bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evolving Value Networks and Internationalisation of National Telecommunication Companies from Small and Open Economies
Authors: Laanti Riku , McDougall Fred , Baume Georges
Published: May 2011

This chapter focuses on the internationalisation processes of national telecommunications companies (telcos) from small and open economies (SMOPECs) who have moved from a domestic monopoly to an actor within the global industry. This chapter aims to increase our understanding of how these companies have internationalised, what factors have been the most influential in this process, and how the position of these companies has changed in the evolving value network of the industry. The basis of the analysis will be a theoretical discussion about the concept of value networks and research on the internationalization process of a firm. The study reported in this chapter is part of a wider research project on the internationalisation strategies of telcos from SMOPECs. Case examples from that study will be used to illustrate the internationalisation processes of telcos from SMOPECs within the context of the whole industry value network. Finally, conclusions will be drawn and future research opportunities suggested.
Preliminary Knowledge Management Implementation in the Telco Industry
Authors: Chong Chin Wei , Chong Siong Choy
Published: May 2011

This chapter aims to create a unified model capturing and generalising the different arrays of preliminary knowledge management (KM) implementation success factors in the telecommunication industry based on the studies conducted on this sector in Malaysia. The literature and empirical evidence suggest that to become the leading global market players in the new knowledge society, telecommunication organizations are required to have the integration of an effective KM process which consists of construction, embodiment, and deployment. These processes must be supported by five preliminary success factors (clear business strategy; flexible organizational culture; a committed KM Team; and effective implementation of K Audit and K Map) and effective KM strategies, that is, a knowledge sharing culture and a human network, leadership, a wide range of new technological opportunities and increased commitment to measurement.
Dynamics of Mobile Service Adoption
Authors: Verkasalo Hannu
Published: May 2011

Many case examples in the mobile market have indicated that the success of mobile services (e.g. Internet browsing, email messaging or streaming video playback with mobile phones) is difficult to predict. Different factors serve either as drivers or bottlenecks in mobile service adoption. The present chapter has covered earlier research on mobile service adoption and utilized a newly developed handset-based mobile end-user research platform in obtaining data from 548 Finnish panelists in 2006. The main research goal is to understand the process of mobile service adoption by extracting new kinds of data straight from handsets. In addition to descriptive results, a path analysis model is developed that explains mobile service adoption contingent on a given set of explanatory variables. The chapter finds that user intentions have a strong impact on consequent adoption of the service. What is more, perceived hedonic benefits from the service are the strongest factor driving user intentions to use the service. The perceived technical capability to use the service and the role of the surrounding social network explain little why early-adopter kind of independent users intend to use services. Interestingly multimedia services are strongly driven by newer more capable handsets and mobile Internet browsing benefits significantly from block or flat-rate (instead of usage-based) pricing plans for transmitted data. The chapter develops several indices that measure time-varying characteristics of mobile services. Calculated indices for a set of mobile services in 2006 suggest that different mobile services are currently experiencing different phases in their life cycle.
When Customer Satisfaction Isn't Good Enough
Authors: Kim Moon-Koo , Park Myeong-Cheol , Park Jong-Hyun
Published: May 2011

In communications services, the continued competitiveness and growth of a company depends vitally on customer value. In Korea’s maturing mobile market currently also going through a period of transition, an intense competition is under way among carriers. As the market nears the point of saturation, carriers are focusing on winning over competitors’ subscribers, at the same time on retaining their existing customers. Understanding the factors that influence customers’ switching behavior, therefore, is crucial for Korean mobile carriers’ quest for successful customer strategies. Customer satisfaction is the widely acknowledged primary determinant of customer behavior. Even so, there are cases in which satisfied customers do not behave according to expectations. Some satisfied customers switch their suppliers, while others stay with their existing suppliers, even if they are dissatisfied with them. In sum, customer satisfaction does not appear to be the sole and the only determinant of customer behavior. This study is an attempt to explain the relationship between customer satisfaction and customer behavior using switching incentives and switching barriers. The role of switching incentives (subsidies toward handset replacement, attractiveness of alternative carriers, etc.) and switching barriers (burden of having to change numbers, burden of losing benefits provided by the current carrier) is investigated empirically using the results of a consumer survey.
Secure Resource Optimization in Distributed Service Computing
Authors: Xiong Kaiqi , Perros Harry
Published: May 2011

