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CONCERT: The Consortium on New Media, Creative, and Entertainment R&D in the Toronto Region (2007) is a unique industry-led public-private partnership that will help fuel commercialization and the economic development of the Greater Toronto Area’s (GTA) creative, entertainment, and screen-based industries. CONCERT was formed to drive innovation within these industries by sparking collaborative relationships and infrastructure within the GTA. Founded by three original organizations (Ontario College of Art & Design, Ryerson University, York University), CONCERT consists of almost 30 partners drawn from industry, academia, government, and 4th pillar organizations. View the Strategic Overview
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Date: 2006
Funding:
Researchers: Andrew Clement (FIS, KMDI), Barbara Crow (Communication Studies, York U), Graham Longford (FIS) and Catherine Middleton (School of Information Technology Management, Ryerson)
Description: brings together an interdisciplinary team of academic researchers and community and government partners to engage in in-depth case studies of public/community-based ICT initiatives in which WiFi technology plays an important role. CWIRP seeks to document and assess the various models, best practices and benefits of public internet infrastructure provision in Canada. It is funded by Infrastructure Canada for two years.
Rethinking Media, Democracy and Citizenship: New Media Practices and Online Digital Dissent after September 11
Date: 2006-2009
Funding: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
Researchers: Megan Boler PI (Theory and Policy Studes, OISE/UT) & Jennifer Kayahara (Ph.D. Candidate, Sociology) and Elise Chien (Master’s Candidate, Faculty of Information Studies) and seven other graduate students
Description: This research examines how digital media use increases political dissent and civic participation, despite a climate in which mainstream media are increasingly restricted by both the narrowed channels for public participation due to media ownership concentration and the cultural repression following 9/11. The research team is focused on three sites of memes, blogs, and online political culture: (a) MoveOn’s Bushin30Seconds campaign, 150 independently submitted and digitally produced 30 second Quicktime memes that address a range of post 9/11 political concerns; (b) political weblogs that engage in debate about the U.S. invasion of Iraq; (c) blogs, chats, and lists that discuss Jon Stewart, The Daily Show and Stewart’s appearance on Crossfire as an icon of critical political commentary. After completing discourse analysis, the team will conduct a survey and interviews to investigate participants’ motivations for engaging in public online debate. In 2009, Boler published a book on this topic: Digital Media and Democracy: Tactics in Hard Times.
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Digital Libraries For and With Aboriginal Communities
Date: 2005-2006
Funding: U of T Faculty of Information Studies and CRACIN
Researcher: Nadia Caidi, PI (Faculty of Information Studies,KMDI) and Brian Walmark (KORI). Research Assistant: Ether El Adnan
Description: This project is undertaken in collaboration with RICTA and CRACIN. The aim is to understand how to develop digital libraries that are culturally relevant and meaningful to the existing knowledge and learning infrastructure and initiatives of aboriginal communities. These communities face tremendous challenges in establishing libraries for their people in what are often remote and isolated communities. There have been several attempts to do so, but surmounting the “bricks and mortar” problem, for one, has been difficult. This project is examining the specific case of K-Net, and the researchers are working with members of the community on a strategy to create a digital library for elementary and secondary school students. Such a digital library would serve remote and isolated communities in Ontario's far North.
Information Practices of Ethno-Cultural Communities (IPEC)
Date: 2005-2006
Funding: The U of T Faculty of Information Studies and the Joint Center of Excellence on Research on Immigration and Settlement (CERIS)
Researcher: Nadia Caidi, PI (Faculty of Information Studies, KMDI)
Description: The quality of information and a person’s efficiency in acquiring and processing it is critical to the adjustment of new immigrants to their adopted country. The aim of the IPEC study is to inform our understanding of the information practices of ethno-cultural communities in the Greater Toronto Area. The findings will provide insight into libraries and other frontline information-providers about the types of information needed by individuals to deal with situations encountered in their daily lives, along with the choice of information sources, and successful outcomes. The findings will serve to influence government programs and funding priorities concerning information provision and access strategies to improve inclusion of these communities into the Canadian social fabric.
Paramedics and the Elderly at Risk for Independence Loss: Development of a Tool Using Paramedic Observations to Assess Elders Home Environments for Risks of Failed Discharge
Date: 2005-2006 Funding: CIHR
Researchers: Jacques Lee PI, Laurie Morrison, Rory Fisher, Peter MacIntyre, Richard Verbeek, Alexander Kiss, Gary Naglie, David Ryan (Co-PI’s)
Description: This project develops and tests a risk screening tool that formalizes the informal environmental risk scanning behaviors of Toronto Emergency Measures personnel.
