It's here! Trailer for my upcoming new podcast, Critical Technology.

We'll I did it! Er, almost. We're still recording and editing the actual episodes, but things are coming together quite nicely, and we remain on track to launch a new podcast this semester (Fall 2020) as a substitute for the KMDI's annual speaker series. The podcast is called Critical Technology, and it features an amazing roster of interviewees (which I'll announce soon in a more formal way). For now, here is the trailer. Enjoy!

Exploring podcasting for academic and course delivery, in response to COVID-19

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to be exploring the feasibility and desirability of creating a podcast to replace the regularly scheduled speaker series my research institute (KMDI) hosts every year. There are a few reasons why finding a way to continue the series virtually is important to me and the Institute, one of which is that students taking our collaborative specialization have a required course that is directly tied to attending a number of the Series talks. Another is that I was already planning on launching a set of initiatives over the coming months aimed at helping researchers and community partners test out and (potentially) start up their own podcasts, so this can serve as the best guinea pig test case for sorting out logistics, pros/cons, actual costs/time required, etc. And yet another is that podcasting is a really flexible and popular form of knowledge media, one that I and many of my students and colleagues are big fans of, and thus something I'd like to get involved with.

I'm very aware that there are already a LOT of people and places getting into podcasting right now, and so this is a total bandwagon, AND I'm going to find it particularly challenging to even track down the basic equipment required. But, that's fine, and actually supports the need for considered and critical analysis of the processes, procurement, and so on involved.

My first step, as always, is to do research, which has so far consisted of tracking down and listening to a number of podcasts created by academics with a similar "academic" purpose, including The Radical AI Podcast and The New Normal with Maydianne Andrade. I've also been taking workshops and reading a ton about the basics of producing a podcast, drawing resources from established experts like The Podcast Garage (their workshops are really excellent, by the way). I have an elevator pitch of what the podcast will be about, a theme for season 1, and an emerging idea about the type of genre and style I want to aim for. I'm not ready to share any of that with the world yet, but it feels like it's coming together quite nicely.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will (hopefully) be hiring a work-study research assistant to help me plan and put together Season 1. The position is currently only open to f/t UofT students, but I will extend the pool if needed. If all goes well developing the prototype, I will likely make this a recurring (non work-study) position come fall.

Wish me luck, friends!

Come work with me at the KMDI: P/T (or student) Job Opportunity for a Data Visualization/Graphic Designer

DATA VISUALIZATION + GRAPHIC DESIGNER POSITION

WITH KMDI + SEMAPHORE

The Knowledge Media Design Institute (KMDI) at the Faculty of Information, University of Toronto, is seeking to fill a Data Visualization & Graphic Designer position reporting to the Institute’s Director.

The Data Visualization & Graphic Designer will focus on promoting research produced by members of the KMDI – Semaphore to diverse communities, which include cross-sector partners, children and youth, people from marginalized groups, as well as the public at large. The successful hire will also develop a new logo design for the KMDI and advise on its implementation across the Institute’s various communications and marketing.

Qualifications: 

- Experience in Graphic Design, Intermediate to Advanced Skills in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop), and/or other comparable graphic design software (e.g. Inkscape, Corel)
- Specialized skills in data visualization practices and software

- Familiarity with research methods used in the social sciences and science and technology studies  (STS), including qualitative and quantitative approaches 

- Ability to convey complex information, including findings and theoretical advances, through polished and engaging visuals

- Demonstrated ability and experience in clearly communicating research findings through data visualizations, interactive charts, graphs and other tools to diverse audiences. 

- Experience teleworking or working remotely, including collaborating with co-workers and team members through teleconferencing/virtual collaboration programs (e.g. Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack)

- Excellent reading comprehension and communication skills

- Solid understanding of marketing and branding

- Excellent organizational skills 

- Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills

- Self-motivated; takes initiative; pro-active

- Committed, reliable, ability to work both independently and as part of a team

Desired Skills

- Familiarity with popular social media platforms, e.g. Hootesuite, Facebook, Discord, and Twitter

- Familiarity with current web standards-based HTML, CSS 

Responsibilities:

- Creating data visualizations of select KMDI research findings and activities, that support effective knowledge translation and knowledge mobilization to audiences from diverse sectors and communities; 

- Creating original graphics and infographics for use in research communications (e.g. reports, conference presentations), public outreach, marketing and branding purposes; 

- Assisting in the development of new data visualization and visual communication design “iSkills” workshops and complementary course modules, aimed at KMD and Faculty of Information students.