This chapter considers a set of computer resources used by a service provider to host enterprise applications for customer services subject to a service level agreement (SLA). The SLA defines three QoS metrics, namely, trustworthiness, percentile response time and availability. We first give an overview of current approaches, solutions and challenges in the security-aware resource optimization problem. Then, we present a framework for solving the problem. We further propose an approach for resource optimization in such an environment that minimizes the total cost of computer resources used by a service provider for such an application while satisfying all these three QoS metrics in a security-aware resource optimization problem that typically arises in distributed service computing. We formulate the security-aware resource optimization problem as an optimization problem under the SLA constraints, and solve it using an efficient numerical procedure. Finally, we conclude our discussion and provide the research directions for future study.
Academic Workload in Online Courses
Authors: Dick Geoffrey N.
Published: May 2011

While distance education has been available in many forms for a long time, the technologies associated with the Internet are opening up new ways of delivering the educational product. In addition, the acceptance and use of these technologies are widespread, easing the transition from the traditional classroom in the eyes of university administrators, students, and academics—at least at first appearances. Coupled with this, the worldwide shortage of academic staff in the business schools, particularly in information intensive areas (Diamond & Wergin, 2002) and engineering (Thompson, 1999), and the general “graying of academia” (Hall, 2002) is encouraging school management to experiment with alternative forms of delivery. University administrations can see attractions in increasing numbers of students. Under what conditions will the Internet and its associated technologies provide an acceptable answer? While teaching in foreign parts and living at home may be attractive to some academics, what problems will be encountered by institution administrations in the use of these telecommuters?
Academic, Economic, and Technological Trends Affecting Distance Education
Authors: Lindsay Nathan K. , Williams Peter B. , Howell Scott L.
Published: May 2011

A number of prominent distance learning journals have established the need for administrators to be informed and prepared with strategic plans equal to foreseeable challenges. This article provides decision makers with 32 trends that affect distance learning and thus enable them to plan accordingly. The trends are organized into categories as they pertain to academics (including students and faculty), the economy, technology, and distance learning.
Assessing Collaborative Learning
Authors: Conrad Rita-Marie
Published: May 2011

Collaborative learning is a strategy in which students work together in small groups with minimal guidance from the instructor in order to achieve an outcome or goal which can only be achieved collectively and interdependently (Johnson and Johnson, 1993). Team members are responsible for discussing and explaining content, solving problems, providing feedback, and ensuring mutual success among all members. They depend on one another as knowledge-providers instead of expecting the instructor to be the sole source of knowledge.
Automobile Traffic Impact of Distance Learning
Authors: Mundorf Norbert , Dholakia Nikhilesh , Dholakia Ruby Roy , Xiao Jing J.
Published: May 2011

In industrial societies, and also in developing countries, automobile travel is increasingly associated with pollution, congestion and urban sprawl, entailing social and economic costs for both drivers as well as communities. Increasing travel volume and longer average commute, much of it spent stuck in traffic, are taxing community and private resources. Experts from various disciplines agree that it is desirable to manage this increase and at the same time slow the rate of growth. Building additional highways is not considered a desirable alternative in terms of both ecological and monetary costs. Under these conditions, virtual mobility, involving the use of interactive technologies, may prove to be a viable alternative for activities that otherwise require physical transport. It can aid in the reduction of miles traveled and resulting environmental, social and economic impacts. Interactive applications include telework, telebanking, teleshopping, telemedicine and distance learning (DL), which generate considerable revenue from sources other than limited household media and communication budgets (Mundorf & Bryant, 2002).
The Case for Open Education Resources Distance and Distributed Education to Support the Growing Knowledge Economy in India
Authors: Kumar M. S. Vijay
Published: May 2011

In the new developing economies interest in distance education and in particular, in online distance education, is increasing. (Daniels, J, West P. 2006). In India, this trend is evident in the proliferation of foreign and domestic institutions, public and private, becoming the new “providers” of online digitally delivered education. This proliferation should not be surprising given that India is a country rushing to develop educated human resources to meet the needs of a rapidly growing economy in every sector. Broad access to high quality education is a high priority to meet the needs of a knowledge-driven society.
Challenges and Opportunities of Computer-Based Learning for Senior Citizens
Authors: Zaphiris Panayiotis , Kurniawan Sri
Published: May 2011

This entry starts with an argument on how computerbased learning (CBL) can benefit senior citizens, then reviews the effects of aging on CBL. It finally discusses how the CBL material should be designed for senior citizens to facilitate their learning experience.
Constructivist Teaching and Learning in a Web-Based Environment
Authors: Morphew Valerie N.
Published: May 2011

