Research Update Out.21

This is a first of a series of updates that are to be released throughout this research work. The objective is to informally describe and justify the progress of this doctoral research, in favour of transparency and to hopefully engage the interested community.

The reception of the new students of the doctoral program in Digital Media at the Campolide Campus of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities (FCSH) of Nova Lisbon University (UNL), on September 23rd, marked the start of course work. This first academic year considers a set of classes, in both semesters – some being mandatory and other elective. The mandatory classes of the first semester are offered at FCSH/UNL, while those of the second semester happen at the College of Science and Technology (FCT/UNL), which set headquarters for each of these periods.

Research Methods (RM), History and Trends in Digital Media (HTDM) and Communication Theory (CT) are the mandatory classes enrolled in the first semester, and Advanced Topics in Digital Media (ATDM) was the elective chosen to complete the recommended number of four classes per semester. About them, shortly,

RM, led by Paulo Nuno Vicente, pretends to provide students with the necessary tools to successfully manage and properly sustain the proposed research, in a very collaborative workshop manner in which each student works over and brings to class its own research context. The personal goal is to use this opportunity to work particularly on the research method and preliminary data to be considered in the research plan revision for 2022, and to kick off the development of a systematic literature review.

HTDM, led by Madalena Miranda, proposes the review of fundamental texts that set the context – past, present and future – of digital media. The objective is to make the students frame their work within this history. It considers weekly readings to be presented in class.

CT, of Cláudia Silva, focuses of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) theory and its applications – featuring the topics of Postcolonial/Decolonial Theories, Feminism, Gender and Technology, Race and Technology, among other. It also considers the “adoption” of a renowned scholar by each student – a deep dive into a scholar’s academic contribution. Allison Druin, a scholar with reference work on the involvement of children in HCI development, was the personal choice.

ATDM, of Ioli Campos, also considers discussion led by students in class, from readings set weekly, regarding important contemporary topics in digital media – as the digital divide, participatory culture and media literacy, digital footprint and engagement and hate speech, among other.

The initial plan for the first semester elective was to choose a class offering from the doctoral program in Education, with the objetive to develop fundamental knowledge about education theory and to get to know and learn from other projects in this research field and their researchers. But as this would be overly demanding and ATDM was very recommended by the doctoral program coordination this was the final choice.

So far the course work has been very demanding, given the length and depth of the readings to be prepared to guide or actively participate in the class discussions. No much time has still been available to work on maturing of the research plan, in particular the statement of the research method. But RM has already motivated some revisions and the other classes have been definitely contributing with old/new ideas and setting a research practice.

It is intended to soon start an immersion among schools and families to obtain preliminary data about the context of the problem addressed by, and the contribution of, this research.

Readings