Qualified applicants must have the resources and availability to complete most (potentially all) of the work remotely) (in accordance with COVID-19 physical distancing requirements), and must be legally entitled to work in Canada for the duration of the contract. The KMDI is strongly committed to diversity within its community and welcomes applications from racialized persons/persons of colour, women, Indigenous/Aboriginal people of North America, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

The successful applicant will be offered an initial contract of 150 hours, to be completed between May 25, 2020 – December 31, 2020 (with possibility of renewal). Hours are flexible but should average a minimum of 5 hours a week for the duration of the contract. Salary will be commensurate with experience, projected between $33-$37/hour.

Please note that only successful candidates will be contacted for an interview.

To apply, email a CV, cover letter, and portfolio to KMDI Director Dr. Sara M. Grimes (sara[dot]Grimes[at]utoronto[dot]ca) by end of day on May 14, 2020.  

New Job Opportunity Alert: Local Indie Game Dev Seeking a Unity 2D/C+ Programmer to Help Finalize Very Cool New Project

I don't normally post third-party job ads/opportunities (because I feel like that could quickly get out of control, for one), but this is the exception. My partner, @jaydubfilm, has recently decided to take the plunge and launch his own game dev studio, A-Games, here in the GTA. He has created a really quite awesome game to mark the launch, and is now seeking some programming help to get it finalized, polished and ready for publication. Please check out his job ad, cut+paste below, and posted on his site here:  http://agamedesign.co/jobs.php

Please distribute widely. The timeline is short for both applications and for the work itself, because of the particular grant he's applying for to fund this final stage of development. So if you or someone you know is interested, please get in touch asap.

************
SEEKING UNITY 2D / C# PROGRAMMER
for short-term $3,000.00 contract

Accomplished writer and filmmaker seeks an up-and-coming freelance game dev / software engineer for help with startup: A-GAME Design Co. The applicant will help flesh out a prototype for presentation to funders + publishers. Potential for continued employment with the company if pitch is successful.

APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS:

• Under 30 years of age (IRAP funding requirement)
• ONTARIO-based (Ontario Creates funding requirement)
• Degree in computer science / game design / what have you
• Ability to collaborate and communicate with other humans
• Dykstra’s algorithm and axial coordinate systems DON’T strike fear into heart

THE GAME:  A 2D action puzzle / survival game with sci-fi theme for mobile and PC release.  It’s DON’T STARVE meets TETRIS. In space.

THE PLATFORM: UNITY / C#

THE COMMITMENT: About 60-120 hrs of work to be completed between Feb 1st andMarch 15th, 2020.

THE FEE: flat $3,000 for the completed project (works out to between $25 -  $50 / HR epending on your experience level + efficiency)

PLEASE send resume / CV to jobs@agamedesign.co

“This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship…”

Preference will be given to diverse applicants under the Ontario government’s definition of diversity which includes but is not limited to: ancestry, culture, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, language, physical and intellectual ability, race, religion (creed), sex, sexual orientation and socio-economic status).

Announcing the Kids DIY Media: Best Practices for Designers Report

Best Practices for Designing Connected, Digital DIY Media Platforms for Kids

I am so very happy to finally share with the world key results from our Kids DIY Media Partnership -- an amazing, 5+ year, cross-sector, transnational collaboration that I had the honour to co-lead with Dr. Deborah Fields, involving a series of workshops, stakeholder consultations, and primary research into the then-emerging phenomenon of kid-made media, and into the sites/apps/games that provide young children with tools and platforms for making and sharing their own media creations. The Partnership included wonderful, dedicated people from the children's media industries, child advocacy groups, NGOs, and academia, who worked closely with us in designing our research questions, analyzing our findings, contextualizing some of our main arguments and developing our conclusions. The research conducted as part of this initiative included a media scan, a comparative content analysis of 120 websites, six case studies of exemplary platforms, and three "game jams" with twenty-one game-makers aged 6 to 12 years. We have already published many of the results of the Kids DIY Media Partnership in academic books and journals, and we have presented the project and its findings to a wide range of audiences (public, industry and academic) over the past seven years. But making the findings accessible to a wider audience has always been a top priority for Kids DIY Media. This report is a major step in that direction.

