News
A tender is hereby opened for the award of 1 (one) Research Grant (RG) in the scope of R&D project “EduCITY – Smart and sustainable cities with Augmented Reality mobile educational games made by and for the Citizens” (PTDC/CEDEDG/0197/2021), of the CIDTFF – Research Centre on Didactics and Technology in the Education of Trainers of the Department of Education and Psychology of the University of Aveiro, under the following conditions:
1. Scientific Area: Sciences and Technologies of Communication.
2. Funding Source: Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P./MCTES, through national funds (OE).
3. Admission Requirements: Candidates must be a Graduate or Master in the field of Sciences and Technologies of Communication or related area and must meet one of the following conditions:
i) be a student enrolled in a Doctoral Program in the area of Sciences and Technologies of Communication or related area; or
ii) be enrolled in a course that does not confer an academic degree provided by the University of Aveiro; or
iii) meet the necessary conditions to enrol in a course that does not lead to an academic degree provided by the University of Aveiro.
Preference will be given to candidates with multimedia technical skills who do not have a Doctor’s degree.
4. Eligibility: Applicants are eligible if they comply with paragraph a) of no.1 of article 2, of the Research Fellow Statute as amended by Decree-Law no. 123/2019, of August 28th, as well as nos. 1 and 2 of article 6 of the Research Grant Regulations of the Foundation for Science and Technology. The RG(s) awarded to undergraduate or master students enrolled in courses that do not confer academic degree may only be granted to those who do not exceed, upon conclusion of the grant contract in question, including possible renewals, an accumulated period of two years in that type of grant, consecutive or interpolated, under the terms of no.5 of article 6 of the aforementioned Regulations.
5. Work plan: The work plan should contribute to the objectives of the EduCITY project (https://blogs.ua.pt/cidtff/?p=39432) and involves the tasks: to create and update the project website (for example through the use of a CMS); to develop multimedia content to include in the games (eg augmented reality, simulations, 3D animations, logo, mascot); to collaborate with the research team in the literature revision, in the data collection and analysis, and in the dissemination of the project.
8. Duration of the grant(s): The grant duration will be 12 months, starting in March 01st, 2022, and may be renewed for additional periods of 12 months, up to the maximum limit of approved funding (December 31st, 2024). If the selected person is Graduate or Master who is attending a course that does not lead to an academic degree or meets the necessary conditions to enroll in a course that does not lead to an academic degree, the scholarship will last for 12 months, scheduled to start on March 01st, 2022. In any case, the extension of the fellowship may not, under any circumstances, exceed the limits defined in nos. 3 and 4 of article 6, of Regulation no. 950/2019, of November 29th, published in Diário da República, no. 241, Series II, of December 16th (Research Grants Regulation of FCT, I.P.).
9. Amount of monthly maintenance allowance: The amount of the grant corresponds to €835.98 or €1,104.64, according to the profile of the selected candidate, and in accordance to the table of monthly maintenance allowance amounts set out in Annex I of Regulation no. 950/2019, subject to any updates that may be applicable, under the terms of no. 2 of article 18 of Regulation no. 950/2019, of November 29th, published in Diário da República, no. 241, Series II, of December 16th (Research Grants Regulation of FCT, I.P.). The fellow may also be reimbursed for the amount corresponding to the Voluntary Social Security, in case of adherence to this plan.
More information available HERE
Liliana Costa (DigiMedia member) was the third highest ranked candidate in the panel Media and Communications, Law and Political Science Evaluation Panel, in the category Junior Researcher, with a project entitled HEALTHY SERIOUSGIGGLE: Assessing the Impact of Game-based Psychotherapies and Media Rehab for Mental Health and General Wellbeing in Older Adults. Only 7 projects were accepted for funding out of 63 in this panel. Four DigiMedia researchers submitted proposals for this call.
Liliana Costa holds an European Ph.D. in Information and Communication in Digital Platforms at the University of Aveiro and University of Porto (with internship at the Disruptive Media Learning Lab, Conventry University); a M.A degree in Multimedia Communication and a BsC in New Technologies of Communication, both at the University of Aveiro. Her research interests are universal design, digital games, virtual communities, three-dimensional environments, ageing studies, learning, human-computer interaction, computer-mediated communication, natural interfaces, eHealth, mobile apps and digital inclusion.
