https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/issue/feed Comunicar 2024-03-31T00:00:00+00:00 Editor editor@comunicarjournal.com Open Journal Systems <p>Media Education Research Journal</p> https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/115711 Bibliometric Study and Network Mapping of Teacher Technostress Between 1992-2022 2024-01-05T11:03:12+00:00 Rita Louzán rita.louzan@unir.net Fermín Torrano fermin.torrano@unir.net <p>The purpose of this research was to realize a metric study of scientific production between1992 and 2022 on one of the topics that has acquired great importance in the educational field, due to the pandemic caused by COVID-19: teacher technostress. For such purpose, 139 scientific documents indexed in the Web of Science database were examined. The content was analyzed using an Excel spreadsheet and the VOS viewer software. To guarantee the quality of the methodological procedure, the PRISMA protocol was followed. First, a bibliometric analysis of the extracted publications was conducted, taking several indicators of production and dispersion as references. Second, a network analysis was performed to understand the collaboration structure between countries and the conceptual structure of the topic under study. The results highlight that existing scientific information on teacher technostress is scarce, that it is widely dispersed in terms of research areas, and that there are no major producers on the subject. Nonetheless, COVID-19 has been a decisive turning point that has generated the highest percentage of scientific production recorded to date and has contributed to bringing greater visibility to technostress, not only as a psychosocial occupational risk but also as a phenomenon affecting the teaching profession as one of the most vulnerable work collectives in an online context.</p> 2024-03-31T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Comunicar https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/115712 Assessing the Learner’s Engagement Through Virtual Classroom and Teaching Pedagogy: The Mediating Role of Technology Usage 2024-01-05T11:12:18+00:00 Peiqiong Zhang 5243@pdsu.edu.cn Peng Zhao blue7428@163.com Jongmoo Kim isaac55@dankook.ac.kr <p>In virtual classrooms, the engagement of learners has become a critical challenge. This research aims to answer the question: What is the impact of virtual classroom and teaching pedagogy on learner engagement in film and visual art education? This research addresses a gap to close a loop in literature and knowledge. A sample of 380 students pursuing films and visual arts education was taken to test the hypotheses. The findings of this study are based on empirical data, and a partial least square–structural equation model (PLS-SEM) employed for data analysis. The study reported that virtual classrooms and teaching pedagogy are significant antecedents of learners’ engagement. The study asserted that learners’ engagement is influenced by teaching pedagogy with the mediating role of the use of technology. This research is significant for its reliable theoretical contribution to the domain. Furthermore, the study has developed practical recommendations to improve learners’ engagement with teaching pedagogy and visual classroom. Future directions are also highlighted to conduct further studies on this area of knowledge.</p> 2024-03-31T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Comunicar https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/115713 EduComR: Instrument for the Analysis of Museum Educommunication on Social Media 2024-01-05T11:26:24+00:00 Borja Aso basom@unizar.es Iñaki Navarro Neri inavar17@gmail.com Silvia García Ceballos sgceballos@unizar.es Pilar Rivero privero@unizar.es <p>Cultural institutions must use social networks to promote the empowerment of audiences and democratize knowledge through communication by emphasizing participatory and high-quality heritage education. This study aimed to create an analysis instrument (EduComR) that allows to identify and examine the educational-communicative strategies carried out by heritage institutions on social networks. The research followed a mixed methodology, where the predominant approach was qualitative, involving a content analysis of the publications shared in social media. The pilot test sample consisted of studying n=364,448 tweets from 72 institutional accounts in both American and European contexts published in Spanish, English, Portuguese and Italian. The results yielded a validated by expert judgement instrument composed of five dimensions of analysis: 1) Hypertext elements used by cultural institutions to share content, 2) Functions of language, 3) Procedures of heritage education, 4) The participatory dimension through the R-relational factor and 5) Suggested learning. The EduComR instrument represents a relevant contribution to the evaluative research of educational- communicative actions in the field of heritage and allows cultural institutions to identify key media actions to improve their planning, encourage engagement and promote hyper-connected audiences</p> 2024-03-31T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Comunicar