‘Over to you’: Can Europe restrain Microsoft's threat to freedom of musical expression in computer-mediated communication?

Popular Music ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-78
Author(s):  
ARNOLD S. WOLFE

The United States Supreme Court characterised the trend toward the convergence of the communication, music and computer worlds as ‘a promising new medium that could empower citizens and promote democracy in the next millennium’. Yet inquiry into United States vs Microsoft, the case that may determine whether ‘the free and open nature of … computer-assisted communication’ will remain ‘free and open’ has been lacking. This study focuses on the antitrust and First Amendment implications of Microsoft's disputed strategy of marrying its Web browser to its operating system (OS) software.The study argues that rulings on the legality of this strategy have ramifications for Microsoft's subsequent move to suture its streaming audio and video software to its OS product. Implications of this case – and the European Commission's similar inquiry into such suturing – for popular music as an industry, as an industrialised technology, and as a form of communication are discussed. Scholars, practitioners, and fans must be ever mindful that when one firm dominates a human enterprise as central to contemporary life as personal computing, the opportunity for abuse exists.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea L Wirtz ◽  
Erin E Cooney ◽  
Aeysha Chaudhry ◽  
Sari L Reisner ◽  

BACKGROUND Novel, technology-based methods are rapidly increasing in popularity across multiple facets of quantitative research. Qualitative research, however, has been slower to integrate technology into research methodology. One method, computer-mediated communication (CMC), has been utilized to a limited extent for focus group discussions. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess feasibility of an online video conferencing system to further adapt CMC to facilitate synchronous focus group discussions among transgender women living in six cities in eastern and southern United States. METHODS Between August 2017 and January 2018, focus group discussions with adult transgender women were conducted in English and Spanish by research teams based in Boston, MA, and Baltimore, MD. Participants were sampled from six cities: Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; New York, NY; Washington, DC; Atlanta, GA; and Miami, FL. This was formative research to inform a technology-enhanced cohort study to assess HIV acquisition among transgender women. This analysis focused on the methodologic use of CMC focus groups conducted synchronously using online software that enabled video or phone discussion. Findings were based on qualitative observations of attendance and study team debriefing on topics of individual, social, technical, and logistical challenges encountered. RESULTS A total of 41 transgender women from all six cities participated in seven online focus group discussions—five English and two Spanish. There was equal racial distribution of black/African American (14/41, 34%) and white (14/41, 34%) attendees, with 29% (12/41) identifying as Hispanic/Latina ethnicity. Overall, 29 of 70 (41%) eligible and scheduled transgender women failed to attend the focus group discussions. The most common reason for nonattendance was forgetting or having a scheduling conflict (16/29, 55%). A total of 14% (4/29) reported technical challenges associated with accessing the CMC focus group discussion. CMC focus group discussions were found to facilitate geographic diversity; allow participants to control anonymity and privacy (eg, use of pseudonyms and option to use video); ease scheduling by eliminating challenges related to travel to a data collection site; and offer flexibility to join via a variety of devices. Challenges encountered were related to overlapping conversations; variable audio quality in cases where Internet or cellular connection was poor; and distribution of incentives (eg, cash versus gift cards). As with all focus group discussions, establishment of ground rules and employing both a skilled facilitator and a notetaker who could troubleshoot technology issues were critical to the success of CMC focus group discussions. CONCLUSIONS Synchronous CMC focus group discussions provide a secure opportunity to convene participants across geographic space with minimal time burden and without losing the standardized approach that is expected of focus group discussions. This method may provide an optimal alternative to engaging hard-to-reach participants in focus group discussions. Participants with limited technological literacy or inconsistent access to a phone and/or cellular data or service, as well as circumstances necessitating immediate cash incentives may, however, require additional support and accommodation when participating in CMC focus group discussions.


2002 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 381-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ananda Mitra

This article reports on a longitudinal study of the effectiveness of computerizing a liberal arts university in the United States. The article uses data from the study to develop a reliable scale to measure attitudes related to four parameters of the learning process. Specifically, the scale reported here can be used to measure the climate of interaction developed by computerization, the specific communication patterns offered by computer mediated communication and the different perceived expectations about the promise of technology provided by the computerization process. It is expected that the statistically reliable scale can be used for measurements across different institutions.


2011 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 19-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Blake

Online language learning (OLL) can take place in Web-facilitated, hybrid, or fully virtual classes. These formats are beginning to attract serious attention from the language profession and, in particular, the field of computer-assisted language learning (CALL). This article traces recent studies of online learning and then focuses in on its application to language learning through tutorial CALL, social computing, and games for language learning. I strive to show that tutorial CALL and computer-mediated communication can complement each other in the service of modern language instruction, along with the inclusion of language games. Although assessment studies of OLL remain sparse, the evidence is steadily mounting that shows that these new formats can provide learning environments conducive to successful second language development when properly integrated into the curriculum.


