bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The EC Data Retention Directive
Authors: Loideain Nóra Ní
Published: May 2011

The focus of this paper is the new European legislation designed to harmonize domestic laws on the retention of telecommunications data for the purpose of assisting law enforcement efforts. The European Union introduced the EC Data Retention Directive in 2006. This Directive requires the retention of every European citizen’s communications data for up to two years for the purpose of police investigation. There is, however, a major problem with the Directive in that it regularizes, and thereby entrenches, the practice of data retention across Europe. No systematic empirical evidence supports the introduction of such broad surveillance. The existence of data retention in principle raises concerns for data protection and the right to respect of privacy as protected under the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). This paper questions the proportionality of the Directive in line with data protection principles and Europe’s obligations under Article 8 of the ECHR.
Hardware Virtualization on Dynamically Reconfigurable Processors
Authors: Plessl Christian , Platzner Marco
Published: May 2011

Numerous research efforts in reconfigurable embedded processors have shown that augmenting a CPU core with a coarse-grained reconfigurable array for application-specific hardware acceleration can greatly increase performance and energy-efficiency. The traditional execution model for such reconfigurable co-processors however requires the accelerated function to fit onto the reconfigurable array as a whole, which restricts the applicability to rather small functions. In the authors’ research presented in this chapter, the authors have studied hardware virtualization approaches that overcome this restriction by leveraging dynamic reconfiguration. They present two different hardware virtualization methods, virtualized execution and temporal partitioning, and introduce the Zippy reconfigurable processor architecture that has been designed with specific hardware virtualization support. Further, the authors outline the corresponding hardware and software tool flows. Finally, the authors demonstrate the potential provided by hardware virtualization with two case studies and discuss directions for future research.
Reconfiguration of Uniprocessor Sporadic Real-Time Systems
Authors: George Laurent , Courbin Pierre
Published: May 2011

In this chapter the authors focus on the problem of reconfiguring embedded real-time systems. Such reconfiguration can be decided either off-line to determine if a given application can be run on a different platform, while preserving the timeliness constraints imposed by the application, or on-line, where a reconfiguration should be done to adapt the system to the context of execution or to handle hardware or software faults. The task model considered in this chapter is the classical sporadic task model defined by a Worst Case Execution Time (WCET), a minimum inter-arrival time (also denoted the minimum Period) and a late termination deadline. The authors consider two preemptive scheduling strategies: Fixed Priority highest priority first (FP) and Earliest Deadline First (EDF). They propose a sensitivity analysis to handle reconfiguration issues. Sensitivity analysis aims at determining acceptable deviations from the specifications of a problem due to evolutions in system characteristics (reconfiguration or performance tuning). They present a state of the art for sensitivity analysis in the case of WCETs, Periods and Deadlines reconfigurations and study to what extent sensitivity analysis can be used to decide on the possibility of reconfiguring a system.
A Model-Based Approach To Configure and Reconfigure Avionics Systems
Authors: Delange Julien , Pautet Laurent , Kordon Fabrice
Published: May 2011

Aircraft manufacturers have been moving toward the Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) approach to reduce the number of dedicated boxes in the aircraft. Standards such as as DO178B or ARINC 653 must be followed during design, configuration or certification of IMA systems. Productivity and costs must also be improved while preserving conformance to standards. For instance, development process of avionics systems involves several system representations and representation transformations are done manually. Moreover, the complexity of new generation of safety-critical systems has also increased the complexity of their development. The authors present their component-based approach which relies on an appropriate modeling language (AADL) combined with modeling patterns to represent, configure and deploy an IMA system. It reduces costs by detecting errors earlier and prevents specifications revisions. Their code generator reduces memory footprint and improves code coverage. One last benefit is a possible automatic certification.
Creating and Sustaining Community in a Virtual World
Authors: Colachico David P.
Published: May 2011

We are currently living in an electronic age where it is easier to travel the world, stay in touch with people who live away from our face-to-face environment without the need to leave home or to meet in a real life situation than ever before. The Web is becoming a place where we encounter others in ways to get our personal, social, and professional needs met. As a result of this growing phenomenon individuals are seeking to be a part of online communities of individuals who interact and associate with one another through the Web and the use of modern technology. This chapter will provide an insight into the use of information communication technology to create and sustain community.
Socializing in the Online Gaming Community
Authors: Hua Chen Vivian Hsueh , Lirn Duh Henry Been
Published: May 2011