Web-based teaching and learning is on the rise in education and industry, challenging teachers and trainers to deliver instruction in new ways with the same or better results. To maximize the potential of Web-based delivery, instructors can avail themselves of the rich body of research that supports constructivist teaching and learning in the traditional setting. Applying the constructivist approach to Web-based teaching and learning can help instructors establish learning environments and practices that encourage growth and development in their students. Constructivist teaching and learning recognizes both teacher and student as important and contributing members in a teaching-learning relationship. Other students in the learning environment also hold such qualities. The constructivist approach acknowledges that teacher and student, alike, bring prior knowledge and experiences with them into the learning environment. By capitalizing on familiar concepts and experiences, the student is able to connect new knowledge with prior and construct new meaning. This approach to teaching and learning differs markedly from the long-held notion that students are empty vessels (tabula rasa) waiting to be filled by a knowledgeable teacher. Although constructivism is widely accepted in theory, the teaching practices of many instructors do not support this approach.
Cooperative Agents in Web-Based Distance Learning
Authors: Barolli Leonard , Koyama Akio
Published: May 2011

In the last few years, we have observed an explosive growth of multimedia computing, communications, and applications. This revolution is transforming the way people live, work, and interact with each other, and is impacting the way businesses, education, entertainment, and health care are operating. Due to the opportunities provided by the Internet, more and more people are taking advantage of distance learning courses. During the last few years, enormous research efforts have been dedicated to the development of distance learning systems (Katayama & Kambayashi, 1999; Nakabayashi et al., 1997). Consequently, many large projects such as the CALAT Project (www.calat.com), CALsurf (http://webbase.ntts.co.jp),, WebCAI (http:// iclap.ce.nihon-u.ac.jp/~webcai_), The University of The Air (http://www.u-air.ac.jp/, and WIDE University (http://www.sfc.wide.ad.jp/soi/contents.html) have been established (Ogawa, Ijiun, & Murai, 1999).
Critical Elements in Effective Teaching in the New Millennium
Authors: Irvine Gretchen
Published: May 2011

These are my views derived from a long career teaching in the P-12, system as well as a decade spent preparing teachers at Augsburg College. The areas that are critical for effective teaching include the ability to: build and maintain relationships; show an excitement about learning; make learning meaningful and relevant in the classroom; build the skills of learners by planning, facilitating, and assessing learning; establish the importance of service by connecting with families and the broader community; and finally, inspire students to be global citizens. Building relationships has always been at the core of effective teaching. Teachers’ ability to relate to the students, to understand them developmentally, and to understand their cultural context all lead to their ability to make connections that make a difference in the day-to-day learning environment. The teacher qualities of caring, warmth, empathy, and compassion help to build the trust that is necessary to create and maintain relationships. Each day, every moment, the teacher is establishing connections not only with students, but with their families, other teachers and staff, and the larger community that supports students’ learning in the classroom. How does one “connect” in today’s world? When face-to-face communication is not possible, relationships can be strengthened through online communication. Class Web pages can help families to feel included in the daily life of the classroom.
Cybercells and the Integration of Actual and Virtual Groups
Authors: Stevens Ken
Published: May 2011

A cybercell describes the integration of actual and virtual groups in which face to face members extend their discussions to collaborate with virtual visitors (Stevens & Stewart, 2005). Cybercells enable groups of people meeting in physical spaces to engage with virtual visitors using a range of contemporary and emerging technologies. Teachers, for example, are provided with opportunities to discuss their work with other teachers on-site and on-line simultaneously. Students can also discuss their work in classrooms and collaborate with their peers located in other schools who are able to participate in their learning space virtually. By extending one’s learning from actual (face to face) spaces to include virtual visitors, learning environments can be extended.
Dimensions of Student Satisfaction on Online Programs
Authors: Askar Petek , Dönmez Oktay , Kizilkaya Gonca , Çevik Volkan , Gültekin Kerem
Published: May 2011

This research studies on the evaluation of online courses are usually conducted for investigating the differences between face-to-face and Web-based environments with respect to achievement. Most of the findings indicated “no significant difference” (Russell, 1999). However, only looking at achievement as a quality measure is reducing the complex phenomena into a single variable. Therefore, an analysis of the system with its components is needed. A study on students’ frustrations with a Web-based distance education course (Hara & Kling, 1999) showed that there were two foci of frustration among students in the course. The first focus was technological problems; students without access to technical support were especially frustrated. The second focus involved the course content and the instructor’s practices in managing communications with students. Students were frustrated because of a lack of immediate feedback from the instructor and ambiguous instructions on the Web and via e-mail.
Distance Learning Rehabilitation of Autistic Reasoning
Authors: Galitsky Boris
Published: May 2011