https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/115714 Integrating Physical Media Education into Elderly Care Programs: A Case Study of Enhancing Well-being and Promoting High-Quality Life 2024-01-05T11:33:50+00:00 Xiaolei Li lixiaolei@hbfu.edu.cn Le Wang wangle@hbfu.edu.cn Cunsheng Fan cunshengfan@sanyau.edu.cn <p>This study examined the impact of media education for elderly care programs in China on the well-being and quality of life of elderly population. This study investigated how media education turned older population in techno-savvy and improved the well-being and quality of life of the elderly population. The objectives of the study were to bring forth the role played by media awareness of social media, to examine the challenges associated with it, and to recommend efficient strategies to promote the engagement of older adults in media education of social media and usage of media gadgets that helps them to be techno-savvy and improve their well-being. The qualitative methodology was used and data was collected through semi-structured interviews from a sample of 8 informants comprising caretakers working at Chinese old age homes and senior community centers. Following a thematic analysis, it was revealed that media education in elderly care programs potentially benefits older by improving their self- efficacy, social connectedness, and overall well-being. It was also found that media awareness of older adults significantly assisted them to be techno-savvy and enhanced high-quality life in them. Limited equipment, unwillingness, and inefficient technological knowledge were some significant challenges that hindered the proper integration of media education in elderly care programs. It was recommended that training sessions, workshops, and proper allocation of resources should be enhanced to get the potential benefits of media education for older adults. These outcomes have significant contributions for policy-makers and practitioners of old-age institutions. In addition, this study offers novel contributions to relevant literature within the context of China.</p> 2024-03-31T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Comunicar https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/115715 Youth Frustration and Intergenerational Conflict on Twitter 2024-01-05T11:47:08+00:00 Gago-Rivas Víctor gaguivictor@usal.es Martín-Gómez Ángel angelmartin@usal.es García-Gutiérrez Carmen id00758910@usal.es <p>In recent years, the generation has gained importance in the narrative of social change and conflict, as reflected in the spread of digital phenomena such as #OKBoomer, which highlighted the negative perception of this generation by later generations, popularising the term “boomer” as a pejorative adjective. In order to find out whether the use of this term is an expression of conflict and generational vindication, we downloaded more than 600,000 tweets, in Spanish, issued between November 2019 and December 2022, which contained the term “the boomers”. Using supervised machine learning techniques, we quantified the percentage of tweets that, through the use of this term, expressed generational claims or conflicts. Subsequently, we used topic modelling techniques to investigate under which themes these are expressed. We found that, during this period, most of the tweets analysed expressed conflicts and demands, focusing on issues such as material and economic inequality, lack of opportunities to develop a life project and political issues. Everyday generational clashes were also observed, related to digital skills or attitudinal differences. In conclusion, behind the use of the term “boomer”, claims of the younger generations are being expressed in the form of generational conflict, either by blaming the “boomer” generation for their situation or by denouncing the lack of empathy of the “boomer” generation towards them.</p> 2024-03-31T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Comunicar https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/115716 The Beauty of Clay: Exploring contemporary Ceramic Art as an Aesthetic Medium in Education 2024-01-05T11:53:24+00:00 Zhiyan Zhang 13771288877@163.com Pan Wei pw123815@163.com <p>The development of ceramic art as an aesthetic medium in Chinese education is significant aspect of contemporary fine arts education system. This study explored the status of contemporary status of ceramic arts in education and its linkage with aesthetic pleasure within the context of China. The dimensions considered in this study included integration of ceramic arts in the curriculum of Chinese universities, edu-communicative function of ceramic arts, the aesthetic characteristics of ceramic art and role of modern digital tools in spreading the art and craft associated with clay. To fulfill the aims of study and to reach an efficient conclusion, this study employed a qualitative approach. Using this approach, an overview of Chinese ceramic education was presented using both primary and secondary data, where the primary data was derived from interviews with informants from relevant universities. The