Dr Theresa Anderson

Donald, S.J., Anderson, T.K. & Spry, D.D. 2010, Youth, Society and Mobile Media in Asia, Routledge (Taylor & Francis Group), London, UK.
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This book examines the influence of mobile media technology on the lives of young people in East and North Asia, South East Asia and Australia. It discusses the impact information communication technologies have today on social identity, well-being, participation and exclusion. It explores current media practices and their innovative, transformative and disruptive uses at the local, the regional, the national, and the global level. In particular, it analyses mobile media not as a discrete object, but rather as part of a dynamic communication and information environment in which human-object relations are constantly reconfigured. It covers key theoretical and conceptual themes in youth mobile media research focusing on social, cultural and political aspects, including coverage of key themes such as regulation and technology, practices, pedagogies, aesthetics, social change, and representations of mobile youth. The book includes new accounts of recent research into the uses of mobile media by young people, and how these are situated in a broader socio-political context. Case studies include mobile panics in Australia (the notorious Kings of Wirrabee sexual assault case) and Japan (the scandals of high school girls as teenage prostitutes) in which mobile media use has had significant impact. This book offers an up-to-date examination of the influence of information communication technologies on young peopleÔ++s lives in the region.

Anderson, T.K. 2010, 'Mobile design: giving voice to children and young people' in Stephanie Hemelryk Donald, Theresa Dirndorfer Anderson, Damien Spry (eds), Youth, Society and Mobile Media in Asia, Routledge, London, UK, pp. 135-151.
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The book is one of the outcomes of an ARC Linkage Grant in which UTS researchers partnered with the NSW Commission of Children and Young People to examine challenges associated with the increasing ubiquity of mobile phones in schools. The book itself explores the influences of mobile technologies on young people across East and North Asia, South East Asia and Australia and celebrates the imaginative responses of young people to these technologies. The chapter I contribute focuses on the challenge of using particpatory desgin methods to give children and young people more voice in decision making about the use of mobile phones and other digital media in their lives. It discusses the risk landscapes of childhood and value sensitive design methodologies that can help all stakeholders better communicate their values in decision making contexts like this. partners in our research.

Anderson, T.K. 2010, 'Uncertainty' in M.J. Bates & M.N. Maack (eds), Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences, Third Edition, Routledge, London, pp. 5285-5296.
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This entry illustrates there are many ways that uncertainty is defined, depicted and represented in library and information science research. As a central concept in information science, the evolution of our understanding of uncertainty mirrors the maturing of our appreciation of the complexity of information practices of people and systems in different contexts. This entry aims to give an appreciation of some of this conceptual complexity in relation to discussion of the concept within two core areas of library and information science: information retrieval and information seeking. The decades of debate and discussion surrounding uncertainty and its interrelationships with other core library and information science concepts demonstrates that it holds an enduring significance for library and information science research and practice.

Anderson, T.K. 2010, 'Using Storytelling to describe and analyze fieldwork experiences of knowledge generation' in Anne Sigfrid Gronseth and Dona Lee Davis (eds), Mutuality and Empathy: Self and Other in the Ethnographic Encounter, Sean Kingston Publishing, Wantage, UK, pp. 83-106.
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The chapter describes the ethnographic approach taken to research about the way scholars use networked information systems. It discusses how practising informant-driven fieldwork contributed to mindfulness about my own research process as well as that of my informants. To illustrate the significance of taking such an engaged and evolving approach for the outcomes of the project, this chapter is divided into two sections. The first provides background about the study itself that will help the reader to locate the research in the wider context of information behaviour research. This part of the chapter also explains the theoretical groundings of the fieldwork approach and the unfolding character of the analysis of that fieldwork. To demonstrate the value of putting these principles into practice, the second section presents some of the words and experiences of the two informants themselves.

Anderson, T.K. 2009, 'Teaching the socio-technical practices of tomorrow today' in Brian Whitworth, Aldo de Moor (eds), Handbook of Research on Socio-Technical Design and Social Networking Systems, IGI Global, Hershey, PA, pp. 748-762.
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This chapter explores the challenges associated with teaching the principles of socio-technical systems in the dynamic climate that characterizes work in today's and tomorrow's world. Avoiding a 'socio-technical gap' involves preparing the designers of tomorrow in such a way that they can anticipate society's future needs and technology's future potential and prospective peril. By way of a narrative that draws on the author's own experiences teaching social informatics (SI) as part of an information studies degree program, this chapter discuss how her own research perspective in relation to socio-technical and social networking systems coevolves with the classroom experience. The case study offers examples of tutorial activities and assessments to illustrate how the suggested approach to teaching and learning can be applied in an STS classroom.