The article “Barriers to health information on social media” by Fellipe Sá Brasileiro and Ana Margarida Almeida (DigiMedia member) was published in DIGITAL JOURNAL OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE.
Abstract:
Citation:
Brasileiro, F. S., & Almeida, A. M. P. (2021). Barriers to health information on social media. RDBCI: Digital Journal of Library and Information Science, 19(00), e021030. https://doi.org/10.20396/rdbci.v19i00.8667199
More information available HERE
DigiMedia researchers, Pedro Beça and Mónica Aresta, participated in the 10th GALA conference, presenting a poster and conducting a workshop on game narratives design.
The GALA 2021 is an international conference dedicated to the science and application of serious games, and its objective is to provide an international forum for the dissemination and exchange of scientific information on theoretical, generic, and applied areas of serious games. GALA 2021 is an event organized by the Serious Games Society in collaboration with the NATO Science and Technology Organisation – Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation.
Pedro Beça and Mónica Aresta, researchers of the Gamers4Nature project, organized a workshop along which participants were challenged to develop a narrative for an environmental digital game by using the G4N Toolkit to Game Design. A poster introducing the process of creating and validating the Toolkit was also presented at the conference.
Jesse Filho’s online PhD defense takes place on the 6th December, at 10:00 a.m., with the topic Location based mobile games and active aging: the Pokémon Go study in seniors’ life | Os jogos móveis baseados em localização e o envelhecimento ativo: O estudo do Pokémon Go na vida dos seniores.
Jesse Nery Filho is a student of the PhD programme in Information and Communication in Digital Platforms and his supervisor is Ana Isabel Veloso (DigiMedia, UA).
DigiMedia members are invited to participate in this important moment.
Abstract:
Information and communication technologies have increasingly been part of people’s daily lives and have made it easier for people of all ages and in the most diverse sectors, including in the sectors of health, safety and participation, (which are) the pillars for the achievement of active aging in society, as suggested by the World Health Organization (2002). Some senior citizens take advantage of the use of technologies and research on the subject has been growing, but there are still few studies around the use of digital games, especially those that use geolocation integrated in the game mechanics. In this context, the present investigation centered on the question “How do Location Based Mobile Games (LBMG), namely Pokémon Go (PoGo), contribute to the Active Aging (AA) of players over 50 years old?”. In order to respond to this challenge, this investigation was structured in three phases. In the first phase, a qualitative investigation was carried out, aiming to study the profile of the players. An interpretive and inductive method was used, through a document analysis and a systematic literature review that showed at an international level there are few investigations with respect to this theme, and those that exist study, in isolation, the potential of the LBMG for the AA. In the second phase, a quantitative investigation was carried out, aiming to characterize the ecosystem of PoGo players. This phase used a survey method, where online surveys were conducted in Portugal, between August and October 2020, to collect more information about the players’ habits and their main perceptions in relation to the potential of the LBMG and AA. The analyzes of the given answers (moderate correlation, 20% < r < 50%, with a significance rate of 5%) point to the fact that the players’ experiences and their level of immersion when interacting with games in this category present actions sustained in the bases of active aging — namely health, participation, security, education, socialization and well-being. In the third phase, a qualitative investigation was carried out, with the objective of observing the subjects regarding the use of LBMG, through a participant field investigation. Data collection techniques through field observation, participant field diaries, semi-structured interviews and netnography study, supported by analysis and observation grids, with PoGo players over 50 years of age, residing in the city of Porto, allowed us to obtain data subjects and also for a triangulation with a systematic review of the literature and surveys. These data collections took place, both during the moments of interaction of the target audience with the games, and on social networks (since there is no communication channel in the game itself), between the months of August and November 2020. The data in this last phase of the investigation clarified doubts still open in the documentary and inquiry phases and, through a mixed methodology of data analysis, qualitative and quantitative, they sought to clarify that these types of games in fact enhance active aging, in the case of PoGo, through raids (missions) and events, mainly stimulating social interaction, learning, participation, physical activities and well-being. Given what was studied, it was possible to conclude that the AA elements are enhanced, mainly by the relations of the aspects of the Flow theory, described by Csikszentmihalyi (2002), as a sensation of distortion of time, expertise, attention and others, by the most diverse mechanics of the LBMG, especially for aspects based on location, which establish strong relationships between individuals and the environment in which they work, promoting the maintenance of motivations for active and dignified aging. It is also noteworthy that this thesis presents a set of recommendations for good practices and healthy habits for the senior population, technical notes for game developers, especially with a look at older players, and scientific-methodological aspects for society researchers wishing to study on the topic in question.
