bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Complementary Cyber Swarm Algorithm
Authors: Yin Peng-Yeng , Glover Fred , Laguna Manuel , Zhu Jia-Xian
Published: October 2011

A recent study (Yin et al., 2010) showed that combining particle swarm optimization (PSO) with the strategies of scatter search (SS) and path relinking (PR) produces a Cyber Swarm Algorithm that creates a more effective form of PSO than methods that do not incorporate such mechanisms. This paper proposes a Complementary Cyber Swarm Algorithm (C/CyberSA) that performs in the same league as the original Cyber Swarm Algorithm but adopts different sets of ideas from the tabu search (TS) and the SS/PR template. The C/CyberSA exploits the guidance information and restriction information produced in the history of swarm search and the manipulation of adaptive memory. Responsive strategies using long term memory and path relinking implementations are proposed that make use of critical events encountered in the search. Experimental results with a large set of challenging test functions show that the C/CyberSA outperforms two recently proposed swarm-based methods by finding more optimal solutions while simultaneously using a smaller number of function evaluations. The C/CyberSA approach further produces improvements comparable to those obtained by the original CyberSA in relation to the Standard PSO 2007 method (Clerc, 2008).
Image Segmentation Based on Bacterial Foraging and FCM Algorithm
Authors: Mo Hongwei , Yin Yujing
Published: October 2011

This paper addresses the issue of image segmentation by clustering in the domain of image processing. The clustering algorithm taken account here is the Fuzzy C-Means which is widely adopted in this field. Bacterial Foraging Optimization Algorithm is an optimal algorithm inspired by the foraging behavior of E.coli. For the purpose to reinforce the global search capability of FCM, the Bacterial Foraging Algorithm was employed to optimize the objective criterion function which is interrelated to centroids in FCM. To evaluate the validation of the composite algorithm, cluster validation indexes were used to obtain numerical results and guide the possible best solution found by BF-FCM. Several experiments were conducted on three UCI data sets. For image segmentation, BF-FCM successfully segmented 8 typical grey scale images, and most of them obtained the desired effects. All the experiment results show that BF-FCM has better performance than that of standard FCM.
Capability Development of Customers
Authors: Sharma Vinay , Madan Pankaj , Seth Piyush
Published: October 2011

This paper identifies the application of capability concept (Sen, 2000) as a globally viable business strategy for the coming age which can be used to expand markets into to all levels of the social stratum. ‘Capability’ development is proposed as a way to propel business and expand markets to all levels of the social stratum. The article describes how Information and Communication Technology will create the buying power at the bottom of the pyramid and convert this stratum into a market as well as achieve social development. The paper examines these recommendations through an exploration of their application to the business strategies of two microfinance firms in India.
Representation Type Preferences in Operational Business Process Redesign
Authors: Kock Ned
Published: October 2011

This paper reports on a quasi-experimental field study in which business process redesign groups in four different US organizations used two different business process representation types. One of the representation types emphasized an activity flow (or workflow) view of business processes, which appears to currently be the most prevalent in actual operational-level business process redesign projects; the other emphasized a communication flow view. The study suggests that, contrary to assumptions likely underlying most of the current business process redesign practice, communication flow-oriented representations of business processes are perceived by those involved in their redesign as significantly more useful in the following aspects than activity flow-oriented representations: identification of opportunities for process improvement, application of process redesign guidelines, visualization of process changes, and development of generic information technology solutions to implement new business processes. Important implications for managers and researchers stemming from these results are discussed.
Creativity Enhancement
Authors: McNair Monty , Howard Caroline , Guzman Indira , Watkin Paul
Published: October 2011

Since the dawn of humanity, creativity has been critical to surmounting the challenges of life. Innovation is particularly essential to survival on every level from an individual solving his/her problems to a world dependent on adaptive approaches to cope with rapidly expanding populations and enormous international tensions. Currently, information systems programs are not fostering the creativity needed to sustain the innovation required to compete in the 21st century marketplace. Educators and researchers need to better understand the effects of creativity training on creative performance to best design programs that meet the needs of information systems personnel and their employers. The results of this study provide evidence that it would be valuable for organizations to experiment with creativity tutorials and recommend that future research be conducted using larger samples of individuals with low levels of creativity. Because the costs of informing people about creativity are low and creativity tutorials can be designed to be easily administered and completed, the authors recommend that a low-cost tutorial would be a cost effective and beneficial strategy for organizations to employ with information systems personnel, especially those who assess themselves as low in creativity.
Finding the Role of Time Lags in Radio Frequency Identification Investment
Authors: (Frank) Cheon-Pyo , Eun Hee-Kwan
Published: October 2011

