Francisco Regalado, a DigiMedia PhD Student, was the moderator of the session “Technology in the home of the elderly person” at the 2nd Meeting of Public Policies in the area of ​​Aging, promoted by the Municipality of Ílhavo – as some measures, policies and solutions were discussed to bring the New Technologies to senior citizens, including digital games.

The 8 participants of the session “Technology in the home of the elderly person” were dedicated to thinking and delivering solutions that promote active and healthy aging and Francisco Regalado presented in the main auditorium some of the main results that came from this discussion. Among them, it should be noted that, despite the enormous barriers to use – which were amplified by the pandemics – there are some solutions to consider, such as (i) the creation of communication strategies that improve the understanding of the purpose of technological products; (ii) the creation of an intergenerational link in applications between seniors, families, and technicians; and (iii) the use of a graphic design adapted to the needs – eg. use of emojis or symbols to communicate actions.

Finally, one of the major problems across all sectors was highlighted: the lack of funding, which limits the development of projects and the access to technological products.

More information available in: https://www.facebook.com/maioridadeilhavo/posts/6935449013196833

The book chapter “The HOW behind the Story: A Framework for the Design of Brand Narratives” by Catarina Lelis (DigiMedia member) and Elizete Azevedo Kreutz was published in the book Design, Visual, Communication and Branding da Cambridge Scholars .

Abstract of the book:

This book highlights how digital communication has brought about changes in branding, namely in design, the media, communication languages, the relationship with audiences, experience design, behaviour, culture, and brand management mechanisms. On the other hand, as it argues, artificial intelligence has opened the door to other ways of dealing with big data and communicating with mass audiences, through the customization of messages or a one-to-one logic. Overall, the book shows that the intersections between digital communication and artificial intelligence point towards a new reality in brand communication, which includes computer vision, pattern recognition, and changes in the design business and in the way communication design and branding are done.

Citation:

Lelis, C. & Kreutz, E. A. (2022). The HOW behind the story: a framework for the design of brand narratives, In Design, Visual Communication and Branding, D. Raposo (Ed). Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, ISBN: 1-5275-8054-7.

https://www.cambridgescholars.com/product/978-1-5275-8054-1

More information available HERE

Cláudia Ortet, DigiMedia PhD student, was invited to share her work within the scope of the curricular unit of Environment, Planning and Territorial Management of Tourism – 3rd year of the Degree in Tourism, supervised by Architect Mónica Silva – at the Catholic University of Portugal (Universidade Católica Portuguesa) in Braga. 

Cláudia – researcher of the SEDUCE 2.0 project (http://www.seduce.pt) and student of the doctoral program in Information and Communication in Digital Platforms (UA & FLUP) – presented, on February 22^nd, “Gamification as a Strategy for Senior (Cyclo)Tourism” to 22 Tourism students and 2 external participants. 

The purpose of this open class was to share Cláudia’s work about the importance of gamified cyclotourism for active and healthy ageing, having in mind the senior citizens’ quality of life, and tourism and smart territories evolution. It also counted with a moment of debate, focused on topics such as overtourism, digital literacy, resilience, sustainability and urbanism, about good territorial management practices for senior cyclotourism and strategies, techniques and technologies to make a territory smart. 

Maria José Fonseca’s PhD defense takes place on the 25th February, at 2:00 p.m., in Sala de Atos Académicos, with the topic PROPOSAL OF AN INFOCOMMUNICATIONAL SERVICES MODEL FOR THE SCHOOL LIBRARY | PROPOSTA DE UM MODELO DE SERVIÇOS INFOCOMUNICACIONAIS PARA A BIBLIOTECA ESCOLAR.

Maria José Fonseca is a student of the PhD programme in Information and Communication in Digital Platforms and her supervisor is Óscar Mealha (DigiMedia, UA).

DigiMedia members are invited to  participate in this important moment.

Abstract:

In the light of the infocommunication paradigm, it is considered necessary to act; enhancing safer, contextualized, and timely changes, where the school library as a phygital space (physical +digital) assumes a central and updated role in the educational ecosystem.

A research process, user-supported, was developed (identification of the User eXperience, UX, mediated by the smartphone) within a qualitative approach and based on a dominant epistemological theoretical assumption, i.e., constructivism, but on a postmodern basis, highlighting the role of the individual, particularly given their singularities for a common good in contemporary society.

Supported by the Case Study, the methodological approach is of a flexible nature, iterative and qualitative, guided by the Design-Based Research, allowing the constant refinement of knowledge, between discovery and accomplishment. The study leading to the final proposal of a smartphone-mediated infocommunication model is supported by the literature review through bibliographic research and, a case study, in which the researcher has a close relationship with the context. It includes as technical procedures the participant observation, present across the whole process, online questionnaires applied with human mediation, allowing to know the procedures of use in smartphone inside and outside the educational ecosystem, and semi-structured interviews considering the interests and needs of the different stakeholders within the educational ecosystem. The investigation takes place in the natural environment, the school library, with an intended sample of 236 participants, students from the 5th, 7th, and 9th grades, teachers, and families, of the Head School of the Agrupamento de Escolas D. Maria II in Vila Nova de Famalicão, intending to understand this case, this situation, in this context and in different infocommunication situations.

