bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Computational Methods for Identification of Novel Secondary Metabolite Biosynthetic Pathways by Genome Analysis
Authors: Anand Swadha , Mohanty Debasisa
Published: May 2011

Secondary metabolites belonging to polyketide and nonribosomal peptide families constitute a major class of natural products with diverse biological functions and a variety of pharmaceutically important properties. Experimental studies have shown that the biosynthetic machinery for polyketide and nonribosomal peptides involves multi-functional megasynthases like Polyketide Synthases (PKSs) and nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) which utilize a thiotemplate mechanism similar to that for fatty acid biosynthesis. Availability of complete genome sequences for an increasing number of microbial organisms has provided opportunities for using in silico genome mining to decipher the secondary metabolite natural product repertoire encoded by these organisms. Therefore, in recent years there have been major advances in development of computational methods which can analyze genome sequences to identify genes involved in secondary metabolite biosynthesis and help in deciphering the putative chemical structures of their biosynthetic products based on analysis of the sequence and structural features of the proteins encoded by these genes. These computational methods for deciphering the secondary metabolite biosynthetic code essentially involve identification of various catalytic domains present in this PKS/NRPS family of enzymes; a prediction of various reactions in these enzymatic domains and their substrate specificities and also precise identification of the order in which these domains would catalyze various biosynthetic steps. Structural bioinformatics analysis of known secondary metabolite biosynthetic clusters has helped in formulation of predictive rules for deciphering domain organization, substrate specificity, and order of substrate channeling. In this chapter, the progress in development of various computational methods is discussed by different research groups, and specifically, the utility in identification of novel metabolites by genome mining and rational design of natural product analogs by biosynthetic engineering studies.
Using Systems Biology Approaches to Predict New Players in the Innate Immune System
Authors: Li Bin
Published: May 2011

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are critical players in the innate immune response to pathogens. However, transcriptional regulatory mechanisms in the TLR activation pathways are still relatively poorly characterized. To address this question, the author of this chapter applied a systematic approach to predict transcription factors that temporally regulate differentially expressed genes under diverse TLR stimuli. Time-course microarray data were selected from mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages stimulated by six TLR agonists. Differentially regulated genes were clustered on the basis of their dynamic behavior. The author then developed a computational method to identify positional overlapping transcription factor (TF) binding sites in each cluster, so as to predict possible TFs that may regulate these genes. A second microarray dataset, on wild-type, Myd88-/- and Trif-/- macrophages stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), was used to provide supporting evidence on this combined approach. Overall, the author was able to identify known TLR TFs, as well as to predict new TFs that may be involved in TLR signaling.
Dynamic Modeling and Parameter Identification for Biological Networks
Authors: Bianconi Fortunato , Lillacci Gabriele , Valigi Paolo
Published: May 2011

Then, two different parameter identification techniques are presented for the proposed models. One is based on a least squares procedure, which treats the signals provided by a high gain observer; the other one is based on a Mixed Extended Kalman Filter. Prior to the estimation phase, identifiability and sensitivity analyses are used to determine which parameters can be and/or should be estimated. The procedures are tested and compared by means of data obtained by in silico experiments.
Finding Attractors on a Folding Energy Landscape
Authors: Ndifon Wilfred , Dushoff Jonathan
Published: May 2011

RNA sequences fold into their native conformations by means of an adaptive search of their folding energy landscapes. The energy landscape may contain one or more suboptimal attractor conformations, making it possible for an RNA sequence to become trapped in a suboptimal attractor during the folding process. How the probability that an RNA sequence will find a given attractor before it finds another one depends on the relative positions of those attractors on the energy landscape is not well understood. Similarly, there is an inadequate understanding of the mechanisms that underlie differences in the amount of time an RNA sequence spends in a particular state. Elucidation of those mechanisms would contribute to the understanding of constraints operating on RNA folding. This chapter explores the kinetics of RNA folding using theoretical models and experimental data. Discrepancies between experimental predictions and expectations based on prevailing assumptions about the determinants of RNA folding kinetics are highlighted. An analogy between kinetic accessibility and evolutionary accessibility is also discussed.
Adding Semantics to QoS Requirements
Authors: Giallonardo Ester , Zimeo Eugenio
Published: May 2011

