bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Corneal Refractive Power and Symmetry Changes Following Normalization of Ectasias Treated With Partial Topography-Guided PTK Combined With Higher-Fluence CXL (The Athens Protocol)
Authors: Kanellopoulos Anastasios John , Asimellis George
Published: August 2014

PURPOSE:

To investigate preoperative and postoperative anterior and posterior keratometry and simulated corneal astigmatism in keratoconic eyes treated with collagen cross-linking combined with anterior surface normalization by partial topography-guided excimer ablation (the Athens Protocol).

METHODS:

Anterior and posterior corneal keratometry were measured by Scheimpflug imaging for 267 untreated keratoconic eyes. Following treatment, they were assessed 1 year postoperatively.

RESULTS:

Before treatment, average anterior keratometric value was 47.06 ± 6.02 diopters (D) for flat and 51.24 ± 6.75 D for steep. The posterior keratometric values were −6.70 ± 0.99 D (flat) and −7.67 ± 1.15 D (steep). Anterior astigmatism was on average with-the-rule (−1.97 ± 6.21 D), whereas posterior astigmatism was against-the-rule (+0.53 ± 1.02 D). The posterior and anterior astigmatism were highly correlated (r
2
= 0.839). After treatment, anterior keratometric values were 43.97 ± 5.81 D (flat) and 46.55 ± 6.82 D (steep). Posterior keratometric values were −6.58 ± 1.05 D (flat) and −7.69 ± 1.22 D (steep). Anterior astigmatism was on average with-the-rule (−1.56 ± 3.80 D), whereas posterior astigmatism was against-the-rule (+0.45 ± 1.29 D). The statistically significant (
P
< .05) keratometric changes indicated anterior surface flattening −3.09 ± 2.67 D (flat) and −4.19 ± 2.96 D (steep). The posterior keratometric changes were not statistically significant (
P
> .05).

CONCLUSIONS:

Before treatment, there was a strong correlation between posterior and anterior corneal astigmatism. After treatment, statistically significant anterior keratometric values flattened. The posterior surface keratometric values did not demonstrate statistically significant postoperative change: there was minimal posterior change, despite the significant anterior surface normalization.

[
J Refract Surg.
2014;30(5):342–346.]
Evaluating the Short-Term Results of KAMRA Inlay Implantation Using Real-Time Optical Coherence Tomography-Guided Femtosecond Laser Technology
Authors: Tomita Minoru , Huseynova Tukezban
Published: August 2014

PURPOSE:

To evaluate the outcomes from using real-time optical coherence tomography (OCT)-guided femtosecond laser technology for pocket creation for KAMRA inlay (Acufocus, Inc., Irvine, CA) implantation surgery.

METHODS:

One hundred fifty-one eyes underwent KAMRA inlay implantation using the real-time OCT-guided femtosecond laser for pocket creation. All patients had a history of prior LASIK. Uncorrected distance visual acuity, corrected distance visual acuity, uncorrected near visual acuity, corrected near visual acuity, and manifest refraction spherical equivalent were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively. The follow-up period was 3 months.

RESULTS:

Mean manifest refraction spherical equivalent, uncorrected distance visual acuity, and uncorrected near visual acuity changed from −0.18 ± 0.33 to −0.95 ± 0.64, 20/16 to 20/20, and J8 to J2, respectively. Corrected distance visual acuity and corrected near visual acuity remained stable before and after KAMRA inlay implantation, 20/12 and J1, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS:

Using real-time OCT-guided femtosecond laser technology increases the safety and accuracy of corneal KAMRA inlay implantation surgery with a history of prior LASIK with excellent visual and refractive outcomes.

[
J Refract Surg.
2014;30(5):326–329.]
Applications of scattered interpolation with multilevel B‐splines to magnetic anomaly data
Authors: Jiang Yule , Zhang Nan
Published: August 2014

Due to practical limitations, geophysical acquisitions for natural resource exploration are always performed at scattered points in space. To derive more rational and accurate interpretations about physical properties of earth forming materials, it is necessary to interpolate geophysical data in a dense and regular grid as a preliminary step. This article introduces a method for interpolation of scattered data using multilevel B‐splines to estimate field values on a dense and regular grid based on original sparse and irregular data. The algorithm applies an effective B‐splines approximation technique to a hierarchy of control lattices to generate a sequence of functions whose sum approaches the desired interpolation function. This method is implemented successfully in interpolation on both synthetic and real magnetic anomaly data sets. In comparison, it achieves better results than inverse distance weighing, kriging and minimum curvature methods.
Case study: GPR survey at the archaeological Roman site of Ciavieja, El Ejido (Spain)
Authors: Faize Ahmed , de Jong van Coevorden C.M. , Cobos Sánchez C. , Fernández Pantoja A. , Gonzalez García S. , Driouach Abdellah , Gómez Martín R.
Published: August 2014