Light, A. & Anderson, T.K. 2009, 'Research project as boundary object: negotiating the conceptual design of a tool for international development' in I. Wagner, H. Tellioglu, E. Balka, C. Simone & L Ciofi (eds), ECSCW'09: Proceedings of the 11th European Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work, Springer, Dordrecht, Heidelberg, London, New York, pp. 21-42.
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This paper reflects on the relationship between who one designs for and what one designs in the unstructured space of designing for political change; in particular, for supporting "International Development" with ICT. We look at an interdisciplinary research project with goals and funding, but no clearly defined beneficiary group at start, and how this amorphousness contributed to its impact. The reported project researches a bridging tool to connect producers with consumers across global contexts, showing the players in the supply chain and their circumstances. We examine the projectÔ++s role in India, Chile and other arenas to draw out ways that it functioned as a catalyst and how absence of committed design choices acted as an unexpected strength in reaching its goals. To tell this tale, we invoke the idea of boundary objects and the value of tacking back and forth between elastic meanings of the project's artefacts and processes. We demonstrate how the toolÔ++s function and the nature of the research became contested as work progressed.

Anderson, T.K. 2008, 'Relevant Intra-Actions in Networked Environments' in Goh, D; Foo, S (eds), Social Information Retrieval Systems: Emerging Technologies and the Applications for Searching the W, Information Science Reference, United States, pp. 230-251.
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Anderson, T.K. 2012, 'Information Science and 21st Century Information Practices: creatively engaging with information' in David Bawden and Lyn Robinson (eds), Introduction to Information Science, Facet Publishing, UK, pp. 15-17.
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This book invites us to imagine the future of information science, which the authors frame as a field of study (Chapter 1). Moving a\vay from the pursuit of all-encompassing meanings helps us to navigate the compiexity associated \vith various views in information science and, as the authors explain, '. . be relaxed about the varied approaches and methods 'Nhich may be applied to information problems.' Information sciences (in the plural), they go on to explain, are dispersed. As an information researcher positioned in a centre of creative practice and cultural economy (areas unlikely to be considered traditional domains of information science), I welcome this pragmatism. It is nonetheless helpful to discuss (as the authors go on to do) whether or not we can identify a 'core' of information science and to consider the 'big questions' of information science in all their multifaceted complexity.

Anderson, T.K. 2011, 'Beyond eureka moments: supporting the invisible work of creativity and innovation', Information Research, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 1-18.
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Introduction. This paper is about the challenges of working creatively and reflectively in the information-intensive environments characteristic of our digital age. Method. The paper builds upon earlier work about uncertainty in library and information science by incorporating work exploring risk cultures and uncertainty as everyday phenomena. It presents arguments emerging from an ongoing investigation of the background work involved in scholarly research practice. These threads are used to invite discussion about the particular strategic contribution that the ISIC community might make in answer to calls for more creativity and greater support for the human spirit in all that we do. Analysis. Ethnographic material about scholarly research practice is combined with varied research exploring creativity and uncertainty. Results. Analysis of conditions that can stimulate creativity suggests that working through and being in uncertainty provides a site of creativity stimulation that addresses Howkins's query about how and where we wish to do our thinking. Conclusions. As information researchers and practitioners, we can act as stewards within our communities and help shape the information services and infrastructures that support organisations and communities striving to be more creative and to engage with information in inventive ways. Doing so will require us to not only support the creativity and innovation of others, but to be creative and innovative ourselves.

