bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Survey of Information Hiding
Authors: Shirali-Shahreza M. Hassan , Shirali-Shahreza Mohammad
Published: May 2011

Establishing hidden communication is an important subject of discussion that has gained increasing importance recently, particularly with the development of the Internet. One of the methods introduced for establishing hidden communication is Steganography. Steganography is a method to hide data in a cover media so that other persons will not notice that such data is there. In this chapter steganography is introduced and its history is described. Then the major steganography methods include image, audio, video, and text steganography are reviewed.
Digital Video Authentication
Authors: Atrey Pradeep K. , El Saddik Abdulmotaleb , Kankanhalli Mohan
Published: May 2011

Digital video authentication has been a topic of immense interest to researchers in the past few years. Authentication of a digital video refers to the process of determining that the video taken is original and has not been tampered with. This chapter aims to provide an overview of digital video authentication systems and a universal review of the associated methods. The chapter not only establishes the importance of authenticating a video in various application scenarios; it also identifies key properties and design issues that should be considered while designing a video authentication system. The benign and tampering operations that characterize the security and robustness aspects of a typical video authentication system are described. The past works related to video authentication, based on digital signature and digital watermarking, have been described; and the emerging trends in this area of research have also been identified.
Flexible Multimedia Stream Authentication
Authors: Li Tieyan
Published: May 2011

The multimedia community is moving from monolithic applications to more flexible and scalable proliferate solutions. Security issues such as access control and authentication of multimedia content have been intensively studied in the literature. In particular, stream authentication tends to be more complicated since a stream may be transcoded by intermediate proxies or composed by multiple sources. Traditional stream authentication schemes consider a stream as a group of packets and authenticate these packets over an erasure channel. However, by fixing the packets in transmission, any packet manipulation will cause authentication failure. In this chapter, we assume a more flexible model where a proxy, between a sender and a receiver, is able to make transcoding operations over a stream. We describe a flexible stream authentication framework that allows the so called packet independent stream authentication schemes to make transcoding operations on the packets and commit the changes, which are not applicable n packet-based stream authentication schemes. Such a stream authentication scheme based on the layered structure of a stream is elaborated in details w.r.t., the encoding, packing, amortizing, and verifying methods. The security and performance analysis show that the packet independent stream authentication schemes achieve higher authentication rate with less overhead per packet, as compared with that of packet based schemes.
Critical Analysis of Digital Steganography
Authors: Malik Hafiz
Published: May 2011

This chapter provides critical analysis of current state-of-the-art in steganography. First part of the this chapter provides the classification of steganography based on the underlying information hiding methodology used and covert-channel type, and desired features of the information hiding used for covert communication. This chapter also discusses various known steganalysis techniques developed to counteract the covert-communication and highlights limitations of existing steganographic techniques. Performance analysis of commonly used shareware/freeware steganographic tools and steganalysis tools is also provided in this chapter. Some open problems in covert-communication are also discussed.
A Survey on Video Watermarking
Authors: Lian Shiguo
Published: May 2011

Video watermarking technique embeds some information into videos by modifying video content slightly. The embedded information, named watermark, may be ownership information, customer information, integrity information, redundancy information, and so forth. Thus, this technique can be used for copyright protection, piracy tracing, content authentication, advertisement surveillance, error resilience, and so forth. In this chapter, we give an overview on video watermarking technology, including its architecture, performance requirement, typical algorithms, hot topics, and open issues.
On the Alignment of Organizational and Software Structure
Authors: de Souza Cleidson R.B. , Redmiles David F.
Published: May 2011

This chapter reviews the socio-technical relationship between organizational and software structure. It describes the early theoretical work about this relationship, the empirical studies that identified this relationship in practice and, more importantly, identifies two main approaches for exploring this relationship. The first one is based on the construction of tools to facilitate software development, while the second is a more theoretical one aimed at investigating the consequences of this relationship in the work of software developers. Furthermore, the authors hope the theoretical background presented in this chapter will not only motivate other researchers to study software development as a socio-technical endeavor, but also assist practitioners in the understanding of the aspects necessary to make software development succeed.
The Role of Expectations in Information Systems Development
Authors: Nevo Dorit , Furneaux Brent
Published: May 2011

This chapter reviews the significance of expectations to information systems development with particular emphasis on the process of requirements analysis. In accordance with a socio-technical perspective, it argues that the expectations of key stakeholders involved in this process impact the emerging technology solution while the emergent technology simultaneously impacts stakeholder expectations for the solution that is ultimately developed. The primary aim of the chapter is to synthesize the relevant literature to provide insights to those seeking to improve their requirements analysis capabilities and to highlight potential avenues for future research that stem from a consideration of the role of expectations in the information systems development process.
Social Support for Online Learning
Authors: de la Varre Claire , Keane Julie , Irvin Matthew J. , Hannum Wallace
Published: May 2011

This chapter describes the design of a sociotechnical system to support rural high school students in an online distance education (ODE) course. The design is based on the American Psychological Association’s Learner- Centered Psychological Principles (LCPs). The system includes a Web-based module to train school-based facilitators to create a socially-supportive local environment for students and encourage community building among facilitators. The system also includes an online instrument for collecting data on learner-centered practices in the classroom and student perceptions of these. ODE typically has high attrition rates, in part because participants’ social needs are often neglected, leading to perceptions of isolation. Additionally, success in online courses depends on students’ abilities to engage in self-regulated learning, effective timemanagement and self-reflection, skills that many students in high school are still learning and may need help with as they engage in ODE. This system is an attempt to address these issues.
Teaching the Socio-Technical Practices of Tomorrow Today
Authors: Anderson Theresa Dirndorfer
Published: May 2011

