JANE MAVOA

I'm a postdoctoral researcher working on a number of exciting projects related to Human Computer Interaction and Media Studies. I finished my PhD in 2021. My research to date has focused on the ways that individuals and families engage with digital technologies in their everyday lives. I have expertise in: quantitative and qualitative surveys, ethnography, participant observation, and interviews. I've published in top-tier academic journals and translated research into public-facing outputs including articles for The Conversation, radio and newspaper pieces, and panel discussions at public events.

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I'm particularly interested in the ways that children's screen time and gameplay is talked about by adults and how this sometimes seems detached from what children actually do when they're playing digital games. My PhD research was a mix of quantitative and qualitative work about how children play Minecraft and what adults think about Minecraft and other digital game play.

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I'm passionate about (among other things!) children's right to play (for its own sake - not only because it's good for them) and working towards ensuring that digital/online play spaces are safe, ethically designed, accessible AND fun for all children. 

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Since completing my PhD I've worked  on a range of research projects. Some highlights include:

Advancing Digital Inclusion for Low Income Australian Families

As part of the ARC Linkage project 'Advancing digital inclusion in low income Australian families' I work with Dr Jenny Kennedy in data collection for the project's Regional Victoria field site. This project aims to address barriers to digital inclusion, with a focus on affordability barriers. I have conducted ethnographic research with families and online interviews with community services staff in our field site's local area. I liaise with our local Partner Organisation and other stakeholders involved in the project. I presented preliminary findings at the Digital Inclusion for Low Income Australian Families Symposium in April 2022 and will present as part of a workshop at the 2022 ANZCA conference in November. Data collection is ongoing, and I am currently writing a journal article based on initial findings.

Research Fellow: ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child

In this role I work as a Research Fellow on Dr Luci Pangrazio's Data in the Home project. The project aims to understand how childhoods are datafied in household contexts via an ever increasing range of internet-connected goods and devices. I have contributed to ethics applications, study design, online survey design and recruitment, liaised with Qualtrics Research Services, conducted online interviews with parents, quantitative and qualitative data analysis, paper writing, and participation in Centre of Excellence activities. I am an active member of the Deakin node of the the Centre of Excellence and regularly contribute to node meetings and outputs including an ethics white paper.

Tracking kids: Use and repurposing of wearable and mobile devices

In this role I work as a Research Assistant for the Centre of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Ethics (CAIDE) seed funded project: 'Tracking kids: Use and repurposing of wearable and mobile devices'. I instigated this project and wrote the funding application. The project aims to understand how Australian families use location tracking technologies in everyday life with a focus on the ethical and privacy issues associated with the sharing of intimate data between family members in the context of caregiving and household logistics. I designed and disseminated an online survey of 103 Australian parents and conducted quantitative and qualitative data analysis to produce findings accepted for publication in the journal Surveillance and Society (slated for publication early 2023). I have presented findings from this project to a general public audience as part of the AI in Private Spaces Seminar Series and was interviewed by Geoff Hutchison for ABC Radio Perth Drive show. With colleagues from Curtin University and The University of Melbourne, I have applied for funding from the 2022 Meta Research People’s Expectations & Experiences with Digital Privacy funding round to extend this project.

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