i3 Cohorts

2011 team research projects

Students worked on this project in teams of five or six members. Each team selected a current societal problem and, through extensive research, identified an information related solution.

Teams presented their research and proposed solution during the two week concluding institute held the following June. Each team was supported by a team research advisor and the i3 staff and faculty.

Every project consists of a proposal, a research paper, a research poster and presentation, and an optional creative deliverable such as a video or interactive component.

Team Solutions

The great digital divide in America

Narrowing racial disparity within the informational sciences. As members of the black community, the lack of African American and Hispanic students within the information science field is of great importance to Team Solutions. They understand that to participate in a globalized world, one must have access to and possess knowledge of the technology that runs it. Without knowledge of these technologies, those within the black and Latino communities cannot adequately partake in day to day living. The causes behind the shortage of black and Latino professionals in the field must be addressed if the democratic principles that America prides itself on are to be upheld.

Team American Raccoons

Are looks everything?

Exploring the potential trade offs between aesthetic design and usability in mobile applications. In the context of the overwhelming move toward mobile technologies such as smart phones, there exists a potential trade off between the aesthetic design and the usability of any particular application. The team designed a study using a random sample of students and community members at various colleges and cities, hypothesizing that users value aesthetic design more than usability and will compromise some usability for a small amount of aesthetic design.

Team Too Cool for Names

Media literacy and technology in education

Improving media literacy in underprivileged schools through the increased use of technology. In an information driven society, technology offers quicker and more efficient access to available resources. Through preliminary research, the team observed that students, particularly those in underprivileged areas, are lacking the technological skills necessary to succeed in today's digital age. They investigated early childhood education, children's media literacy, funding and initiatives that provide technology in the classroom, and how some schools have successfully integrated technology.

Team Six Sigma

Undergraduate student financial managers

Improving college students' ability to manage their debt and money. The average credit card balance for undergraduate students was $3,173.00 in 2010 according to a research study by Sallie Mae, and students are borrowing an average of $23,000.00 for a bachelor's degree. The team focused on undergraduate students' day to day expenses and how they budget and track their money, with the goal of developing tools that target students' specific financial and budgeting needs.