Social media is a transformative digital technology, collapsing the “six degrees ofseparation” which have previously characterized many social networks, and breaking down many of the barriers to individuals communicating with each other. Some commentators suggest that this is having profound effects across society, that social media have opened up new channels for public debates and have revolutionized the communication of prominent public issues such as climate change. In this article we provide the first systematic and critical review of the literature on social media and climate change. We highlight three key findings from the literature: a substantial bias toward Twitter studies, the prevalent approaches to researching climate change on social media (publics, themes, and professional communication), and important empirical findings (the use of mainstream information sources, discussions of “settled science,” polarization, and responses to temperature anomalies).Following this, we identify gaps in the existing literature that should beaddressed by future research: namely, researchers should consider qualitativestudies, visual communication and alternative social media platforms to Twitter.We conclude by arguing for further research that goes beyond a focus on sciencecommunication to a deeper examination of how publics imagine climate changeand its future role in social life.
Turkey has received consistent criticism from international media for having many naturalized athletes in its national squad, both in the Olympic Games and other major international sporting events. Similar criticisms have also been a feature of debates for a long time in domestic media, varying in views toward these athletes. This research focuses on media representations of naturalized athletes in Turkey between 2008 and 2020. We investigated the sentiments of news items from four major Turkish newspapers (Milliyet, Cumhuriyet, Sabah and Fanatik) on their stances toward naturalized athletes over the timespan of 2008–2020. Beside analyzing the sentiment of the media content both cumulatively and fragmentedly, we also identified the yearly trends and most featured sports in this context, combining qualitative and quantitative techniques. Our findings showed that sentiments in Turkish media toward naturalized athletes are mostly neutral and negative as well as with differences varying on the basis of the newspapers and news item types. The most criticism underlined pursuing “shortcut” success with naturalized athletes representing Turkey in the international arena. Among the featured sports, basketball, football, and track and field have been the most discussed ones in the naturalization context.
This study investigates the evolvement of informalization of company communication on social media over time, based on actual social media data from the tourism industry. The development in the use of emoticons and emoji by companies is examined, as an expression of informalization and humanization of online company communication. We selected 33 companies from the tourism industry in The Netherlands and investigated their Facebook and Twitter messages supplemented with the messages of consumers who interacted with these companies, for the period 2011-2016. Results show that the use of emoticons and emoji in online company communication increased significantly over the period covered in this study, demonstrating a higher level of informalization of company communication. Since this is a key factor for improving relational outcomes, this finding has scholarly as well as managerial relevance. We discuss the implications of the results for the presence of organizations on social media
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“Empowering learners to create a sustainable future” This is the mission of Centre of Expertise Mission-Zero at The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS). The postdoc candidate will expand the existing knowledge on biomimicry, which she teaches and researches, as a strategy to fulfil the mission of Mission-Zero. We know when tackling a design challenge, teams have difficulties sifting through the mass of information they encounter. The candidate aims to recognize the value of systematic biomimicry, leading the way towards the ecosystems services we need tomorrow (Pedersen Zari, 2017). Globally, biomimicry demonstrates strategies contributing to solving global challenges such as Urban Heat Islands (UHI) and human interferences, rethinking how climate and circular challenges are approached. Examples like Eastgate building (Pearce, 2016) have demonstrated successes in the field. While biomimicry offers guidelines and methodology, there is insufficient research on complex problem solving that systems-thinking requires. Our research question: Which factors are needed to help (novice) professionals initiate systems-thinking methods as part of their strategy? A solution should enable them to approach challenges in a systems-thinking manner just like nature does, to regenerate and resume projects. Our focus lies with challenges in two industries with many unsustainable practices and where a sizeable impact is possible: the built environment (Circularity Gap, 2021) and fashion (Joung, 2014). Mission Zero has identified a high demand for Biomimicry in these industries. This critical approach: 1) studies existing biomimetic tools, testing and defining gaps; 2) identifies needs of educators and professionals during and after an inter-disciplinary minor at The Hague University; and, 3) translates findings into shareable best practices through publications of results. Findings will be implemented into tangible engaging tools for educational and professional settings. Knowledge will be inclusive and disseminated to large audiences by focusing on communication through social media and intervention conferences.