The results show that the identified features indicate an infocommunication model that promotes more intuitive, fast, attractive, and rewarding learning environments, that can allow interaction with different “actors” inside and outside the school, in a concept of just in time, anytime and anywhere, in this case, through smartphones. It is expected that this authentic study will contribute both to the area of information and communication and education, preparing the context for new learning and leading to the adoption of these practices mediated by personal mobile devices.

More information available HERE

The International Conference on The Impact of Video Games on Culture and Education took place online from Lisbon, Portugal in February 17^th-18^th 2022.

Nelson Zagalo, DigiMedia Researcher, was a keynote speaker at the event, along with Espen Aarseth and Jesper Juul.

In recent years, video games have become one of the most pervasive media in society, generating billions of dollars and euros every year in both the US and Europe, towering over the world’s greatest cities every time a billboard advertises the latest game, prompting universities to create programmes and courses related to or specifically about game studies, featuring in news broadcasts in ways which are often over-simplistic and related to the manner in which video games supposedly promote violence, invading classrooms all over the world to motivate students and draw their attention to specific themes and barging into the homes and smartphones of people of virtually every age group and gender. Produced by major game studios, by independent developers, or by ordinary people who have embraced the affordances of participatory culture, video games approach a wide array of topics, are part of various transmedia projects, and spark heated debates about all sorts of subjects. Whether condemned or applauded, video games have become a crucial element of today’s culture and their potential in educational contexts is gaining increasing visibility.

The awareness of the cultural, social, political, and educational significance of video games has led to the publication of numerous studies concerning these cultural artefacts and the creation of journals such as Game Studies and Games and Culture, where video games are analysed from different perspectives and framed within distinct fields of knowledge, while attention is drawn to the multiple contexts and issues concerning their usability, interpretation, and impact on education and culture. Taking into consideration the growing relevance of video games in culture, education, and the humanities in general, this International Conference hoped to bring scholars, students, and video games aficionados together and invited them to present their papers about topics which may include, but are not limited to:

Carla V. Leite and Ana Margarida Almeida participate in the 15th International Joint Conference on Biomedical Engineering Systems and Technologies (HEALTHINF), in the panel “Decision Support Systems”.

Leite, C.V. and Almeida, A.M. (2022) “e-Health Services to Support the Perinatal Decision-making Process: An Analysis of Digital Solutions to Create Birth Plans” In Proceedings of the 15th International Joint Conference on Biomedical Engineering Systems and Technologies, Vol. 5: HEALTHINF, ISBN 978-989-758-552-4, ISSN 2184-4305, pages 405-412.

https://www.insticc.org/node/TechnicalProgram/BIOSTEC/2022/presentationDetails/108146

Abstract
This research aims to provide an overview of the existent digital solutions for birth plans’ creation, intending to contribute for the advance of e-health services focused on the perinatal decision-making process. Primary data was found through a web search procedure. Better ranked options complying with the following criteria were included: (a) available online and for free; (b) pregnant people as the target audience; (c) labor and/or birth plan creation features; (d) in English. Four online services were found, and a two part study was conducted: a) a non-exhaustive benchmarking-like analysis of webpages where the digital solutions to create birth plans were provided, according to six dimensions; b) followed by a content analysis of the digital solutions, resulting in 13 categories emerging, that were scored according to their occurrence and completeness. “Consent and Information” category had the lowest score, what is considered critical for the full purpose of a birth plan creation; while, “Freedom”, “Ambience and Equipment”, “People”, “Type of birth” and “Pain management” categories achieved the highest scores. Two solutions were considered particularly incomplete. Results show three solutions based on checklists, and one on visual icons. All solutions were based on a delivery approach, not including interactive or audiovisual components.

Title: AgeWell – Service Design for Wellness and Healthy Ageing

Funding: Erasmus +

Action Type: KA220-HED – Cooperation partnerships in higher education

DigiMedia team: Rita Oliveira

Coordinator: University of Tartu (Estonia)

Other institutions involved: Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences (Finland); Ghent University (Belgium); Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands)

Global funding: 374.689 Euros

UA funding: 68.220 Euros

Abstract:

The main aim of the project is to promote and support trans-disciplinary approach and innovative pedagogies in higher education level by developing a study module, which integrates classical service design methodology with wellness and healthy ageing theories. The main challenge is to influence the mindset of students towards age-friendly design thinking and explain its necessity in the context of ageing, wellness and service economy trends. It is not less important to mention that Covid-19 has left its considerable impact on wellbeing of people, especially for elderly and there is a need for more wellness services in order to keep one`s own health. The idea is to give for traditional service design teaching a more inclusive aspect. Inclusive design is a design process in which a service is optimized for a specific user with specific needs. Usually, this user is an extreme user, meaning that this user has specific needs that are sometimes overseen with other design processes. Students and teachers are considered the main beneficiaries in the project who can experience an innovative learning and teaching approach.

Results:

A study module entitled “Service Design for Wellness and Healthy Ageing” consisting of four courses. The language of the course is English. Each course gives 5 ECTS. Courses of the module: Course 1 “Design Management and Wellness”; Course 2 “Service design (in ageing society)”; Course 3 “Design Anthropology”; Course 4 “Business models in service sector”.