Anderson, T.K. 2010, 'Kickstarting Creativity: Supporting the productive faces of uncertainty in information practice', Information Research, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 1-16.
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This paper examines implications of research suggesting fast access to information may be at the expense of the time needed for creative thinking and reflection. It suggests that to support human thought through the provision of information, we need to provide people with more opportunities to experience and work with imperfect information and to engage with ambiguities. The paper presents four linked arguments supporting the premise that making more space for uncertainty and ambiguity in our information and research practices is an important precondition for creativity and innovation in any human endeavour: (i) working through uncertainty and ambiguity is conducive to creativity; (ii) the time and effort associated with managing large quantities of information can have a detrimental impact on creative thought; (iii) in scholarly research practice there is increasingly less time to think; (iv) revisiting the concept of uncertainty in information seeking offers a creativity stimulation pathway. In presenting these arguments and the implications for information science, the paper draws on ethnographic data about scholarly research practice and judgments about information in that context to illustrate some of the claims made. It concludes that developing an awareness of and being in uncertainty is a critical condition in any creative endeavour. Article is available at http://InformationR.net/ir/15-4/colis721.html

Anderson, T.K. & Orsatti, J. 2008, 'Rhythms of being at ISIC - understanding the place of the ISIC conferences in information seeking research', Information Research, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 1-13.
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The paper reports on findings from a project merging exploring the professional practice of academics, research students and practitioners within the ISIC community, drawn from fieldwork at the 2006 Information Seeking in Context (ISIC 2006) conference in Sydney, Australia.

Anderson, T.K. 2007, 'Settings, arenas and boundary objects: socio-material framings of information practices', Information Research, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 1-15.
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This paper presents a theoretical framework for examining information practices in socio-material contexts that draws on research in the library and information science and human computer interaction (human computer interaction) communities.

Bawden, D., Robinson, L., Anderson, T.K., Bates, J., Rutkausiene, U. & Vilar, P. 2007, 'Towards curriculum 2.0: Library/information education for a Web 2.0 world, Library and Information Research', Library and Information Research, vol. 31, no. 99, pp. 14-25.
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This paper reports an international comparison of changes in library/information curricula, in response to the changing information environment in which graduates of such courses will work. It is based on a thematic analysis of five case-studies from Australia, Ireland, Lithuania, Slovenia and the United Kingdom.

Anderson, T.K. 2006, 'Uncertainty in action: observing information seeking within creative processes of scholarly research', Information Research, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 1-15.
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Introduction. This paper discusses the role uncertainty plays in judgments of the meaning and significance of ideas and texts encountered by scholars in the context of their ongoing research activities. Method. Two experienced scholars were observed as part of a two-year ethnographic study of their ongoing research practices. Layered transcriptions of document-by-document discussions, conversations and interviews with informants were analysed for evidence of uncertainty in informants' processes of discovery, evaluation, use and generation of information. Analysis. Three themes are discussed illustrating the dynamic interplay between positive and negative forms of uncertainty: partial relevance, boundaries of understanding and uncertainty tolerance. Results. The uncertainty experienced by informants takes many forms deeply embedded in the interwoven layers of information seeking and use. Positive forms of uncertainty were often, but not exclusively, associated with the informants' explorations within the wider research tasks in which they were engaged. Conclusion. The intricacy of the relationship between what we might consider desirable as opposed to undesirable uncertainty is not easily unravelled. From the searcher's perspective, the interplay between positive and negative forms may be one way of explaining their ability to tolerate challenging encounters within their information and research processes.

Anderson, T.K. 2005, 'Relevance as process: judgements in the context of scholarly research', Information Research-An International Electronic Journal, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 1-13.
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Introduction. This paper discusses how exploring the research process in-depth and over time contributes to a fuller understanding of interactions with various representations of information. Method. A longitudinal ethnographic study explored decisions m

Anderson, T.K. 2001, 'Situating relevance: exploring individual relevance assessments in context', Information Research, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 169-187.
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Anderson, T.K., Parker, N.J. & McKenzie, J.A. 2009, 'Assessing Online Collaboratories: A Peer Review of Teaching and Learning', ATN Assessment Conference, Melbourne, Australia, November 2009 in Assessment in Different Dimensions: A conference on teaching and learning in tertiary education (ATN Assessment Conference, RMIT University), ed Milton,J., Hall, C., Lang, J., Allan, G. and Nomikoudis, M., Learning & Teaching Unit, RMIT, Melbourne, Australia, pp. 7-16.
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This paper presents action research informed by Peer Reviews of innovative assessment in a `fully blended+ undergraduate Communications subject. The assessments, the teachers+ intentions for student learning and the process and outcomes of two rounds of review will be discussed. Assessment is the crux of a subject for students and teachers, and the paper will show how `conversations about teaching+ as part of a Peer Review process can enhance assessment. The assessment that was the focus of the review involves collaboratories in which students use wikis to build on collaborative knowledge production about emerging technologies. Peer Reviews focused on the strategies used to encourage greater student-directed and managed participation in the construction of the wikis and associated student-moderated online discussions. The first round identified ways that the assessment criteria could be more specific and distinct in relation to the subject+s themes and practices. The second round specifically focused on the assignments that flowed from the collaboratories. One motivation for this teacher to engage in the project was the need to make the assessment more sustainable.

