Virtual Gathers Research Articles

“Livability” and “Ungratefulness”: A Refugee Critique of the Law and Humanitarianism

Critical refugee studies (CRS) conceptualizes refugees’ lived experience as a site of theory‐making and knowledge production with and for refugees. As co‐founders of the Critical Refugee Studies Collective (CRSC), and as scholars with refugee backgrounds, we theorize alongside our refugee partners to offer a refugee critique of refugee law and humanitarianism. Departing from the 1951 Refugee Convention definition of “refugee,” whose restrictive legal and historical framing cannot account for the complex conditions that displace human beings, we offer the concept of “livability” to name the mundane, creative, and fearless possibilities of living that undergird refugees’ claims to move audaciously. Furthermore, departing from humanitarian narratives that expect refugees to be forever thankful for having been rescued, we propose the concept of “ungratefulness” to describe refugee refusal to exhibit gratitude and deference for the space they have been allowed. Our critique emerged from sustained engagement with refugee partners through in‐person and virtual gatherings organized by the CRSC. Together, we argue that livability and ungratefulness constitute examples of “epistemic disobedience” of the colonial and unilateral knowledge production about refugees, as they call attention to distinctly discernible refugee agency and epistemology that break with the historically appointed role of refugees as seen entirely through a lens of precarity and gratitude.

Virtual Gathering Platforms in Academic Teaching: Potential and Applications

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a rapid shift towards online learning where educators and students had to quickly adapt to new digital formats. However, the core aspects of community building and social interaction that are essential to traditional classrooms became challenging to maintain. To address this issue, we were interested in testing Virtual Gathering Platforms (VGPs) Topia and WorkAdventure to see how effectively they could be adapted to various academic teaching and learning settings. These examples of Extended Realities (XR), adopted from the 2D metaverse, aim to improve communication and interactivity in a fun and engaging way, allowing users to create immersive worlds for socialising, and collaborating. Using Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), Technological Self-Efficacy (TSE) and distributed scaffolding frameworks as a guide, we created adaptable templates of both platforms that not only introduced users to how they work, but also included features flexible enough to suit various academic disciplines and promote social engagement and collaborative learning. We then implemented a case study and invited university educators teaching international courses to adapt the templates and assess them within their own learning settings. In addition, it was important for us to use the on-boarding sessions as a focal point. Here, we introduced the templates through multiple resources and offered one-to-one support to develop their use within chosen learning scenarios which ranged from an icebreaker activity to an online student resource centre. Observations then documented the adapted templates being used with students in these settings, and feedback regarding user perceptions of the platforms and the support strategies used was gathered. The study reveals the complex interplay between user experiences, support strategies, and educational frameworks, emphasising the need for adaptable and collaborative approaches to optimise these platforms in higher education.

Can Choir singing support migrant inclusion? An encouraging survey

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Italy imposed lockdown measures, which also affected places of worship that had to suspend group religious celebrations. This study focuses on the dematerialization of the sacred space, achieved through the creation of the "digital mosque." The author interviewed imams and participated in online worship during the lockdown. The analysis of the data explored various facets, including the reactions of Muslim communities to the impact of the lockdown and government directives guidelines. The study then delved into the transition of certain communities from offline Islam to online Islam, culminating in the establishment of the "digital mosque." The lat-ter serves as both a virtual gathering place for the faithful and a tool for social control and the definition of authority in the interpretation of the online inter-pretation of the sacred. However, it should be noted that different Muslim communities reacted in various ways to the use of the internet.

