The online world is becoming more and more edutainment, where learning, getting informed and entertained seem to be part of one and the same activity. As a result of this current fascination, people are drawn increasi...The online world is becoming more and more edutainment, where learning, getting informed and entertained seem to be part of one and the same activity. As a result of this current fascination, people are drawn increasingly towards a new genre, i.e. free online 20-minute long lectures that borrow from film and storytelling techniques, that are offering an engaging series of speeches and even courses in many different scientific subjects. Though English as a lingua franca is still the dominant language of the internet, as a result of a growing new trend, namely crowdsourcing translation, knowledge dissemination is further enhanced and is now reaching further into many different cultures, allowing even the so-called minor languages to regain dignity and circulate, by engaging native speakers from different cultural backgrounds. This paper offers an overview on the phenomenon of online edutainment considering the role played by collaborative users who not only enjoy but also create and translate content. In addition, a case study focused on TED Talks allows a more in depth analysis of the new genre and the increasing need for subtitling scripts.展开更多
Objective:We present first-phase results of a performing arts public health intervention,‘Singing and Dancing for Health,’aiming to promote healthier behaviors in Ghana’s impoverished Northern Region.We hypothesize...Objective:We present first-phase results of a performing arts public health intervention,‘Singing and Dancing for Health,’aiming to promote healthier behaviors in Ghana’s impoverished Northern Region.We hypothesize that live music and dance drama provide a powerful technology to overcome barriers such as illiteracy,lack of adequate media access,inadequate health resources,and entrenched sociocultural attitudes.Our research objective is to evaluate this claim.Methods:In this first phase,we evaluated the effectiveness of arts interventions in improv-ing knowledge and behaviors associated with reduced incidence of malaria and cholera,focusing on basic information and simple practices,such as proper hand washing.Working with the Youth Home Cultural Group,we codeveloped two‘dance dramas’delivering health messages through di-alog,lyrics,and drama,using music and dance to attract spectators,focus attention,infuse emotion,and socialize impact.We also designed knowledge,attitude,and behavior surveys as measurement instruments.Using purposive sampling,we selected three contrasting test villages in the vicinity,contrasting in size and demographics.With cooperation of chiefs,elders,elected officials,and Gha-na Health Service officers,we conducted a baseline survey in each village.Next,we performed the interventions,and subsequently conducted follow-up surveys.Using a more qualitative approach,we also tracked a select subgroup,conducted focus group studies,and collected testimonials.Sur-veys were coded and data were analyzed by Epi Info.Results:Both quantitative and qualitative methods indicated that those who attended the dance drama performances were likelier than those who did not attend to list the causal,preven-tive,and transmission factors of malaria and cholera.Also,the same attendees were likelier than nonattendees to list some activities they do to prevent malaria,cholera,and other sanitation-related diseases,proving that dance dramas were highly effective both in raising awareness and in trans-forming behaviors.Conclusions:As a result of this study,we suggest that where improvements in community health depend primarily on behavioral change,music and associated performing arts-dancing,singing,and drama-presented by a professional troupe offer a powerful social technology for bringing them about.This article is a status report on the results of the project so far.Future re-search will indicate whether local community-based groups are able to provide equal or better outcomes at lower cost,without outside support,thus providing the capacity for sustainable,local-ized health promotion.展开更多
文摘The online world is becoming more and more edutainment, where learning, getting informed and entertained seem to be part of one and the same activity. As a result of this current fascination, people are drawn increasingly towards a new genre, i.e. free online 20-minute long lectures that borrow from film and storytelling techniques, that are offering an engaging series of speeches and even courses in many different scientific subjects. Though English as a lingua franca is still the dominant language of the internet, as a result of a growing new trend, namely crowdsourcing translation, knowledge dissemination is further enhanced and is now reaching further into many different cultures, allowing even the so-called minor languages to regain dignity and circulate, by engaging native speakers from different cultural backgrounds. This paper offers an overview on the phenomenon of online edutainment considering the role played by collaborative users who not only enjoy but also create and translate content. In addition, a case study focused on TED Talks allows a more in depth analysis of the new genre and the increasing need for subtitling scripts.
基金This project was enabled by a Killam Cornerstone Granttogether with additional contributions from the Faculty of Arts,the Office of Global Health in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry,the Centre for Health and Culture at the University of Alberta,as well as a subgrant from the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs,Trade,and Development.
文摘Objective:We present first-phase results of a performing arts public health intervention,‘Singing and Dancing for Health,’aiming to promote healthier behaviors in Ghana’s impoverished Northern Region.We hypothesize that live music and dance drama provide a powerful technology to overcome barriers such as illiteracy,lack of adequate media access,inadequate health resources,and entrenched sociocultural attitudes.Our research objective is to evaluate this claim.Methods:In this first phase,we evaluated the effectiveness of arts interventions in improv-ing knowledge and behaviors associated with reduced incidence of malaria and cholera,focusing on basic information and simple practices,such as proper hand washing.Working with the Youth Home Cultural Group,we codeveloped two‘dance dramas’delivering health messages through di-alog,lyrics,and drama,using music and dance to attract spectators,focus attention,infuse emotion,and socialize impact.We also designed knowledge,attitude,and behavior surveys as measurement instruments.Using purposive sampling,we selected three contrasting test villages in the vicinity,contrasting in size and demographics.With cooperation of chiefs,elders,elected officials,and Gha-na Health Service officers,we conducted a baseline survey in each village.Next,we performed the interventions,and subsequently conducted follow-up surveys.Using a more qualitative approach,we also tracked a select subgroup,conducted focus group studies,and collected testimonials.Sur-veys were coded and data were analyzed by Epi Info.Results:Both quantitative and qualitative methods indicated that those who attended the dance drama performances were likelier than those who did not attend to list the causal,preven-tive,and transmission factors of malaria and cholera.Also,the same attendees were likelier than nonattendees to list some activities they do to prevent malaria,cholera,and other sanitation-related diseases,proving that dance dramas were highly effective both in raising awareness and in trans-forming behaviors.Conclusions:As a result of this study,we suggest that where improvements in community health depend primarily on behavioral change,music and associated performing arts-dancing,singing,and drama-presented by a professional troupe offer a powerful social technology for bringing them about.This article is a status report on the results of the project so far.Future re-search will indicate whether local community-based groups are able to provide equal or better outcomes at lower cost,without outside support,thus providing the capacity for sustainable,local-ized health promotion.
