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Early social informatics research focused primarily on ethnographic, site‐specific observations within organizations and was based on smaller case studies. The rising of social media and big data availability have made large‐scale data analysis accessible and easier. This has informed social informatics perspectives by examining the roles and impacts of social media in our work and social lives. The panel aims to utilize principles of social informatics approach to understand emerging issues related to social media, which are pervasive in almost every aspect of our daily lives, and to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) more broadly. To push social informatics research forward, the panelists will address the questions regarding the future of social informatics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This proposal builds on the previous successes of the interactive panels sponsored by the ASIS&T Special Interest Group on Education (SIG ED) at the 2017, 2015, 2013, 2012, and 2011 annual meetings. The all‐new 2020 panel features faculty in various stages of their academic careers, including a relatively new assistant professor, one who has just completed the tenure process, two associate professors, a full professor, and a professor emerita. The panelists are prepared to address audience questions on topics such as the traditional academic job market, alternative career paths including post‐doctoral opportunities, development of personal research agendas, challenges of online instruction (Sithole et al., International Journal of Online Pedagogy and Course Design, 2019, 9, 62–77), as well as the challenges and disruption caused in higher education due to the COVID‐19 situation (Amour, Coronavirus News Roundup for April 21, 2020). The panel discussion will focus around the academic job market and how applicants can present themselves in the best light depending upon the type of position sought. Doctoral students will gain valuable insights on finishing their dissertation, weighing postdoctoral opportunities, and preparing for their first academic position. The panel will be useful not only to doctoral students but also to postdocs, adjuncts, and assistant‐to‐associate‐to‐full professors, as the panelists share their insights and experience through various career stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of digital justice is intended to open up discourse about strategies for bringing relief to those who believe they have been discriminated against or harmed by algorithmic decision making. Digital justice has depended on algorithmic accountability, a means by which entities can be held accountable for the consequences of algorithmic decision making. This paper critically examines the concept of algorithmic accountability to assess its utility as a ground for digital justice and argues that it is fraught with difficulties. After discussing digital justice and algorithmic discrimination, algorithmic accountability is decomposed into two types, technical and sociotechnical. These approaches are critically assessed and a cautionary note is struck about the difficulty of enacting algorithmic accountability. If this argument is persuasive, it implies that the concept of digital justice also has difficulties. The paper concludes with suggestions for moving forward that do not use either version of algorithmic accountability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Big data has been widely promoted across disciplines and sectors for its potential to enhance lives and promote knowledge discovery. However, challenges arise at all stages of the data lifecycle due to the complexity of interactions between data and the contexts within which they are collected and managed, which has implications for interpretations of this data and eventual use of information and the creation of knowledge products from these data. Starting from the perspective of social informatics, this panel will discuss: the reciprocal relationships between data and context; specific challenges in distinct stages of data generation, data repository implementation, data curation, data use, and data reproducibility; and the implications of these challenges and their potential solutions for both social informatics research and society in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on a panel discussion of several social informatics scholars including Howard Rosenbaum, Madelyn Sanfilippo, and Noriko Hara, focusing on the history and future of social informatics research.

The article focuses on a study which explores the theoretical aspects of social informatics and social media research. The researchers seek to draw implications for extending the conceptual and theoretical boundaries of social informatics. Other information about the theoretical advancement of social informatics research is presented.

ABSTRACT Decision support system data dashboards (DSS-DD) are starting to be developed for higher education decision-making. However, there is little research concerning their impact and use. To understand the decision-making practices of DSS-DD users, this poster presents preliminary findings of a study of these systems in a large U.S. Midwestern higher education institution. We draw on the socio-technical interaction network analytic strategy and sociomateriality to examine expected and actual user decision-making practices when using these dashboards. We find that while there are expected practices, users engage in unintended and shadow socio-technical decision-making practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]