Abstract: Introductory computing courses are failing in some critical ways: they are struggling t... more Abstract: Introductory computing courses are failing in some critical ways: they are struggling to retain students and attract diverse populations. Commonly reported successful completion rates hover near 40%, the number of women in the field is rapidly falling, and minorities continue to be underrepresented. Several studies have addressed the causes of problems in introductory computing.
This research examines new systems of information production that are made possible by participat... more This research examines new systems of information production that are made possible by participatory media. Such systems bring about two critical information literacy needs for the general public: to understand new systems in order to assess their products and to become adept participants in the construction of public information spaces. In this dissertation, I address both of these needs and propose a view of information literacy that situates the information literate as both consumer and producer.
ABSTRACT Facebook use is pervasive in developed countries where computers, smartphones, high-band... more ABSTRACT Facebook use is pervasive in developed countries where computers, smartphones, high-bandwidth Internet, and electricity are ubiquitous. In this paper, we examine Facebook use in a country where social media participation is growing, but less developed technological infrastructures and uneven access to technology limit use. We conducted observations and 24 interviews at Internet caf��s in rural Kenya.
ABSTRACT Literature on women in computing point out that computer science is not being effective ... more ABSTRACT Literature on women in computing point out that computer science is not being effective at attracting and retaining women. Introduction to Media Computation is a new CS1 aimed especially at non-majors which was designed explicitly to address the concerns of women in computer science, such as the lack of relevance and creativity. The course is contextualized around the theme of manipulating and creating media.
Abstract Q&A forums for the exchange of genealogical information are becoming increasingly common... more Abstract Q&A forums for the exchange of genealogical information are becoming increasingly common on the web. Yet, relatively little is known about the socio-technical dimensions of genealogists' interactions in such forums. This study examined exchanges between genealogists on a popular Q&A message board on Ancestry. com. Our findings suggest that the web context shapes the types of exchanges and cooperative activities in which genealogists engage.
Abstract In this short introductory piece, we define open collaboration and contextualize the div... more Abstract In this short introductory piece, we define open collaboration and contextualize the diverse articles in this special issue in a common vocabulary and history. We provide a definition of open collaboration and situate the phenomenon within an interrelated set of scholarly and ideological movements. We then examine the properties of open collaboration systems that have given rise to research and review major areas of scholarship. We close with a summary of consistent findings in open collaboration research to date.
Abstract: Researchers in the learning sciences have long recognized the potential of online space... more Abstract: Researchers in the learning sciences have long recognized the potential of online spaces to support learning activities; however, the pervasiveness of social media construction typically associated with" Web 2.0" represents a new context for the research of learning and instruction. Wikis, for example, have popularized a social approach to constructing knowledge that was very difficult to achieve with previous technologies.
Abstract We report on a study of the English edition of Wikipedia in which we used a mixed method... more Abstract We report on a study of the English edition of Wikipedia in which we used a mixed methods approach to understand how nested organizational structures called WikiProjects support collaboration. We first conducted two rounds of interviews with a total of 20 Wikipedians to understand how WikiProjects function and what it's like to participate in them from the perspective of Wikipedia editors. We then used a quantitative approach to further explore interpretations that arose from the qualitative data.
ABSTRACT Facebook is a global phenomenon, yet little is known about use of the site in urban part... more ABSTRACT Facebook is a global phenomenon, yet little is known about use of the site in urban parts of the developing world where the social network's users are increasingly located. We qualitatively studied Facebook use among 28 young adults living in Viwandani, an informal settlement, or slum, in Nairobi, Kenya.
ABSTRACT Introduction to Media Computation is a new CS1 aimed especially at non-majors that was t... more ABSTRACT Introduction to Media Computation is a new CS1 aimed especially at non-majors that was taught in Spring 2003 with some success. The course is contextualized around the theme of manipulating and creating media. Of the 121 students who took the course (2/3 female), only three students dropped (all male), and 89% completed the course with a grade C or better.
