tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57005782009-11-20T09:30:17.992-05:00<img src="http://netwomen.ca/netwomanwordle8d.PNG">Netwomannoreply@blogger.comBlogger859125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-16160668998544053072009-11-19T10:57:00.006-05:002009-11-19T14:25:32.695-05:00

Most people who know me know that I am an avid Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare player. In the last year, I've spent months of solid game play in this popular FPS, and anxiously awaited the release of Modern Warfare 2.So far, I really enjoy MW2, although I've spent all of my time in Multiplayer mode playing team deathmatch and ground war. The weapons are fantastic, the customization and selection

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-30167261121897309272009-11-18T17:56:00.008-05:002009-11-19T13:29:37.956-05:00

Everything old is new again - or - Has nothing really changed?In October I was in Milwaukee at the IR10 (Internet Researchers 10th annual conference). I heard some really interesting papers about gaming and virtual worlds and reconnected with some old friends and peers.I gave a presentation at the conference "The Voices in my head are idiots: Rethinking Barriers to Female Gamers" and talked about

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-51795024428594462902009-08-26T11:31:00.002-04:002009-08-26T11:40:49.350-04:00

From Copyright for Canadians:After months of hesitation, Industry Minister Jim Prentice has finally revealed his re-write of Canada's rules of copyright, Bill C-61. As expected, the bill contains major concessions to the American entertainment industry. Prentice's bill forbids Canadians from engaging in ordinary practices such as ripping DVDs onto video iPods, unlocking digital phones for use

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-42630141671399442962009-04-08T17:14:00.000-04:002009-04-08T17:15:07.170-04:00

This post is for Nancy Baym & her Online Fandom Contest!I don't know if this will be funny, or whether it will be inspiring - but this is my story/my take about online fandom. Music has always been a big part of my life; as a child & teen my walls were plastered with pics of bands & artists, and I bought copious amounts of Tiger Beat & Teen Beat magazines, 8-tracks, records & cassettes. I joined

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-53577045063396406822009-04-08T11:49:00.001-04:002009-04-08T11:49:54.039-04:00

Women Dominate the PC SceneNew gaming report from Neilson (pdf): Females aged between 25 and 54 make up the largest group of PC gamers.Interesting report, and good to see women gaming. But a lot of the PC games are made up of 'casual' games (ie card games) - and this is what women in the report appear to be doing most (quick games in the cracks & crevices of the day). Men play casual games as

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-14212512375913926662009-03-20T09:23:00.002-04:002009-03-20T09:37:06.656-04:00

In the cracks & crevices of paid work, I've been working on my thesis. In short, my PhD thesis looks at how households use ICTs; I compare/contrast different household compositions (from living alone to partnered couples with children) to argue that household context matters, and that our ict use is shaped by this particular context. How we use ICTs (to schedule, to communicate, to lok for

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-36151673949751329812009-02-11T19:46:00.000-05:002009-02-11T19:48:53.842-05:00

Troubled Kids & Computer Games: Using Virtual Worlds for Successful Behavioral TherapyTeens with severe learning and psychiatric disorders — such as attention deficit disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and the effects of psychological trauma — face numerous challenges, including the need to positively change their social behavior, break bad habits, and establish meaningful and supportive

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-7033260964401689592009-01-24T14:35:00.003-05:002009-01-24T14:40:13.861-05:00

After 5.5 years of the same blog layout, template and colours (have i really been blogging that long?), I decided to revamp my blog. I went with a (boring) blogger template (they need to update their templates) and made some adjustments - then went wild with social media widgets, reflective of the kinds of things I'm doing. Hopefully this will inspire me to be a better blogger. It ain't fancy,

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-32179404338355191682008-12-26T23:54:00.015-05:002009-01-24T14:33:55.179-05:00

2008 was a bad year for blogging - at least for me - but I've been a good consumer of social media and social networking sites. 2008 might have been a bad year for blogging, but a good year for the social. I think Blogs in general need some revamping, there are just too many types of applications and social networking sites (SNS). My blog isn't satisfying my social media needs. why? I've decided

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-16695957549442263642008-11-07T17:46:00.002-05:002009-01-24T14:34:11.560-05:00

Hope for the future:Let us be the generation that reshapes our economy to compete in the digital age. Let's set high standards for our schools and give them the resources they need to succeed. Let's recruit a new army of teachers, and give them better pay and more support in exchange for more accountability. Let's make college more affordable, and let's invest in scientific research, and let's

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-32889819953130702302008-10-20T13:29:00.004-04:002009-01-24T14:34:26.487-05:00

New report I co-authored at Pew Internet & American Life:"Networked Families" by Tracy L.M. Kennedy, Aaron Smith, Amy Tracy Wells & Barry Wellman"The internet and cell phones have become central components of modern family life. Among all household types, the traditional nuclear family has the highest rate of technology usage and ownership.A national survey has found that households with a

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-33362148792282754922008-05-26T09:16:00.002-04:002008-05-26T09:19:44.736-04:00

CALL FOR PAPERSACM FuturePlay 2008 International Academic Games Conference on the Future of Game Design and TechnologyNovember 3-5 2008,Downtown Toronto Delta Chelsea HotelToronto, Ontario, CanadaConference Web siteSubmission deadline: June 30 2008Notification: August 15 2008Final paper submission: September 5 2008OverviewSince 2002, Algoma University has been hosting this international

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-79501425124206531772008-05-05T12:32:00.005-04:002009-01-24T14:34:56.343-05:00