findings of the study highlight that ceramic art is a significant aspect of contemporary Chinese arts education in its universities, which has the dual objective of develop artistic skills of students and also enhance the edu-communicative function of the ceramic art representing the Chinese culture. The findings revealed that ceramic art not only caried aesthetic elements but it was also a prime source of creating aesthetic pleasure as it played the role of aesthetic medium in education. It was evident that due to its aesthetic purpose, ceramic art demonstrated the notions of ‘Art for Art’s sake’. It has also been found that digital tools play a significant role in bringing innovation in ceramic art education and spread the skills of clay-art. The findings of this paper have numerous implications for the personnel and practitioners of Chinese fine arts institutions especially those who have curriculum related to ceramic art.</p> 2024-03-31T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Comunicar https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/115175 Audience Participation in TikTok Metadata 2023-06-26T13:53:34+00:00 Dra. Amparo Huertas-Bailén amparo.huertas@uab.cat Dra. Natalia Quintas-Froufe n.quintas.froufe@udc.es Dra. Ana González-Neira ana.gneira@udc.es <p>With the expansion of digital culture, an in-depth reflection on how to research audiences is necessary. If, formerly, the individual was placed in a social category that defined cultural tastes, now technology identifies patterns of behavior from the direct record of their actions. This text explores the type of knowledge that can be obtained on audience participation on TikTok. We propose a methodology that consists of the analysis of usage metadata. The fieldwork focuses on “Ac2ality”, an information account with 4.4 million followers in Spain. We analysed all videos shared over six weeks of the first quarter of 2023 (n=173). The purpose was to find (a) the degree of the linear correlation between the metadata for the same video and (b) the existence of correlations between metadata and type of video/ content. For each metadatum available with open access (comments, likes, saves, shares and views), four activity levels have been established (low, intermediate, high and very high). The majority trend indicates that the levels obtained by the metadata of the same content are not coincident, that is, a video will have more or less scope according to the observed metadata. The homogeneity of the videos means that only clear correlations between topic and metadata are detected. Topics with less presence can reach high levels of activity.</p> 2024-03-31T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Comunicar https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/115571 Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development of Museum Tourist cultural as Visual Cultural Practices 2023-10-30T12:00:14+00:00 Jianbo Yang fsyjb@163.com Yuling Zhang sunnyshuan@163.com Wenjing Li fsyjb@163.com Shuan Liu liwenj29@fosu.edu.cn Wei Huang viviennel_hw@126.com <p>The current study aims to analyze the digital pathways that could be incorporated in the museum Tourist, which could be useful as economic tool&nbsp;and cultural study tools&nbsp;and practices for achieving sustainable development of the museum Tourist&nbsp;as visual cultural practices in promoting cultural&nbsp;learning and economic in China. The researcher has chosen a research framework in which digital technologies, visual cultural practices, and cultural heritage could significantly enhance the sustainable development of museum Tourist&nbsp;in China with pedagogical adaptation and cultural sustainability as primary objectives of museums in China. In addition, the investigation was qualitative in nature, where a small research sample of eight informants from among the management staff of the Chinese museums faced a semi-structured interview. According to research findings, digital technologies, visual cultural practices, cultural heritage, museum pedagogical adaptation, and cultural sustainability significantly promoted the sustainable development of the museum Tourist&nbsp;in China. This study provides various theoretical and practical implications, which have been elaborated along with the research findings. However, it also has research limitations that will be advantageous for future researchers to modify their studies in the future.