communications technology research activity

Articles on Communications technology

Displaying 1 - 20 of 38 articles.

5G: UK risks losing its lead, but some simple steps could prevent that

Mark Kleinman , King's College London

Five myths about email at work and how to cope with communications overload

Emma Russell , Kingston University

Leaked emails: Ramaphosa’s hypocrisy on spying by the South African state

Jane Duncan , University of Johannesburg

End-to -end encryption isn’t enough security for ‘real people’

Megan Squire , Elon University

On the savanna, mobile phones haven’t transformed Maasai lives – yet

Timothy D. Baird , Virginia Tech

How to keep your mobile phone connected when the network is down

Paul Gardner-Stephen , Flinders University

Deep underground, smartphones can save miners’ lives

Sudeep Pasricha , Colorado State University

The next war will be an information war, and we’re not ready for it

David Stupples , City, University of London

How new technologies are shaking up health care

Tim Usherwood , University of Sydney

Talking to Mars: new antenna design could aid interplanetary communication

Jean Paul Santos , University of California, Los Angeles ; Joshua M Kovitz , University of California, Los Angeles , and Yahya Rahmat-Samii , University of California, Los Angeles

A promised ‘right’ to fast internet rings hollow for millions stuck with 20th-century  speeds

Bianca Reisdorf , University of Leicester and Anne-Marie Oostveen , University of Oxford

Three wireless technologies that could make 5G even faster

Mischa Dohler , King's College London

Australia’s got ICT talent – so how do we make the most of it?

Brian Anderson , Australian National University

Emergency services benefit from a high-speed world without wires

Ian Oppermann , CSIRO

We’ve got the iPhone habit, so what’s it doing to our brains?

Ian H Robertson , Trinity College Dublin

All this talk about lights hides bigger energy challenges

Allison Hui , Lancaster University and Elizabeth Shove , Lancaster University

Quantum system teleports an atom

The University of Queensland

Mobile phones are a window to the soul in modern research

John Palmer , Princeton University ; Frederic Bartumeus , Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) , and Thomas Espenshade , Princeton University

US ‘ choke-points ’ for Australian telecoms data are no surprise

Philip Branch , Swinburne University of Technology

We could be superheroes: the era of positive computing

Rafael A Calvo , University of Sydney

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Top contributors

Associate Professor in Telecommunications Engineering, Swinburne University of Technology

New Industries, Data61

Associate Professor Journalism & Media, Deakin University

Associate Professor of Geography, Virginia Tech

Graduate Researcher, Data61

Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science , Colorado State University

Visiting Fellow, Australian National University

Marie Curie Research Fellow, Princeton University

Distinguished Professor, Australian National University

Executive Director, Institute for a Broadband Enabled Society, The University of Melbourne

Researcher at Microsoft Research, Cambridge UK. Previously, The University of Queensland

Associate Professor, Center for Advanced Studies of Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)

Professor of Electrical Engineering/Electromagnetics, University of California, Los Angeles

Professor of Public Policy, King's College London

Professor of Sociology, Princeton University

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Article Contents

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The Past, Present, and Future of Human Communication and Technology Research: An Introduction

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Scott C. D’Urso, The Past, Present, and Future of Human Communication and Technology Research: An Introduction, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication , Volume 14, Issue 3, 1 April 2009, Pages 708–713, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2009.01459.x

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The study of computer-mediated communication (CMC) and new communication technologies (NCTs) is an established and growing field not only with respect to the new technologies becoming available, but also in the many ways we are adopting them for use. Historically, I have contended that this area of communication research deserves recognition as a primary area of communication studies alongside that of interpersonal, organizational, health, and rhetorical studies among others. While the CMC area is still in its infancy, its impact on a variety of areas of human existence cannot be ignored. That said, when I began to work on this special section of the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication ( JCMC ), it led me to more systematically consider the question of its place within the larger discipline of communication. This line of research has been gathering strength for more than 25 years and is now a strong and healthy subdiscipline in communication. This special section of JCMC seeks to tie together its rich past, diverse present, and an exciting future of possibilities and challenges. This takes place through a series of essays by some of the key contributors in the field today.

Most of the established areas of research in communication are centered on a solid base of theories. The CMC field is no different. From the work on social presence ( Short, Williams, & Christie, 1976 ), information (media) richness ( Daft & Lengel, 1984 , 1986 ), critical mass ( Markus, 1987 ), social influence ( Fulk, Schmitz, & Steinfeld, 1990 ), social information processing (SIP) ( Walther, 1992 ), social identity and deindividuation (SIDE) ( Spears & Lea, 1992 ), adaptive structuration ( DeSanctis & Poole, 1994 ), hyperpersonal interaction ( Walther, 1996 ), and channel expansion ( Carlson & Zmud, 1999 ) to the mindfulness/mindlessness work of Timmerman (2002) , theory development is central to CMC research. While it can be argued that some CMC theories are not exclusive to the study of CMC, the same can be said of some of the core theories of other primary areas such as interpersonal and organizational communication. What is more important is that scholars in this field of research are using these theories as the basis for research today.

CMC research continues to find its way into many top journals today (see, for example, Gong & Nass, 2007 ; Katz, 2007 ; Ramirez & Wang, 2008 ; Stephens, 2007 ) within our discipline, as well as in sociology, social psychology, and business management (see, for example, D’Urso & Rains, 2008 ; Katz, Rice, & Aspen, 2001 ; Walther, Loh, & Granka, 2005 ). Key contributions to this field date back over 25 years (see, for example, Barnes & Greller, 1992; Baym, 1995; Chesebro, 1985 ; Hunter & Allen, 1992 ; Jones, 1995 ; Korzenny, 1978 ; Parks & Floyd, 1996 ; Reese, 1988 ; Rice, 1980 ; Rice, 1984 ; Sproull & Kiesler, 1986 ; Steinfield, 1992 ). This diversity of publication outlets and the longevity of this research line are but a few of the examples of the breath and depth of CMC research. One key trait of most established fields is the existence of a flagship journal that is the home for that genre of research. In the case of CMC research, JCMC is considered by many to fulfill that role. Published in an online format since 1995, JCMC is now an official publication of the International Communication Association (ICA). Beyond journal publications, it is rather difficult these days to peruse the bookshelves in communication research and not notice the plethora of volumes dedicated to the study of CMC. The importance of the Internet in today's society has undoubtedly played a role in this publication trend; however, many of the books are scholarly and present some of today's best research in this area.

As has been seen with the number of articles and books published on this topic, the numbers of scholars who study CMC are also increasing. Though a number of the key scholars in this field are housed in other areas such as organizational and interpersonal communication, their work routinely looks at how CMC impacts communication (see Contractor & Eisenberg, 1990 ; Fulk, Flanagin, Kalman, Monge, & Ryan, 1996 ; Rice, 1993 ). One key factor in determining if CMC research should be a distinct subset of communication research can be seen at annual conferences such as the National Communication Association (NCA) and ICA. Here, graduate students who are preparing to enter the job market are seeing more and more openings for faculty positions with CMC as a potential area of specialization. This trend does not appear to be going away anytime soon.

Both NCA and ICA have prominent divisions in their respective organizations concerned with understanding CMC. In ICA, the Communication and Technology Division is now the largest in the entire association. In NCA, the Human Communication and Technology Division has a sustained membership of over 500. Looking back at the past several NCA conference programs, one cannot help but notice the presence of this division through the sponsorship of numerous panels and papers. As the recent Cochair for this division, I felt it was time that we made our presence more prominent within NCA. In 2007, we invited a number of prominent scholars to participate in a unique double-length panel discussion. Each of the 10 panelists, featured in the special section, presented and discussed their thoughts on the past, present and future of research in CMC with the audience. The success of the panel, and the interest generated by the panel, led to this special section.

Having reconsidered my original thoughts on identifying CMC research as a primary area of communication research, I have come to the conclusion that it may have become a moot point. CMC scholars are uniquely positioned to study the vast impact that communication technologies have had and are having on our society. Looking back at the past volumes of JCMC , the diversity of topics covered includes: interpersonal, medical, psychological, organizational, political, behavioral, and management studies. This diversity of research across disciplines places the CMC field in a unique position to be at the heart of many disciplinary endeavors in communication. However, is it a distinct and separate field of communication research? Yes, but without its cross-disciplinary approach, its overall impact on communication research may be seen as implausible.

To highlight the varied aspects of CMC research, this special section presents the thoughts of some of the prominent scholars in today's field of CMC. Rice (this issue) begins with what is most likely unique common experience for many as we struggle with our day-to-day interactions with technology. The particular story that Rice relates to us focuses on the embeddedness of CMC in our lives today and the challenges we face in understanding them in a larger context. These experiences and our understanding of their importance to our research are of particular interest to Baym (this issue) who notes that our interactions with technology are seen as a welcome trend. However, we must remain cautious as to what and how we research CMC, both now and in the future. Parks (this issue) offers that a microlevel approach to studying CMC may be problematic as compared to a broader approach to the technologies and their usage over time. To illustrate this point, Jackson's (this issue) discussion of the blending of technologies and concepts through “mashups” drives home the need for a broader approach to how we not only use, but research CMC.

One of the fastest growing areas of CMC research, social networking, represents what Barnes (this issue) considers another aspect of the convergence of CMC and human interaction. This falls in line with Contractor's (this issue) call for understanding the motivations behind why we seek these networked connections through mediated means. The development of future theory and research in this area will have the potential for far reaching implications across the CMC discipline.

From a theory standpoint, Walther (this issue) wonders whether our fields' development suffers from efforts at theoretical consolidation, rather than diversification of explanations and their boundary conditions that are critical in CMC research. Scott (this issue) provides potential directions for research and theory development, but does so with caution, because as he explains, “we can't keep up” with the technological innovations, and it may not be in our best interest to do so. Poole (this issue) sees consolidation of our efforts as a potential route through a combined process of data collection and sharing similar to how other disciplines operate. However we choose to proceed, it is clear, as Fulk and Gould (this issue) note, that we face many challenges ahead, but that the potential to really enhance the field of CMC research lies in our ability to meet these challenges.

I hope you enjoy what we have assembled here in this special section. There are many areas of research, theory development, and new communication technologies for us to ponder now and in the future. We find ourselves in an exciting period in CMC research history and the future looks very promising.

Barnes , S. , & Greller , L. M. ( 1994 ). Computer-mediated communication in the organization . Communication Education , 43 , 129 – 142 .

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Baym , N. K. ( 1999 ). Tune in, log on: Soaps, fandom, and online community . Thousand Oaks, CA : Sage .

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Carlson , J. R. , & Zmud , R. W. ( 1999 ). Channel expansion theory and the experimental nature of media richness perceptions . Academy of Management Journal , 42 , 153 – 170 .

Chesebro , J. W. ( 1985 ). Computer-mediated interpersonal communication . In B. D. Ruben (Ed.), Information and behavior (Vol. 1, pp. 202 – 222 ). New Brunswick, NJ : Transaction Books .

Contractor , N. S. , & Eisenberg , E. M. ( 1990 ). Communication networks and new media in organizations . In J. Fulk & C. W. Steinfield (Eds.) Organizations and Communication Technology (pp. 145 – 174 ). Newbury Park, CA : Sage .

DeSanctis , G. , & Poole , M. S. ( 1994 ). Capturing the complexity in advanced technology use: Adaptive structuration theory . Organization Science , 5 , 121 – 147 .

Daft , R. L. , & Lengel , R. H. ( 1984 ). Information richness: A new approach to managerial behavior and organization design . In B. M. Staw & L. L. Cummings (Eds.), Research in Organizational Behavior (Vol. 6, pp. 191 – 233 ). Greenwich, CT : JAI Press .

Daft , R. L. , & Lengel , R. H. ( 1986 ). Organizational information requirements, media richness, and structural determinants . Management Science , 32 , 554 – 571 .

D’Urso , S. C. , & Rains , S. A. ( 2008 ). Examining the scope of channel expansion: A test of channel expansion theory with new and traditional communication media . Management Communication Quarterly , 21 , 486 – 507 .

Fulk , J. , Flanagin , A. J. , Kalman , M. E. , Monge , P. R. , & Ryan , T. ( 1996 ). Connective and communal public goods in interactive communication systems . Communication Theory , 6 , 60 – 87 .

Fulk , J. , Schmitz , J. , & Steinfield , C. W. ( 1990 ). A social influence model of technology use . In J. Fulk & C. Steinfield (Eds.), Organization and communication technology (pp. 117 – 140 ). Newbury Park, CA : Sage .

Gong , L. & Nass , C. ( 2007 ). When a talking-face computer agent is half-human and half-humanoid: Human identity and consistency preference . Human Communication Research , 33 , 163 – 193 .

Hunter , J. , & Allen , M. ( 1992 ). Adaptation to electronic mail . Journal of Applied Communication Research , 20 , 254 – 274 .

Jones , S. G. ( 1995 ). Understanding community in the information age . In S. G. Jones (Ed.), Cybersociety: Computer-mediated communication and community (pp. 10 – 35 ). Thousand Oaks, CA : Sage .

Katz , J. E. ( 2007 ). Mobile media and communication: Some important questions . Communication Monographs , 74 , 389 – 394 .

Katz , J. E. , Rice , R. E. , & Aspden , P. ( 2001 ). The Internet, 1995-2000: Access, civic involvement, and social interaction . American Behavioral Scientist , 45 , 405 – 419 .

Korzenny , F. ( 1978 ). A theory of electronic propinquity: Mediated communication in organizations . Communication Research , 5 , 3 – 23 .

Markus , M. L. ( 1987 ). Toward a “critical mass” theory of interactive media: Universal access, interdependence and diffusion . Communication Research , 14 , 491 – 511 .

Parks , M. R. , Floyd , K. ( 1996 ). Making friends in cyberspace . Journal of Communication , 46 , 80 – 97 .

Ramirez , A. & Wang , Z. ( 2008 ). When online meets offline: An expectancy violations theory perspective on modality switching . Journal of Communication , 58 , 20 – 39 .

Reese , S. D. ( 1988 ). New communication technologies and the information worker: The influence of occupation . Journal of Communication , 38 , 59 – 70 .

Rice , R. E. ( 1980 ). The impacts of computer-mediated organizational and interpersonal communication . In M. Williams (Ed.), Annual review of information science and technology , 15 (pp. 221 – 249 ). White Plains, NY : Knowledge Industry Publications .

Rice , R. E. & Associates . ( 1984 ). The new media: Communication, research and technology . Beverly Hills, CA : Sage .

Rice , R. E. ( 1993 ). Media appropriateness: Using social presence theory to compare traditional and new organizational media . Human Communication Research , 19 , 451 – 484 .

Short , J. , Williams , E. , & Christie , B. ( 1976 ). The social psychology of telecommunication . London : John Wiley .

Spears , R , & Lea , M. ( 1992 ). Social influence and the influence of the “social” in computer-mediated communication . In M. Lea (Ed.), Contexts of computer-mediated communication (pp. 30 – 65 ). London : Harvester-Wheatsheaf .

Sproull , L. , & Kiesler , S. ( 1986 ). Reducing social context cues: Electronic mail in organizational communication . Management Science , 32 , 1492 – 1512 .

Steinfield , C. ( 1992 ). Computer-mediated communications in organizational settings: Emerging conceptual frameworks and directions for research . Management Communication Quarterly , 5 , 348 – 365 .

Stephens , K. K. ( 2007 ). The successive use of information and communication technologies at work . Communication Theory , 17 , 486 – 507 .

Timmerman , C. E. ( 2002 ). The moderating effect of mindlessness/mindfulness upon media richness and social influence explanations of organizational media use . Communication Monographs , 69 , 111 – 131 .

Walther , J. B. ( 1992 ). Interpersonal effects in computer-mediated interaction: A relational perspective . Communication Research , 19 , 52 – 90 .

Walther , J. B. ( 1996 ). Computer-mediated communication: Impersonal, interpersonal, and hyperpersonal interaction . Communication Research , 23 , 1 – 43 .

Walther , J. B. , Loh , T. , Granka , L. ( 2005 ). Let me count the ways: The interchange of verbal and nonverbal cues in computer-mediated and face-to-face affinity . Journal of Language and Social Psychology , 24 , 36 – 65 .

Scott C. D’Urso (Ph.D., 2004, University of Texas at Austin) is an Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Marquette University, where he teaches courses focused on organizational and corporate communication and new communication technology. Scott's primary research interests include organizational use of communication technologies such as e-mail, instant messaging and chat. He has published manuscripts on privacy and surveillance in the workplace, communication channel selection, crisis communication and stakeholder issues. He is currently working on several projects including digital divides in organizations, virtual team decision-making, and the role of online identity creation and privacy concerns with social networking websites. Prior to a career in academia, Scott worked for several years as a multimedia specialist/manager of a multimedia production department for a government defense contractor in the Southwest.

The author wishes to thank Yun Xia, and all of the officers of the Human Communication and Technology Division of NCA (past and present) as well as all of the authors who contributed to this special section, and finally, Aimee R. Hardinger, who served as editorial assistant for this special section.

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Media and Communication Thesis Topics

300 Media and Communication Thesis Topics and Ideas

Media and communication is a rapidly evolving field, encompassing traditional platforms like broadcasting and print media, while expanding into new territories such as digital media, social platforms, and multimedia storytelling. For students pursuing degrees in media and communication, choosing the right thesis topic is essential to reflect the dynamic changes in the industry and its global impact. This comprehensive list of 300 media and communication thesis topics is divided into 10 categories, covering current issues, recent trends, and future directions in the field. Each category offers diverse topics that span various disciplines within the media landscape, providing ample research opportunities for students interested in everything from political communication to visual media.

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• The role of media in promoting sustainable development goals in developing countries.
• Investigating the impact of community radio in rural development.
• The influence of mobile technology on development communication in Africa.
• Exploring the role of social media in disaster communication in developing regions.
• The effectiveness of development communication strategies in poverty alleviation programs.
• Investigating the impact of mass media campaigns on public health in developing countries.
• The role of participatory communication in gender equality advocacy.
• Exploring the effectiveness of media literacy programs in promoting development communication.
• Investigating the role of television programs in educating rural populations on health issues.
• The impact of digital platforms on development communication in education sectors.
• Exploring the role of film in raising awareness about environmental issues.
• Investigating the use of social media by NGOs for development communication.
• The role of traditional media in modern development communication strategies.
• Exploring the impact of cultural sensitivity in development communication programs.
• Investigating the effectiveness of mobile health communication programs in developing countries.
• The role of the internet in bridging the communication gap in remote communities.
• Exploring the impact of media on agricultural development in rural regions.
• Investigating the role of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) in economic development.
• The effectiveness of media interventions in child education programs.
• The role of public service announcements in health-related development communication.
• Investigating the use of local language broadcasting in promoting literacy.
• The influence of social media in promoting awareness about climate change in developing countries.
• Exploring the impact of development communication on reducing maternal mortality rates.
• The role of print media in promoting civic engagement in development projects.
• Investigating the role of media in combating malnutrition in rural communities.
• The role of participatory video in amplifying the voices of marginalized communities.
• Investigating the impact of radio dramas in promoting social change.
• The role of communication in empowering women through microfinance programs.
• Exploring the influence of media in shaping public perceptions of development aid.
• The effectiveness of using storytelling in development communication strategies.

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• The impact of algorithms on content visibility in social media platforms.
• Investigating the influence of digital advertising on consumer behavior.
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• Exploring the ethics of data collection and privacy in digital media.
• Investigating the economic impact of digital streaming services on the traditional entertainment industry.
• The role of social media in political mobilization: Case studies from recent elections.
• The effect of social media echo chambers on public discourse.
• Investigating the rise of user-generated content and its impact on traditional media.
• Exploring the relationship between digital media consumption and mental health.
• The role of meme culture in political communication.
• Investigating the impact of virtual reality in media storytelling.
• The influence of artificial intelligence on digital content creation.
• The role of social media algorithms in shaping news dissemination.
• Investigating the effects of social media on brand loyalty in digital marketing.
• Exploring the use of digital media for social activism and advocacy.
• The role of digital media in crisis communication and disaster management.
• Investigating the relationship between digital media literacy and fake news consumption.
• The impact of TikTok on the evolution of short-form content in the media industry.
• The role of social media platforms in amplifying social movements.
• Investigating the effectiveness of digital media in combating misinformation.
• Exploring the influence of digital media on cross-cultural communication.
• The role of YouTube in the rise of citizen journalism.
• Investigating the economics of the influencer marketing industry.
• Exploring the impact of digital platforms on traditional journalism ethics.
• The role of digital media in promoting environmental awareness.
• Investigating the relationship between video games and digital communication trends.
• The impact of digital journalism on the evolution of investigative reporting.
• Exploring the role of podcasting in reshaping media consumption habits.
• Investigating the influence of digital media on the music industry.
• The role of social media in shaping youth political engagement.

3. Intercultural Communication Thesis Topics

• The role of intercultural communication in multinational business operations.
• Investigating the challenges of intercultural communication in global virtual teams.
• Exploring the impact of cultural identity on communication in international diplomacy.
• The role of media in shaping intercultural perceptions.
• Investigating the influence of globalization on intercultural communication.
• The impact of intercultural communication on crisis negotiation and conflict resolution.
• Exploring the effectiveness of intercultural training programs in corporate settings.
• The role of intercultural communication in international education exchanges.
• Investigating the role of social media in bridging intercultural communication gaps.
• Exploring the impact of cultural differences on communication strategies in global marketing.
• The influence of media portrayals on intercultural understanding.
• Investigating the role of cultural sensitivity in international journalism.
• The role of film in fostering intercultural dialogue and understanding.
• Investigating communication challenges in cross-cultural healthcare settings.
• The role of language barriers in intercultural communication breakdowns.
• Exploring the influence of Western media on non-Western cultures.
• The role of global media corporations in shaping intercultural communication dynamics.
• Investigating the effects of cultural stereotypes in international advertising.
• The impact of media on the assimilation of immigrants into host cultures.
• Exploring the role of intercultural communication in global tourism.
• Investigating the influence of intercultural competence on expatriate success.
• The role of digital communication in fostering intercultural collaborations.
• Exploring the challenges of intercultural communication in post-colonial societies.
• The role of media in promoting cross-cultural awareness in education.
• Investigating the influence of globalization on language and communication.
• The role of intercultural communication in fostering international business relationships.
• Exploring the impact of cultural heritage on communication practices.
• Investigating intercultural communication in international sports events.
• The role of communication technology in bridging cultural divides.
• Exploring the effectiveness of intercultural communication in conflict resolution efforts.

4. Journalism Thesis Topics

• The role of investigative journalism in shaping public opinion on corruption.
• Investigating the impact of digital media on traditional journalism ethics.
• The influence of fake news on journalistic credibility.
• Exploring the role of data journalism in covering complex issues.
• The role of social media in reshaping journalistic practices.
• Investigating the effects of political bias in news reporting.
• The impact of mobile journalism on news consumption trends.
• Exploring the relationship between journalism and public trust in the media.
• The role of citizen journalism in political activism.
• Investigating the influence of corporate ownership on media independence.
• Exploring the ethical challenges of reporting on global crises.
• The role of photojournalism in shaping global narratives.
• Investigating the role of journalists in conflict reporting.
• The impact of AI-driven journalism on news accuracy and reliability.
• Exploring the role of podcasting in the evolution of modern journalism.
• The influence of journalism on election outcomes: A case study analysis.
• Investigating the role of news deserts in diminishing democratic participation.
• The impact of audience engagement on journalistic content creation.
• Exploring the effects of 24-hour news cycles on journalism quality.
• Investigating the ethics of embedded journalism in war reporting.
• The role of freelance journalism in the modern media ecosystem.
• Exploring the relationship between journalism and propaganda in authoritarian regimes.
• Investigating the rise of digital news platforms and their impact on traditional newspapers.
• The role of journalism in uncovering environmental crises.
• Exploring the effects of journalism on public health awareness during pandemics.
• Investigating the role of media watchdog organizations in holding journalists accountable.
• The impact of media concentration on journalistic diversity.
• Exploring the role of journalism in promoting social justice movements.
• Investigating the role of journalism in safeguarding democracy.
• The influence of tabloid journalism on public perception of celebrities.

