Balka, Ellen | Canada

Balka, Ellen | Canada

In May 2003 Ellen Balka was Guest Lecturerer at IAS-STS.

 

Projekt at IAS-STS: Women Users: Re-Gendering Technology

In 1995 I began a study titled "Skill, Gender, and User Involvement in the Design Process: A Comparative Study of Participatory Design and Ergonomics."

The project had the following general objectives:

- To conduct a comparative study of participatory design of technological systems and ergonomic approaches to the design of technology, with special emphasis on how each paradigm addresses skill, gender, design methodology, and user participation;
- To identify how ergonomic and participatory design practitioners accomplish the goals of the paradigm within which they work, and what factors constrain them from realizing those goals; and
- To determine to what extent system designers and engineers incorporate practices that derive from either ergonomics or participatory design into their work processes.

These objectives were addressed both by substantial literature reviews, and by interviews with forty individuals involved in participatory design or participatory ergonomics projects that focussed on the improvement of women's work. This research project drew heavily on insights gained from the literature concerned with the social shaping of technology.

During my stay as a fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies of Science, Technology and Society (January 2001 - October 2001), I will write a book, tentatively titled Women Users: Re-Gendering Technology that will communicate the results of the aforementioned study to a wide audience. The book is concerned with two main themes: first, understanding how participatory technology design projects have proceeded; and, second, the ways in which the resulting design processes and designs reflect or challenge social and cultural understandings of gender relations.

 

Educational Background

1992 Ph.D., Interdisciplinary, (Communications, Computer Science, Women’s Studies) Faculty of Applied Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby B.C.

Concentration: women’s organizations, computer networks and social change.

1987 M.A., Women's Studies, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.
Concentration: women workers' attitudes towards technology and experiences with workplace technology; the use of technology assessment as an educational tool.

1983-1984
Master's studies, Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, North York Ont.
Concentration: women and technological change.

1983 Non-matriculated graduate student, Social Management of Technology Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
Concentration: technology assessment; technology and work.

1981 B.A., Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Washington, Seattle WA.
Concentration: alternative energy technology and planning.

Employment Experience, Administration:

1997 Director, Assessment of Technology in Context Design Lab (ATIC-DL). School of Communication, Faculty of Applied Science, Simon Fraser University.

Jan. 1991- Feb. 1993
Program Coordinator, Women's Studies Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland.

Employment Experience, Teaching:

July 2000 Received tenure, School of Communication, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.

Jan. 1997 Associate Professor, School of Communication, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.

Undergraduate Courses Taught:

Communication and Social Issues in Design

Evaluation Methods for Applied Communication Research

Social Contexts of Information Technology

Qualitative Data Analysis Project Group

Women and New Information Technologies

Graduate Courses Taught:

Analysis of Qualitative Data: Video

Design and Methodology in Communication Research

Theoretical Perspectives on Technology and Social Change

June 1996 Received tenure and promoted to Associate Professor, Women's Studies Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland.

Employment Experience, Teaching, Cont.

Jan. 1991-June 1996
Assistant Professor, Women's Studies Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland.

Undergraduate Courses Taught:

Advanced Seminar in Women’s Studies

An Interdisciplinary Introduction to Women’s Studies

Field Methods in Women’s Studies Research

Women and Technological Change

Graduate Courses Taught:

Epistemological and Methodological Approaches to Women’s Studies

Feminist Theory

Methods of Sociological Research

Women, Science, Nature and Technology

Women’s Studies and Social Change

Women and Communication Studies

May 1990-Aug. 1990
Instructor, Department of Computing Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.
Course title: Social Implications of a Computerized Society.

Instructor, Department of Women's Studies, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.
Course title: Women, Science and Technology.

Distance Education Supervisor, Department of Women's Studies, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.
Course title: Introduction to Women's Studies.

Jan. 1990- April 1990
Instructor, Department of Computing Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.
Course title: Information and Public Policy.

Sept. 1989-Dec. 1989
Instructor, Department of Communication, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.
Course title: Evaluation Methods for Applied Communication Research.

Jan. 1988-April 1988
Instructor, School of Computing Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.
Course title: Computers and the Activity of People.

Sept. 1987-Dec. 1987
Instructor, School of Computing Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.
Course title: Social Implications of a Computerized Society.

Jan. 1987-Aug. 1987
Teaching Assistant, School of Computing Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.
Course title: Social Implications of a Computerized Society.

Jan. 1987- April 1987
Teaching Assistant, School of Computing Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.
Course title: Computers and the Activity of People.

Jan. 1985- Aug. 1985
Teaching Assistant, Dept. of Women's Studies. Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.
Course title: Introduction to Women's Studies.

