welcome to the website for Dr. Natalie Hruska
Welcome to the website! Find out all about my doctoral studies, and my areas of interest. Check out my research and other essays. If you want to connect, use one of my social links.
Since the early 80s, I have been using technology, playing Infocom interactive fiction games on the Commodore 64/VIC-20. I have used the same Yahoo! email address since '93.
Today, I spend a great deal of time on the road, learning about use of technology around the world- mobile and other tools of today’s culture. I am particularly interested in the use of the WWW and its ability to meet important social needs in areas like education, employment, and health.
My hope is that people around the world will recognize the potential of the use of the Internet to meet community needs and make the World Wide Web grow in the right direction.
'Like' my page on Facebook for the latest Blog updates
May 19, 2014
According to a 2013 United Health survey of more than 3000 U.S. adults “80% of people who volunteered in the past 12 months report feeling a sense of control over their health” (p.5).“Volunteers say that they feel they have control over their health. Our study showed that volunteers, compared to non-volunteers consider themselves more knowledgeable about their health and chronic conditions. They are more likely to actively seek out information about their health, they discuss their health with their doctor more frequently than do non-volunteers, and will bring up information they have found in their research with their doctor. Volunteers are more engaged health care consumers. Engaged people make better health care decisions. Better health care decisions result in better health. It’s all good” (United Health Group, 2013, p.5).
In this research, I have identified a connection to my 2012 study, which showed that people with a high locus of control are more likely to use websites to research health matters and assess this experience as positive.
People are busy today and sometimes it might feel like modern technology only makes us busier. But, fortunately, these advances in technology have also made volunteering more accessible in a few ways:
Online Volunteer databases like idealist.org, volunteermatch.org, and onlinevolunteers.org are updated daily with volunteer positions, online, on ground, or both
Micro volunteering options make it easy to give as little or as much time as you have. Check out websites like Freerice.com, HelpFromHome.org, and GoodSearch.
Options have become more diverse and interesting: search for monsters, ghosts, and aliens, and feel good about doing it!
Besides making the world a better place, you are also building experience and widening your network of contacts.
Dr. Natalie Hruska
Reference: Doing Good is Good for You. 2013 Health and Volunteering Study. United Health Group. 2013. Web. 14 May 2014.
Feb. 17, 2014
As I continue work on my documentary, I am calling for videos on people's opinions about technology. See more here. In the meantime, I have done a great deal of travelling, nationally and internationally, to China and the Tibet region and also Guadeloupe, and the southern part of U.S.- national parks.
It has been interesting to try and connect and get online. I was surprised to be touring around Tibet toward the road to Everest and see a mountainside advertisement for a non profit organization online. In places were WiFi was advertised, it has not been the high-speed connection I was used to, but did manage to get online and use the Web, except for websites like Facebook, which are blocked in China.
There were WIFI cafes throughout Guadeloupe and also advertised at the hotel; at times, the WIFI advertised did not connect at all or was spotty. At the hotel, it never worked. So is the problem a lack of resources, a lack of interest in getting online, or some mixture of both? This is something I would like to investigate.
Dr. Hruska
Nov. 17, 2013
Lately I have seen a lot of puzzlement and even blame on web sites for the problems with health services. This makes me wonder about the future of the web- is it going in a more corporate direction?
My research of the Internet and WWW has always focused on its use for the social good- education, volunteering, skills development, and networking.
But in the past couple of months, it seems the potential of the web has become hazy, clouded by politics, money, and poor decision-making. Is this an omen of a future where the blame first lies with technology? Then, what comes next?
Technology is supposed to make our lives easier- not confusing or scary. Here is my recent article on ways Healthcare.gov can be a functional and usable website for its target population: 3 Ways Healthcare.Gov can work.
Dr. Hruska
Sept. 22, 2013
In this video, I talk about my experience as a columnist, webinar presenter and panelist, club advisor, and my social media strategies to promote 'virtual volunteering' and going online to do good. Watch and vote for me here
Dr. Hruska
June 10, 2013
I am working on a documentary on the individual experience using technology today. A variety of users will be interviewed, from the very experienced to the beginners, and consider the diversity of use, like in gaming, networking, commerce, and information exchange. They will be interviewed on their habits using technology, what they find useful, what they could do without, and their ideas about the future of technology. The documentary might expand to a nationwide focus. Do want to participate? Please contact me!
Dr. Hruska
April 25, 2013
My latest research is in self-regulation and self-efficacy. In the results of my dissertation, self-efficacy was not connected to the perceived utility of web-based health information. However, other research shows a connection of self-efficacy to self-regulation, managed on multiple levels, including use of modern technology. There might be another way to show a connection. I would expand on the research already out there by Bandura, Baumeister, Zimmerman and others and include more study of self-regulation, self-efficacy, and use of modern technology.
Dr. Hruska
February 20, 2013
I have been busy writing articles about my research study as a Yahoo! contributor. And, thinking about plans to use my results. I imagine parking the RV somewhere (remote location, lower SES) and being part of the development of a technology center- using donated computers and other hardware and software, and securing a connection to the web. People using the center could receive instruction on using the web to their advantage, like to develop skills, find health information, gain employment, and connect with other people for support. I would design and deliver the curriculum. Funding might cover the development of the center and other costs.
Dr. Hruska
December 7, 2012
I have identified grant giving organizations and plan to apply to them to fund research:
- European Grant
- Wennergren Foundation
- Scholarships for Women
- Getty Foundation
Also, I found areas of the United States where Internet use in lowest- specifically in the Southeast rural areas, so this would be a good place to carry out studies.
Dr. Hruska
August 26, 2012
This blog will be used to keep people posted of my research.
I am working on the dissemination of material on use of the World Wide Web to procure health information, like training and instructional resources, particularly within populations reporting less knowledge and use of the web as a source for this type of information.
Current research in another course of study focuses on how coping might differ across age, gender, culture, and other demographics, and the degree to which people use the Internet as a resource to cope with stress.
If you are interested in knowing more, please let me know. More soon!