To lead the software-service revolution and to make real the promise of Business to Business interactions, QoS and Semantics play key roles in every phase of Web processes’ life-cycle. Ontology-based approaches for specifying QoS enable machines to reason autonomously and dynamically on QoS knowledge, aiding the development of open and large-scale distributed applications. This chapter presents the impact of Semantics for the management of QoS Requirements in Service-based Applications, focusing on the onQoS ontology, its role for specifying service requirements and to support queries for service discovery through the onQoS-QL language. The introduced concepts and the results presented in the chapter pave the way to new technology horizons where the semantics could represent the global glue for Web processes.
European Schoolnet1’s Games in Schools Study
Authors: Kearney Caroline
Published: May 2011

This chapter summarizes the main results of the comparative study, How are digital games used in schools? (European Schoolnet, April 2009), representing the most recent and comprehensive attempt to understand the current situation regarding games-based learning in schools across Europe. The study’s various elements are described, including: a literature review, teachers’ survey, case studies, and interviews with educational policy makers and experts. It concludes that some teachers do indeed use digital games (educational as well as commercial) in schools regardless of their gender, age, number of years in the profession, familiarity with games, age of their pupils, or the subject they teach. However, the use of games-based learning in schools across Europe remains limited. The study sheds some interesting light on the facilitators and barriers to using digital games in the classroom, the necessary conditions for their successful integration into the school context, and the role of the teacher. Recommendations for the education sector and industry are put forward, and new projects at European level aimed at further integrating games-based learning in schools are documented.
Game-Based Learning Design Patterns
Authors: Ecker Manuel , Müller Wolfgang , Zylka Johannes
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces an approach to use best-practice experiences in terms of Design Patterns to support the development of high-quality and successful educational games. These Game-based Learning Design Patterns draw from previous work on Game Design Patterns and Pedagogical Patterns. The chapter provides background on the Design Pattern approach and explains the structure of the new pattern type based on selected examples. It also illustrates that existing patterns, e.g., from Game Design, may provide first evidence, while the identification of Game-based Learning Design Patterns is not straightforward.
Game Literacy
Authors: Schott Gareth , Selwyn Neil
Published: May 2011

Game playing is made possible by players’ engagement in configurative practices that work in conjunction with interpretive practices, referring to how a viewer’s semiotic work on the text (when reading and interpreting it) is taken directly from the semiotic resources that are put to use and made available by the text itself. That is, games are dynamic entities that remain ‘in potentia’ until actualised by the player. In doing so, the player is involved in recursive actions that produce polysemic performances and readings. The literacy demands of games support the argument that it is a ‘mistake’ to consider that [they] offer only one type of experience and foster one type of engagement (Newman, 2002). Yet, when applied to the processes of media regulation and classifying game content (which guides the general publics’ understanding of games), the competencies required to engage successfully with interactive texts fail to receive accurate representation or acknowledgment. This chapter addresses how the rise of new forms of literacy, has created a discrepancy between the literacy employed by digital natives when playing games and the way digital immigrants classify games by attributing greater meaning to the ‘screen’ as the major carrier of information. The central thesis of this chapter is to present an argument for classification processes to account for the contributions to knowledge from theory and research examining game based learning.
Unifying Instructional and Game Design
Authors: Schwartz David I. , Bayliss Jessica D.
Published: May 2011

Games have impacted education, research, and industry in multiple ways, altering notions of interaction. Traditionally, instructional design and educational research have dominated academic studies of pedagogy, teaching, and training. There are many parallels between the fields of game design and education, as both draw inspiration from the study of engagement, interaction, and motivation. State-of-the-art research and trends show great potential to cross-pollinate and uplift each area. This chapter synthesizes instructional and game design concepts based on current research, comparing and contrasting key elements. Towards the goal of providing a road map for readers, the chapter demonstrates three active case studies that illustrate how both fields greatly influence each other, leading to positive outcomes. These cases demonstrate that many concepts in both fields have direct parallels. The chapter concludes with a discussion of potential future directions and trends.
A Theoretical Background for Educational Video Games
Authors: Szilas Nicolas , Acosta Martin
Published: May 2011

This theory is then put into practice by analyzing three commercial educational games. It constitutes a first step towards Instructional Game Design.
Assessing Engagement in Serious Educational Games
Authors: Annetta Leonard A. , Lamb Richard , Bowling Brandy , Cheng Rebecca
Published: May 2011

The critical nature of engaging students in authentic learning tasks is not a new concept, but as 21st century technologies become more pervasive in K-20 settings, it is emerging as a significant indicator of learning. This chapter will ground itself in cognition and learning theory, describe the creation and psychometrics of an engagement observation protocol, and provide practical examples of implementation of the SELTIC.
Games that Motivate to Learn
Authors: Deen Menno , Schouten Ben A.M.
Published: May 2011

