A Study of Relationships in Online Virtual Environments

2013 ◽  
pp. 187-205
Author(s):  
Donna Z. Davis
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Virtual World ◽  
Online Games ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Behavior Understanding ◽  
Ethnographic Approach ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Potential Impact

In an age when estimates of nearly a billion people around the globe are spending time in online games, researchers, organizations, governments, educational institutions, and businesses cannot ignore the potential impact of this behavior. Understanding online cultures, especially those where individuals can create and customize an avatar as their virtual counterpart and carry on the equivalent of a virtual life, requires an ethnographic approach. This study utilizes a mixed-method ethnography over a two-year period including semi-structured interviews to get to know the “residents” of this virtual world. This chapter outlines the challenges and opportunities inherent in the technology when conducting interviews with avatars and offers insights on what can be learned from them.

A changing environment: the virtual world meets the physical world

1999 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 303-306
Author(s):  
William Mitchell
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Virtual World ◽  
Physical World ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Changing Environment ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
And Function ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

With the coming of computers and the Internet, the relationship of the physical and virtual worlds has shifted. Virtual environments will not replace physical ones, but the nature, location, and function of the latter will change, creating both challenges and opportunities for architects.

scholarly journals Scaling Technoliberalism for Massively Multiplayer Online Games

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleena Chia
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Virtual World ◽  
Online Games ◽  
Massively Multiplayer Online Games ◽  
Multiplayer Online Games ◽  
Ethnographic Fieldwork ◽  
Massively Multiplayer

The sandbox genre of Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs) addresses players as subjects with agency to shape worlds, impact populations, and make history through their actions within virtual environments. Designed features afford feelings of empowerment and solidarity that undergird technoliberal forms of subjectivity, which uphold technological structures as legitimate means to emergent effects in virtual worlds. This article uses ethnographic fieldwork and player interviews at EVE Online fan conventions to examine how the ideas and affects of technoliberalism are afforded through procedurally-encoded game processes, yet are aestheticized through branding onto player communities and their platforms. This smooths over the contradiction at the heart of technoliberalism that players’ agency to shape virtual world content is contingent on rules encoded into platforms whose development and adjustment are beyond their control. These contradictions are the key to understanding the pleasures of freedom and complexities of control in designed environments beyond gaming.

scholarly journals Loneliness Among the Elderly in Rural Contexts: A Mixed-Method Study Protocol

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 160940692199686
Author(s):  
Borja Rivero Jiménez ◽  
David Conde-Caballero ◽  
Lorenzo Mariano Juárez
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Population Group ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Interaction Patterns ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Strict Adherence ◽  
Data Collection And Analysis ◽  
Technological Tools

Loneliness among the elderly has become a pressing issue in Western societies. In the Spanish context, the problem of the so-called “empty” Spain disproportionately affects this population group—elderly individuals living in rural areas with low population density, and therefore at higher risk of social exclusion and isolation. We introduce here a mixed-method, quantitative-qualitative research protocol, triangulated with technological tools, designed to improve both data acquisition and subsequent data analysis and interpretation. This study will take place in a rural locality in the Extremadura region (Spain), chosen according to a particular socio-demographic profile. The De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale will be used on a cohort of 80 people over 65 years old. Within this cohort, a smaller sample of 20–30 individuals will be selected for semi-structured interviews about their beliefs and experiences of loneliness. Finally, data gathered from technological tools (smartbands, Bluetooth sensors) will allow us to monitor social interactions and to map daily loneliness/interaction patterns. Data will be triangulated by analyzing and comparing the empirical material gathered through these different methods and tools. Strict adherence to ethical standards for data protection and handling will be essential through data collection and analysis. As well as providing insights into the phenomenon of loneliness in old age, the use of different methods and tools for data collection will provide the basis for an epistemological reflection on the scope and limits of each one of these methods.

scholarly journals What matters to patients? A mixed method study of the importance and consideration of oncology patient demands

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathias WAELLI ◽  
Etienne Minvielle ◽  
Maria Ximena Acero ◽  
Khouloud Ba ◽  
Benoit Lalloué
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Care Pathway ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
Delivery Systems ◽  
Breast Cancer Patients ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Oncology Patient

