Research conducted through computer-mediated communication is challenging traditional definitions of what is ethical research. In this article the author examines the changing role of assent/consent, confidentiality, and participant observation in qualitative research conducted in cyberspace. She concludes that REBs (research ethic boards) might be becoming more conservative in their decisions ...

Although electronic communication plays an important role in the modern workplace, the interruptions created by poorly-timed attempts to communicate are disruptive. Prior work suggests that sharing an indication that a person is currently busy might help to prevent such interruptions, because people could wait for a person to become available before attempting to initiate communication. We pres...

This article provides an overview of research into the hidden curriculum. Following a consideration of functionalist, liberal and critical research studies, I focus in particular on recent insights which have arisen from postmodern thinking. In the light of postmodernism, I identify a personal perspective on how to study the hidden curriculum which moves beyond the established boundaries of dis...

Intelligence operations worldwide monitor individuals directly or indirectly linked to terrorist networks for their communication activities, collectively described as “chatter.” Considerable effort and resources are devoted to assessing intelligence chatter. A major challenge is to distinguish innocuous, everyday discourse from those missives that act to coordinate more nefarious activities. M...

The Health Belief Model (HBM) posits that messages will achieve optimal behavior change if they successfully target perceived barriers, benefits, self-efficacy, and threat. While the model seems to be an ideal explanatory framework for communication research, theoretical limitations have limited its use in the field. Notably, variable ordering is currently undefined in the HBM. Thus, it is uncl...

The link between distance learning and telematics is becoming ever stronger, yielding new solutions to old problems, innovative educational resources and new teaching/learning models. One of the most innovative and promising fruits of this relationship is on-line education, notably a process whereby all the participants (teachers, tutors and students) are linked up in a computer network; the ef...