Recent psychological studies have revealed that autistic children can neither reason properly about mental states of themselves and others, nor understand emotions (Leslie, 1987; Perner 1991; Pilowsky, Yirmiya, Arbelle, & Mozes 2000). Autism is a multifactor disorder that is characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, combined with repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, and affects up to 1% of school-aged children in some geographic areas. In this article we are concerned with the strategies of rehabilitation of reasoning to improve communication skills of children with autism. It has been confirmed by multiple clinical studies that the properly timed treatment is essential for the autistic patient to increase the chance for recovery. An early behavioral intervention is highly beneficial for autistic children (Green, 1996; Jensen & Sinclair, 2002; Rogers, 1998). There is an opinion with increasing support by multiple researchers that intensive behavioral intervention (that can be stimulated in distance learning) may result in a dramatic improvement of autistic reasoning (McEachin, Smith, & Lovaas, 1993). From the viewpoint of autism experts who believe that there is no alternative to behavioral intervention (thought of as the only way to facilitate compensatory learning; see, e.g., Frith, 2001; Howlin, 1998), distance learning may be a useful aid for the education of parents and rehabilitation personnel.
Diverse Models of Distance Teaching Universities
Authors: Guri-Rosenblit Sarah
Published: May 2011

Universities offering studies through distance teaching methods vary enormously in how they were initiated, the clienteles they aim to serve, how they are funded, and the kinds of programs they offer. Distance teaching at university level is provided currently through at least five major organizational models: Single-mode distance teaching universities; dual- and mixed-mode universities; extensions; consortia-type ventures; and virtual technology-based universities. Each of these models can be divided into additional sub-groups. The fully-fledged distance teaching universities, for instance, are treated in the relevant literature as a generic group, but differ from each other in many respects (Guri-Rosenblit, 1999). Some are operating as huge national universities, while others function on a limited provincial level. Few adopted an open admission policy, while most others require the same entry requirements as their conventional counterparts, etc. The dual- and the mixed-mode universities, as well as the consortia-type ventures, constitute nowadays the leading models of distance teaching provision. They operate in many national settings, and represent a rich composition of diverse higher education institutions, such as: research versus mainly teaching-oriented universities; large and small establishments; fully accredited or experimental in nature; offering mainly continuing education courses versus full academic degrees. However, this overview analyzes only the underlying premises of distance teaching in each of the five major models. Its scope does not allow discussing in detail the sub-groups contained in each model.
Educational Mini-Clips in Distance Learning
Authors: Kay Robin H.
Published: May 2011

It is undeniable that distance learning has grown rapidly over the past five years. With over 12 billion dollars spent on online learning in 1998 (Burgess & Russell, 2003) and a growth rate of 30%-40% per year since then (Harper, Chen, & Yen, 2004; Hurst, 2001; Newman, 2003), it is safe to say that distance education is firmly established in many businesses and universities. One well-established advantage of distance learning is that a student controls the time, pace, and pathway of learning (Burgess & Russell, 2003; Pierrakeas, 2003). This control over learning is very appealing to a user, particularly when customized or just-in-time support is readily available (Harper, Chen, & Yen, 2004). Providing effective, timely support, though, puts considerable strain on instructors and tutors, if they are available (Harper et al., 2004; Levine, 2003; Wallace & Wallace, 2001). It is challenging to provide just-in-time help because delay is inevitable. The use of e-mail or online discussion necessitates a time lag between question and response. Instant messaging systems (IMS) are another option, however, it is cost prohibitive to have instructors and tutors available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Furthermore, IMS might be limited in the type of question that could be answered – complex formulas and equations, for example, are difficult to explain using this medium.
Educational Technology and Learning Theory
Authors: Berg Gary A.
Published: May 2011

This overview briefly reviews the history of educational technology and surveys relevant learning theory. In order to understand fully computer-based learning in the United States, one needs to have a more general sense of the history of educational technology (Berg, 2003). Common learning theories that have been applied to computer environments also need close examination because they provide the rationale for specific approaches and learning strategies. In this review, one sees the important influence behavioral and constructivist theoretical models have had on educational- software design in America. Finally, cooperative learning and learning-styles theories are outlined because of their relevance to specific computer-based teaching methods.
E-Mentoring
Authors: Switzer Jamie S.
Published: May 2011