The Best Practices for Designing Connected, Digital DIY Media Platforms for Kids Report is aimed specifically at designers, developers and other professionals taking on the crucial--but at times daunting--tasks of making and managing tools, sites, apps, games or other platforms where kids under the age of 13 years are not just allowed but invited to create and share their own media content. It provides a series of recommendations for how to maximize and engage some of the opportunities their platforms present to kids, in terms of learning, identity formation, cultural participation and exercising their rights.  It also provides recommendations for how to deal with some of the challenges associated with these platforms, in terms of privacy and legal issues, questions of censorship and safety, and questions about access. The report will also interest teachers, parents, and child advocates who are interested in finding out more about the opportunities and challenges that children face when they engage in media-making in the digital, connected realm.

Stay tuned for a second public report later this Fall (2020), outlining recommendations for policymakers relating to opportunities and challenges in existing policy (government and industry-driven) and legislation relating to kids' making and sharing online.

Lastly, a big thank you to Debbie for launching the report at this year's Connected Learning Summit!

Full link here: https://itls.usu.edu/people/faculty/fields/Dr.%20Deborah%20Fields_KidsDIYMedia_Best%20Practices_FINAL.pdf

New Job Opportunity Alert: Focus On Balance Project RA

Focus On Balance Project RA, working with Prof. Sara Grimes

Job Description

72 hours, until February 28, 2020

$25/hour

To start immediately 

Dr. Sara M. Grimes, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Information (and Director of the Knowledge Media Design Institute (KMDI)), is seeking a research assistant to help with planning and conducting a small-scale pilot project, leading to the development of a new, cross-sector research collaboration examining the opportunities, challenges, and potential role(s) of reality-enhancing technologies in the lives of children and youth. Participation in this project will involve some limited travel to Hamilton (expenses paid). The successful applicant must be comfortable with the possibility of being asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) by one or more of the project’s industry partners. 

Responsibilities:

1)     Assist with compiling and reviewing the previous relevant literature on reality-enhancing technologies and children/youth (literature review);

2)     Assist with the preparation of any applicable research ethics applications; 

3)     Assist with scheduling and coordinating participants and partners for focus groups; 

4)     Document the results of the focus groups by taking notes, scanning/photographing materials produced by participants; and 

5)     Contribute to the preliminary analysis of findings (schedule permitting).

Qualifications:

●      Strong to excellent writing skills. 

●      Strong to excellent skills in secondary research (i.e. reviewing, comprehending, and synthesizing academic literature and industry reports).

●      Previous experience working with children and/or teens.

●      Knowledge and firsthand experience with one or more “reality-enhancing technologies”: virtual reality, augmented reality, or mixed reality content and/or devices.

Preference will be given to current University of Toronto Faculty of Information and/or KMD Master’s students. The University of Toronto is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from racialized persons / persons of colour, women, Indigenous / Aboriginal People of North America, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas. If you have any questions, concerns, or require assistance completing this application please contact sara[dot]grimes[at]utoronto[dot]ca.

How to apply: 

Email sara[dot]grimes[at]utoronto[dot]ca with brief cover letter and CV. 

Applications are open until the position is filled.

New Job Opportunity Alert: Programs and Research Development RAship with the KMDI-Semaphore

Programs and Research Development RA: KMDI-Semaphore 

Job Description

100 hours (approximately 3-5 hours/week) until April 2020

$25-$35/hour (commensurate with experience)

To start immediately 

The KMDI-Semaphore is seeking a research assistant to help coordinate and develop programming for our Makerspace and VR labs, as well as provide support for a new research partnership that will explore the intersection(s) of making and reality-enhancing technologies.  Knowledge of makerspace equipment and activities is required, including experience with 3D printers, Arduinos, Raspberri Pi’s. Familiarity with other forms of making or crafting digital crafting machines, and firsthand experience with reality-enhancing technologies (VR, AR, and/or MR) are also preferred. 

Qualifications:

●      Preference will be given to current University of Toronto Faculty of Information and/or KMD PhD students. Master’s students in these programs who have the appropriate experience and skills are also encouraged to apply.  