Massive Multiplayer Online Games (MMOG) allows a large number of players to cooperate, compete and interact meaningfully in the online environment. Gamers are able to form social network with fellow gamers and create a unique virtual community. Although research has discussed the importance of social interaction in MMOG, it fails to articulate how social interaction takes place in the game. The current chapter aims to depict how gamers interact and socialize with each other in a popular MMOG, World of Warcraft. Through virtual ethnography, specific interaction patterns and communication behaviors within the community are discussed. It is concluded that the types of social interaction taken place in the gaming world is influenced by the temporal and spatial factors of the game as well as the game mechanisms.
Communication in Global Virtual Activity Systems
Authors: Paretti Marie C. , McNair Lisa D.
Published: May 2011

This chapter uses activity theory as a lens to understand the implications of both virtual collaboration and cross-cultural contact for communication in global virtual teams. Rather than adopting a set of heuristics or guidelines that may readily become dated as cultures and technologies shift in the flat world, we argue that both those who study and those who engage in global virtual teams should critically analyze the entire activity system. We then provide meta-cognitive approaches to both distributed work and cross-cultural contact that team managers and team members can use to establish flexible communication practices appropriate to the activity system at hand, and that researchers can use to account for the range of factors that impact team performance.
A Service Oriented Ontological Framework for the Semantic Validation of Web Accessibility
Authors: Lopes Rui , Votis Konstantinos , Carriço Luís , Likothanassis Spiridon
Published: May 2011

The Web serves as the principal mediator for information sharing and communication on a worldwide scale. Its highly decentralized nature affords a scale free growth, where each endpoint (i.e., Web site) is created and maintained independently. Web designers and developers have the onus of making sure that users can interact without accessibility problems. However, coping with users with disabilities poses challenges on how to ensure that a Web site is accessible for any kind of user. When (and if) this is done, designers and developers do it in a post-hoc way, (i.e., verify and tweak Web sites according to guidelines such as WCAG). In this Chapter the authors present SWAF, the Semantic Web AccessibilityFramework, a base framework for supporting the integration of accessibility services into Web design and development processes. SWAF affords both tailoring accessibility to user needs and specifying the semantic validation of accessibility guidelines in different application situations.
Semantic Approach to Knowledge Representation and Processing
Authors: Stanojevic Mladen , Vraneš Sanja
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, several knowledge representation and processing techniques based on a symbolic and semantic approach are briefly described. The majority of present-day techniques, like the relational database model or OWL (Web Ontology Language), is based on the symbolic approach and supports the representation and processing of semantically related knowledge. Although these two techniques have found many successful applications, there are certain limitations in their wider use, stemming from the use of naming in explicit description of the meaning of the represented knowledge. To overcome these limitations, the authors propose a technique based on the semantic approach, Hierarchical Semantic Form (HSF), that uses semantic contexts to implicitly define the meaning. This chapter first provides concise information about the two most popular techniques and their limitations, and then proposes a new technique based on semantic approach, which facilitates a large scale processing of semantic knowledge represented in natural language documents.
Assessing the Social Network Health of Virtual Communities
Authors: Hinds David , Lee Ronald M.
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, the authors suggest how measures of “social network health” can be used to evaluate the status and progress of a virtual community. Using social capital theory as a foundation, the authors describe community health as the general condition of a community leading toward its advancement or decline, and show how social network analytical measures can be applied to existing virtual community archives to measure social network health. They describe the metric development and validation process and use their empirical study of 143 open source software project communities to illustrate how this process can be applied. Their hope is social network health metrics will be devised and integrated into host platforms for various types of virtual communities, thus providing socio-technical system designers and community managers with a valuable new diagnostic tool for tracking the status and progress of their communities.
Instititutional Opportunities and Challenges of the Wireless City
Authors: Ganapati Sukumar
Published: May 2011

This chapter explores the institutional opportunities and challenges of adopting wireless communications for mobile government at the local level. The basic ingredients of wireless for m-government include the wireless devices and the wireless infrastructure. The proliferation of wireless devices provides opportunities for transforming field operations, coordinating emergency management, enhancing citizen services and participation, and narrowing the digital divide. Challenges, however, exist in terms of wireless security, interoperability, and infrastructure provision.
Digital Connections and Learning Styles
Authors: Davis Julie , Harding Letitia , Mascle Deanna
Published: May 2011

