Transformation of Science Communication in the Age of Social Media

The aim of the present article is to discuss several consequences of the Open Science from a perspective of science communication and philosophy of communication. Apart from the purely communicative and philosophical issues, the paper deals with the questions that concern the science populariza- tion process through social media (especially Twitter and blogs).

The article consists of three sections: the first one suggests a definition of science communication and social media, the second examines the transformation of science in the Age of the Internet and considers the influence of social media on science communication, the third and final one presents some case studies and philosophical observations.

The most important conclusion to be reached here is that the social media have changed science and science communication. Twitter and blogs as novelty tools of science communication can be useful and meaningful for both science and society. Furthermore, social media can be used to facilitate broader involvement of citizens in the discussion about science.

URL : http://teorievedy.flu.cas.cz/index.php/tv/article/view/172

Weblog publishing behaviour of librarianship and information science…

Weblog publishing behaviour of librarianship and information science students: a case study :

Introduction. The ‘blogosphere’ is a space with digital information in which social networks form that offer countless application possibilities. In this technology-mediated context, it is feasible to study the performance and approaches of production, diffusion, relationship and use of information from different perspectives.
Method. Quantitative data were obtained through the regular examination of the blogs maintained by students and qualitative data were obtained from reports by the students and self-assessment questionnaires.

Analysis. Simple counts of quantitative data were obtained, without further statistical analysis. The qualitative data were reviewed for insights into the motivations of students. Results. Given a free choice, most students adopted the Blogger platform for their blogs. Most blogs consisted of content reported from elsewhere and were not continued by the students following the end of the exercise.

Conclusions. Students adopted an instrumental approach to the exercise, doing enough to complete the course requirements but not being sufficiently engaged to continue their blogs. Preliminary work based on basic competences is necessary in both collaboration processes and Web 2.0 technology to obtain satisfactory results in the use of Weblogs as teaching and learning tools.”

URL : http://eprints.rclis.org/handle/10760/15433

Blogs and blogging Current trends and future directions…

Blogs and blogging: Current trends and future directions :

“Adopting an interdisciplinary scope, this paper presents a review of research on blogs and blogging within the social sciences and the humanities. It maps out what kind of research has been completed, how it has been performed and what gaps that might need to be filled in this relatively new area of research. More specifically, the paper will analyze all articles on blogs and blogging published until 2009 and indexed by the ISI Web of Knowledge.”

URL : http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3101/2836

Les carnets de recherche en ligne, espac…

Les carnets de recherche en ligne, espace d’une conversation scientifique décentrée :

“Le carnet de recherches produit un décentrement des lieux d’écriture vers des espaces moins codifiés et moins formels que les espaces de publication traditionnels, prenant ainsi le relais de formes plus volatiles et moins individuelles de conversation. Ce qui est en jeu est moins une économie de l’écriture que de la lecture. En jetant les bases d’une nouvelle relation au lectorat, le carnet de recherche offre l’opportunité de réinventer l’écriture scientifique autour du paradigme de la conversation, renouant ainsi avec une vieille tradition de débat scientifique, tout en se dotant d’une rhétorique adaptée au nouvel espace qui se met en place.”

URL : http://archivesic.ccsd.cnrs.fr/sic_00439849/fr/