●      Knowledge of 3D printers, arduinos, makerspaces and VR equipment

Responsibilities:

●      Re-organizing the equipment and spaces of our VR lab and Makerspace

●      Working with the KMDI Director and Inforum Interim Director to develop a multipurpose, research and learning space that combines maker and reality-enhancing technologies

●      Ensuring equipment is operated safely

●      Ensuring equipment is organized, up to date, and in good working condition

●      Working with the Inforum and existing KMDI staff to ensure that Makerspace and VR lab events and activities run smoothly. This includes ensuring that all necessary equipment and materials are on hand and operational, ensuring the necessary paperwork has been completed, and ensuring timely internal communication of workshop contents and schedules.

We are committed to diversifying the conversation around Makerspaces and technology. While all applicants are welcome, preference will be given to voices not often represented in these fields. We encourage people of colour, Aboriginal and First Nations folks, gender variant people, people with disability, and those with cultural, economic, and social backgrounds different from the traditionally presented Canadian settler perspective. If you have any questions, concerns, or require assistance completing this application please contact sara[dot]grimes[at]utoronto[dot]ca.

How to apply: 

Email sara[dot]grimes[at]utoronto[dot]ca with brief cover letter and CV. 

Applications are open until the position is filled.

Call for Participants aged 10 to 18 yrs in the GTA for a study on children's rights in the digital environment

We are currently seeking participants aged 10 to 18 years in the GTA who are available and interested in participating in a workshop this month where we will explore ideas and opinions about children's rights in the digital age.

This study represents Canada's contribution to a global consultation with children, led by RErights, a project based out of Western Sydney University and that includes researchers in 25 countries around the world. This summer, we are each conducting workshops to gain a comprehensive understanding of children's own thoughts, opinions, and experiences of their rights in relation to digital culture and connected information technologies. The results of this project will inform the UN's upcoming General Comment on Children and the Digital Environment, which you can find out more about here.  The General Comment will provide strategies and guidelines for governments and organizations on how to acknowledge and support children's rights online.

Each participant will be asked to attend one workshop, which will last approximately 4 hours. The workshops will include some group discussions and several individual activities, all centred around the completion of a series of worksheets. The worksheets will be sent back to the main research team in Australia for analysis, and used in a report they will then deliver to the UN. We are aiming to include 10-15 kids in each workshop. The workshops will be held at the University of Toronto St. George campus. We will provide light refreshments, and participants will be given a $25 gift card and TTC fare (return). We have a rigorous research ethics protocol, and both the kids and their parents will be given information about their rights as research participants and asked to sign a consent form.

Here are the dates for the first round of workshops:

Tuesday, July 16, 2019 10am-2pm (light lunch will be provided).
Wednesday, July 17, 2019 1pm-5pm (light refreshments will be provided).

Additional options in July will be made available as/if needed. All of our workshops must be completed before or on July 31, 2019.

If you, your child, or someone you know might be interested, please pass the below Call for Participants along to them. Here is a downloadable version of the call, for circulation. And if you have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with me directly.

*****************************
Would you like to tell the United Nations what children  think about growing up in a digital age?
Researchers at the University of Toronto have partnered with the RErights project, with 5rights, Western Sydney University and the London School of Economics and Political Science, working with children around the world to find out your experiences of and ideas about digital technology. We invite kids between the ages of 10 and 18 years to participate in a workshop where you and a group of children will complete activities to tell us how you use digital technology in your daily life, and discuss the opportunities and challenges digital technology brings. Our workshops will be held this month (July 2019) at the University of Toronto St. George campus. Each participant will receive a $25 visa gift card, TTC/public transportation fare, and light refreshments will be served.

The work you do with us during these workshops will be sent to the RErights research team in Australia and analyzed with other countries around the world. The results will be included in a report, and will help write the General Comment on Children and the Digital Environment, which is a document that will help governments and other organisations interpret the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

For further information, and to express your interest, please get in touch with Professor Sara Grimes at sara.grimes@utoronto.ca or call/leave a message at 416-978-5269.

Call for Participants aged 10-18 yrs in the GTA for a Study/Consultation Conducted by UofT Researchers on Children's Rights in the Digital Environment

My colleague Prof Leslie Shade and I were invited by the RErights team at Western Sydney University to contribute to a global study of children's own thoughts, opinions, and experiences with the digital culture and connected information technologies. The results will inform the UN's upcoming General Comment on Children and the Digital Environment, so this is a pretty important and unique opportunity for Canadian youth to have their say. Here is the official call for participants (below). If you, your child, or someone you know might be interested, please pass it along to them. And if you have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with me directly.