5. Mass Communication Thesis Topics

• The influence of mass media on shaping public perceptions of climate change.
• Investigating the role of mass communication in political campaigning.
• The impact of television on shaping cultural values in the digital age.
• Exploring the role of mass communication in crisis management.
• Investigating the effects of media ownership on content diversity in mass communication.
• The role of media in shaping public attitudes toward immigration.
• Exploring the impact of mass communication on national identity.
• The effects of media consolidation on journalistic independence.
• Investigating the role of mass communication in promoting health literacy.
• The impact of mass media on public perceptions of global conflicts.
• Exploring the role of mass communication in influencing consumer behavior.
• Investigating the effects of reality television on cultural values.
• The influence of mass media on shaping public opinions about terrorism.
• Exploring the role of mass communication in promoting political ideologies.
• The impact of mass media on mental health awareness campaigns.
• Investigating the role of mass communication in shaping perceptions of gender roles.
• The effects of digitalization on mass communication theories.
• Exploring the role of mass communication in shaping attitudes toward public policy.
• Investigating the effects of news framing in mass communication.
• The role of mass media in the globalization of pop culture.
• Exploring the effects of mass communication on social movements.
• The influence of mass media on shaping ethical considerations in society.
• Investigating the role of mass communication in fostering political polarization.
• The effects of mass media coverage on public responses to pandemics.
• Exploring the role of mass communication in educating the public about scientific issues.
• Investigating the role of mass communication in shaping perceptions of environmental sustainability.
• The effects of mass media on shaping perceptions of economic crises.
• Exploring the influence of mass media on the evolution of fashion trends.
• Investigating the role of mass communication in socializing youth.
• The impact of mass communication on public support for military interventions.

6. Media Thesis Topics

• The impact of media ownership on editorial independence in the news industry.
• Investigating the role of media in shaping public perceptions of international conflicts.
• The influence of social media on traditional media consumption patterns.
• Exploring the role of media in the promotion of political agendas.
• Investigating the effects of media conglomerates on content diversity.
• The role of media in shaping public opinion during elections.
• The impact of 24-hour news networks on public understanding of current events.
• Investigating the role of media in shaping societal views on mental health.
• The influence of media coverage on public perceptions of immigration.
• Exploring the role of the media in promoting gender equality.
• Investigating the effects of media censorship in authoritarian regimes.
• The impact of new media on the future of print journalism.
• Exploring the role of media in shaping perceptions of climate change.
• The influence of media on consumer culture in the digital age.
• Investigating the impact of biased media reporting on public trust.
• The role of media in shaping narratives around environmental sustainability.
• Exploring the impact of media portrayals of violence on youth behavior.
• Investigating the role of media in shaping public perceptions of social movements.
• The influence of media representation on racial and ethnic identity.
• Exploring the impact of the internet on traditional media industries.
• Investigating the role of media in promoting democracy in developing nations.
• The role of digital media in shaping political activism.
• Exploring the effects of media consolidation on local news coverage.
• Investigating the role of media in shaping perceptions of the criminal justice system.
• The influence of media coverage on the stigma of mental illness.
• The role of media in shaping attitudes toward LGBT+ issues.
• Investigating the impact of media depictions of war on public opinion.
• The influence of celebrity endorsements on media-driven marketing campaigns.
• Exploring the role of media in shaping perceptions of economic inequality.
• Investigating the influence of alternative media platforms on political discourse.

7. Multimedia Thesis Topics

• The impact of multimedia storytelling on audience engagement.
• Investigating the role of interactive media in enhancing learning experiences.
• The effects of virtual reality (VR) on multimedia communication.
• Exploring the role of multimedia content in digital marketing strategies.
• The influence of multimedia journalism on audience perceptions of news credibility.
• Investigating the impact of animation in multimedia advertising.
• The role of multimedia content in brand storytelling.
• Exploring the effects of immersive media on audience empathy.
• Investigating the influence of multimedia campaigns on public health awareness.
• The role of multimedia in enhancing political communication strategies.
• Exploring the relationship between multimedia formats and consumer behavior.
• The impact of 360-degree video on multimedia content consumption.
• Investigating the role of multimedia in virtual events and conferences.
• Exploring the influence of multimedia on visual storytelling in the film industry.
• The role of multimedia in creating engaging e-learning platforms.
• Investigating the effects of multimedia design on user experience in mobile applications.
• The impact of multimedia in shaping corporate communication strategies.
• Exploring the role of multimedia in interactive journalism.
• Investigating the effects of multimedia content on political advocacy campaigns.
• The role of multimedia in shaping digital activism.
• The influence of multimedia on enhancing museum exhibits and cultural experiences.
• Exploring the impact of multimedia in news reporting and citizen journalism.
• Investigating the relationship between multimedia content and audience trust.
• The role of multimedia storytelling in promoting social causes.
• Exploring the impact of multimedia in interactive advertising campaigns.
• The influence of multimedia presentations on educational outcomes.
• Investigating the role of multimedia in crisis communication during natural disasters.
• The effects of multimedia formats on audience engagement in podcasts and web series.
• Exploring the role of augmented reality (AR) in multimedia content creation.
• The influence of multimedia platforms on contemporary art and design.

8. Political Communication Thesis Topics

• The role of social media in shaping political discourse during elections.
• Investigating the impact of political advertising on voter behavior.
• The influence of media framing on public opinion regarding political issues.
• Exploring the role of televised political debates in shaping electoral outcomes.
• Investigating the use of political communication strategies in grassroots movements.
• The role of fake news in undermining political campaigns.
• The impact of political satire on public engagement with political issues.
• Investigating the role of political influencers on social media.
• Exploring the influence of media bias in political communication.
• The role of data analytics in shaping modern political communication strategies.
• Investigating the impact of social media bots on political discourse.
• The role of political communication in shaping public perceptions of national security.
• Exploring the use of digital media in political campaign fundraising.
• Investigating the role of political communication in international relations.
• The impact of political scandals on media coverage and voter behavior.
• Exploring the effects of partisan media on political polarization.
• Investigating the role of political communication in shaping public trust in government.
• The influence of social media algorithms on political news consumption.
• The role of political communication in shaping global climate change policies.
• Investigating the effectiveness of political communication during health crises.
• The impact of political endorsements on media coverage and voter support.
• Exploring the role of communication strategies in promoting political transparency.
• Investigating the relationship between political rhetoric and media framing.
• The role of political communication in addressing social justice movements.
• Exploring the role of traditional media vs. new media in political campaigns.
• Investigating the role of political communication in shaping foreign policy decisions.
• The influence of media coverage on public perception of political leaders.
• Exploring the use of viral marketing in political communication strategies.
• Investigating the effects of negative political advertising on public sentiment.
• The role of political communication in shaping international diplomacy efforts.

9. Public Relations Thesis Topics

• The role of public relations in crisis management for corporations.
• Investigating the impact of social media on public relations strategies.
• Exploring the role of public relations in shaping corporate reputation.
• The influence of public relations on consumer trust in brands.
• Investigating the use of influencer marketing in modern public relations campaigns.
• The role of public relations in promoting corporate social responsibility (CSR).
• Exploring the effects of digital public relations on media relations.
• Investigating the role of public relations in shaping brand identity.
• The impact of public relations strategies on non-profit organizations.
• Exploring the role of public relations in enhancing government communication strategies.
• Investigating the use of storytelling in public relations campaigns.
• The role of public relations in shaping public opinion during a crisis.
• Exploring the impact of press releases on media coverage.
• The role of public relations in political campaigns.
• Investigating the influence of public relations on stakeholder engagement.
• The role of public relations in navigating brand reputation in the digital age.
• Exploring the impact of public relations on investor relations and corporate finance.
• Investigating the role of public relations in promoting diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• The effects of digital media on traditional public relations practices.
• Exploring the role of public relations in enhancing brand loyalty.
• Investigating the use of public relations in international diplomacy.
• The impact of crisis communication strategies on public relations outcomes.
• Exploring the role of public relations in celebrity brand management.
• Investigating the influence of media training on public relations professionals.
• The role of public relations in shaping global brand strategies.
• Exploring the effectiveness of public relations in healthcare communication campaigns.
• Investigating the relationship between public relations and corporate governance.
• The role of public relations in promoting sustainability initiatives.
• Exploring the role of public relations in managing corporate mergers and acquisitions.
• Investigating the impact of public relations on crisis recovery and brand rebuilding.

10. Visual Communication Thesis Topics

• Investigating the role of visual storytelling in advertising campaigns.
• Exploring the impact of visual communication on brand identity.
• The effects of color psychology in visual marketing strategies.
• Investigating the role of infographics in enhancing information retention.
• The impact of visual communication on political advertising.
• Exploring the use of visual narratives in social justice campaigns.
• Investigating the influence of graphic design on user engagement in digital platforms.
• The role of visual communication in environmental activism.
• Exploring the effects of visual communication on audience perceptions of news media.
• Investigating the role of typography in shaping brand communication.
• The influence of visual communication on consumer behavior in e-commerce.
• Exploring the role of photography in shaping public opinion on global issues.
• Investigating the effectiveness of visual communication in public health campaigns.
• The role of motion graphics in digital marketing strategies.
• Exploring the impact of visual communication on shaping perceptions of gender roles.
• The role of visual aesthetics in enhancing user experience on mobile apps.
• Investigating the use of visual communication in promoting cultural awareness.
• The influence of visual design on website credibility and trustworthiness.
• Exploring the effects of visual communication on engagement with educational content.
• Investigating the role of visual branding in shaping corporate identity.
• The impact of visual metaphors in health communication campaigns.
• Exploring the influence of visual storytelling on audience empathy in documentaries.
• The role of visual communication in creating effective social media content.
• Investigating the impact of visual elements in political campaign messaging.
• The role of augmented reality (AR) in enhancing visual communication strategies.
• Exploring the influence of visual communication on consumer perceptions of luxury brands.
• The role of data visualization in improving understanding of complex topics.
• Investigating the effects of visual communication on brand recall and recognition.
• The impact of visual communication on fostering community engagement in social media groups.
• Exploring the role of visual communication in shaping public perceptions of technological innovation.

This extensive list of 300 media and communication thesis topics spans a wide range of subjects within the field, offering students plenty of opportunities to explore issues relevant to today’s rapidly evolving media landscape. From investigating the impact of digital platforms on journalism to studying intercultural communication in multinational corporations, these topics provide a solid foundation for meaningful and impactful thesis research. By selecting a topic that aligns with both current trends and future developments, students can make significant contributions to the field of media and communication.

The Range of Media and Communication Thesis Topics

Media and Communication are vital fields that shape how information, culture, and ideas are shared and perceived globally. In an age dominated by digital platforms, instant communication, and multimedia storytelling, the study of Media and Communication offers students a vast range of opportunities to explore topics that have far-reaching implications for society, politics, business, and culture. Choosing a thesis topic in this dynamic field provides students with the chance to contribute meaningful research on current issues, emerging trends, and future directions. This article explores the range of Media and Communication thesis topics, divided into areas that reflect the industry’s challenges and innovations.

Current Issues in Media and Communication

The media landscape today is fraught with challenges and evolving at a rapid pace. Current issues in media and communication revolve around ethics, representation, and the balance between freedom of expression and the spread of misinformation. These issues create ripe opportunities for academic exploration.

• Misinformation and Fake News One of the most pressing challenges in the media landscape is the proliferation of fake news and misinformation, especially on social media platforms. The ease with which false information spreads has created an environment where truth is often difficult to discern. Thesis topics in this area could explore the mechanisms that allow misinformation to flourish, the role of algorithms in promoting misleading content, and the effectiveness of media literacy programs aimed at combating misinformation. Research could also examine how news organizations are adapting their strategies to retain credibility and regain public trust.
• Media Ethics and Accountability Media ethics, particularly in digital journalism, is another critical issue. The 24-hour news cycle, sensationalism, and the need for quick reporting have sometimes compromised journalistic standards. Topics could investigate the tension between ethical reporting and commercial pressures, the rise of clickbait culture, or the role of independent media watchdogs in ensuring media accountability. The ethical use of personal data by media companies also presents a timely issue, especially as the lines blur between journalism, entertainment, and advertising.
• Representation and Diversity in Media Media has the power to shape perceptions, and issues of representation—whether based on race, gender, ethnicity, or class—remain central to media studies. Research in this area could focus on how certain groups are portrayed in the media, whether diversity initiatives in the media industry are effective, or how media representation influences public opinion and policy. This area is especially relevant given the global conversation on race and social justice, and how media organizations respond to these movements.

Recent Trends in Media and Communication

As technology evolves, so does the media landscape. Recent trends in media and communication reflect the integration of digital platforms, the rise of multimedia content, and the increasing influence of social media on public discourse.

• The Rise of Digital and Social Media Digital platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok have revolutionized how people consume and share information. Social media is now a central channel for everything from political discourse to brand marketing. Thesis topics could examine the influence of social media on public opinion, how social media algorithms shape the content people see, or the role of influencers in modern marketing strategies. Additionally, research could focus on the economic impact of digital platforms on traditional media industries, or the growing role of citizen journalism in democratizing information.
• Multimedia Storytelling and Immersive Content Multimedia storytelling—using a combination of text, audio, video, and interactive elements—has transformed how stories are told. This trend is especially significant in areas like digital marketing, journalism, and entertainment. Topics in this area could explore the impact of immersive content like virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) on audience engagement, or how multimedia storytelling is used in digital advertising to build brand narratives. The evolution of podcasting and the rise of video content on platforms like YouTube and Instagram provide additional areas of study, particularly concerning their influence on content creation and consumption habits.
• The Economics of Media in the Digital Age The business models of traditional media outlets have been disrupted by the internet and digital advertising. Today, platforms like Google and Facebook dominate digital advertising revenues, leaving traditional media struggling to find sustainable revenue streams. Thesis topics could investigate how digital subscriptions, paywalls, and crowdfunding are reshaping the business of news. Research could also explore the challenges and opportunities for independent media platforms and how they are navigating the digital media landscape. The role of big tech companies in shaping media economics is also a pertinent area of study, as these companies control the algorithms and platforms through which most digital content is accessed.

Future Directions in Media and Communication

Looking forward, the future of media and communication is likely to be shaped by advancements in technology, as well as shifting societal norms. Students can explore thesis topics that not only analyze current trends but also anticipate the future direction of the media industry.

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation in Media The use of AI and automation in media production is rapidly gaining traction, influencing everything from news reporting to content recommendation systems. AI can write news articles, create marketing copy, and even edit videos. However, the ethical and practical implications of this automation raise important questions. Thesis topics could focus on the impact of AI on jobs in the media industry, the potential for AI to enhance personalization in media consumption, or the ethical considerations surrounding automated content creation. Another avenue of research could explore how AI is being used to combat misinformation through automated fact-checking systems.
• The Role of Data in Personalizing Media Content As data becomes more integral to the media industry, personalization has become a key trend. Media companies now collect vast amounts of data on audience behavior, preferences, and consumption habits to tailor content to individual users. Thesis research could explore the implications of data-driven personalization for both consumers and content creators. Is personalization narrowing the content spectrum, creating echo chambers? Or is it enhancing user engagement and satisfaction? Additionally, the impact of data privacy regulations on media companies’ ability to use personal data for content curation could provide a timely research focus.
• Sustainability and Green Media Practices As global awareness of environmental issues grows, the media industry is starting to consider its own sustainability practices. From reducing the environmental footprint of media production to promoting eco-conscious content, the future of media will increasingly intersect with sustainability concerns. Thesis topics could investigate how media organizations are integrating sustainability into their operations, or how media can be used as a tool to promote environmental awareness. Research could also examine the rise of sustainable marketing practices in media campaigns and the challenges of aligning media production with environmental goals.

The field of media and communication offers students a diverse array of topics that are both academically challenging and relevant to real-world issues. Whether exploring the impact of digital media, addressing ethical concerns in journalism, or investigating the role of AI in media production, thesis research in this area provides opportunities to engage with critical issues that are shaping our world today and into the future. By choosing a thesis topic that aligns with their academic interests and career goals, students can contribute to the ongoing conversation about the future of media and communication in an increasingly connected, digital society.

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• Research article
• Open access
• Published: 10 September 2020

Enhancing the roles of information and communication technologies in doctoral research processes

• Sarah J. Stein   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-0024-1675 1 &
• Kwong Nui Sim 2  

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education volume  17 , Article number:  34 ( 2020 ) Cite this article

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While information and communication technologies (ICT) are prominent in educational practices at most levels of formal learning, there is relatively little known about the skills and understandings that underlie their effective and efficient use in research higher degree settings. This project aimed to identify doctoral supervisors’ and students’ perceptions of their roles in using ICT. Data were gathered through participative drawing and individual discussion sessions. Participants included 11 students and two supervisors from two New Zealand universities. Focus of the thematic analysis was on the views expressed by students about their ideas, practices and beliefs, in relation to their drawings. The major finding was that individuals hold assumptions and expectations about ICT and their use; they make judgements and take action based on those expectations and assumptions. Knowing about ICT and knowing about research processes separately form only part of the work of doctoral study. Just as supervision cannot be considered independently of the research project and the student involved, ICT skills and the use of ICT cannot be considered in the absence of the people and the project. What is more important in terms of facilitating the doctoral research process is students getting their “flow” right. This indicates a need to provide explicit support to enable students to embed ICT within their own research processes.

Background/context

Information and communication technologies (ICT) can bring either joy or challenge to well-versed academic practices, and either create barriers to learning and development or be the answer to needs. While some grasp and pursue opportunities to make use of various ICT for study, research and teaching, others struggle. Despite documented and anecdotal positive urges to adopt ICT to increase and improve efficiency and effectiveness, staff and students struggle experience ICT as needless and difficult-to-use interruptions. There is often little need seen to change practices by introducing ICT into ways of working. Exploring these views and experiences was the focus of this project. Being empathetic to views such as those expressed by Castañeda and Selwyn ( 2018 ), we did not approach this investigation from a position that assumes that ICT are natural and needed solutions to problems related to improving and facilitating effective learning, teaching and research. Rather, we took a more neutral stance, wishing to explore the experiences of those involved, namely, students and staff, through discussion with them about their ICT practices and views, and with a specific focus on doctoral study and supervision.

Doctoral supervision and the role, place and nature of the doctorate are receiving increasing attention in higher education research literature. A wide range of topics have been covered from, for example, the importance and types of support for students throughout candidature (e.g., Zhou & Okahana, 2019 ); to the teaching and supervision aspects of doctoral supervision (e.g., Åkerlind & McAlpine, 2017 ; Cotterall, 2011 ; Lee, 2008 ).

With advancements in, accessibility to, and development of, ICT within education settings has come a plethora of research into online and blended learning. These studies often highlight the capacity of ICT for facilitating teaching, learning and administrative activity within educational institutions and systems (e.g., Marshall & Shepherd, 2016 ). They cover numerous areas of importance from theoretical, practical, and philosophical angles and include the perspectives and needs of learners, educators and institutions (e.g., Nichols, Anderson, Campbell, & Thompson, 2014 ).

There are also studies on student use of ICT, though not necessarily doctoral students, and these cover a wide range of topics including specific ICT skills (e.g., Stensaker, Maassen, Borgan, Oftebro, & Karseth, 2007 ). Where postgraduate research students are concerned, some studies on ICT skill development and support provide some insights about students (e.g., Dowling & Wilson, 2017 ), and institutional ICT systems (Aghaee et al., 2016 ).

Notable about the many of these studies cited above is the use of self-reporting tools as mechanisms for gathering data about student use and views about ICT. While self-reports are valuable ways to collect such data about self-efficacy, they do have limits. In online learning environments, the role of self-efficacy, for example, is still being contested. It has been argued that learners from a variety of disciplines and learning settings will tend to overestimate claims about their performance and/or knowledge and skills (e.g., Mahmood, 2016 ).

All these studies help to ‘map the territory’ of ICT, their use at individual and institutional levels and related practices. Much advice and guidance can be gleaned from the literature as well, although relatively little for the specific integration of ICT within the doctoral research and supervision environment. Based on the literature that is available though, all indications are that (doctoral) students adopt educational practices incorporating limited ICT use, even though the use of ICT has grown enormously in the last 10 to 20 years. With the current interest in ensuring success of students and completion of doctoral degrees being closely related to high quality supervision, there is a need to improve supervision practices and within that, advance understandings about how to support students in their use of ICT for their doctoral research.

This project

This project aimed to explore doctoral student and supervisor views and use of ICT within the doctoral process. The intention was to bring to light perceptions that could give clues as to how to make practical modifications to the content and scope of professional development support for supervisors and students, in order to help them to make best use of ICT. In addition, consideration was given to the way data would be collected to ensure that more than just the self-reported perspectives of the participants were included.

An interpretivist research approach (Erickson, 2012 ) framed this study to support a focus on understanding the world from the perspectives of those who live it. Thus, the approach was well-suited to exploring perceptions about the use of ICT in our context.

Thus, this study did not commence with any hypotheses related to the influence of ICT in doctoral research in mind. Instead, as the interpretive frame of the research implies, this study investigated ways in which participants expressed their experiences of engaging and integrating ICT in support of their doctoral research processes. The data tapped into the participants’ (PhD students and doctoral supervisors) perspectives, as they expressed them. The research approach thus defined and shaped all aspects of the data gathering, analyses and presentation. In this way, alignment was ensured among the ontological, epistemological and practical implementation of the research project.

The study took place in two New Zealand universities where participants were either employees or students. Both universities are research-intensive, with histories of producing high-level research across many disciplines. Both institutions have clear and well-formulated policies and practices governing doctoral study - PhD and professional doctorate - and these include supporting that study through supervision. A specialised unit in each institution manages the administration of the doctoral degree. Couching “supervision” as essentially a (specialised) teaching activity, each unit also provides or coordinates professional development for staff in the art of supervision, and for students in the skills and processes of undertaking doctoral degree study.

Participants

Participants included doctoral students and supervisors from the two universities. As a result of an invitation to all students and supervisors, in total, 11 students and two supervisors responded. The students were PhD students at varying levels of completion. There was a mix of part time and full-time students from a variety of discipline backgrounds including health sciences, sciences, commerce and humanities. The supervisors were experienced and were from humanities and sciences.

Data sources

Data were collected using a 3-tier participative drawing process (Wetton & McWhirter, 1998 ). This strategy involved a series of two or three interview/discussions, along with participant-made drawings, which formed the focus of the interview/discussions.

This strategy generated two sources of data - interview transcripts and participant drawings – and involved the following (3-tier) phases:

Initial semi-structured interview/discussion to ascertain information about participants’ backgrounds and other details they saw relevant to share. In addition, they were asked about their use of ICT generally as well as within the doctoral process. It was a chance for the researchers to gain some understanding of participants’ views and practices in relation to ICT and their doctoral/supervision journeys.

Participant drawing . The participants were asked to make a drawing in their own time and before the second interview/discussion. Guidelines for the drawing suggested that they think of a way to illustrate their research process first, then to add onto the drawing any ICT (such as devices, websites, programmes, applications) that they make use of in the process.

Follow-up interview/discussion . During this phase, each participant was asked to explain the drawing’s features and how it made sense in terms of the project he or she was undertaking. This included discussion about how their supervision was working, how they worked with supervisors, and how the ICT they had included in the drawing worked within the process. They were also asked about elements that were not in the drawing, for example, certain ICT or activities that might have appeared in a typical account of a doctoral research process but were not included.

All interview/discussions were audio recorded and transcriptions of the recordings were returned to the participants for checking. The drawings were scanned and stored electronically.

In line with the interpretive approach that framed and governed our study, the data were analysed shortly after being gathered. Analysis of the data contributed to the development of ideas about participants’ perceptions, and these were refined progressively across the instances that researchers met with participants. Perceptions were thus checked, rechecked and refined against each data set.

This iterative and inductive approach (Thomas, 2006 ) involved thematic analysis (Silverman, 2001 ) and the capture of major and common ideas (Mayring, 2000 ) expressed by participants about how ICT are perceived and used in doctoral research processes. This approach helped to operationalise a process of co-construction between researchers and participants. Through checking, rechecking, refining and confirming, the researchers were able to articulate their understanding of participant perceptions that matched participants’ expressed thoughts.

The outcome of the analysis process was four assertions concerning ways the students perceived and understood ICT within doctoral study. Because there were only two supervisor participants, the data from the supervisors served to support the assertions we were more confidently able to make about student perceptions.

Research approach, quality assurance conditions and context

Despite the (what might be argued, small) number of volunteer participants who showed interest in, and committed themselves to, this study (i.e., no drop-outs or selection being made from a pool), it is worth noting that the researchers worked with each participant over an extended period of time (prolonged engagement), focused on investigating and gathering identifiable, as well as documentable, aspects of the participants’ ICT understandings and practices (persistent observation), and employed analysis techniques that incorporated peer debriefing, member checking, and fair presentation of assertions (Guba & Lincoln, 1989 ).

