Online Communication

In recent years, many medical schools around the world have formally established professionalism education as part of their standard curriculum. While the call to prepare future doctors to behave ethically and professionally is not new, what is new is the emphasis on identity formation in the context of the expanding online universe. Nonetheless, role modelling the professional image is challenging in the digital age, especially when cultures and customs across disciplines and generations collide. Against the backdrop of hyper-vigilance about our professional image, this paper explores whether the hidden professionalism curriculum may inadvertently stifle creativity and humanity. It proposes the positive use of social media as relational or pedagogical tools in teaching learners about work-life balance and responsible online behaviours.

Huge amount of investment in information and communication technologies (ICTs) in developing countries, mainly through aid and assistance from donor agencies, have failed to realize the dream of helping these countries achieve national development. We argue that this is attributable to two main reasons: flawed conceptualization of basic concepts of ICT, development, and the interrelationship between the two, and ill-formulated development intervention strategies. In this paper, we suggest alternative conceptualizations of these concepts and examine a policy document of a specific donor agency - Norway's Norad - to illustrate our contentions. In light of our analysis, we offer some insights for ICT and national development.

The topic of this study is impoliteness in online comments (that is, readers’ responses) in two South Slavic newspapers, comparable in terms of their readership and profile: a Croatian daily Jutarnji list, and a Serbian daily Večernje novosti.  The data –in total 668 comments -- are drawn from postings triggered by four articles published in December 2016.
The existing research indicates that identifiability and accountability comes with commenting via Facebook, and that impolite communicative behaviour in reader comments is significantly more common on Websites where users are able to maintain their anonymity. With Facebook comments, commenters are identified with, and accountable for, the content they produce.  However, my findings do not confirm this. The share of the impolite comments is higher in the newspaper that uses Facebook comments. Facebook users may, of course, construct fictious selves (and many in my corpus do so – there are some clear cases of invented names (e.g., Platon Aristotel).
I also examined the relationship between platform type and the direction of impoliteness, starting with a hypothesis that Facebook comments will exhibit less interpersonal impoliteness than Website comments. This assumption has not been confirmed either.
When it comes to identity, disaffiliation is mainly constructed through highly negative and stigmatizing descriptions of those considered to belong to an out-group: here, another national group (Serbs or Croats). These descriptions are related to different impoliteness realizations, often “direct”.  However, impoliteness, albeit more indirect, is applied when constructing disaffiliation from some in-group members that are judged to behave in a manner that the posters consider inappropriate. The construction of in-groups versus out-groups is likely to saliently rely on positive impoliteness strategies (that dominate in this sample).
The posters strategically used impoliteness expressed through overtly impolite remarks. They used blatant face-aggravation, and hence impoliteness, to communicate disagreement, to argue against some perceived attitude of in-group members, and against the out-group’s assumed ideological views and behavior, or to discredit ideological opponents.
The findings indicate that the overall topic of newspaper articles relates to frequency and direction of impoliteness realizations in readers responses. Furthermore, commenters’ collective identity certainly seems relevant to a clear understanding of impoliteness in deindividuated contexts, such as this one, in which posters construct a salient social, collective identity. This finding is in line with some existing analyses of online readers response and You tube discussions.

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) and e-communication tools have introduced new pedagogical tools and activities that contribute to the development of language learners’ academic, multilingual, and intercultural skills and competences. Moreover, CMC has reinforced communication and collaboration between individuals and educational institutions through projects of intercultural language exchanges (ILE). Most of these exchanges idealise ‘nativeness’, and assert the L1 speaker as an expert ‘by default’. These models of ILE believe that the incorporation of a L1S is key to the creation of learning opportunities. This paper contests this belief. The one-to-one online video conversations took place on Skype between language learners of English and/or French over a period of four months. The dyads comprise the following speakers’ constellations: a L1S of French with a L1S of English, and a L1S of English with an Algerian (L2/LF of French and English). To assure equity in the use of languages, I scheduled two sessions every week, one in English and the second in French. This paper investigates the expert/novice dichotomy and how it is negotiated in the learning opportunities they have created. It also casts light on the speakers’ communicative strategies and linguaculture(s) included in overcoming intercultural misunderstanding and miscommunication when using or not using their L1, French and/or English. These intercultural interactions have uncovered that the novice–expert roles alternate between the speakers despite the language of communication and their L1s. The interactants used several strategies and channels, namely pragmatic strategies such as repetition, nonverbal cues to ask for clarification and signal intercultural misunderstandings, translanguaging and their multilingual repertoires in order to construct meaning, achieve their communicative goals or in case of the lack of linguistic resources.
Keywords: novice–expert identities; online video conversations; synchronous communication; intercultural interactions; English; French

This chapter focuses on the application of visitor studies methodologies to museums as cultural institutions that incorporate digital media into their cultural programming and social activities. It provides a comprehensive guide to three types of research methods employed by contemporary museums to study online visitors: quantitative, behavioral and qualitative. Illuminating how traditional museum visitor research tools informed emerging digital methods, the chapter describes important procedures of online museum audience studies. Step by step, three sections introduce more sophisticated online methods, which add new dimensions to the understanding of virtual visitors.