Employment Experience, Research:

Spring, 2000-Spring, 2003
Principal Investigator, Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada Standard Research Grant.
Project title: From Work Practice to Public Policy: A Case Study of the Canadian Health Information Infrastructure. (119,000)

Employment Experience, Research, Cont.:

Winter, 2000
Principal Investigator, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Presidents Fund for Innovation. ($10,000.00).
Project title: Emergence: Mapping the Relocation of Employment in the Global Information Economy.
(Canadian Partner, European Union 5th Framework Project) (3 million Euro dollars).

Spring, 1999
Investigator, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Small Grant, Simon Fraser University.
Project title: Theoretical Foundations of a Multi-level Analysis of Technological Change.

Spring, 1999
Co-Investigator (with A. Beale), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Small Grant, Simon Fraser University. .(5,000.00)
Project title: Gender and the Knowledge-Based Economy and Society: From Global to Local.

Spring, 1998
Investigator, President's Research Grant Fund, Simon Fraser University.
Project title: Behind Closed Doors and Out in Public: An Investigation of Computer Use in the Public and Private Spheres.

Fall, 1997
Co-investigator (with L. Jorgenson). TeleLearning Research Network.
Project title: Guided Collaboration in Implementation and Development of Distance Learning Technology. ($4,000)

1996 - 1997
lain Endowed Research Fellowship, Simon Fraser University.
Establishment of the Assessment of Technology in Context Design Lab (ATIC-DL).

Spring, 1997-Spring 2000
Co-investigator (with W. Robbins, M. Olliver, D. Cote, N. Strong-Boag). Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada Grant ($55,000.00).
Project title: PAR-L Research Network.

Fall, 1996
Research Associate, Sociology Institute, University of Bergen, Norway.
Project title: Norwegian Industrial Relations and the Growth of Participatory Design of Technology.

Nov. 1995-March, 1998
Principal Investigator, Vice-president’s Research Grant, Memorial University.
Project title: An Investigation of Birth Control Usage and Failure among Newfoundland and Labrador Women seeking Therapeutic Abortions.

April, 1995-March, 1999
Principal Investigator, Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada Standard Research Grant.
Project title: Skill, Gender and User Involvement in the Design Process: A Comparative Study of Participatory Design and Ergonomics.

April 1995-March 1998
Collaborator, Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada Grant (A. Clement, University of Toronto Faculty of Library and Information Sciences, Principal Investigator)$79,000.00).
Project title: Developing Information Policies for a Canadian ‘Information Infrastructure: Public Interest Perspectives.’

Jan. 1992-Dec. 1994
Research Fellow, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Memorial University, St. John’s, Nfld.
Project title: Participatory Design of Communications technology: Initiating a Newfoundland and Labrador Women’s Computer Network.

Nov. 1987-Aug. 1989
Research Assistant, School of Computing Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.
Research project on women's use of computer networks.

Jan. 1985-Jan. 1986
Research Consultant, Brotherhood of Railway and Airline Clerks, Vancouver, B.C.
Research design, data collection and analysis for research concerning how workers have been affected by technological change.

Employment Experience, Research, Cont.:

Sept. 1983-April 1984
Assistant Editor, Women and Environments, Toronto, Ont.
Copywriting, editing and layout.

July 1981-July 1983
Researcher, Ecotope Consulting Group, Seattle, WA.
Research on regional energy conservation.

Employment Experience, Consulting:

April, 1999
Sole Source Contract, Status of Women Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
Extended Outline for Discussion Paper to Develop A Framework for the Development of Gender Sensitive Policy and Program Indicators for Evaluating Gender Equality in a Knowledge Based Economy and Society.

April, 1997
Sole Source Contract, Human Resources Development Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
Gender and Access to the Information Highway and Knowledge Based Economy: Summary of Related Relevant Research, Implications for Policy and Data Collection.

 

Selected Publications

 

July, 1996
Sole Source Contract, Innuit Women’s Association, Ottawa, Ontario.
Evaluation of Proposed Telecommunications Plan for Government of Nunavut.

Dec. 1992
Sole source contract, ACOA/Enterprise Network. St. John's, Nfld.
Development of Terms of Reference for evaluation of $7.2 million Federal/Provincial Cooperation Agreement which mandates existence of a provincial computer network.

June 1986-Dec. 1990
Computer Consultant, Self employed, Vancouver B.C.
Hardware acquisition, setup and repair; applications training, programming and troubleshooting; wide area networking; data transfer between microcomputers and mainframes; technical writing.

Attached file
Publications of Ellen Balka