Inclusief User Experience (UX)-ontwerpen is het creëren van digitale diensten die toegankelijk zijn voor zoveel mogelijk mensen, ongeacht hun fysieke of mentale beperkingen, gezondheidsproblemen, leeftijd, achtergrond of gebruikscontext. Niet alleen is er de afgelopen jaren steeds meer aandacht voor digitale inclusie en toegankelijkheid, er komen ook nieuwe wetten die de digitale inclusie en toegankelijkheid verplicht stellen. Toch zijn digitale inclusie en toegankelijkheid vaak slechts een bijzaak in het ontwerpproces. Meestal wordt een digitale dienst in eerste instantie ontworpen en ontwikkeld voor een gemiddelde gebruiker en pas daarna uitgebreid met toegankelijkheidsfuncties voor andere gebruikersgroepen. Er zijn veel normen, richtlijnen en methoden voor toegankelijk en inclusief ontwerpen, maar vereisen vaak tijdrovend gebruikers- en contextonderzoek, specialistische kennis en veranderingen in de ontwerpprocesorganisatie. UX-ontwerpbureaus en UX-ontwerpopleidingen ontberen beproefde best-practices om een inclusief ontwerp van digitale diensten te kunnen garanderen. Daardoor kunnen ze te weinig inspelen op maatschappelijke behoeften en zijn ze niet voldoende voorbereid op de aanstaande wetgeving. Met het voorgestelde onderzoek willen we een beter begrip ontwikkelen van factoren die de ontwerpers en ontwerpprocessen belemmeren bij het creëren van toegankelijke en inclusieve UX-ontwerpen. Daarmee willen we ook de basis leggen voor verder praktisch onderzoek naar welke combinaties van tools, methoden en ontwerpbenaderingen het beste werken voor het bereiken van inclusieve ontwerpresultaten in alledaagse ontwerppraktijkomstandigheden. Het project is opgedeeld in drie fasen. Het eerste deel van het project is een verkennend onderzoek binnen UX-ontwerponderwijs. De tweede fase omvat onderzoek naar processen van betrokken UX-ontwerpbureaus en vergelijking van procesobstakels in ontwerponderwijs en professionele ontwerpprocessen. In de derde fase worden de resultaten van fase één en twee vertaald naar richtlijnen, tool- en methode-ideeën en gezamenlijke vervolgonderzoeksagenda. De resultaten worden uiteindelijk ook benut voor verbetering en actualisatie van de curricula van digitale (ontwerp)opleidingen, zoals Communication and Multimedia Design (CMD), teneinde meer inclusieve ontwerpers op te leiden.
The growing use of digital media has led to a society with plenty of new opportunities for knowledge exchange, communication and entertainment, but also less desirable effects like fake news or cybercrime. Several studies, however, have shown that children are less digital literate than expected. Digital literacy has consequently become a key part within the new national educational policy plans titled Curriculum.nu and the Dutch research and policy agendas. This research project is focused on the role the game sector can play in the development of digital literacy skills of children. In concrete, we want to understand the value of the use of digital literacy related educational games in the context of primary education. Taking into consideration that the childhood process of learning takes place through playing, several studies claim that the introduction of the use of technology at a young age should be done through play. Digital games seem a good fit but are themselves also part of digital media we want young people to be literate about. Furthermore, it needs to be taken into account that digital literacy of teachers can be limited as well. The interactive, structured nature of digital games offers potential here as they are less dependent on the support and guidance of an adult, but at the same time this puts even more emphasis on sensible game design to ensure the desired outcome. The question is, then, if and how digital games are best designed to foster the development of digital literacy skills. By harnessing the potential of educational games, a consortium of knowledge and practice partners aim to show how creating theoretical and practical insights about digital literacy and game design can aid the serious games industry to contribute to the societal challenges concerning contemporary literacy demands.