2007 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 42
Author(s):  
Muhamad Nurul Hana

Komputer sebagai media pembalajaran sudah lama menjadi bahan kajian dalambidang pendidikan. Beberapa model pemanfaatan komputer dalam penbelajarandiantaranya CAI (Computer Assisted Instruction), CML (Computer ManagedLearning) dan CMC (Computer Mediated Communication). Ketersediaan computeruntuk pemeblajaran saat ini sudah menradai apalagi untuk wilayah perkotaan, namunketersediaan software sebagai perangkat pembelajaran masrh menjadi kendala,ierutama ketersediaan software unnrk tingkat menengah dan lanjutan denganpengantar bahasa lndonesia. Penelitian ini dilokuskan pada pengembangan softwareyang dapat mengembangkan keterampilan berpikir keatif siswa. Penelitian inidilakukan dalam beberapa tahap yaitu: tahap analisis kebutuhan pengembangansoftware, tahap pengembangan software dan tahap aplikasi penggunaan software dilapangan. Hasil kajian menunjukkan adanya kebutuhan software untuk membantumenjelaskan topik Sistim Periodik Unsur. Tahap pengembangan software dilakukandengan membangun software multimedia menggunakan bahasa compiler BorlarrdDelphi. Tahap aplikasi dilakukan dengan mengujicobakan software yang telah dibuatpada siswa kelas I SMA. Hasil aplikasi software di sekolah menunjukkan bahwasoftware dapat mengembangkan keterampilan berpikir siswa pada aspek fluency danaspek flexibility.


ReCALL ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARISOL FERNÁNDEZ-GARCÍA ◽  
ASUNCÍON MARTÍNEZ ARBELAIZ

Previous research has underscored the role of negotiation in providing appropriate conditions for second language acquisition. Varonis and Gass (1985b), in a study of English as a Second Language (ESL), found greater amount of negotiation in non-native–non-native interaction than in native-non–native interaction. Given the increased interest in computer mediated communication and in its applications to language learning, this investigation explores whether those results are obtained when using an electronic written medium. This study compared the negotiations generated by dyads of non-native speakers (NNS–NNS), native speakers (NS–NS), and non-native and native speakers (NNS–NS), in the oral and written modes. The results revealed that the NNS–NS group negotiated in the oral mode significantly more than in the written mode; this group also negotiated significantly more than the other two groups in the oral mode. Learners' shared social and linguistic background seemed to have facilitated the comprehension of input. Conversely, lack of familiarity with native speaker's pronunciation seemed to have caused more breakdowns in the oral conversations of the mixed dyads. Though the results of this study suggest that negotiation is not the main resource to obtain modified input in a foreign language context, other learning strategies that may be beneficial in the language learning process were at use in learner-learner interaction.


Author(s):  
Yi-Chieh Ho

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) has been a ‘hot’ topic in computer-assisted language learning (CALL); however, its effectiveness remains uncertain. This chapter reviews the nature of CMC, pinpoints the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating it into language learning, considers factors that may affect the quality of CMC, and identifies possible directions for future studies. The author argues that sound criteria are lacking for the evaluation of the effectiveness of CMC and attempts to identify a set of possible criteria for classroom-based studies drawing from literature in language teaching and learning. The author also urges engineers to consider these criteria when designing new software, so that end users can conveniently measure its effectiveness and record their own progress.


2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Senem Yildiz

Social presence is a theory derived from social psychology to explain social interactions in a mediated communication and is defined as the degree to which interlocutors in a communications medium perceive each other as real. This study investigates the effect of computer-mediated communication on the social presence of international students who spoke English as a foreign language in two Web-based graduate courses offered in the United States and aims to explore how linguistic and cultural differences influenced their social presence.


2012 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda J. Rockinson-Szapkiw

The intent of this study was to investigate 93 doctoral candidates’ perceptions and use of an online collaboration workspace and content management server, Microsoft Office SharePoint, for dissertation process. All candidates were enrolled in an Ed.D. programme in the United States. Descriptive statistics demonstrate that candidates frequently use SharePoint for a variety of reasons, including assisting them in sharing and gaining information, improving the flow and organisation of the dissertation process and collaborating with their advisors mentors, in the dissertation process. Results of the multivariate analysis of variance demonstrated that doctoral students’ who extensively use SharePoint have significantly higher student-to-student connectedness and student-to-advisors connectedness than doctoral students who use it moderately and on a limited basis. Additional results revealed that sense of connectedness and satisfaction are positively associated with the different features of SharePoint. Since using SharePoint to facilitate the mentorship during the dissertation process is positively associated with connectedness and satisfaction, it may positively influence completion and time to completion of a doctoral programme.Keywords: doctoral education; computer-mediated communication; cooperative/ collaborative learning; distance education(Published: 24 September 2012)Citation: Research in Learning Technology 2012, 20: 18192 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/rlt.v20i0.18192


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