The Objective/Subjective Nature of Affordance Use in Digital Environments: Building a Tailored Climate Change Adaptation Website for the Colombian Coffee Sector
Abstract
This dissertation extends our knowledge of digital affordances1 in communicating complex scientific information by building and testing a climate change adaptation website for the Colombian coffee sector, www.climaycafe.com. This project offers both a practical component (scholarship of engagement) and theoretical component (extension of our understanding of the objective/subjective nature of affordances). Practically, it seeks to create a collaborative and tailored science communication solution for improved information access to support climate change adaptation. Theoretically, it extends our understanding of affordances in a digital environment through a qualitative assessment, specifically how occupational identity influences the subjective nature of affordances. Data is gathered through an iterative qualitative assessment of users’ interpretation of the perceived affordances on the website. The results demonstrate that occupational identity has an influence on perceived digital affordances, particularly influenced by (1) Perceived Social Status of Occupation, (2) Perception of Value Based on Occupational Demands, (3) Occupational Influence on Perceived Reliability and (4) Usability Preferences Based on Occupation. We additionally found that as creators we can set general goals for digital tools and achieve general success in obtaining them, but ultimately the users will dictate their needs within this broader framework. Lastly, there is a self-identified need for more practical knowledge and information access for coffee farmers in these regions of Colombia around climate change adaptation.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Mattson, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Design|Climate Change|Latin American Studies|Web Studies
Off-Campus Purdue Users:
To access this dissertation, please log in to our
proxy server.