</p> 2024-03-31T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Comunicar https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/115171 Educommunication and empowerment in cardiovascular health of Lisbon citizens 2023-06-05T08:50:40+00:00 Célia Belim celiabelim@gmail.com Raphael Baptista rbaptista@iscsp.ulisboa.pt Carla Cruz ccruz@iscsp.ulisboa.pt Maria João Cunha mjcunha@iscsp.ulisboa.pt <p>Online educommunication and empowerment are crucial dimensions in awareness, literacy and change processes, and their articulation may bring benefits to cardiovascular health, given that cardiovascular diseases are the deadliest in the world, including in Portugal. This paper aims to explore the relationship between online educommunication and empowerment in cardiovascular health, using Lisbon citizens as a case. The theoretical framework is composed by the interactivity and empowerment model, the health belief model and the uses and gratifications theory. The questionnaire survey was applied to a gender and age quota sample (N=400). The questionnaire includes thematic dimensions, such as online informative practices on cardiovascular health, the eHEALS scale, and the importance and effectiveness of the educommunicative message on cardiovascular health features. Results show that the educommunicative message has characteristics at the level of purpose, content, type, format, emotions, and logic, which enhance it the most. This indicates that exposure to messages with these characteristics may instigate empowerment and behavior change. Respondents self-rated with the most positive levels on the eHEALS scale, showing empowerment at the eHealth level, with age rather than gender differences. There is evidence that eHealth skills and having cardiovascular disease influence information seeking and empowerment. The main contribution lies in identifying characteristics of the cardiovascular health educommunication message that can optimize recipient’s empowerment.</p> 2024-03-31T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Comunicar https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/115570 Business Incubation Study Programs to Promote Innovation and Entrepreneurship Activities in Animation Major 2023-10-30T12:01:16+00:00 Zeling Zheng zhengzeling@fzfu.edu.cn Xiaohui Huang zhoujie0726@fjnu.edu.cn Jie Zhou zhoujie0726@fjnu.edu.cn <p>The aim of this study was to provide guidelines to setting up business incubation study programs in higher education for the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship activities in the field of animation. This study examined the relationship between business incubation program implementation, institutional policies, student engagement, faculty involvement, intellectual property (IP) management, and animation major relevant innovation and entrepreneurship activities to achieve its goals. Data collection was carried out from Chinese universities by using a survey questionnaire and results were obtained by using statistical tool in which Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was carried out. This study believed that incubation centers in the field of animation at higher education institutions can perform better to promote innovation and entrepreneurship success by concentrating on student engagement, faculty involvement and IP management practices along with the supportive institutional policies and proper implementation of strategy. Consequently, this study has significant importance for the policymakers to promote animation major among students by considering the results of the current study. Policymakers can promote animation major through the promotion of incubation centers in Chinese higher educational institutions.</p> 2024-03-31T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Comunicar https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/115120 The Challenge of Audiences as (re) Active Drivers of Journalistic Change 2023-06-14T11:03:26+00:00 Ana-Isabel Rodríguez-Vázquez anaisabel.rodriguez.vazquez@usc.es María-Cruz Negreira-Rey cruz.negreira@usc.es Xosé López-García xose.lopez.garcia@usc.es <p>Digitization has expanded the boundaries of a journalistic field that was built up over more than a century and has led to questions about media, journalism, and the public spheres. The main objective of this article is to review and analyze the complex scenario in which journalism and digital journalism are developing, affecting legacy and digital native media, the profession and citizens, who, as an audience, occupy an increasingly central position. In the first phase of the study, the main axes and actors driving the metamorphosis of digital journalism are analyzed, to assess its functions and relevance using focus groups with academics and professionals in the area. The second phase focuses on the study of audiences and their relationship with journalism through a systematized literature review. The results show that the public is one of the main forces driving journalism. Placing them at the center of journalistic strategy involves understanding their needs, offering quality content, promoting transparency and credibility, and promoting literacy for critical media consumption. Prioritizing audiences is fundamental for establishing a solid and long-term relationship based on trust, an essential attribute for the success and sustainability of journalism in the digital era.