To accomplish this fit, game designers could not conceal the learning within a game, but explicitly communicate the constructed knowledge to the player. Progressive feedback, the availability of various learning styles in the game, and the embedding of the game in a social environment, might satisfy students’ needs for competence, autonomy and relatedness to significant others. When these needs are satisfied within the context of the educational instructions, students might become motivated to learn during play, and even when the game is over.
Gestural Motivation, Learning and Evaluation using Interactive Game Design
Authors: Danylak Roman
Published: May 2011

Emerging game interface design increasingly incorporates human gestural learning. Electronic gestural games, when effectively designed, offer high levels of user engagement. The chapter to follow presents theatrical practice, an art form that manufactures expressive gestures in set paradigms, as a model for gestural game systems design. A rigorous definition of gesture is first developed from yoga practice as an exercise for performance preparation, emphasising the gesture as a still form executed within a narrative context. The theatrical model is then refigured into an interactive gestural film game design, To be or not be, based on a section of text from Shakespeare’s play Hamlet (Danylak & Weakley, 2007). Evaluation of gestural learning is integrated into the system. The focus is on the generation of the physical aspect of the gesture as a movement.
Motivating the Demotivated Classroom
Authors: Saridaki Maria , Mourlas Constantinos
Published: May 2011

Findings from the educational literature and experimental observations, as well as case studies from field studies will be presented and discussed, in order to demonstrate how games are able to constitute a powerful educational and motivational medium in a SEN classroom.
Students Using Indigenous Knowledge in Video Game Creation to Develop Design Thinking Skills
Authors: Anderson Professor Neil , Courtney Lyn
Published: May 2011

This chapter describes an educational intervention to introduce and develop design thinking skills with two groups of Australian Indigenous high school students in Far North Queensland and reports on the first phase of the data collection. The initial data collection involved interviewing key personnel at the two sites to gauge their perceptions about the feasibility of the project. This project represents the first time that Australian Indigenous students have participated in videogame creation with an emphasis on using Indigenous knowledge to develop design thinking skills along with literacy and numeracy skills. During the intervention, Year 10 students will be introduced to design thinking skills in the context of developing computer video games using Australian Indigenous knowledge (e.g., a simulation game involving a fictitious island in the Torres Strait).
Game-Based Learning with a Dialogic Teaching Approach
Authors: Tan Wee Hoe , Johnston-Wilder Sue , Neill Sean
Published: May 2011

This chapter is an instance of the deployment of game-based learning (GBL) in an upper secondary school in the UK. A retrospective case study was conducted with sixth-form students (aged 17) and their teacher. The study examines their perceptions after the use of Spore™ in their biology lessons. The teacher integrated GBL with a dialogic teaching approach to promote deep learning among the students. A surface–deep learning matrix was created to extract the students’ attributes as deep learners and to identify the teacher’s characteristics. A comparison is presented between the perceived advantages of GBL, the normal learning approach, and how the students see teachers who use technology in teaching. The chapter focuses on the discussion of issues associated with the choice of focus group as a research method and the practice of GBL in the 14–19 context.
Modifying Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Games for Use in Education
Authors: Flynn Ryan
Published: May 2011

The use of computer and video games in education is not a new phenomenon. However, the use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) games, specifically the modification (“modding”) of them to allow for use in an educational setting, is a relatively new area that is gaining more traction in educational circles. Furthermore, when considering the delivery of learning material in a Higher Education (HE) setting, most (if not all) current educational games are aimed at students below the HE level. Most current educational games use a behaviourist “drill and practice” approach to their delivery of learning and there is still a need to have educational games that mirror more complex teaching and learning theories. This chapter discusses approaches to using COTS games in education, the challenges of designing educational games that work at higher education levels, and the principles attached to using them effectively for student learning and assessment purposes.
Developing Educational Games for Engineering Education
Authors: Srinivasan Vinod , Butler-Purry Karen , Pedersen Susan
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents an experience with the development of an educational game focusing on digital systems design for undergraduate electrical engineering students. The project was motivated by the ineffectiveness of traditional instructional methods, particularly in engineering education and research, indicating that educational games have the potential to improve learning and motivation among players. The chapter presents an overview of the literature on engineering education and game-based learning, followed by a detailed look into the process by which this project was approached, starting from obtaining funding for the project to the actual design, development, implementation, and assessment of the game itself. The emphasis in this chapter will be on the challenges faced and the lessons learned during the course of this ongoing project. The challenges are common to other similar projects, and the lessons learned can provide valuable guidelines to other researchers and educators engaged in similar endeavors.
Developing Videogames for Physics Education
Authors: Anagnostou Kostas , Pappa Anastasia
Published: May 2011

