Digital Scholarship: Applied Fields


The following chapter will provide an introduction to some of the fields that have become popular or feasible due to new advancements in technology, giving alternatives to classic experiments that have dominated the sciences for the longest time.


Roadmap

  • Human-Computer Interaction: Studying the ways in which people interact with digital systems and designing interfaces that are intuitive, efficient, and effective.

  • Internet of Things (IoT) approach: Creating interconnected networks of devices, sensors, and actuators to collect and analyze data from the physical world.

  • Social Media Analytics: Studying the ways in which people use social media and other online platforms to communicate and share information.

  • Natural Language Processing: Developing systems that can understand and generate human language, with applications in areas such as chatbots, speech recognition, and sentiment analysis.


Human-Computer Interaction

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) is a multidisciplinary field that focuses on the study of the ways in which people interact with digital systems and the design of interfaces that are intuitive, efficient, and effective. It brings together elements of computer science, psychology, design, and human factors to create digital systems that are both functional and user-friendly.

HCI is concerned with understanding the human side of the equation - how people think, feel, and behave when they interact with digital systems. By studying these interactions, HCI researchers and practitioners can identify areas for improvement and design interfaces that are more intuitive and easier to use.

HCI has a wide range of applications, from desktop computers and mobile devices to video games and virtual reality systems. The goal of HCI is to create digital systems that are not only functional but also enjoyable to use.

As a student of HCI, you will learn about the principles and theories that underpin the field, as well as the design and development process for creating digital systems. You will also gain hands-on experience in prototyping and testing interfaces and will learn how to evaluate the effectiveness of your designs.

HCI is a fascinating and rewarding field that offers opportunities to make a real impact on how people interact with digital systems. Whether you are interested in designing interfaces for consumer products or creating virtual reality experiences, a background in HCI will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to succeed.


Internet of Things (IoT) approach

The Internet of Things (IoT) approach involves creating interconnected networks of devices, sensors, and actuators to collect and analyze data from the physical world. This approach has the potential to revolutionize the way we live and work by enabling the collection and analysis of vast amounts of data from a wide range of sources.

IoT devices, such as smart homes, wearable devices, and connected cars, are designed to collect data about the physical world and transmit it to the cloud for analysis. This data can be used to make informed decisions, automate processes, and improve the efficiency of various systems.

The IoT approach is based on the idea of the “smart” device, which is a device that is equipped with sensors, actuators, and connectivity capabilities. These devices communicate with each other to form a network, and the data they collect is used to improve decision-making, automate processes, and enhance the overall user experience.

As a student of the IoT approach, you will learn about the technologies and protocols that are used to create IoT networks, as well as the design and development of IoT devices. You will also gain hands-on experience in programming and working with IoT devices and will learn how to analyze the data collected from these devices to make informed decisions.

The IoT approach is a rapidly growing field that offers exciting opportunities to make a real impact on the world. Whether you are interested in creating smart homes, wearable devices, or connected cars, a background in the IoT approach will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to succeed in this dynamic and rapidly evolving field.


Social Media Analytics

Social Media Analytics is the study of how people use social media and other online platforms to communicate and share information. This field is becoming increasingly important as more and more people use social media to connect with each other, share news, and express their opinions.

Social Media Analytics involves using data mining, machine learning, and other techniques to analyze social media data, such as tweets, posts, and comments, to gain insights into how people use these platforms. This information can be used to understand public opinion, track the spread of information, and improve the user experience of social media platforms.

One of the key challenges of Social Media Analytics is dealing with the large amounts of data generated by social media platforms. This data can be messy and unstructured, making it difficult to analyze and extract meaningful insights. However, advances in data processing and analytics technologies have made it possible to analyze large volumes of social media data in real-time, providing valuable insights into how people use these platforms.

As a student of Social Media Analytics, you will learn about the techniques and technologies used to collect, process, and analyze social media data, as well as the design and development of social media analytics systems. You will also gain hands-on experience in programming and working with social media data, and will learn how to analyze this data to gain valuable insights into how people use these platforms.

Whether you are interested in understanding public opinion, tracking the spread of information, or improving the user experience of social media platforms, a background in Social Media Analytics will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to succeed in this dynamic and rapidly evolving field.


Introduction to Natural Language Processing

Natural Language Processing (NLP) is a field of computer science and artificial intelligence that focuses on developing systems that can understand and generate human language. This field has applications in areas such as chatbots, speech recognition, and sentiment analysis, and has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with technology.

NLP involves using computer algorithms to analyze and understand human language, including its structure, meaning, and context. This allows computers to process and respond to natural language inputs, such as spoken or written text, in a way that is similar to how humans process language.

The goal of NLP is to enable computers to understand and generate human language in a way that is both accurate and natural. This is a challenging task, as human language is complex and nuanced, and can be difficult for computers to interpret. However, advances in NLP have led to the development of systems that are capable of performing complex language-related tasks, such as answering questions, translating between languages, and even writing creative text.

As a student of NLP, you will learn about the theories and algorithms that are used to analyze and understand human language, as well as the design and development of NLP systems. You will also gain hands-on experience in programming NLP applications and will learn how to evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of your systems.

In conclusion, NLP is a fascinating and rapidly growing field that offers exciting opportunities to make a real impact on the way we interact with technology. Whether you are interested in developing chatbots, speech recognition systems, or sentiment analysis tools, a background in NLP will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to succeed in this dynamic and rapidly evolving field.