Expressions and Implications
#BlackLivesMatter to Art Museum Workers: Examining Intersectional Solidarity in Art Museum Union Instagram Accounts
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Amanda Tobin Ripley
This paper shares findings from a content analysis of intersectional solidarity expressed in art museum unions’ Instagram accounts, examining how art museum unions are aligning their labor struggles towards intersectional liberatory goals. This study examines the evolving nature of work, workplace activism, and solidarity within the context of art museums, building awareness and understanding of a contemporary social movement that affects many arts and humanities workers directly, and also contributes to the scholarly literature documenting 21st century unionization and collective action in the face of the intersecting pandemics of racism and COVID-19. Given the homogenous racial demographics of art museums, this presentation also implements a Critical Whiteness Studies lens to more fully understand the interplay of solidarity and interest convergence in these statements. Additionally, because the creative industries are indicative of larger economic trends, this study also has bearings on the evolving nature of work, workplace activism, and solidarity writ large.
Rubric-Based Scoring in an English Pronunciation Course: The Need for Constant Self-assessment
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Karla María Fonseca Sánchez, Jacqueline Araya Ríos
Senior ESL professors are expected to have vast experience in their field and be able to provide readily answers for most problems befalling their students. The years of practice grant them hands-on expertise which allows them to predict areas of difficulty and error in their pupils’ second language acquisition. The classroom is a bubble where learning is happening at different rates, sometimes effortlessly and smoothly, sometimes uneasily and painfully. A teacher’s expertise dictates when to be sympathetic, when to be thorough, and even when to be funny or stern. Nonetheless, above all, a teacher is entrusted with the task of being a facilitator in this process. The term facilitate conveys an array of other important concepts but seems to skirt one of the toughest roles a teacher must play, to measure a student’s performance in numbers. In this regard, having well-balanced, well-designed scoring rubrics to assess learners is paramount, especially when the purpose is to provide accurate and objective feedback. This study analyzes the scoring rubrics currently used in the assessment of learners’ pronunciation in a two-year ESL program taught at Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica. To evaluate the effectiveness of these instruments, this paper analyzes the opinion of the students in this program, the views of other ESL teachers about the aspects that integrate the rubrics, and the literature on the topic. The results indicate the need to constantly adjust the instruments according to several factors which include learners’ prior knowledge, comprehensible input, and goal of the oral activity.
Environmental Communication through TikTok: Does It Work? View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Umaporn Muneenam
TikTok is a free online social media application from People’s Republic of Chaina (mainland China) since 2012 for any users who want to produce short VDO presentation in about 15 seconds. It is simple and easy function for users in editing, adjusting, and adding effect, filter, song and text. Audiences just drag up the VDO to play next VDO. TikTok is changing factor of traditional communication from mass media to anyone can be someone, especially during the COVID-19 dissemination. In 2016, there were 100 million users applied TikTok application in iOS and/or Android especially from southeast Asian users such as China, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, including Thailand users with an average time of 52 minutes/person/day. In 2019, TikTok users were from 150 countries. VDO contents in TikTok were varied such as lifestyle, outdoor activities, leisure and tourism, and COVID-19. Similar to this proposed research that would like to produce VDO presentation on marine environmentally friendly products to targeted TikTok users. Hence, this paper focuses on VDO production via TikTok application in order to guide how to produce the VDO, and whether it works. We found recent examples that TikTok has been promoting information about public health in an inexpensive manner especially for new-generation users.
Advancements in Cultural Heritage Accessibility Through Sound: Audio Augmented Reality Experiences with Bone Conduction Technology
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Andrea Gozzi
Sounds and soundscapes have a profound impact on our daily lives, shaping activities and their memories. Due to its evocative, ephemeral, and intangible nature, sound has the power to evoke the past and enhance the present. Aural experiences can provide transparent accessibility to cultural and artistic heritage through immersive audio augmented reality (AAR) projects, using bone conduction headphones (BCHs). Unlike traditional headphones placed inside the ears, BCHs rest on the cheekbones, projecting the audio signal directly to the cochlea. Bypassing the outer and middle ear, this system allows users to keep their ears open, enabling them to simultaneously perceive two layers of sound. BCHs enable the seamless merging of real and virtual sound layers enhancing the realism of virtual sound objects. This interdisciplinary research in digital humanities – merging cultural heritage, sound studies, archaeoacoustics, and museum studies – introduces bone conduction history and devices to explore the latest AAR experiences with BCHs. Use cases of completed projects for museums and theatres in Italy are presented, developed by Mezzo Forte, a company specialized in AR and VR. Examples include: sound design and audio guides for Palazzo Vecchio and Museo degli Innocenti (Florence), Fondazione Primo Conti, Roman Theatre and Archaeological area (Fiesole), Rocca Malatestiana (Verucchio); augmented and geolocalized audio guides for UNESCO Parco delle Biancane (Monterotondo Marittimo); musical composition and audio guides for Livorno's historical waterways; virtual acoustics for Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (Florence); and an AAR interactive theatre play, Acchiappafantasmi!, for the Ex ILVA area in Follonica.