Examining the Use of DanMu for Crowdsourcing Control in Virtual Gatherings

The advent of web-based interactive technologies has opened up new possibilities for virtual gatherings in 3D environments. Live-streaming, in particular, has gained increasing attention due to its effectiveness in engaging a large number of users in collective online activities. With an emphasis on audience participation, live-streaming shares common characteristics of the outlook of the metaverse and is driving new waves of interaction in virtual gatherings, such as engaging users through crowdsourcing control. However, this type of social interaction has not been examined in the Asian context, and it lacks systematic investigation of user experience with different crowdsourcing control methods. In this paper, we present a novel crowdsourcing control method based on DanMu, the subtitle system of Bilibili, one of the most successful and prevalent live-streaming platforms in Asia. We organized virtual gatherings by live-streaming a Minecraft virtual campus and examined the use of DanMu for crowdsourcing control. Our first study investigated the influence of three crowdsourcing control methods (First Come First Served, Vote, and Super Command) on collective navigation task efficiency and user experience. These influences were further discussed with user activeness and group sizes in a follow-up study. The results showed that Super Command, a representative mode on top of the democratic voting mechanism, offers better user experiences and social richness in large groups. Participants also rated its usability higher in small groups. Besides, virtual gathering in small groups allows greater pragmatic quality, usability, and a sense of agency than in large groups. Our work provides design guidelines for developers and HCI practitioners to develop crowdsourcing control methods and improve novel virtual gathering experiences in virtual worlds and the future metaverse.

Shaping Critical Thinking Skills of Learners: Rural School Teachers’ Perspective

This review unfurled the techniques of rustic teachers significantly shaping the decisive reasoning abilities of the moderate students. The stories were intelligent of the two methodologies and difficulties of educators on shaping the decisive reasoning abilities of the transitional students. There were eight (8) educator members who will be haphazardly chosen from the rundown of educators in Marber Grade School. The information social affair of data in this phenomenological request had utilized top to bottom meeting of members through virtual gathering and restricted eye to eye hence noticing severe consistence of standard wellbeing convention. Utilizing topical investigation, the systems of educators on shaping the decisive reasoning abilities of the middle of the road students were as per the following: Request based learning and Cooperative learning. On the difficulties of the educators' in shaping the decisive reasoning abilities of the halfway students, coming up next were the topics and discoveries of the review: indifference and absence of offices and hardware's. From the methodologies and difficulties of instructors, coming up next were the experiences drawn from the discoveries of the review: direct educators preparing and workshop and arrangement and accessibility of offices and hardware. All along, this study tried to contribute bits of knowledge on shaping the decisive reasoning abilities of the transitional students. The new information drawn from this review was essential for quality conveyance of training in school.

Report from the World Health Organization’s immunization and vaccines-related implementation research advisory committee (IVIR-AC) meeting, virtual gathering, 26 February–1 March 2024

The Immunization and Vaccine-related Implementation Research Advisory Committee (IVIR-AC) is the World Health Organization’s key standing advisory body to conduct an independent review of research, particularly of transmission and economic modeling analyses that estimate the impact and value of vaccines. From 26th February–1st March 2024, at its first of two semi-annual meetings, IVIR-AC provided feedback and recommendations across four sessions; this report summarizes the proceedings and recommendations from that meeting. Session topics included modeling of the impact and cost-effectiveness of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine, meta-analysis of economic evaluations of vaccines, a global analysis estimating the impact of vaccination over the last 50 years, and modeling the impact of different RTS,S malaria vaccine dose schedules in seasonal settings.