Prosodic Gestures in Bimodal Communication
Date: May 2005-
Funding: Research Grant Program Faculty of Arts, York University
Researcher: Dominique Scheffel-Dunand, PI, (French Studies. York University, KMDI)
Description: Online webcast lectures offer the possibility of highly distributed collaborative learning in many settings from university undergraduate education to continuing professional development. Unfortunately, distance learning systems that simply use webcasting as a scalable transmission medium can result in a disengaging experience for students. One way to combat this is to provide interactive features for students that transform the plain multimedia broadcast into a more engaging experience. Current research aims at evaluating audio interaction in webcast scenarios. The goal is to assess when and how interactive features, such as chats and audio spaces, can supplement webcasting, enabling students to conduct effective and relevant interactions with peers and instructors in distributed learning environments.
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Community Networking and Libraries
Date:
Funding: CRACIN Studies at U of T
Researchers: Nadia Caidi PI (FIS, KMDI) Graduate students: Elise Chien (MISt, FIS, KMDI)
Description: This study examines the relationship between community networking initiatives and libraries. How libraries use innovative technologies, including videoconferencing as a community resource, storytelling via webcams broadcast to remote areas, and enabling intergenerational storytelling to preserve the collective memory, will also be assessed.
Linguistic Modalities in Groupware-Based Interaction
Date: 2004-2008
Funding: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC).NECTAR (Network for Effective Collaboration Technologies through Advanced Research)
Researchers: Dominique Scheffel-Dunand ((French Studies. York University, KMDI)
Description: Current research concentrates on the perception of pragmatic cues such as conversational connectors to measure speakers’ awareness of listeners’ engagement in face-to-face and computer-mediated conversations. The main part of the research involves an investigation of linguistic and acoustic data indicating modality in question-answer interactions in media produced by webcasts such as the virtual commons and the presentation rooms in e-Presence. The research plans include a multi- dimensional approach to information retrieval and analysis as it investigates a) the role played by textual or vocal conversational cues that enhance or break down the flow of topics and interactivity in face-to-face and computer-mediated conversations; b) how prosodic cues manifest themselves acoustically (with the focus on intonation, loudness, articulation rate, and pauses) to modify modality and impact on flow of interaction; and c) how emotions affect the cognitive behaviour of speakers involved in face-to-face and mediated conversations/interactions at the auditory level. The methodology includes a cross-linguistic study of production and perception of verbal and vocal speech in both Canadian French and Canadian English.
The Inclusive Learning Exchange (TILE)
Date:
Funding: CANARIE Inc., Learning Program
Researchers:Jutta Treviranus PI (ATRC,FIS,KMDI)
Description: The Inclusive Learning Exchange is a revolutionary learning object repository service that responds to the individual needs of the learner. TILE provides the authoring tools, repository architecture, and preference schema needed to support this learner-centric transformation. The service is now available as a functioning prototype and will be implemented across Canada by a network of learning communities from many sectors. TILE demonstrates the potential benefits of personalized courseware for the learner and the impact this would have on the educator or content producer. Through this project we demonstrate the practical boundaries of transformable content and the tools needed to support the mastery of learner customizable teaching.
Website: www.barrierfree.ca/tile/
The State of Information Post 9/11
Date: 2004-2007
Funding: The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
Researchers: Nadia Caidi PI (Faculty of Information Studies, KMDI)
Description: This research examines the evolving role and conception of libraries, and situates 9/11 as a turning point for libraries in the West (and elsewhere). The research objectives are to examine the legislations and policies resulting from the 9/11 attacks, particularly as they relate to "information" and informational activities (e.g., its production, management, and diffusion), and assess their impact on libraries and librarians (both values and practices).
Website: www.fis.utoronto.ca/faculty/caidi/research.html
The Strength of Internet Ties
Date: 2004-2006
Funding: Pew Internet and American Life Project
Researchers: Barry Wellman, PI (Sociology, KMDI) with Jeffrey Boase (SOC, KMDI)
Description: Construction and analysis of large national U.S. telephone survey, focusing on how the Internet intersects with people’s social networks and social capital
Website: www.pewinternet.org/report_display.asp?r=172
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ATutor: Learning Content Management System
Date:
Funding:
Researchers: Jutta Treviranus (ATRC), Greg Guy (ATRC)
Description: ATutor is an Open Source Web-based Learning Content Management System (LCMS) designed with accessibility and adaptability in mind. Administrators can install or update ATutor in minutes, and develop custom templates to give ATutor a new look. Educators can quickly assemble, package, and redistribute Web-based instructional content, easily retrieve and import prepackaged content, and conduct their courses online. Students learn in an adaptive learning environment.
