendig.

This case study presents research on social media operations in the news media in lceland and Sweden. Social media channels have become a big part of everyday life in western countries and have simultaneously become a big part of how individuals consume news. This case study looks into how social media channels are utilised in everyday work at legacy media companies and how media professionals perceive the effects of these channels on the news industry in Iceland and Sweden. The case study consists of interviews with six media professionals from six legacy media companies in Iceland and Sweden. Results show that legacy news media companies are cautious towards being reliant on social media channels in their operations but are dependent on using social media channels to some extent as public discourse is increasingly taking place on these channels. / I denna fallstudie presenteras forskning om sociala medier i nyhetsmedier på Island och i Sverige. Sociala mediekanaler har blivit en stor del av vardagen i västländerna och har samtidigt blivit en stor del av hur individer konsumerar nyheter. Denna fallstudie undersöker hur sociala mediekanaler används i det dagliga arbetet på medieföretag och hur mediefolk uppfattar effekterna av dessa kanaler på nyhetsbranschen på Island och i Sverige. Fallstudien består av intervjuer med sex medieexperter från sex medieföretag på Island och i Sverige. Resultaten visar att nyhetsmedieföretag är försiktiga med att vara beroende av sociala mediekanaler i sin verksamhet, men att de är beroende av att använda sociala mediekanaler i viss utsträckning eftersom den offentliga diskursen i allt högre grad äger rum på dessa kanaler.

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