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a highly beneficial technological advancement which could eventually change the way of doing business. However, the difficulty in assessing the potential benefits of RFID has been delayed RFID related investment decisions within organizations. Especially, time lag, or payback time from RFID investment, has been one of key barriers in RFID investment. This study provides a conceptual framework for time lags in RFID to enhance the understanding of RFID pay-offs. Time lags are determined by IT type and a firm’s IT capability. Therefore, it takes longer for firms to realize the value of RFID since it requires more efforts and changes to implement and utilize. Also the expected time lags of RFID may be modified by the level of IT capability of each firm. The stronger IT capability the firm has, the shorter time lags the firm experiences.
Impact of Prior Usage Experience on the Intention to Adopt 3G Mobile Service for the Youth in Hong Kong
Authors: Ho Kevin K. W.
Published: October 2011

Third generation (3G) mobile service has been launched for several years and yet the information systems (IS) community has not yet gained a full understanding of how various technological and social factors affect the intention to adopt this technology. This study probes into this issue using the Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT) (Rogers, 1995) along with two other constructs, i.e., subjective norms and perceived security on 3G mobile service. Using survey data collected from the youth of Hong Kong, the author notices that observability and complexity are IDT factors that affect the intention to adopt 3G mobile service by experienced users, i.e., who are current users of 2G or 2.5G mobile service. Plus subjective norms and perceived security are factors considered by both experienced and inexperienced users. Recommendations are provided to mobile service operators and developers in developing their rollout strategy in the mobile service market.
Identifying Issues of the Chief Information Officer Role through Qualitative Interviews
Authors: Hunter M. Gordon
Published: October 2011

The role of Chief Information Officer (CIO) is emerging and evolving. This paper presents the results of conducting in-depth qualitative interviews with currently practicing CIOs. The approach taken in the interviews allowed for flexibility within each interview while promoting consistency across a number of interviews. Further, this approach facilitated the designation of management issues related to the CIO role at the unit and corporate levels as well as information technology related issues. Strategic issues were also identified relating to industry, culture, and alignment. It is necessary for both the CIO and senior management to understand and agree on role expectations and interpretations.
The Impact of Organisational Politics on the Implementation of IT Strategy
Authors: Iyamu Tiko
Published: October 2011

Through IT strategy, many organisations intend to set out key directions and objectives for the use and management of information, communication and technologies. A shared view among these organisations is that IT strategy allows all parts of the organisation to gain a shared understanding of priorities, goals and objectives for both current and future states as defined in the strategy. It would therefore seem that IT strategy, for the foreseeable future will remain a key aspect of development within organisations. As a result, there has been more focus on how IT strategy is articulated and formulated. What is missing is that there has been less attention on the implementation of the strategy. Also, in most organisations, technical issues are minor compared to the relationship issues. There are many factors which influence the implementation of the IT strategy. This paper focuses on how organisational politics as examined by two underpinning theories, Structuration Theory and Actor-Network Theory, impact the implementation of IT strategy.
Entropy Quad-Trees for High Complexity Regions Detection
Authors: Vetro Rosanne , Simovici Dan A. , Ding Wei
Published: October 2011

This paper introduces entropy quad-trees, which are structures derived from quad-trees by allowing nodes to split only when those correspond to sufficiently complex sub-domains of a data domain. Complexity is evaluated using an information-theoretic measure based on the analysis of the entropy associated to sets of objects designated by nodes. An alternative measure related to the concept of box-counting dimension is also explored. Experimental results demonstrate the efficiency of entropy quad-trees to mine complex regions. As an application, the proposed technique is used in the initial stage of a crater detection algorithm using digital images taken from the surface of Mars. Additional experimental results are provided that demonstrate the crater detection performance and analyze the effectiveness of entropy quad-trees for high-complexity regions detection in the pixel space with significant presence of noise. This work focuses on 2-dimensional image domains, but can be generalized to higher dimensional data.
The Formal Design Model of a File Management System (FMS)
Authors: Wang Yingxu , Ngolah Cyprian F. , Tan Xinming , Tian Yousheng , Sheu Phillip C.Y.
Published: October 2011