Website:
Audio Spaces for Internet Multimedia Webcast Communications: Implementation and Evaluation
Date: 2003-2005
Funding: Bell University Laboratories at the University of Toronto
Researchers: Ron Baecker, PI, (KMDI, Computer Science), Mark Chignell, PI, (KMDI,Mechancial and Electrical Engineering), Dominique Scheffel-Dunand (KDMI/ French Studies, York University)
Description: The goal of this research is to assess when and how audio spaces can be a useful supplement to webcasting in improving collaborative effectiveness. In order to carry out this assessment, audio spaces are incorporated into the ePresence interactive webcasting system using the Vocal Village spatial audio system to faciliate the formation of formal, or ad hoc collaborative groups in what can be thought of as virtual ePresence “viewing rooms”. Experiments and field studies were carried out in order to determine design requirements and guidelines for use of auditory spaces in this fashion, and to identify tasks and contexts in which collaborative audio spaces may add value to webcasting.
CRACIN: Canadian Research Alliance for Community Innovation and Networking
Date: 2003-ongoing
Funding: Initiative for a New Economy (INE), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
Researchers: Andrew Clement PI (Faculty of Information Studies,FIS), Marita Moll (Telecommunities, Canada), Graham Longford (Post-doctoral Fellow, Faculty of Information Studies) and researchers at Concordia University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, University of Alberta, UQAM, Telecommunities Canada, Industry Canada, HRSD, Canadian Heritage, St Christopher House, K-net, VCN, Communautique. Research Assistants: Robert Luke (PhD, OISE/UT), Adam Fiser (PhD Candidate, FIS, KMDI), Frank Winter (Ph.D., FIS), Matt Wong (MISt,FIS)
Description: The alliance is studying community-based information and communications technology initiatives. CRACIN brings together leading Community Informatics researchers from across Canada and internationally to investigate the main Canadian government programs promoting the development and public accessibility of internet services.
Website: http://www3.fis.utoronto.ca/iprp/cracin/
Improving Colon Cancer Staging through a Blended Knowledge Translation Program aimed at Surgeons and Pathologists
Date:2003-2005
Funding: The Change Foundation
Researchers: Andrew Smith and David Ryan, Co-PIs, Frances Wright, Calvin Law, Denny DePetrillo, Mahmoud Khalifa, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Description:This randomized control trial, examines the effectiveness of a multi-method knowledge to practice program in improving colon cancer staging among the province of Ontario’s surgeons and pathologists.
Information Technology and Transnational Entrepreneurship
Date:2003-ongoing
Funding: The Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada
Researchers: Barry Wellman, PI (Sociology, KMDI) with Wenhong Chen (SOC, KMDI)
Description: An investigation of globalization and “glocalization”, studying how entrepreneurial networks in Toronto, Canada, and Beijing, PRC, are connected, online and offline. The researchers are examining how the Internet, and other means of transportation and communication, connect Chinese-ethnicity entrepreneurs doing business in these two cites/countries.
TELS (The Center for Technology Enhanced Learning in Science)
Date:
Funding: U.S. National Science Foundation
Researchers: Jim Slotta (OISE/UT) and faculty from eight universities in the U.S. and Israel
Description: TELS was funded as a national Center for Learning and Teaching to bring university researchers together with middle school and high school educators to improve instruction in science. TELS includes eight universities, a nonprofit educational research and development organization, and seven school districts. Research questions include how to integrate models and simulations into science inquiry projects, how to support language learners with such innovative materials, how to design effective assessments for technology-enhanced learning, and how to design professional development opportunities for teachers.
Website: telscenter.org
The Spatiality of Personal Networks
Date: 2003-2007
Funding:
Researchers:Barry Wellman, Co-PI (Sociology), Ranu Basu (Geography, York University) and Diana Mak (Geography, McGill University)
Description: Uses social network data to examine the extent to which physical distance between network members affects their sociability, emotional support, and material aid.
Researching UofT T-Space
Date:
Funding: University of Toronto Libraries
Researchers: Leslie Chan (UTSC, KMDI
Description: T-Space is the U of T’s research repository. It showcases and preserves the scholarly work of the university’s faculty. Since 2003, this research has involved testing and evaluating T-Space and its use of DSpace software.
Website:
Webcasting for Continuing Medical Education and Knowledge Translation for Physicians in Rural and Isolated Regions
Date: 2003-2004
Funding: OMA – CME Program for Rural and Isolated Physicians
Researchers: David Patrick Ryan (PI), Lawrence Spero, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Description: This project examines usability issues in the deployment of the ePresence webcasting utility to support the continuing education of health professionals in rural and remote regions of Ontario.