This chapter reviews the potential of videogames to enhance physics education, and provide guidelines for designing educational videogames that promote physics learning objectives by integrating them into gameplay mechanics. It also presents the available technology solutions for educational videogame development. To put the design of physics educational games into context, the chapter reviews the existing research into videogames for physics education and the main learning theories in light of how they associate to the various videogame genres. Finally, the barriers that currently inhibit widespread adoption of videogames in educational environments are discussed and future directions of research into the field are indicated.
Emerging Paradigms in Legal Education
Authors: Lettieri Nicola , Fabiani Ernesto , Polcini Antonella Tartaglia , De Chiara Rosario , Scarano Vittorio
Published: May 2011

Over the last years, despite few exceptions, legal education has dropped behind in the use of digital game-based learning methods. Law schools essentially still resort to traditional lectures even though there are evidences that computer gaming simulations can represent an effective practice for both teaching theoretical concepts of law and for training students in acquiring legal skills. This chapter presents a research that is aimed at developing/trying out a new method for legal education based on the use of SGs. Simulex, a learning environment for the creation of on line role playing games simulating trials, will be presented. The main focus of the chapter will be on the analysis of the specific needs of legal education and on describing how these needs have been matched by the development of the project, from the design to the testing phase. Some user testing has been carried out in the specific case of an experimental class of civil procedure law, for undergraduate students. The second part of the work will describe the results of the testing from a didactical, methodological, and technical point of view, also sketching future developments of the experimentation.
Digital Divide, Social Divide, Paradigmatic Divide
Authors: Pimienta Daniel
Published: May 2011

The digital divide is nothing else than the reflection of the social divide in the digital world. The use of ICT for human development does offer opportunities to reduce the social divide for individual beings or communities; yet there exists a series of obstacles to overcome. The very existence of an infrastructure for connectivity is only the first obstacle, although it often receives an exclusive focus, due to the lack of an holistic approach which gives an essential part to digital and information literacy. Telecommunications, hardware and software are predictable prerequisites; however, the true pillars of human-focused information societies are education, ethics, and participation, interacting together as a systemic process. As long as decision makers are not ready to consider these evidences, and keep on favoring a mere technological vision, we will suffer from the most dangerous divide in terms of impact: the paradigmatic divide. Any resemblance to characters, projects, or policies in real life is quite intentional.
Reorganizing People in Customer Knowledge Management Change
Authors: Al-Shammari Minwir
Published: May 2011

The transition to knowledge-intensive customer-centric enterprise is important, but never easy. Reorganizing people is likely to face critical structural and cultural change issues related to people. Addressing these issues is essential for the continued success of customer-value-building services and products. In light of today’s competitive business environments and changing power of customers, organizations need to be able to deal with people-based issues in order to secure high quality customer service and long-life and profitable customer relationship. The chapter presents a recommended solution to deal with people change management in competitive business environments, viz. to ‘reorganize people’ in a customer-centric networked organization. ‘Reorganization of people’ is operationally defined by three sub-interventions: a) reconfiguring structure, b) reshaping culture, and c) rehabilitating people.
National Culture and E-Government Readiness
Authors: Kovacic Zlatko J.
Published: May 2011

Diffusion of information and communication technologies is a global phenomenon. In spite of rapid globalization there are considerable differences between nations in terms of the adoption and usage of new technologies. Several studies exploring causal factors including national cultures of information and communication technology adoption have been carried out. The focus of this article is slightly different from other studies in this area. Rather than concentrating on the individual information technology an overall e-Government readiness is the focus. This research conducted an analysis of the impact national culture has on e-Government readiness and its components for 62 countries. E-Government readiness assessment used in this study is based on the UN E-Government Survey 2008, while the national cultural dimensions were identified using Hofstede’s model of cultural differences. The research model and hypotheses were formed and tested using correlation and regression analysis. The findings indicate that worldwide e-Government readiness and its components are related to culture. The result has theoretical and practical implications.
Technology-Related Trust Issues in Inter-Organizational Business Relations
Authors: Kumar Muneesh , Sareen Mamta
Published: May 2011

