Rhonda Nanette McEwen

Rhonda Nanette McEwen (born December 3, 1970), is an assistant professor at the University of Toronto in the Institute of Communication, Culture, and Information Technology. She has worked in the digital communication industry for 15 years. Her degrees include an MBA in Information Technology from City University in London, an MSc in Telecommunication from the University of Colorado, and a PhD in Information from the University of Toronto. McEwen was also an Advisory Board Member at Mobile Experience Innovation Centre and a Board Advisor at Tenth Power Inc. McEwen’s research and teaching are based on how people manipulate information through new media technologies. She is currently researching how autistic children use tablet devices for communication and sociality purposes.
Teaching
McEwen is an assitant professor at University of Toronto Faculty of Information and University of Toronto Mississauga. She teaches a number of courses on the subject of research methods, information systems, new media, Telecommunication, contemporary communication technologies, and digital rhetoric. McEwen has also participated in the Inforum workshop series on MS project and MS visio. She was also the lead teaching assistant at the University of Colorado from August 1999 to August 2000 and a lecturer at the University of West Indies from September 1995 to December 1995.
Research
In the recent years McEwen's academic study includes:
*Mobile Technology for Social and Communication Support Among Students Identified on the Autism Spectrum (2011).
*Analysing the information seeking, use, and sharing practices of newcomers to Toronto regarding the mobile phone (2010).
*Examining smart-phone policies and practices in the workplace. (2010).
*The social life of wireless urban spaces. (2007).
Mobile technology for social and communication support among students identified on the autism spectrum (2011)
The use of haptic or tablet technology has been phenomenal for kids with disabilities, especially with ASD. This research demonstrates that the use of apps has increased responsiveness from kids with ASD. The study deals with Ipad and Itouch exclusively. In McEwen’s study, tablet technology (in this case the Ipad) has created a positive influence on autistic children. Almost all preliminary and classic autistic behavior patterns have reversed into positive advancement instead: their expressiveness increased, verbal communication increased, and interaction increased.
Analysing the information seeking, use, and sharing practices of newcomers to Toronto regarding the mobile phone (2010)
This study deals with the relationship between relevant information and immigrants. This study shows a plethora of surveys that deal exclusively with this issue. This study explores the complexity of this situation and offers justifications as to why problems occur in the first place. For example, geographical distances play a huge role in the effectiveness of relevant information that an immigrant possesses. Cultural norms change the user's existing perspectives and values, different to North American culture. Canada is one of the very few countries in the world that offer phones for free and this confuses immigrants. They take advantage of this tactic - only to find out that they have agreed to a 3 year contract with very specific rules and procedures.
Examining smart-phone policies and practices in the workplace (2010)
This study examines with how policy making changes with haptic technology, usually incorporated with smart phones. This study also deals with many modes of communication. Instant messaging, email, voicemail and other similar technologies were examined in this research. Conclusions of this research include rules and regulations affecting the work environment and overall motivation of the employees by not allowing active phones in the workplace.
The social life of wireless urban spaces (2007)
"Our focus was on the relationship between the use of wireless technologies and privatism: the tendency for people to minimize exposure to diverse others in exchange for private interactions with close intimates."
In McEwen's picture essay, this study was held in 2007 in various public places that have wireless locations such as Downtown Toronto, New York City and San Francisco. The essay has many photographic evidences of various subjects using the wireless locations. McEwen's essay discusses what attracts people to urban spaces, what makes these areas so culturally diverse, and what are some of the changes in interaction when a person is using such technologies.
Activities
As a result of the increasing relevance and interest in her work,McEwen has been invited to present at a variety of media and public presentations. This includes but is not limited to:
*TablifeTo Conference (December 2010)
*Rogers Communication Marketing (December 2009)
*Cundari Marketing, Toronto (May 2009)
*CBC Radio Interview, Spark, Episode 68 (March 2009)
*Featured in the Boston Globe "The End of Alone" (February 2009)
*IBM Global Business Services (November 2008)
*Microsoft Social Computing Symposium (October 2008)
*Toronto Star feature on research on digital communication (April 2007)
Since McEwen's Touch Technology project was featured in the San Francisco Weekly and the Globe and Mail in 2010, her work has received increased media attention, an experience that she has described as humbling.
Although much of her talks have been based upon her research of touch technologies, autism, and the impact of new media, McEwen has also been asked to express her opinions and concerns on new emerging social media and their influence on the 21st-century society. McEwen has spoken on issues such as mobile etiquette, social buying, and social media impact on youth.
As a researcher of social media, McEwen actively use new media such as Facebook, LinkedIn, instant messaging, Twitter, blogging, Second Life, and the World of Warcraft. McEwen irregularly updates her twitter and blog, "Wheel an' come again," to voice her 'sociotechnical musings' with the public.
Awards and honours
*Canadian Graduate Scholarship, SSHRC, 2006-2009.
*Ethel Auster Memorial Scholarship for Doctoral Research, FIS, 2008.
*Ontario Graduate Scholarship, 2006.
*American Association of University Women Fellowship, 2000.
*University of Colorado, College of Engineering, ITP grant for academic excellence, 2000-2001.
*City University Business School MSD Prize for The Most Outstanding Information Technology Thesis, 1996-97.
*British Council Graduate Degree Scholarship - Chevening Award, 1996.
*University of the West Indies Silver Guild Medal for best all around performance in Social Science undergraduate program, 1991-1994.
Selected publications
Getting on the Same Wavelength: An analysis of EMF Social Policy and Mobile Phone Practices of Youth in Canada
In this chapter, McEwen and Fritz examine the controversy regarding Canada’s social policy in response to the health concerns around the exposure to mobile phone electromagnetic frequencies (EMF). This chapter comments about the possible explanations of why Canada has developed this policy. McEwen and Fritz also offer a new perspective on the situation - the slow policy decision in Canada is due to the “difficulties in conceptualizing the youth population in policy frameworks” and “a lack of understanding about youth mobile phone practices”.
Mobile communication and ethics: implications of everyday actions on social order
In this paper Ling and McEwen explore issues around the ethics of mobile communications and how mobile technology affects our daily lives. They study people’s reaction to a ringing cell phone or a text message to determine what we have to do and what we actually do in that situation. This paper also examines the possibility that mobile technology brings pressure to the existing social conventions.
Tools of the Trade: Drugs, law and mobile phones in Canada
This article deals with the mobile phone’s role in drug-dealing and law enforcement in Canada. Guidelines for the use of mobile technology in surveillance are discussed. The article challenges existing ideals about the notion of privacy and presents a different perspective on the “inherently social nature of mobile communications".
The Social Life of Wireless Urban Spaces
This article explores how the availability of communication technology such as how the Internet affects the way people interact in public.
Relationships, Community & Networked Individuals
This article examines how communication technology interacts with personal relationships and communities.
Orality in the Library: how mobile phones challenge our understandings of collaboration in hybridized information spaces
In this article, McEwen and Scheaffer study the relationship between mobile phones and academic libraries. The data was collected from 46 ethnographic observations and interviews. They also examine how the existing policies of libraries interfere or interact with mobile technology and communication.
Texting Home: examining the mobile phone practices of student newcomers to Toronto
On My Own: Mobile Phone Practices of Young People in Times of Transition
Locking out The Intruders: Special Report - Next Generation Fraud
Computers Have a Hard Time Speaking Our Language
A Haematological and Sociological Study of Racial Mixing in Trinidad and Tobago

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