Abstract Background A patient-centred approach is increasingly the mandate for healthcare delivery, especially with the growing emergence of chronic conditions. A relevant but often overlooked obstacle to delivering person-centred care is the identification and consideration of all demands based on individual experience, not only disease-based requirements. Mindful of this approach, there is a need to explore how patient demands are expressed and considered in healthcare delivery systems. This study aims to: (i) understand how different types of demands expressed by patients are taken into account in the current delivery systems operated by Health Care Organisations (HCOs); (ii) explore the often overlooked content of specific non-clinical demands (i.e. demands related to interactions between disease treatments and everyday life). Method We adopted a mixed method in two cancer centres, representing exemplary cases of organisational transformation: (i) circulation of a questionnaire to assess the importance that breast cancer patients attach to every clinical (C) and non-clinical (NC) demand identified in an exploratory inquiry, and the extent to which each demand has been taken into account based on individual experiences; (ii) a qualitative analysis based on semi-structured interviews exploring the content of specific NC demands. Results Further to the way in which the questionnaires were answered (573 answers/680 questionnaires printed) and the semi-structured interviews (36) with cancer patients, results show that NC demands are deemed by patients to be almost as important as C demands (C = 6.53/7 VS. NC = 6.13), but are perceived to be considered to a lesser extent in terms of pathway management (NC = 4.02 VS C = 5.65), with a significant variation depending on the type of non-clinical demands expressed. Five types of NC demands can be identified: demands relating to daily life, alternative medicine, structure of the treatment pathway, administrative and logistic assistance and demands relating to new technologies. Conclusions This study shows that HCOs should be able to consider non-clinical demands in addition to those referring to clinical needs. These demands require revision of the healthcare professionals’ mandate and transition from a supply-orientated system towards a demand-driven approach throughout the care pathway. Other sectors have developed hospitality management, mass customisation and personalisation to scale up approaches that could serve as inspiring examples.

scholarly journals Technological Platforms for Inclusive Practice at University: A Qualitative Analysis from the Perspective of Spanish Faculty Members

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 4755
Author(s):  
Víctor H. Perera ◽  
Anabel Moriña ◽  
Nieves Sánchez-Díaz ◽  
Yolanda Spinola-Elias
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Good Account ◽  
Inclusive Learning ◽  
Spanish Public Universities ◽  
Technological Platforms

Currently, the development of new virtual environments as a complementary tool to face-to-face teaching and the increased presence of students with disabilities at university classrooms are changing the landscape of university teaching. This article analyses the actions of faculty members who carry out inclusive practices in the context of technological platforms. The research was based on the assumptions of the qualitative paradigm, using individual semi-structured interviews with 119 faculty members from 10 Spanish public universities. The results show the reasons for inclusive learning with technological platforms, the use that faculty members make of these platforms in their inclusive educational practices, and the influence of these on the learning of students, especially students with disabilities. The conclusions give a good account of the conditions that determine the pedagogical use that faculty members make of virtual environments to facilitate the inclusion of students.

A review of the library and information science profession in the Maldives: Development, challenges and opportunities

IFLA Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 034003522110315
Author(s):  
Gina de Alwis Jayasuriya ◽  
Aminath Riyaz ◽  
Shaheen Majid
Keyword(s):  
Information Science ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Initial Development ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
The Indian Ocean ◽  
The Republic

The Republic of Maldives, a small island developing state in the Indian Ocean, has achieved upper-middle-income and high human development category status, and one of the strongest information and communications technology infrastructures in South Asia. However, the country’s library and information science sector, which saw its inception over seven decades ago, has yet to advance beyond the initial development phase. This article traces the emergence of the library and information science sector in the country and draws attention to the myriad challenges faced by it. The article is also an attempt to draw the attention of government decision-makers and motivate them to understand and resolve the difficulties faced by the library and information science sector through engaging library and information science employers, educational institutions, professional trainers, and library and information science professionals. Some concerns are identified and five key action areas with associated action steps are suggested. These may resonate with other small developing countries that are facing similar scenarios.