Files are a typical abstract data type for data objects and software modeling, which provides a standard encapsulation and access interface for manipulating large-volume information and persistent data. File management systems are an indispensable component of operating systems and real-time systems for file manipulations. This paper develops a comprehensive design pattern of files and a File Management System (FMS). A rigorous denotational mathematics, Real-Time Process Algebra (RTPA), is adopted, which allows both architectural and behavioral models of files and FMS to be rigorously designed and implemented in a top-down approach. The conceptual model, architectural model, and the static/dynamic behavioral models of files and FMS are systematically presented. This work has been applied in the design and modeling of a real-time operating system (RTOS+).
Adaptive Study Design Through Semantic Association Rule Analysis
Authors: Chen Ping , Ding Wei , Garcia Walter
Published: October 2011

Association mining aims to find valid correlations among data attributes, and has been widely applied to many areas of data analysis. This paper presents a semantic network-based association analysis model including three spreading activation methods. It applies this model to assess the quality of a dataset, and generate semantically valid new hypotheses for adaptive study design especially useful in medical studies. The approach is evaluated on a real public health dataset, the Heartfelt study, and the experiment shows promising results.
Integrating Patient Consent in e-Health Access Control
Authors: Wuyts Kim , Scandariato Riccardo , Verhenneman Griet , Joosen Wouter
Published: October 2011

Many initiatives exist that integrate e-health systems on a large scale. One of the main technical challenges is access control, although several frameworks and solutions, like XACML, are becoming standard practice. Data is no longer shared within one affinity domain but becomes ubiquitous, which results in a loss of control. As patients will be less willing to participate without additional control strategies, patient consents are introduced that allow the patients to determine precise access rules on their medical data. This paper explores the consequences of integrating consent in e-health access control. First, consent requirements are examined, after which an architecture is proposed which incorporates patient consent in the access control service of an e-health system. To validate the proposed concepts, a proof-of-concept implementation is built and evaluated.
Secure by Design
Authors: Mouratidis Haralambos , Kang Miao
Published: October 2011

This paper describes results and reflects on the experience of engineering a secure web based system for the pre-employment screening domain. In particular, the paper presents results from a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project between the School of Computing, IT and Engineering at the University of East London and the London-based award winning pre-employment company Powerchex Ltd. The Secure Tropos methodology, which is based on the principle of secure by design, has been applied to the project to guide the development of a web based system to support employment reference and background checking specifically for the financial services industry. Findings indicate the potential of the methodology for the development of secure web based systems, and support the argument of incorporating security considerations from the early stages of the software development process, i.e., the idea of secure by design. The developed system was tested by a third, independent to the project, party using a well known method of security testing, i.e., penetration testing, and the results provided did not indicate the presence of any major security problems. The experience and lessons learned by the application of the methodology to an industrial setting are also discussed in the paper.
Service Quality Evaluation Method for Community-Based Software Outsourcing Process
Authors: Liu Shu , Liu Ying , Jiang Huimin , Wang Zhongjie , Xu Xiaofei
Published: October 2011

Community-based software development is a promising model to help reduce the pressures such as development costs, human resources access, new market development, and building business competencies. But the big concern is how to ensure the quality of the outsourcing service. In this paper, a service quality evaluation method for community-based software outsourcing process has been proposed. A service quality indicator model with three layers and five dimensions is explained and applied to community-based software outsourcing service supported by Call-For-Implementation (CFI) platform. The calculation method for each quality indicator is demonstrated in detail. A prototype is developed to support the evaluation process and exhibit results of quality evaluation for the community-based software outsourcing based on CFI. This prototype not only measures and displays the status of service quality in real-time, but also provides history data to guide software outsourcing process management.
Creating Effective Customer Solutions
Authors: Burianek Ferdinand , Bonnemeier Sebastian , Reichwald Ralf
Published: October 2011

Global competition and declining margins have made enterprises in diverse industries increasingly aware that assuring low cost as well as high product performance and quality is no longer sufficient for long-term success. Integrating products and services into customized solutions can help firms to gain competitive advantage. Based on 11 in-depth interviews with managers from solution providers and an exploratory survey with 45 solution providers, this paper derives a value creation process as well as a set of critical activities and pitfalls within each step. Selling solutions requires relational processes between customer and supplier comprising analysis/consulting, design/configuration, implementation/delivery, and support/operation. To better understand the relational process, this perspective was adopted on creating solutions in order to identify crucial routines and activities. Two main capabilities within this process can be identified: customer interaction and project management. Both capabilities are required in order to deliver more effective as well as efficient solutions.
An IT Service Engineering and Management Framework (ITS-EMF)
Authors: Mora Manuel , O’Connor Rory , Raisinghani Mahesh S. , Macías-Luévano Jorge , Gelman Ovsei
Published: October 2011