Online or e-learning is increasingly becoming an integral part of education and training programs both in the academic world and in industry. This chapter includes a study which examines the ways in which faculty and students in an online Ph.D. program plan, adapt, and correlate coursework, teaching, study habits, and networking practices to accommodate all types of learning styles and to ensure that students feel part of a community of learners. The findings indicate that distance education should incorporate both synchronous and asynchronous instruction, personal and individual contact, a proper balance between the specific demands of the material to be covered and the learning styles of the students, and a willingness to adjust and modify delivery methods in order to obtain course or training objectives.
The Rise of the Chinese Blogosphere
Authors: Tai Zixue
Published: May 2011

In comparison with the USA and Europe, the Chinese blogosphere was off to a later start; however, it has experienced phenomenal growth since its formal birth in 2002. Now China boasts by far the largest blogging community in the world, surpassing the blogger population in the United States and Europe combined. Chinese bloggers are among the first globally to both actively engage in blog writing and reading. Although the Chinese blogosphere has closely followed the global path of technological innovation and ingenuity, it has taken many of its own unique twists and turns in terms of its creative uses and impact on the social, political and cultural contexts of Chinese society. Focusing on the popularization of blogs, mainstreaming, and commercialization of the global cyber culture in China, this chapter paints a portrait of a Chinese blogger. Due to the omnipresent state control of cyberspace and heavy-handed state censoring of online information, most Chinese bloggers have shied away from politically sensitive and subversive issues and topics. The most popular blogging topics include the documentation of personal experiences and the expression of individual viewpoints on a wide range of topics; these topics are followed by hobbies, entertainment, and amusement.
Use and Participation in Virtual Social Networks
Authors: Pagani Margherita , Hofacker Charles
Published: May 2011

Managers are increasingly interested in the social web, as it provides numerous opportunities for strengthening and expanding relationships with customers, but the network processes that lead to these user-based assets are poorly understood. In this paper, the authors explore factors influencing use and participation in virtual social networks. They also discuss unusual drivers and inhibitors present with virtual social networksâ€”highlighted by the presence of positive network externalities and fears that the content will be misused. The authors offer hypotheses stemming from a model of how these factors work together, test the model with a dataset collected from two different virtual social networks, and discuss the implications of this work. The findings offer managers insights on how to nurture Web 2.0 processes.
The Impact of Customer Churn on Social Value Dynamics
Authors: Kazienko Przemyslaw , Ruta Dymitr
Published: May 2011

Modern telecommunication service providers implicitly create interactive social networks of individuals that both depend on and influence each other through complex social relationships grown on friendship, shared interests, locality, and so forth. While delivering services on the individual basis, the network effects exerted from customer-to-customer interactions remain virtually unexplored and unexploited. The focus of this article is on customer churn, where social network effects are widely ignored yet may play a vital role in revenue protection. The key assumption made is that a value loss of a churning customer extends beyond his revenue stream and directly affects interaction within local neighborhoods. The direction and strength of this impact are evaluated experimentally by direct measurements of the total neighborhood value of the churning customer along with other standard social network measures taken before and after the churn event.
Disclosure Decisions in Existing Relationships Online
Authors: Greene Kathryn , Magsamen-Conrad Kate
Published: May 2011

Use of mediated channels of communication, such as email and instant messenger, is rapidly increasing, especially with adolescents and college-aged populations. This increase may alter interpersonal relationship maintenance strategies and communication patterns. The role of mediated channels of communication in some types of relationship initiation is well documented however, research investigating use within existing relationships is more limited. Self-disclosure is an important part of relationship maintenance, both in the initial stages of development as well as in existing relationships. This chapter explores motivations for disclosure through computer mediated communication (CMC) in pre-existing relationships and describes theoretical perspectives to advance examination of this area. Examples presented indicate four primary motivations for disclose through computer mediated communication: self, other, relationship, and situational/environmental. Further, we propose several codes within each primary reason, many of which diverged from traditional motivations for FtF disclosure. Implications and future directions for interpersonal CMC research are discussed.
Enabling Organizational Learning to Contribute toward a Learning Organization
Authors: Shen Pei-Di , Lee Tsang-Hsiung , Tsai Chia-Wen , Chen Yi-Fen
Published: May 2011

How can practices of knowledge management (KM) enable organizational learning to occur and then lead toward a learning organization? We seek the answer to this question by exploring three cases, Winbond, Worldpeace, and TSMC, chosen respectively from upstream, midstream, and downstream firms in the IC industry in Taiwan. We studied KM practices focusing on aspects of knowledge creation, storage/retrieval, transfer and application. Results showed that KM may play different enabling roles among IC designer, distributor and manufacturer. In this study it was found that IC designers may focus more on knowledge storage, while IC distributors pay more attention to knowledge application, and IC manufacturers emphasize knowledge creation.
Social Network Sites
Authors: Zammar Nisrine
Published: May 2011