Catching up on some items I've been wanting to post:Second Annual Canadian Games Studies Association ConferenceMay 31st, 2008 - UBC, VancouverLiving Game Worlds IV - December 1 & 2, 2008Living Game Worlds, presented by Georgia Tech’s GVU Center and the Graduate Program in Digital Media in the School of Literature, Communication and Culture,and the Experimental Game Lab, is an annual symposium

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-8353374275172658982008-04-14T22:48:00.005-04:002008-04-15T00:06:09.237-04:00

Barack vs Hillary: A tale of two who TwitterBut can they Tweet?I've been caught up in the twitterverse and become an avid user of Twitter. I tweet often and really like the loose interaction between friends & acquaintances I normally wouldn't email, IM, SNS or text very often. It's like a perpetual group chat with my different network clusters. I also like the exchange of information; links to

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-48018300066078389892008-04-10T13:45:00.003-04:002008-04-10T13:49:38.109-04:00

G.I.R.L. Game Design CompetitionFrom Kotaku, info on SOE's new G.I.R.L. scholarship program:Applications are now being accepted for the 2008 G.I.R.L. Game Design Competition scholarship of up to $10,000 designed to educate and recruit more women into the field of video game production and design. Sponsored by Sony Online Entertainment LLC. (SOE) a global leader in online gaming, applications and

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-82815996427538492172008-04-10T13:24:00.002-04:002008-04-10T13:29:26.310-04:00

Girls want to make games, too. It's just that they're intimidatedFrom Tracey John at the MTV Blog (Multiplayer, a blog built by MTV News and MTV Games):...At least that's what a survey conducted by Sony Online Entertainment has revealed. Conducted among female students currently enrolled in game design, programming and visual effects at The Art Institutes schools, the survey showed that 61% "

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-88709749446632765672008-04-10T12:28:00.002-04:002008-04-10T13:19:47.125-04:00

Upcoming Conferences & CFPsReLIVE08The Open University is pleased to announce an international conference for Researching Learning in Virtual Environments to be held at its campus in Milton Keynes on the 20th and 21st of November 2008.This conference will be of interest to anyone researching learning and teaching in virtual world environments such as Second Life.The conference organisers are keen

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-13872626271855537842008-04-10T12:17:00.002-04:002008-04-10T12:28:09.720-04:00

Girl bloggers rise in numbers, could help narrow tech gender divideby Shannon MontgomeryNice article that talks about women, girls & technology, and the importance of encouraging girls to engage with web 2.0 tools:...blogs are also a good social networking tool and can be used to share emotions."I think what we're seeing is a technology that speaks to (teenage girls), and they're responding to it

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-1466410049611198982008-04-07T10:57:00.000-04:002008-04-07T10:59:03.460-04:00

Our virtual identity is not separate from our physical identityWhat Happens in a Virtual World Has a Real-World Impact, a Scholar FindsAndrea FosterForget the pills, hypnosis, and meditation. Losing weight or boosting self-confidence can be achieved by adopting an avatar and living in virtual reality, says Jeremy N. Bailenson, an assistant professor of communications at Stanford University.As the

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-21349441774637612972008-04-01T10:52:00.000-04:002008-04-07T10:55:05.452-04:00

Old Fears, New Venue: US Congress questions Second LifeMembers of Congress get a look at Second Life and are mystified, fascinated:Frank Davies Members of Congress tried to grasp the implications of Second Life, and many reverted to their fears about other online activity - that it can be addictive, or can help sexual predators and terrorists."Once a sexual predator gets into a virtual world, how

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-61961869313202219682008-03-27T08:19:00.000-04:002008-04-07T10:51:48.187-04:00

Safer Children in a Digital WorldTanya Byron released her report:On 6th September 2007, the Prime Minister asked me to conduct an independent review looking at the risks to children from exposure to potentially harmful or inappropriate material on the internet and in video games.My Review is about the needs of children and young people. It is about preserving their right to take the risks that

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-12719097909536915332008-03-20T10:03:00.000-04:002008-04-07T10:19:01.202-04:00

Web 2.0 & Education: Meet your ProfThe Professor as Open BookInteresting piece from NY Times about Profs who share information about themselves (their backstage private life) online for students to see. I think it's good. Too often Profs are situated in a hierarchical relationship with students; a top down approach that dehumanizes the educational process. Using web 2.0 tools (which I think all

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-76357181252223971392008-03-19T11:47:00.001-04:002008-04-07T09:49:45.852-04:00

AI in SL: More Educational PossibilitiesChild-like intelligence created in Second Life"The apps, frankly, are endless," Bringsjord said. "Imagine being able to step into a simulation environment in which you interact with synthetic characters as sophisticated as those seen in Star Trek's holodeck.""It's one thing to read about trauma scenarios as a first responder; it would be quite another if

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-34482448570666791242008-03-18T09:33:00.000-04:002008-04-07T09:38:21.495-04:00

Get a Life: Students Collaborate in Simulated RolesVirtual reality provides a shared online universe in which students can play to learn.When the Whypox -- a plague that causes the afflicted to break out in red spots -- hit, residents had to go to the Center for Disease Control to learn about the epidemic. When the WhyFlu went around, those who got vaccinated were protected. But as new viruses

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5700578.post-8635365099128301992008-03-17T17:32:00.002-04:002008-04-07T08:56:56.084-04:00

Sexual harassment is rife online. No wonder women swap genderArticle from BBTV that talks about how women gender-swap online more so than men. The article also outlines some of the harassment women are subjected to online.Female gamers are used to putting up with sexist claptrap - both from the companies that design games and other players. So a study by psychologists at Nottingham Trent

Netwomannoreply@blogger.com0