Digital

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Digital
Ethnography
Of Fiji
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Empowering people to portray their Culture
Through Technology
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• Outline
• -------------------------------------
• 1. Introduction / Background
• Goals
• In the Field
• Final Product
• Conclusion

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The Background-------------------------

• Information Revolution is evolving
  Anthropological field work and cultural learning.

• There is very little existing field research in
  Digital Ethnography.
• The idea of empowering a culture to portray
  themselves is relatively new to Anthropology.

Digital Ethnography
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The Goals----------------------------

• Create a Model for Future digital ethnography
  projects.
• Establish a perpetual cross cultural
  communication between American and Fijian High
  School students.
• Create an effective interactive web based
  cultural learning tool.

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In the Field--------------------------

• Implemented during a 3 month term abroad in
  Rakiraki Fiji
• Funded by a grant from the KECK Foundation
• 8 Digital Still Cameras 2 Digital Camcorders
  2 Audio Recording Devices

• Union Term Abroad Students
• Multimedia materials (photos, audio, video)
• Field notes, Ethnographic papers

• Nakauvadra (Fijian) High School Students
• Cultural Identity Research
• Individual Web Pages
• Cultural Group Projects
• Nakauvadra High School Web Page
• Web Cam Conference

• Local Fijians
• Primary source on Fijian culture
• Multimedia (photos, videos, audio)

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Final Product------------------------------

• Dissemination of ethnographic materials
• Interactive Cultural Learning
• Cross Cultural Communication

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Conclusion------------------------------

• Provides a model for future work in Digital
  Ethnography
• Learning environment being utilized by both
  Fijian and American students

• Unexpected Successes and Failures
• Dynamic Technical Structure is integral

• Project has met the initial criteria for success
• Ease of Use Effective dissemination of
  information Continual cross cultural
  communication Engaging interactive features
  Accepted into education curriculums

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Digital
Ethnography
Of Fiji