There is a rich amount of literature on services from Information Technology (IT) (Management view) and IT System Engineering (ITSE) (Engineering view) domains. However, such a variety has produced disparate views. Furthermore, given that IT and ITSE service-based systems must be linked to business services (the User view), conceptual interrelationships are increased, causing yet more diversity. This paper identifies that this generates a lack of theoretical conceptual cohesion and leads to multiple practical confusions. To address these issues and to reduce such conceptual gaps, an IT Service Engineering and Management Framework (ITS-EMF) is proposed. ITS-EMF is generated by careful review and examination of the main conceptualizations on IT, ITSE and business services. The paper claims that ITS-EMF is useful for: (1) mapping services concepts from disparate IT literature, (2) reducing service conceptual confusion from the multiple available sources, and (3) providing conceptual links between service constructs used in business services and IT and ITSE services layers. It concludes with the implications, both academic and practical, for engineering and managing IT services in business organizations.
DNA Model of IT Service Assets
Authors: Galup Stuart D. , Dattero Ronald , Groll Jayne
Published: October 2011

In this paper, the service assets (resources and capabilities) associated with Information Technology (IT) services are investigated through a DNA (Dynamic Network Analysis) model. An illustrative example for IT services is analyzed using the model. Specifically discussed are the relationships among Agents, the Knowledge and Resources that Agents require to perform their job Role, and the Tasks that the Agents perform during the execution of their job Role. Selected resulting metrics are detailed and the managerial implications are presented for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of organizational process.
Identification of Attributes of TQM in an Educational Institute
Authors: Sindwani Rajiv , Singh Vikram , Grover Sandeep
Published: October 2011

This paper examines and proposes a list of attributes of Total Quality Management (TQM) in an educational institute, and develops a model for the benefit of researchers and academicians. Even though there have been a large number of papers published related to TQM, none of the papers focused on documenting the attributes of TQM in educational institutes using statistical methods. The paper investigates and lists 42 attributes of TQM in educational institutions. A quantitative study, involving the administration of a survey was conducted. The survey instrument consisted of 42 items and was prepared on the basis of attributes of TQM found during Literature Review. The application of Factor Analysis technique is illustrated for grouping the various attributes into Factors. The results of this study will help in a smoother penetration of TQM programs in educational institutes. The period of study is from 1995-2006. Considering the gamut of publications, TQM implementation has seen a steady growth and appears to be heading towards its maturity level.
ART-Improving Execution Time for Flash Applications
Authors: Ying Ming , Miller James
Published: October 2011

Rich Internet Applications (RIA) require fast execution time and allow richer, faster, and more interactive experiences. Flash is a common technology for building RIAs. Flash programmers usually specialize in graphic design rather than programming. In addition, the tight schedule of projects makes the Flash programmers ignore non-functional characteristics such as the efficiency of their systems; yet, to enhance Flash users’ experiences, writing efficient ActionScript code is a key requirement. Flash programmers require automated support to assist with this key requirement. This paper proposes a refactoring system called ART (ActionScript Refactoring Tool) to provide automatic support for Flash programmers by rewriting their ActionScript code to make their applications faster.
Integrating Semantic Web and Software Agents
Authors: Gong Yiwei , Overbeek Sietse , Janssen Marijn
Published: October 2011

Software agents and rules are both used for creating flexibility. Exchanging rules between Semantic Web and agents can ensure consistency in rules and support easy updating and changing of rules. The Rule Interchange Format (RIF) is a new W3C recommendation Semantic Web standard for exchanging rules among disparate systems. Yet, the contribution of RIF in rules exchange between Semantic Web and software agents is unclear. The BDI architectural style is regarded as the predominant approach for the implementation of intelligent agents. This paper proposes a development for integrating RIF and BDI agents to enhance agent reasoning capabilities. This approach consists of an integration architecture and equivalence principles for rule translation. The equivalence principles are demonstrated using examples. The results show that the approach allows the integration of RIF with BDI agent programming and realize the translation between the two systems.
An Enhanced Semantic Layer for Hybrid Recommender Systems
Authors: Cantador Iván , Castells Pablo , Bellogín Alejandro
Published: October 2011