This paper, describing a ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) survey performed on the archaeological site of Ciavieja, El Ejido (Spain), is part of a series of historical studies performed in Ciavieja to analyse the extent and importance of the remains buried at this site. The objective of the GPR survey was to locate the most promising areas within the archaeological site to help design a park that combines leisure and culture. The time slices built with the radar data show several locations with linear and square anomalies with sizes compatible with those of Roman walls or rooms. The interpretation of the GPR data is corroborated with FDTD computer simulations.
Detection of landfill cover damage using geophysical methods
Authors: Genelle Fanny , Sirieix Colette , Riss Joëlle , Naudet Véronique , Dabas Michel , Bégassat Philippe
Published: August 2014

In closed hazardous waste (i.e. industrial) landfills, impermeable covers are used to seal in the waste so as to minimise water infiltration and the accumulation of leachate inside the waste. In this paper, we present a geophysical study performed on a French landfill where the cover was designed using impermeable (clay) and drainage (sand) layers along with a Geosynthetic Clay Liner (GCL) in between. As observed, the quantity of leachate increases after rain events making the leachate treatment more expensive. This could be due to areas of weakness in the cover that have developed over time or which date back to its installation. Three different geophysical methods were employed and confronted to detect and assess such damage, and, if necessary, to help choose the most suitable remediation of the cover: Automatic Resistivity Profiling (ARP) which enables a rapid mapping of the entire landfill; the self‐potential method (SP) as one of its sources is water drainage; and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) to obtain 2D resistivity models. Based on the ARP results revealing high lateral heterogeneities of the superficial cover materials, the SP and ERT measurements were conducted on a limited area. A negative SP anomaly was observed at the top of the landfill, where the cover is the thinnest and the GCL the most damaged, suggesting preferential infiltration under the GCL. The 2D ERT profile showed both vertical and horizontal variations. Comparison with manual auger holes showed that the alternating clayey and sandy layers did not conform to plans for the original cover when it was installed at this site about twenty years ago. Variations in electrical resistivity noticed at the depth of the GCL were attributed to possible damage to the GCL and a greater than expected permeability since the GCL is normally very resistive. The results obtained in this study were important to understand the damage to the cover due to the use of different types and thicknesses of cover materials compared to what was originally planned, and deterioration of the GCL.
Reliability of MASW profiling in near‐surface applications
Authors: Steinel Hannes , Hausmann Jörg , Werban Ulrike , Dietrich Peter
Published: August 2014

Pseudo‐2D surface wave profiling (MASW) has become a powerful state‐of‐the‐art tool for the characterization of near‐surface features in recent years. The rapid gathering and interpretation of surface wave data, i.e. Rayleigh waves, that this method offers is applicable to many investigations and environments. However, most studies only perform unidirectional active surface wave profiling, i.e. without data evaluation by measuring the same profile in the opposite direction. Uncertainties arising from using the MASW method are connected to the one‐dimensional inversion of a two‐dimensional subsurface. Moreover, the occurence of lateral inhomogeneities and dipping layers distort the flat‐layered 1D assumption used in surface wave inversion. In this study, we present data from two different MASW surveys. For both locations, we reveal shot‐geometrical effects and prove the necessity of bidirectional profiling, especially since these check shots can be implemented with only little extra effort. The results of this investigation show that, in general, more attention should be paid to data evaluation.
Quality-of-Service Based Web Service Composition and Execution Framework
Authors: Shargabi Bassam Al , Hassan Osama Al-haj , Sabri Alia , El Sheikh Asim
Published: August 2014

Software is gradually becoming more built by composing web services to support enterprise applications integration; thus, making the process of composing web services a significant topic. The Quality of Service (QoS) in web service composition plays a crucial role. As such, it is important to guarantee, monitor, and enforce QoS and ability to handle failures during execution. Therefore, an urgent need exists for a dynamic Web Service Composition and Execution (WSCE) framework based on QoS constraints. A WSCE broker is designed to maintain the following function: intelligent web service selection decisions based on local QoS for individual web service or global QoS based selection for composed web services, execution tracking, and adaptation. A QoS certifier controlled by the UDDI registry is proposed to verify the claimed QoS attributes. The authors evaluate the composition plan along with performance time analysis.
Probabilistic Models for Social Media Mining
Authors: Tsai Flora S.
Published: August 2014