</p> 2024-03-31T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Comunicar https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/115612 Sustaining Regional Equality and Interdisciplinary integration of Arts and Sciences through Creativity Research in STEAM Education Systems 2023-11-24T05:15:22+00:00 Man Luo roman@sues.edu.cn Rong Cong rong_c113@163.com <p>STEAM education system is largely being incorporated within different countries to develop creativity and problemsolving skills among the students. This study has also focused on sustaining regional equality and interdisciplinary integration of arts and sciences via creativity research in STEAM education systems. For this study, the qualitative data was collected from 12 science teachers working in different Chinese high schools. Thematic analysis was used for analyzing the collected interview transcripts. Four important themes were formulated which include (a) STEAM Education System, (b) Creativity in STEAM Education System, (c) STEAM Education System Issues and (d) Recommendations for STEAM Education System. The results obtained from this study showed that STEAM education system helps in encouraging student engagement, following interdisciplinary integration of arts and sciences. However, regional inequality in China prevents effective accessibility and quality of STEAM education in rural regions of the country, emphasizing the development and implementation of effective educational and regional policies. This study has also provided different practical and theoretical implications within the context of STEAM education systems.</p> 2024-03-31T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Comunicar https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/115763 Young People and Social Networks: News Consumption Habits and Credibility of the News 2024-02-09T10:02:15+00:00 Pedro Farias-Batlle farias@uma.es Alba Córdoba-Cabús albacordoba@uma.es Bernardo Gómez-Calderón bjgomez@uma.es <p>Social networks have become extremely effective platforms for the dissemination of up-to-the-minute news among ever wider sectors of the population, particularly among young people, for whom these channels are a preferred means of socialization and of understanding their environment. The main objective of this study is to analyze the news consumption of the Spanish population aged between 15 and 24 years on social networks, with the intention of understanding how they access news, what interactions take place, and what factors engender trust, as per an online questionnaire administered to a national sample representative of the population under study (n=1,067) and five focus groups (n=97). The findings reflect a high daily exposure to the networks, which are the most common means of news consumption for young people, who show little inclination to fact-check. They receive most news items incidentally; usually, they simply read them or, at most, share them with their contacts, and they tend to attribute very little trustworthiness to them. However, the analysis of sociodemographic factors shows that variables such as age, educational level, and ideological positioning influence the credibility that young people give to the current affairs content that the networks disseminate and to the sources from which they come.</p> 2024-03-31T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Comunicar https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/115764 Advertising Literacy: 30 Years in Scientific Studies 2024-02-09T10:11:51+00:00 Francisco Arbaiza francisco.arbaiza@upc.edu.pe Kelly Robledo-Dioses kelly.robledo@cett.cat Giovanni Lamarca giovanni.lamarca@upc.pe <p>The evolving media ecosystem underscores the pressing need for media literacy within the population. Numerous academic research initiatives typically focus on competencies such as mobile device management and the identification of fake news on social networks, among others. This paper seeks to uncover how academic research tackles advertising literacy, a facet of media literacy that promotes the development of critical consumers. Advertising literacy is increasingly recognised as a crucial competency in today’s world, given the ubiquity of advertising messages and their potential to influence purchasing decisions, worldviews, and cultural perceptions. A systematic review was conducted, drawing on both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, of articles on the topic published in Social Science academic journals indexed in Scopus. Significant findings suggest that advertising literacy has been a subject of analysis for over three decades, and that journals publishing on this topic, along with the affiliations of authors, are predominantly based in Europe and the United States. Additionally, it was observed that applied research, especially surveys and experiments, has superseded theoretical research in the analysis of this subject. The studies practical implications, alongside their theoretical contributions, are noteworthy. The conclusion drawn suggests that advertising literacy is a research area with substantial growth potential, warranting the attention of the educational and media industries.