Where does reliable information come from? Young people have difficulty assessing the quality of ... more Where does reliable information come from? Young people have difficulty assessing the quality of information sources they find on the Web (Kafai, 1997; Wallace et. al. 2000; Kuiper, 2005). Helping students learn to critically assess sources has sometimes been portrayed as a typical learning problem: expert practices need to be made accessible to a generation of learners.
Do you automatically consider US government websites to be a trustworthy source of information ab... more Do you automatically consider US government websites to be a trustworthy source of information about science? The high school student quoted above was required to search for information about environmental issues and reflected in an interview that she would first go to government sites, because she knows that the information she finds there will be trustworthy.
An ambitious TMSP education program which recognizes that learners fall into multiple categories,... more An ambitious TMSP education program which recognizes that learners fall into multiple categories, will facilitate training people to participate in the complex interplay between social participation and technical systems.
International Journal of Learning and Media, Jan 1, 2009
In this article we use the rhetorical notion of genre as an analytic lens for studying the use an... more In this article we use the rhetorical notion of genre as an analytic lens for studying the use and impact of new media in schools. Genre pervades the scholastic life of students as they become adept practitioners of written performances. Our empirical studies investigate how creation and consumption of media are linked as high school students produce a public information resource in their science classes using a specially designed wiki. We found that, although institutional assessment regimes for both students and teachers inhibited ...
Journal of Management Information Systems, Jan 1, 2009
How does "self-governance" happen in Wikipedia? Through in-depth interviews with 20 individuals w... more How does "self-governance" happen in Wikipedia? Through in-depth interviews with 20 individuals who have held a variety of responsibilities in the English-language Wikipedia, we obtained rich descriptions of how various forces produce and regulate social structures on the site. Although Wikipedia is sometimes portrayed as lacking oversight, our analysis describes Wikipedia as an organization with highly refined policies, norms, and a technological architecture that supports organizational ideals of consensus building and discussion. We describe how governance on the site is becoming increasingly decentralized as the community grows and how this is predicted by theories of commons-based governance developed in offline contexts. We also briefly examine local governance structures called WikiProjects through the example of WikiProject Military History, one of the oldest and most prolific projects on the site.
Abstract: Introductory computing courses are failing in some critical ways: they are struggling t... more Abstract: Introductory computing courses are failing in some critical ways: they are struggling to retain students and attract diverse populations. Commonly reported successful completion rates hover near 40%, the number of women in the field is rapidly falling, and minorities continue to be underrepresented. Several studies have addressed the causes of problems in introductory computing.
This research examines new systems of information production that are made possible by participat... more This research examines new systems of information production that are made possible by participatory media. Such systems bring about two critical information literacy needs for the general public: to understand new systems in order to assess their products and to become adept participants in the construction of public information spaces. In this dissertation, I address both of these needs and propose a view of information literacy that situates the information literate as both consumer and producer.
ABSTRACT Facebook use is pervasive in developed countries where computers, smartphones, high-band... more ABSTRACT Facebook use is pervasive in developed countries where computers, smartphones, high-bandwidth Internet, and electricity are ubiquitous. In this paper, we examine Facebook use in a country where social media participation is growing, but less developed technological infrastructures and uneven access to technology limit use. We conducted observations and 24 interviews at Internet caf��s in rural Kenya.
ABSTRACT Literature on women in computing point out that computer science is not being effective ... more ABSTRACT Literature on women in computing point out that computer science is not being effective at attracting and retaining women. Introduction to Media Computation is a new CS1 aimed especially at non-majors which was designed explicitly to address the concerns of women in computer science, such as the lack of relevance and creativity. The course is contextualized around the theme of manipulating and creating media.
Abstract Q&A forums for the exchange of genealogical information are becoming increasingly common... more Abstract Q&A forums for the exchange of genealogical information are becoming increasingly common on the web. Yet, relatively little is known about the socio-technical dimensions of genealogists' interactions in such forums. This study examined exchanges between genealogists on a popular Q&A message board on Ancestry. com. Our findings suggest that the web context shapes the types of exchanges and cooperative activities in which genealogists engage.