This paper proposes probabilistic models for social media mining based on the multiple attributes of social media content, bloggers, and links. The authors present a unique social media classification framework that computes the normalized document-topic matrix. After comparing the results for social media classification on real-world data, the authors find that the model outperforms the other techniques in terms of overall precision and recall. The results demonstrate that additional information contained in social media attributes can improve classification and retrieval results.
Design and Operation of a Cell Phone-Based Community Hazard Information Sharing System
Authors: Shinohara Mayayuki , Hattori Akira , Ioroi Shigenori , Tanaka Hiroshi , Hayami Haruo , Fujioka Hidekazu , Harada Yuichi
Published: August 2014

This paper presents a hazard/crime incident information sharing system using cell phones. Cell phone penetration is nearly 100% among adults in Japan, and they function as a telecommunication tool as well as a Global Positioning System (GPS) and camera. Open source software (Apache, Postfix, and MySQL) is installed on a system server, and together with the information service provided by Google Maps, are used to satisfy system requirements for the local community. Conventional systems deliver information to all people registered in the same block, even if an incident occurred far from their house. The key feature of the proposed system is that the distribution range of the hazard notification e-mail messages is determined by the geometrical distance from the incident location to the residence of each registered member. The proposed system applies not only to conventional cell phones but also smart phones, which are rapidly becoming popular in Japan. The new system functionality has been confirmed by a trial using members of the local community. System operation began after the successful trial and a training meeting for the local residents. System design, verification results, and operating status are described in this paper.
Comparing Learning Organizations with Static Organizations
Authors: Wang Victor X. , Bain Bernice
Published: August 2014

A major challenge for organizations is remaining competitive in today's global society where sustainability is the most pressing problem (Ramirez, 2012). This chapter compares the characteristics of static and learning organizations, explains the systems thinking (the root of learning organizations), identifies the components required for transition from a static organization to a learning organization, considers two examples of learning organizations, and explores various critiques organizational leaders should consider. Leaders who strive to turn static organizations into learning organizations by changing corporate leaders' and employees' mindsets (Bennis, 1989; Bennis & Nanus, 1997) should consider the transitional process of that change. Learning organizations can permeate various social systems and industries including those that seem to need static traits such as construction. Organizational leaders should consider benefits and critiques as they develop a strategic approach to sustainability and growth.
Spontaneity
Authors: Cua Francisco , Stein Sarah , Perez-Pido Alevir
Published: August 2014

Higher knowledge, such as reasoning, emerges through everyday common-sense spontaneous activity, said Vygotsky. Consequently, formal education needs spontaneous learning experiences to be perfect. In this chapter, the authors explore knowledge on spontaneous activity from everyday life experiences of 11 second- and third-year students who studied at a Philippine university. Students told their stories through a focus group discussion. Their stories were triangulated with an interview of their instructor, one-on-one interviews with some of them, and an open-structured essay-type questionnaire. The grounded theory approach in analyzing their learning practices reveals spontaneity that fits students' contexts, needs, and expectations. Spontaneous learning is a process of discovery and reflection when students conduct active learning engagements. Students who preoccupy themselves with their spontaneous learning bring to themselves new self-knowledge. The self-knowing process redefines and empowers the self. The implication is that spontaneous activity could be embedded into formal, non-formal, and informal education to maximize students' learning.
Social Simulation and its Process in Learning
Authors: Chang Bo
Published: August 2014

Simulation has been applied in the fields of computers, engineering, entertainment, healthcare, education, training, etc. Much research on simulation uses computerized programs to imitate real objects or to visualize hypothesized objects. Due to the complex features of social societies, and the non-linear features of knowledge in the social context, it is somewhat rigid for learners to use computerized simulation programs to understand social activities. Therefore, the purpose of this chapter is to discuss simulation in the social context. The author first introduces the background of simulation. Then she discusses non-computerized social simulation and the process of how to apply social simulation in practice. Finally, the author points out the future trends of simulation.
Self-Directed Learning in Organizations and Institutes of Higher Learning
Authors: Sharpe Ramona T. , Kelley Tamara L.
Published: August 2014

This chapter discusses Self-Directed Learning (SDL) and its current use in various types of organizations. A review of theories, literature, and current practices lead to the exploration of what deficits are limiting the use of SDL today, and what skill sets are needed to better support and expand the usage of SDL tomorrow in a multitude of environments. Suggestions for ways to increase SDL skills in the general population are also discussed. Major implications for adult educators, Human Resource Development (HRD) professionals, and other practitioners are examined, paying special attention to technology and organizational culture.
Self-Directed Learning Facilitation among At-Risk Adult High School Learners
Authors: Almodóvar Jason J.
Published: August 2014