Preface

Proceeding of the 3rd International Conference: Realizing the Blue Economy Based on Fisheries and Marine Governance in Archipelagic (ICRBE-FMGA 2023) 27 November 2023, Pattimura University Ambon, Indonesia The journey towards realizing a sustainable blue economy requires collaborative efforts, innovative strategies, and informed governance. This conference serves as a platform to explore and discuss advancements, challenges, and solutions in harnessing the potential of our oceans while ensuring responsible stewardship.Our recent virtual conference, held amidst the busy schedules of our esteemed keynote speakers, unfolded against the backdrop of Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia. Despite the geographical distances that separate us, our virtual gathering transcended borders, welcoming participants from around the world. Utilizing the Zoom meeting application, we seamlessly connected and engaged in fruitful discussions without encountering any technical difficulties.Throughout the conference, two enlightening sessions which are keynote speaker presentations and author presentation, complemented by interactive Q&A in each sessions, enriching our collective understanding of marine governance and the blue economy paradigm. With an anticipated participation of 48 presenters, we witnessed a diverse assembly of scholars, practitioners, and policymakers dedicated to catalysing positive change in our marine ecosystems.This conference was funded through annual budged 2023 of Pattimura Universitas. I extend my heartfelt tributes to all our colleagues who contributed their expertise, insights, and unwavering commitment to this cause. As we embark on this journal journey, it is essential to acknowledge the dedicated individuals who formed the backbone of our conference organizing committee especially for all reviewers and committee members. Their expertise, devotion, and organizational skills were critical in ensuring a smooth and enjoyable conference experience.Lastly, while we celebrate the success of our virtual conference, we remain mindful of the inherent drawbacks and limitations associated with remote gatherings. We recognize the importance of fostering personal connections, unforeseen interactions, and hands-on experiences, elements that are often challenging to replicate in virtual settings. Moving forward, we are committed to exploring innovative approaches to mitigate these challenges and enhance the efficacy of our virtual engagements.In conclusion, I extend my warmest welcome to all our participants and readers, inviting you to delve into the insightful contributions presented within this publication. Together, let us embark on a transformative journey towards realizing a sustainable blue economy for the benefit of present and future generations.List of Committee International Scientific Board, Editor and Reviewer are available in this pdf.

Sustainability of GECCO 2023

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic's constraints on travel, academics frequently traveled over 150,000 kilometers per person per year for conferences, board meetings, collaborations, fieldwork, seminars, and lectures [1]. It is therefore unsurprising that academic air travel is one of the primary sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for universities. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced a significant shift in how we gather and connect, with massive annual conferences and small society meetings moving online. This transition has presented challenges and opportunities, but it has also highlighted the potential of virtual gatherings to bridge geographical and social divides.

Healing Loneliness Post-COVID-19: A Review of Multicultural Exploration of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy's Success in Western and Eastern Cultures

The global COVID-19 pandemic threatened physical health and triggered a surge in loneliness, particularly post-outbreak in Western and Eastern societies. This study explores the psychological implications and societal impact of loneliness in the era of widespread lockdowns, social distancing, and the new norm, including work-from-home practices. Loneliness, a distressing sense of isolation, intensified during the pandemic due to genetic, cultural, and digital factors linked to adverse mental and physical health effects. The research highlights loneliness as a buffer against social pain or a correlate of illness, and findings associate loneliness with age, relationships, and behavior.Comparatively, Eastern societies experienced heightened loneliness, driven by a cultural emphasis on collectivism and face-to-face interactions. Innovative adaptations, such as virtual gatherings and online communities, helped mitigate the psychological impacts of social distancing. Both Eastern and Western societies relied on the digital landscape—virtual events, online communities, streaming services, and online gaming—to combat loneliness and foster connection. Understanding and addressing loneliness are vital for promoting mental well-being and resilience in the evolving global landscape.

Haptic feedback in a virtual crowd scenario improves the emotional response

Research has shown that incorporating haptics into virtual environments can increase sensory fidelity and provide powerful and immersive experiences. However, current studies on haptics in virtual interactions primarily focus on one-on-one scenarios, while kinesthetic haptic interactions in large virtual gatherings are underexplored. This study aims to investigate the impact of kinesthetic haptics on eliciting emotional responses within crowded virtual reality (VR) scenarios. Specifically, we examine the influence of type or quality of the haptic feedback on the perception of positive and negative emotions. We designed and developed different combinations of tactile and torque feedback devices and evaluated their effects on emotional responses. To achieve this, we explored different combinations of haptic feedback devices, including “No Haptic,” “Tactile Stimulus” delivering tactile cues, and “Haptic Stimulus” delivering tactile and torque cues, in combination with two immersive 360-degree video crowd scenarios, namely, “Casual Crowd” and “Aggressive Crowd.” The results suggest that varying the type or quality of haptic feedback can evoke different emotional responses in crowded VR scenarios. Participants reported increased levels of nervousness with Haptic Stimulus in both virtual scenarios, while both Tactile Stimulus and Haptic Stimulus were negatively associated with pleasantness and comfort during the interaction. Additionally, we observed that participants’ sense of touch being real was enhanced in Haptic Stimulus compared to Tactile Stimulus. The “Haptic Stimulus” condition had the most positive influence on participants’ sense of identification with the crowd.