This article examines the role of actors in a Social Network Sites and also the triggers and challenges they represent to social networking between today’s communities and businesses. A Social Network Sites is the product of the evolution of social liaisons and the emergence of online communities of people who are interested in exploring the concerns and activities of others. A social network is the assembly of direct or indirect contacts; a network is the product of interactions with the actors (individuals, families, enterprises, etc.) enabled by means of the structural design of web 2.0. Social Network Sites bring people together to interact through chat rooms, and share personal information and ideas around any topics via personal homepage publishing tools. This article is intended to be a trigger to deeply and more intensely explore potential roles of actor-network theory in the Social Network Sites context, in today’s and tomorrow’s world.
Social/Human Dimensions of Web Services
Authors: Draghici Anca , Barglazan Diana , Lewkowicz Myriam , Molcho Gila
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents some recent studies of the social and human dimension of Semantic Web services in the era of virtual organizations, focusing on the challenges, effects, and implications. The issues and results presented refer to the virtual organization known as the Virtual Research Laboratory for a Knowledge Community in Production (VRL-KCiP), Network of Excellence (NoE). In this chapter the authors analyze the risks arising from the modern communication process in this new form of organization, focusing in particular on the knowledge sharing process. Furthermore, they discuss the cultural aspects of managing a virtual organization that determine the efficiency of the knowledge management processes. The aim is to consider the challenges and the associated effect on developing Web services from the social/human perspective and to examine the impact on an organization’s cultural dimensions.
Understanding Social Capital Formation for Knowledge Sharing in Virtual Communities
Authors: Mohd Yusof Shafiz A.
Published: May 2011

This chapter attempts to explore the possibility of building social capital in virtual community(VC) by first introducing the phenomenon, its problems and context, types of VCs and the significance of knowledge sharing. This chapter then presents the process of social capital from a sociological standpoint where two main theories will be used—the elementary theory of social structure and the social exchange theory as the backbone of the arguments. By integrating both theories, a conceptual framework that includes six antecedents to develop social capital is provided. Subsequently, the propositions are expressed in terms of implications to the sociological approach of VC and some conclusions are made by including some future research agenda.
The Current State and Future Potential of Virtual Worlds
Authors: Artz John M.
Published: May 2011

Virtual worlds, while not a new phenomenon, have come to the foreground of information technology in the past few years largely due to the growth of Second Life, a three dimensional, global virtual world that has captured the imagination of millions. This article provides some background on this virtual world phenomenon providing both a history and a classification of virtual world technology. It then focuses on Second Life discussing the application, technology, and social implications. Included in the discussion are some current initiatives such as the open source client and server projects and the implications of those initiatives. Finally, we provide some speculation on the future potential of virtual world technology as an extrapolation of the current trajectory.
Value, Visibility, Virtual Teamwork at Kairos
Authors: Eyman Douglas
Published: May 2011

This chapter proposes an analytic for the assessment of sustainability and success of virtual workplaces. This analytic considers value, visibility, and infrastructure as key factors required for success, and suggests that an assessment of sustainability must include methods for evaluating current and possible mechanisms for securing or distributing social capital, exposing the degree to which the tasks and interactions of workers are made visible, and assessing the administrative and technological infrastructure with regard to support of communication, cooperation, and collaboration. This analytic is applied through a case study of the virtual workplace of the online scholarly journal Kairos: Rhetoric, Technology, Pedagogy.
Millennials, Social Networking, and Trust
Authors: Komaromi Kurt , Unsal Fahri , Erickson G. Scott
Published: May 2011

Trust in exchanges is an important concept in business and has become of topic of some interest in e-commerce. Substantial work has been done on how institutional mechanisms, technology, word-of-mouth, and numerous other variables affect trust in a website and potential customers’ willingness to conduct business there. This study continues that line of research by considering how the millennial generation perceives the trustworthiness of three types of online sites: a retailer, an auction site, and a social networking site. Little work has been done on whether social network sites have more or less trust than other types of websites and what aspects of trust are affected. Given the broad trend toward utilizing these social network sites for commercial purposes, it makes sense to assess how targeted users view and interact with them. This study presents preliminary data on all of these issues, suggesting that there do appear to be differences between social network sites and more traditional online vendors.
An Optimal Categorization of Feature Selection Methods for Knowledge Discovery
Authors: Kaur Harleen , Chauhan Ritu , Alam M.
Published: May 2011

