Papers by Heather Molyneaux
Canadian Journal of Communication, 2012
Video communication conducted online — online videos, video calls, and videoconferencing — is qui... more Video communication conducted online — online videos, video calls, and videoconferencing — is quickly becoming a fixture in the everyday lives of many Canadians. We conducted a case study of residents of a small Canadian city, exploring their use of video communication to maintain social relationships. Our study indicates high levels of acceptance for communicating using video with others at a geographical distance, especially where there is a cost savings, a close personal relationship between participants, and a need to “show” objects or expressions. Concern about privacy restrains more frequent use. The discussion considers these findings in the context of public sphere theory and the potential for online video communications to be a special kind of place for people to meet and socialize with others.La communication vidéo en ligne – appels vidéo, visioconférences, vidéos affichés en ligne – est rapidement en train de devenir une habitude dans la vie quotidienne de nombreux Canadi...
Canadian Journal of Communication, 2014
Community resilience in First Nations includes ties to people both inside and outside the communi... more Community resilience in First Nations includes ties to people both inside and outside the community, intergenerational communication, the sharing of stories, and family and community connectedness. This study, based on a survey of Internet users in the Sioux Lookout region of Northwestern Ontario, explores the link between social networking sites and community resilience. The region is home to some of the most isolated First Nation (indigenous)communities in Canada. Cultural and familial links between these communities are strong, yet until recent use of the Internet, maintaining regular communications to strengthen cultural ties was challenging. This study examines the links between travel and communication online, the ways in which social media are used to preserve culture and maintain communication, and the implications of social networking for community resilience.La résilience communautaire chez les Premières Nations se base sur les rapports à autrui tant au sein de la communau...
ABSTRACT Illiteracy is often associated with people in developing countries. However, an estimate... more ABSTRACT Illiteracy is often associated with people in developing countries. However, an estimated 50 % of adults in a developed country such as Canada lack the literacy skills required to cope with the challenges of today’s society; for them, tasks such as reading, understanding, basic arithmetic, and using everyday items are a challenge. Many community-based organizations offer resources and support for these adults, yet overall functional literacy rates are not improving. This is due to a wide range of factors, such as poor retention of adult learners in literacy programs, obstacles in transferring the acquired skills from the classroom to the real life, personal attitudes toward learning, and the stigma of functional illiteracy. In our research we examined the opportunities afforded by personal mobile devices in providing learning and functional support to low-literacy adults. We present the findings of an exploratory study aimed at investigating the reception and adoption of a technological solution for adult learners. ALEX© is a mobile application designed for use both in the classroom and in daily life in order to help low-literacy adults become increasingly literate and independent. Such a solution complements literacy programs by increasing users’ motivation and interest in learning, and raising their confidence levels both in their education pursuits and in facing the challenges of their daily lives. We also reflect on the challenges we faced in designing and conducting our research with two user groups (adults enrolled in literacy classes and in an essential skills program) and contrast the educational impact and attitudes toward such technology between these. Our conclusions present the lessons learned from our evaluations and the impact of the studies’ specific challenges on the outcome and uptake of such mobile assistive technologies in providing practical support to low-literacy adults in conjunction with literacy and essential skills training.
Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Human Computer Interaction with Mobile Devices and Services - MobileHCI '11, 2011
For a very large number of adults, tasks such as reading. understanding, and using everyday items... more For a very large number of adults, tasks such as reading. understanding, and using everyday items are a challenge. Although many community-based organizations offer resources and support for adults with limited literacy skills. current programs have difficulty reaching and retaining those that would benefit most. In this paper we present the findings of an exploratory study aimed at investigating how
Proceedings of the 2012 ACM annual conference extended abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems Extended Abstracts - CHI EA '12, 2012
ABSTRACT Efforts to address the problems of literacy are often focused on developing countries. H... more ABSTRACT Efforts to address the problems of literacy are often focused on developing countries. However, functional illiteracy is a challenge encountered by up to 50% of adults in developed countries. In this paper we reflect on the challenges we faced in trying to design and study the use of a mobile application to support adult literacy with two user groups: adults enrolled in literacy classes and carpenters without a high school education enrolled in an essential skills program. We also elaborate on aspects of the evaluations that are specific to a marginalized, functionally illiterate, group in a developed country - aspects that are less frequently present in similar studies of mobile literacy support technologies in developing countries. We conclude with presenting the lessons learnt from our evaluations and the impact of the studies' specific challenges on the outcome and uptake of such mobile assistive technologies in providing practical support to low-literacy adults in conjunction with literacy and essential skills training.
interactions, 2014
ABSTRACT Ethical implications for human-computer interaction research
Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, 2013
ABSTRACT Illiteracy is often associated with people in developing countries. However, an estimate... more ABSTRACT Illiteracy is often associated with people in developing countries. However, an estimated 50 % of adults in a developed country such as Canada lack the literacy skills required to cope with the challenges of today’s society; for them, tasks such as reading, understanding, basic arithmetic, and using everyday items are a challenge. Many community-based organizations offer resources and support for these adults, yet overall functional literacy rates are not improving. This is due to a wide range of factors, such as poor retention of adult learners in literacy programs, obstacles in transferring the acquired skills from the classroom to the real life, personal attitudes toward learning, and the stigma of functional illiteracy. In our research we examined the opportunities afforded by personal mobile devices in providing learning and functional support to low-literacy adults. We present the findings of an exploratory study aimed at investigating the reception and adoption of a technological solution for adult learners. ALEX© is a mobile application designed for use both in the classroom and in daily life in order to help low-literacy adults become increasingly literate and independent. Such a solution complements literacy programs by increasing users’ motivation and interest in learning, and raising their confidence levels both in their education pursuits and in facing the challenges of their daily lives. We also reflect on the challenges we faced in designing and conducting our research with two user groups (adults enrolled in literacy classes and in an essential skills program) and contrast the educational impact and attitudes toward such technology between these. Our conclusions present the lessons learned from our evaluations and the impact of the studies’ specific challenges on the outcome and uptake of such mobile assistive technologies in providing practical support to low-literacy adults in conjunction with literacy and essential skills training.