Surprisingly little adult educational research speaks to technologically based learning strategies that support the self-directed learning facilitation of at-risk adults in a daytime high school (dropout-recovery) setting. This chapter investigates the question of whether technology is a key tool for the facilitation of self-directed learning with at-risk adults to support education stakeholders of dropout-recovery schools who seek ways to improve upon the lives of adults who could not manage the traditional high school curriculum. Current research discussing technology as a learning tool has too broad of an educational context and possesses valid and weak points. At times, the literature may be of little use to specific stakeholders in the field of adult learning. The purpose of this chapter is to appraise technological trends in adult education for the facilitation of self-directed learning among at-risk adults in high school. Moreover, the purpose of the chapter is to draw upon these trends within educational contexts to offer new practical insights into fostering best adult educational practice. This chapter examines self-directed learning in the adult high school context, reviews technology as a tool for at-risk adult self-directed learning, and appraises online learning and video gaming as technological tools for the self-directed learning of at-risk adult students in dropout-recovery schools. Ultimately, this chapter provides a new frame of reference for stakeholders who want to implement technology as a learning tool for at-risk adult populations attaining a high school diploma.
Adult Learning in a Digital Age
Authors: Steinke Krista , Bryan Valerie C.
Published: August 2014

This chapter argues that the technology implemented for teaching and learning in the higher education setting should serve a specific set of purposes in order to increase student engagement and to maximize learning outcomes. The practice of using technology alone to increase student engagement is ineffective. Before deciding which tools to implement, faculty need to first consider how the technology will meet the needs of the students. The same is true at higher levels of organizations. Before requiring faculty to implement technologies across a school, administrators should research the effectiveness of the technologies, specifically to determine whether the technology will increase student achievement and have an overall positive impact on the organization. Time is perhaps the most important factor in this scenario. Leaders must weigh the pros and cons of using time, a valuable resource, to teach new technologies to faculty, and, further down the line, for faculty to teach to students. In short, it is not effective to implement a new technology simply because we can.
Personalised E-Learning
Authors: O'Donnell Eileen , Sharp Mary , Wade Vincent , O'Donnell Liam
Published: August 2014

Society's use of mobile applications that instantaneously dynamically adapt to input has had the effect of users expecting immediate feedback from all applications based on their specific needs. The traditional concept of a one size fits all approach to managing an online learning environment could perhaps be improved by the inclusion of personalised learning experiences for students based on their prior knowledge. The purpose of personalised e-learning is to tailor learning content to the specific learning requirements of individual students. The focus of this chapter is to review the topic of personalised e-learning and discuss the issues and problems educators may encounter in assessing students' prior knowledge. Information on students' prior knowledge is required to inform the process to facilitate personalised e-learning experiences based on prior knowledge.
Enhancing Health Education with Collaborative Narratives
Authors: Bird Jennifer Lynne , Wanner Eric T.
Published: August 2014

This chapter explains the lessons learned when an English professor and a physical therapist decided to work together. Patients in a clinic and students in a classroom share the need for positive role models to teach them effective strategies to enhance their learning. The official research journey focuses on the connections among writing, positive outlook, and healing. The unofficial journey focuses on the lessons learned from the authors teaching each other about their fields of expertise. They encourage readers to accomplish two tasks. First, think about how to get out of your personal comfort zone and change your outlook about the amount of stress in your life. Second, think about how to get out of your professional comfort zone and change your outlook about working with colleagues in other disciplines. By sharing their experiences, the authors provide ideas on how to participate in interdisciplinary collaborations with colleagues in school and community.
A Novel Strategy to Improve STEM Education
Authors: Swaid Samar I.
Published: August 2014

Undergraduate traditional instructional delivery that does not utilize computation is linked significantly to students' low performance and thereby attrition. Over the last two decades, new computational technologies, information, and communication have emerged, creating comprehensive cyberinfrastructure-based service systems, or what is termed here e-science. E-science environments are virtual systems that support data management, data mining, information acquisition, visualization, computing services, and people collaboration over the Web. Although a number of attempts have been successful in utilizing e-science environments to change how research is conducted, using e-science environments for education has been rarely realized. This chapter describes a project that aims to transform Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education through using e-science systems at the undergraduate level. The strategy is built on three arms: (1) injecting Computational Thinking (CT) in STEM education; (2) using e-science for STEM learning; and (3) building a community-of-practice around e-science. By using e-science resources and services, an inquiry-based approach to learning can be the key to students' motivations, achievements, and enthusiasm for science.
A Sentence Repetition Placement Test for ESL/EFL Learners in Japan
Authors: Topor F. Sigmund
Published: August 2014