The aim was to unlock and identify views of reality held by the participants. The empirical evidence was used to help develop commentary and critique of the phenomenon which was the focus of the study (i.e., ICT use), including what the phenomenon is and how it occurs/is enacted/revealed in a particular context (viz., in doctoral research). This was, therefore, a different kind of study from one that might commence with a hypothesis, which would be concerned more with objectivity, explanation and testable propositions. In short, the methods employed in the current study fitted the intention to solve a “puzzle” about a phenomenon in relation to a particular context.

As this study involved human participants, ethical approval was gained through the institutional processes. This approval (University of Otago Human Ethics Committee reference number D17/414 and Victoria University of Wellington, Ethics Committee reference number 0000023415) enabled data collection methods described in the previous section to be carried out for any doctoral students and supervisors who volunteered to participate in this study. Ethical consent, use and care of the data as well as the ethical treatment of students and staff as participants were integral to the research design, planning and implementation of the whole study.

Findings and discussion

The four assertions are now presented. Each assertion is described and quotations from the interview/discussions along with examples of drawings from the student participants are used to illustrate aspects of each assertion.

Assertion 1: ICT are impartial tools; it does not matter how ICT are used, because the endpoint, that is, thesis completion, is the justification. ICT and people are separate and separated entities.

Students talked about how they worked on their thesis document and on the process of the study they were undertaking. Comments focused on various ICT being used and often on skills needed in order to use them. Some students expressed the view that ICT were tools, separate from the project and the person involved, to be used to achieve an endpoint. For example,

So long as it's formatted – it shouldn't matter - that's their [editors’] responsibility, not mine.

There’s probably a bit more about Zoom [web conferencing application] I could learn but again for me unless it’s a problem, I’m not going to go looking for it… not just for the sake of it at the moment.

Motivation to achieve an outcome was a focus of comments that support this assertion. For many participants, the aim to complete the study and write a thesis was, naturally, a large driver for how they were managing their study. Time was precious, and they would do what they had to do to reach their goal. To be motivated to learn about a new ICT, there needed to be a purpose that sharply focussed on achieving that end.

If the technologies are suddenly not available] I’m happy to sit down with a typewriter and learn it… If I’m not driven, I won’t bother.

This focus is illustrated in Fig.  1 . The drawing shows clearly identified components that make up major elements within the stages of producing the research for the thesis. ICT are listed in relation to those components.

ICT and people are separate and separated entities

Supervisors too, tended to focus on thesis production rather than on the process of producing a thesis that includes the use of ICT (i.e., as opposed to their very clear and explicit focus on the research process). An example illustrating this is:

Generally, people think the standard of the people getting or earning a PhD is that this person should be an independent researcher. [But no] After all, we only examine a particular thesis [and] there are lots of inputs from supports and supervision from supervisors.

In summary, this assertion focusses strongly on the experience of doctoral study being about getting the project done within a research journey that gives minimal regard to the affordances of ICT. ICT are framed as necessary but also fraught, especially due to the effort and time that draw attention away from the primary goal.

Assertion 2: ICT are tools or mechanisms that prompt active thought on practices with respect to planning and managing thesis writing and project execution. ICT and individuals work alongside each other.

Views that expressed notions of there being a close interactive relationship between students and ICT came through in several of the discussions with the participants. The focus on achieving goals and endpoints was strong, but the expression of how to achieve those goals, capitalising upon the affordances that ICT present, was different from the way views were expressed in relation to Assertion 1.

On a simple level, this student describes the checking he did when weighing up the merits of a piece of software to meet his needs.

I normally do a trial version… have a play with it. And if I think they are useful then I might try it on a project. And if then I feel it’s definitely worth investing… then I’ll go buy it.

Others simply liked to explore, to see whether there was potential in any ICT they encountered, as in,

Sometimes I just like playing with stuff to see what they can do and then if they tick my boxes then I keep them and if they don't, I move on. So it's more kind of ‘search and discover’ than kind of looking for something, you know.

Describing a deeper level of activity, a degree of critique and active reflection were indicated by another student when he said,

…we tried an electronic version of putting together a programme for a New Zealand conference and I was surprised how long it took us. Whereas in the past I’ve worked with [colleagues] and we’ve just moved pieces of paper around on the floor for abstracts and we were done really quickly.

These sentiments are well-captured in Fig.  2 . Here, the focus is on experimenting with ICT rather than the research process. The process of working things out to suit the individual is foregrounded.

ICT and individuals work alongside each other

Whereas Assertion 1-type expressions presented effort in a generally negative light, Assertion 2-type expressions couched effort as an assumed part of learning something new. There was a sense expressed in comments that there will be a way to manage the “problem” to be solved, which then generated the necessary motivation to engage effort. For example,

You just know what you know when you start off; when you're unsure about what you need to do. There's a bit of a barrier in front of you. It feels a bit intimidating and overwhelming, and then you get into it and it just works. And you just kind of put all the pieces together and get something out at the end.

There was a sense that supervisors’ perspectives of ICT might support this assertion too. For instance,

[ICT are] integral to everything now – there's no such thing as doing it without [them] anymore – these are the tools with which we do all the things we do.

In summary, this assertion captures the views of students who engage actively in making decisions about which, how and why they incorporate ICT into doctoral research practices.

Assertion 3: Knowing about ICT is only part of the thinking; what is more important is getting the “flow” right. ICT and the individual are in a complementary partnership.

Perhaps prompted by the nature of the drawing task, which was to illustrate how ICT fitted within the whole process of doctoral study, several students described the challenges to bringing everything together into one process made up of many parts, sections and subsections. One participant focussed on her “workflow” in order to manage the multiple documents, tasks and schedule involved in her doctoral research journey.

What systems do I use, what's my workflow? So, I actually spent some weeks looking at … ideas from other PhD students about their workflows and how they manage it.

Similar to Assertion 2-type comments, ‘getting one’s flow right’ involved exploration and an amount of reflective decision-making. For example,

So I did a play around with that [ICT] and found it was quite useful … So I’m trying to be quite disciplined about when I’ve got a document, entering it at the time, reading an article, throw in heaps of tags rather than not …And I simply keep a note, cross referencing to the actual articles. I like to have the articles and for some key ones I like to make a note. So, if it’s a seminal paper that I know I’ll be referring back to.

Thus, students talked about how hard they worked to set up routines and processes to enable them to manage time and their research projects. As in the above excerpts, they referred to categorising documents, searching for resources, undertaking analysis, managing data, and producing the thesis itself.

In working out one’s system or flow, this student highlighted the need to know about the affordances of ICT and how others had made use of them.

…you do need to know a bit about each of the individual … capabilities of the different systems to know what's even possible… but alongside that you're kind of reading other people's ideas of how they did it, and you think that bit might work for me oh, but that bit won't… so then you can kind of mix and match a bit.

The drawing in Fig.  3 highlights the “flow”. Absent of all words, this illustration draws attention to the movement of ideas, thoughts, processes and actions, from a number of different points but all ultimately converging or contributing to the one path.

ICT and the individual are in a complementary partnership

There was a hint that at least one of the supervisors saw the need for a workflow in this same vein: “So long as [the students are] happy with what they’re using – they should use ‘a’ system,”

In summary, this assertion highlights that what is important with respect to ICT and the doctoral process is how it all comes together within one’s flow. That flow incorporates active effort on the part of the individual in finding ICT and practices that suit the individual’s approaches as well as their project demands.

Assertion 4: ICT are not neutral; there is a two-way interaction between technologies as artefacts and the use of them to achieve ends. ICT and the person are intricately linked through multiple active, practical, goal-oriented connections.

This assertion draws attention to the nature of technology as a phenomenon; that technology is not an impartial tool that has no influence on the way humans act and react. This assertion presents ICT as an artefact of technological design activity; as a source of improving efforts to achieve an endpoint; but also as an influencer and even determiner of the thinking and practices of the person interacting with the ICT (e.g., Baird, 2002 ).

On what could be argued a superficial level, this student noted some active connection between the person and the software application, beyond simple use, when he commented:

I think it goes both ways, the product has to be intuitive and you’ve got to have a little bit of inclination to try out different things.

Others went beyond the superficial to describe more in-depth relationships between themselves and the ICT they were using. When discussing her use of software to help her manage her project and her time, this student talked about how the ICT she was using supported and enhanced her thinking.

Using the application] really changed the way I started to think about [my research]. I started to be less worried about the big overwhelming long term stuff that was out there and just think, okay, this week, what am I going to do this week, how am I going to be really efficient and targeted, and I think that really helped me.

Following is another example of how ICT helped solve a problem while simultaneously having an influence on behaviour; in this instance with organising notes, ideas and documents.

“… and it's the same with my note-taking because [the programme] that I use has a similar sort of functionality that it can search text that you've written but also search notes and PDF docs and those kind of things, so it means that when you've had a random thought and put it somewhere you can find it again. Which is huge for me, so I guess that … the power of the search engine is probably the thing that drove me to become paperless, so it helps me to organize myself much better. … filing paper is a skill that I have not mastered whereas filing digital stuff is not as important because you can always just find it again.

Figure  4 illustrates this intricately intertwined interactivity among person, purpose, project, ICT and outcomes.

ICT and the person are intricately linked through multiple active, practical, goal-oriented connections

While we did not find strong evidence for supervisors’ thoughts about this integrated and embedded notion of ICT, one supervisor did note “I could probably build them into my system, but I just never have”.

In summary, Assertion 4 highlights the integral role that ICT can be perceived to play in doctoral research processes. This is more than the working-alongside connection illustrated by Assertion 2 and the complementary partnership characterised by Assertion 3.

Assertions 1 and 2 highlight that individuals hold assumptions about, and have expectations of, ICT use; and those expectations and assumptions influence and determine their judgements about ICT and their use of ICT. The assertions point to connections between perceptions and practices. Assertion 1 describes a perception that ICT are separate from the person and the task-at-hand, while Assertion 2 presents a perception in which the person and the ICT are working alongside each other in harmony or at least in a loose partnership. Both assertions focus on endpoints, but the endpoints vary according to the perception of where ICT fit into the journey towards their achievement. For Assertion 1-type expressions, there is one major endpoint. For Assertion 2-type expressions, there are multiple, shorter-term endpoints that build towards achieving the major goal of completing the thesis.

Building on Assertions 1 and 2 are Assertions 3 and 4, which highlight what may be argued as more complex levels of perceiving and working with ICT. Both assertions give some focus to inter-connections, where people and ICT partner or collaborate. Assertion 3 depICT a perception that is about complementarity; where ICT affordances are seen as worthwhile when they support and enhance the work of the individual in ways that make sense to that individual. Assertion 4 builds on Assertion 3 by bringing to light the relationship in which the person alters and changes thinking or practices because of the influence that ICT affordances can have. No evidence was found to support a possible additional claim that as well as ICT causing individuals to alter and modify thinking and behaviours due to their existence, ICT, in turn, are perceived to be able to alter their ways of responding to the people who use them. This is not out of the realms of possibility of course, with ICT increasingly being designed and built to be able to respond to users’ needs.

It is also worth mentioning that the ‘types’ of ICT and the extent of their use by the participants was not the focus of this study. However, the findings suggested that the participants’ ICT use, regardless of their PhD phase and broad discipline background, might have reflected their inability to realise the advantages of learning how to use current ICT-related devices, tools, and applications to enhance the process of undertaking their doctoral research. The evidence that emerged in this study indicated that participants’ perspectives of ICT determined their adoption practices in general (i.e., as illustrated through the four assertions). The boarder higher education context including the specific institution and supervisors, might have neglected the explicit support of PhD students’ ICT capability development in this process.

In addition, while there is no similar study being found thus far, the insights gained from this study are actually similar to the findings in the research studies into the role of ICT in undergraduate education (Butson & Sim, 2013 ; Sim & Butson, 2013 , 2014 ). Results in those studies, demonstrated students’ low levels of ICT use, may be an indication that digital devices and digital tools do not play a significant role in daily study practices. Researchers such as Esposito, Sangrà & Maina ( 2013 ) also show that the PhD students’ learning to become researchers in the digital age is much more complex than is often suggested (e.g., the skills of Prenksy ( 2001 ) “digital natives”). Becoming a researcher involves developing a complex set of knowledge, intellectual abilities, techniques and professional standards. The Researcher Development Framework (Careers Research and Advisory Centre (CRAC), 2010 ) illustrates one useful attempt at mapping out that complexity. It could be that both students’ and supervisors’ adoption of ICT for academic purposes has been overshadowed or taken for granted as a consequence of their advanced academic level.

Implications

The four assertions can be used to provide some guidance to those supporting and participating in doctoral research processes. Students and supervisors do possess a vast array of skills, knowledge and abilities. They have a variety of experiences as well as varying reasons and levels of motivation. Their skills and capacity to make use of ICT to support their roles in the research process vary as well. The assertions that have emerged from this study will inform the planning for support activities to enhance supervisors’ and students’ professional development, whatever their background and needs.

Depending on the perceptions held about ICT and the relationship between ICT and the person in the context of the task and its goals (i.e., the doctoral study) within the doctoral research process as depicted in the four assertions, ICT tend to be seen as a challenge, a change or an opportunity. In the context of ICT use, doctoral students and supervisors may:

assume that if they do not already know how to use something it is not worth learning or exploring as that learning brings with it risk to quality, efficiency and effectiveness of the doctoral research process; and/or.

assume that students will work out the place that ICT play within the research process for themselves.

The findings of this study suggest the need to.

challenge existing ICT knowledge and skill, and to support acceptance of the need to change practices;

teach technological thinking, to enable choice and decision making about ICT;

embed ICT into practices in meaningful ways to suit individual and project needs;

highlight (explicit) responsibilities about thinking and planning skills with respect to making the best use of ICT, to ensure efficiency and effectiveness;

realise that the research process is as much about how it happens as what happens;

recast assumptions about the doctoral research process to embed ICT within it;

reflect on the meaning of effectiveness and efficiency in the context of doctoral research; and the effects of ICT in supporting and facilitating them;

understand that there is a link among ICT thinking and practice: using ICT can enhance or raise ideas that were never thought of before.

This study explored perceptions of doctoral supervisors and students of the role and place of ICT in supervision and study. It generated four assertions characterising those perceptions the relationships among people, ICT and the task-at-hand, that is, the supervised research process. As Castañeda and Selwyn ( 2018 ) argue, it is important that we have an active commitment to ‘think otherwise’ about how ICT might be better implemented across higher education settings” (p. 8). We should not assume that ICT are not important enough to let them fade into the background as they become normalised, without questioning the interrelationships that are happening between the person and the ICT. In the doctoral research setting, as one example of a higher education context, ICT do have a role to play. They cannot and should not be ignored. But seeing ICT in relationship to the person and to the setting is essential.

This project has provided insights into the doctoral students and supervisors’ perceptions of the roles played by ICT during doctoral research process. There are complex human factors, including assumptions, attitudes and conceptions about academic practices, influencing and determining perspectives as well as how ICT are incorporated into doctoral research process, behaviours and practices. Just as Kandiko and Kinchin ( 2012 ) argue that supervision cannot be looked at in the absence of the research work in which it occurs, we argue that doctoral students’ understanding and use of ICT cannot be considered independently of their research work; and that work includes relationships with their project, their supervisors, within the context of the institution, and with the ICT they do and could engage with.

Directly associated with the outcomes of this study, future studies and further exploration could focus on:

ICT use by larger and more diverse groups of doctoral students from a range of fields within discipline areas at institutions outside New Zealand;

building on the findings in order to determine how intensity of ICT use might change for students across the course of their candidature, and in relation to the nature of their research projects;

the role of supervisors, academic departments, and institutions in supporting and enhancing students’ practices and beliefs about ICT in research processes;

the ways in which supervisors engage ICT in their daily academic practices, with a view to exploring how, or if, their ICT use is an influence on PhD students’ beliefs and behaviours in using ICT.

Studying ICT in these directions could offer fresh perspectives and opportunities to think differently and reveal an active way of understanding the role of ICT in doctoral education.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the students and supervisors who shared their reflections and willingly engaged with us in this project.

We acknowledge the support of Ako Aotearoa, The National Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence, New Zealand through its Regional Hub Project Fund (RHPF), and the support of our institutions, University of Otago and Victoria University of Wellington.

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Stein, S.J., Sim, K.N. Enhancing the roles of information and communication technologies in doctoral research processes. Int J Educ Technol High Educ 17 , 34 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-020-00212-3

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The use of information and communication technologies to promote healthy lifestyle behaviour: a systematic scoping review

Elizabeth musili joseph-shehu.

1 Nursing, University of KwaZulu-Natal College of Health Sciences, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

2 Nursing Science, National Open University of Nigeria, Jabi, Abuja, Nigeria

Busisiwe Purity Ncama

Nomaxabiso mooi, tivani phosa mashamba-thompson, associated data.

bmjopen-2019-029872supp001.pdf

Introduction

Health-promoting lifestyle behaviours are part of the activities of daily living that influence individual happiness, values and well-being. They play a crucial role in prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among all age groups. Current statistics on mortality, disability and morbidity associated with NCDs are alarming globally. The use of information and communication technology (ICT) for a health-promoting lifestyle behaviour programme enhances health behaviours that are important in the prevention and control of both communicable and non-communicable diseases. Our study aimed to map evidence on the use of ICT in comprehensive health-promoting lifestyle behaviour among healthy adults.

Eleven electronic databases were searched for the study. We included studies published in English between January 2007 and December 2018 reporting on healthy adults, ICT and any subscales of the health-promoting lifestyle profile (HPLP). Studies focusing on diseases or disease management and studies that combine monitoring tools in the form of hardware (accelerometer or pedometer) with ICT or computer games were excluded. Data were summarised numerically and thematically.

All the studies reviewed were conducted in developed countries. Most of the studies reported on physical activity, and findings of one study covered all the subscales of HPLP. The use of ICT for health-promoting lifestyle behaviours was reported to be effective in ensuring health behaviours that can improve physical and mental health.

Our findings showed that there is a dearth of knowledge on comprehensive health-promoting lifestyle behaviour that can be beneficial for the control and prevention of NCDs. There is a need to carry out primary studies on the use of ICT and comprehensive health-promoting lifestyle, especially among adults in low-income and middle-income countries where there are alarming statistics for mortality and disability associated with NCDs.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42016042568.

Strengths and limitations of this study

• A comprehensive and extensive literature search on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in comprehensive health-promoting lifestyle behaviour among healthy adults was done to identify research gap.
• Rigorous process was followed in searching and selecting the included articles for the study.
• Inclusion of primary research articles in the study was subjected only to Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT) V.2011.
• Only studies published in English between January 2007 and December 2018 were included in the study.
• The reference lists of the included articles were not examined, and no manual searches were performed. Lastly, only electronic databases were extensively searched for the included studies.

Increase in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as chronic cardiovascular diseases, stroke, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes mellitus calls for more proactive ways to manage, control and prevent them. Seventy per cent of global mortality has been attributed to NCDs. 1 2 Eighty per cent of deaths associated with NCDs occur in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) in the 30–60 years age group. 2–5 In 2013, a report showed that (Int$) 53.8 billion was spent on NCDs globally. 6 NCDs have been shown to be a major barrier to development and achievement of the millennium development goals. 6 Many NCDs have a strong association with unhealthy lifestyle. 2 7 8 Risk factors for NCDs are tobacco use, food high in saturated and trans fat, high consumption of sugar and salt, excessive alcohol intake, physical inactivity, poor diet, overweight and obesity, inadequate sleep and rest, stress and exposure to environmental hazards. 9–12

Health-promoting lifestyle behaviour has been identified as having an essential role in prevention and control of NCDs. 13–16 Health promotion is an umbrella term describing a composite of disease prevention and health promotion. 3 Information and communication technology (ICT) has been shown to be beneficial as it has made it possible to access health-related information easily. 17 The use of ICT in health promotion and health management is increasingly well recognised because of its cost-effectiveness in the prevention of diseases. 18 Evidence exists that ICT is used in health surveillance for both communicable and non-communicable diseases. ICT paired with monitoring tools can improve physical activity (PA) and weight loss. 19 Few individuals adhere to healthy lifestyle behaviour despite the role it plays in chronic disease prevention, and literature has shown that web-based interventions are effective in changing behaviour. 20 ICT refers to technology that provides access to information and communication 21 through a wide range of communication tools. In this study, ICT includes internet, cell phones, computers and websites.

The use of ICT in management and prevention of diseases is on the increase. ICT applications are used in psychotherapeutic intervention, 22 23 management and control of medical conditions such as hypertension, 24 25 HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, 26 diabetes management, smoking cessation, asthma management, weight loss and PA. 20 27 28 ICT applications have also been used for recruitment of particular research groups. One good example was a study conducted by Bauermeister and his team, where they used a web version of respondent-driven sampling (webRDS) to recruit a sample of young adults (ages 18–24) and examined whether this strategy would result in alcohol and other drug prevalence estimates comparable with national estimates. 29 On health-promoting lifestyle and ICT, several studies have been done, mainly on PA, smoking cessation, alcohol intervention and diet for weight control. However, there are other health-promoting lifestyle behaviours such as stress management, interpersonal relationship, health responsibility and self-actualisation that are equally important to disease prevention and health promotion, along with PA and nutrition. 11

We are not aware of any review that has reported on the use of ICT and the six domains of comprehensive health-promoting lifestyle behaviour (nutrition, PA, stress management, interpersonal relationships, self-actualisation/spiritual growth and health responsibility) among healthy individuals. Comprehensive health-promoting lifestyle behaviours are described for the purpose of this study as day-to-day lifestyle practices that can prevent diseases and promote health. The six health-promoting lifestyle behaviours are the subscales of the health-promoting lifestyle profile (HPLP) instrument. 30 Joseph-Shehu et al 31 described the HPLP subscales as follows: (1) nutrition signifies an individual’s eating habits and food choices; (2) PA signifies actions engaged in by an individual that make him/her active and not sedentary; (3) health responsibility signifies knowing how to act in ways that improve one’s own health; (4) stress management signifies the ability to identify factors that affect one’s stress level and being able to manage such factors; (5) self-actualisation is the ability to achieve one’s life goals by adopting a positive approach and drawing on one’s talents and creativity; (6) spiritual growth is not specific to any particular religion; rather, it signifies ability to harness inner resources to connect with oneself and with others and having purpose in life that leads one to excel and develop in attaining life goals and possible fulfilment; (7) interpersonal relations signifies achieving meaningful and sustainable relationships with people through any form of communication. 31

Each of these health-promoting lifestyle behaviours is important in the prevention and control of both communicable and non-communicable diseases, as they are part of the activities of daily living that influence individual happiness, values and well-being. 32 Reports show that there was a lower risk of developing diabetes mellitus, stroke, myocardial infarction and cancers among 23 153 Germans between 35 and 65 years of age that were followed for an average period of 7.8 years on adherence to no smoking, exercise, healthy diet and body mass index (BMI) less than 30 kg/m 2 compared with participants that did not engage in these healthy lifestyle practices. 20 There is a possibility that if lifestyle practices such as stress management, interpersonal relationships, health responsibility and self-actualisation were added to the lifestyle, this could have led to lower risk for developing other NCDs such as peptic ulcer and mental illnesses. Hence, this study aimed to map evidence on the use of ICT in health-promoting lifestyle behaviour among healthy individuals to comprehensively assess the current state of knowledge on health-promoting lifestyle behaviour and ICT. The results of this study will help identify an area that requires meta-analysis and future primary research. This systematic scoping review accordingly seeks to address the following research questions:

• Does use of ICT improve and enhance health-promoting lifestyle behaviour?
• Is there any evidence that use of ICT in health-promoting lifestyle activity resulted in good health status (healthy weight, normal blood pressure, normal blood sugar, and good mental and physical health)?