Recommender systems have achieved success in a variety of domains, as a means to help users in information overload scenarios by proactively finding items or services on their behalf, taking into account or predicting their tastes, priorities, or goals. Challenging issues in their research agenda include the sparsity of user preference data and the lack of flexibility to incorporate contextual factors in the recommendation methods. To a significant extent, these issues can be related to a limited description and exploitation of the semantics underlying both user and item representations. The authors propose a three-fold knowledge representation, in which an explicit, semantic-rich domain knowledge space is incorporated between user and item spaces. The enhanced semantics support the development of contextualisation capabilities and enable performance improvements in recommendation methods. As a proof of concept and evaluation testbed, the approach is evaluated through its implementation in a news recommender system, in which it is tested with real users. In such scenario, semantic knowledge bases and item annotations are automatically produced from public sources.
The Driving Internal Beliefs of Household Internet Adoption among Jordanians and the Role of Cultural Values
Authors: Al Omoush Khaled Saleh , Alqirem Raed Musbah , Shaqrah Amin A.
Published: October 2011

The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a comprehensive model for the determinants of household Internet adoption through identifying the driving internal beliefs of individuals and the effect of cultural values on behavioral intention to adopt the household Internet among Jordanians. Given the widely recognized effect of cultural values on adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), this study, applying Hofstede’s multidimensional framework, investigated the effect of cultural values on the behavioral intention to household Internet adoption in micro level. The empirical examination of the research model indicated that the behavioral intention to household Internet adoption is determined directly by five internal beliefs, including perceived needs, perceived risks, perceived ease of use, perceived resources, and perceived image. The results provide supporting empirical evidence linking most of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions to behavioral intention to household Internet adoption. With the exception of power distance, the results showed that collectivism (low individualism), masculinity, long-term orientation, and uncertainty avoidance had significant effects on the behavioral intention to household Internet adoption. The results demonstrated differences in the driving forces and cultural impact on Internet adoption between households and organizations settings.
Virtue and Virtuality
Authors: Kennedy Miles
Published: October 2011

This paper is an attempt to establish a foundation for technoethics of IT that makes an account of the virtual environment based within the lived situation of those who work and dwell in that emerging realm. The most important phenomenon for technoethics of IT is the relationship between knowledge about information and the capacity to turn information into knowledge. This relationship is embodied in being a Master of Information Technology. To achieve mastery of information and mould it into knowledge, a useful tool-like entity, is to have power in the contemporary world. Once this situation is recognised ethical questions arise of their own volition. A selection of these questions are dealt with in the following paper, they are the questions of the distinction between information and knowledge, the central issue of virtue and virtuality, and the distinction between stealing and sharing in the virtual environment. This paper constitutes a think piece; readers who have a stake in the virtual environment and its ethical makeup are urged to ask themselves these questions and come up with others in turn.
Internet History
Authors: Cohen-Almagor Raphael
Published: October 2011

This paper outlines and analyzes milestones in the history of the Internet. As technology advances, it presents new societal and ethical challenges. The early Internet was devised and implemented in American research units, universities, and telecommunication companies that had vision and interest in cutting-edge research. The Internet then entered into the commercial phase (1984-1989). It was facilitated by the upgrading of backbone links, the writing of new software programs, and the growing number of interconnected international networks. The author examines the massive expansion of the Internet into a global network during the 1990s when business and personal computers with different operating systems joined the universal network. The instant and growing success of social networking-sites that enable Netusers to share information, photos, private journals, hobbies, and personal as well as commercial interests with networks of mutual friends and colleagues is discussed.
College Students, Piracy, and Ethics
Authors: Reiss Jeffrey , Cintrón Rosa
Published: October 2011

This study explores the nature of piracy prevention tools used by IT departments in the Florida State University System to determine their relative effectiveness. The study also examines the opinions of the Information Security Officer in terms of alternative piracy prevention techniques that do not involve legal action and monitoring. It was found that most institutions do not use a formal piece of software that monitors for infringing data. Furthermore, institutions agreed that students lack proper ethics and concern over the matter of copyright, but were not fully convinced that other prevention methods would be effective. The authors conclude that monitoring techniques are a short-term solution and more research must put into finding long-term solutions.
Laboring in Cyberspace
Authors: Schulzke Marcus
Published: October 2011

This paper examines property relations in massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) through the lens of John Locke’s theory of property. It argues that Locke’s understanding of the common must be modified to reflect the differences between the physical world that he dealt with and the virtual world that is now the site of property disputes. Once it is modified, Locke’s theory provides grounds for recognizing player ownership of much of the intellectual material of virtual worlds, the goods players are responsible for creating, and the developer-created goods that players obtain through an exchange of labor or goods representing labor value.
ICT Integration in Nigeria
Authors: Eke Damian O.
Published: October 2011

