Digital technologies have become central to
contemporary society. That has major implications for social science research.
Researching environments in which people learn, work, play, and socialise now
involves the use of digital data, including audio visual data (e.g. CCTV), social
networking sites, and computer log data. The aim of the Node is to develop apt
methodologies for researching these digital environments. More specifically the
Node aims to advance the quality and range of methodological approaches for
understanding the modes of representation and communication operating in
digital environments and to promote a step change in the quality of UK social
science in this area. The objectives of the Node are to:
1. Establish a strategic focal point for the development,
delivery and dissemination of multimodal research, training and capacity
building;
2. Design and conduct exploratory multimodal research that
facilitates the development and evaluation of innovative multimodal qualitative
research methods;
3. Provide a coherent program of training and capacity
building activities in multimodal research methods;
4. Expand insights from multimodality to relevant areas of
social science to build a multimodal research community.
Key details and themes
Throughout the Node activities multimodal
methods will be applied to a wide range of digital technologies including
digital video, online sites including social networking sites, online games,
Global Information Systems (GIS), mobile technologies, and leading edge
ubiquitous, sensory and tangible technologies. The Node will build a strong
connection between multimodal research methods and social scientific questions
relevant to fields of research where digital data and environments have a
central role (e.g. health, education, information science, environmental
studies, and social policy).
The Node activities are organised around
five methodological themes:
Capturing and analysing digital
data
Representation, transcription
and dissemination of multimodal digital data
Inter-disciplinary and mixed
methods
Researching time, place and
space in (multimodal) digital (data and) environments
Physicality and embodiment in digital (data and) environments
Alongside a comprehensive program of
training activities two exploratory research projects with a focus on
methodological development and leading edge digital technologies will be
undertaken.
Developing Multimodal Methods for Investigating
Digital Video (Bezemer, Kress and Kneebone).
This project looks at the production and use of digital data at the work place.
The ethnographic study is focused on the use of digital cameras in the
operating theatre, including laparoscopic cameras that generate magnified views
of body cavities during keyhole surgery.
Methods and challenges for digital technologies andembodiment (Price and Jewitt) this project will focus on ubiquitous
technologies, such as mobile devices and tangible interfaces, that support situated,
hands-on and action-based learning. It aims to address the methodological
challenges of investigating concepts of embodiment through multimodal methods
of research, in the context of science and GIS based teaching and learning
Digital technologies have become central to
contemporary society. That has major implications for social science research.
Researching environments in which people learn, work, play, and socialise now
involves the use of digital data, including audio visual data (e.g. CCTV), social
networking sites, and computer log data. The aim of the Node is to develop apt
methodologies for researching these digital environments. More specifically the
Node aims to advance the quality and range of methodological approaches for
understanding the modes of representation and communication operating in
digital environments and to promote a step change in the quality of UK social
science in this area. The objectives of the Node are to:
