Annotation # 1 ~ Community on Campus: The Role of Physical Space

Harrington, Kim D. Community On Campus: The Role Of Physical Space. n.p.: Atlanta, Ga. : Georgia State University, 2014., 2014.GEORGIA STATE UNIV’s Catalog. Web. 3 Feb. 2016.

In Community On Campus: The Role of Physical Space, Kim D. Harrington said “The purpose of this study was to understand the role space plays in student involvement and community on campus.” She used different research methods, and one of them being interviewing. Kim D. found the students showed that in the campus space, they make a lot of connections with other peers and like having their own time as well. All the students enjoy different spaces where they can be social, relaxed, eating, sleeping, playing an instrument, it just depends on the student.This long article that I found through the Georgia State library, was not meant for it to be about Atlanta, but it connects with Georgia State University, because this whole summary shows how in any campus, the different types of space specifically exterior affect the way a student lives in their social, academic, physical, spiritual, and mental ways or state of being. I chose this because I thought it was the only thing I could find. There was research methods but that was a lot, I feel like this whole article was a waste of time in all honesty. This article is completely different from all the other ones, but It connects in how it affects the way people live.

Annotation # 2 ~ Determinant of Childhood Obesity

Obesity

Casey, Romain, et al. “Determinants Of Childhood Obesity: What Can We Learn From Built Environment Studies?.” Food Quality And Preference 31.(2014): 164-172. ScienceDirect. Web. 4 Feb. 2016.

As a general idea about this article, it compares the built environment with the weight of the youth population and it being a socioeconomic effect. The article showed how fast food restaurants nearby, easy transportation and leisure activity has increased obesity so they were trying to create more studies showing evidence with their methodology results, and statistics using young adolescents and children to test this out. The way the structure was laid out of the restaurants, physical activity facilities, stores, malls, sidewalks, parks, the accessibility, showed to have some strong impact on the weight of these youngsters. From the chart of this article, the “spatial accessibility, physical activity, and food behaviors” even our genes, culture, and other factors could play a role in the health of these young individuals in if they do or do not become obese, and if they are then they can have that probability of developing diseases due to obesity. This is can be studied in Atlanta. I chose this because there was not many things I found too interesting, but this one caught my eye. This article is strong in the sense in how the research methods and charts show how the built environment impacts the weight of a child, and weak in how general it was. This article is similar to the others in the way it impacts their lives.

Annotation # 3 ~ A Qualitative Study On The Role Of The Built Environment For Short Walking Trips

Ferrer, Sheila, Tomás Ruiz, and Lidón Mars. “A Qualitative Study On The Role Of The Built Environment For Short Walking Trips.”Transportation Research Part F: Psychology And Behaviour 33.(2015): 141-160. ScienceDirect. Web. 3 Feb. 2016.

This article talks about the walking barriers using a specific age group, using focus groups with a specific age group. This research took place in Valencia, Spain where they used many methods including thematic analysis where they had a questionnaire and interviews of the people chosen for this experiment, data analysis, and more. The majority of the participants would walk for some time, but many prefer other forms of transportation such as cars or other types of mobility. Some of the main reasons why walking is such a barrier to some is because of the amount of time they need to get to places, bad weather, to be safe from crime, there are horribly structured walking facilities where walking isn’t possible or it is uncomfortable or dangerous, you feel insecure, and more. I chose this because I thought it would be relevant to what we are looking at in class. There are flaws in it its limitations and biases. The built environment from the 3 articles is that it affects others. This relates to Atlanta in how there are many barriers that do not allow us to go in some directions or even let us walk comfortably.

Annotation # 4 ~ The deaf and the classroom design: a contribution of the built environmental ergonomics for the accessibility

Martins, Laura Bezerra, and Denise Mariasimões Freire Gaudiot. “The Deaf And The Classroom Design: A Contribution Of The Built Environmental Ergonomics For The Accessibility.” Work (Reading, Mass.) 41 Suppl 1.(2012): 3663-3668. MEDLINE with Full Text. Web. 21 Feb. 2016

In the article The deaf and the classroom design: a contribution of the built environmental ergonomics for the accessibility, both authors Martins and Gaudiot, were worried in the article specifically about the deaf and what necessary things are left out in the educational built environment for the deaf showing quick fixes including sunlight, acoustics, accessibility, visualization, warning signs and also how the layout of the classroom should be open to all sorts of ways of teaching and learning for all groups of students and not be so strict or traditional or standardized.

SHTE method and participatory design were used in two different schools for the deaf to see how they did including questions, interviews, and more; students, teachers, employees, and interpreters participated. Concluding, the data showed there were many important things missing in these classrooms that make it harder for the deaf to learn. Martins and Gaudiot had suggestions and showed these two layouts that could help fix the issue.

This has nothing to do with Atlanta, but shows variables and layouts in the classrooms affect the deaf students and teachers in the teaching and learning; in this case negatively. I chose it because it looked interesting to me. I feel like it was bias in how it says the deaf are not well accommodated in the classrooms for their learning, but they only tested two schools; there are a lot of good schools for the deaf. The interior of the built environment affects people in all my annotative bibliographies.

Annotation # 5 ~ Influence of soundscape and interior design on anxiety and perceived tranquility of patients in a healthcare setting

Watts, Greg, Amir Khan, and Rob Pheasant. “Influence Of Soundscape And Interior Design On Anxiety And Perceived Tranquility Of Patients in A Healthcare Setting.” Applied Acoustics 104.(2016): 135-141. ScienceDirect. Web. 22 Feb. 2016

In this Article Influence of soundscape and interior design on anxiety and perceived tranquility of patients in a healthcare setting, Greg, Watts, and Khan talk about how the natural environment brings more tranquility the man-made noise or environments. They are worried for the patients who have to wait very long in clinics and healthcare facilities to be served for their medical need, so they believe of having a more “restorative environment” They are complaining of the soundscape because of the high level noise and how plain and boring the design is in the rooms. They went to The Bradford Student Health Service near the university campus to do the experiment where they put down the noise and added nature-like noise and included pictures of natural landscapes, nothing man made. They Tranquility Rating Prediction Tool, in the results showing how the people tended to become more relaxed in the adjusted room then the as is room, but overall it showed stress and anxiety levels could be affected by other factors and people relax with different types of music.

Nothing to do with Atlanta, but shows nature helps restore environment in medical facilities, helping in general to reduce stress of the people. It was interesting. All different groups of people gender and age in both experiments of As is and changed environment so there could have been bias, their levels of anxiety could have all been different due to this set up and small sample size. Nature reduces stress and affects people.

Annotation # 6 ~ Stress-reducing effects of indoor plants in the built healthcare environment: The mediating role of perceived attractiveness

Dijkstra, K., M.E. Pieterse, and A. Pruyn. “Stress-Reducing Effects Of Indoor Plants In The Built Healthcare Environment: The Mediating Role Of Perceived Attractiveness.” Preventive Medicine 47.(2008): 279-283. Science Direct. Web. 21 Feb. 2016

In this article, Stress-reducing effects of indoor plants in the built healthcare environment: The mediating role of perceived attractiveness, Dijkstra, Pieterse, and Pruyn talk about the stress reducing effects natural elements have on patients in healthcare facilities creating those “healing environments” for those patients. They showed how other authors experimented and talked about how natural settings are far more stress reducers than urban settings. They want to see if this is the reason why most people prefer natural settings over the urban settings or if its directly due to the actual plants which reduce the stress and create attractiveness. The participants were shown a picture of a hospital room with the indoor plants and another without the indoor plants and an urban setting; with this they also used different measurements. While using statistical procedures in their conclusion, participants felt less stress with the indoor plants than the ones with the wall painting, including perceived attractiveness mediates from the presence of indoor plants and perceived stress.

Not Atlanta, but shows environment like nature & other variables in interior affects people. It is similar to other article that is why I chose it. The bias here is not every person would prefer natural elements over urban settings, so not always true nature will always reduce stress compared to urban settings. There was also 21 years old in this testing & only up to 77 people in the experiment, the data could change completely.The interior environment has many variables affects the people.

Annotation # 7 ~ In Defense of Digital Communication

1)   “In defense of digital communication”

Sucharov, Mia. “In defense of digital communication”.  The Daily Beast. 19 June 2013. Web. 24 March 2016..

Mira Sucharov responded to a specific argument in response “In Defense of Digital Communication.” She acknowledges that face to face communication is important, but that 1) Even though we see people everyday, we can lack that intimacy, and still have heart to heart conversations in the digital aspect; 2) The Shabbat prohibits or says basically that digital devices are not good, but really instead of on paper, digitally they would be more into the Shabbat experience and that there is a movement reforming an ipad app into their Friday service; 3) and lastly she basically said that we should take advantage of our knowledge and use the digital space or devices because we can do a lot with it.

Some people in Atlanta might be more digitally inclined than others. I chose this because it is a point I found different than others and mostly the opposite of what I think towards technology. Is biased, strong on her opinion, but it has flaws, does not mean her points are convincing. It is different yet similar to other articles, using technology but not very in depth like it is in here.

Annotation # 8 ~

2)  “New York Times Earnings Preview: Digital Space To Drive top line”

Trefis Team. “New York Times earnings preview: digital space to drive top line”. Forbes.com: Investing. 28 October 2015. Web. 24 March 2016.

Print media domain has affected the New York Company since it has gone down, but the digital advertisements are increasing and the revenues keep looks like it is declining. The profitability though seem to keep increasing and digital subscriptions keep growing.

Even though it is a NY company, it can be similar to what is happening in Atlanta

ANnotation # 9 ~

3)  “UK consumers enjoy ‘advanced’ digital communications”

n.a. “UK consumers enjoy ‘advanced’ digital communications”. BBC. 17 Dec 2009. Web. 24 March 2016.

In the UK it is more digitally advanced or in other has more digital communication including many countries even the US: An example being is digital TV.  There was a survey done with how much televsiion was seen through this digital space. Also UK consumers enjoy paying low prices for mobile phones and broad bands. UK is in the top in digital services. This relates with Atlanta in how digitally advanced and innovative it is becoming through these different digital communications.

Annotation # 10 ~

4)”How communication will evolve through digital touch”

Bajarin, Ben. “How communication will evolve through digital touch”. Time: Tech: Big Picture. 6 Oct 2014. Web. 24 March 2016.

The article ” describes how technology has advanced within time and how these new technologies give us more options to communicate with human population. There were examples of how older technology was used such as pagers and blackberries to send messages, however it was very limited in options for communication. Nowadays toechnology has improved and advanced with items such as the Apple Watch and Smartphones which has helped humanity to stay in touch regardless of the distance and limited time given to communicate with one another.