The emergence of inter-organizational system has facilitated easy and fast flow of information among the trading partners. This has affected the business relations among the trading parties involved. Though the inter-organizational systems have helped a lot in improving the business relations, the vulnerability and the virtual environment of such systems raise the issues of trust that may affect the long-term business relations. This chapter makes an attempt to empirically examine the relationship between the levels of assurance with regard to deployment and implementation of relevant technology tools in addressing the identified technology-related trust issues and ultimately enhancing the perceived level of trust in inter-organizational business relations. The empirical evidence presented in this paper is based on a survey of 106 Indian companies using inter-organizational systems for managing their business relations.
How People Really Use the Mobile Web
Authors: Taylor Carol A. , Samuels Nancy , Ramey Judith A.
Published: May 2011

Mobile data services offer a viable and growing alternative means of accessing the World Wide Web and have drawn significant attention from the mobile industry. However, design efforts are hampered by the fact that we do not fully understand people’s motivations, behaviors, and contexts of use when they access the Web on their phones in naturalistic settings. To help address this need, the authors conducted a study to explore the following questions for U.S. mobile phone users: (1) What motivations lead people to access the Web on their mobile phones?;(2) What do they do?; and (3) Where do they do it? We studied active U.S. mobile Web users via questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and a field diary system that participants used to record their daily Web activities. Based on the findings from Part One of the study, they constructed a taxonomy of behaviors, motivations, and contexts associated with mobile Web usage. In Parts Two and Three, the authors validated the taxonomy as well as compared iPhone versus non-iPhone user behaviors. The authors conclude this report of the three-part study by considering the design implications of their findings and future research directions for further understanding the mobile Web.
ICT for Consumers or Human Beings
Authors: Sillence Elizabeth , Pirhonen Antti
Published: May 2011

The large scale deployment of mobile applications inevitably impacts upon our culture as a whole and affects more intimately our daily lives. Not all of these effects are desirable. In a market economy, ethical issues are not the most important drivers in the development of technology. In this chapter, the authors ask whether the mobile human-computer interaction community could take an active role in discussing ethical issues. In so doing as a community we could focus our attention on developing technology for ‘human beings’ rather than fine tuning our emerging gadgets.
Designing Mobile Phones for Children
Authors: Read Janet C
Published: May 2011

The mobile phone is one of the most ubiquitous technologies in the developed world. In a market dominated by adults and older teenagers, one group of users that is relatively new to the mobile phone market is children. When children use mobile phones their needs are sometimes complicated by, or conflict with, the needs of their parents or primary care givers. As the laptop is being redesigned to make it accessible to children, it is worthwhile to ask the question ‘Do children need a different sort of mobile phone than their parents?’ By considering data about the use and usage of mobile phones, research on designing special children’s technologies, and research on the needs of children as mobile phone users, this paper presents the argument that the mobile phone needs a design re-think if it is to meet the needs of children.
E-Technologies in Higher Education Provision
Authors: Ieromonachou Petros , Stair Nola
Published: May 2011

Technology is always advancing; furthermore, the economy and demographics, both at global and local levels dictate changes that businesses need to consider for future planning. Like all businesses, most academic institutions need to follow trends and offer new and up-to-date learning initiatives. This chapter discusses the assessment and evaluation of Web-based postgraduate and undergraduate programmes, at the Business School of a London-based university. The study reviews relevant literature, investigates student and staff views on the use of technology in learning, and reflects on the planning and management of two Supported Open Learning (SOL) programmes. It also offers suggestions for future programmes and courses designed for use with e-learning technologies.
Technology, Trust and B2B Relationships
Authors: Johns Raechel
Published: May 2011

Technology has altered business processes, and the use of self-service technologies changes the nature of service delivery. The importance of developing and fostering relationships with customers has long been regarded as important within services marketing (Berry, 1983) and also within B2B relationships (Ford, 1990). In the 1980s and 90s, a shift in marketing focus has seen an increased emphasis on relationship marketing (Morgan and Hunt, 1994). This chapter reviews the results and implications of recent exploratory research conducted with a small sample of Australian business bank customers (n=20). This research makes a contribution toward answering the research question “what impact does the use of self service technologies have on relationships within a business-to-business context?” Utilising a banking context, this research explores how the use of Internet banking impacts on relationships between the bank and its business customer. In exploring this research area, a greater understanding of banking relationships and business banking customers has been identified.
Evaluation and Benefits Realization of E-Business Investments in Healthcare Organizations
Authors: Lin Chad
Published: May 2011