Informed by psycholinguistics, an aspect of the theory of Communicative Competence, this chapter explores the predictive utility of a Sentence Repetition (Placement) Test (SRPT) for L1 Japanese English learners. A bivariate correlational analysis shows a positive correlation (r = .643) between scores on the listening segment of the TOEIC and those on a Sentence Repetition Placement Test. Data for the Sentence Repetition Placement Test was generated from university students and working professionals in Tokyo, Japan (N = 35; 25 men and 10 women). A valid Sentence Repetition Placement Test may provide the solution to ESL/EFL placement in Japan. Future research on Sentence Repetition Placement Test for ESL/EFL should address the relationship between the espoused ESL/EFL Communicative Competence objectives and policies to achieve those objectives. Within the current global environment, internal adjustments are clearly necessary to cope with external communicative demands.
East Meets West
Authors: Russo Marianne Robin
Published: August 2014

It would seem that people are very different because they may dress differently, are acculturated in different manners, speak different languages, have different cuisine, family traditions, etiquette, philosophies, literature, history, governments, education, artifacts, and technologies. The concept of Eastern culture and Western culture is often couched as dichotomous. Eastern and Western cultures are not monolithic and have wide variance, inclusive of variance that might be found in religions. Religion plays a role in both cultures, and these religions have an impact on how women may be viewed and treated, inclusive of gender expectations. These gender expectations that may stem from religions may then affect how women are immersed in science and technological fields. This chapter briefly explores gender as it is encapsulated in the East and West within the frame of religion. Three religions are briefly discussed, one that is considered more of an Eastern religion and two that are Westernized, Islam and Southern Baptist and Mormonism, respectively. After these religions are examined in terms of gender, these four questions are answered: (a) Could religion hold back women in technology positions that are within the male domain of work? (b) Are religions different in how they compartmentalize women? (c) Are Eastern and Western religions different in how women are perceived and ultimately treated? and (d) How can women overcome the stereotypic threat within the world of religion and work?
Questioning
Authors: Ozuem Wilson
Published: August 2014

Questioning and dialogue provide a framework for sharing educational objectives with students and for charting their progress. However, such an approach can generate feedback information that can be used by students to enhance learning and achievement. Moreover, the feedback generated from good “questioning and dialogue” could help tutors realign their teaching in response to the needs of learners. Organisations or institutions of learning, which integrate productive questioning and dialogue as part of their classroom practices and commitments to students, provide enhanced meaningful connections between what their students are studying and the relevance both their thinking and their knowledge has in comprehending life issues and solving problems. Drawing on qualitative research perspectives and adopting an embedded case study strategy, this chapter addresses the following questions: What are the connections between good questioning and student learning and achievement? What conscious knowledge and beliefs do tutors hold about productive questioning in their classes? The study findings indicate that learners need to be motivated to ask questions and encouraged to get involved in discussions. Tutors should consider “think-pair share strategy” in their classroom delivery.
The Empowerment of Japanese Women
Authors: Topor F. Sigmund
Published: August 2014

Power is defined as relational, authoritative, motivational, and as knowledge. Empowerment is the act of facilitating individuals to achieve their wishes, desires, and objectives by making them aware of their power, potential, and knowledge. Empowerment in an organization or society entails granting participatory rights to the members of the organization or society, enabling them to fulfill duties expected and benefits due. The household has historically been the basic unit of existence of individual Japanese. As influenced by Confucianism, Japanese people practiced a matrilocal system, one in which the husband goes to live with the wife's community, dating back to the Heian period (785-1184 A.D.). Disempowerment of women in the Japanese culture dates back to the Tokugawa Shogunate era of 1602-1868 (Seth, 1992). The Tale of Genji, a novel that was written in the 11th century by a woman, sheds light on one of the reasons that the Japanese people are apathetic to the empowerment of women. Nonetheless, to improve overall performance and increase per capital output of the country, Japan needs to address her gender inequality problems. This is explored in this chapter.
E-Learning for Widening Participation in Higher Education
Authors: Maslo Irina , Surikova Svetlana , González Manuel Joaquín Fernández
Published: August 2014

The purpose of this chapter is to conceptualize e-learning as a socio-cultural ecological system and to explore the empirical evidences of the objective and subjective conditions for using this concept in practice for increasing the participation in higher education. The components of this new concept are a systemic-constructivist competence, pedagogical leadership, life- and workforce learning, and self-evaluation. The objective conditions for its implementation are the integration of informal knowledge of information and communication technologies, implementing pedagogical leadership in tandems for developing students' intrapreneurship, self-evaluation, and self-enhancement. The subjective conditions are personal involvement, supportive social climate, and eagerness for transforming challenges into new learning opportunities. E-learning as a socio-cultural ecological system fosters students' and faculty staff's participation, producing new knowledge and pedagogical solutions that create synergy between science, education, and politics. This enhances economical growth and sustainable development that benefits the whole ecological system in local, regional, national, European, and global socio-cultural contexts.
E-Learning Training Courses on Multicultural Education
Authors: Dimitriadou Catherine , Palaiologou Nektaria , Nari Eirini
Published: August 2014