To participate follow the link: https://videoconf-colibri.zoom.us/j/87928836194
A tender is hereby opened for the award of 1 (one) Postdoctoral Fellowship (PDF) in the scope of R&D project EduCITY – Smart and sustainable cities with Augmented Reality mobile educational games made by and for the Citizens” (PTDC/CED-EDG/0197/2021), of the CIDTFF – Research Centre on Didactics and Technology in the Education of Trainers of the Department of Education and Psychology of the University of Aveiro, under the following conditions:
1. Scientific Area: Education Sciences.
2. Funding Source: Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P./MCTES, through national funds (OE).
3. Admission Requirements: Doctorate in Education, in Multimedia in Education or related area, with preference in previous research experience in the area of game-based learning and/or in the area of Internet of Things and/or in the area of Education for Sustainability.
4. Eligibility: Applicants are eligible if they comply with paragraph b) of nos.1 and 2 of article 2, of the Research Fellow Statute as amended by Decree-Law no. 123/2019, of August 28th, as well as in article 7 of the Research Grant Regulations of the Foundation for Science and Technology. PDFs can only be granted provided the following requirements are met cumulatively:
a) The doctorate has been obtained within the three years prior to the date of submission of the application for the grant;
b) The postdoctoral research is carried out in a host entity different from the entity where the research work leading to the doctoral degree was carried out;
c) the research activities do not require postdoctoral experience;
d) the research activities have a time frame for development and implementation of three years or less;
e) The fellow does not exceed, with the conclusion of the grant contract in question, including possible renewals, an accumulated period of three years in that type of grant, consecutive or interpolated.
5. Work plan: The work plan should contribute to the objectives of the EduCITY project
(https://blogs.ua.pt/cidtff/?p=39432) and involves the tasks: to collect, analyze and keep up-to-date the bibliography related to the studied problematic; to support the design and testing of the mobile application using augmented reality and the game creation platform to be developed by an enterprise; to collaborate in the development of digital pedagogical guides about sustainability; to organize and participate in activities for different target audiences, including teacher training; to collaborate in the collection and analysis of research data; to collaborate in the preparation of scientific publications and of dissemination of the project to the community; and to support the writing of the project’s annual reports.
8. Duration of the grant(s): The grant duration will be 12 months, starting in March 01st, 2022, possibly renewable for additional periods of 12 months, up to the maximum funding approved (December 31st, 2024), and may under no circumstances exceed the limits defined in the Regulations for the type of grant in question, in accordance with Article 7 of Regulation No. 950/2019, of November 29th, published in the Diário da República, No. 241, Series II, of December 16th (FCT, I.P. Research Grants Regulation).
More information available HERE.
An international public notice is opened for recruitment in the form of a Uncertain Term Work Contract, under the Portuguese Labour Code, a position for a First Level Doctorate Researcher for the exercise of activities of scientific research in the scientific areas of Communication Sciences and Technologies, to exercise the functions of development, coordination, management and dissemination of research work, in the theoretical, applied and scientific dissemination dimensions, related to the use of virtual environments (metaverses) for the preservation of the cultural heritage of rural territories and promoting the involvement of users in activities of creation and exploration of cultural content, within the scope of the project LOCUS – Playful Connected Rural Territories: The Internet of Things in the intergenerational creative production of cultural georeferenced contents (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029228 / PTDC/COM-CSS/29228/2017), supported by the Operational Program Competitiveness and Internationalization, in its FEDER/FNR component, and the Foundation for Science and Technology, in its State Budget component (OE).
The monthly payment corresponds to 2134,73€.