Colleges and universities are adept at teaching students in the academic sense. Often what is lacking in a student’s education is a thorough grasp of the “real world”; how their chosen field actually functions and operates. One way for students to gain an understanding of a particular occupation is to interact with a mentor. Mentors can offer valuable intellectual resources to students (O’Neil & Gomez, 1996). Regardless of the quality of their education, students still need the practical information that can only be provided by a working professional who can present students an awareness of the real world (O’Neil, 2001). A mentor, however, is much, much more than a professional with unique expertise in a specific vocation. While mentors do provide career knowledge and the means for technical skill development, mentors can offer a myriad of services. They provide support, encouragement, and guidance. Mentors act as role models, teaching and nurturing students, demonstrating appropriate skills and behaviors. They are friends to students, providing them a means to network and find jobs.
Employers' Perceptions of Online Degree Programs
Authors: Simon Judith C. , Sinclaire Jollean K. , Brooks Lloyd D. , Wilkes Ronald B.
Published: May 2011

The opportunities for students to take courses, and entire degree programs, online continue to increase, as many traditional colleges and universities have developed programs to compete with for-profit online schools that have proliferated in recent years. In 2003, The Wall Street Journal reported “an estimated 350,000 students are enrolled in fully online degree programs” (Dunham, 2003). In 2005, it was estimated that “more than 1 million students are seeking degrees entirely via the Web” (Tosto, 2005). According to Eduventures, “growth rates for online higher education greatly exceed those projected for U.S. postsecondary education overall (approximately 2%), positioning online higher education as a major growth engine” (Eduventures, 2007).
Evolving Technologies Supporting of Collaborative Learning
Authors: Dufner Donna , Alavi Maryam , Howard Caroline
Published: May 2011

Three basic categories of technologies are effective for extending collaborative learning beyond traditional face-to-face interactions to online learning and distance education: 1. Group support systems (GSS) 2. Collaboratories 3. Integrated learning environments.
Facilitation of Web-Based Courses Designed for Adult Learners
Authors: McCall Ordonez Bonnie
Published: May 2011

Web-based courses have currently surpassed all other forms of distance education in the higher education field. One of the main reasons in growth is the demand from adult and professional students looking for a convenient yet quality education (Kearsley, 2000). College and university faculty members are a key component in the development and delivery of online courses. Many studies have been conducted on effective course design, and student achievement and outcomes (Kearsley, 2000, p. 46), but less research is available on the instructional techniques necessary to facilitate an online course. New Web-based education programs are being developed at a staggering rate. In the 2000-2001 school year, 43% of two four-year-degree granting institutions offered distance education via the Internet. Of those, 88% planned to increase the number of Internet courses (Waits & Lewis, 2003). Course management programs such as WebCT and Blackboard are being utilized in several of the colleges and universities in the United States and around the world. Web-based instruction offers a variety of benefits. It is fairly inexpensive in comparison to other distance education methods such as satellite. It offers easy access via the Internet and can be used at various levels, supplemental to the traditional course, mixed method, and completely online.
High School Online Learning
Authors: Jesness Renee
Published: May 2011

The question is not whether high school students should be taking online courses. It is whether they should get out of high school without taking one. As students negotiate the 21st century, the skills that students employ in taking an online course are the ones they need to negotiate their productive working lives and 21st century citizenry. What are the skills that students must master in an online learning environment? Independent thinking, self-motivation, self-directed learning, information seeking, and information giving—these are all elements of online distance learning. Students must not only have basic reading and numeric literacy to negotiate the content of the online courses, but must also be able to persevere and bring to completion a course of study. To further stretch the 21st century student, the work must be completed outside the school walls and school day, on the students’ own turf, blending a learning environment and living environment all in one. Perhaps most important, the absence of a teacher’s physical presence means that the student must find inspiration from within.
Increasing Web Accessibility and Usability in Higher Education
Authors: Frey Barbara A. , Molinero Ashli , Cohn Ellen
Published: May 2011

Just as wheelchair ramps and elevators provide access to wheelchair users, good Web design provides “electronic curb ramps” to the Internet for individuals with visual or other disabilities (Waddell, 1997). Research shows it is easier and less expensive to initially construct accessible Web pages rather than to retrofit the pages with corrections. Most of the technical requirements for accessible Web design can be met if Web designers adhere to the straightforward principles suggested by the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Accessibility Initiative. Accessible Web site design benefits all users, not just persons with disabilities. This is because users with slow Internet connections, users who access the Internet via personal Web devices and users who are speakers of foreign languages may also experience accessibility challenges (Rose & Meyer, 1996). In short, accessible Web sites increase usability. Accessibility, a component of usability, suggests “information systems flexible enough to accommodate the needs of the broadest range of users … regardless of age or disability” (Waddell, 1997). Usability is achieved by designing with the end user in mind, to ensure that a user has access to any Web site, no matter when or how the access is sought (Pearrow, 2000).
Informal Communication in Virtual Learning Environments
Authors: Beuschel Werner , Gaiser Birgit , Draheim Susanne
Published: May 2011