The implementation of the blended learning model is one of the most flexible and effective ways to organize teacher training courses since it combines contact learning and distance learning. Furthermore, differentiated instruction is the solution of Modern Didactics to the teachers' needs concerning their response to the challenges of the multicultural school. In this chapter, a teacher training seminar combining cultural diversity issues with e-learning methods is presented. The participant teachers were asked to use posters illustrating human and citizenship rights issues in order to create teaching scenarios promoting Multicultural Education. Thus, they were expected both to meet the challenges of differentiated instruction and to be familiar with e-learning approaches. The study points out the significance of the practice of education when developed within e-learning environments, a method which enables the production of collective practice-based knowledge. The authors' main aim is to highlight the importance of the usage of media tools in an e-learning training course.
Network-Based Continuous Education Opportunities
Authors: Butrimė Edita , Zuzevičiūtė Vaiva
Published: August 2014

The purpose of this chapter is to analyze and present theoretical and empirical findings about the ways that teachers in Higher Education (HE) interpret the role of ICT for their professional development both as teachers in HE and as medical professionals in some cases. Two research questions were formulated: 1) Why is the employment of technologies fully accepted and promoted in almost all aspects of professional activity, but employment of ICT for teaching and learning at HE is not always used to its full potential? 2) What (if any) educational support is needed for university teachers to use available e-learning opportunities for their own development as teachers to a greater extent? Educational support for university teachers to use contemporary information communication technologies and network provisions more effectively for their competence development are presented.
Ontology Learning in Practice
Authors: Markievicz Irena , Vitkutė-Adžgauskienė Daiva , Tamošiūnaitė Minija
Published: August 2014

This chapter presents research results, showing the use of ontology learning for knowledge grounding in e-learning environments. The established knowledge representation model is organized around actions, as the main elements linking the acquired knowledge with knowledge-based real-world activities. A framework for action ontology building from domain-specific corpus texts is suggested, utilizing different Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques, such as collocation extraction, frequency lists, word space model, etc. The suggested framework employs additional knowledge sources of WordNet and VerbNet with structured linguistic and semantic information. Results from experiments with crawled chemical laboratory corpus texts are presented.
Is E-Learning a Pro-Active Response to, or Reaction to, Changes in Educational Policy and Patterns of Educational Demand?
Authors: Lawrence Allan M. , Short Peter J. , Millar Deborah
Published: August 2014

This chapter reviews and investigates the models and acceptability of E-Learning to the emerging students markets for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) from the More Developed Countries (MDCs) and seeks to evaluate the differing models of delivery from a practical and a socio-economic perspective. The research also investigates the impact of the shifts in population growth and the subsequent impact upon the levels of demand from students in Less Developed Countries (LDCs) for higher education. In addition, the logistical and quality factors affecting E-Learning are evaluated, looking at the aspects of academic rigour, plagiarism, and the methods of managing the originality and authenticity of student work. Similarly, the research looks at the viability of situations where the education provider may never physically meet the students through the exclusive use of VLEs, and the possible credibility issues that this may present to institutional and awarding body reputations.
Developing Social Capital in a Cross-Cultural E-Learning Environment
Authors: Liu Youmei
Published: August 2014

With fast development of internet technology and social media tools, e-learning is expanding drastically. E-learning builds a unique global learning community that brings in students from all over the world, which creates an optimum opportunity for students to learn from each other, work collaboratively, establish shared norms and values, and build mutual trust and respectful relationships. The four major components of social capital as delineated by Nahapiet and Ghoshal (1998) are trust, norms, obligations, and identification, and its core value is about building trustworthy and respectful relationships among people. From this perspective, e-learning has raised the mission of education to a higher level – promoting the development of social capital. This chapter focuses on two sub topics: 1) building a global e-learning community to develop social capital and 2) creating purposeful and meaningful teaching and learning activities to build trustful and collaborative relationships among students.
Mobile Learning Apps
Authors: Holland Janet
Published: August 2014