Deadline for submission: 07/12/2021
More information available in:
- aviso 21929/2021
- anúncio [português]
- edital [português]
- edital [english version]
- Euraxess: https://www.euraxess.pt/jobs/711116
You are invited to the “Meet the Authors” online event of Interaction Design and Architecture(s) Journal IxD&A issue Nr. 49 on Nov 29 at 16:00 CET on Zoom.
Registration required –
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfAuKmX5xPVZKpIt30HeeE_rcQ89PjG_SqSxtSwFN8uOQEKnQ/viewform
The one-hour event will be coordinated by Óscar Mealha from University of Aveiro, Portugal and Janika Leoste, from Tallinn University, Estonia. The general introduction to issue N.49 will be given by Cesar Collazos, from Univerity of Cauca, Colombia.
The issue is devoted to “Collaborative multimedia applications in technology”.
The following authors will be presenting their work in 10-minute format followed by discussion:
1. Tycho: Facilitation Support for Groupware User Tests.
Julián Grigera, Juan Cruz Gardey, Alejandro Fernandez, Alejandra Garrido.
access full paper: http://www.mifav.uniroma2.it/inevent/events/idea2010/doc/49_3.pdf
2. Collating a city’s collective memory in co-production of an online urban design learning space.
Sushardjanti Felasari, Chengzhi Peng.
access full paper: http://www.mifav.uniroma2.it/inevent/events/idea2010/doc/49_5.pdf
3. Designing for Children’s Reflections in Collaborative Interaction Mediated by Technology: A Systematic Literature Review.
Gökçe Elif Baykal, Olof Torgersson, Eva Eriksson.
access full paper: http://www.mifav.uniroma2.it/inevent/events/idea2010/doc/49_7.pdf
IxD&A is an open access journal, peer-reviewed, that implements the Gold Open Access (OA) road to its contents with no charge to the authors. It aims to offer an interdisciplinary arena where everybody can present top level researches and discuss ideas on the future of technology mediated experiences in the field of communication, learning, working, entertainment, healthcare, etc
access Nr. 49 issue: http://ixdea.uniroma2.it/inevent/events/idea2010/index.php?s=10&a=11&link=ToC_49_P
Coordinated by Pedro Almeida (DigiMedia Member) and directed by Nuno Barbosa, both professors from the Department of Communication and Art (DeCA), the UAU! team brings together professors, students, fellows, technicians from DeCA and professionals from UA’s Communication, Image and Public Relations Services.
“UAU! – Ciência sem Limites” is a television series entirely made at the University of Aveiro (UA). Science, thought and produced at the University of Aveiro and beyond, and how it can help to make possible the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, a challenge launched to the world by the UN, is the great motto of the program. The series is organized into 15 episodes of approximately 15 minutes each dealing with research in areas such as smart cities, oceans, circular economy, health, renewable energy, education of the future, industry and innovation among many other topics. Running weekly on RTP3, the first UAU! episode was broadcasted on Wednesday, November 24th at 5:40 p.m.
The trailer can be seen HERE.
More information available HERE.
Carla V. Leite (PhD Student) participated in a Erasmus+ funded Design Thinking training course that took place in Zagreb, Croatia, from November 16 to 22. The Agora Aveiro, a local NGO, was responsible for selecting and sending 4 Portuguese participants, and the course was organised and provided by Brodoto, a social impact agency, committed to support ideas to be both competitive and socially responsible and included participants from 5 different countries: Portugal, Greece, Lithuania, Romania, and Croatia.
Goals of the course:
– How to use design thinking, a methodology based on creativity that approaches problem solving and project-based work in a practical and creative way focused entirely on the end-user experience.
– How to introduce critical thinking, entrepreneurial skills, finding innovative and creative solutions, and empathy in the process of designing activities, and connecting with their targeted audience.
All mornings were filled with workshops run by Prof. Gordana Ćorić (VERN’ University of Applied Sciences), an external expert and trainer specialized on the design thinking methodology. The afternoon sessions were dedicated to non-formal learning techniques such as group work and discussions.
Liliana Gonçalves’s online PhD defense takes place on the 2nd December, at 09:30 a.m., with the topic SHARING KNOWLEDGE THROUGH DIGITAL PLATFORMS: The wildfires case | A PARTILHA DE CONHECIMENTO ATRAVÉS DAS PLATAFORMAS DIGITAIS: O caso dos Incêndios Rurais.