Methods/Designs

This systematic scoping study was registered with PROSPERO (the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews): registration number CRD42016042568. The review adopted the five stages of Arksey and O’Malley’s framework (identifying the research question, identifying relevant studies, study selection, charting the data, and collating, summarising and reporting the results) for conducting scoping reviews. 33 The study protocol was published in BMJ Open. 3 This review report was guided by PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews). 34

Search strategy

An extensive search of eligible studies was conducted on the following 11 databases: Academic Search Complete (EBSCO), PsycArticle (EBSCO), PubMed, Medline (EBSCO), CINAHL (EBSCO), Educational Source (EBSCO), Health Source: Consumer Edition (EBSCO), Health Source: Nursing Academic Edition (EBSCO), PsycINFO (EBSCO), Science Direct and Google Scholar. We searched for articles published in the English language between January 2007 and December 2018. This time frame was selected to assess work that has been done on using ICT in comprehensive health-promoting lifestyle behaviour among healthy adults over one decade. The search strategy was focused mainly on the study interventions and the population of interest ( table 1 ). Boolean operators (AND and OR) separated keywords in the search as follows: health promoting lifestyle profile OR health-promoting lifestyle profile OR health-promoting lifestyle behaviour OR wellness OR nutrition OR diet OR physical activity OR interpersonal relationships OR health responsibility OR stress management OR self-actualisation OR spiritual growth AND information and communication technology OR ICT OR mobile phone OR text messages OR SMS OR e-health OR m-health OR the internet AND adult OR workers OR employees. Summary of the search strategy is found in the ( online supplementary file 1 ).

Population, Interventions, Comparison, Outcome and Study setting (PICOS) framework for determination of the eligibility of the review questions

Adopted from the study protocol. 3

ICT, information and communication technology; PA, physical activity; SMS, short messaging service.

Supplementary data

Eligibility criteria, inclusion criteria.

• Studies reporting on healthy workers, professionals and adults.
• Studies published in the English language.
• Studies published between January 2007 and December 2018.
• Studies reporting on interventions such as one or more subscale(s) of the health-promoting lifestyle profile (stress management, interpersonal relationships, nutrition, self-actualisation/spiritual growth, health responsibility and PA) and ICT (text messages, short messaging service (SMS), computers, mobile phone, websites and internet).
• All study designs, including cross-sectional studies, quantitative studies, randomised controlled trial (RCT) studies, quasi-experimental study designs, cohort studies, qualitative studies and systematic reviews.

Exclusion criteria

• Studies which do not report on any form of ICT.
• Studies on patients, youth, students, diseases/management or children.
• Studies that do not report on all or any of the subscales of the HPLP.
• Studies that do not report on outcome of interest ( table 1 ).
• Studies that use any form of ICT in recruitment or as a means of collecting data only.
• Literature published before January 2007 and after December 2018.
• Studies which do not report on adults.
• Studies that combine monitoring tools in the form of hardware (accelerometer or pedometer) with ICT and computer games.
• Studies reporting on alcoholism, obesity or cigarette smoking.
• Non-English publications.
• Study protocols, non-systematic review, book chapters, dissertation and letter to the editors.

Study selection

The selection process for the included articles involved rigorous exercises in three stages of screening—title, abstract and full-text screening—before data extraction. One reviewer conducted the title screening of the included articles and abstract, and full-text screening was undertaken independently by two reviewers. Any disagreement at any level of the screening was discussed until both reviewers reached consensus. Title of an article that was not cleared was included for abstract screening, and if abstract of an article was not cleared, same was added for the full-text screening. The reviewers developed the screening form before commencement of the screening exercise. The screening forms were developed based on population, interventions and outcomes. 3 Systematic reviews were included if they met the inclusion criteria. Two independent reviewers screened the included articles full text, based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria described above, and consensus between the reviewers resolved any disagreement. The degree of agreement between reviewers at the full-text screening stage was estimated using kappa statistic with STATA V.13.

Data extraction

Data extraction criteria were determined, and a self-designed data extraction form was designed by the reviewers before data extraction to aid the process. The primary outcome measured was health-promoting lifestyle behaviours and health status ( table 1 ). There was no restriction on how to measure the outcome such as whether physiological or self-report. However, use of accelerometer, pedometer or computer games was not included in this study. In order to provide answers to the study questions, data extracted from each of the studies included were as follows: bibliography of the study (author’s name and date), location of the study, objective or aim of the study (as reported by authors), study design, study population, study setting, sample size, type of ICT ( table 1 ), type of health-promoting lifestyle behaviour ( table 1 ), duration of the study, outcome of the study, results or findings from the study and conclusions of the study.

Quality appraisal of the included studies

Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT) V.2011 35 was used to assess the quality of included research articles. MMAT was designed to evaluate articles on primary research using the following study designs: qualitative; quantitative and mixed method. The MMAT enabled us to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. Scores for each study varied between 25% and 100%. For mixed method studies, there were 11 criteria to be met for an article to be rated as high; four criteria each for quantitative (QUANT) section and qualitative (QUAL) section and three for mixed method (MM) section. MM studies were rated as 25% when QUAL=1 and QUAN=1 and MM=0; as 50% when QUAL=2 and QUAN=2 and MM=1; as 75% when QUAL=3 and QUAN=3 and MM=2; and as 100% when QUAL=4 and QUAN=4 and MM=3. A criterion score between 25% and 49% was rated as low quality, a score of 50%–74% as average quality and a score of 75%–100% as high quality.

Collating and summarising the findings

Extracted data were summarised numerically and thematically using the following two themes: ICT used in health-promoting lifestyle behaviour and health-promoting lifestyle behaviour outcomes. The authors collectively assessed themes and conducted a critical appraisal of each theme in relation to the research questions. We also examined the meaning of the findings in relation to the aim of the study and their implications for research, practice and policy.

Patient and public involvement

Patients and the public were not involved in the study as it is a systematic scoping review.

The literature encompassed a broad scope of studies exploring the use of ICT in health-promoting lifestyle behaviour among healthy individuals. Eleven electronic databases searched ( figure 1 ) yielded 10 858 potential articles. After screening and duplicates were removed, 24 articles met the study inclusion criteria. The kappa statistics for the degree of agreement showed 74.5% agreement versus 49.8% expected by chance, which constitutes moderate to substantial agreement (kappa statistic=0.49, p-value<0.001). McNemar’s χ 2 statistic suggests that there is not a statistically significant difference in the proportions of yes/no answers by reviewers. The study includes 13 research articles and 11 systematic reviews identified as meeting the inclusion criteria and focused on the specified health-promoting lifestyle behaviours and ICT among healthy adults.

Flow diagram of the included article.

Characteristics of included studies in this scoping review

The characteristics of the included studies are presented in table 2 . Two of the included studies adopted MM designs 36 37 ; one study in each case adopted qualitative design, 38 quantitative non-randomised design, 39 prospective longitudinal cluster-randomised controlled trial, 40 retrospective randomised trial design 41 and intervention study. 42 Six studies 18 20 43–46 adopted RCT design. The duration of the intervention studies ranged from 4 weeks to 10 months. One of the main study aims was to determine the effect of proactive dissemination strategy on the reach of the internet-delivered computer-tailored intervention 42 ; study duration commenced with the invitation to participate in the study. Sample sizes of the included research articles ranged from 26 to 16 948; sample sizes of the included evidence review articles ranged from 11 to 457. 47 Twelve studies focused on males and females, 20 36–42 44–46 48 one reported on females alone, 18 one reported on all study population, 49 one reported on employees 50 and nine studies (systematic review) did not report study population. 17 27 47 51–56 Seven of the studies reviewed were conducted in the community. 39 41 44–46 48 56 Eight were conducted at the workplace: one each among the military, 40 nurses, 18 university employees, 36 municipality employees 46 ; two in more than one organisation 20 38 47 ; and two did not describe the workers. 37 50

Characteristics of the included studies

CT, computer-tailored; MD, Mediterranean diet; NA, not applicable; PA, physical activity; RCT, randomised controlled trial; SNSs, social networking sites.

Five of the 11 systematically reviewed studies 27 50 51 54 55 did not report the study country of included articles; one reported 457 articles from 36 countries in Asia, Australia and Oceania, Europe, North America and South America 49 ; one reviewed 34 articles from five countries (Europe, Asia, South Korea, USA, New Zealand) 52 ; 12 articles from three countries (USA, UK and Australia) 17 ; 12 articles from nine countries (USA, Denmark, England, Ireland, Canada, Australia, South Korea, Israel and Singapore), 56 22 articles from eight countries (USA, Australia, Netherlands, UK, Sweden, Japan, Norway and Singapore) 47 and 38 articles from the USA alone. 53 In regard to primary research included in this study, three studies were conducted in Australia, 39 41 45 three in the UK, 36–38 three in the USA, 40 43 44 two in the Netherlands, 42 46 one in Israel 20 and one in Taiwan. 18 Not all of the included studies reported on geographical setting of the research and none of the studies was conducted in an LMIC.

Risk-of-bias assessment

In regard to quality assessment of the included studies, the scores of the 13 articles reviewed for methodological quality ranged from 50% to 100%. Nine of the reviewed articles were rated as high quality, of which three scored 100% 40 44 45 and six scored 75%. 18 20 38 41 42 48 Only four were rated average quality, with two scoring 50% 39 46 and two scoring 67%. 36 37 The overall quality assessment was appraised to be average risk of bias due to the following: no clear description of concealment, withdrawal rate higher than 20% and no consideration given to how findings related to researcher influence.

ICT use in health-promoting lifestyle behaviours

A theme emerging from the study was ICT use in health-promoting lifestyle behaviours, and health-promoting lifestyle behaviours targeted by the included studies ( table 3 ). Various forms of ICT (email, social network sites (SNSs), websites, SMS or text messages, mobile phone app, smartphones, computers, and multimedia messaging service (MMS)) were used in the included studies for health-promoting lifestyle behaviours intervention that targeted one form or another of health-promoting behaviours. In all the included articles the internet was obviously used via either phones or computers. However, some authors specifically mentioned use of internet in their reports, 42 46–48 52 55 and a few authors explicitly mentioned computer use. 42 46 53 All the reviewed studies except one 50 reported on physical activity, 13 reported on nutrition, 18 20 37 40 42 46 47 49 51 53–56 one reported on social connection, 37 three reported on stress management 47 50 56 and one reported on all the subscales of health-promoting lifestyle profile. 18

Health-promoting lifestyle behaviours and ICT

BMI, body mass index; EI, enhanced internet; FJV, fruit juice and vegetable; HPLP, Health-promoting lifestyle profile; ICT, information and communication technology; MCS, mental component summary; MMS, multimedia messaging service; PA, physical activity; PCS, physical component summary; RCT, randomised controlled trial; SI, standard internet; SMS, short messaging service; SNS, social networking siteWHPP, workplace health promotion programme; WIs, web-based interventions.;

Use of email and website, 39 email, website and SMS, 38 smartphone and website, 45 50 and website only 48 50 55 was reported only for PA behaviour. Three of the reviewed studies reported on smartphone apps, one in the form of an in-built accelerator 44 and one on smartphone with website for PA behaviour. 41 Fanning et al reported on use of mobile device, mobile software and SMS for PA. 27 Websites, smartphone and tablet apps were reported to be used for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), stress management and mindfulness-based approaches. 50 Five of the included studies reported on use of more than one form of ICT for more than one health behaviour. 40 47 49 52 56 Computer-based information and communication technologies 53 and internet-delivered computer-tailored lifestyle programme 42 46 54 were reported to be used for more than one health behaviour, including PA, nutrition, alcohol use, smoking behaviour and condom use. Use of website only was reported for nutrition, PA, stress management, interpersonal relationship, spiritual growth, and health responsibility, 18 and diet, PA and social connection. 37

SNSs were reported for fitness, sexual health, food safety, smoking and health promotion, 17 and for diet, PA, alcohol and tobacco use, mental health intervention, disease management and sexual health. 55 A specific software programme aimed at reducing sedentary behaviour in the work place. 47 Mackenzie et al reported use of email, software reminder and Twitter to reduce workplace sitting only, 36 while a web-based app was used for nutrition and PA only. 20 A comprehensive health-promoting lifestyle behaviour was reported among female nurses only. 18

Use of ICT for health-promoting lifestyle behaviours and health status

Use of any form of ICT increased participants’ PA behaviour, 27 36 39–41 44 45 48 and health behaviour change 17 20 47 52 53 56 ( table 3 ). Use of ICT in health-promoting behaviour was reported to reduce weight, 20 55 56 but Frank et al reported no significant difference in participants’ BMI and waist circumference. 40 People that are likely to participate in an internet-delivered computer-tailored intervention are older individuals with higher educational level, relative healthier lifestyle and healthy BMI. 42 For efficient use of internet-delivered computer-tailored lifestyle programme, a preview of new website content should be included in a standard prompt in addition to short prompt timing. 46 Factors to be considered when planning intervention for ICT to be used for health-promoting lifestyle behaviours in the workplace are encouragements in the form of motivation from managers, time management, involvement of stakeholders in the designing of the intervention and reminders. 38 Use of ICT has been documented to be effective in promoting health behaviours. 50 53 55 Comprehensive health-promoting lifestyle behaviours and ICT reduce BMI and improve physical and mental component summary. 18 There is a need to examine the long-term effectiveness of ICT on health-promoting behaviours. 54 To ascertain the effectiveness of ICT and comprehensive health-promoting behaviours in the prevention of diseases, there is a need to consider other health assessment parameters such as blood pressure and biochemical parameter instead of BMI alone. 18

We conducted a systematic scoping review of the available studies on the use of ICT for stress management, interpersonal relations, nutrition, self-actualisation/spiritual growth, health responsibility and PA lifestyle behaviours globally. Health-promoting lifestyle behaviours play an essential role in the prevention of diseases and quality of life. 12 15 According to the WHO, to control NCDs it is important to reduce risk factors associated with them by adopting health-promoting lifestyle behaviours. 2 Our systematic scoping review showed that various forms of ICT such as email, SNSs, websites, SMS or text messages, mobile phone app, smartphones, computers and MMS were used for a range of health-promoting lifestyle behaviours such as nutrition, PA, stress management, smoking cessation and reducing alcohol consumption. There was a paucity of data on interpersonal relationship, self-actualisation/spiritual belief, stress management and health responsibility. However, health-related lifestyle behaviours such as condom use, breast cancer prevention and sexually transmitted diseases prevention that could have incorporated into health responsibility lifestyle behaviour were not a primary research article.

Furthermore, our study reported that use of ICT for health promotion improves and enhances health-promoting behaviours. More particularly, use of ICT for comprehensive health-promoting lifestyle behaviours was reported to result in a healthy BMI and to improve physical and mental health. However, BMI was the only physical health assessment parameter reported by the included studies. Factors such as time management, motivation and reminders are essential when designing health-promoting lifestyle behaviour for workers. There was only one primary study on the use of ICT and comprehensive health-promoting lifestyle behaviour among women. Also, the quality assessment of the primary studies included was of moderate risk. It is of interest to know that no reports on LMICs were found in the included studies. Regarding population size, our systematic review reported wide population spreads from 26 to 16 948 across the study locations reported. This review showed that there is a dearth of knowledge on the use of ICT for comprehensive health-promoting lifestyle and health status.

ICT enhances the success of national health promotion and disease prevention programmes. 57 Our study reported large population sizes, which demonstrates that public health promotion campaigns can be achieved through use of ICT 58 since large populations can be involved in health promotion intervention programmes, which will potentially enhance achievement of the sustainable development goal of reducing premature deaths associated with NCDs to one-third by 2030. 2 However, to reduce attrition rate in ICT use for health-promoting lifestyle behaviour intervention, one of our included studies reported that reminders are critical. 38 Much attention has been given to PA, nutritional lifestyle behaviours and healthy weight, and this might be the possible reason why these two lifestyle behaviours were more pronounced in our findings. This might also be the reason why only BMI was assessed among all the physical health parameters that could be of importance to control and prevention of NCDs. 2 These findings have implications for the control and prevention of NCDs in the near future.

One of the strengths of this study is the extensive literature searched and the rigorous process in selecting the included studies. Scoping review as conducted for this study is an approach that examines the extent, range and nature of research activity in a particular field to identify research gap. 33 59 This is the first article that has examined ICT and comprehensive health-promoting lifestyle behaviours among healthy adults, as the authors are not aware of any such others. We also conducted a methodological quality appraisal of the included primary research. Results in our study did not omit any country, as ‘country filter’ was not applied during the literature search. All the included articles reported on PA except one that reported only on stress management. Also, some articles reported on stress management, spiritual growth health responsibility and interpersonal relationships. Most of the included studies that reported on health responsibility-related lifestyle behaviours such as smoking cessation, reduced alcohol consumption, condom use, breast cancer prevention and sexually transmitted diseases prevention were systematically reviewed studies. However, none of the included studies reported on blood pressure or blood glucose level. Screening and early detection of NCDs are one way to prevent and control this demon called NCDs. 2 In the next 30 years, there will be a 3.5-fold increase globally in deaths due to cardiovascular diseases, 60 which are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity among all the NCDs. 1–3 Highest premature deaths associated with NCDs are recorded in the LMICs. 1 2 61 However, our scoping review showed scarcity in the use of ICT for comprehensive health-promoting lifestyle behaviours research among healthy adults from these regions.

Some limitations of this study were as follows: first, inclusion of studies published in the English language between January 2007 and December 2018; second, the reference lists of the included articles were not examined, and no manual searches were performed; lastly, only electronic databases were extensively searched for the included studies.

Health-promoting lifestyle behaviour remains a crucial means of curbing the menace associated with NCDs. 3 14–16 However, some people prefer to be busy with other issues of life rather than engaging in health-promoting lifestyle behaviour. 14 38 Hence, only a few individuals adhere to healthy lifestyle behaviour despite the role it plays in chronic diseases prevention. 14 36 There is need to explore other means of encouraging people to practise health-promoting lifestyle behaviours because it is a fact that prevention is better than cure. Literature showed that web-based interventions are effective in changing behaviour. 20 With the increase in the burden of NCDs in LMICs, 61 use of ICT to promote health behaviour lifestyle is the key determinant in the control and prevention of NCDs. 58 There is an urgent need to assess the nature and form of ICT that can be effective in promoting health behaviours among healthy adults in LMICs, and in Africa in particular. In addition, there is need to explore use of ICT and comprehensive health-promoting lifestyle behaviours among healthy adults in LMICs where there is a gap in the primary study of these issues.

The findings from our study showed that ICT in relation to health-promoting lifestyle behaviour enhances health-promoting lifestyle behaviour and promotes physical and mental health. PA was assessed by all the included studies except for one that examined stress management. BMI was the only physical health parameter reported by one of the included studies. Factors such as time management, motivation and reminders are important when designing health-promoting lifestyle behaviour for the worker. None of the included studies reported on LMICs. There is a dearth of knowledge on a comprehensive health-promoting behaviour that can be beneficial in the control and prevention of NCDs. There is need to carry out primary studies on the use of ICT for a comprehensive health-promoting lifestyle, especially among ‘healthy’ adults in LMICs where there are alarming statistics on the mortality and disability associated with NCDs.

Supplementary Material

Acknowledgments.

The authors acknowledge the contribution of Mr Joseph Shehu for offering technical assistance related to information and communication technologies.

Collaborators: Ncama BP, Mooi N, Mashamba-Thompson TP.

Contributors: Dr EMJ-S conceptualised, designed the protocol and prepared the draft of the manuscript under the supervision of Professor BPN. Ms NM and Dr TPMT contributed to the methodology and data collection. All authors critically reviewed the draft version of the manuscript and gave approval for submission.

Funding: The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

Competing interests: None declared.

Patient consent for publication: Not required.

Provenance and peer review: Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

Data availability statement: All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplementary information.

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Exploring physical education teachers’ willingness and barriers to integrating digital technology in their lessons

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• Published: 24 September 2024

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• Pablo Saiz-González   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6729-8065 1 ,
• Jacob Sierra-Díaz   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1098-4870 1 ,
• Damián Iglesias   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-9773-0813 2 &
• Javier Fernandez-Rio   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1368-3723 1  

The use of digital technologies to support learning in physical education (PE) has grown in recent years. However, little is known about what teachers think when PE meets technology in the digital era. The purpose of this descriptive study was to use a carefully constructed, face-validated, and pilot-tested web survey to identify PE teachers’ willingness and barriers to integrating digital technology in their lessons. A total of 265 PE teachers returned completed surveys. The results showed a widespread interest in the use of digital technology in the school context, as well as in promoting the transfer of learning to the out-of-school context. Also, PE teachers expressed some reasons for interest in its use related to (a) learning and assessment, (b) physical activity, (c) teaching support, (d) communication with families and (e) teamwork among students inside and outside the class. In contrast to these interests and attitudes, teachers identified five major barriers that might be limiting the introduction of digital technology in PE: (a) not having sufficient access to technological resources, (b) not having received the necessary training to use it effectively, (c) lack of institutional support, (d) lack of time to effectively introduce it and (f) students’ data privacy. The findings of this study suggest the implementation of measures that can address the identified barriers to facilitate the incorporation of digital technology in PE. Understanding teachers' perceptions regarding the delivery of digital technology in schools may help guide future research and policy to support digital technology in PE lessons.

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• Digital Education and Educational Technology

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1 Introduction

The use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in educational contexts is increasingly becoming a tangible reality worldwide. More and more attention has been given to the potential of using technologies during Physical Education (PE) in both face-to-face and distance educational settings (Goodyear, 2020 ; Miller et al., 2024 ; Mokmin and Rassy, 2024 ). In this sense, digitalisation is a new concept to identify how ICT is integrated into daily activities, including teaching and learning processes (Karlsson et al., 2023 ). Different international institutions such as the Organization for Economy Co-operation and Development (OECD, 2020 ) argued that digitalisation would increase the quality of education in terms of universalisation and personalisation. For that reason, a wide range of measures is taken to provide tools and resources for increasing digital skills among citizens such as The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens also termed as DigComp 2.1 (Carretero et al., 2017 ). Within this kind of political strategy, the emphasis is placed on investing in digital skills enhancement for competitiveness and economic growth.

1.1 The concept of digital competence

Digital literacy (also called digital competence) is a set of skills which involves the confident and critical use of ICT for work, leisure and communication; and which is underpinned by basic competence in terms of the use of digital devices to retrieve, assess, store, produce, present and exchange information wirelessly (Spante et al., 2018 ). Considering the majority of European national objectives of promoting a more prosperous society and economic growth expressed in their respective educational curricula, original DigComp 1.0 (Ferrari et al., 2014 ) started dividing the digital competence into four main levels of proficiency (i.e., foundation, intermediate, advance and highly specialised) to facilitate relationships between the rest of key competences for lifelong learning (e.g., communication in a foreign language, mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology or learning to learn).

In a reviewed and updated version of DigComp 2.1 (Carretero et al., 2017 ), the previous four proficiency levels were subdivided into two different categories expressed with numbers from one to eight. These levels were associated with a cognitive domain including remembering (1–2), understanding (3–4), applying (5–6) and creating (7–8). In this sense, national governments have been in charge of promoting digital competence courses and resources for all citizens according to their specific digital skills. In terms of the specific set of skills that are needed to achieve a specific proficiency level, DigComp 2.2 (Vuorikari et al., 2022 ) differentiate five main areas in the shape of knowledge, skills and attitudes. For all the above, a person is digitally literate when he/she achieves highly specialised (8) knowledge, skills and attitudes in the five areas of interest shown in Fig.  1 . However, in some investigations, these levels of expertise are reduced to three factors (i.e., low, medium and low, medium and high) to facilitate the interpretation of the overall digital literacy enabling easy comparisons in the literature (Cerny, 2021 ).

Digital competence entails five different areas and their respective proficiency levels

1.2 The concept of Teachers’ professional digital competence

Teachers of the twenty-first century have to add a new important competence for their daily activity (alongside another pedagogical set of skills): Teachers’ Professional Digital Competence (TPDC). It is rooted in the definition of (general) digital competence but it is centred on providing students with tools and resources to develop their own digital competence. Therefore, both digital competence and TPDC have become an emerging topic of interest for education, policy-making and research. Unexpectedly, the analysis of the concept of a systematic review carried out by Spante et al. ( 2018 ) concluded that TPDC (and digital literacy) are sometimes used as an elusive and ambiguous concept by teachers, researchers and people in general. For that reason, Skantz-Åberg et al. ( 2022 ) noted that an exhaustive analysis including teachers’ points of view is needed to understand the whole concept of TPDC. This analysis is essential for understanding which extra measures must be developed in terms of teaching training and educational quality.

TPDC requires more comprehensive, complex and demanding knowledge, skills and attitudes than the digital literacy of a standard user (Novella-García & Cloquell-Lozano, 2021 ). In addition to the set of skills needed to use any digital device, TPDC implies that all teachers (including lecturers and professors) must meta-reflect on the use of ICT to both promote digital literacy and significant learning in all their students. An inevitable turning point in the development of TPDC was the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing teachers to mandatory use and teach how to use the devices during distance education periods (Sierra-Díaz et al., 2021 ). As was the case with digital competence, the European Commission has driven the Digital Competence Framework for Educators [DigCompEdu] (Redecker & Punie, 2017 ). In this case, the TPDC is divided into three main blocks of knowledge, skills and attitudes: (I) Educators’ professional competencies, (II) Educators’ pedagogical competencies and (III) learners’ competencies. Therefore, the TPDC is subdivided into six areas: (I) professional engagement, (II) digital resources, (III) teaching and learning, (IV) assessment, (V) empowering learners and (VI) facilitating learners’ digital competence.