With the phenomenal growth of mobile applications or apps used for teaching and learning, we are all challenged with determining which ones are effective and efficient in meeting our specific instructional needs. The use of mobile apps directly impacts students, teachers, administrators, trainers, and employees worldwide. Apps are used across all discipline areas in a variety of settings including applied interdisciplinary approaches. With this in mind, it is critical to have a workable set of app analysis questions based on current best educational practices to assist in making informed decisions on app selections to provide quality teaching and learning experiences. This chapter provides a mixed method research study combining class observations with results from three pilots in an effort to create a set of quality questions for quickly evaluating mobile apps for instructional implementation. After creating a set of questions for evaluating the quality of the apps based on current best instructional practices, the following three pilot studies were conducted. The first pilot allowed students to select an app of their own choice followed by a survey to evaluate the app using both quantitative and qualitative open-ended responses. The second pilot had all students examine the same app followed by the same survey to analyze potential differences in results and to gain additional insights. The third pilot study used the same questions, but this time rather than using it to evaluate the app, the students evaluated the quality of the questions used. During the third pilot study, students were looking strictly at the quality of the questions for instructional use. All study participants were graduate-level students in Instructional Design and Technology and were aware of best instructional practices. It is anticipated, post study, instructors and trainers can begin using the evaluation instrument, selecting those questions meeting their unique instructional needs.
“Checking Into” Outdoor Lifestyle?
Authors: Zhao Elaine Jing
Published: August 2014

The increasing adoption of mobile media in place-making and space-constructing practices as well as participatory culture open up new opportunities in marketing. This chapter approaches mobile location-based games as sites of brand experience, productive play, and value co-creation. It examines a mobile location-based game launched by The North Face (TNF) in China to increase its consumer base by shaping people's lifestyle aspirations. It offers insights into the use of mobile to engage more participants in the emerging market; the role of mobile as the central tool, platform, and the interface of hybrid spaces (de Souza e Silva, 2006) in the integrated campaign; and the value co-creation process by consumers for the brand. It also points to unintended consequences of the campaign, evidenced in consumers' deconstruction and reconstruction of the marketer-designed game process and their distortion of space. More generally, it reveals the importance of understanding the opportunities and challenges in addressing creative consumers in utilising mobile location-based game for marketing purposes.
Technology Facility and News Affinity
Authors: Li Xigen
Published: August 2014

Based on a theoretical framework drawn from the diffusion of innovation theory, the expectancy-value model, and the technology-acceptance model, this chapter presents an empirical study of technological and informational factors as predictors of the use of second-generation mobile phones as a news device. The study differentiates the initial adoption of a mobile phone as a technology innovation from second-level adoption, which refers to the acceptance of a distinctive new function of a technology device serving a communication purpose different from that for which the device was originally designed. The study found that technology facility and innovativeness were significant predictors of mobile phone use as a news device; further, it partially confirmed the model of predictors of mobile phone use for news access. However, the two informational factors—perceived value of information and news affinity—were found to have no direct effect on mobile phone use as a news device. The study departs from the traditional approach of adoption research and offers a novel perspective on examining the adoption of new media with multiple evolving functions.
Wireless Connected Health
Authors: Brizel Florie
Published: August 2014

Wireless connected health is the most current, inclusive phrase to describe healthcare that incorporates wireless technologies and/or mobile devices. It represents one of the fastest growing sectors in the global mobile and wireless ecosystem, with extraordinary change occurring daily. According to the World Health Organization, 80 percent of people in greatest medical need live in low- to middle-income countries. Not enough has been written about how they will afford wireless connected health, or how it can bring positive benefits to patients everywhere with non-lethal chronic illnesses. It also remains to be seen whether people outside the healthcare industry, without any special interest in science, technology, medicine, or illness prevention, will adopt new and future behavior-changing connected health technologies. This chapter provides a current overview of the global health crises created by noncommunicable diseases, explains the evolution of the global wireless connected health sector, includes information about BRICS nations, and offers observations, insights, and recommendations from a socio-economic and political standpoint for responsible and effective future industry growth.
Changing Paradigms in Our Interactions with Self-Service Kiosks
Authors: Günay Aslı , Erbuğ Çiğdem , Hekkert Paul , Herrera Natalia Romero
Published: August 2014

Human-computer interaction and holistic user experiences are considered crucial concepts in the design of interactive products, where interactive self-service kiosks require special attention, as they are different than any other type of consumer and personal products. The public nature of self-service kiosks suggests that social context may have an important role in understanding the experience of users when interacting with such products. Yet, this is hardly reflected in the development of self-service kiosks in which usefulness and functionality are still the basic, and usually the only, concerns. This limited discussion hinders innovation when redesigning this type of product. This chapter firstly studies the major factors affecting users' interactions with self-service kiosks, followed by the influence of presence or absence of other people on user experience with interactive self-service kiosks looking at the relationships between different social contexts, feelings, and task performances; it then elaborates on task performances. The studies conducted to explore these relations reveal that interactions with interactive self-service kiosks are specialized according to different task qualities that these kiosks serve as well as the social context, which highlights the necessity to take into account the inseparable context during the design of these self-service kiosks. They emphasize that not only the product interface but also other product features, product body, and context should be shaped by these task qualities and the social context. Hence, suggested design implications go beyond traditional usability and technical issues, considering social context as a key issue to address innovative self-service kiosk designs.
Multimodal User Interface in E-Learning Environments
Authors: Constantino da Silva André , Vieira da Rocha Heloísa
Published: August 2014

