Extension of Internet research programme funding

Centre for Social Informatics has been awarded a six-year (2019-2024) funding by the Slovenian Research Agency to continue the centre’s research with Internet Research programme leaded by prof. Vasja Vehovar, PhD. The research programme deals with the integration of Internet technologies into all domains of everyday life and studies Internet as research object and as a tool for social science research.

In the context, INTERNET AS A RESEARCH OBJECT the programme focuses on the following topics:

• Digital inequalities – with an emphasis on overcoming the digital exclusion of older adults and low-skilled ICT users.
• The adoption and outcomes of advanced ICT-based assistive technologies in health and social care to improve the social inclusion and quality of life of various population groups in the ageing society.
• Better Internet and theoretically-informed prevention of illegal and harmful content on the

  Internet.

• Advances in user experience research methods for designing more accessible and user-friendly mobile and smart technologies.

  With respect to the INTERNET AS A RESEARCH TOOL, the programme strengthens existing and builds new knowledge on methods related to Internet-enabled data collection by:

• Systematically investigating factors that contribute to data quality in web surveys;
• Addressing new challenges of web survey applications, with an emphasis on online panels and surveys on mobile devices;
• Integrating the use of machine learning and language technologies for questionnaire development and data collection;
• Providing evidence-based research on the use of paradata (digital footprints) and sensor data generated by mobile devices for an in-depth analysis of the behavioural patterns of participants involved in Internet-mediated data collection;
• Studying the Internet’s role in e-social sciences for the integration of virtual collaboration in all stages of the research process.

CSI members included in Internet research programme, published 59 scientific articles, 4 scientific monographies and 18 chapters in scientific monographies, participated at more than 40 conferences and received some of domestic and international awards between the years 2015 and 2018. At the same time, the research group led or participated in 11 domestic and 10 international projects. Extremely important are also the bilateral cooperation projects. Within those, CSI participates with researchers from Stanford University, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Florida State University, Universität Trier and University of Jyväskylä.