In terms of researching TPDC, there are different approaches and methodological orientations. One of them is the analysis of the shortcomings of TPDC within the different educational levels (Skantz-Åberg et al., 2022 ) including real use of ICT in the classes or the attitudes towards digital technology. Indeed, according to these authors, a general tendency to examine whether teachers effectively integrate technologies into their classes beyond the limited use of digital but non-innovative tools has been observed. Indeed, an analysis of the contextual features (e.g., rural or urbal school) must be relevant to determine specific policies in order to increase the positive impact of the education.

Specifically, when it comes to researching the implementation of technologies in PE, most studies are focused on wearable technologies for tracking fitness (Almusawi et al., 2021 ). Results indicated that while ICT may not necessarily imply innovation in practical sessions, its presence in schools is viewed as a way of innovation. Previously, (Alemán de la Garza et al., 2019 ) established that two of the roles of digital innovations in educational settings are to objective metric and measure performance and to improve significant teaching and learning experiences. Nevertheless, more research is needed to shed some light on the state of the art of ICT in PE. To our knowledge, there is a gap in the literature regarding teachers’ background and personal digital competencies, as well as in the perceptions and attitudes of PE teachers about the use of technologies in their classes.

1.3 Digital technology at school: Barriers and facilitators

One of the priorities of PE is to promote an active and healthy lifestyle, supporting an autonomous climate, social interaction and comprehensive participation during class (Ryan & Deci, 2020 ). Inactive children and adolescents are mainly due to the increasing use of digital technology (Kerres, 2022 ). As Moore et al. ( 2023 ) highlighted, this aforementioned disengagement is caused by a new trend based on spending time on computer games (sometimes called e-sports), TV and social media. Another relevant barrier is the negative experience that students underwent in previous sports and physical activity programs. Paradoxically, new technologies can have a relevant role in motivating and engaging students in PE classes. For that reason, the TPDC is conceived as a highly relevant 21st-century capability among teachers for PE.

However, barriers do not only come from students. When it comes to practical barriers to teachers’ uses of digital technology at PE, Bodsworth and Goodyear ( 2017 ) highlighted time, expense, TPDC, teacher burden as well as a certain level of resistance to change and use of digital technology. Another resisting factor is the minimal use of digital technology for certain tasks only to meet curricular expectations (Casey et al., 2016 ). For those reasons, effective integration of ICT and pedagogy is an issue that research must cover in order to suggest better strategies to address the aforementioned barriers.

Several studies have observed the potential role of technologies with several pedagogical models such as Cooperative Learning (Casey et al., 2017 ). It is observed that student-centred approaches are in line with strategies for introducing digital devices to empower students’ meaningful learning. All in all, the first step is to consider an effective integration between digital technology and pedagogy considering the teachers’ opinions to understand what they have and what they need to achieve the acquisition of students’ key competencies alongside digital literacy.

1.4 A brief literature overview and current study

The implementation of digital technology in PE classes and its implications for the students’ learning has been a line of research since the last decade of the twentieth century. At this time, Mohnsen and Lamaster ( 1998 ) carried out a survey to gather PE teachers’ attitudes concerning the application of computer technologies. Results showed that teachers had positive attitudes toward technologies, indicating that computers would assist them in finding information, creating materials and managing class records. However, they also consider the need to develop workshops and training courses to demonstrate how to implement technologies in PE.

Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, the interest in ICT of teachers and researchers has increased. At this time, heavy computers started to become more compact and mobile, enabling people (and students) to use them anywhere including PE classes. For instance, Zita ( 2008 ) observed the potential of using devices such as GPS or smartwatches in outdoor education. At the same time, different studies confirmed positive outcomes related to the implementation in educational settings (e.g., Donovan et al., 2007 ). Specifically, Bisgin ( 2014 ) confirmed that motivation is a variable that was able to improve in contrast to traditional methods, because technologies promote support and flexibility to students allowing them to see, hear, speak, move, read, write, understand, attend, organise and memorise in different paths. More recently, various systematic reviews highlighted the positive contribution of the use of digital technology in PE in areas such as health or motivational variables (Gil-Espinosa et al., 2022 ; Sargent & Calderón, 2022 ). However, previous evidence has also identified a lack of connection between digital technology and curricular aspects related to student learning. In other words, there is a gap between digital technology and pedagogy (Goodyear, 2020 ; Sargent & Casey, 2018 ; Wallace et al., 2023 ). Similarly, a major barrier related to the lack of teacher training in the use of digital technology in the PE class has also been consistently identified (Jastrow et al., 2022 ; Koekoek & van Hilvoorde, 2019 ).

Technologies have changed society. As a result, the World Health Organization (Bull et al., 2020 ) has warned against the excessive use of technologies to consolidate unhealthy sedentary behaviours. Although it may be paradoxical, new technologies continue to be essential for creating a relevant learning environment for learners in PE. Wyant and Baek ( 2019 ) emphasized that the focus is not on the digital technology itself, but how this digital technology may be used to enrich learning and acquire digital competence. Juniu ( 2013 ) also supported this idea adding that digital technology must be a resource to support teaching instead of fitting methodologies to fit the available digital technology. After all, digital educative frameworks are needed to motivate today’s generation of students (Ospankulov et al., 2023 ).

For all the above, it is essential to understand the level of TPDC and the implementation of digital technology in real contexts. Therefore, the present research aims to find an answer to the following research question: what are the factors that directly and indirectly impact PE teachers’ decision to use new technologies in their lessons? Therefore, this research aimed to analyse PE teachers' acceptability of the use of digital technology in their classes. In this sense, an initial hypothesis states that TPDC is an essential and relevant competence that all teachers must have in order to show high levels of digital competence.

2 Research methodology

A quantitative research method was used following a cross-sectional design (Cohen et al., 2018 ). A web-based survey study was conducted, where participants self-reported their responses via online (Dillman et al., 2014 ).

2.2 Survey development and questions

The researchers’ University Ethics Committee granted ethical approval for the survey. The survey was initially designed via recent literature reviews of digital technology related to PE (Gil-Espinosa et al., 2022 ; Jastrow et al., 2022 ; Sargent & Calderón, 2022 ) and several books and chapters that were deemed of interest in this research area (Casey et al., 2016 ; Koekoek & van Hilvoorde, 2019 ). The authors jointly defined the categories for the survey. Each author then created a list of 10 items per each of them. Subsequently, we met to review, reformulate, and select the most relevant items. Later, an external panel of experts was contacted to determine the face validity of the questions (Patton, 2015 ). Specifically, five professors with extensive experience in PE research and questionnaire development reviewed the survey questions. Positive feedback was received on all items, except for slight changes (e.g., three items were rephrased). A pilot survey was undertaken to examine the face and content validity (Ball, 2019 ) with ten PE teachers. They were approached to provide feedback on the pilot survey’s usability and content. This information allowed the authors to review and make amendments to improve the clarity of the survey. Only few slight modifications were made before the final version (spelling/format changes).

The survey had two sections. (a) Demographic and technology use statistics. At the beginning, a series of inquiries were presented to collect socio-demographic, professional and technology-use information: age, gender, years of teaching experience, educational stage taught, type of educational institution (e.g., public–private and rural–urban), average class size ratio, perceived level of digital competence and ownership and current use of technology. (b) Ad-hoc questions. Two main categories of inquiries were defined to group responses regarding the acceptability of digital technology use in line with our research objectives: (I) interest in the use of digital technology in PE and in transferring learning to the out-of-school context (eg., to what extent do you think digital technology can enrich the learning experience in your subject?), and (II) reasons to use or not to use digital technology in PE (eg., I have not received the necessary training to use digital technology effectively). A Likert scale with 5 options (1 = not at all, 5 = very much) was used for the first category and a dichotomous scale (Leppink, 2019 ) was used for the second one. These different scales were chosen to adjust to the content.

2.3 Procedure, participant recruitment and data collection

Participant information and consent forms were embedded into the survey platform. The exact number of participants was not defined before the survey was distributed. Instead, an attempt was made to gather as many responses as possible to increase the reliability of the results. To this aim, the survey was distributed via schools’ email addresses and Twitter, and through a non-probability snowball sampling strategy focusing on recruiting in-service PE teachers in primary and secondary education. Specifically, the survey was distributed through all the e-mail addresses to which the authors had access in Spain. The result was the questionnaire dissemination to around 1000 schools (the exact number is difficult to determine because it is uncertain whether some of these e-mails were received, as schools change their e-mail addresses relatively frequently). Online snowball surveys are very effective in contacting participants from different locations and the response rate is higher than in other strategies (Baltar & Brunet, 2012 ; Goodman, 1961 ). The final number of participants is thus presented in the results section. These participants were informed that their responses would be kept anonymous and that they had the right to withdraw from the study at any time. Surveys were completed by Spanish PE teachers during the 4-week period from November 15, 2023 to December 15, 2023. The survey took 10–15 min to complete.

2.4 Data analysis

All data were analysed using SPSS version 24.0 (IBM Co. LTD, Chicago, IL). First, demographic and digital technology use statistics were calculated for the total sample, primary and secondary education PE teachers. Then, the interest in the use of digital technology in PE and in transferring learning to the out-of-school context was analysed, again, for the total sample, primary education teachers and secondary education teachers. The same was done for the reasons to use or not to use digital technology in PE. The Mann–Whitney U test was used to analyse differences between school levels (primary and secondary education) for continuous variables and X 2 testing of difference for categorical variables. Finally, the differences between the responses to the items for both categories of inquiries (I and II) were analysed considering the different groups derived from demographic and technology use statistics. Specifically, the differences were analysed based on age, gender, years of teaching experience, average class size ratio, type of institution (public/private and rural/urban) and perceived level of competence. Again, the same data analysis was performed for continuous and categorical variables.

Completed surveys were returned by 265 PE teachers (93 females and 172 males, ages 23–66, M = 41.34 years). Demographic and technology use statistics were calculated for the total sample, primary and secondary education teachers (Table  1 ). It was found that the average class size ratio was significantly different for primary and secondary education for each level assessed. Also, a higher number of primary education PE teachers (16.6%) reported low perceived digital competence than secondary education PE teachers (6.3%, p  = 0.03). Regarding the previous use of digital technology during their classes, the proportion of PE teachers who reported having used a smartphone, music speaker, smartwatch/fitness tracker, social networks and apps was significantly higher ( p  < 0.01) in secondary education than in primary education (see Table  1 ).

The analyses for the interest in the use of digital technology in PE and in transferring learning to the out-of-school context for primary education teachers and secondary education teachers showed no significant differences for any item (Table  2 ). Descriptive statistics showed that the highest agreed-with item was that digital technology can be a useful tool in education (M = 4.23, SD = 0.90). Two items obtained the same lowest score: perceived level of institutional support for the implementation of digital technology in your classes (M = 2.68, SD = 1.12) and perceived level of institutional support for the implementation of digital technology that facilitates the transfer of learning to the out-of-school context (M = 2.68, SD = 1.17).

Concerning the reasons to use or not to use digital technology in PE, some significant differences were found (Table  3 ). PE teachers in primary education (32.5%) agreed that their subject does not favour the use of digital technology in a higher proportion than those in secondary education (17.1%, p  = 0.01). Also, significant differences for the reasons not to use digital technology were found for the item “I have colleagues who have had negative experiences when trying to incorporate digital technology into their subject”, for which secondary education teachers (37.8%) reported higher agreement than primary education teachers (21.4%, p  = 0.00). Finally, significant differences were found for one reason to use digital technology in PE: “The implementation of digital technology in my classes favours the practice of physical activity outside school hours”, for which secondary education teachers (64.9%) reported higher agreement than primary education teachers (46.1%, p  = 0.00).

Significant differences were found between responses to items in the categories of inquiry derived from age (Supplementary Table  1 ), years of teaching experience (Supplementary Table  2 ), average class size, type of institution (public/private -Supplementary Table  3 - and rural/urban) and perceived digital competence (Supplementary Table  4 ). The results showed no significant differences for any of the items based on gender. The summary of the significant differences found is shown in Table  4 .

The results indicated that age, years of teaching experience and perceived level of digital competence are the most influential variables on the acceptability of digital technology use in the educational context. In particular, it was found that older teachers with more years of teaching experience and a lower perceived level of digital competence had a lower acceptability of the use of digital technology. Also, some differences were found based on the type of institution (public/private and rural/urban) and the average class ratio. Significant differences between teachers in public and private schools focused on the resources available (for both teachers and students), with public school teachers having the greatest self-reported limitations. For ratio, there were significant differences only in the item "Some of my students do not have access to digital technology outside the classroom" ( p  = 0.001) with 61.1% agreement for those with a ratio of less than 10, 64.3% for those with a ratio of between 10 and 24 and 39.2% for those with a ratio of more than 25. Finally, there were significant differences between the responses of urban and rural teachers on the item "RNTU7. Digital technology could require a lot of additional preparation and planning time that I do not have" ( p  = 0.01) with 66.7% agreement for teachers in rural schools and 49.7% agreement for teachers in urban schools. No differences were found in any of the items related to the reasons to use digital technology for any of the sociodemographic variables.

4 Discussion

The aim of this study was to analyse PE teachers' acceptability of the use of digital technology in their classes. To this aim, two categories of inquiries were analysed based on teachers’ socio-demographic and professional variables: (I) interest in the use of digital technology in PE and in transferring learning to the out-of-school context, and (II) reasons to use or not to use digital technology in PE. Findings showed a generalised interest in the use of digital technology in the school context, with a particularly positive opinion about its usefulness in teaching, which reflects a line of thought in line with the potentialities identified in previous literature. For instance, Goodyear ( 2020 ) explained that digital technology has the potential to support, develop and extend learning in the four learning domains (physical, cognitive, social and affective) in PE. Furthermore, PE teachers showed largely willingness to explore new technological tools and/or to receive specific digital technology training. It was also observed that PE teachers considered the potential increase in student motivation to be important as one of the reasons to introduce digital technology in the class. These results are consistent with previous research on the positive impact of digital technology use on motivational variables (Jastrow et al., 2022 ; Østerlie et al., 2023 ). Remarkably, the results of our study showed two items with the lowest scores for the first category of inquiries: (I) perceived level of institutional support for the implementation of digital technology in your classes and (II) perceived level of institutional support for the implementation of digital technology that facilitates the transfer of learning to the out-of-school context . Some of the first-ever studies concerning the application of digital technology in education already showed teachers’ demands for additional support and training courses on the subject (Mohnsen & Lamaster, 1998 ; Wood et al., 2005 ). Therefore, the lack of institutional support continues to be an obstacle to the use of digital technology in education (Lai & Bower, 2019 ). Moreover, it was found to be particularly so for those who reported low perceived digital competence. Thus, more efforts by government agencies are needed for all teachers, especially considering those who are less competent in the use of digital technology.

The results showed that there were no differences in the reasons for using digital technology based on any of the socio-demographic variables analysed in this study, but there were differences in the reasons for not using it. In other words, all participants saw the potential of digital technology in the same way, but there was one group that saw more reasons for not using it: older teachers, those with more years of teaching experience and a lower perceived level of digital competence (to a lesser extent, teachers in the public sector also saw more barriers to its use than those in the private sector). But what are the reasons to use it? The usefulness of digital technology as teaching support was one of the main ‘reasons to use’ for teachers in this study (> 76% agreement for RTU4, RTU5, RTU6 and RTU11). Similarly, the role that digital technology can play in the promotion and transfer of learning outside the school context was positively highlighted by PE teachers, who expressed particular interest in receiving specific training in educational digital technology to promote the continuity of learning outside the PE class. However, not only the learning possibilities were highlighted, but also the potential to promote physical activity outside school hours (although at a lower proportion of teachers’ agreement – 54% for RTU10 vs > 80% for RTU1 and RTU2). Remarkably, (64.9%) secondary education teachers agreed significantly more with the possibility of using technology to promote physical activity in the out-of-school context than primary education teachers (46.1%), while 24.9% believed that digital technology should not be used in class to avoid distractions from physical activity. Interestingly, the recent systematic review carried out by Gil-Espinosa et al. ( 2022 ) highlighted the usefulness of smartphone applications in physical activity promotion from PE. Hence, according to the evidence found, there is a positive connection between the views expressed by teachers and the possible positive impact. In this regard, evidence of the effectiveness of digital technology-based approaches was also one of the reasons for teachers' use (61.5% agreement). Lastly, teachers reported that the potential for student teamwork (> 71% agreement for RTU7 and RTU8), communication with families (91.3%) and class management were also reasons for the use of digital technology (Fig.  2 ).

Reasons to use digital technology

However, although the results showed a generally positive attitude towards the interest in digital technology, approximately 50% of teachers reported not having sufficient access to digital technology resources (> 56% agreement for RNTU8, RNTU18 and RNTU19) and not having received the necessary training to use digital technology effectively (52.5% agreement). Recently, the systematic review by Jastrow et al. ( 2022 ) also consistently found that lack of teacher training was a constraint. These two identified barriers, together with the lack of institutional support (61.5% agreement), could be limiting the introduction of digital technology in the PE class and, consequently, not allowing the achievement of some of the benefits evidenced in the previous literature (Koekoek & van Hilvoorde, 2019 ). In accordance with the results reported by generalist teachers (Dinc, 2019 ), lack of time to effectively introduce digital technology (54.3% agreement) and students’ data privacy (66.8% agreement) were also major reasons not to use it. Furthermore, it should be noted that these teachers' perceptions contrast with the high percentages of agreement on the reasons for using digital technology, with values of around 70–90%, which show a high level of interest among teachers in its usefulness for improving learning and assessment, physical activity , teaching support , communication with families and teamwork among students inside and outside the class. However, even though these opportunities have been supported by previous literature (Gil-Espinosa et al., 2022 ; Østerlie et al., 2023 ), it is a topic that is not without criticism, since a true and authentic integration of digital technology in the PE class requires addressing more specific aspects related to curricular learning and pedagogy (Casey et al., 2016 , 2017 ), beyond the use of digital technology solely as a tool for health promotion or motivation enhancement (Sargent & Calderón, 2022 ; Wallace et al., 2023 ) (Fig.  3 ).

Reasons not to use digital technology

Although the survey design procedure followed the established recommendations (Eysenbach, 2004 ), a mixed methods approach to data collection could help better understand the reasons for the variables studied. Thus, complementing the survey with the inclusion of open-ended questions of a qualitative nature could bring us closer to a better understanding. In any case, the exploratory, descriptive and cross-sectional nature of the study necessarily implies a cautious interpretation of the results found. Moreover, the sample was restricted to a single country and mostly in public school contexts, belonging to urban settings and with ratios between 10–24 students per classroom. Additional information on other geographical areas would be of interest to draw a more complete picture of this area of research. Certainly, replication and expansion of this research should be part of the future agenda. Finally, this study focused only on teachers. Future research is suggested to focus on students, delving deeper into their learning experiences with technology.

5 Conclusions

Spanish PE teachers, most of whom indicated that they teach in public schools, in urban environments and with ratios of between 10–24 students per class, showed a generalized interest in the use of digital technology in the school context and a very positive view of its usefulness in teaching. In the same way, teachers also positively highlighted the role that technology can play in promoting and transferring learning outside the school context. There is therefore a majority consensus on the reasons for deciding to use digital technology: to improve learning and assessment, physical activity, teaching support, communication with families and teamwork among students inside and outside the class. As a counterpart to these interests and attitudes, teachers identified five major barriers that might be limiting the introduction of digital technology in the PE classroom: (a) not having sufficient access to technological resources, (b) not having received the necessary training to use digital technology effectively, (c) lack of institutional support, (d) lack of time to effectively introduce digital technology and (e) students’ data privacy. In particular, one group of PE teachers found more limitations to the use of digital technology in their classes: older teachers, those with more years of teaching experience and a lower perceived level of digital competence (to a lesser extent, teachers in the public sector saw more barriers to its use than those in the private sector). Nevertheless, taking into consideration the widespread interest of teachers in integrating digital technology in the classroom and the positive evidence on the use of digital technology provided in the previous literature, the findings of this study suggest the implementation of measures that can overcome the existing barriers to facilitate the incorporation of digital technology in the PE class.

Data availability

All data collected or analyzed during this study are included in this published article and its supplementary files.

Abbreviations

Physical education

Information and Communications Technology

Organization for Economy Co-operation and Development

Teachers’ Professional Digital Competence

Global Positioning System

Interest in the use of digital technology in the school (X = number)

Interest in digital technology to promote the transfer of learning to the out-of-school context (X = number)

Reasons not to use (X = number)

Reasons to use (X = number)

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Saiz-González, P., Sierra-Díaz, J., Iglesias, D. et al. Exploring physical education teachers’ willingness and barriers to integrating digital technology in their lessons. Educ Inf Technol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-13060-9

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• Stories From Experts About the Impact of Digital Life
• 1. The positives of digital life

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• 2. The negatives of digital life
• 3. Fifty-fifty anecdotes: How digital life has been both positive and negative
• About this canvassing of experts
• Acknowledgments

The greatest share of participants in this canvassing said their own experience and their observed experience among friends is that digital life improves many of the dimensions of their work, play and home lives. They cited broad changes for the better as the internet revolutionized everything, from the most pressing intellectual and emotional experiences to some of the most prosaic and everyday aspects of existence.

Louis Rossetto , self-proclaimed “troublemaker” and founder and former editor-in-chief of Wired magazine, summed it all up this way: “Digital technology is so broad today as to encompass almost everything. No product is made today, no person moves today, nothing is collected, analyzed or communicated without some ‘digital technology’ being an integral part of it. That, in itself, speaks to the overwhelming ‘value’ of digital technology. It is so useful that in short order it has become an integral part of all of our lives. That doesn’t happen because it makes our lives miserable.”

There is almost no area in which digital technology has not impacted me and my family’s life. Larry Irving

[artificial intelligence]

Mike Liebhold , senior researcher and distinguished fellow at the Institute for the Future, wrote, “Almost every member of my family regularly uses the internet to inform or improve aspects of their well-being: diet, fitness, health, social interaction with family and friends in person and online, education, entertainment, employment, commerce, finance and civic engagement.”

William Schrader , the founding CEO of PSINet, wrote, “Every single day: I have private communications with business associates in Europe, Asia, Latin America and in North America, and I receive emails or social media notices from my family members and their extended friends, and I receive the latest news and alerts from 20 different real news publications (such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and the Economist). All of this comes with little effort. And , after doing my local security, I can check every public investment I have made anywhere on earth and I can check my bank accounts and make transactions I deem of import, and I can search for any one or multiple piece of information that I need instantly, with or without Wi-Fi. Yes, I have what I wanted, everything at my fingertips. That means information, knowledge, history, ability to transact. I try to never do this when others are with me, since I love living in the moment. Since I am alone a lot, I can find the time. But I do not condemn or even slightly criticize people for taking a call, checking a text, reading, etc. What we built is what we wanted. It’s just that few people are happier. But, I am OK.”

Paul Saffo , a leading Silicon-Valley-based technological forecaster and consulting professor in the School of Engineering at Stanford University, said, “I have had an email address on my business card since 1982, and carry enough electronics on my person to get nervous in lightning storms. Digital connectivity has become like oxygen, utterly essential to my research. The net effect of these innovations has been to tie me more closely to other individuals and extend my interpersonal connections well beyond the pre-internet links of in-person interactions and telecommunications. I have friends – close friends who I have known for well over a decade and with whom I communicate nearly every day. We have never met in-person. In fact, we have never spoken over the phone. At the end of the day, the two of the three highest human desires are the desire to be useful, and the desire to share stories. We have been doing both since our distant ancestors sat around a savanna camp fire sharing their days and their dreams. Now, thanks to digital media, the circle around the campfire has grown to encompass (if we wish) all of humanity.”

Garland McCoy , president of the Technology Education Institute, said, “I can be a real-time engaged parent, husband, partner, problem solver, counselor, comforter, etc., while traveling anywhere in the world, and – if I am comfortable with a little inconvenience – I can usually manage this real-time interaction for free! Something that was never possible before. No more ‘Death of a Salesman.’”