With the continuous availability of massive experimental medical data has given impetus to a large effort in developing mathematical, statistical and computational intelligent techniques to infer models from medical databases. Feature selection has been an active research area in pattern recognition, statistics, and data mining communities. However, there have been relatively few studies on preprocessing data used as input for data mining systems in medical data. In this chapter, the authors focus on several feature selection methods as to their effectiveness in preprocessing input medical data. They evaluate several feature selection algorithms such as Mutual Information Feature Selection (MIFS), Fast Correlation-Based Filter (FCBF) and Stepwise Discriminant Analysis (STEPDISC) with machine learning algorithm naive Bayesian and Linear Discriminant analysis techniques. The experimental analysis of feature selection technique in medical databases has enable the authors to find small number of informative features leading to potential improvement in medical diagnosis by reducing the size of data set, eliminating irrelevant features, and decreasing the processing time.
Knowledge Management Approach as Business Model
Authors: Mathew Viju
Published: May 2011

Knowledge management (KM) has been sprouting as one of the outstanding conversant factor strongly in trust, and trust is a critical precondition to knowledge learning and sharing management concepts (Mathew, 2008). The chapter intended to bring forward various KM strategies specially framed for the service industries looking forward for the global market and need to create advantage in providing customer satisfaction and enhancing the growth prospects, applications in organizations, indicate how to improve knowledge based performance and act a base for the service industry for developing innovation, creating global opportunities for better service. The case study highlighting knowledge strategies is designed to achieve the required knowledge sharing and output. Open-ended and closed-ended strategies plays a significant role in collaborative learning, development, building the potential and providing the knowledge creation and sharing capacities needed for strategic formulation and decision making to create competitiveness.
Role of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in E-Supply Chain Management
Authors: Zhao Fang
Published: May 2011

This chapter studies the role that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play in the e-supply chain management. It has two objectives: (1) it explores how a SME embraces and implements electronic supply chain management (e-SCM) and the challenges facing it, and (2) it develops strategy to deal with the challenges. The chapter draws upon a case study of IFC Global Logistics (IFC), a small-to-medium-sized third party logistics provider. The case study illustrates how the SME embraces enabling technologies, the Internet, and modern business practices to integrate its supply chain management processes and to create for itself differentiation and a competitive advantage in the tough logistics industry. Based upon a literature review and the case study, the chapter explores effective strategy for SMEs in e-supply chain management.
Taiwan’s Corporate Governance
Authors: Lin Hsiang-Yi , Lin Li
Published: May 2011

This chapter discusses the meaning and internal and external mechanisms of Taiwan’s corporate governance, explains why this kind of mechanism cannot prevent the agency problem, and demonstrates the importance of business ethics by looking at the flaws in Taiwan’s corporate governance. Other questions addressed in this study include what limitations are in the internal and external mechanisms of Taiwan’s corporate governance, what makes the agency problem seem inevitable, and whether business ethics may compensate for the shortcomings in Taiwan’s corporate governance. In this chapter, the correlation between business ethics and corporate governance is reviewed and organized in order to demonstrate how this topic was viewed by previous scholars along with a proposal of how these two topics can be joined together. The question of how the agency problem in corporate governance emerges is then examined, followed by a literature review of past studies on the influences of introducing business ethics on the agency problem as well as their relationship. The findings of the new business model are discussed in the section V.
Innovation through Virtual Technologies
Authors: Rao N. Raghavendra
Published: May 2011

Rapid changes are taking place in global economy. It has become a necessity for enterprises to respond to these changes. Innovation in the business is the solution to face these changes. Identifying the right type of technology, knowledge and process are the main elements in designing an innovative method. Two business models are discussed for creating innovation models. Some of the concepts in information and communication technology and management are applied in these business models. Further, this chapter talks about the contribution of global virtual teams in designing and developing ideas for innovation.
Collision Detection
Authors: Zachmann Gabriel
Published: May 2011

Collision detection is one of the enabling technologies in many areas, such as virtual assembly simulation, physically-based simulation, serious games, and virtual-reality based medical training. This chapter will provide a number of techniques and algorithms that provide efficient, real-time collision detection for virtual objects. They are applicable to various kinds of objects and are easy to implement.
Virtual Reality and Neuroimaging Technologies
Authors: Burris Harrison R. , Sheikh Shahid A.
Published: May 2011