Abstract In this short introductory piece, we define open collaboration and contextualize the div... more Abstract In this short introductory piece, we define open collaboration and contextualize the diverse articles in this special issue in a common vocabulary and history. We provide a definition of open collaboration and situate the phenomenon within an interrelated set of scholarly and ideological movements. We then examine the properties of open collaboration systems that have given rise to research and review major areas of scholarship. We close with a summary of consistent findings in open collaboration research to date.
Abstract: Researchers in the learning sciences have long recognized the potential of online space... more Abstract: Researchers in the learning sciences have long recognized the potential of online spaces to support learning activities; however, the pervasiveness of social media construction typically associated with" Web 2.0" represents a new context for the research of learning and instruction. Wikis, for example, have popularized a social approach to constructing knowledge that was very difficult to achieve with previous technologies.
Abstract We report on a study of the English edition of Wikipedia in which we used a mixed method... more Abstract We report on a study of the English edition of Wikipedia in which we used a mixed methods approach to understand how nested organizational structures called WikiProjects support collaboration. We first conducted two rounds of interviews with a total of 20 Wikipedians to understand how WikiProjects function and what it's like to participate in them from the perspective of Wikipedia editors. We then used a quantitative approach to further explore interpretations that arose from the qualitative data.
ABSTRACT Facebook is a global phenomenon, yet little is known about use of the site in urban part... more ABSTRACT Facebook is a global phenomenon, yet little is known about use of the site in urban parts of the developing world where the social network's users are increasingly located. We qualitatively studied Facebook use among 28 young adults living in Viwandani, an informal settlement, or slum, in Nairobi, Kenya.
ABSTRACT Introduction to Media Computation is a new CS1 aimed especially at non-majors that was t... more ABSTRACT Introduction to Media Computation is a new CS1 aimed especially at non-majors that was taught in Spring 2003 with some success. The course is contextualized around the theme of manipulating and creating media. Of the 121 students who took the course (2/3 female), only three students dropped (all male), and 89% completed the course with a grade C or better.
Where does reliable information come from? Young people have difficulty assessing the quality of ... more Where does reliable information come from? Young people have difficulty assessing the quality of information sources they find on the Web (Kafai, 1997; Wallace et. al. 2000; Kuiper, 2005). Helping students learn to critically assess sources has sometimes been portrayed as a typical learning problem: expert practices need to be made accessible to a generation of learners.
Do you automatically consider US government websites to be a trustworthy source of information ab... more Do you automatically consider US government websites to be a trustworthy source of information about science? The high school student quoted above was required to search for information about environmental issues and reflected in an interview that she would first go to government sites, because she knows that the information she finds there will be trustworthy.
An ambitious TMSP education program which recognizes that learners fall into multiple categories,... more An ambitious TMSP education program which recognizes that learners fall into multiple categories, will facilitate training people to participate in the complex interplay between social participation and technical systems.
International Journal of Learning and Media, Jan 1, 2009
In this article we use the rhetorical notion of genre as an analytic lens for studying the use an... more In this article we use the rhetorical notion of genre as an analytic lens for studying the use and impact of new media in schools. Genre pervades the scholastic life of students as they become adept practitioners of written performances. Our empirical studies investigate how creation and consumption of media are linked as high school students produce a public information resource in their science classes using a specially designed wiki. We found that, although institutional assessment regimes for both students and teachers inhibited ...
Journal of Management Information Systems, Jan 1, 2009
How does "self-governance" happen in Wikipedia? Through in-depth interviews with 20 individuals w... more How does "self-governance" happen in Wikipedia? Through in-depth interviews with 20 individuals who have held a variety of responsibilities in the English-language Wikipedia, we obtained rich descriptions of how various forces produce and regulate social structures on the site. Although Wikipedia is sometimes portrayed as lacking oversight, our analysis describes Wikipedia as an organization with highly refined policies, norms, and a technological architecture that supports organizational ideals of consensus building and discussion. We describe how governance on the site is becoming increasingly decentralized as the community grows and how this is predicted by theories of commons-based governance developed in offline contexts. We also briefly examine local governance structures called WikiProjects through the example of WikiProject Military History, one of the oldest and most prolific projects on the site.
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Papers by Andrea Forte