Despite high expectations for the value of e-business in healthcare, its adoption remains poorly understood and under-researched. The adoption and effective utilization of e-business in the healthcare industry can potentially lead to many benefits, such as: an increased accessibility to healthcare providers, improved work-flow efficiency, a higher quality of healthcare services, decreased scheduling conflicts, and reduction in healthcare costs. Healthcare organizations have started to fully make use of e-business technologies to overcome many of the challenges they face. However, healthcare executives have found it increasingly difficult to justify rising IT expenditures and are often under pressure to find a way to evaluate the contribution of their e-business investments to business performance, as well as to find reliable ways to ensure that the business benefits from the investments are actually realized. Hence, the case study approach was conducted to examine the evaluation practices and processes of their e-business investment. The key objectives of the study are to: (1) examine current e-business investment evaluation and benefits realization practices and processes among different types of healthcare organizations; and (2) identify issues and factors that are critical in evaluating and managing e-business investments in healthcare organizations. One contribution of the study is the examination of the relationship between e-business investments and evaluation practices and processes of healthcare organizations.
The Agri-Food Industry and the E-Landscape
Authors: Bryceson Kim
Published: May 2011

This chapter provides a brief introduction to the agri-food industry sector and the role that electronic technologies are increasingly playing in ensuring a highly competitive business environment from production through to the final consumer. Key issues such as the dynamics of sustainable production, the drivers of supply and demand and globalised markets, as well as food safety and food security, are discussed within a “Food for Thought” section which provides the context for a more detailed look at a series of technologies used in various agri-food industry chains. Included for special discussion are those ‘e’ technologies associated with precision farming, electronic animal identification, robotic weed and pest control, cold chain RFID logistics tracking and e-commerce. The chapter concludes with a look at emerging issues for businesses within the agri-food industry going forward within the global electronic landscape, their significance, and some potential solutions.
E-Business
Authors: Nachtigal Sharon
Published: May 2011

The chapter aims at providing the audience of this book with a clear understanding of the term “e-business,” and its definition and features, which are based mainly on the fact that e-business is made possible by IT only. As argued above, this understanding is essential in order to discuss various aspects related to this new mode of doing business.
Taxonomies for Technology
Authors: Caladine Richard
Published: May 2011

Today there is a range of technologies available to those who design learning events, from the old and simple to the new and complex. Key attempts have been made to develop theoretical frameworks of learning technologies and have been reported in the literature of higher education, human resource development, and instructional design. These three fields are not discrete and some overlap occurs. For example, commentators in the field of instructional design state that their designs are provided for learning in many contexts including schools, higher education, organizations, and government (Gagné, Briggs, & Wager, 1992; Reigeluth, 1983). In many cases the theoretical frameworks are intended to guide the selection of learning technologies but often the conceptualizations have not kept pace with technological change.
Quality Learning Objective in Instructional Design
Authors: Morales Erla M. , García Francisco J. , Barrón Ángela
Published: May 2011

Due to continuous technological advancements, the Web offers diverse applications for e-learning. However, in practice, many times technological development is considered synonymous with improved education. It is very important to take into account the appropriate use of Web development in order to promote knowledge acquisition with a proper selection, delivery and construction of information.
Instructional Challenges in Higher Education Online Courses Delivered through a Learning Management System by Subject Matter Experts
Authors: Joeckel III George L. , Jeon Tae , Gardner Joel
Published: May 2011

The authors are Instructional Designers developing online courses in higher education. These courses are facilitated by Subject Matter Experts and delivered through a Learning Management System. They propose that instructional alignment with pedagogic beliefs is the best instructional foundation for original course designs in this instructional context, and examine three factors unique to this context. They propose new instructional design models and a new instructional system of design to address the instructional challenges specific to their learning system context.
The Virtue of Paper
Authors: Hokanson Brad
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents an argument in favor of using paper to conceive, plan, and describe instructional design projects. Such a simple medium has great capability and, as is well known, a tenacious ubiquity; our offices, practices, and lives are filled with paper. We will see how the attributes of paper help us in both social and cognitive ways, particularly as a medium for drawing.
Creating Supportive Environments for CALL Teacher Autonomy
Authors: Chylinski Renata , Hanewald Ria
Published: May 2011