Marketers have long been fascinated by the possibility of understanding how consumers think and what factors stimulate favorable reactions to marketing stimuli. Marketers are now beginning to utilize neuromarketing techniques to map patterns of brain activities to ascertain how consumers evaluate products, objects, or marketing messages. Neuromarketing is relatively a new field of marketing that utilizes computer-simulated environments, such as Virtual Reality (VR) or Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) technologies combined with neuroimaging technologies, such as Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), Quantitative Electroencephalography (QEEG), Magnetoencephalography (MEG), and other means of studying human neurological responses. Marketers need this information to help gain favorable reactions to their marketing stimuli and to predict which product designs and marketing messages will appeal most and be on consumer’s minds when the prospects are ready to buy.
3D Virtual Learning Environment for Engineering Students
Authors: Valizadeh M. , Noroozi B. , Sorial G. A.
Published: May 2011

Virtual Reality and Virtual Learning Environments have become increasingly ambiguous terms in recent years because of essential elements facilitating a consistent environment for learners. Three-dimensional (3D) environments have the potential to position the learner within a meaningful context to a much greater extent than traditional interactive multimedia environments. The term 3D environment has been chosen to focus on a particular type of virtual environment that makes use of a 3D model. 3D models are very useful to make acquainted students with features of different shapes and objects, and can be particularly useful in teaching younger students different procedures and mechanisms for carrying out specific tasks. This chapter explains that 3D Virtual Reality is mature enough to be used for enhancing communication of ideas and concepts and stimulate the interest of students compared to 2D education.
Advertised Waist-to-Hip Ratios of Online Female Escorts
Authors: Saad Gad
Published: May 2011

The Web’s global reach provides evolutionary behavioral scientists unique opportunities to investigate human universals steeped in a common and evolved human nature. In the current article, it is argued that many forms of online sexual communication are indicative of our evolved mating minds, including the manner by which female escorts are “advertised” online. It is demonstrated that online advertisers provide a restricted set of morphological cues whilst advertising female escorts, these being congruent with men’s evolved aesthetic preferences. Specifically, it is shown that irrespective of cultural setting, online escorts advertise waist-to-hip ratios (WHR) that are in line with the near-universal male preference for women that possess WHRs of 0.70.
Business Process Control-Flow Complexity
Authors: Cardoso Jorge
Published: May 2011

Organizations are increasingly faced with the challenge of managing business processes, workflows, and recently, Web processes. One important aspect of business processes that has been overlooked is their complexity. High complexity in processes may result in poor understandability, errors, defects, and exceptions, leading processes to need more time to develop, test, and maintain. Therefore, excessive complexity should be avoided. Business process measurement is the task of empirically and objectively assigning numbers to the properties of business processes in such a way so as to describe them. Desirable attributes to study and measure include complexity, cost, maintainability, and reliability. In our work, we will focus on investigating process complexity. We present and describe a metric to analyze the control-flow complexity of business processes. The metric is evaluated in terms of Weyuker’s properties in order to guarantee that it qualifies as good and comprehensive. To test the validity of the metric, we describe the experiment we have carried out for empirically validating the metric.
The Role of ICTs in Primary Science Education in Developing a Community of Learners to Enhance Scientific Literacy
Authors: Jane Beverley , Fleer Marilyn , Gipps John
Published: May 2011

The purpose of this chapter is to show how information communication technologies (ICT) facilitated communication between primary pre-service teachers that enabled a ‘community of learners’ to develop children’s scientific literacy. Cultural-historical theory was used to frame a study that sought to explicitly go beyond thinking as being individualistic, and to show how thinking can also be considered as a collective endeavour. In particular the study identifies how thinking forms part of a ‘community of learners’ both virtually and in reality within classrooms. The study was able to make visible child and pre-service teacher interactional sequences that brought together everyday concepts and scientific concepts to support concept formation in science. The study revealed the dialectical relations between everyday concepts and scientific concepts for moving from an interpsychological level to an intrapsychological level. The collective, rather than the individual orientation, made such a perspective possible. Importantly, the use of ICTs facilitated communication between members of the collective.
Enhancing Scientific Literacy through the Industry Site Visit
Authors: Lavonen Jari , Laherto Antti , Loukomies Anni , Juuti Kalle , Kim Minkee , Lampiselkä Jarkko , Meisalo Veijo
Published: May 2011