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Bell University Collaborative Effectiveness Lab
Date:
Funding:
Researchers: Co-investigators: Mark Chignell (Dept. of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering), monica schraefel (Dept. of Computer Sscience), Ian Spence (Dept. of Psychology), Barry Wellman (Centre for Urban and Community Studies)
Description: The collaobrative Effectiveness lab is an electronic and Internet-enabled forum and workspace for collaboration between researchers. This lab will create online versions of the infrastructure normally found in a research institute, for example, there will be spaces for people and work groups to meet, facilities for storage and management of artifacts, and repositories for collaborative tools. Research will also be carried out on a variety of social and technological topics. It is expected that this infrastructure will provide results and prototypes that can be transferred to the development of corporate portals and tools for knowledge management.
The Bell University ePresence Lab
Date:
Funding:
Researchers: Principal investigator: Ron Baecker (Computer Science); Co-investigator: Gale Moore (KMDI)
Description:ePresence Lab is a test-bed for research on new ways to support effective multi-location multi-institutional communication and collaboration. While a number of technologies exist today to support the activities of groups who cannot routinely meet face-to-face, this project will explore new ways in which these technologies can be used, in particular to support synchronous communication. A better understanding of the social factors inherent in the design and use of these environments is a major subject for research.
Connected Lives: Netting Together
Date: 2002 & ongoing
Funding: The Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada
Researchers: Barry Wellman , PI (Sociology) with Kristin Berg (SOCW), Jeffrey Boase (SOC,KMDI), Juan-Antonio Carrasco, Wenhong Chen (SOC,KMDI), Bernard Hogan (SOC,KMDI), Tracy Kennedy (SC,KMDI)
Description: An analysis of Canadian, American and worldwide survey data about how the Internet affects friendship, community, social capital, domestic relationships and civic involvement. A follow-up study to the East York study of Community Ties and Support Systems, 19XX, which followed-up on the original 1976 study, Networking in the Global Village: The East York Study of How Personal Communiities are Used
Website:
Digital Identify Constructions
Date: 2002 & ongoing
Funding: Initiative on the New Economy (INE), Social Science and Humanities Research Council
Researchers: Andrew Clement, PI (Faculty of Information Studies). Research Assistants: Ana Viseu (PhD Candidate, OISE/UT, KMDI Fellow), Joseph Ferenbok (PhD Candidate FIS, KMDI), Brenda McPhail (PhD Candidate,FIS), Dave Ley (MISt Candidate ,FIS, KMDI)
Description: The project studies the accumulation of digital records of individuals, their constitution as ‘identities’ and the growing role these identities play with respect to pervasive surveillance practices and threats to personal privacy.
Institutionalising Interdisciplinary Innovation in Universities: The Emergent Field of Knowledge Media Design (KMD)
Date:2001-2002
Funding: University of Toronto Sabbatical Grant
Researcher: Gale Moore (PI)
Description:Traditional university structures concentrate power in departments and faculties and can, therefore, have difficulty responding to innovations in knowledge production when traditional disciplinary boundaries are crossed. In spite of these challenges, a number of universities in the past two to five years, have established programmes, centers and institutes dedicated to research on and teaching about the design and creation of digital media technologies, and the social and cultural understanding of how these technologies are used in everyday life. To date, there is no comparative data on the factors motivating the establishment of these institutes, their intellectual content, or the nature of the institutionalisation within the university of which they are a part. This exploratory study of six centres and institutes is a first step in toward understanding this type of organisational innovation.
MYCE@utoronto: A Portal on Continuing Education
Date: 2002-2004
Funding: University of Toronto, Medical Alumni Association
Researchers: David Ryan (PI), David Davis, Michael Evans, Lawrence Spero, Jay Keystone, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Description: This project developed a model for an online personalized continuing medical education manager for practicing physicians.
The Internet in Everyday Life: Canada and the World
Date:
Funding: Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada
Researchers:Barry Wellman PI (SOC,KMDI) with doctoral students Jeffrey Boase(SOC,KMDI) and Wenhong Chen (SOC,KMDI)
Description: Analysis of Canadian, American and worldwide survey data about how the Internet fits in with friendship, community, social capital, domestic relationships and civic involvement.
The Online Learning Program in Systems-Based Practice and Practice-Based Learning and Improvement: A Curriculum Integration Project for Medical Education
Date: 2002-2005
Funding: The Fund for Improvement of Post-Secondary Education, US Department of Education and Tufts University School of Medicine
Researchers: David Ryan (PI), David Davis, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Description: Tufts University Health Care Institute has developed an online campus to optimize knowledge transfer on systems based practice and practice based learning. This project provides a framework and processes to evaluate the effectiveness of the online campus in a multi-site, multi-university deployment.
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