*****************************

Would you like to tell the United Nations what children  think about growing up in a digital age? 

Researchers at the University of Toronto have partnered with the RErights project, with 5rights, Western Sydney University and the London School of Economics and Political Science, working with children around the world to find out your experiences of and ideas about digital technology. We invite kids between the ages of 10 and 18 years to participate in a workshop where you and a group of children will complete activities to tell us how you use digital technology in your daily life, and discuss the opportunities and challenges digital technology brings. Our workshops will be held next month (July 2019) at the University of Toronto St. George campus. Each participant will receive a $25 visa gift card, TTC/public transportation fare, and light refreshments will be served. 

The work you do with us during these workshops will be sent to the RErights research team in Australia and analyzed with other countries around the world. The results will be included in a report, and will help write the General Comment on Children and the Digital Environment, which is a document that will help governments and other organisations interpret the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

For further information, and to express your interest, please get in touch with Professor Sara Grimes at sara.grimes@utoronto.ca or call/leave a message at 416-978-5269.

Heads up: Contribute to the UN's upcoming General Comment on Children's Rights in Relation to the Digital Environment

Heads up: The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has announced that they will be drafting a new General Comment on children’s rights in relation to the digital environment. In addition to holding consultations with children around the world, they are inviting interested parties to contribute comments on aspects of the concept note. Details are as follows. The deadline is May 15 (2019), 6 pages max.

Concept note for a General Comment on children’s rights in relation to the digital environment

Call for submissions

The Committee on the Rights of the Child will draft a General Comment on children’s rights in relation to the digital environment.  

The Committee invites all interested parties to comment on the concept note of the General Comment. Submissions are welcome on all aspects of the concept note for the General Comment, with a particular focus on the following:

• The purpose and scope of the General Comment;
• The structure of the General Comment; 
• General measures of implementation by State parties needed to realise children’s rights in relation to the digital environment; 
• Views on the issues and questions raised in the concept note; and 
• Suggestions for new issues for inclusion in the General Comment.

In particular, the Committee welcomes relevant research evidence; knowledge of the sector; findings from consultations with children; examples of laws, policies or programmes; or evidence of good practice that would contribute to the drafting process.

All submissions:

• Should be submitted in one of the official languages of the Committee - English, French or Spanish; 
• Should be in one concise document focusing explicitly on the implications of the digital environment for the realization of children’s rights and must not exceed 6 pages; 
• Should include a short statement introducing the submitting organization or individual;
• Should be submitted electronically in WORD format to the following email address: crc@ohchr.org; 
• Shall not be translated; and
• Shall be posted on the Committee’s webpage devoted to this draft General Comment.

The deadline for submissions is 15 May 2019.  No submissions received after this deadline will be considered or posted on the webpage.

In parallel, consultations with children in diverse contexts across multiple countries, as well as with experts from relevant fields, will be undertaken to ensure that their perspectives are fully reflected in the General Comment. After due consideration of all inputs provided, the Committee will prepare a first draft of the General Comment for additional consultation with relevant stakeholders.

The concept note is available.

Awesome Event Alert: MediaSmarts @ the KMDI-Semaphore Speaker Series

Kara Brisson-Boivin, the Director of Research at MediaSmarts will be presenting at the KMDI-Semaphore Speaker Series. 

When: Thursday, March 14, 2019 | 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Where: Room 417, Claude T. Bissell Building, 140 St. George Street, Toronto

This is a FREE event.  Light refreshments, coffee, tea and cookies will be served.