Anderson, T.K., Meyers, E., Druin, A., Fleischmann, K., Nathan, L. & Unsworth, K. 2009, 'Children, Technology and Social Values: Enabling Children's Voices in a Pluralistic World', ASIS&T Annual Meeting, Hyatt Regency, Vancouver, Canada, November 2009 in ASIST 2009 Proceedings of the 72nd ASIS&T Annual Meeting Volume 46 2009 Thriving on Diversity - Information Opportunities in a Pluralistic World, ed Grove, Andrew, Richard B. Hill, American Society for Information Science and Technology, Silver Spring, Maryland, pp. 1-8.
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The landscape of childhood in the 21st century increasingly involves technology. As information and communication technologies (ICTs) become ubiquitous in homes, schools, libraries, and play spaces, children are plugged-in and online with greater frequency and at a younger age. Concerns regarding new and emerging technologies like the immersive Internet, mobile phones, and social networking sites often lead to highly charged, emotive responses aimed at reducing the risks associated with such technologies. These reactions focus our attention on children in the role of victimized consumer, and privilege the perspective of a single stakeholder, the parent. This desire to protect young technology consumers runs contrary to the participatory techniques intended to give greater voice to users in the design and development of technology. A broader, more enlightened perspective on the role of technology in the lives of children recognizes the multiple roles, stakeholders, and value propositions which affect these interactions with ICTs. Rather than casting children in the limited role of consumer of technology, participatory and value-sensitive design techniques afford children the role of tester, evaluator, appropriator, remediator, co-designer, or co-investigator. Creating and sustaining a pluralistic society means providing sufficient opportunities for the voices of children in the decisions that affect their lives and their futures.

Anderson, T.K. 2008, 'The many faces of uncertainty: getting at the anthropology of uncertainty', Annual Conference of the Australasian Association of Writing Programs, University of Technology, Sydney, November 2008 in Creativity and Uncertainty Conference, ed Lucy Neave, Donna Lee Brien, The Australian Association of Writing Programs, Australia, pp. 1-8.
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Creative work involves a blend of imaginative and analytical lenses. Getting the mix right can be quite a challenge, though we often do so without certainty about the hows and whys of our practice. Uncertainty is present in some shape or form throughout this process, but it is far from a predictable quality.

Housego, S.C. & Anderson, T.K. 2007, 'Crossing the chasm: opportunities for academic development as teachers go online', Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Annual Conference, Adelaide, Australia, July 2007 in Enhancing Higher Education, Theory and Scholarship, ed Crisp, GA & Hicks, M, HERDSA, Milperra, Australia, pp. 279-287.
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Alexander, S.A., Harper, C., Anderson, T.K., Golja, T., Lowe, D.B., McLaughlan, R.G., Schaverien, L.R. & Thompson, D.G. 2006, 'Towards a mapping of the field of e-learning', Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications, Florida, USA, June 2006 in Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2006, ed P. Kommers & G. Richards, Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education, Virginia, USA, pp. 1636-1642.
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Towards a mapping of the field of e-learning New Search Print Abstract E-mail Abstract Full Text Add To Binder Export Citation Related Papers Alexander, S., Harper, C., Anderson, T., Golja, T., Lowe, D., McLaughlan, R., Schaverien, L. & Thompson, D. (2006). Towards a mapping of the field of e-learning. In Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2006 (pp. 1636-1642). Chesapeake, VA: AACE. Conference Information World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications (EDMEDIA) 2006 June 2006 AACE Table of Contents Authors Shirley Alexander, Carly Harper, Theresa Anderson, Tanja Golja, David Lowe, Robert McLaughlan, Lyn Schaverien, Darrall Thompson, University of Technology Sydney, Australia Abstract This paper addresses perceptions that e-learning research is repetitive, technologically determined and avoids the difficult questions. A total of 107 papers from two conferences, one Australasian and the other American were analysed, using a framework which posed the following four questions. What questions are being asked? What theoretical positions are being taken? What counts as evidence in answering those questions? What is the educational significance of what has been found? There was clear evidence of varied approaches to undertaking e-learning research. The nature of the research questions reported support the view that there is a degree of repetition in current research projects, and a reluctance to tackle the big issues . The authors recommend that researchers move away from narrowly focused questions to an approach focused on the systems nature of student learning.

