This paper analyzes the current practices of Indigenous data sovereignty in environmental research and activism in the United States, as known by the settler government. The CARE principles are a widely adopted set of guidelines for Indigenous data sovereignty with guidelines being collective benefit, authority to control, respect and ethics, yet there exists little detail on current practices of operationalization and implementation of the CARE principles. This research specifically identified opportunities to further clarify how environmental data can be managed in accordance with the CARE principles. Using current literature, we examine how sustainability and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research could better incorporate Indigenous data sovereignty and governance. Through three interviews with Indigenous environmental practitioners, we use inductive and deductive analysis to understand current thoughts and practices. In a forestry analysis case study with the Penobscot Nation, we examine specifically how the CARE principles could be implemented into a research project. The interviews and case study reveal design considerations such as emphasizing roles in responsibility and ethics to be taken into future HCI research involving Indigenous data sovereignty in environmental contexts.
Pyxide jars are not uncommon to excavate, as they were standard possessions of women throughout a significant portion of ancient Greece. However, the pyxis jar on display at the W.G. Hardy Classics Museum in Edmonton, Alberta, is suggested to be from a time period that is limited in terms of comparable pyxides. The W.G. Hardy Classics Museum gives no explanation as to where the pyxis jar was contextually found beyond originating from Corinth, and an estimation of being produced sometime within the seventh–sixth century BC. This article narrows the suggested time of production from the two-hundred-year period, as claimed by the museum, to specifically the Early Corinthian period, through a process of relative dating, as Corinth was becoming the production centre for pottery during the time within ancient Greece. Through an analysis of the physical condition, artistic motifs, and comparable pyxides, we are able to ascertain the particular context in which it would have been found, in addition to the timeframe of production, and the likely tools used through the manufacturing process.
This paper analyses the suitability of a Fuzzy Logic (FL) AI-trained machine learning model to assist IoT-based smart hydroponics for deployment with South African rural subsistence farmers. To answer these questions, a fuzzy logic model was developed to accurately determine and adjust outputs, based on inputs received from IoT sensors monitoring the nutrient solution and environment conditions in the hydroponics system. We conducted an initial evaluation of the FL-AI, followed by a real-world test based on an existing data set and finally conducted testing on simulated data to ensure that the AI can accurately determine crisp values to pass to a cloud based IoT platform accessed by a micro-controller which adjusts the environment variables of the hydroponics system. This approach was followed to ensure that we respect the time and availability of our research participants. We found that the system was able to accurately determine the necessary crisp values needed by the microcontroller. We further report on the suitability of FL-AI for rural subsistence farmers as the AI is less complex, reduces energy consumption, and resource waste, and the burden of manually monitoring and adjusting hydroponics systems, and is easy to use for first-time growers. We further discuss crucial lessons learned particularly in the South African and other Low to Middle Income Countries (LMIC) context, such as the necessity of solar power-enabled systems and local wifi networks rather than cloud-based IoT platforms.
With rapid urbanization and increasing traffic congestion in major cities, alternative modes of transportation have gained significant attention. The ride-sharing app revolution also has sparked a significant transformation in the transportation industry, along with “Khep”, an unusual ride-sharing approach where individuals negotiate fares directly with drivers personally, which has become a popular means of transportation. In this research, we investigate various factors that influence the preference for such unconventional contractual rides over ride-sharing apps, such as cultural norms, trust issues, affordability, and accessibility. Moreover, we explore the role of technology literacy, marketing strategies, and regulatory frameworks in shaping the adoption landscape. After conducting a survey and interviews, we conduct a thorough analysis to determine the expected findings and uncover meaningful insights regarding the utilization, preferences, and challenges within the ride-sharing industry in Bangladesh. The findings of this study reveal that cultural factors, such as the preference for bargaining and personal connections, strongly influence the popularity of contractual rides. Additionally, concerns related to safety, data privacy, and trust act as barriers to ride-sharing app adoption. Being associated with UN SDG Goals 11 and 9, the implications of this research extend beyond Bangladesh and can provide insights for policymakers, transportation companies, and technology developers seeking to understand the factors shaping the adoption of ride-sharing apps in similar contexts.
Support plays a vital role in the teaching profession. A good support system can empower teachers to regulate their emotions and effectively manage stress while working in isolation. The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in a hybrid form of education, necessitating the acquisition of new skills by teachers and compelling them to adapt to remote teaching. This new development further amplifies the sense of isolation prevalent amongst the teaching community. Against this backdrop, our study investigates the availability of sociotechnical support infrastructures for teachers in low-income schools while also looking into the support practices embraced by this class of teachers following the pandemic. Through 28 qualitative interviews involving teachers, management and personnel from support organizations, we demonstrate how teachers have largely taken the initiative to establish their own informal support networks in the absence of formal support infrastructures. Smartphones have significantly augmented these support practices, serving as both a valuable source of support as well as a medium for facilitating support practices. However, in comparison to other forms of support received from these sources, the availability of emotion-focused support for teachers have proven to be inadequate, creating imbalances in their support seeking practices. Our paper provides different contextual ways to reduce these imbalances and improve the occupational well-being of teachers.