Citizens in contemporary societies are encountering more and more issues that are somehow related to science and technology. Therefore, science and technology education plays an important role in providing students with the knowledge and the competences they need in their life. The research and development project discussed in this chapter focuses specifically on scientific literacy. It is considered as a crucial element of multiple literacies required in modern life. These proficiencies are often referred to in terms such as information literacy, media literacy, environmental literacy, political literacy, computer literacy etc. (see e.g., Lankshear & Knobel, 2003). In order to enhance student scientific literacy the authors introduce a model of industry site visit for lower secondary school science education as a form of out-of-school learning. The potential of the site visit and other learning activities connected to it are discussed in the frameworks of scientific literacy, motivation and interest. The site visit and the activities, such as the use of ICT in reading and writing, are scrutinised with regard to the specified educational goals. The analysis of the motivational aspects of the site visit is based on self-determination theory. Self-determined learning could occur when an activity at a site is considered by a learner to be interesting, enjoyable, or personally valuable. Furthermore, the site visit offers role models which are critical for students’ choice of advanced studies and careers in science. Some empirical results on both cognitive and affective learning outcomes, as well as challenges that were encountered are presented on the basis of first design and evaluation cycle.
Transformative Learning and Ancient Asian Educational Perspectives
Authors: Wang Victor X. , King Kathleen P.
Published: May 2011

Scholars and practitioners all seem to agree that andragogy is not the only perspective and model in the field of adult learning. We no longer think of learning as democratic styles and methods versus authoritarian styles and methods. Rather, we now think of learning as a reflective process where learners may engage their whole body and mind in a critical manner. Worldwide, there are many rich traditions that we can contrast the theory of transformative learning with to improve our understanding, appreciation, application, and further research of this theory to practice. This chapter explores the connections of Ancient Asian educational perspectives with transformative learning for these purposes.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Instruction Using Principles of Adult Learning
Authors: Berger Jim
Published: May 2011

This chapter provides an overview of assessment of instruction using adult learning principles. The goal of this chapter is to examine the assessment process, describe effective assessment techniques and provide guidelines for instructor developed assessments. Bloom’s (1956) Taxonomy and the subsequent modification of levels of cognitive objectives provided by Anderson et al. (2001) are included. Various assessment exercises are described according to the modified levels of cognitive objectives. Instructors are guided in the process of developing their own assessments from objective tests to subjective essays. Readers are introduced to authentic assessment and provided ways of developing their own authentic assessments, including rubrics. Future trends of assessment practices are also discussed.
Student Learning in an Online Environment
Authors: Arambewela Rodney
Published: May 2011

The increasing class sizes, changing expectations, diversity and mobility of students and the use of computer technology in teaching have challenged universities, world over, to review educational courses and delivery to provide a more satisfying learning experience to students. Understanding how students learn is essential in this process and continuous enquiry into teaching practices for their effectiveness towards enhancement of student learning outcomes is therefore considered a vital strategy. This chapter discusses an exploratory study on the differences in the learning approaches of a group of students in a second year marketing course in an Australian university. E-learning system remains the primary communication and the learning resource of these students. Results indicate that there are no significant differences in the study approaches of students but on average they seem to demonstrate deep learning than surface learning although they may differ in terms of the learning contexts. The study also reveals that in comparison female students and older aged students seem to demonstrate deep learning orientations than surface learning orientations.
Digital Equity and Black Brazilians
Authors: Leigh Patricia Randolph
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, the author examines the history of the colonization of Brazil through the transatlantic Black slave trade and the effects this history had upon digital equity experienced by Black Brazilians in the information age. This examination is conducted using the philosophical lenses of critical theory and critical race theory (CRT). Coming from these perspectives, the author joins other scholars in the belief that racism does, in fact, exist in Brazilian societies and joins with those who aim to dispel ‘the myth of racial democracy’ and the myth of racial harmony in a country with roots in a race-based system of slavery and peonage. The author contends that issues of digital equity and equality of opportunity can only be effectively addressed if one has a deep understanding of the factors that led to inequities that preceded the information age. With this in mind, the author shares various culturally-based grass-roots efforts along with government initiatives she observed during a preliminary investigation of digital equity in this segment of the African Diaspora.
Automatic Timed Automata Extraction from Ladder Programs for Model-Based Analysis of Control Systems
Authors: Oliveira Kézia , Gorgônio Kyller , Perkusich Angelo , Lima Antônio , Dias da Silva Leandro
Published: May 2011

Control Systems are used to produce a certain result with little or no human supervision. The principal aim of such systems is to ensure that resources are used efficiently and that the desired product quality is achieved. Moreover for critical systems such as oil and gas plants, it is important to guarantee the safety and dependability of the operation. Therefore, it is necessary to verify whether what is running in the device is in accordance with what was defined in the specification documents. The goal of this chapter is to present a method that automatically generates the timed automata models from the specification ISA 5.2 Binary Logic Diagrams, and the implementation Ladder programs, for model-based analysis, in order to increase the confidence in the behavior of critical Control Systems. This approach is based on the use of the Uppaal tool and the Uppaal-TRON testing tool.
ICT Integration Efforts in Higher Education in Developing Economies
Authors: Tibebu Dawit , Bandyopadhyay Tridib , Negash Solomon
Published: May 2011

