Center for Advanced Internet Studies

ABSTRACT Learners’ conceptions of scientists are often assumed to influence their academic interests – but empirical evidence for this relationship remains limited and inconsistent. Moreover, little is known about how students perceive scientists beyond STEM domains and how these conceptions relate to their academic interests. These blind spots are uncovered in the present study by investigating secondary school students’ conceptions of educational scientists compared to natural scientists, and how these conceptions relate to their study interest and self-image. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 64 students and used Epistemic Network Analysis to analyse their conceptions. Findings reveal that natural scientists are more strongly associated with scientific activities and cognitive abilities than educational scientists. Notably, students with high study interest and self-image in educational sciences have more inaccurate conceptions, conflating educational scientists with pedagogical roles. Across disciplines, students with low interest and self-image tend to hold pessimistic, stereotypical views of scientists, whereas those with high interest and self-image view them more positively, associating them with communion-oriented activities and prosocial characteristics. This study highlights the need to promote more accurate student views of different scientific disciplines to better align their expectations and career choices, ultimately improving their engagement and reducing dropout rates.

As the capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) expand, more researchers are studying their adoption in newsrooms. However, much of the research focus remains broad and does not address the specific technical needs of investigative journalists. Therefore, this paper presents several applied use cases where automation and AI intersect with investigative journalism. We conducted a within-subjects user study with eight investigative journalists. In interviews, we elicited practical use cases using a speculative design approach by having journalists react to a prototype of a system that combines LLMs and Programming-by-Demonstration (PbD) to simplify data collection on numerous websites. Based on user reports, we classified the journalistic processes into data collecting and reporting. Participants indicated they utilize automation to handle repetitive tasks like content monitoring, web scraping, summarization, and preliminary data exploration. Following these insights, we provide guidelines on how investigative journalism can benefit from AI and automation.

Social media is central to activists, who use it internally for coordination and externally to reach supporters and the public. To date, the HCI community has not explored activists' perspectives on future social media platforms. In interviews with 14 activists from an environmental and a queer-feminist movement in Germany, we identify activists' needs and feature requests for future social media platforms. The key finding is that on- and offline safety is their main need. Based on this, we make concrete proposals to improve safety measures. Increased control over content presentation and tools to streamline activist workflows are also central to activists. We make concrete design and research recommendations on how social media platforms and the HCI community can contribute to improved safety and content presentation, and how activists themselves can reduce their workload.

This article systematically analyses the dissemination of official information during wartime, focusing on the Ukrainian experience and its broader implications for societal resilience and public trust. The research evaluates the effectiveness of international standards and Ukraine's national legislation in ensuring timely and reliable communication and highlights the challenges posed by unofficial digital platforms, particularly Telegram, which, while widely used, can contribute to the spread of disinformation and weaken trust in state institutions. Employing a multi-method approach, including case studies, comparative analysis, and legislative review, the research identifies gaps in existing regulatory frameworks governing public access to information. It also explores the risks associated with unauthorized actors distributing official information via Telegram, further undermining public confidence in government communications. Key findings emphasize the critical role of proactive disclosure of verified information in countering disinformation and maintaining societal stability during crises. The study concludes with strategic recommendations for improving legislative frameworks, strengthening digital infrastructure, and enhancing resilience against disinformation. These insights contribute to ongoing discussions on information governance and digital security, underscoring the necessity of a robust and transparent official communication system to build an informed and resilient society.

Systematic literature reviews (SLRs) are an effective way of mapping a research field and synthesizing research evidence. However, especially in communication research, SLRs often include diverse theories and methods, which come with a considerable downside in terms of reproducibility and replicability. As a response to this problem, the present article introduces the method of standardized sampling for systematic literature reviews (STAMP). The method is a structured, four-stage approach that is centered around score-based screening decisions. Originating from principles of standardized content analysis, a method common in communication research, and supplementing established guidelines like Cochrane or PRISMA, the STAMP method contributes to more transparent, reproducible, and replicable SLR sampling processes. As we illustrate throughout the article, the method is adaptable to various SLR types. The article also discusses the method’s limitations, such as potential coder effects and comparatively high resource intensity. To facilitate the application of STAMP, we provide a comprehensive guideline via the Open Science Framework that offers a succinct overview for quick reference and includes practical examples for different types of SLRs.

The hope of reaching diverse and large target groups has motivated civic education practitioners to offer their content on social media. The question has therefore long ceased to be whether civic education should take place on the internet, but rather how civic education goals can be implemented digitally to foster civic literacy. At first glance, the possibility of reaching a broad audience in a short time seems tempting. At a second glance, social media reveals several challenges that can impair educational processes. The present paper discusses the following questions: What are the opportunities and pitfalls of civic education in social media? How can we ensure successful civic education in a digitalized world? In our article, we want to provide an interdisciplinary perspective on the topic by drawing among others from the literature in the fields of media psychology, communication studies, and education science. By integrating insights from various disciplines, our paper seeks to enrich the academic dialogue and to promote a nuanced understanding of the evolving dynamics of civic education in the digital realm. With its practical focus, our paper further aims to underscore the applicability of scientific research.