Learning environments increasingly become more diverse by the use of information technology. Thereby, the share of face-to-face situations between students as well as between students and mentors becomes smaller, while the share of encounters in virtual space is growing larger. Thus, computer mediated communication (CMC) is growing in importance in all learning environments. Since standard learning environments involve both formal and informal communication, it seems reasonable to claim that without informal communication students and faculty would have difficulties in sustaining the learning processes. Beyond the ever-growing exchange of formal content, the opportunity of informal communication appears increasingly essential for the successful pursuit of online studies.
Information Literacy
Authors: Fabbro Elaine
Published: May 2011

The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education defines information literacy as the ability to recognize the need for information, and be able to locate, evaluate, and use the information effectively (2000, p.2). Information literacy is essential in the creation of lifelong learners (Wallis, 2005, p. 221). Educators struggle continually to ensure that students are not only able to successfully navigate through the plethora of information available, but that they are able to think critically about information, and put it to use in all aspects of their lives. Information literacy skills instruction can serve as a method to help meet this goal. However, in order to provide information literacy instruction it is necessary to fully understand the concept and all it entails, including how it can be implemented and the benefits it offers to students, educators, and higher education institutions as a whole.
Mobile Learning Implementation and Issues
Authors: Vilic Boris
Published: May 2011

Mobile learning or “m-learning” is a relatively new learning modality in higher education and it refers to the delivery of educational content by means of mobile devices, such as PDAs, cell phones, and MP3 players, effectively enabling learners to access course materials anytime, anywhere, and any while (Walker, 2006). M-learning is also characterized as “personalized” … “bite-sized”, and “portable”, characteristics not often associated with “conventional tethered e-Learning” (Traxler, 2007).
Online Education, Standardization, and Roles
Authors: Rada Roy , Holden Heather
Published: May 2011

Education is associated with standardization – determining how learning should occur and for what students, is the essence of education from the perspective of those who administer educational programs. The administration of education also requires the consideration of roles, whether of content developer, tester, lecturer, manager, or something else (Rada, 2001). What has happened historically as regards standardization and roles in education, and how does this relate to the impact of online education?
Opportunities and Opportunity Cost in Preparing Millennium Teachers
Authors: Hartoonian Michael , Johnson Vivian
Published: May 2011

The millennium teacher is presented with two powerful conceptions. One is expressed in Pogo’s observation that “…we always seem to be confronted with insurmountable opportunity.” The other is presented best in T.S. Eliot’s poem, “Choruses To The Rock.” • Where is the knowledge we have lost in information? • Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Both of these conceptions have direct implications for teacher educators and their work with the next generation of teachers. “Insurmountable opportunity” is the reality for teachers who have not developed the ability to make “enlightened choices.” Enlightened decision making in a sea of opportunity requires the foundational understanding that information, knowledge, and wisdom represent different ways of knowing. Information is one dimensional. It is linear or horizontal, fragmented, and quite useless in and of itself. Knowledge is structured information; it shows relationships between and among bits of information. Knowledge is best represented by theories about natural and social phenomena; it is created basically within content areas, and it tends to be field-specific. Wisdom is the organic application of information and knowledge to human dilemmas, desires, and dreams. Wisdom is that quality of thought and imagination that ties us to our cultural heritage and gives us the ability to find and build the moral framework upon which human life is defined and within which meaning resides.
Participation of Distance Learning Students in Experiments
Authors: Costa Eduardo , Barbar Jamil S. , Cury Reny , Rocha Junia M.
Published: May 2011

The main negative criticism against distance learning is that laboratory work is an essential part of all branches of technology and natural sciences. One can infer that this is so from two observations: (a) Colleges have residence requirements mainly because the faculty believes that this creates an opportunity for practical work; (b) Many scientists, like Carl Sagan and Karl Popper, think that controlled observations are important components of the learning process (Popper, 2002, p. 191). Even in human sciences, hands-on work prevents blueprints for unrealistic social engineering projects. In arts, supervised practice and rehearsal is desirable, to say the least. In Earth sciences, Astronomy, and Astrophysics the student has to examine paleobiological records, reconstruct the history of sediment records, collect samples or investigate the availability of samples from individual researchers and repositories, perform observations, and deploy data acquisition systems. Most distance learning systems ignore observations, practice, sample collecting, and laboratory work. Therefore they are vulnerable and open to criticism in regards to the experience and practical knowledge, given by those institutions that offer degrees based on distance education, and so are not recognized in many countries.
Participatory Learning Approach
Authors: Bieber Michael , Shen Jia , Wu Dezhi , Hiltz Starr Roxanne
Published: May 2011