</p> 2024-03-31T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Comunicar https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/115765 The Self-representation of People with Disabilities on Instagram 2024-02-09T10:17:42+00:00 Luis Mañas-Viniegra lmanas@ucm.es Carmen Llorente-Barroso carmenllorente@ucm.es Ivone Ferreira ivoneferreira@fcsh.unl.pt Mónica Viñarás-Abad mvinaras@ucm.es <p>The physical appearance of many people with disabilities leads them to feel stigmatised for not conforming to socially imposed ideals of beauty. These aesthetic standards convey lifestyles on Instagram that attract the attention of young audiences. In this regard, previous research has pointed out that people with disabilities also post self-representative images that are leading to new stereotypes of beauty with a potential impact on users without impairments. The aim of this research was to measure the attention and emotional intensity generated by a selection of posts on Instagram made by people with disabilities, in which they display their body image for aesthetic purposes, both in terms of beauty and fashion. Two neurocommunication techniques, eye tracking and galvanic skin response, were used on a sample of 120 Spanish and Portuguese university students who are regular Instagram users. The results indicate that young people without disabilities focus their attention on aspects of the image that clearly show a person’s disability, especially regarding specific features, yet there were no appreciable changes in emotional intensity. The findings also highlight the need to integrate heightened awareness and sensitivity regarding the image of people with disabilities by using a cross-curricular approach in the educational system in order to promote full inclusion.</p> 2024-03-31T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Comunicar https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/115766 Evaluating the Effectiveness of Cross-Media Writing to Enhance Children’s Language Competences: An Educommunicative Study of Language Development in China 2024-02-09T10:29:47+00:00 Ximeng Zhang yourmona1982@163.com <p>Despite the extensive focus on language development, Chinese children are facing several types of difficulties in developing their linguistic skills in English, majorly due to their extensive character-based writing system and complex tonal language. It is observed that cross-media writing helps the children to promote level of engagement in English writing through multimodal language learning, creativity fostering, collaborative learning opportunities and transferable skills which lead to the promotion of language skills. To address these issues, this study proposed the importance of the effectiveness of cross-media writing in language development. The blended use of blogs, podcasts, TikTok’s, videos, and Duolingo’s in TV ads as education communicative practices was considered as cross media platform. A survey questionnaire was developed for data collection from the language development experts in various Chinese educational institutions. By considering a cross-sectional research design, 265 valid responses were received and used in data analysis by using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Findings of the study revealed the major contribution of crossmediawriting to language development of Chinese children. This study provides valuable insights for the practitioners to promote language development among the Chinese children using cross-media in educational communication.</p> 2024-03-31T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Comunicar https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/115767 Analyzing the Impact of Digital Media on Promoting High-Quality Skiing Education: A Case Study of Online Tutorials and Social Media Campaigns 2024-02-09T10:42:19+00:00 Le Wang wangle@hbfu.edu.cn Xiaolei Li lixiaolei@hbfu.edu.cn <p>This study investigates the impact of digital media on promoting high-quality skills by assessing its impact on collaborative education and technological skills within Chinese higher education. A survey-based strategy was adopted and three explanatory variables were incorporated, namely students’ learning using social media, students’ experience of using social media in teaching and social media usage frequency. The learner’s motivation was also included as a mediator. The study collected data from university students across mainland China, focusing on those engaged in learning using social media platforms. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was employed to analyze the data. The findings showed that usage of social media for learning positively impacts collaborative education, indicating students’ preference for interactive projects and online lectures on social media. Regarding the impact on technological skills, the findings showed that social media usage frequency positively influencedtechnological skills among students in Chinese universities. Additionally, it was found that learner’s motivation significantly mediated the association of social media usage frequency with collaborative education and technological skills. Learner’s motivation played a significant mediating role in the relationship between students’ experience of social media learning and collaborative education. The findings hold implications for educators, institutions, and policymakers striving to leverage digital media to advance high-quality skills in educational settings.