İletişim ve toplumsal yapı arasındaki ilişki sosyal bilim literatürü içerisinde ilgi duyulan konuların başında gelmektedir. Bu çerçevede özellikle dijital-iletişim ve toplumsal değişme arasındaki ilişki özellikle dikkate değerdir.
Niklas Luhmann, iletişimi bir bilgi aktarım süreci olarak kavrayan davranışçı iletişim kuramlarının aksine, onu toplumsal yapıları varlığını sağlayan bir bilgi işleme süreci olarak kavramayı önermektedir. Böylece iletişimi nesnel toplumsal düzenin inşasının gerçekleştiği haddizatında bir olgu olarak kavramanın yolu açılmış olur. Bu sayede luhmann sosyolojisinde toplumun temel birim olarak kavranan iletişimle toplumsal yapı arasında bir ilişki de kurulmuş olur.
Söz konusu bu ilişki toplumsal yapının karmaşıklaşmasıyla ilişkilidir. Toplumsal yapılar karmaşıklaştıkça onu var edebilecek nitelikte bir iletişime ihtiyaç duyarlar. Farklı bir anlatımla toplumsal iletişim karmaşıklaştıkça toplumsal yapı da iletişimin özelliklerine paralel olarak karmaşıklaşır. Buradan hareketle iletişim ve toplumsal yapı arasındaki ilişkinin nedensel değil döngüsel bir karaktere sahi olduğu söylenebilir. Toplumun yapısına paralel olarak iletişim süreçlerinin de karmaşıklaştığı günümüz modern toplumlarında bilgi işleme işi olarak iletişim yeni yapılara ve araçlara sahip olmuştur ki online-iletişim (ve araçları) bunların başında gelmektedir.
Toplumsal iletişimin karmaşıklaşmasıyla yaşanan bu değişimden sosyal hareketler de payını almaktadır. Online-iletişimin geçerli olduğu günümüz toplumlarında iletişimin dengesiz, heterarşik ve hibrit yapısına paralel olarak sosyal hareketler de aşırı bireyselleşme ve sıradışı sosyal bağımsızlık özellikleri ile karakterize edilebilecek yeni bir yapıya kavuşmuştur. Buradan hareketle, 2013 Haziranında İstanbul Taksim Gezi Parkı merkezli yaşanan olayların tamda protesto hareketlerinin bu yeni formuna uygun bir örnek olay olarak gerçekleştiği savunulabilir.
Bu çalışma, öncelikle günümüz karmaşık toplumlarının formasyonunda yaşanan değişimleri, toplumu iletişimin kapsayıcı üst kavramı olarak ele alan luhmann sosyolojisi çerçevesinde ele alarak, bu bağlamda iletişim ve sosyal hareketler arasındaki ilişkiyi online-iletişim, hibritleşme, heterarşi, aşırı bireyselleşme ve sıradışı sosyal bağımsızlık gibi kavramlar çerçevesinde ele alarak ve konuyla ilgili literatür ve saha verilerinden hareketle açıklamayı hedeflemektedir.

Over the last two decades, various management theorists have shifted their research attention from top-down authority organizations to self-managed organizations that run in the absence of hierarchies. At the same time, the importance of conflict management is increasingly acknowledged in literature, with research direction moving towards the analysis of conflict management strategies at group/team level. Combining these research interests and directions, the author executed a research on Conflict management in Self-managed team, by studying the case of Wikipedia - a phenomenal online success for a self-managed collaborative organization. This study takes into account, besides the self-management structure, the attributes of Wikipedia as a virtual team with cultural diversity. The purpose of this research is twofold. First, it identifies the components that make up Wikipedia‟s conflict resolution process and observes how these components interact to form an effective conflict resolution system. Second, this research analyses the norms and regulations with regards to managing conflicts on Wikipedia and identifies the conflict management style at the group level. Two findings of the research: (1) Wikipedia conflict resolution system meets the criteria for a complementary system, in which components interact and address the limitations of one another, (2) The principal conflict management style of Wikipedia is an integrative style built on individual‟s collaborating and compromising conflict-handling behaviour, exhibited by a wide range of functional conflict resolution strategies. This research reveals the impact of organizational culture, reflected in community norms, on knowledge management in Wikipedia and highlights the effectiveness of its conflict management approach, reinforcing Wikipedia‟s role as an exemplary model of an extreme self-managed team.