This chapter reports on a study undertaken on the impact of pedagogical and technological innovations in language teaching and language learning, with a special focus on creating online institutional environments to support teachers’ autonomy in computer assisted language learning (CALL). This study took place at MUELC, a self-funded teaching institution that belongs to a network of Australian universities offering English Language Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS). Significant expansion in student enrollments has resulted in programs across four locations with all language teachers involved in CALL delivery. Fostering and supporting teacher autonomy became the key premise for the creation of multifaceted in-house CALL support initiatives, one of them an online portal containing resources for teaching and learning as well as tools for reflection on practice and opportunities for professional development. Language teachers have been building this intranet portal site using the theoretical frameworks of practitioner-based inquiry and organizational change management. The evaluation of this study reflects the duality of the research aims; namely, the features of the developed product and the learning process of the teachers involved. This may be of value to other language institutions embarking on similar online projects.
Teaching Technology to Digital Immigrants
Authors: Rockett Danika , Powell Tamara , Vessel Amy Massey , Kimbell-Lopez Kimberly , Cummins Carrice , Hill Janis
Published: May 2011

Someone has to prepare faculty who are in need of technology skills. For example, in Louisiana, in response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, every faculty member at the university level has to have a Blackboard presence and a disaster plan so that classes can continue in the event of a catastrophe. Those faculty called upon to assist their peers in complying with the directives are often chosen only because they are more comfortable than others with technology. Often, trainees are uncomfortable in such training, and senior faculty, often later “digital immigrants,” can be resentful. The researchers and authors of this paper have garnered $443,658 in grants involving training faculty in instructional technology. Through their experiences, the authors and researchers have isolated seven key practices that make such training successful. This article describes those practices and supports the findings of the primary research with secondary research on andragogy and Marc Prensky’s ideas of the literacy divide that exists between “digital natives” and “digital immigrants.” By considering the basic tenets of adult education, we can be better facilitators of valuable training sessions that will bridge the digital divide.
Leveraging Libraries to Support Academic Technology
Authors: Jagman Heather , Koenig Melissa , Greene Courtney
Published: May 2011

Through leveraging the relationship between libraries and technology, colleges and universities can make the best use of the skills that librarians bring to the table. At DePaul University, three positions have been created which report to two campus units: The University Libraries and Instructional Technology Development. The consolidation of both library and instructional technology perspectives to create this first group of blended positions at DePaul has been successful, due in large part to the fact that the primary responsibilities of these positions are in areas of mutual interest: instruction, collection development, and technology support for faculty and students, whether on a consulting basis or at the reference desk. As libraries and librarians become ever more closely and actively aligned with the teaching mission of the university, universities and colleges can transform librarians’ roles within the academy by leveraging their skills to enhance teaching and learning in today’s online environment.
Transforming a Pediatrics Lecture Series to Online Instruction
Authors: Koszalka Tiffany A. , Olson Bradley
Published: May 2011

A major issue facing medical education training programs across the USA is the recent advent of universal mandatory duty hour limitations and the time pressure it places on formal face-to-face educational sessions. In response to these mandates and associated issues many medical education programs are exploring the use of online instruction to address issues of accessibility. This chapter describes the instructional development process followed to transform a classroom-based pediatrics residency lecture series into an on-demand, video-enhanced, online instructional environment. An overview of the learning principles and instructional sciences that guided the design process is provided. The phases of the designed solution are then described in the context of enhancing the lecture series as it was transformed into online instruction. Implementation logistics are described followed by an overview of the benefits, barriers, and initial project outcomes. Plans for future enhancements and research projects are also discussed.
Leveraging the Affordances of an Electronic Game to Meet Instructional Goals
Authors: Ma Yuxin , Williams Douglas , Richard Charles , Prejean Louise
Published: May 2011

Electronic games have the potential to support learning by doing and enhance student motivation. However, there is little guidance in the literature on how to leverage the affordances of electronic games to design effective instruction. This chapter is our effort to start to accumulate knowledge to guide the design of electronic educational games. We present a case study describing how the unique components of electronic games enabled the design of Conquest of Coastlands, a learning environment delivered as an electronic game. We describe how our team synthesized two sets of design principles from the literature on electronic games, instructional design, and intrinsic motivation and how these principles informed the design of Conquest of Coastlands. The principles and the related case study may inform the design of future electronic educational games and generate research questions to be investigated in empirical research.
Narrative Development and Instructional Design
Authors: Williams Douglas , Ma Yuxin , Richard Charles , Prejean Louise
Published: May 2011

This chapter explores the challenge of balancing narrative development and instructional design in the creation of an electronic game-based learning environment. Narrative is a key factor in successful commercial games. The hero’s journey is explained and proposed as a model narrative structure for developing educational role-playing games and informing instructional design. Opportunities to embed various instructional strategies within the hero’s journey structure are presented.
Teacher Gamers vs. Teacher Non-Gamers
Authors: James Christopher L. , Wright Vivan H.
Published: May 2011