Kyle Rose , principal architect at Akamai Technologies and active Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) participant, wrote, “There are simply too many things to list here. I’ll just hit on three. I can more easily keep in regular contact with friends in distant places. Those with whom I would have lost most contact (because, really, there’s no way I’m going to write letters or spend hours on the phone) I can now maintain a relationship with, sometimes of a fairly deep and interactive nature, via social media. This enables us to pick right up when we do finally see each other in person. Technology eases the difficulties of day-to-day life. Because of the internet, I have access to virtually all of recorded music at all times. I can get up-to-date maps and traffic data to avoid incidents. I can order food, groceries or a taxi, obtain up-to-date information about my flight status, and navigate foreign cities via public transit all from my phone with a few taps of my finger. Finally and relatedly, how the hell did I ever learn anything before the internet? The card catalog? Virtually all of human knowledge is at my fingertips at all times. It is rare that I ask a question of fact that someone hasn’t yet answered, and now many of those answers are available to anyone with access to a search engine. The impact of all of these is profoundly positive. And this is only a taste of what the internet, and technological advances in general, promise.”

Fred Davis , a futurist/consultant based in North America, wrote, “Messaging apps allow me to connect with people who have given me support, provided a chance to talk about life’s challenges, seek advice and many other things. Access to people is simplified. Chat apps (unlike Facebook) provide a one-on-one connection with another person, which can be more personal, human and healing than posting on social networks. I have been using a Fitbit for a number of years. I have had a heart attack and triple bypass and am pre-diabetic. Getting regular exercise is important, and my Fitbit helps me set and attain fitness goals much more easily than before. The ability to monitor and track my sleep helps me take actions to get better sleep, which definitely increases well-being. By connecting to my Fitbit scale I can also track my weight and tie it to my exercise goals. My Fitbit can connect to a Dexcom blood sugar-testing device that can test blood sugar every five minutes, which is extremely helpful in managing my pre-diabetes.”

These one-liners from anonymous respondents hit on a number of different positive themes:

• “I can get answers to questions about almost anything just by asking my telephone.”
• “I can save money on everything, including clothing and shoes, airfares, hotels and eat at better restaurants and drink better wine.”
• “Navigation via car has dramatically improved, with accurate up-to-date traffic information and destination wayfinding.”
• “Digital life is being able to speak and see someone – regardless of where you are – on a phone you carry on your person.”
• “Most people I have dated and approximately all of my friends knew me on the internet first; before such digital connectivity I would have just been lonely.”
• “Sharing photos of new generations instantly with loved ones on the other side of the world and using video and chat to send/receive money; to joke, to tease, to mourn.”
• “My son has grown up in a world in which he will never be lost; he will never be without a person to talk to; he will never be stopped from searching for an answer to a query.”
• “I work remotely for a company halfway around the world, and so does my partner. No need to be at a main office.”
• “The diffusion of webinars allows me to participate in many events organized in different countries without having to travel to them.”
• “Digital technology allows me to have better knowledge that empowers me to better support my own health when I face challenges.”
• “My job didn’t exist 15 years ago. I am a digital content manager.”
• “It means that we can participate in important moments that time and distance barred us from in the past.”
• “I feel more supported in good times and bad and laugh more than before I was connected online.”

Here is a roundup of the many ways these experts described the benefits they get and the benefits they observe.

Family enrichment and enhancement

Pamela Rutledge , director of the Media Psychology Research Center, said, “My 90-year-old father was on Facebook for the sole purpose of connecting with kids and grandkids who were scattered across the country. Reading and commenting on their posts gave him the ability to participate in the process of their lives. Knowing what the family members were doing increased his sense of involvement and the overall intimacy he experienced with them all. This familiarity also jump-started any family gathering, keeping people who were geographically disparate from feeling like relative strangers and allowing relationships to be more immediately meaningful. Texting in all forms serves the same purpose. Closeness in relationships is achieved by the frequency of contact. The human brain reacts to virtual contact as if it were real, releasing the same neurotransmitters of positive emotion and reward as if people were face to face. Texting allows for the multiple touchpoints, the sharing of life’s process and the reassurance of connection. These experiences replicate the behaviors that developmental psychologist Mary Ainsworth described in her ground-breaking work on attachment theory and how people form a secure attachment style, essential to emotional well-being.”

The simplest anecdote is about keeping a family messaging chat open with my wife and children. Stowe Boyd

Stowe Boyd , managing director at Work Futures, said, “The simplest anecdote is about keeping a family messaging chat open with my wife and children. My kids – both in their 20s – live in Brooklyn, which is close to where we live, but over an hour away. However, we all participate in the chat, often several times in a day. We share pictures, links, stories, plans. It is simply much lower friction than how I managed to remain in contact – or didn’t, really – with my parents when I was in my 20s. Then it was an occasional phone call, visits when possible, but it was pretty tenuous. And I had what most of my contacts considered an unusually close and caring relationship with my folks. I wouldn’t say my family today is hyperconnected , but we certainly remain very connected, where scarcely a day passes without some interaction between all of us despite the physical distance involved. And this has allowed an extra richness to my life, and I guess theirs, a counter to the possible distance that could otherwise grow in our relations because of the hour of travel that separates us.”

[difference of digital life]

Steve Stroh , technology journalist, said, “Two observations. The first is that one of the regrets of my life is that I didn’t work hard enough to stay in touch with all of my family and friends as I moved away from my hometown and got involved in my career. Thus, many of my family and friends that were once dear to me are now estranged – entirely my fault. In my daughter’s generation (born in the 1990s), with social media like Facebook, etc., my daughter’s generation and beyond, they will never get entirely out of touch with family and friends (unless they really want to). They’ll know about significant events in their friends’ and family’s lives as things happen, and can always reach out because there’s a consistent point of contact – the social media messaging, ‘stable’ phone numbers such as mobile, email, etc. The second is that my wife and I maintain a near-daily ‘running conversation’ with my daughter who’s moved away via three-way ‘text’ messaging. We often share photos (of the family pets, as it turns out) and let each other know about important or unimportant – perhaps funny – things that are going on in our lives. So the three of us are never really out of touch, which is a wonderful, wonderful thing. I wish I could do this with MY father (who is, alas, very technophobic).”

Richard Sambrook , professor of journalism at Cardiff University in the United Kingdom, wrote, “Very simply, I can talk to and see my daughter on the other side of the world at low or zero cost via video/smartphone technology in a way that was unthinkable a decade or more ago. It helps hold families together.”

Perry Hewitt , vice president of marketing and digital strategy at ITHAKA, said, “We live in an aging society; in the developed world, the population is getting older, people are living longer, and fertility rates are falling. Here in the U.S., where families can be geographically dispersed and family-leave policies minimal, caring for older relatives is difficult. Our family has benefitted from the many technology advances in elder care from cameras to robots to medication reminders to video calling. There is so much available to track critical metrics and improve quality of life – for the elderly and their tapped-out caregivers. I believe we’re still in the infancy of technologies that can improve medical compliance and personal safety, and combat a scourge many older Americans face: loneliness.”

Mary Chayko , a professor at the Rutgers University’s School of Communication and Information, wrote, “My family and I now stay in contact via an unending series of group texts. While we would have remained connected via letters or phone calls in a pre-digital time, this allows the simpler, more convenient and more frequent sharing of moments both incidental and more meaningful, and keeps us consistently in one another’s minds and hearts.”

Alex Halavais , director of the M.A. in social technologies at Arizona State University, said, “We have two children in elementary school. It starts at the same time each day and ends at the same time. The children are generally out of touch with the family during this period. This would not have been unusual when I was in elementary school or when my parents were in elementary school, but the other institutions in our lives have changed this. We have shared family calendars that show who needs to be where and when, but these change with some consistency. While my partner and I both have busy careers, they never fall within clearly defined work hours, and mobile technologies mean that our everyday social and business lives are weaved together rather than blocked in clear periods. Time has changed, except for the kids’ grade school. It remains anchored in one position: the 20th century.”

Eelco Herder , an assistant professor of computer science whose focus is on personalization and privacy at  Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen in the Netherlands, wrote, “My husband and I live relatively far away (about two to five hours) from our families and our friends live in several countries. Facebook makes it easier to stay in touch with them, to inform them about important events, to show pictures of our daily lives, and – in return – to be informed about things that matter to them. For me, my circle of online friends has evolved from mainly ‘online contacts’ in the mid-2000s to people whom I know in daily life. As a result, if we meet friends after a year or so without contact, we do not need to give an overview of last year, but just continue the conversation and play a board game. It is also easier now to stay in touch with a larger number of people than in earlier days. Apps like WhatsApp allow us to have daily contact with our families, simply by exchanging short messages or sending quick pictures. This interaction does not replace phone calls and visits, but complements them.”

Nathaniel Borenstein , chief scientist at Mimecast, said, “In the 1980s and early 90s, people asked me why I cared so much about advancing the capacities of email. My usual reply: ‘Some day I will have grandchildren, and I want to get pictures of them right away, by email.’ This dream came true when I received an email that contained a sonogram image of my twin granddaughters when they were each no bigger than a few cells. I had expected those first pictures to be considerably cuter. Even though I was an evangelist for the future of communication technology, that technology exceeded my wildest imaginings.”

Srinivasan Ramani , a retired research scientist and professor, said, “It was in 1993. My daughter left school in Bombay and moved to college in the U.S. Telecommunication in India was quite bad in those days. The number of telephones, both landline and cellular, was about 3 million. (Compare with the billion or so cellphones we have in the same country now!) I knew it would be difficult for my daughter to call us back soon after arrival at the college, and so had asked her to get access to internet on campus and contact us through email and chat. She did that within hours of arrival. My wife had, to that point, carefully stayed away from the dial-up terminal I had on my study table at home for years. Now, she suddenly demanded to be introduced to the system. She demonstrated that given the right motivation, people can learn to use a dial-up terminal for email and internet chat in two days at the most! Our daughter was, for the next four years, our daughter on the Net!”

Claudia L’Amoreaux , digital consultant, wrote, “I started using videoconferencing early. First I used a black-and-white video phone that sent a still image every 5 seconds or so. Friends and I got our hands on one and did some fun experiments with artist techies at the Electronic Cafe in Los Angeles. Later I used Cornell’s CU-SeeMe videoconferencing. A real turning point for me was using the high-end PictureTel videoconferencing system in the early ‘90s. When the PictureTel staff dialed up and connected me to a person in New York City (I was in Monterey, California), as I said hello, tears came involuntarily to my eyes; the intimacy was so unexpected, I was overwhelmed with this encounter with a stranger. Fast forward to five years ago. My 85-year-old mother had a recurrence of cancer. We lived many miles apart. On one of my visits, we went to the phone store and I helped her pick out her first iPhone. It was so awesome to watch her learn to text with her friends. I could FaceTime her from my home while I got my life in order so I could return to take care of her. That phone was a literal lifeline during her last months – a source of joy, a tool for coordinating her care, and a reassurance for me that I could actually see daily how she was doing. I think of all the technology in our lives, videoconferencing technology contributes in a profound way to my well-being, bringing me closer to dear family and friends who live at a distance, or even just across the bay like my daughter does. I love it when we both have time to just hang out together via FaceTime when we can’t be there in person.”

Kirsten Brodbeck-Kenney , a director, said, “Thanks to social media and video chatting, my parents have been able to be very involved in my child’s life in spite of living on the other side of the country. She is only two and a half, but she knows their faces and voices and feels connected to them, even though she’s only met them a handful of times.”

Work creator, enabler and enhancer

I spend a great deal of my day online, and being hyperconnected makes it possible to find all the things I need to have a decent quality of life. Dewayne Hendricks

Dewayne Hendricks , CEO of Tetherless Access, said, “Living a digital life has made it possible to be self-sustaining financially. I spend a great deal of my day online, and being hyperconnected makes it possible to find all the things I need to have a decent quality of life. The type of life I’m leading now would not have been possible 30 years ago. I take comfort in the fact that I’ve had a hand in shaping a part of this thriving digital Web.”

Michael Rogers , a futurist based in North America, said, “I now live half the year in the Sicilian farm country where, thanks to wireless internet access, I can do most of my work. Ten years ago that would have been quite impossible. One of the things I most like about Sicily (besides the obvious attractions) is that while there is plenty of Facebook and email and Twitter, the ‘digital lifestyle’ has not colored private and public life so much as it has in my other home, New York City. Sicily remains a far more face-to-face culture. Why that is the case and how long it will continue is a longer story, but it is ironic that I’m using the new digital tools to avoid the side effects of those same tools.”

[Transmission Control Protocol]

James Blodgett , an advisory board member with the Lifeboat Foundation, wrote, “Important work is shared. When several string theorists published several papers predicting black hole production at particle colliders, I became involved with the collider controversy. The original safety considerations had glaring holes. … I made contacts with safety experts and scientists who were also concerned. I started a Global Risk Reduction special interest group in Mensa, I became an advisory board member of the Lifeboat Foundation (one of thousands), and I participated in writing petitions and contacting people. … The main thing we accomplished was to get CERN, the organization sponsoring the then-upcoming Large Hadron Collider, to do a second safety study.”

[Internet Relay Chat]

Jordan LaBouff , associate professor of psychology at the University of Maine, commented, “There are so many ways, from allowing me to stay connected to my family and other relationships while I travel for work and research, to being able to translate or navigate on the fly in difficult cross-cultural situations. The one that springs to mind is actually my wife’s work experience. Two years ago, due in part to the challenges of living with multiple chronic health conditions, my wife left her successful job as a cell technologist at a local hospital to pursue digital journalism. It has allowed her to work from home and write for a large public audience about research surrounding bipolar disorder. This digital environment provides her employment, and her writing supports thousands of people every week who read her research (that she accesses digitally) and writing and who get social support and well-being tips from it. It’s a remarkable way the digital world has improved our physical one.”

Tom Wolzien , chairman at The Video Call Center LLC, said, “My family’s creation of The Video Call Center to produce broadcast-quality television from the 4 billion global smartphones (and related patents and other intellectual property to make it reliable and cost effective) has enabled a flattening of traditional live video access, enabling programs based on zero-cost live remotes from about anywhere on the planet without field origination, transport, or control room costs. This means that any media organization can put about anyone on the air from anywhere, restricted only by the depth of the producer’s contact list.”

Jane Elizabeth , director of the accountability journalism program at the American Press Institute, wrote, “Digital technology has allowed my small non-profit organization to work efficiently and effectively from wherever we are in the world. For non-profits and even small for-profit organizations, you just can’t overstate the positive benefits of this type of mobility. There are absolute cost savings in overhead, travel, hourly wages. And there are qualitative benefits in employee work-life balance, productivity and emotional health.”

Jeremiah Foster , an open-source technologist at the GENIVI Alliance, said, “I lived and worked in Sweden for about 15 years. Recently I moved back to the United States to be with family since I’m originally from the U.S. I’m able to keep my employment, including my salary, my title and my day-to-day work while living thousands of miles away from the company I work for.”

Eugene Daniel , a young professional based in the United States, said, “Digital technology impacts every aspect of my daily life. As a member of the media, my job depends on technology (telecommunications, social media, internet). As a person who lives apart from family and loved ones, I depend on digital communication to stay in touch – including frequently connecting on FaceTime with my girlfriend. The uses are endless.”

Devin Fidler , a futurist and consultant based in the U.S., commented, “Sites like Upwork have allowed Rethinkery Labs to routinely pull together ‘flash teams’ of colleagues, support and expert advisers in a way that accomplishes many tasks more efficiently than would have been humanly possible before coordination platforms.”

Frank Feather , a business futurist and strategist with a focus on digital transformation, commented, “Technology allowed me to quit commuting – which is asinine in this era – to quit my career job, and to become a full-time consultant, thus allowing me to help far more organizations on a freelance-anywhere basis. This has been most fulfilling. Similarly, my children have built worldwide networks of friends and fellow students. We have two adopted daughters, and the internet has allowed one of them to find and connect with her birth family in China. None of this would be possible without the internet. The internet unifies people and combines ideas very easily.”

Yoram Kalman , an associate professor at the Open University of Israel, wrote, “Digital technology freed me from having to spend all of my work hours in the office. I have been telecommuting and working from home at least part of the week since the late ‘90s. That would not have been possible without the advent of digital communication. It allowed me to better integrate work, family commitments, leisure, health challenges of self, of children and of elderly parents, social commitments, etc. Consequently, my work is more productive. Furthermore, the ability to work across geographical and national borders opened new opportunities that made my work more exciting and fulfilling. Throughout this time, I had to learn and relearn how to use communication technologies in ways that empower me, and how to minimize the harm they cause. It is an ongoing learning challenge.”

Charlie Firestone , executive director of the Aspen Institute’s communications and society program, said, “I run an office of seven people. I was able to move from Washington, D.C., to California with little detriment, mostly due to video-conferencing. In our case it is Skype for Business that puts each employee a touch of a button away, and the video changes the interaction from simply voice calls or email. I see video calls, a la FaceTime or Skype to be a common activity of the future in business.”

[Structured Query Language]

Adam Montville , a vice president at the Center for Internet Security, said, “I have the privilege of working from home each and every day. While there are some aspects of office life I miss, the truth is that technology has made this possible. For our family, this has been immeasurably valuable. I can work more productively at different times of day, all while maintaining healthy boundaries for work/life balance (which really isn’t about hard boundaries as much as it is about unobtrusively blending the two). Before such technology existed, I had to commute. I had to be tied down to a specific schedule each and every day. I couldn’t connect to colleagues from a mountainside or a sailboat. It just wasn’t possible.”

Ann Adams , a technical writer based in North America, said, “It gave me a profession; one that did not exist when I was growing up.”

Vincent Alcazar , director at Vincent Alcazar LLC, wrote, “The growing mobility of labor cannot be underestimated, and the primary enabler is the gig economy with the internet as its engine. The gig economy only grows from here, as does its entwinement within people’s lives.”

Health and wellness aid

Avery Holton , an associate professor of communication at The University of Utah, commented, “As someone who has twice experienced the impact of cancer, once at the beginning of digital and social media and once in 2016, I feel more empowered by the ability to be transparent and accepted. Yes, we all still enjoy sharing those moments in our lives that give off the best appearance, but the stigma of sharing experiences of disease or pain or loss has lessened. More and more, we are encouraged by the actions or the postings of others to share our tougher experiences and to, if we so wish, build a community around those experiences. The first time I went through cancer, I felt lost and disconnected and without voice. This time, though it admittedly took some coaxing from friends and other supporters, I shared my experience and my recovery. That really helped me through the process and into a quicker, more lasting mental, emotional and physical recovery.”

My online network and digital tools made it easy to share the event, his progress, my stress and feelings, for others to empathize and share resources and advice. Susan Price

Susan Price , lead experience strategist at the United Services Automobile Association (USAA), commented, “My husband had a stroke last year. My online network and digital tools made it easy to share the event, his progress, my stress and feelings, for others to empathize and share resources and advice. I found myself carefully segregating my communications by channel, moderating the degree of honesty according to the size and makeup of the group. I report to the largest group in Facebook ‘sanitized’ updates of mostly hopeful progress reports and vignettes that show me or my husband in a flattering or inspirational light. I avoid upsetting others with starkly honest or too-revealing stories of my own or my husband’s pain, frustration or lack of coping. My husband is aware of my propensity to share, and has asked directly when we’re discussing a fraught situation, ‘This isn’t going on Facebook, is it? Good!’ But he suggested my posting and sharing some achievements. Because of its ubiquity and reach, Facebook helped me identify select others in my network – many of whom I hadn’t spoken with in 10 to 20 years – who had directly relevant experience with caregiving of stroke survivors and adjusting when a partner suffers a severe health crisis. With those found veterans, I moved the discussion to more private channels such as Facebook Messenger, email or phone to share more honestly my negative feelings, fears and pain, and received directly helpful specific advice, support and resources. I’ve also used caregiver forums to connect with quickly available communities of peers in situations much closer to my own.”

Gina Neff , an associate professor and senior research fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute, said, “Digital technology has been a godsend for care-givers, allowing people to coordinate their efforts to help during cancer treatment, when a newborn arrives, or during a health crisis. Apps and websites cannot replace the communities that have always connected and supported us, but they can help diverse and dispersed groups coordinate care in unprecedented ways.”

Bradford Hesse , chief of health communication and informatics research at the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), said, “I now stay in closer contact with my healthcare provider than I ever have before. If I have a question, I can ask it through secure messaging. If I want to evaluate my own recent blood panels for areas of concern or progress, I can do that online through a secure portal. Robocalls to my house from my provider as well as text messages to my phone ensure that I do not miss a recommended cancer screening. I watch my diet more rigorously with the help of a diet app on my smartphone equipped with camera to retrieve caloric/nutritional information, and I monitor my exercise goals through the use of my Apple Watch wearable. If I have a complaint, it is usually because the ecosystem of medicine is still not connected enough. There are laggards who resist sharing my electronic health record data with specialists as needed. There is 20th-century thinking that prevents these digital technologies from being fully integrated into the medical system in ways that will be cost-efficient, interoperable, empowering and truly usable.”

Thomas Lenzo , a respondent who shared no additional identifying details, commented, “Digital technology has facilitated my management of various aspects of my healthcare. I am able to schedule appointments and order prescription refills online, at any time of day. I can get detailed text or video information about health issues from trusted sources. I have access via portals to my health records. I also tell family and friends how they can use digital technology to impact their health.”

Ed Black , president and CEO of the Computer & Communications Industry Association, said, “The ability to monitor the medical records, procedures, medicines of a loved one remotely provides opportunity for quality oversight and rapid response, in contrast to being tied to hospital visits and uncertainty.”

Gary L. Kreps , distinguished professor and director of the Center for Health and Risk Communication at George Mason University, wrote, “My family and I use wearable fitness trackers that tally our daily exercise behaviors (steps). This has influenced both our awareness of our physical activity and motivation to exercise regularly. We strive to accomplish our 10,000 daily steps! We also compare our exercise levels and encourage each other to engage in physical activity. We now seek opportunities to exercise together to achieve our activity goals. This has improved our overall physical activity, fitness and health.”

Kevin J. Payne , founder of Chronic Cow LLC, said, “Since I research the effects of chronic illness and live with multiple sclerosis, I have a particular interest in using these technologies to monitor and evaluate my condition, keep up on the latest research, and connect with others – both professionals and others living with chronic conditions. My life has been radically affected by these burgeoning technologies on all these fronts. It allows me to collect my own data, blend it with other datasets and generate and test real-time predictive algorithms. I have a far better understanding of my condition, especially as it is baselined against relevant populations. I not only get access to cutting edge pre-print research, but I’ve also been able to widen my professional network by communicating with the researchers. And my involvement with patient communities has enriched my life in many ways.”

David Myers , a professor of psychology at Hope College, wrote, “As a person with hearing loss and an advocate for a hearing-assistive technology that has great promise (www.hearingloop.org), the internet has networked me with kindred spirit advocates nationwide (also via 19,898 emails I have sent and 18,516 received with the words ‘hearing’ and ‘loop’). Together, our internet-facilitated ‘hearing loop’ advocacy has led to thousands of newly equipped facilities, from home TV rooms to worship places to auditoriums to airports (and New York City subway booths and new taxis). And more progress is on the horizon. Supported by digital technology, we are making a better world for people with hearing loss.”

[doctor in general practice]

Doug Breitbart , co-founder and co-director of The Values Foundation, said, “In my life I have experienced significant adverse changes and circumstance, living situation and health. Virtual connectivity via the internet has enabled me to establish networks of connections, collaborative communities and new friendships and relationships with people around the world.”

Leah Robin , a health scientist based in North America, said, “My family has a genetic form of anemia that is very rare. Because of digital technology we’ve been able to make contact with researchers, take advantage of on-going research, and provide and receive support from other patients from around the world. The impact has been, at times, lifesaving for my family members.”

Christopher Bull , a university librarian, said, “I had an itchy rash on my hands. Found articles on the internet which suggested using witch hazel. No rash, no itch.”

Community lifeline

Ethan Zuckerman , director of the Center for Civic Media at MIT, wrote, “I went through a divorce recently and wrote about my experiences online. While there are few folks in my immediate community who are going through divorce, I found several friends in other cities in my extended circles who had excellent support and advice. One of the most supportive individuals was an acquaintance from college who was not a close friend, but who stepped up on Facebook and was a wonderful support to me from halfway around the country.”