A situational modified version of Tearle’s model (2004) is utilized in this study to understand the integration of ICTs in the educational process. The study evaluated self efficacy beliefs, institutional support and policy in the context of developing economies where challenges of inadequate resources and insufficient skills persist. We assess the state of affairs, and the challenges faced by teachers and management at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. The results show that educators are generally appreciative of ICTs role in the teaching/learning process.
Game Informed Virtual Patients
Authors: Begg Michael , Dewhurst David , Ross Michael
Published: May 2011

Modern medical education necessitates a complex interleaving of issues relating to practice, professional and personal development, teaching and learning. This complexity has led, in part, to medical education being persistently located in the vanguard of eLearning development. Here, the authors describe our approach to the development of virtual patient resources and in particular how this iterative dialogue arising from the allied processes of practice, reflection and pedagogy required to create new learning tools and resources has contributed to professional development of those engaged in teaching medical students and in building online learning communities at the University of Edinburgh.
Construction of Traceability System by Using Simple and Handy Type RFID Reader
Authors: Itsuki Rei
Published: May 2011

This chapter picks up and explains some problems on system costs or specifications faced when trying to construct a traceability system by using RFID tags. The peripherals including RFID reader are even now expensive because it is not widespread in the market. Because of the sense of comparatively high price of the system cost and the dilemma to the specification, the impression that construction approach of the traceability system using RFID tags may be in the contemplation period is strong. This chapter shows these problems obtained from a market trend concerning the traceability in recent years and the result of reviews of the RFID tag applications or proof experiments. Next, the points of the future traceability system construction using these new technologies, especially about simple and handy type RFID reader using FPGA are described.
E-Innovation as Source of Business Value in Firms
Authors: Acosta Pedro Soto , Colomo-Palacios Ricardo , Loukis Euripidis
Published: May 2011

This chapter seeks to assess the relationship between Web infrastructure and Internet-based innovation as sources of business value. To respond to this challenge, a conceptual model, grounded in the resource-based view (RBV) is developed. To test hypotheses, a large sample consisting of Spanish firms is employed. The results show that, as hypothesized, Web infrastructure is not positively related to business value and that Internet-based innovation has a positive significant impact on business value. In addition, the results show no significant complementarity between Web infrastructure and Internet-based innovation.
Improvement of Lecture Speech Recognition by Using Unsupervised Adaptation
Authors: Kosaka Tetsuo , Kusama Takashi , Kato Masaharu , Kohda Masaki
Published: May 2011

The aim of this work is to improve the recognition performance of spontaneous speech. In order to achieve the purpose, the authors of this chapter propose new approaches of unsupervised adaptation for spontaneous speech and evaluate the methods by using diagonal-covariance and full-covariance hidden Markov models. In the adaptation procedure, both methods of language model (LM) adaptation and acoustic model (AM) adaptation are used iteratively. Several combination methods are tested to find the optimal approach. In the LM adaptation, a word trigram model and a part-of-speech (POS) trigram model are combined to build a more task-specific LM. In addition, the authors propose an unsupervised speaker adaptation technique based on adaptation data weighting. The weighting is performed depending on POS class. In Japan, a large-scale spontaneous speech database “Corpus of Spontaneous Japanese (CSJ)” has been used as the common evaluation database for spontaneous speech and the authors used it for their recognition experiments. From the results, the proposed methods demonstrated a significant advantage in that task.
An Appreciation of Diverse Approaches to Learning Design in Higher Education
Authors: Casey John
Published: May 2011

This chapter makes the case for acknowledging and appreciating the diverse paths that lead to the generation of designs for e-learning in higher education. It identifies and critically examines some of the tensions between current design practices in the higher education sector and those assumed by interoperability standards such as IMS Learning Design and learning objects. The likely imperatives of a more design-intensive model of e-learning for the organisation and culture of the academic workplace are considered and some simple practical techniques to support the generation of designs are described. The chapter introduces a proposal for the combination of pedagogic and generic design knowledge as a means for improving practice by promoting a collaborative multidisciplinary approach to help reverse the current dominance of technology. Finally, the chapter briefly outlines suggestions for further areas of interdisciplinary enquiry and development.