Liliana Gonçalves is a student of the PhD programme in Information and Communication in Digital Platforms and her supervisor is Lídia Oliveira (DigiMedia, UA)
DigiMedia members are invited to participate in this important moment.
Abstract:
This investigation focuses on the potential to share and co-create knowledge in digital contexts to foster literacy on wildfires, specifically concerning prevention. The case studies that embody this thesis include the Central Region of Portugal and the municipalities of Pedrogão Grande, and São Pedro do Sul. Using a mixed methodology, by combining qualitative and quantitative analysis, the investigation draws a holistic scenario on the infocommunicational context of wildfires in Portugal, particularly in the Central Region. From here, the Hive Model is outlined, a digital communication model that facilitates the knowledge flow between different actors in the context of wildfires. This model is based on the main trends evidenced in state of the art and on the needs and desires of local communities, local and regional stakeholders, and the scientific community. As the natural hives composed of a net of combs, the Hive Model integrates multiple characteristics, understood as Fire Awareness Valorization Opportunities. Those features are adaptable to real contexts and designed to incorporate a digital platform specifically to share and co-create knowledge on wildfire prevention, where all actors play an active role.
Keywords:
Comunicação de Ciência, Plataformas Digitais, Incêndios Rurais, Partilha de Conhecimento, Cocriação de Conhecimento, Modelo Colmeia, Plataforma FAVO
To participate follow the link: https://videoconf-colibri.zoom.us/j/82668817457
On November 18, 2021, the PhD Defense of Cláudia Barbosa, supervised by Luís Pedro (DigiMedia), took place. Claúdia was a PhD student from the Doctoral Program Multimedia in Education and developed a research thesis on the topic “Media Use and Media Multitasking Habits of Students and Teaching Staff of the University of Aveiro”.
Abstract:
Digital consumer devices have penetrated our everyday lives, providing a platform to – among others – solve problems, communicate, exchange information, and participate in remote activities. This increasing popularity provides the impetus for a rising dependency to the extent that multitasking with different types of media (be it more of a more traditional or newer nature) has become a reality that can no longer be ignored in any professional setting – including the academic one.
Setting out with the main objective of identifying and understanding the media use and media multitasking habits of the academic staff and student population of the University of Aveiro, this study (using a survey methodology) has attempted to analyse in detail whether differences in media use habits exist in relation to the participants’ academic profile, scientific area, gender, age, geographical origin, and also in what concerns the type of media used. In order to do so, three media-related aspects were assessed: media ownership, media use, and media multitasking.
In relation to the association between academic profile and media use and multitasking, results of the study verify differences in the teaching staff and student groups in relation to how many media devices they own, for how long they engage in different media-related activities and how they do so, with teaching staff owning more devices, but students using media for longer periods and combining them more heavily.
In what concerns the scientific area of the participants, results indicate a higher degree of homogeneity between groups, with the exception of ownership of specific media types (such as, e.g., Tablets in the Social Sciences and Humanities and E-Book readers in the Humanities) and a remarkably lower media use and media multitasking by the Engineering group.
Gender has been widely associated with multitasking behaviours, with results of this study indicating that females and males in our sample differ in relation to the devices owned (more ownership recorded by males), hours of engagement with different media (higher emphasis on communicative media by females) and multitasking intensity (with females recording higher multitasking values with the majority of the primary media and globally).
Recorded differences in media behaviours in relation to age are significant when either one of the older generations (birth year 1946-1964 and 1965-1980) is compared to either one of the younger generations (1981-1995 and post-1995) and vice versa. Older generations tend to use more traditional media, while the youngest generations tend towards newer media, and records substantially higher media use and media multitasking values.
In what concerns origin as a variable (as in a geographically-defined time orientation where monochronic participants tend towards doing one thing at a time and polychronic participants engage in several actions at once): monochronic participants are more associated with traditional media, while polychrons report spending more time using media in general (especially with communicative media-types) and engage in more media multitasking.
In relation to media use by type of media, the study indicates that participants tend to read and communicate with more traditional media types (print media and telephone), and play games and watch television with newer formats (online TV and online games).