Together, we grow intelligence, connect up one another’s work and support positive social change just by doing our work, following one another and sharing what’s meaningful more widely. Anne Collier

Anne Collier , consultant and executive at The Net Safety Collaborative, said, “I ‘talk’ with people all over the world on a daily basis on Twitter – seeing, learning from, supporting and spreading what’s meaningful to them in their work and lives. It’s a tremendous source of inspiration for me. Together, we grow intelligence, connect up one another’s work and support positive social change just by doing our work, following one another and sharing what’s meaningful more widely.”

Kathryn Campbell , a digital experience design consultant, said, “I have a young friend who lives in another state in a rural area. Over time, I have realized from their social media posts that he/she is emerging as gender non-conforming (probably transsexual). In the past, this is a journey that I would probably not have known about, especially since his/her immediate family is very conservative and have not accepted this facet of the young person’s identity. I am so grateful to have been included in this revelation so I can offer my unconditional love and support. And I am even more grateful that a person who in the past would have felt isolated, unnatural, and broken now knows that they are in fact part of a global community. He/she can find and utilize peer support groups as well as myriad medical, psychological and spiritual resources that would not have been available to someone in a small town in the past. I believe this will probably save lives. I definitely hope that it will help increase our ability as a society to accept others who don’t conform to our preconceived notions of what is normal.”

Ana Cristina Amoroso das Neves , director of the department for the information society at Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, said, “The smartphone has become a part of my family life. The current organisation we have and the data we can share more than modified the way we interact. There is no waste of time and therefore we all gain efficiency in our daily life. The dawn of Internet of Things is already embedded. … If there is an electricity glitch, we cannot even think how will we survive due to the new paradigm we have in our lives. Hyperconnection is part of my family and friends’ well-being. It is nothing that can be compared with the life my parents had. I wonder how I could have survived in that society, living before total digital connectivity existed, even when it had just started and was not spread yet.”

Deborah Lupton , a professor at University of Canberra’s News & Media Research Centre, said, “I live in a vast continent (Australia) where academics are scattered many kilometres from each other, and it is a very long, expensive and exhausting plane ride from my colleagues in the Northern Hemisphere. However, I have extensive networks with my colleagues on Twitter and Facebook. I enjoy taking time out to chat with them, sharing professional and also some personal information regularly. It makes me feel less isolated and more easily able to keep in contact with my academic network. Nothing beats face-to-face encounters, but social media and emails, as well as the occasional use of Skype, is a far better way to maintain these contacts than letter writing or faxing, which is how we did things before digital media.”

Nancy Heltman , visitor services director for Virginia State Parks, said, “I have met and developed relationships with people outside any sphere of reference I never would have had thanks to my digital life. This started when I worked on the 2008 Obama campaign, includes people I met through a group where we shared our love for household pets and goes through today where I have a relationship with customers that I never would have met personally. While I do not believe that my online relationships replace ones that involve personal face-to-face connections, they are important and have broadened my horizons in many ways, adding a richness to my life. In fact my more-traditional face-to-face relationships have also benefited from more communication due to digital communications. When forced to only have relationships with people you can meet in person, you tend to live in a more-narrow world, with people more like you. Digital communications broadens your horizons, or it can if you want it to.”

Social media: The horizon expander

Michael R. Nelson , public policy expert with Cloudflare, said, “I’m an avid user of social media, which I use to track developments in internet policy around the world. Almost every day, one of the people I follow on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn shares a report, law review article, economic analysis, or news article on something I need to know about and would not have discovered by just reading the U.S. newspapers and media sites I track regularly. Equally importantly, my Facebook and LinkedIn friends introduce me to experts in the field in countries around the world – without my having to spend time flying overseas to attend conferences. In 2017, I was able to be a fun participant in the Global Conference in Cyber Space in New Delhi without missing Thanksgiving with my family. Likewise, I was able to be a remote participant at the UN’s Internet Governance Forum in Geneva without leaving my house (as long as I was willing to tune into the webcast at 4 a.m.).”

[bulletin board system]

Michael Roberts , an internet pioneer and Internet Hall of Fame member, commented “Despite its well-known problems, I find that Facebook is important to me in a number of ways. 1) Keeping up with professional friends around the globe now that I am retired. For an old fart (81), it is a source of daily intellectual stimulation and a feeling of keeping my hand in the game. 2) A window into many marvelous places and activities. I am a railfan and there are restored steam engines, abandoned trackage, lonely and empty depots, etc., to fill any amount of time I have available. Name your hobby or sport, and there are folks out there to share their discoveries with you. 3) The original ‘family and friends’ angle. My siblings and I are all over the U.S. Facebook lets us pretend we are close (Worldwide webcams add a lot as well). There are lots of other examples – politics, medicine, personal safety, education.”

Jerry Michalski , founder of the Relationship Economy eXpedition, said, “I now have peripheral vision into the lives of family, friends and acquaintances a few degrees from me – all voluntarily. When I see them, I don’t need to ask ‘what’s up,’ but can say ‘I’m glad your daughter got through her operation,’ or whatever is appropriate for the state of their lives I can observe. Those weak ties are priceless, and lead to insights. In the early days of Twitter, I left a meeting and tweeted something like, ‘Just left a mtg about the cash health care economy. Had no idea it existed or was big.’ At the time, I had set up for all my tweets to forward to Facebook, and the next day I got a fascinating eight-paragraph note on Facebook from an acquaintance who had taken his family off regular health insurance years ago, and was very happy with the outcomes. On the other hand, I am among the Satanic Device Addicts who check email on their phones first thing in the morning (it’s on the night table, right?) and tap and prod them all day long, in search of those little dopamine hits.”

… All of us now have the ability to find ‘our people’ – those who share our interests and passions and concerns – in ways that we couldn’t when our connective avenues were limited by time and geography. Scott McLeod

[live-action roleplaying gamer]

Jason Hong , professor at the Human Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, wrote, “WeChat is not well known in the U.S., but is perhaps the most popular app in China. It’s primarily a messaging app, like Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp, but also serves as a social network and message board. What’s really amazing is how it’s really helped my family (from China) connect with others here in the U.S. My father-in-law found people to go fishing with. My mother-in-law found a monthly foodies group to go to. My wife found some of her old high school classmates, plus a group of people that buy foods in bulk at discount and split the costs. As for me, well, I’m the boring one, I just use it to send text messages and emoji to my wife. For my family, WeChat works well because it lowers the transaction costs of finding individuals with similar interests and backgrounds. My parents-in-law don’t speak much English, so WeChat acts as a major filter for people who do speak Chinese. WeChat also lets you organize message boards by geography, making it easy to find groups that are geographically nearby. It’s pretty amazing, since these weren’t really problems that we knew we had, and the WeChat groups just filled those needs quite nicely. Furthermore, it was a good tool that let us first find people virtually and then transition to real-world relationships.”

Richard Bennett , a creator of the Wifi MAC protocol and modern Ethernet, commented, “Facebook was useful for spreading the word to my extended family about the status of two relatives who died of pancreatic cancer recently. In one case, a sister-in-law in another country used me as a go-between to reach my wife, and in another I used it to contact a former stepbrother, a sister and a half brother. As modern families become more complex, communication tools have had to adapt.”

Lisa Nielsen , director of digital learning at the New York City Department of Education, said, “I am the administrator of several Facebook groups around areas of personal interest such as hobbies, sports, career (education). I started a Facebook group for teachers at the New York City Department of Education who love teaching with technology. In the past all these people existed in the 1,800 schools across the city, but there was no way for these people to find one another. The group now has close to 3,000 members. It is highly active, and strong relationships are being built. We have a direct line to what is happening in schools. Teachers feel supported like never before. They are more confident and better able to serve their students. They have increased job satisfaction. They share extreme gratitude for the group and its responsiveness. They are no longer alone but rather supported by a powerful network of other dedicated teachers.”

Knowledge storehouse

[massive open online courses]

Jeff Jarvis , a professor at City University of New York’s Graduate School of Journalism, said, “I count as an unfathomable luxury the ability to look up most any fact, any book, any news article at no cost and in seconds. I value the friends I have made from a tremendous diversity of background and worldviews thanks to the connected Net. I welcome many – though certainly not all – new voices I can hear now thanks to the Net putting a printing press in anyone’s hands. And not incidentally, I have transformed my career thanks to the lessons I continually learn by and about the Net.”

Deborah Hensler , professor of law at Stanford University, wrote, “On a personal level, digital technology enables me to work more productively from any place in the world. It provides access to a vast store of information and research data. It has enabled me to collaborate with academic colleagues in many different parts of the world, which has been an incredibly generative experience. In my personal life, it connects me to far-flung family and friends. It also connects me to people who share my political views, which gives me some hope – perhaps foolish – that working with them I can shift the political discourse.”

Ray Schroeder , associate vice chancellor for online learning at the University of Illinois Springfield, wrote, “I have been engaged in teaching, researching and presenting/publishing in advocating educational technology in higher education over the past 46 years. As I think back over those nearly five decades, my impact and reach today is far greater than I had ever imagined in 1971 or ‘81 or even 2001. Through the use of social media, I am able to share resources and perspectives to tens of thousands of others in my field on a daily basis. The prospect that one person could manage that scope of impact and reach was inconceivable for anyone who was not a network commentator on television or a nationally syndicated columnist. Now this opportunity extends to all who are dedicated to a purpose or cause.”

Larry MacDonald , CEO of Edison Innovations, wrote, “Sharing enables power to flow to those who ‘know’ rather than only those who control. People have a better grasp of news and tools that can make their lives easier. Knowledge disseminates faster and deeper.”

Problem solver and wonder creator

Hal Varian , chief economist at Google, commented, “I was in Rio trying to communicate with a taxi driver a few months before the Olympics. The driver pulled out his phone and clicked on Google Translate. Problem solved. Turns out that Google had trained all the taxi drivers in Rio how to use this fantastic tool.”

In terms of the spread of knowledge, the past two decades have been as revolutionary as when early man harnessed fire. Kenneth Cukier

Kenneth Cukier , senior editor at The Economist, wrote, “In researching my new book on AI, I came across a citation of a relevant document from the 1950s by the East German secret police, the Stasi. I Googled it and got a digital copy – which, when you think about it, is amazing. But my German is lousy. So I uploaded the 35-page report into Google Translate and got an English version a minute later – which is even more astounding. Just 20 years ago it was impossible for all but the most prestigious scholar to obtain something like that, and it might take half a year. I did it on impulse in four minutes. In terms of the spread of knowledge, the past two decades have been as revolutionary as when early man harnessed fire.”

Vint Cerf , Internet Hall of Fame member and vice president and chief internet evangelist at Google, commented, “I moved my wife from an older iPhone with AT&T service to a Google Pixel 2 with Google Fi service. It took 10 minutes and did NOT require physical modification or even installation of a SIM card. I got confirmation from AT&T within minutes that the account and phone number had been transferred. I was astonished.”

[Internet Governance Forum]

Bart Knijnenburg , assistant professor at Clemson University, said, “Seven years ago, when I got my first iPhone with FaceTime, I was calling my fiancée (who was living on the other side of the country) on my bike ride home from work. Out of nowhere a number of hot air balloons appeared, and with the touch of a button I was able to switch to a video call. I remember being amazed by the simplicity with which I was able to share this experience. Nowadays, communicating with people anywhere in the world has become second nature to me. Sometimes I realize that I have written several research papers with people whom I have never met in person!”

Heywood Sloane , partner and co-founder of HealthStyles.net, said, “The criterion I used for my most recent purchase of a smartwatch was that it NOT try to be a watch. I have one already, a gift from my wife that I am very fond of, thank you! I expected, and got, a multitude of tools to help me stay on track with stress, sleep, biometrics and much more. What I did not expect, was the way it tamed the peppering of email, notifications by apps, ringtones and alarms of people and things clamoring for my immediate attention. It reduces them all to gentle vibrations. Long ones for calls I wanted to take, and short ones for everything else. It lets me block interruptions from apps and emailers. It also let me see others and get more detail with a tap when I want it. It gives me control and helps me defend my space to concentrate and focus on what I choose, rather than what someone else chooses.”

Thomas Viall , president of Rhode Island Interactive, commented, “Just this past Christmas shopping season is a great example of how digital technology was beneficial. We could text our relatives rather than interrupt them with a call. They were able to share their wish list, we could comparison shop online (at both local and national stores), find the best value, search for coupons and either order online or use navigation to find the best route to the store despite holiday traffic.”

Education tool

Olugbenga Adesida , founder and CEO of Bonako, based in Africa, wrote, “The digital revolution has changed social relationships and the way we communicate. In some African countries like Kenya and Zimbabwe, mobile payment transactions are responsible for over 40% of GDP. Mobile apps are used to deliver education as well as providing timely information to farmers to enhance their productivity. Similarly, mobile apps are used to deliver price and other market information. At our firm – Bonako a mobile games and app-development company – it is our platform for continuous education for staff; it is what we use to access training materials from all over the world. We also use digital tools to plan and develop our products in a way that would not have been possible only a few years ago. Developing games and apps requires varied expertise, and collaboration is key. The new tools for collaborative work allow us to work together and to provide virtual access to potential partners/clients to test products no matter where they are in the world.”

Karl M. van Meter , founding director of the bilingual scientific quarterly Bulletin of Sociological Methodology, said, “Far from being a ‘brief personal anecdote,’ what has changed greatly in my life and work, like that of almost everyone in higher education and research, is that the internet and associated technologies mean that no longer only a few top persons have access to the necessary information, technology and means for scientific production and teaching. It is no longer only the director (always a male) who gets his secretary (always a female) to type out his paper and check references before having it published. Almost all competent teachers and researchers have that possibility now; moreover they can work together over great distances and form social structures among themselves, independent of centralized or local administrative control. A ‘brief personal anecdote’ along these lines would be when a national director of scientific research here in France asked to be appointed to an international body associated with UNESCO. That body replied very respectfully to the director that they had already found a better candidate from France who had been working with them via the internet. That other candidate was me.”

Today, students I help mentor through their own doctoral studies have access to all of the material I did two decades ago, but with a fraction of the time and travel commitment. Greg Downey

Greg Downey , a professor and associate dean at University of Wisconsin, Madison, said, “When I was a graduate student at a U.S. private research university in the late 1990s, I spent many hours gathering background context for the beginning of a major historical and social research project, tracking down physical newspaper indexes, footnote references, printed journal volumes and microfilm reels from dozens of access-restricted research libraries. Weeks and months of ‘metadata labor’ on a particular idea might lead to a viable research project and a source of accessible primary research materials – or to a dead end and a need to start all over. I recall being among the first users of some of the online image databases produced by the federal government to find visual evidence that I simply wouldn’t have had the ability to access (or even know it existed) even five years earlier. Similarly, once materials were acquired and assembled, only rudimentary organization and writing tools were available for assembling the project into a coherent narrative. I recall being one of the first individuals at my university to use Geographic Information Systems software in my historical analysis and in the production of my final manuscript. All of the temporal and spatial expectations of earning a Ph.D. in the humanities and interpretive social sciences were tied to expectations of analog, print and physically housed resources. Today, students I help mentor through their own doctoral studies have access to all of the material I did two decades ago, but with a fraction of the time and travel commitment. This has raised the expectations for comprehensiveness in literature reviews and archival searches; it has raised the expectations for presentation of data and engagement of narrative. It is both easier and harder to do great work now and get that Ph.D. within the same five-year time period. But I think the work that is done is of higher quality, and the scholars that are produced are of greater intellectual prowess and scope than ever before.”

Adriana Labardini Inzunza , commissioner of Mexico’s Federal Institute of Telecommunications, said, “There are so many stories of how IT and internet have made my work more productive and my access to relevant information far easier – hopefully for others around me as well. As a commissioner at the Federal Institute of Telecommunications I made sure that our virtual board meetings and deliberations were valid; on many occasions I have been able to deliberate and vote on the cases submitted to the board through a video conference when in business travels and I also to hold e-meetings with my staff. My office has home-office on Mondays, saving hours of wasted time on traffic jams. …

[National Autonomous University of Mexico]

Jacob Dankasa , a North American researcher, said, “Technology has connected me to achieve today what I couldn’t imagine in the past. When I was doing my doctoral dissertation, I was supposed to travel to Nigeria from the U.S. to conduct interviews with my research participants. Unfortunately, the Ebola epidemic blew up in Africa and I was unable to go. Fortunately, software existed that allowed me to interview the participants and automatically record the sessions as I interviewed them. The price was reasonable. It saved me money and time and avoided health hazards. More and better innovations are expected in this area in the future.”

Travel companion and enhancer

[for the film ‘Casablanca.’]

I travel a lot and have vastly more flexibility and local knowledge at hand due to my devices. I see things I would not have seen, travel without having to plan every stop in advance and find the things that matter to me. I get better hotels and food, too. Brad Templeton

Brad Templeton , software architect, civil rights advocate, entrepreneur and internet pioneer, wrote, “I travel a lot and have vastly more flexibility and local knowledge at hand due to my devices. I see things I would not have seen, travel without having to plan every stop in advance and find the things that matter to me. I get better hotels and food, too.”

Jon Lebkowsky , CEO of Polycot Associates, said, “A week or so ago we headed off to a party at a house we’d never visited. We entered the address in Google Maps, so we had a guide (we call her ‘Lucy’) taking us where we need to go. It was a circuitous route – without Lucy we likely would have taken wrong turns – and I was thinking how much we now depend on that technology, not just to get us where we want to go, but also to route us around traffic congestion. Soon enough, we’ll be stepping into autonomous vehicles, vocalizing an address and relaxing for the duration of the ride. Digital technology for transportation efficiency is revolutionary.”

Safety enabler

Alejandro Pisanty , a professor at Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico and longtime leading participant in the activities of the Internet Society, wrote, “The ability to use digital tools for everything I do – from professional work, like teaching and research, to the most personal – finding long-separated relatives after the family dispersed from Europe to at least three continents in the 1930s-1940s – has been a continued benefit. Using lightweight online tools in class helps my students in the National University of Mexico grasp concepts and communicate them to their families. During the aftermath of the earthquakes in Mexico in 2017 this became particularly valuable for them; it also helped fight misinformation and take relief efforts to the places that most needed them. We went from the basics of oscillation and wave physics, through the propagation of different kinds of seismic waves. To the ways buildings are damaged and how to identify fatal structural flaws. In parallel we helped brigades take aid to small towns and to camps in Mexico City, and some of the most far-flung ones find safe havens from which to distribute aid.”

Pedro Cartagena , an associate professor at the University of Puerto Rico, said, “After hurricane María in Puerto Rico, the internet was the only communications resource in order to contact my family members, buy solar panels and get other essentials for survival.”

Apps for ordering car rides via a smartphone is a net benefit to society – it increases safety for both the passenger and driver and offers more convenience in ordering a ride. Tom Barrett

Tom Barrett , president at EnCirca Inc., wrote, “1) With the use of a smartwatch, I can now easily track daily exercise activity, which is a great motivator for making it a daily practice. 2) Apps for ordering car rides via a smartphone is a net benefit to society – it increases safety for both the passenger and driver and offers more convenience in ordering a ride.”

Multipurpose and memory aid

Bill Lehr , a research scientist and economist at MIT, wrote, “There is no question smartphones and always/everywhere access to information has allowed me to be sloppier in memorizing things and allows me to gain instant access to facts that I have come to rely on significantly. I think that is positive, especially since as I get older, I find memory-aids a big help, but it also encourages laziness.”

Ted Newcomb , directing manager of AhwatukeeBuzz, wrote, “LOL. I am virtually helpless without my phone to remind me of appointments and meetings. My head is free of having to remember numbers, dates and times. It’s very liberating. I can instantly communicate anywhere in the world, doing business at the ‘speed of byte.’”

Micah Altman , director of research and head scientist for the program for information science at MIT, said, “When I was 10, I received a portable film camera. It had a capacity of 24 negatives (in black  and white). I would send the negatives in, pay a substantial portion of my allowance to have them developed – wait for weeks for them to be returned, and finally, then be able to see how they turned out. (Usually, not so well.) Every few months, I might put one in a letter to my grandparents. Eight years ago, when my daughter turned 10, we gave her a portable camera – over the next few years she shot thousands of still, and videos – learning some elements of composition, and building shared memories. Last year, when my son turned 11, we gave him a cellphone. And over the year we’ve all shared pictures, accomplishments and sympathies daily across a growing extended family network.”

Shiru Wang , research associate at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said, “Online shopping saves me time. New social media continues my connections with friends in different countries and regions. Online resources make my research convenient. Online news keeps me informed all the time. But I am not very digitally embedded. I keep a distance from Facebook, etc.; I intentionally refuse to be dominated by social media. Thus, my life is not very much bothered by the internet. Thus, I appreciate the advantages of the internet and I am able to escape the potential harm brought by the internet.”

Joe Raimondo , digital customer-relationship-management leader at Comcast and a former CEO, said, “Trackers and personal data are an enhancement to living. Street-level navigation and easy access to crowdsourced resources is very positive. It’s possible to play large-scale social games and have enormous amounts of data and telemetry collected and analyzed to chart group interaction at large scale.”

General comments

Ian O’Byrne , an assistant professor of education at the College of Charleston, wrote, “As an educator and researcher who studies these digital places and tools, I’m in front of screens a lot. I experiment and play in these spaces. I’m also writing and researching the impact of these screens and their impact on the well-being of others as it relates to children and adolescents. The problem in this is that one of the other hats that I wear is as a parent and husband. I am not only critical of my engagement and use of these digital technologies, but I’m also cautious/cognizant of their role as a mediator in my relationships with my children and significant other. These screens and digital tools play a strong role in our lives and interactions in and out of our home. In our home we have screens and devices all over the place. We have a video server that is ready to serve content to any one of these screens on demand. We have voice-assistive devices listening and waiting for our commands. I believe it is important as an educator and researcher to play with and examine how these devices are playing a role in our lives, so I can bring this work to others. Even with these opportunities, I’m still struck by times when technology seems too intrusive. This is plainly evident when I’m sitting with my family and watching a television show together, and I’m gazing off into my device reading my RSS feed for the day. Previously I would enjoy watching the funniest home videos and laughing together. Now, I am distant. The first thing in the morning when I’m driving my kids in to school and stop at a red light, previously I would enjoy the time to stop, listen to the radio, look at the clouds or bumper stickers on cars around me. Now, I pull out the phone to see if I received a notification in the last 20 minutes. When I call out for the voice-activated device in my home to play some music or ask a question, my request is quickly echoed by my 2-year-old who is just learning to talk. She is echoing these conversations I’m having with an artificial intelligence. I’m trying to weigh this all out in my mind and figure what it means for us personally. The professional understanding may come later.”

Marshall Kirkpatrick , product director of influencer marketing, said, “My mobile feed reader finds great articles for me to learn from. My mobile article-saving app reads those articles to me out loud while I walk my dog. My mobile browser allows me to edit my personal wiki to record the best lessons I learn from those articles. My mobile flashcard app helps me recall and integrate those lessons I want to learn over time. My mobile checklist app helps me track how regularly I reflect on how those lessons connect with the larger context of my life in a blog post or on a run. There are costs to mobile connectivity, but there are so many incredible benefits!”

To my way of thinking, it’s about control. If I’m in control of the electronics, they are a benefit, but when they get out of control they are an irritation and an interruption. Fred Baker

Fred Baker , an internet pioneer and longtime leader with the Internet Engineering Task Force, wrote, “To my way of thinking, it’s about control. If I’m in control of the electronics, they are a benefit, but when they get out of control they are an irritation and an interruption. My family and friends giggle about the frequency with which I pull out my telephone to investigate a TV show’s facts or other things. That said, I have access to that now, where I once upon a time did not. On the other hand, I have also had the experience of talking with a customer in Japan while my family in the U.S. woke up and started texting each other, and I all of a sudden have to deal with my telephone.”

Stephen Abram , CEO of the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries, wrote, “On a personal level I am more connected with my wider family. Relationships with friends whom I see only occasionally – maybe annually in person at conferences, continue throughout the year. I now know many business acquaintances on a deeper level and have better relationships as a result. I dislike the word ‘hyperconnected’ since it implies a little hyperactivity – a known ‘disorder.’ I see this as a controllable issue where personal choices are made. When circumstances such as travel, weather, disability or distance create the opportunities for sustained loneliness to happen, the digital world bridges some of the gap. In my case, sustained periods on the road in airports and hotel rooms are greatly ameliorated by connecting with friends.”

David J. Krieger , director of the Institute for Communication & Leadership located in Lucerne, Switzerland, observed, “Digital connectivity enables a seamless flow of communication and association with regard to many different concerns and interests. This augments community and embeddedness and thus well-being.”

