2008

This talk challenges the myth of information on the Internet: while information may appear excessively easy to find because of quick search results and increased accessibility to materials, locating relevant, high-quality information requires highly sophisticated literacy skills. Monica Bulger shares results of an empirical study for her dissertation that assessed the ways in which students negotiate potentially overwhelming online information options.

Rob Patton is Program Manager of CITS and will present recent research that examines the communication behaviors of student users of the popular online social networking site (SNS) Facebook. Specifically the research analyzed the relationships between antecedent user characteristics and forms of networked interactivity present in Facebook user profile communication.

Cristina Venegas is Assistant Professor of Film and Media Studies at UCSB. Her research focuses on international media with an emphasis on “Latin” America, Spanish-language film and television in the U.S., and digital technologies. Her forthcoming book is titled Digital Dilemma about Cuba’s digital media since the 1990s.

Professor Mayer reviews 10 research-based tactics for how to design Web-based and paper-based multimedia instructional materials.

Alan Liu 's talk examines how Web 2.0 presents new challenges for research in an area that is variously called information credibility, authority, trust, and quality.

Professor James Frew's talk explores the idea that scientists are increasingly being called upon to publish data as well as conclusions.