In the past few decades, there has been a lineal relationship between technology and development- the belief that availability of technology would produce development. This is evident in the advancements in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), together with their rapid application in all spheres of mankind’s life that have led many to call our society ‘the information society’. It has become an important tool of governance that should be employed by every country-a tool Nigeria has failed to apply effectively. This paper discusses ICT integration in Nigeria, its relevance as a tool of development, socio-cultural factors constraining its integration, and suggests ways of eliminating these factors.
IT Managers’ Narratives on Subordinates’ Motivation at Work
Authors: Wallgren Lars Göran , Leijon Svante , Andersson Kerstin Malm
Published: October 2011

Little is known about managers’ perception of their subordinates’ motivation, especially how this perception influences managerial behavior. This study, conducted in the growing IT consultancy sector, focuses on how IT consultancy first-line managers construct their subordinates’ motivation. Since work motivation is a complex phenomenon, there is variation in how managers reduce this complexity. The empirical data was collected in semi-structured interviews with six team leaders (three female, three male) and are presented as narratives. In their narratives, the female team leaders present a more transformative view of their subordinates while the male managers present a more transactional view. The authors interpret this variation in the narrations as evidence that the issue of subordinate motivation is not seen as strategically important. This interpretation cast doubts on certain assumptions in organizational psychology theory.
Graduate Students’ Perceptions of Privacy and Closed Circuit Television Systems in Public Settings
Authors: Walton Abram L. J. , DeVaney Sharon A. , Sandall Darrel L.
Published: October 2011

This qualitative study used grounded theory to examine how university graduate students felt about closed circuit television (CCTV) as it relates to the privacy and safety of students on campuses. As a result of violence at a few universities, more administrators are considering the implementation of CCTV systems. Because graduate students are an important part of the university population, their views were solicited. A qualitative approach was used because of the lack of previous research on this particular topic. Themes that emerged from interviews with 10 graduate students at a large Midwestern land-grant university were identified as: right to safety, right to privacy, personal privacy responsibilities, post-CCTV sense of privacy, post-CCTV sense of safety, crime displacement, false sense of safety, and international perspectives. The findings provide insight into graduate students’ perceptions of a CCTV system and have implications for implementation decisions regarding such a system. Additionally, the findings were utilized to formulate hypotheses for a larger scale research project.
Multimedia Technology in the Financial Services Sector
Authors: Peevers Gareth , Douglas Gary , Jack Mervyn A.
Published: October 2011

Participants (N=71) took part in mortgage interviews with a human agent interacting with a computer using four different communication modes: a standard video ink, a video link with video-data, the telephone and face-to-face. Video-plus-data came significantly higher in the rankings than phone. It is argued that video-plus-data was found to be more useful than phone, as it provided the participants with more feedback on their mortgage negotiation. Usability and preference were highest for face-to-face. Usability of video was significantly higher than video-plus-data. Comments made by the participants suggest that this may have been due to the split-attention effect and it is argued that this could be diminished by usability improvements. There were no significant differences in usability between the two video services and the telephone. Reasons for this are explored. Differences between genders were also discovered with the phone being judged to be less usable by male participants. If face-to-face mortgage interviews are to be supplemented by other communication channels then users would find video-plus-data the most acceptable, but there is much room for further improvements in usability.
Managing Collaborative Research Networks
Authors: Dimitrova Dimitrina , Koku Emmanuel
Published: October 2011

This paper explores how management practices shape the way dispersed communities of practice (CoPs) function. The analysis is a case study of a dispersed community engaged in conducting and managing collaborative research. The analysis uses data from a social network survey and semi-structured interviews to capture the management practices in the community and demonstrate how they are linked to the patterns of information flows and communication.This analysis is a test case for the broader issue of how distributed communities function. It shows that even highly distributed CoPs may have a dual life: they exist both online and offline, in both face-to-face meetings and email exchanges of their participants. The study examines a dispersed community engaged in conducting and managing collaborative research. The analysis uses data from a social network survey and interviews to examine its managerial practices, information exchanges and communication practices.
Some Research Challenges for Studies of Virtual Communities Using On-Line Tells
Authors: Kimble Chris
Published: October 2011