Multimodal interaction is a proposal to turn the interaction between humans and machines more natural, increasing the usability, flexibility, and convenience of one application. Improve an application with multimodal features impacts on its architecture and, to describe the main components to treat the multimodality, some architecture models are proposed in the literature, including for Web multimodal systems. E-Learning environments are Web-based systems and need a good usability, flexibility, and convenience: requirements that can be improved with implementation of multimodal features on them. Since they have their own peculiarities, we need a more specific multimodal architecture model described in such a way to reuse the components built for multimodal systems and to connect them with the e-learning environment components. This chapter proposes an architecture for multimodal e-learning environments. A viability study was done in the Ae, an e-learning environment developed using a component-based development process, with components to treat the pen and touch modalities.
Constructionist Prototype Programming in a First Semester HCI Course for Engineering Students
Authors: Nielsen Jacob , Majgaard Gunver
Published: August 2014

How can we merge interactive design processes and the development of interactive prototypes for first-semester students without prior programming experience? The authors provide a selection of relevant contructionism-inspired programming tools and provide indications on how one of them can enrich a user-centred design project for first-semester software and IT engineering students. They do this by describing the experiences from two runs of a HCI course and the concurrent semester projects. The students developed interactive touch-based learning apps for children in the fourth to sixth grade using App Inventor. Most of the project groups managed to do three iterations of specifying requirements, doing conceptual design, physical and interactive prototyping, and user evaluation. The groups implemented quite complex programs with multiple-screen switching, multiple interfaces, media such as pictures, animations and sound, database connection, Web-server connection, and integrated sensors, such as camera, accelerometer, etc. The students did a lot more project iterations and spent more time on the creative designs in real-life situations than the authors expected. This also allowed for the students' professional reflections on their prototypes, usability, interaction, and the design processes. All in all, this gave them a more profound real-life experience in the user-centred design process. The authors compare the two runs and suggest how to introduce contructionist prototype programming in a HCI course curriculum and conclude that contructionist programming tools can be a valuable addition to the teaching of HCI, and they suggest that further research should be conducted to explore how to best integrate these tools in order to optimize the students' learning capabilities.
Supporting Accessible User Interfaces Using Web Services
Authors: Bouloukakis Georgios , Basdekis Ioannis , Stephanidis Constantine
Published: August 2014

Web services are an emerging technology that has attracted much attention from both the research and the industry sectors in recent years. The exploitation of Web services as components in Web applications facilitates development and supports application interoperability, regardless of the programming language and platform used. However, existing Web services development standards do not take into account the fact that the provided content and the interactive functionality should be accessible to, and easily operable by, people with disabilities. This chapter presents a platform named myWebAccess, which provides a mechanism for the semi-automated “repair” of Web services' interaction characteristics in order to support the automatic generation of interface elements that conform to the de facto standard of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0. myWebAccess enhances interaction quality for specific target user groups, including people with visual and motor disabilities, and supports the use of Web services on diverse platforms (e.g., mobile phones equipped with a browser). The Web developers can build their own design templates and the users of myWebAccess can create a personalized environment containing their favourite services. Thus, they can interact with them through interfaces appropriate to their specific individual characteristics.
The Impact of Enterprise 2.0 on SMEs
Authors: Antunes Diogo , Isaías Pedro
Published: August 2014

Enterprise 2.0 has been part of the business sector vocabulary for quite some time now. Web 2.0's revolutionary philosophy and applications have been absorbed by various areas of society. The success of the business sector benefits from a client-oriented approach, so when the benefits of a user-centric Web became evident, adopting it was the natural next step. Enterprise 2.0 presents advantages mainly in two areas: within organizations, as they enable communication through new dynamic methods of communication and interaction, in order to enhance efficiency and productivity; and between companies and customers, suppliers, and partners, as they increase both revenue and customer satisfaction and promote cooperation and co-creation to improve services or products. This chapter illustrates the reality of Small and Medium Enterprises' (SMEs) adoption of Web 2.0. An online questionnaire was developed to assess numerous SMEs in Portugal to understand if and how Web 2.0 implementation is taking place.