Canada’s Student Journal Forum: From Humble Beginnings to National Conference

Student Journal Forum began as an in-person half-day event at the University of Toronto (U of T) in 2015. It was organized by a group of librarians with the goal to connect editors of 60+ student-led U of T journals with publishing supports, best practices, and with each other. The audience’s enthusiastic engagement and the community-building power of the event prompted the librarians to offer it again the next year, and the year after. Eight years later, this local annual event has grown into a Canada-wide virtual gathering. The shift to online during the COVID-19 pandemic was a key catalyst to open the Forum to students to connect remotely, and for the event to be jointly organized by multiple libraries across Canada. The event’s offering has evolved as well, moving from librarian-led publishing best practice sessions to student-led presentations and participatory learning sessions. The most recent 2023 Forum featured an open call for proposals that let student editors share their experiences and present on topics that mattered to them. It was complemented by a half-day of publishing skill sessions presented by Canadian librarians and two panels with scholarly editors and publishing professionals. In this paper, we reflect on the evolution of the Student Journal Forum, its successes and challenges, and its role in establishing the connection between student editors across Canada and between different Canadian libraries that offer student journal publishing support.

Microbiology at Home (M@H): an Online, Self-Paced Solution To Enhance Practical Skills in Foundation Microbiology.

The online education market share is rapidly increasing, raising the demand to teach sciences outside the laboratory environment. Here, we present Microbiology at Home (M@H), a new approach that integrates hands-on microbiology experimentation with online interactive simulations using authentic scenarios in microbiology in the home environment. The M@H program includes 8 practical activities aligned to the ASM curriculum for practical skills. M@H kits are mailed to students, and each practical activity is prepacked individually with the required consumables, including microbial culture media to prepare at home using a microwave. These practicals are self-paced, and each activity is facilitated using a two-dimensional simulation package with prerecorded videos, protocols, and interactive activities. The students receive both synchronous and asynchronous support and guidance through online learning management systems fora and virtual gatherings. The M@H program was applied to an Introductory Microbiology cohort at the University of New England in 2020 and 2021. Based on student feedback, the experience not only provided real hands-on practice in microbiology but also acted to cement the engagement with the content by contextualizing it to the surrounding home environment. We anticipate that these activities will provide a way to successfully engage students with hands-on microbiology without the need for actual laboratory attendance, thus increasing accessibility to microbial protocols and applications.

It’s Not Obsolete to Have a Practice Retreat

The traditional in-person, strategic retreat is coming back after having been relegated to virtual gatherings for more than two years. The format is simple—key practice leadership, such as the managing partner or practice manager, hosts a dedicated strategic planning meeting, typically off-site and often over the weekend, for the physicians. The goal is for the team to return with a clear vision for the future and a renewed sense of teamwork with their fellow physicians. This article discusses the importance of practice retreat and offers suggestions for conducting a meaningful and productive retreat.

Theorizing Reactive Democracy

The diffusion of social media has profoundly transformed the nature and form of the contemporary public sphere, facilitating the rise of new political tactics and movements. In this article, I develop a theory of the social media public sphere as a “plebeian public sphere” whose functioning is markedly different from the traditional public sphere, described by Jürgen Habermas. Differently from Habermas’ critical-rational publics, this social media public sphere is dominated by online crowds that come together in virtual gatherings made visible by a variety of social media reactions and metrics that measure their presence. It can be best described as a “reactive democracy,” a plebiscitary form of democracy in which reactions are understood as an implicit vote indicating the mood of public opinion on a variety of issues.

From one degree of imperfection to another: A consideration of gathering in different ways

This conversation between Ruth Gouldbourne and Steve Holmes, both ordained Baptist ministers, focuses on issues raised during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in particular the theological as well as practical questions around gathering for worship when gathering together in church buildings was not possible. Exploring a theology of ‘gathering’, they find themselves wanting to distinguish between ideal and ‘adequate’ ways of being church: the significance and different expressions of people seeing each other ‘face to face’, the experience of virtual gatherings around the Lord’s Table, and the anticipatory, provisional nature of any church expression. In this perspective, celebrating the Communion while being separated physically is not only possible, but an essential expression of the creative nature of a gathering community in continuation with the Church across the ages. They also note the communicative power carried by physical spaces and objects used in the life of the church, as well as all other nonverbal cues.