The purpose of this study was to identify secondary teachers with video game-play experience and determine if perceived levels of comfort in regard to completing job-related technology tasks, amounts of instructional technology usage, and amounts of participation in innovative teaching strategies are affected by experience or lack of experience with video games. Although significant differences were not found between teachers identified as gamers and those identified as non-gamers, researchers may choose to investigate specific areas where mean differences were found. For example, gamers were more comfortable using presentation software for demonstrating concepts in class, communicating electronically with colleagues and students, using the Internet for instructional purposes, and presenting information using various delivery modes. In comparison to gamers, non-gamers indicated a tendency to communicate electronically with parents more often, encourage students to use electronic tutorials outside of class more often, and allow students to use word processors to complete assignments more frequently. This study can be used as a reference point for future research into teachers and video game-play in regard to teaching practices and job-related tasks.
Culturally Negotiating the Meanings of Technology Use
Authors: Subramony Deepak Prem
Published: May 2011

This paper explores how the “meanings” of technology use are being culturally negotiated between Western educators and native Iñupiat Eskimo learners at schools across the Alaskan Arctic region, as part of a wider examination of the impact of the Western product and process technologies embodied by these schools upon the socio-cultural consciousness of the non-Western learners whose educational needs they seek to serve. There are two distinct aspects to this intercultural negotiation between educators and learners: (a) attempts of the former to reconcile their practices with the latter’s values, standards, and expectations; and (b) efforts of the latter to culturally appropriate the non-indigenous technologies being made available to them. It is expected that professionals working in a range of organizational contexts within our field may be able to gain insight from the remarkably universal nature of the problems and solutions involved in this extreme and instructive situation of socio-cultural tension
Using the Interpersonal Action-Learning Cycle to Invite Thinking, Attentive Comprehension
Authors: Zimmer Bob
Published: May 2011

This chapter shows how the interpersonal action-learning cycle (IALC) can be used to invite thinking and attentive comprehension from learners in conversation. It explains what the IALC is, where it comes from, how it works and why. In particular, it offers a logical demonstration that all interpersonal learning takes place within the IALC, and that all competition for dominance lies outside it – suggesting conscious use of the IALC as a desirable practice. The chapter goes on to explore linguistic factors that routinely disrupt use of the IALC, and that can hide its very existence. Strategies for restoring and stabilizing it are offered. Routine use of the IALC can have profound implications for teaching and instruction, collaborative learning, assessment, course evaluation and professional development. These are explored.
Knowledge Transfer in G2G Endeavors
Authors: Joia Luiz Antonio
Published: May 2011

Since the beginning of the 1980s, a movement was fomented by academics and executives to use information and communication technology (ICT) not only as a tool for processing data more rapidly, but also as a powerful strategic weapon. The need to use ICT as an enabler for reformulating old processes, rather than simply automating existing practices, was perceived by these academics and executives (see, for instance, Davenport & Short, 1990; Venkatraman, 1994).
Improving Teachers’ Self-Confidence in Learning Technology Skills and Math Education through Professional Development
Authors: Hartsell Taralynn , Herron Sherry S. , Fang Houbin , Rathod Avinash
Published: May 2011

Using technology tools in math instruction can help stimulate problem-solving skills and understanding of math concepts. However, teachers need to be confident in their abilities to use technology tools. This study investigated whether or not a four-week in-service professional development institute that addressed the use of technology in math education helped improved the teachers’ attitude and confidence in applying technology. Findings indicated that as the teachers explored and used the available technology tools relevant to math instruction during the institute, the more proactive and motivated they became to continue their professional development in using technology for classroom instruction. They realized that they were able to use technology and desired to continue their education in this area.
Theories and Principles for E-Learning Practices with Instructional Design
Authors: Ranieri Maria
Published: May 2011

E-learning has become an area of increasing interest for academics, consultants, and practitioners. Notwithstanding, it seems that in current experiences the instructional dimension is often overlooked. Many elearning courses are content-oriented and the attention is often put on the technological dimension. We believe that a fruitful contribution in order to overcome the gap between technology and pedagogy and promote a more sensible instructional approach to e-learning, can be derived from instructional design (ID). ID is an ever growing field of research (Dijkstra, Seel, Schott, & Tennyson, 1997; Gagné & Briggs, 1990; Merrill, 2001; Reigeluth, 1989; Savery & Duffy, 1995; Wilson & Cole, 1991). Its results have a transversal value with respects to the specific delivery supports adopted in the learning environment. Whether we are dealing with online or face-to-face education, useful criteria from ID can be outlined for designing effective, efficient, and appealing learning experiences.