The Participatory Learning Approach (PLA, pronounced “play”) engages students as active participants in the full life cycle of homework, projects, and examination. PLA’s core idea is that students design the questions or projects, execute them, and then assess and grade their peers’ solutions. Each stage can be performed by individuals or by teams. Students should be able to observe (read) everything their peers do so they can learn further from others’ efforts. Designing problems challenges students to critically assess understanding of a subject by their peers. This encourages students to analyze course materials in order to determine the most important aspects for this assessment. Evaluating solutions challenges students to assess how fully a set of materials (the solution) fits their understanding of the field as well as the problem posed.
Pedagogy and Learning in the Virtual World of Second Life®
Authors: Jarmon Leslie
Published: May 2011

Second Life® is a computer-based 3-D virtual world environment that is accessible over the Internet and that features massively user-created content. Second Life (SL) involves multiple users, called “avatars,” who create and interact in a spatially-organized ecology of virtual 3-D representations of people, space, time, motion, sound, objects, topography, and tools. First made publicly available in 2003 by Linden Lab®, this 3-D virtual world environment is an emerging convergence of technologies. It represents the robust creative nature of human-centered computing with a rapidly growing population from 100 countries around the world (Linden Lab, 2007). Open virtual world platforms such as SL (that are not games, although games may be played within them), are still in their infancy, and extensive research, development, and investment are on-going as critical challenges continue to emerge.
Programmed Instruction Resources
Authors: Lazarus Belinda Davis
Published: May 2011

Programmed Instruction (PI) has evolved from the rudimentary teaching machines of the 1920s to present- day computer programs and Internet activities that industry, military, and educational institutions use to teach everything from Hebrew to military law. Although PI was originally developed to teach basic academic skills, educators and trainers in business and industry have developed self-paced, independent PI modules that employees may use to learn a host of basic and advanced skills in fields as varied as medicine and military law. PI, one of the earliest teaching methods derived from behavior analysis, involves analyzing comprehensive concepts into small, sequential tasks that teach, test, and self-correct in units referred to as “frames”. A PI textbook often includes thousands of frames that require students to read a short statement, answer a question, and retrieve the correct answer before progressing to the next frame. Early PI lessons followed a linear sequence, however, the capabilities of the computer to “branch” based on correct and incorrect responses currently support non-linear PI. From the teaching machines of the 1920s to the modern information superhighway, PI has evolved while retaining its behavioral roots and approaches.
Threaded Discussion
Authors: Swan Karen
Published: May 2011

Threaded discussion is a kind of computer-mediated communication (CMC). Specifically, it is an online dialog or conversation that takes the form of a series of linked messages organized topically. Threaded discussions are text-based and asynchronous; they develop over time as participants separated in time and space read and reply to existing messages. Messages in a given thread share a common topic and are linked to each other in the order of their creation. Threaded discussions are particularly useful in online venues where multiple discussions develop at the same time. Without them, discussion participants would confront a chaotic, unsorted list of messages on many different topics. By linking responses to messages within a common subject line, threaded discussion makes it easier for participants to focus on one conversation and avoid the distractions of unrelated postings.
Western Governors University and Competency-Based Education
Authors: Johnstone Douglas B.
Published: May 2011

Western Governors University (WGU) was formally established in 1996 by the governors of 19 western states. From its inception it was committed to delivering all of its programs through distance technologies and to graduating its students only on the basis of their demonstrated competency. It is today the only regionally accredited university in the United States to award its degrees exclusively on this basis. Developing the university and proving its viability, however, have not been easy. The enthusiasm surrounding its launching in 1996 rapidly gave way to the hard realities of establishing a new educational paradigm. Within five years, after accreditation seemed slow in coming and enrollments in the new university even slower, many in the higher education establishment wrote WGU off as a failed experiment. Some even breathed a sigh of relief that the claims of competencybased education could be written off. But eight years after its formal incorporation, WGU is very much alive. It has received national accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council (2001) and unprecedented regional accreditation by four of the nation’s regional accrediting associations.1 No other institution in the history of American higher education has received multi-regional accreditation, and given the complexities of such reviews, WGU achieved that milestone in a remarkably short time. By January 2005 the university had an enrollment just over 3,200 students and was growing by more than 200 students a month.
Equating the Two Intensity-Curvature Terms, Before and After Interpolation, Attempting to Obtain Resilient Interpolation
Authors: Ciulla Carlo
Published: May 2011