Family Caregiver Experience of Resistance to Care: Occurrence Patterns, Context, and Impact on Caregiver

2021 ◽  
pp. 104973232110426
Author(s):  
Yumi Shirai ◽  
Susan Silverberg Koerner ◽  
Shuo Xu
Keyword(s):  
Family Caregiver ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Intervention Strategies ◽  
Specific Intervention ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Support Intervention ◽  
Stress Theory ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
Occurrence Patterns

Although the extant literature identifies resistance to care (RTC) as one of the most frequently reported and impactful caregiver (CG) stressors, typical studies that rely on quantitative measures of RTC do not fully explain how and why RTC negatively influences CGs’ well-being. As such, it is difficult to develop specific intervention strategies to support CGs in dealing with RTC. Informed by existing literature and tenets from Stress Theory, the current study includes semi-structured interviews with 19 family CGs of community-dependent (non-institutionalized) elders, regarding their RTC experiences. Through a directed qualitative content analysis, we explored occurrence patterns, contextual factors of when and how RTC occurs, how CGs respond to RTC, and its potential impact on CGs’ subjective stress. The results revealed distinguishable characteristics of four types of RTC: Frequent-Pervasive, Frequent-Delimited, Transition-Activated, and Shock-to-Unfamiliar/Unexpected. We discuss how recognition of those types of RTC can be integrated into CG support intervention strategies.

scholarly journals Doing Gender on and off the Pitch: The World of Female Football Players

2007 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 140-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Harris
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Football Players ◽  
Doing Gender ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Central Importance ◽  
Ethnographic Approach ◽  
English Society ◽  
Male Model ◽  
Masculine Hegemony

The following paper looks at the experiences of female football (soccer) players at a College of Higher Education in the South of England. Association Football occupies a special place in English society where it has traditionally been linked to notions of toughness, manliness and hegemonic masculinity. The last decade has witnessed expedient growth in the number of women playing football and this has led to much debate related to the positioning of the game in contemporary society. Data was collected through an ethnographic approach utilizing observation and semi-structured interviews. Through their very participation in the game the women can be seen to be challenging notions of male hegemony. However their acceptance of the male game as being more important, and their adopting of discourse and ideologies emanating from the male model of the sport, means that they are also colluding in the (re)production of masculine hegemony. For the women in this study, of central importance to the development of a female footballing identity are issues surrounding sexual orientation within the football world. Women's football in England suffers from an ‘image problem’ which can and does lead to tension both on and off the pitch. This paper explores how these women make sense of their own involvement in the game and how they negotiate the contested ideological terrains surrounding femininity, masculinity and sexual orientation.

scholarly journals Quantity Surveyors’ Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak: A Mixed Method Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 177
Author(s):  
Seng Hansen ◽  
Susy F Rostiyanti ◽  
Rizaldi Rizaldi ◽  
Clara Andjarwati
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Work Culture ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Mixed Method Approach ◽  
Professional Activities ◽  
Project Sustainability ◽  
Project Objectives ◽  
Method Approach

The COVID-19 outbreak began at the end of 2019, and has evolved to a pandemic threatening various industries’ sustainability. Decisive actions have been taken to tackle the pandemic’s spread, however, various impacts continue to be felt by many industries, including the construction industry. This paper therefore focuses on the COVID-19 outbreak’s impact on Quantity Surveyors’ (QS) construction projects and activities, as a key profession in the industry. A mixed method approach, questionnaire survey followed by expert interviews, was adopted. Subsequently, 199 valid responses for analysis were obtained from the questionnaire distribution, using descriptive statistics and Significance Index. Furthermore, qualitative data were acquired through semi-structured interviews with five experts, and analyzed using a structured thematic analysis. According to the results, 56.78% of respondents experienced project slowdowns, 13.57% experienced project suspensions or terminations, and 12.56% experienced cost overruns. Most respondents acknowledged the pandemic had present changes to projects (84.92%), in the form of changes in organization structure, work culture, technological application, and project objectives. Meanwhile, the Significance Index has successfully established an 11-factors ranking, regarding the pandemic’s impact on QS activities, with impact on the overall project completion as the most profound impact followed by impacts on project scheduling, supply chain, tendering, cost controlling, and claim management. This study’s qualitative and quantitative findings tend to be in accordance, thus, providing some fundamental insights regarding the COVID-19 outbreak’s impact on the construction industry, including direct impacts on project sustainability, technology adoption, and project resiliency issues. In addition, this study also contributes to scientific knowledge by discussing the issues and trends of work culture changes in QS professional activities.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document