Kiekvienais metais sparčiai augant mobiliųjų įrenginių naudotojų skaičiui ir didėjant įrenginių techninėms galimybėms, mobiliosios programėlės tampa vis dažniau ir plačiau naudojamu politinės komunikacijos įrankiu, ypač rinkimų kampanijų laikotarpiu. Mobiliosios programėlės, kaip ir daugelis kitų informacinių ir komunikacinių technologijų inovacijų, politiniams tikslams pirmą kartą panaudotos JAV, tačiau netruko sparčiai išplisti ir į kitas pasaulio šalis, taip pat ir į Lietuvą. Šiame straipsnyje nagrinėjamos mobiliųjų programėlių taikymo galimybės politinės komunikacijos procesuose, analizuojami praktiniai jų išnaudojimo pavyzdžiai rinkimų kampanijose. Straipsnyje apibrėžiama mobiliųjų programėlių samprata ir jų pagrindinės savybės, aptariamos taikymo galimybės ir nauda politikoje ir rinkimuose. Taip pat detaliai aptariami pirmieji mobiliųjų programėlių panaudojimo rinkiminėje komunikacijoje pavyzdžiai anglakalbėse šalyse ir Lietuvoje.

Fundamentalna zmiana w komunikacji międzyludzkiej: specyfika komunikacji w mediach społecznościowych. Czego tu się bać: wyzwania stojące przed jednostkami administracji publicznej w związku z obecnością w mediach społecznościowych. Społecznościowa wizja służby społeczeństwu: szanse stojące przed jednostkami administracji publicznej w związku z obecnością w mediach społecznościowych.

Aspekt techniczny zarządzania komunikacją w mediach społecznościowych: dobór kanałów, dobór formatów komunikatów, plan wydawniczy - częstotliwość i czas komunikacji, mechanizmy dystrybucji treści, istotne wskaźniki. Aspekt merytoryczny zarządzania komunikacją w mediach społecznościowych: skąd brać treści - co komunikować?; czy i kiedy odpowiadać na komunikację?; głos organizacji. Kto powinien zarządzać komunikacją instytucji kultury w mediach społecznościowych: omówienia istniejących alternatyw; kompetencje social media managera.

Leer comentarios inciviles asociados a noticias en la web parece ser algo común. Es particularmente preocupante cuando se tratan de noticias que discuten asuntos públicos o política de aquel país, porque irrumpen en espacios de deliberación democrática. Este trabajo se plantea como un ejercicio inductivo y cualitativo partiendo de la observación de 4,317 comentarios de usuarios en un medio de comunicación online chileno asociados a las elecciones presidenciales de Chile a fines de 2017. De estos comentarios se observa que la incivilidad se manifiesta principalmente como un discurso polarizado sobre la noticia y un constante ataque a la postura de otros usuarios, con escaso uso de evidencia o argumentos con datos concretos comprobables.

Communication to a global audience presents a number of new challenges; writers seeking to connect with individuals from many different cultures must rethink their concept of audience. They must also prepare to address friction that may arise from cross-cultural rhetorical situations, variation in available technology and in access between interlocutors, and disparate legal environments. "Thinking Globally, Composing Locally" explores how writing and its pedagogy should adapt to the ever-expanding environment of international online communication.  The volume offers a pedagogical framework that addresses three interconnected and overarching objectives: using online media to contact audiences from other cultures to share ideas; presenting ideas in a manner that invites audiences from other cultures to recognize, understand, and convey or act upon them; and composing ideas to connect with global audiences to engage in ongoing and meaningful exchanges via online media. Chapters explore a diverse range of pedagogical techniques and online forums used in global distance education.

Hassrede und Verleumdung prägen zunehmend die Kommentarspalten von journalistischen Online-Angeboten. Diese unqualifizierten und oft emotionsgeladenen Debatten sind für Nachrichtenanbieter, ihre Redaktionen und die Nutzerinnen und Nutzer gleichermaßen unerwünscht und frustrierend. Mit der praxisorientierten Handreichung „Hasskommentare im Netz. Steuerungsstrategien für Redaktionen“ hat die Landesanstalt für Medien NRW einen 10-Punkte-Plan gegen Hassrede im Netz veröffentlicht. Er zeigt auf, wie Redaktionen entschieden gegen Hasskommentare in den Kommentarspalten auf ihren Online-Auftritten vorgehen und ausufernde Debatten zivilisieren können.