Please RSVP on the link below.

 https://kmdisemaphorespeakerseries-kara-brisson-boivin.eventbrite.com

Title: “Use, Understand, Create: Cultivating Digital Literacy In Young Canadians”

Abstract

As increasing numbers of businesses, services and even democratic processes migrate online, citizens who lack digital literacy skills risk being disadvantaged when it comes to accessing healthcare, government services and opportunities for employment, education and civic participation. In order to be literate in today’s media-rich environments, Canadians (especially young Canadians) need to develop knowledge, values and a whole range of critical thinking, communication and information management skills for the digital age. MediaSmarts is a Canadian not-for-profit charitable organization for digital and media literacy with a vision to ensure that children and youth have the critical thinking skills to engage with digital media as active and informed digital citizens. In this presentation, I will provide an overview of the emerging issues we see in the areas of technology, information, and society as well as MediaSmarts’ recent and upcoming projects that aim to promote digital literacy in Canada. In particular, I will discuss our community-based research framework including who our stakeholders are, how we disseminate our research, and what our research is used for and by whom.

About Our Speaker

Dr. Kara Brisson-Boivin is the Director of Research at Mediasmarts, Canada’s Centre for Digital and Media Literacy. Kara oversees all of the planning, methodology, implementation, and dissemination of key findings from original MediaSmarts’ research studies. She researches the various impacts of digital technology and digital culture on Canadians broadly and youth in particular. Kara's current research projects examine digital citizenship and the intersections of digital publics and democracy, digital well-being among families, and what life online looks like for young Canadians. Kara also holds an appointment as an Adjunct Research Professor in the Sociology Department at Carleton University. 

Details for the KMDI-Semaphore Speaker Series are posted on our website link below.

http://kmdi.utoronto.ca/events/

RESCHEDULED Awesome Event Alert: Critical Gaming Night on Super Smash Bros. Melee. NOW on Feb. 13 @4pm

PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO THE MASSIVE SNOW/ICE STORM, THE EVENT HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED. IT WILL NOW BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY FEB. 13, 4PM IN BL417.

I am so happy to announce the revival of Critical Gaming Nights, a student-run initiative that has yielded many fantastic conversations and play sessions in previous years. Here are the details:

"Bonds Between Players in Competitive Super Smash Bros. Melee" 

- presented by Augusto Schmitt

In this presentation Augusto Schmitt, international Master's student from Brazil, will be talking about the competitive Super Smash Bros. Melee player subculture, and analyze it through the lens of media studies, cultural studies and communication theories. Come to talk about this community and how they have managed to withstand the test of time, build themselves into something that wasn't intended by the developers, and grow stronger than the game's successors in the franchise.

Critical Gaming Nights are an occasional series of events that combine presentations of works-in-progress by digital game researchers (students, faculty, practitioners), informal group discussions, and game play sessions. Each game night focuses on one particular game (or game-related activity), and considers how that game can be analyzed using critical theories drawn from multidisciplinary fields of study. It is sponsored by the Critical Games Lab, a part of KMDI-Semaphore. 

These events are not only for academics, but for anyone interested in games, such as game developers, players, modders or enthusiasts who want to engage with new perspectives and questions relating to the social, cultural and technical dimensions of digital games and gaming. 

This event is more of a conversation than just a traditional talk, so take this as an opportunity to discuss and engage. There will also be a setup available for everyone to play and learn about the game firsthand in the later part of evening.

The event will be held in room 417 in the InForum, on the 4th floor of Bissell Building (140 St George St) from 4PM to 9PM on February 13th, 2019 (REVISED DATE). 

Spread the News: Seeking an RA to assist with preparing a big grant application for KMDI + Semaphore

RESEARCH ASSISTANT POSITION WITH KMDI + SEMAPHORE

Professor Sara Grimes, Director of the KMDI and Semaphore, and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Information, University of Toronto, is seeking to fill a Research Assistant position focused on preparing a literature review and assisting with a large grant application. 

The RA will assist with research and activities relating to an upcoming grant application led by the Institute, its Director and Lab Heads, which will seek to establish a sustainable model for engaging in cross-sector, responsive research aimed at improving the lives of humans within an increasingly technologized information society. 

Qualifications: 

- Previous experience with both research and grant writing
- Formal training in common qualitative social science research methods

- Excellent written/communication skills

- Excellent organizational skills (including scheduling, note - taking, categorizing digital files and
  folders, etc.)

- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team

Preference will be given to PhD students (current or recent graduates), but Master’s students are also welcome to apply if all other criteria and qualifications are met. Qualified applicants must be available to complete a majority of the work in person at the University of Toronto St. George campus. 