Empowering American Indian and Alaska Native youth to lead measurement development of an indigenous adolescent wellbeing measure: A protocol paper.

American Indian and Alaska Native youth research has rarely included young people from within these populations as co-designers. In addition to the lack of youth involvement, most findings focus on presenting statistics around disparity vs. focusing on this population's unique strengths and resiliency. The research design of this protocol aims to fill this gap in the current literature. To address this discrepancy, a multipronged approach to youth and young adult participatory research was implemented. These prongs included a virtual gathering where the Nominal Group Technique was conducted and an assembly of a Youth Research Design Team. Lastly, the research team will implement a protocol developed by the Research Design Team. The Research Design Team plans to conduct qualitative interviews and distribute a web-based quantitative survey with a raffle as respondent compensation. This protocol is a preliminary phase to developing a wellbeing measure for AIAN youth. Having an operationalized definition of wellness from AIAN youth will fill a gap in the current body of research with optimism that this will lead to additional studies exploring the AIAN youth voice.

Introduction

This collection derives from an ongoing experiment in thinking through and with the potential epistemic insurgency presented by our loose collective’s working terminology, “Black ecologies.” This term moves from the resonances between the editors’ own research in New Orleans, Puerto Rico, and Virginia, respectively. Each of us considers from our different vantages the ecological consequences of slavery and its afterlives in the enduring regime of extractivism and disposability shaping Black communities in the Diaspora. This resonance has inspired us to collaborate in various formations, including a virtual dialogue about the environment for the People’s Strike organization in July 2021, the Black Ecologies series at Black Perspectives, the virtual gathering hosted by the Black Ecologies Initiative at Arizona State University in Spring 2022, “Making Livable Worlds” (following co-editor Hilda Lloréns’ monograph title), and a zine publication, which have together added further integrity, meaning, and possibilities for thinking with this formulation outside a restrictive or proprietary vision for its potential.

Building Community in Virtual Space: A Community Collaborative Sustains Its Exploration of Environmental Justice and Migration Issues in the Midst of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has had disproportionate impacts on communities that already bear disparate burdens of environmental and climate injustice. Migrant communities and those that have been historically marginalized are especially vulnerable. Building and maintaining relationships that serve as community support is challenged by the distance mandated by the virus. In this article, research partners from neighborhood and academic communities explore ways that we have navigated related challenges. Using the organizing and research methodology of legislative theatre, our collaborative harnessed virtual space to maintain connection and further our research goals. Zoom became our virtual gathering space, which was enriched by incorporating embodied practices into our processes to deepen intimacy. We found that responsivity and consistency of connection served to support relationships in the absence of physical presence. While these practices and approaches allowed us to move our work forward while prioritizing equitable relationships, challenges remain. Accessibility is a key barrier, as both technology and internet connection are unreliable in many communities. Equity work, regardless of the form of engagement, requires time and engagement with place. Yet, we found that storytelling combined with embodied practices, responsivity, and consistency of connection, can transcend virtual space to promote healing and change.

How Religious Leaders around the World Are Responding to the Covid-19 Pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic has presented significant challenges for religious leaders around the world, who must balance the need to protect public health with spiritual and emotional needs. Despite these obstacles, religious leaders have risen to the occasion and implemented protective measures for their communities, including social isolation and vaccination encouragement. Through online counseling, virtual gatherings, and practical assistance, they have also provided spiritual and emotional support. Lessons learned include the significance of adapting to new technologies, putting public health and safety first, and the vital role of religious institutions in providing community and social support during times of crisis.

Paso a paso se va muy lejos: Traveling the Path with AFS

<i>Paso a paso se va muy lejos</i>: Traveling the Path with AFS