In recent years, research on Instant Messaging has been growing with a shift from English-based CMC to multilingual CMC. As a result, two main features of multilingual CMC have been widely investigated: language choice and code switching. However, the investigations remain at the linguistic level, placing their attention on describing linguistic features and analyzing them statistically. Taking a different perspective, this study is grounded in new literacy studies, viewing reading and writing as human activities rather than just decoding letters and words. The study investigates the language choice and code switching practices in LINE application of 16 Thai postgraduate students at Lancaster University. The study incorporates both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The data were collected from a group of Thai postgraduate students at Lancaster University (16 participants) via three instruments: (i) questionnaires, (ii) semi-structured interviews and (iii) chat logs. The findings reveal that the topic of conversation and language proficiency are important factors contributing to language choice and code switching practices in LINE among Thai postgraduate students at Lancaster University. However, a non-linguistic factor such as technological constraint especially with the phone keyboard is also found to be influential

Since the 17th century science fought for a primacy in the value of the knowledge it produces and has enjoyed a privileged status. However, the public nature of science is changing and the need for orientation in the complex world of scientific and technological advances is becoming more
apparent. Focused on preserving control and understanding of their conditions of life, the public challenges the scientist’s answer to contemporary scientific problems and questions. The democratic nature of digital online communication provides a means for expression and exploration of all kinds of beliefs and has allowed for creation of sites of their convergence, but access to information and knowledge are not enough to alleviate risks stemming from the lack of dialogic interaction of
different perspectives on a particular issue. This becomes particularly problematic in the domain of ethics when decisions based on objectified beliefs impact the preservation of life and ways of living. This presentation will debate how methodological approaches in integrative bioethics may provide a necessary basis for dialogic interaction which integratively preserves the pluralism of perspectives which add complexity to the understanding of bioethical dilemmas.

Presented at 27th Annual Conference of the Society for Risk Analysis Europe in Östersund, Sweden, June 18–20 2018.

Artikkelen tar utgangspunkt i Martin Luthers evne og vilje til å ta i
bruk det sekstende århundres nye medieteknologi til å spre reforma -
sjonens budskap, og stiller spørsmålet om dagens lutherske kirker og
organisasjoner i Norge gjør det samme. Spørsmålet belyses gjennom
en studie av nettsidene til de fem store nasjonale lutherske kirkene og
organisasjonene i Norge.

Współczesne badania nad komunikacją w internecie często skupiają się na przyczynach wywołujących u internautów zachowania agresywne w reakcji na kwestie społeczne, które są trudne i zazwyczaj generują podziały. W Stanach Zjednoczonych tematem budzącym kontrowersje oraz nierzadko prowadzącym do gwałtownych i emocjonalnych konfrontacji pomiędzy użytkownikami sieci (ang. flaming) jest niewątpliwie tożsamość rasowa i etniczna. Tymczasem w internecie znaleźć można miejsca, w których dyskusja na temat problemów rasowych toczy się z zachowaniem decorum i z poszanowaniem zarówno nadawcy, jak i odbiorcy. Jednym z takich miejsc jest strona internetowa projektu o nazwie Race Card Project. Celem artykułu jest pokazanie, jak ludzie mieszanego pochodzenia etniczno-rasowego mieszkający w Stanach Zjednoczonych wykorzystują forum internetowego projektu do konstruowania i wyrażania własnej tożsamości. Odbywa się to z poszanowaniem dla idei amerykańskiej wielokulturowości, ponieważ nawet negatywne doświadczenia rasizmu potrafią być wykorzystane przez internautów do budowania retoryki jedności. Projekt cieszy się dużym zainteresowaniem oraz uznaniem (nagroda Peabody'ego w 2014 r.) i uznawany jest za ważny głos we wspieraniu dialogu na temat rasy oraz tożsamości kulturowej w Stanach Zjednoczonych. W artykule przedstawione zostały narracje, których autorzy wyrażają afirmację dla idei wielokulturowości.

(Full article via Sage) Scholars have long debated the ambivalence embedded in online behaviours, as shown in memes, trolling and weird Internet jokes. Recently, Donald Trump’s surprising win of the 2016 US Presidential Election and the notable ascent of conservative populism along with it have prompted an ongoing meme war in online spaces such as Facebook, Tumblr, 4chan and Reddit. In this context, The Ambivalent Internet invites us to consider the social and cultural significance of ambivalent online expressions.