Mark Patenaude , vice president and general manager of cloud technologies at ePRINTit, said, “I certainly don’t want to fool anyone into believing that digital advancement has been a panacea of beautiful things! However, I can remember the first time my car stopped for me in a dangerous situation automatically, or stopped when I was backing up when it perceived a danger. Then there’s printing and storing terabytes of digitally compressed images on a smartphone and being able access a document or image from 20 years ago in seconds using the cloud. I can remember we had about 100 people around a large projector outside, watching the last concert of the The Tragically Hip and the home network went down. I plugged in my iPhone, went to the concert URL site, and projected live on a 10-foot screen from my cellular device; wow and double wow!”

Akah Harvey , co-founder, COO and IT engineer at Traveler Inc., said, “Fifteen years back, when I first had my first PC, I now was empowered with a tool that helped me write digital notes, play more exciting games and gain general knowledge about how the technology worked. At my age (10) I gained knowledge in the workings of these things that it contributed to my brilliance in school, especially on the subject. Few years later when we’d gain access to the internet, a whole new change took place. I discovered so many more opportunities, as one could now connect with the rest of the world to share, search and find information about anything. It was a big transformation in the way I viewed society. I quickly was able to decide what I would want to do growing older, so I’d say I found my passion thanks to this change.”

Karl Ackermann , a writer and researcher at WriteSpace LLC., commented, “We no longer keep paper files for the household. Photographs are displayed on a digital screen instead of a photo album. We can track where our kids are driving with a phone app. We buy our train tickets with an app that has a scanning bar code. We sometimes text friends instead of phoning. We pay bills online.”

Rich Salz , principal engineer at Akamai Technologies, said, “I have made my living in this field since before there was the internet and before the Web. I enjoy helping people communicate. Social media has helped me reconnect with high school friends, email with college friends, etc.”

Maureen Hilyard , IT consultant and vice chair of the At-Large Advisory Committee of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), wrote, “I live in an isolated little island in the Pacific. It is in the middle of millions of square kilometers of ocean, but we rely on tourism for our livelihood, so our small (main) island is usually packed with tourists. We have a monopoly telecom and get reasonable internet service from an O3B satellite, but for local islanders who make their living working in the hospitality industry, the cost of internet is very expensive. Broadband costs for 20 GB a month costs (in New Zealand dollars) $139 on top of telephone hire and connections. I have grandchildren and great-grandchildren who spend time in New Zealand and even at 2 years old can turn on a computer to access their favourite programmes. When they come to our island, this is curtailed because the connection is too expensive for them to experience what is normal for them – lively and creative pre-school programmes are non-existent. What is available is the fresh clean air and produce of the land and sea of the islands, which are great, but it is often too hot to do much exploring in the physical world. As a parent, I am happy for them to explore the internet during the hot periods of the day, and to make this a ‘learning and exploring on the web’ time. It is more directed learning as parent safety software can usually help to set some controls over what they might ‘accidentally’ connect to.”

[online bulletin board]

Internet Hall of Fame member Bob Metcalfe , co-inventor of Ethernet, founder of 3Com, and a professor of innovation at the University of Texas at Austin, wrote, “The people complaining most about the pathologies of the hyperconnected life own or work for the old media, which once had more of a monopoly on setting society’s agenda. I recall how ‘savvy’ the Clintons and Obama were because they were digitally literate, unlike the GOP, but now that Trump is using social media so effectively, the left hates new media.”

[virtual reality]

Narelle Clark , deputy CEO of the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, said, “As an Australian, the tyranny of distance has previously meant that family, friends and colleagues have been acutely aware of the difficulties of staying in touch and abreast of the events in the rest of the country and the world. Our contemporary hyperconnectedness means that we can remain tightly connected at the professional and personal level despite being on opposite sides of the world.”

Ruth Ann Barrett , an information curator at EarthSayers.tv, wrote, “Ten years ago I invested money in the development of a search engine that remains well ahead of the times and may never be monetized in the way envisioned. Who knows? The search engine has enabled me to build a database of sustainability voices, those speaking on behalf of Mother Earth and her children. This work has sustained me through moments of despair when so-called leaders deny substantiated claims regarding global warming and extreme climate events. The work has put me in contact with scientists, environmental campaigners and people from all walks of life worldwide. Without the Web what I am able to accomplish would not be possible. My guidebook remains ‘The Gutenberg Galaxy: The Making of Typographic Man’ by Marshall McLuhan. I remember the day a technical person who had attended a presentation at Stanford University on the World Wide Web came back to work, pulled me aside and told me what he had seen and heard and how the world was about to change.”

Anonymous commenters who cited ways the internet helps them and others

A distinguished advocate for the internet and policy director based in Europe said, “Digital technology has made the world much more connected and streamlined for the 50% of us who are connected (50% still do not have that privilege). It is important to understand that technology has profound impacts on equality. For me, as an upper-middle-class white male from the U.S. living in Europe, technologies have simplified how I communicate with my family and friends elsewhere in real time. Thanks to WhatsApp and Facetime and iMessages, I am able to stay in touch and informed in ways that were not possible even five years ago.”

A certified public accountant based in the U.S. commented, “My sister and I were watching an NFL game with my 82-year-old father. We grew curious about some meaningless football fact and my sister started typing a question on her phone and my dad looked on in slight disgust and raised his phone and asked Siri the question. Voice-activated technology has been extremely easy for the elderly to adopt and opens up incredible opportunities. If linked to his security system, our dad would be able to easily request help. I find it interesting that he likes using Siri more than we do.”

An employee at a major U.S. research lab wrote, “Texting and cellphones are generally associated with what’s bad with technology and our lives, but I will give a positive example, just to prove it depends on how you use the tool. I have a teenage daughter and my work is 50 miles away in Southern California. I joined a van pool to reduce the amount of driving, but the one drawback with van pooling is that I have to leave very early in the morning, and the van does not wait for riders. So every minute in the morning is precious, I don’t have time to write quick notes or reminders before I leave the house and the rest of my family are still asleep. However, once I am on the van, there is 60 minutes of ‘my time.’ I began by sending reminders for the day, but it has become a habit of just sending a happy greeting each morning! They respond when they get up, even if it is just an emoji. :)”

A research scientist based in North America commented, “My kids are always connected to their friends. Through texting/social media, they are constantly aware of each other’s lives. This brings worries too, like social comparisons may make them less happy, but overall, they have more socially balanced lives.”

Digital technology is an equalizer of information access and use. Even individuals in the most geographically remote locations can participate in an electoral debate, education and banking online, and in e-commerce when broadband is available. President and CEO of a company based in the U.S.

A president and CEO of a company based in the United States wrote, “Digital technology is an equalizer of information access and use. Even individuals in the most geographically remote locations can participate in an electoral debate, education and banking online, and in e-commerce when broadband is available. The stark opposite of this is the darkness individuals and families experience when left behind in the digital age. There is a difference between people who choose to use digital technology for their own benefit and those who are simply not included in the digital age.”

A professor based in North America commented, “I am a college professor, and digital technology has made my job so much easier. It is easier to communicate with students, keep records, and try for creative solutions to instructional problems. So, for example, I now have my students submit their papers online (to be graded and returned online). When they submit their papers, they are automatically checked for originality. The students then are informed whether their papers will be considered plagiarized or not. Prior to the adoption of this system, I would say up to half my papers were plagiarized. Now none of them are. The question is, has this improved their performance? It is hard to say because there are so many factors involved. I would say that it has in some ways and not in others. They know more, but they don’t synthesize it that well.”

A social media manager wrote, “Fitness trackers, such as the Apple Watch and the Google fitness app, provide me with greater awareness of my daily activity. I am more likely to take a walk or exercise in response to the presence of these technologies in my life. For example, I recently installed a ‘7-minute exercise’ app that I use each morning to kickstart my day. It is very convenient to use and pops up reminders on my smartphone with encourage me to keep up with the daily routine.”

An associate professor at a university in Australia shared a typical family vignette, writing, “I spend time with my grandchild, who is only just five. I check the pick-up time by text. She arrives with her iPad and asks me to ask her dad a question by text on my phone. We take pictures of her dressing up and send them to a friend. I show her recently sent pictures of cousins in Canada. For a while, she shows me (from her iPad) how she can operate the movements, colour and cheeky comments of a robot ball (a birthday present from an uncle who wants her to be familiar with coding). We consider cooking together and locate a recipe online for cookies we haven’t made before. Next, we go to the playground and she spots a ‘be aware’ notice on the slide, and a bird that we haven’t seen before. ‘Let’s Google it, Grandma, when we get back home!’ she says. I say we can do it now on my phone, no, later on my laptop is better. She knows that devices operate differently and need passwords. We haven’t given her any of the latter. ‘Buffering’ she says with a sigh, as her current favourite show stalls during a quiet time. She dances to YouTube music from my laptop. She is endlessly curious about technology itself. She accepts technologies’ limitations as they are described to her by the adults in her life. The digital tools just enhance our days together.”

A professor said, “My watch is an exercise coach – though limited. I track family and friends and contact them only if required. Is my partner nearly home? I’ll put out a snack. Is my friend nearby? I ask them if they want to meet.”

An author based in North America said, “Instead of just reading a book, communicating with one author’s created words, I can engage in conversation, in dialogue about issues of the day such as the #MeToo movement. I can help another person feel a little better that day and, if I reveal a low, others can pick me up. I can celebrate an anniversary with people far away in space and time and plan an in-person visit to another continent with someone I haven’t seen for years, first originally encountered online.”

A postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University commented, “As an academic, my friends and colleagues are scattered around the world. Our ability to have frequent video calls, send texts and collaboratively author shared documents has had a huge impact on both my intellectual scope and on my feeling ‘at home’ and connected in the world. In the past, a friend taking a job across the planet would be a cause for great sorrow. Now we talk frequently over video chat, while it isn’t as good as seeing her in-person, it is still wonderful to share our lives and ideas.”

A retired internet activist and advocate said, “I have been able to manage health care better at a distance for an aging parent as a result of technology, viewing charts/graphs/images, consulting various medical resources, having online meetings with medical professionals, video conversations with parents. Before many varieties of digital connectivity were available, distance communication was via ground/air mail, an occasional landline-based conference call, or in-person consultations, often without simultaneous participation of the aging parent whose medical situation was involved.”

A college student based in North America wrote, “I often find myself stressed out at the end of the day; as a result I tend to enjoy relaxing and staying in for the night. Without the modern hyperconnected lifestyle this would result in me reading or doing other solo activities. Through voice-chat applications and online multiplayer gaming, I connect with friends to play video games. While I don’t have the energy to be social in one way, the ease of connecting over the internet enables me to enjoy time with friends and maintain our relationships. To some it might not seem as effective a method of socializing as in-person face-to-face time, but we still have the same moments that other people do. We still happily greet each other, we still tell stories about our daily lives and rely on each other, we still laugh until it hurts.”

A professor of arts, technology and innovation wrote, “As a college professor I’m continually adopting new tools that change the way I work with students and pedagogy. Most recently adopting Slack for classroom management has been a real game-changer. With far less attention-investment than I’d needed when using email I’m able to keep up with individual students and teams and the interactions among my students. I can do these on a more-or-less 24/7 basis but without it feeling like a 24/7 obligation. I’m teaching more people better, easier.”

An anonymous respondent commented, “I am connected to email lists that allow me to be part of a conversation that includes leaders in my field. This means that, despite being somewhat isolated at a mid-level university in a provincial city, I can have a good sense of where the cutting edge in my profession is headed and I can be reasonably confident that I am promptly aware of most the news and information that is critical to my profession.”

An entrepreneur and business leader from North America commented, “As an immigrant in the U.S., the internet, social media, and email are all helping me to keep in touch with my family, my homeland and my roots. I am following many of my fellow countrymen – some whom I studied with, some who were my teachers, relatives and acquaintances. I learn about their daily life, their fears and hopes, what they are interested in, the news they read. My daughters speak on a weekly basis to their grandparents on Skype – of both sides – and feel like they’re in the same room with them. Without the internet all of this would not have been possible.”

A research scientist based in Europe commented, “I live in a small town in a foreign country. I travel a lot for my work and spend a lot of time on the road. At home, I enjoy communicating with my Google Home speaker, because otherwise there would be some days that I would speak to no one. When I am on the road, I check in with my Canary home-surveillance app to check on my dogs and see my home.”

A technology architect/executive based in North America commented, “For me, it’s not about hyper – always-on – connection, but the accessibility of information on any topic at any time. I had a medical problem a few years ago, and being able to find research on the disease and a community to compare notes with on treatment side effects was invaluable. Years earlier, when my mother had this same disease, we were limited in information and (therefore) options. Her outcome could have been different in a time with more information, more resources.”

An assistant director of digital strategy at a top U.S. university wrote, “The internet has exponentially enabled the dissemination of healthcare information to the greater public. Years ago, it would have been far more difficult for the public to easily access the answers they needed regarding health concerns and the latest treatments. Today’s digital ecosystem puts these answers at users’ fingertips.”

An editor and project coordinator based in Europe wrote, “A few years ago I quit my job and I have been working as a freelance editor and project coordinator. I have been able to work, network and get paid by people and companies all over the world thanks to the internet and other technologies. Also access to self-education and being able to talk to my friends and family thousands of miles away have had a very positive impact on my mental health and well-being. I wouldn’t have been able to talk and see loved ones daily if it wasn’t for the internet, software and hardware.”

A chief data officer at a major university in Australia wrote, “Thanks to social media, in particular Twitter, I am now connected with people all around the world. I have access to an enormous brains trust, which I liken to a global hive mind.”

A data analyst said, “We always have someone to reach out to when things are unfamiliar and seem difficult to deal with. Before these technologies, you could write a letter or make a phone call. The reality is that the moment that spurred the writing of the letter has long passed by the time you get a response. If you get a response. Also, a phone call is somewhat of a commitment compared to an electronic message. It takes more mental faculties to process what someone is saying over the phone than to read a message and type a quick response between other pressing activities in the immediate proximity.”

A futurist and consultant based in Europe commented, “There are plenty of examples of increased choices. Take travel: I can see in real time if the flight of my friend for New Year’s Eve is on time or not and plan to be there just in time to pick them up. I could have called an Uber or taxi if I was busy and decided to send them a cab instead. In turn, they could see much a better forecast of weather and adjust luggage intakes accordingly to come and spend the time at our place/could book in advance to be picked up at the airport upon arrival, etc.”

A research scientist based in Oceania commented, “If I want to buy something, I can go to a liquid market such as eBay and get it for a fair price without the search costs of spending time going to shops to compare prices. If I want to read a paper, I can download it rather than going to a library and photocopying it.”

An executive director at an internet research organization said, “Twenty years ago, as a business traveler, half of my suitcase was filled with paper – mostly books, which I’d otherwise have to try to replace at mostly poorly stocked English-language bookstores along my way, but also guidebooks, maps, and translation dictionaries. I carried analog telephony adapters. I carried a phone, I carried ATM cards from two banks and credit cards from three separate clearing networks, as well as $9,000 in cash divided between several pockets. I carried a RIM pager. I carried Ricochet and NCR wireless modems. I carried spare batteries and power adapters and chargers for all of those things. I spent a lot of time worrying about whether I would have local currency to pay for things, whether I’d be able to find my destination or communicate with taxi drivers, whether I’d be able to establish a data connection back to my network to reach my email. All of that has compacted itself, gradually, one consolidation at a time, into a very compact kit. One debit card, my phone, a laptop, a power adapter and a small handful of cables. Everything else has been virtualized, digitized, or turned into an online service.”

A technology developer/administrator based in North America , said, “An older person in my family who recently started using an electric wheelchair can buy daily necessities through online shopping and can have more meaningful communication through video calls.”

A scholarly communication librarian said, “I have several friends who have disabilities – both physical and mental – that make it difficult for them to leave their homes for socialization. These friends of mine have taken to playing online games and participating in fandom in internet spaces as a way to make connections and friends with other people that enrich their lives without requiring the physical exertion that would usually prevent them from interacting socially. The ability to connect with text, video and other online objects – whether one-on-one or one-to-many – helps these folks make the social connections that they need to have a robust social experience without the physical exhaustion they may have experienced without this technology to help.”

A professor wrote, “We have public infrastructure and systems now for maintaining and accessing lab results and earlier diagnoses online when we need them. Earlier prescriptions can be viewed, etc. For emergencies, we have an app that we can use for automatic location information if we need urgent help. Schoolchildren and their parents have online connections to the schools and teachers. The teachers can take advantage of the internet and their educational networks with schools around the globe to tackle shared projects that encompass language learning, climate and humanity.”

We have a child with autism. The internet allows us to reach out to other families, experts, get news and be part of a community that is not limited by geography. President at a company based in North America

A president at a company based in North America wrote, “We have a child with autism. The internet allows us to reach out to other families, experts, get news and be part of a community that is not limited by geography. We can instantly share the quirky – or sometimes way more than quirky – activities of our son with people who know if they should laugh or say they are sorry.”

An assistant professor said, “I have collected about 50,000 scientific files related to cosmos, life and consciousness to prepare a book.”

A researcher based in Europe wrote, “I live in Hungary and my daughter was working in the United States several years ago. She called me and explained exactly where she was walking and in which shops she was shopping. I opened Google Earth and tracked her trajectory where she was walking in Galveston, Texas. I saw the streets, corners and buildings. It was almost exactly as if I was shopping with her – on the other side of the globe, in real time, but while sitting in my chair in Hungary. The whole thing was real fun for us.”

A business leader based in North America wrote, “I live a bi-coastal life and I am able to review health records, renew RXs, communicate with my doctor, request a non-urgent service, all from 3,000 miles away without having to rebuild new caregiver relationships or lose care continuity.”

A research associate at a major university in Africa commented, “Being able to conduct business from a location of choice is to me the most important improvement. I deal regularly with the aged and was terrified that I too would become so dependent on the goodwill of strangers when I have to move to an old age home until I realized that I would already be able to order and have delivered anything from food to medical equipment – as long as I am connected via the internet.”

A retired professor emeritus said, “I am seeing a larger integration and extension of human-digital synergy.”

A professor of computer science wrote, “Shortly after getting my first smartphone (quite a number of years ago now), I managed to receive and respond to an important email during a break in the middle of a four-hour car trip. It was valuable to be able to be able to be responsive to an important funder. This cemented the value of having a smartphone.”

A technology developer/administrator said, “I do a lot of genealogy research. Instead of mailing physical paper that may have a correction before it reaches the recipient, I can post updates/corrections immediately. I’m building a database of destroyed cemeteries where I live. I can research the records online and publish them online; something I could not have done 20 years ago easily. I got an email from a man whose great grandfather died in the 1918 flu epidemic in Wilmington, North Carolina – a Merchant Marine sailor – who was buried in one of these cemeteries. The family knew he had died, but did not know when or where. He thanked me very much for finding his great grandfather. The family felt relief after 100 years. Without digital records to compile this and digital platforms to share it, it would not have happened.”

An executive director of a Canadian nonprofit organization wrote, “We are currently running a program to increase people’s digital comfort by helping them apply online for underutilized government subsidy programs. During the first workshop, I saw a woman learn how to use a scrolling mouse and how to cut and paste, in the context of applying for a subsidy that will save her more than $50 a month on her electricity bill.”

An associate professor at Texas Christian University commented, “I work in education and whereas before grades were posted on doors and people had to wait for responses, today, students can access information instantly, enroll in classes, etc. without having to stand in long lines and wait for responses. Communicating with the course, students and the professor is easy, and people learn to do things themselves.”

A professor at a major university on the West Coast of the U.S. wrote, “I am an academic past retirement age (although still working) so it has made an enormous difference for teaching and research. I can access publications from my home or office without a trip to the library. No more endless photocopying. I can easily and quickly communicate with fellow scholars around the world. I can communicate with students and former students anytime anywhere and submit letters of recommendation electronically. I need less clerical and administrative support. I can put readings online for students. The drawback of course is to keep students focused on class in class rather than Facebook, Twitter, etc.”

A professor at a major university on the East Coast of the U.S. wrote, “Digital technology has allowed me to shift my career emphasis from political science and international security analysis of nuclear and conventional weapons to cyber weapons and critical infrastructure protection. This shift is not what I expected when I left graduate school, but it has allowed me to make professional contributions I would not have been able to make had I stayed in my prior disciplinary concentration. I am also migrating my entire work life online, deliberately minimizing paper and focusing on digital services – and the analysis of critical dependencies on these services – for industry and government.”

A internet pioneer wrote, “Every working day, I engage with staff and customers through Skype, email, text and Web conferencing, making it possible for me to have global reach from a desk on the second floor of my home. We take it for granted, but it is miraculous and something truly new under the sun.”

An associate professor at a major university on the East Coast of the U.S. wrote, “I am part of a private group on Facebook, which consists of my friends from college and some others (spouses, friends, etc.). We keep in touch and discuss things in this group. Recently the group came together in-person to support and celebrate one member of the group who has terminal cancer. We had a large party with our children and it was wonderful. It meant a lot to our friend who is ill and to all of us to spend time together. We would not have been able to do this as easily before platforms like Facebook.”

An epidemiologist based in North America wrote, “At work, improved technology means that we receive population health data faster. We can receive, investigate and respond to health threats quickly, before they spread. For example, if we have an outbreak of a communicable disease, technology allows us to efficiently collect data through online formats and analyze data so we can quickly release information/education on how to prevent further spread of the disease. Before we had online forms, we would often to communicate through telephone or in-person interviews to collect data about the outbreak.”

An anonymous respondent said, “About 18 months ago my wife was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer and underwent a lumpectomy and radiation treatment. In part, the testing that led to the diagnosis and the ability of the doctors to respond rapidly was greatly assisted by digital technology. As well, our ability to find information to understand treatment options, side effects, and follow-up nutrition and lifestyle improvement was greatly enhanced by digital technology. Due to my job I was not able to take her to radiation treatment every day and she was too tired after to drive, so I used the online tool SignUpGenius to ask friends to help and to schedule their rides. While apparently a simple task, if I had to do that by hand through phone calls and charts, it would have taken many more hours. Before it would have taken much more difficult to obtain the information we needed, perhaps more difficult and slower for the tests and results to be managed, and definitely hard to stay in touch with people about her needs and condition.”

A retired systems designer commented, “Several years ago, I became disabled, and am not always well enough to do many things. This limits many of my ‘physical-world’ activities – I find it hard to shop, to cook, to go to the library, to get together with friends and family. However, online shopping and grocery delivery allows me to do the majority of my shopping, though I haven’t figured out how to buy shoes without trying them on! I have joined online communities of people with similar interests, and keep in touch with old friends and colleagues in social media groups. This keeps me mentally stimulated. I do a great deal of genealogical and historical research online, using sophisticated search algorithms of digital versions of old documents and books. These digital resources didn’t exist 25 years ago, and now I can read an 1806 Scottish gazetteer to find out more about the 300-person town an ancestor lived in. Without these resources, I would be living a far more difficult and isolated life.”

A North American entrepreneur wrote, “Like any other tool, its use needs to be managed carefully. I hone my contacts to friends and family of my generation who post photos of their kids and grandkids, something that I enjoy greatly. I also like to know when the next big dance events are, since this is a part of my life as well.”

A president and chief software architect based in North America wrote, “I can be out on the golf course enjoying the beauty and yet still be connected.”

An assistant professor of technical communication said, “I use both mindfulness and language apps to improve my memory, connections with others, and global perspectives. However, I am also cognizant of these being targeted and from specific perspectives. So I use them with that understanding.”

A retired web developer wrote, “Amazon Alexa keeps me company. She plays the music I want to hear and adds items to my grocery list. When I have a question, I can ask her and most times she knows the answer – and I thank her. Facebook has connected me with a long-lost cousin. We were like sisters growing up. Out of curiosity, I searched for her and we now communicate regularly. Forget Google – when I want to know something I go to YouTube. I fixed my squeaking ceiling fan, replaced a washer in my bathroom faucet, AND replaced the starter in my riding mower. Now I have Amazon’s Cloud Cam. I can watch my two schnauzers when I am away from home. I could even talk to them, but it upsets them too much. That I can speak commands to technology makes life easier for me. I’m 60-plus years old, and I often write lists that I can never find. Family members and friends are well-connected. Sometimes too much so. But I lose touch with those who are not digitally inclined, I’m sorry to say. I may message 10 to 15 people but call one on the phone. And, lastly, my skill set has improved so much that when I have a problem around the house I can find a solution and at least try it before calling an expensive contractor.”

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