Anderson, T.K., Bates, M., Berryman, J.M., Erdelez, S. & Heinstrom, J. 2006, 'Designing for Uncertainty', Information Realities, Austin, USA, November 2006 in Information Realities: Shaping the Digital Future for All, ed Andrew Grove, Richard B Hill, American Society for Information adn Technology, Silver Spring, USA, pp. 1-9.
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Anderson, T.K. 2006, 'Studying Human Judgments of Relevance: Interactions in Context', Information Interaction in Context, Copenhagen, Denmark, October 2006 in Proceedings of the first IIiX Symposium on Information Interaction in Context, Royal School of Library and Information Science, ed Ruthven, Borlund, Ingwersen, Belkin, Tombros and Vakkari, ACM Press, Copenhagen, Denmark, pp. 7-23.
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Anderson, T.K. 2005, 'Relevance assessment as an everyday experience', Annual Meeting of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Charlotte, NC, USA, October 2005 in Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, ed Andrew Grove, American Society for Information Science and Technology, USA, pp. 1-3.
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Despite the growing appreciation of the dynamism of the concept of relevance, there is still a tendency to relegate it to the domain of information retrieval. In doing so, we dilute its potency as a human practice and lose out on the rich connections that are afforded by seeing relevance assessment as a critical element of human communication beyond those that are mediated by information retrieval systems. The poster presents analysis of observations of relevance judgments collected in a longitudinal ethnographic study. The table presented in the short paper will be expanded in the poster version of the paper to illustrate the variability and richness of the ways that informants used representations of information resources to make relevance judgments. This analysis suggests that relevance judgments are drivers of search and research processes. There is much talk about the need to more fully integrate research in the areas of information retrieval and information seeking behaviour. This poster suggests that, as a human practice at the heart of communication and information behaviour, relevance assessments offer one bridge for this integration.

Anderson, T.K., Grattan, K., Pizzica, J. & Housego, S.C. 2009, 'Podcasting in an enriched educational landscape: Bringing a peripheral technology into the teaching core', Same places, different spaces. 26th Annual ascilite International Conference, Auckland, December 2009 in Same places, different spaces. Proceedings ascilite Auckland 2009. 26th Annual ascilite International Conference, ed Atkinson, R. J;McBeath, C, The University of Auckland, Auckland University of Technology, and Australasian Society for Computer, Auckland.

Meyers, E., Anderson, T.K., Bystr+Âm, K., Freund, L., Limberg, L. & Toms, E. 2009, 'Diverse Approaches to 'Tasks' in Information Science: Conceptual and Methodological Insights', Hyatt Regency, Vancouver, Canada, November 2009 in Thriving on Diversity - Information Opportunities in a Pluralistic World : ASIS&T 2009 Proceedings of the 72nd ASIS&T Annual Meeting Volume 46 2009, ed Grove, Andrew, Richard B. Hill, American Society for Information Science and Technology, Silver Spring, Maryland, pp. 1-6.
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Anderson, T.K. 2008, 'In form & informing: Materiality and Information Seeking', People Transforming Information - Information Transforming People, American Society for Information Science & Technology Annual Meeting, Comubus, Ohio, USA, October 2008 in Proceedings of the 71st Annual Meeting (Vol. 45), ed Grove, A. et al, Information Today, Inc, Medford, NJ (USA), pp. CD-ROM-CD-ROM.

Anderson, T.K. 2008, 'The Office: Integrating Perspectives from Across Information Science', American Society for Information Science & Technology Annual Meeting, Columbus, Ohio, October 2008 in 2008 Proceedings of the 71st Annual Meeting, American Society for Information Science & Technology (Vol. 45), ed Grove, A. et al, Information Today, Inc, Medford, N.J. (USA), pp. CD-ROM-CD-ROM.