Most Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) researchers and practitioners are accustomed to the bureauc... more Most Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) researchers and practitioners are accustomed to the bureaucratic process of having their evaluation or field trial protocol formally vetted for ethical considerations. While this formal process varies by country, the underlying principles are universal. For a large part of HCI research -controlled lab-based usability evaluations of a user interface -the ethics review process is a simple formality. However, for qualitative field research with vulnerable populations, formal ethics requirements can be very difficult to navigate. The dilemma of having to balance practical research concerns with formal ethics review requirements has mostly been foreign to HCI researchers; however, it is a current reality with the increase in qualitative research and field studies, mostly due to new areas of research in HCI, such as that of mobile technologies for developing countries or for marginalized populations. In this paper we present our experiences and challenges in conducting field studies of mobile assistive technologies with marginalized low-literacy adults in a developed country, in the context of following the requirements of the formal ethics process.
Although sociologists see advertisements as having a negative impact on women's lives, advertisem... more Although sociologists see advertisements as having a negative impact on women's lives, advertisements in women's magazines have been, for the most part, overlooked by historians. Nevertheless, women's magazines such as Chatelaine and the advertising within these magazines are sources o f pleasure for women, and have the potential to be empowering. Yet, the ads in Chatelaine magazines do not empower women, but serve to contain their image and definitions by projecting an ideal o f femininity that is white, heterosexual and middle class. This thesis is not about the creation of ads -the ad companies and the individuals making the executive and creative decisions; nor is this study about the consumption o f ads -how viewers responded to the ads. Instead this thesis is a study o f the representation o f women. Firstly, this thesis examines the scholarly debates surrounding both women's magazines and the representation of women in magazines advertisements. By means of a 2001 Nike ad, a theoretical model for analyzing advertisement is then developed and explained. The remainder of the thesis analyzes ads from the Canadian magazine Chatelaine during different historical periods; automobile ads from the 1930s, advertisements from the Second World War, and hair dye ads from the late 1950s to the 1960s. These ads, when analyzed within their historical context all illustrate changing, but restricted, ideals o f femininity. Acknowledgements: First o f all I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. L. McTavish for all ofher help with the conference papers and chapters which comprise this thesis. I also would like to thank my brother and sister-in-law for all o f their help when I first moved to Fredericton, as well as my other brothers and sisters, my parents and my grandparents. Thirdly I would like to recognize all the UNB professors and students who have challenged me intellectually. Last, but not least, special thanks to Andy McMullen, my moral as well as technical support during the past two years.
Proceedings of the …, Jan 1, 2012
Abstract Efforts to address the problems of literacy are often focused on developing countries. H... more Abstract Efforts to address the problems of literacy are often focused on developing countries. However, functional illiteracy is a challenge encountered by up to 50% of adults in developed countries. In this paper we reflect on the challenges we faced in trying to ...
Canadian …, Jan 1, 2011
Videos can create learning communities, increase communication richness, empower users and encour... more Videos can create learning communities, increase communication richness, empower users and encourage identity formation. Online sites like YouTube share both professionally-produced videos and user-generated videos. Low-budget user-generated videos could offer new opportunities for promotion and awareness of health issues. Our study explores how a broad spectrum of people living in a small Canadian city engages with online videos for health information. A sample of adults who watch online videos participated in a survey with multi-media content. The study focus was to determine if they were seeking health information via online videos and to assess their responses to online videos on mental health issues. While 44% of participants never or rarely watched online videos containing health information, 90% believed that viewing short videos online produced by health professionals is a good way for people to access information about health. Participants then viewed, in random order, two short videos on mental health posted on YouTube-one user-generated, and the other professionally-developed by a mental health organization. After viewing the videos, participants reported high levels of interest and learning, being influenced by the video, and acceptance for the use of online video for increasing their awareness and knowledge of health information. Our results suggest that both short user-generated and professional online videos are potentially of interest to a wide range of people and are an influential medium of health information that can positively influence the viewers' awareness, interest and learning on health issues.
Proceedings of …, Jan 1, 2011
npsi/ctrl?action=rtdoc&an=5765247&lang=en http://nparc.cisti-icist.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/npsi/ctrl?actio... more npsi/ctrl?action=rtdoc&an=5765247&lang=en http://nparc.cisti-icist.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/npsi/ctrl?action=rtdoc&an=5765247&lang=fr Access and use of this website and the material on it are subject to the Terms and Conditions set forth at This study analyzes short vlogs posted to YouTube in order to investigate how women and men communicate using vlogs and react as viewers to vlogs. Vlogs are visual texts that are usergenerated. Analyzing online videos presents a new challenge for researchers: traditionally, analysis of visual media and communication focused on either the production or the reception of the material. Our vlog study uses a dual analytical approach to analyze both production and reception, while conducting content, visual and audience analysis, thus making a contribution to the field of new visual media and communication.
American Communication …, Jan 1, 2008
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Papers by Heather Molyneaux