This article reports on a study of learning and the coordination of activities in a geographically distributed community (a research consortium) using survey / Social Network Analysis methods combined with interviews. This article comments on and expands some of the important issues that were raised. After outlining the wider context, it highlights two broad themes related to research in the area of Virtual Communities: the nature of the communities themselves and the way in which they are studied. Following this, four areas for future research are outlined: the continuing role of face-to-face communication in Virtual Communities; the significance of the dual nature of such groups; the importance (or otherwise) of the structure of such communities; and the role played by exogenous factors. The article concludes with some comments on where this field relates to the debate among social theorists about the role of agency and structure in human activities.
Tracing Community Life Across Virtual Settlements
Authors: Akoumianakis Demosthenes
Published: October 2011

Recent scholarship has demonstrated that virtual communities can be traced in the online ‘tells’ retained by popular virtual settlements like Facebook and Twitter. In this article, the authors push this line of research toward an analysis of pre-requisites and constrains of virtual settlements that determine the understanding of community life across settlements. The approach followed is grounded on a ‘practice lens’ that views virtual communities as enacted cyber-structures revealed through cultural artifacts facilitated by affordances inscribed into virtual settlements. The presence or absence of key affordances determines not only what is retained as online ‘tells’ in a virtual settlement but also the type and range of cultural artifacts, as well as how these artifacts are used across virtual settlements.
Learning Molecular Structures in a Tangible Augmented Reality Environment
Authors: Asai Kikuo , Takase Norio
Published: October 2011

This article presents the characteristics of using a tangible tabletop environment produced by augmented reality (AR), aimed at improving the environment in which learners observe three-dimensional molecular structures. The authors perform two evaluation experiments. A performance test for a user interface demonstrates that learners with a tangible AR environment were able to complete the task of identifying molecular structures more quickly and accurately than those with a typical desktop-PC environment using a Web browser. A usability test by participants who learned molecular structures and answered relevant questions demonstrates that the environments had no effect on their learning of molecular structures. However, a preference test reveals that learners preferred a more tangible AR environment to a Web-browser environment in terms of overall enjoyment, reality of manipulation, and sense of presence, and vice versa in terms of ease of viewing, experience, and durability.
Creative Networks of Practice Using Web 2.0 Tools
Authors: Orava Jukka , Worrall Pete
Published: October 2011

This paper examines the professional implications for teachers and managers in new and evolving forms of professional development using Web 2.0 tools in a European context. Research findings are presented from the “Creative Use of Media” learning event developed through a European eTwinning Learning Lab initiative in spring of 2009. The Creative use of the Media online learning event supported a series of initiatives celebrating the European Year of Creativity and Innovation and involved 135 participants from 27 countries. The key objective was to introduce a range of learning themes constructed around a phenomenon-based inquiry model, which supported interdisciplinary approaches and collaborative online learning methodologies to stimulate new teaching and learning rationales. Digital Web 2.0 technology was used as an independent creative medium and as a powerful facilitating tool to enhance and blend with the more traditional forms of visual, audiovisual and multimedia inquiry. In developing models encapsulating risk taking and experimentation this online learning project supported a general principle that future education models and professional development would be based on social learning and “customer-driven collaborative knowledge building” in relation to open source materials.
Using Learning Platforms to Support Communication and Effective Learning
Authors: Armitage Johanna M.
Published: October 2011

This paper describes the development of resources for a unit of work for the English National Diploma in Information Technology. These on-line resources are designed to support a personalised learning environment that maximises opportunities for students to achieve greater control of their own learning and progression. The resources are designed to promote metacognition, with the intention of encouraging students to think about how they learn and how they can progress most effectively. The resources were developed to explore ways forward in developing personalised learning environments and implications for research on wider implementation across all National Diplomas.
An Evaluation of Neurogames®
Authors: Khan Misbah Mahmood , Reed Jonathan
Published: October 2011

Games Based Learning needs to be linked to good learning theory to become an important educational intervention. This study examines the effectiveness of a collection of computer games called Neurogames®. Neurogames are a group of computer games aimed at improving reading and basic maths and are designed using neuropsychological theory. The effectiveness of Neurogames was assessed using a matched pairs experimental design. Short exposure to Neurogames resulted in a significant increase in mathematical ability compared to control. The games resulted in a significant increase in reading ability. The study shows that brief exposure to computer games can result in significant changes to academic development. The implications for education and further research are discussed.
Game-Like Technology Innovation Education
Authors: Magnussen Rikke
Published: October 2011