As well accepted in literature it should be almost impossible to reconstruct the signal intensity value at time-space location where the sampling instrument has not recorded the signal. This happens because sampling is a discrete process, while instead signals (as those of biological nature among others) are continuous. Indeed this mismatch between nature and humanly invented devices gives immediate explanation as to why interpolation is a signal reconstruction technique that has quite substantial and general relevance. This chapter introduces the novel concept of resilient interpolation for the case of the trivariate linear function while continuing the treatise from Chapter VII where the concept was presented for the case of the bivariate linear function. The mathematical process is presented in full and equations are given to characterize resilient interpolation. Additionally, a discussion is provided to the reader to further clarify the methodology employed and the relevant implications. Overall, the intent of this purely theoretical chapter is that of attempting to further improve the approximation capabilities of the trivariate linear interpolation function while making use of the knowledge provided with the SRE-based methodological approach and also introducing a further conceptualization. The intent is therefore once again a more accurate signal reconstruction to be obtained through a revised form of the classic interpolation function. Details of the meaning behind the concepts herein presented indicate that resilient interpolation is such that the intensity-curvature content before and after interpolation remains unchanged.
The Unifying Theory Embraces Lagrange and Sinc Interpolation Functions
Authors: Ciulla Carlo
Published: May 2011

This chapter is devoted to the mathematics of the Lagrange and Sinc SRE-based interpolation functions. The organization of the text of this chapter is consistent with that of chapters VII, X, and XIV. The basic aim of this chapter is to employ the methodology outlined in the book such to develop a mathematical formulation that allows interpolation error improvement also for Lagrange and Sinc interpolation functions. This is achieved through two instruments that bridge classic interpolation with the present innovative theory. The instruments are the Intensity-Curvature Functional (?E) and the Sub-pixel Efficacy Region (SRE). Math processes are thus presented that start from the calculation of the intensitycurvature terms and the corresponding Intensity-Curvature Functional, determine the SRE and employ the formula of the unifying theory (see equations [16] and [38] for Lagrange and Sinc respectively) to calculate the novel re-sampling locations for the two model interpolation functions. A section of this chapter is delegated to recall to the reader the characterization of upper and lower bounds of interpolation error improvement and interpolation error respectively. Details of this section are reported elsewhere (Ciulla & Deek, 2006). Finally the theoretical presentation of resilient interpolation is extended also to Lagrange and Sinc as it was already presented for the two linear functions and the two B-Splines that were object of treatise in Parts II, III and IV of this book. Although the logic behind the math of resilient interpolation is explained and characterized, resilient interpolation remains in this book a theoretical conceptualization which looks forward to empirical confirmation.
RFID Technology and its Impact on Privacy
Authors: Sinodinou Tatiana-Eleni
Published: May 2011

The present chapter explores privacy issues posed by the use of RFID systems and applications. The existing legal framework for data protection is analyzed in order to discover how general privacy safeguarding principles should be applied in the case of RFIDs, with special focus on the main areas which are going to experience widespread use of such applications. The structure of the chapter is based on a chronological order which follows the consecutive phases of contact and interaction between the individual and the RFID tag. The implementation of a tag to a product or in the human body establishes the first point of contact of the individual with the RFID tag. This stage of data processing is examined in the first part of the chapter. In more particular, this part deals with the application of general principles of fair processing, such as information transparency, the debate about the necessity to require the prior consent of the individual (possible opt-in and opt-out solutions) and the precondition of a clearly defined purpose of the data processing. The symbiosis of the person with the tag is examined in the second part. Indeed, privacy concerns are equally significant during the phase of processing of personal information, even if processing is conducted lawfully, either based on the legal ground of the individual’s consent or justified on another legal basis. The requirement of data quality and the obligation to secure the RFID system against unauthorized interceptions or alterations of data by third parties constitute essential guarantees of fair data processing. Privacy protection in the activation phase of the tag is also ensured by the obligation to inform the tagged individual every time a reading takes place and by the right to verify the accuracy of the tag data, whether stored from the beginning or added at a later date. Finally, the last part of the chapter examines the legal regime of separation between the person and the tag. This phase refers to the termination of the processing either by act of the data subject or by act of the RFID system controller. The focus is given to the exercise of the right to object to the processing of personal data through RFID devices. In this context practical solutions, such as the “tag kill” or “tag sleep” command should be taken into consideration in order to the make the exercise of the right to object feasible.