</p> 2024-03-31T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Comunicar https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/115768 The Hashtag #CharlasEducativas as a Teacher Affinity Space on Twitter 2024-02-09T10:47:48+00:00 Ingrid Mosquera-Gende ingrid.mosquera@unir.net Paula Marcelo-Martínez pmarcelo@us.es Ana Yara Postigo-Fuentes ana.postigo.fuentes@hhu.de Manuel Fernández-Navas mfernandez1@uma.es <p>Twitter has positioned itself as one of the social networks most used by teachers, generating teacher affinity spaces for them to share and collaborate. This study analyses the hashtag #CharlasEducativas, to explore whether it represents a teaching affinity space on this social network. It is a hashtag linked to an educational project created in Spain and related to all educational stages in a cross-cutting manner. Using a mixed methods research, 6073 tweets with the hashtag #CharlasEducativas, published between January 2020 and July 2022, were analysed, including a total of 761 Twitter profiles. Using the software MAXQDA, a category system was developed to classify the most frequent topics in the interactions and to study the tone of the discourse. The social network analysis software Graphext was used for in depth analysis of the profiles with the highest participation. It was confirmed that the characteristics of affinity spaces (collaboration, horizontal nature, creation of community, existence of hierarchy and source of informal learning) were met. The interactions linked to this hashtag are positive, friendly and with a close and relaxed tone, which favours the generation of a group feeling, facilitating informal learning. In addition, the space has a strong hierarchy with leadership roles that allows the information to flow and be fed continuously.</p> 2023-12-20T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Comunicar https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/115770 Visual Communication Design for Mobile Learning Apps: User Interface Usability and Learning Engagement 2024-02-09T11:16:41+00:00 Yang Jingmiao jiangshangshang520@163.com <p>This study explored the visual communication design for the mobile learning applications through user interface usability and learning engagement. This experiment also observed the mediating impact of cognitive load in the relationship between user interface usability and learning engagement. The method adopted for the study was quantitative method and the data was collected by adopting a questionnaire survey strategy. The data was collected from the higher education institutions in China located at different regions and the target population of the study were the current enrolled students at these institutions. The study tested the research hypotheses through structural equation modelling. CFA was used to evaluate the fitness of the measurement model. The findings of the study indicated that user interface, and student engagement were effective indicators of visual communication design. The study would be a great contribution as it dealt with emerging topic of visual communication design in the educational sector of China, advocating the use of mobile learning applications. The study would also offer significant insights to managers and policy makers. Future researchers could maneuver qualitative research design to analyze the perspectives, viewpoints and subjective opinions in the subject.</p> 2024-03-31T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Comunicar https://revistacomunicar.com/ojs/index.php/comunicar/article/view/115771 Empowering Chinese Young Female Fans on Social Media through Artificial Intelligence to Control their Body Image 2024-02-09T11:20:10+00:00 Xiaoyu Fan stephaniestephaniefan@gmail.com Dr. Rosya Izyanie Binti Shamshudeen rosya@um.edu.my Dr. Mohamad Saleeh Bin Rahamad saleeh@um.edu.my <p>The purpose of this qualitative study was to empower the young Chinese fans on social media through artificial intelligence (as virtual influencers) to control their body image. The study aimed to investigate fans’ opinions, experiences, and obstacles in relation to body image perception, acceptance and satisfaction through in-depth interviews with 21 informants. Based on the interview questions and research aims and objectives, a total of 11 themes were formulated to perform the thematic analysis. According to the findings, fan involvement, social media use, and exposure to idealized body ideals of virtual influencers had an impact on body image perceptions and among Chinese young female fans. The findings also highlighted the relevance of social support and positive fan groups in fostering body image satisfaction. This study’s theoretical and practical implications add to the current literature by shedding light on the complex interplay between virtual celebrity, fan practices, social media and body image satisfaction. The study emphasizes the importance of focused interventions and support networks that meet the specific issues that Chinese young female fans experience in maintaining the confidence for embracing healthy body image. The study’s weaknesses and future research directions are also discussed</p> 2024-03-31T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Comunicar