This paper examines the methodological challenges and perspectives of designing game-like scenarios for the implementation of innovation processes in school science education. This paper presents a design-based research study of a game-like innovation scenario designed for technology education for Danish public school students aged 13-15. Students play the role of company heads that develop intelligent music technology. This game-like learning environment was designed to develop innovation competencies through the simulation of a practical learning situation. The term “game-like” is used to denote that the scenario should not be considered an educational game, such as the educational computer games used in many schools today. The focus of the design is to include practices and tools from innovative professions and use game principles and elements to create a meaningful frame around the creative and innovative practices.
Not Just Playing Around
Authors: Petley Rebecca , Attewell Jill , Savill-Smith Carol
Published: October 2011

MoLeNET is a unique collaborative initiative, currently in its third year, which encourages and enables the introduction of mobile learning in English post 14 education via supported shared-cost projects. Mobile learning in MoLeNET is defined by MoLeNET as “The exploitation of ubiquitous handheld technologies, together with wireless and mobile phone networks, to facilitate, support, enhance and extend the reach of teaching and learning.” MoLeNET projects use a wide range of handheld devices with their learners including two handheld game platforms: the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS. A small number of projects have also experimented with educational and therapeutic use of the Nintendo Wii game console and experienced considerable success in engaging reluctant learners and supporting learners with difficulties and/or disabilities. This paper explores the impact that mobile game technologies have on teaching and learning for those involved in MoLeNET, including the development of academic and social skills and the improvement of mobility and health related issues.
Organisational Blogging
Authors: Baxter Gavin J. , Connolly Thomas , Stansfield Mark
Published: October 2011

This paper investigates the implementation and use of an internal organisational blog by several departments in the HR division in a large public sector financial organisation in the UK. This qualitative study adopts a case study approach and examines the experiences of staff using the blog to explore whether it can facilitate organisational learning. The thinking and decisions that informed the pilot study are also investigated. Initial findings indicate that implementing an internal organisational blog does not revolve around the technology itself, but the work required to inform and educate staff about the idea of using a blog for working purposes. This paper has practical implications for the practitioner community with reference to organisational management informing them of issues to consider prior to implementing new technology in team environments. The paper also examines approaches towards maintaining technology initiatives (in this case blogs) once they are up and running. The unique focus of this paper is that it explores blog use from the perspective of individuals who have never used them before as opposed to a department that is already familiar with the technology.
Making it Rich and Personal
Authors: White Su , Davis Hugh C.
Published: October 2011

Many of the communities interested in learning and teaching technologies within higher education now accept the view that a conception of personal learning environments provides the most realistic and workable perspective of learners’ interactions with and use of technology. This view may not be reflected in the behaviour of those parts of a university which normally purchase and deploy technology infrastructure. These departments or services are slow to change because they are typically, and understandably, risk-averse, the more so because the consequences of expensive decisions about infrastructure will stay with the organisation for many years. Furthermore across the broader (less technically or educationally informed) academic community, the awareness of and familiarity with technologies in support of learning may be varied. In this context, work to innovate the learning environment will require considerable team effort and collective commitment. This paper presents a case study account of institutional processes harnessed to establish a universal personal learning environment fit for the 21st century.
Evaluating e-Learning Initiatives
Authors: Daskalakis Stelios , Tselios Nikolaos
Published: October 2011

Evaluation aspects, in relation to e-learning initiatives, are gaining substantial attention. As technology continuously influences learning, technical as well as organizational requirements need to be thoroughly investigated across a variety of stakeholders. In this paper, an outline of those aspects is presented, which occurred from a literature review on methods and research frameworks utilized toward the evaluation of e-learning initiatives. The review identified a series of studies that take advantage of well-established theories in the area of users’ acceptance of technology combined with additional, e-learning context-specific factors. Results of the review are presented, according to the adopted research model, to ease the process of locating and retrieving e-learning evaluation paradigms per theoretical model. In addition, research findings are discussed and future implications for e-learning evaluation initiatives as well as potential stakeholders are highlighted.
A Reference Ontology Based Approach for Service Oriented Semantic Interoperability
Authors: Wang Shuying , Brown Kevin P. , Lu Jinghui , Capretz Miriam
Published: October 2011

To establish effective information exchange among applications in a distributed environment, participants not only share their functions and service interfaces, but often exchange data models. This paper proposes the use of ontologies to represent data models thus allowing applications to locate and integrate these models. A reference ontology based approach for service oriented ontology management is introduced. Specifically, a domain-specific reference ontology for use in the evaluation of a practical case is developed. To validate and evaluate the approach, a prototype system is developed to provide ontology deploying, browsing and mapping operations based on a service-oriented system. Experiments provide promising results that are consistent with the original ideas of managing ontologies and optimizing ontology mappings to facilitate data interoperability in a distributed environment.