Responsibilities:

- Conducting a literature review that incorporates both theoretical works as well as relevant
   previous academic research in the areas requested

- Assisting in the design and coordination of workshops and meetings aimed at establishing
   common themes, goals and methodologies among project partners;

- Assisting in writing portions of the grant application(s) (LOI and full application)

- Assisting in the supervision and coordination of Master’s and undergraduate level RAs

- Assisting in coordinating, communicating and liaising with project partners (e.g. ensuring partner
   access to project documents and online components, providing timely feedback to and from
   partners on deliverables, ensuring partners are reminded of upcoming due dates, etc.)

The successful applicant will be offered an initial contract of 200-275 hours, to be completed over the course of the Winter 2019 semester (with a possibility of renewal for the Summer semester, and beyond). Salary will be commensurate with experience, projected between $35-$39/hour. 

Please note that only successful candidates will be contacted for an interview.

To apply, email a CV and cover letter to Dr. Sara Grimes at sara.grimes@utoronto.ca by January 16, 2019. Questions may be directed to Dr. Grimes or to the KMDI Administrative Coordinator, Rekha Morbia rekha.morbia@utoronto.ca

Cool Event Alert: Loot Boxes: Video Game Gambling, Paying to Win, and the Question of Game Design, Talk by Drs. Mark R. Johnson and Tom Brock

Long time no see!

I am resurfacing after a pretty long hiatus from academic/public life, which included both a yearlong sabbatical (or research leave) and a (nearly) yearlong maternity leave. Work on Kids DIY Media is in full swing, as we are nearing the end of our data collection and analysis, and getting set to finalize our project reports, and I'll have more news on that in the coming months, along with some additional exciting announcements about the status of my book, courses, etc.

In the meantime, however, I'm so happy to be involved in this upcoming talk, hosted by Semaphore,  the Jackman Humanities Institute, and Gambling Research Exchange Ontario, which is happening on June 19th, 2018, 3-5pm, and will delve into some extremely key issues relating to pay-to-play models found in an increasing number of digital games. All of the details are below, and can also be found on the Eventbrite page for the event. I hope to see many of you there!

Loot Boxes: 

Video Game Gambling, Paying to Win, and the Question of Game Design

A Research Talk by

Dr. Mark R. Johnson (University of Alberta) and
Dr. Tom Brock (Manchester Metropolitan University)

Sponsored by the Semaphore Lab, Jackman Humanities Institute, and the
Gambling Research Exchange Ontario (GREO) 

This talk is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided.
Attendees are invited to join the speakers and organizers at a local pub after the Q&A.

Abstract:  A 'loot box' is a consumable virtual item purchased and redeemed within a video game to receive a random selection of virtual items. In the last eighteen months, their implementation in many major and independent titles has led to extensive controversy. For example, in April 2018, gambling authorities in Belgium and the Netherlands declared that loot boxes risk creating a new generation of problem gamblers, whilst China, the UK, US and Canada have expressed concern over whether that loot boxes lower the threshold of gambling by integrating 'games of chance' into otherwise skill-based gaming experiences. Despite public and policy outcry, research has not engaged with those who actually design and develop these systems: the voices of designers are missing from the debate. In this talk, Drs. Johnson and Brock will outline their present research program into this phenomenon, which is believed to be the first project to interview industry actors on loot boxes within video games development and integrate these voices into local, national and international debates about the regulation and funding of games development. They will outline their main research questions, interview data and findings to date, and potential directions for further investigation into loot box implementation, effects, and impacts on both policy and regulation, and video game players themselves.

Speaker Bios: 

Dr. Mark R Johnson is a Killam Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Political Science at the University of Alberta. His research focuses on the intersections between play and money, such as eSports, live streaming, fantasy sports betting, gamification, and loot boxes. He has published in academic journals including Information, Communication and Society, The Sociological Review, Convergence, and Games and Culture, and his first book, The Unpredictability of Gameplay, is due out in late 2018 from Bloomsbury Academic. Beyond academia he is also an independent game developer and a former professional poker player.

Dr. Tom Brock is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology at Manchester Metropolitan University. His research interests include video games, social theory, digital cultures and political protest. Tom currently co-convenes the BSA Realism and Social Research Group and steers the BSA Theory Group. He is an Associate at the Centre for Social Ontology at the University of Warwick and is also the co-author of the edited book, Structure, Culture, Agency: Selected Paper of Margaret Archer (Routledge).