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BackgroundThe global health crisis caused by COVID-19 has drastically changed human society in a relatively short time. However, this crisis has offered insights into the different roles that such a worldwide virus plays in the lives of people and how those have been affected, as well as eventually proposing new solutions. From the beginning of the pandemic, technology solutions have featured prominently in virus control and in the frame of reference for international travel, especially contact tracing and passenger locator applications. ObjectiveThe objective of this paper is to study specific areas of technology acceptance and adoption following a unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) research model. MethodsWe presented a research model based on UTAUT constructs to study the determinants for adoption of COVID-19–related apps using a questionnaire. We tested the model via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) using travelers’ data from an insular tourist region. ResultsOur model explained 90.3% of the intention to use (N=9555) and showed an increased understanding of the vital role of safety, security, privacy, and trust in the usage intention of safety apps. Results also showed how the impact of COVID-19 is not a strong predictor of adoption, while age, education level, and social capital are essential moderators of behavioral intention. ConclusionsIn terms of scientific impact, the results described here provide important insights and contributions not only for researchers but also for policy and decision makers by explaining the reasons behind the adoption and usage of apps designed for COVID-19.

Abstract Tourism is one of the world’s largest industries fundamentally arising from mobility as a form of capital. In destination islands that have a delicate ecosystem to maintain, this source of income can become problematic in terms of sustainability. A difficulty in making people aware of this issue is also represented by the fact that such sustainability-related issues (and their causes) are often not “visible” to citizens. To foster awareness about the relationship between sustainability and tourism in well-known destinations, we design a platform that engages users at two levels of participation: i. at the IoT and sensors level, in order to let them becoming providers of big data, deploying and enlarging the pervasive infrastructure; ii. at the (big) data visualization level, with the aim of engaging them in making sense of large volumes of data related to sustainability. This paper presents the design and implementation of a real-world experience where a low-cost collaborative platform made it possible to sense and visualize tourist flows and urban data into a rich interactive map-based visualization, open to the local communities. We deployed our case study in the Madeira archipelago, engaging locals and visitors of the island in two exploratory studies focused on measuring the impact of providing users with meaningful representations of tourism flows and related unperceivable aspects that affect the environmental sustainability. Analysing the findings of the two studies, we discuss the potentiality of using such a system to make sense of big data, fostering awareness about sustainability issues, and we point to future open challenges about citizens’ participation in sensing and making sense of big data.

Introduction: New approaches to the study of the binge-watching phenomenon require new technology, leading to the development of a non-intrusive and low-cost analytical research software that facilitates a holistic understanding of binge-watching in an uncontrolled environment remotely (e.g., the home). BWDAT was developed to allow the collection of three types of data: users’ physiological data gathered from a smartwatch, users’ interactions from video-on-demand interfaces, and self-reported data. This tool offers the possibility to generate automatic data analysis reports, facilitating researchers’ data analysis tasks. Methods: Two trial studies and a long-term study were used to evaluate the design and the technical implementation of the BWDAT tool. The metrics used were the BWDAT smartwatch’s App data coverage of the viewing sessions, and the data’s reliability of the viewer’s interactions with the Netflix interface, collected by the BWDAT Chrome Extension. Results: High percentages of data coverage and content coverage were verified in the sessions collecting the smartwatch’s data. The reporting system developed proved to be useful in the collection and synchronization of physiological and users’ interaction data with Netflix interface, both generated in uncontrolled environments. Furthermore, the BWDAT tool facilitated the analysis of a large amount of nuanced data. Conclusion: The results obtained confirm the reliability, accuracy, and usability of BWDAT. This tool has the potential to help researchers shed new light on the field of media and audience studies, and in particular on binge-watching.

This paper explores the combination of formal and informal learning coupled with locative media principles; we research the potential of this specific type of media to reinforce and expand learning goals out-of-class time, equipping students with lifelong learning attitudes. We report on the findings from and observations on how a class of undergraduate students used locative media for the first time to learn about the effects of spatial segregation in a specific underserved area of Austin, Texas, usa. Students were asked to visit several locations and produce multimedia stories with a focus on the local history. Results from the study show that using locative media is highly efficient for learning purposes. Students get to experience the content learned in the classroom in a physical setting, which fosters ‘situated learning’, a theory we used as theoretical framework. Our findings also suggest that rather than local history or history in general, current societal issues with a strong spatial component are more effective in engaging students with the assignment off the classroom. Hence, segregation and gentrification were found in this study to be useful subjects to be explored and taught through the principles of locative media.

This study explores how US Latina girls, in Central Texas, may develop a stronger sense of place and belonging through the grasping and crafting of locative literature. This work presents the results of a field study, in which training about locative narratives and locative media was provided during two different occasions. Firstly, a four-day workshop was conducted within the context of a summer camp with girls organized by a non-profit organization called Latinitas, based in Austin, Texas, USA. Secondly, the training was provided within the context of an after-school program, in a middle school, given also by Latinitas, to girls age ranging from 11 to 13, during five lessons spanning over five weeks. We found that the process of creating narratives rooted in the concept of place helped the participants to reflect on the location where they live, their locality, and their identity.

In this paper we present the design process and some interesting field t rial r esults of two d ifferent game applications, designed and developed in order to extend and motivate the community of mPASS. mPASS is an urban accessibility mapping system that allows citizens to collect reliable data about barriers and facilities via crowdsourcing and crowdsensing and it uses these data to calculate accessible paths. On the one hand mPASS needs to collect a sufficiently dense, detailed and trustworthy amount of data. On the other hand, the community interested in obtaining accessible paths is not big enough to reach the critical mass of information needed by the system in order to provide effective services. To overcome this problem, we investigated gamification strategies in designing two mobile applications targeting young adults walkers, aimed to enlarge the data contributors community. The design process and field t rial results of both games are presented, highlighting the design decisions resulted from feedback sessions, focus groups and experience prototyping.