This chapter explores the challenges associated with teaching the principles of socio-technical systems in the dynamic climate that characterizes work in today’s—and tomorrow’s—world. Avoiding a “socio-technical gap” involves preparing the designers of tomorrow in such a way that they can anticipate society’s future needs and technology’s future potential and prospective peril. By way of a narrative that draws on the author’s own experiences teaching social informatics (SI) as part of an information studies degree program, this chapter discuss how her own research perspective in relation to socio-technical and social networking systems coevolves with the classroom experience. The case study offers examples of tutorial activities and assessments to illustrate how the suggested approach to teaching and learning can be applied in an STS classroom.
Co-Engineering Business Need and IT Services
Authors: Ramanathan Jay , Ramnath Rajiv
Published: May 2011

Vertical traceability along the internal value chain illustrated in Figure 1 below allows us to establish a charge back system for the use of IT services. In addition the fine-grain Interaction approach to implementing chargeback also encourages the discipline needed for other initiatives like capacity management, audit procedures, and aligning of IT investments with business needs. How to achieve this alignment is the subject of this chapter.
Management, Monitoring, and Mining of Service Knowledge
Authors: Ramanathan Jay , Ramnath Rajiv
Published: May 2011

There is consensus that explicit knowledge is information. In addition there is tacit knowledge that exists in the human minds. Tacit knowledge is applied unconsciously. It is a result of people \ Agents Interactions with each other and the environment. While explicit knowledge in the form of skills and competencies is normally acquired through training and Interaction, tacit knowledge is difficult to articulate. It is something that often cannot be expressed (Polyani 1966, Polyani 1996). Here we present various ways in which the creation and use of tacit knowledge can be assisted to become part of the Enterprise Knowledge Infrastructure to enable the BioS goals of the complex system.
Web Process Adaptation
Authors: Verma Kunal
Published: May 2011

Adaptation is an important concept for Web processes. The author provides an overview of adaptation with respect to control theory and how it is applied to other contexts. Specifically the author focuses on open loop and closed loop adaptation. Then the cahpter discusses the current Web process standard WS-BPEL supports open loop adaptation. Finally, the author discusses an academic research framework METEOR-S, which supports closed loop adaptation.
Semantic Business Process Management
Authors: Karastoyanova Dimka , van Lessen Tammo , Leymann Frank , Ma Zhilei , Nitzche Joerg , Wetzstein Branimir
Published: May 2011

Even though process orientation/BPM is a widely accepted paradigm with heavy impact on industry and research the available technology does not support the business professionals’ tasks in an appropriate manner that is in a way allowing processes modeling using concepts from the business domain. This results in a gap between the business people expertise and the IT knowledge required. The current trend in bridging this gap is to utilize technologies developed for the Semantic Web, for example ontologies, while maintaining reusability and flexibility of processes. In this chapter the authors present an overview of existing technologies, supporting the BPM lifecycle, and focus on potential benefits Semantic Web technologies can bring to BPM. The authors will show how these technologies help automate the transition between the inherently separate/detached business professionals’ level and the IT level without the burden of additional knowledge acquisition on behalf of the business professionals. As background information they briefly discuss existing process modeling notations like the Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) as well as the execution centric Business Process Execution Language (BPEL), and their limitations in terms of proper support for the business professional. The chapter stresses on the added value Semantic Web technologies yield when leveraged for the benefit of BPM. For this the authors give examples of existing BPM techniques that can be improved by using Semantic Web technologies, as well as novel approaches which became possible only through the availability of semantic descriptions. They show how process model configuration can be automated and thus simplified and how flexibility during process execution is increased. Additionally, they present innovative techniques like automatic process composition and auto-completion of process models where suitable process fragments are automatically discovered to make up the process model. They also present a reference architecture of a BPM system that utilizes Semantic Web technologies in an SOA environment.
Applied Sequence Clustering Techniques for Process Mining
Authors: Ferreira Diogo R.
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces the principles of sequence clustering and presents two case studies where the technique is used to discover behavioral patterns in event logs. In the first case study, the goal is to understand the way members of a software team perform their daily work, and the application of sequence clustering reveals a set of behavioral patterns that are related to some of the main processes being carried out by that team. In the second case study, the goal is to analyze the event history recorded in a technical support database in order to determine whether the recorded behavior complies with a predefined issue handling process. In this case, the application of sequence clustering confirms that all behavioral patterns share a common trend that resembles the original process. Throughout the chapter, special attention is given to the need for data preprocessing in order to obtain results that provide insight into the typical behavior of business processes.
Access Control in Mobile and Ubiquitous Environments
Authors: Gomez Laurent , Laube Annett , Sorniotti Alessandro
Published: May 2011

Access control is the process of granting permissions in accordance to an authorization policy. Mobile and ubiquitous environments challenge classical access control solutions like Role-Based Access Control. The use of context-information during policy definition and access control enforcement offers more adaptability and flexibility needed for these environments. When it comes to low-power devices, such as wireless sensor networks, access control enforcement is normally too heavy for such resourceconstrained devices. Lightweight cryptography allows encrypting the data right from its production and the access is therefore intrinsically restricted. In addition, all access control mechanisms require an authenticated user. Traditionally, user authentication is performed by means of a combination of authentication factors, statically specified in the access control policy of the authorization service. Within ubiquitous and mobile environment, there is a clear need for a flexible user authentication using the available authentication factors. In this chapter, different new techniques to ensure access control are discussed and compared to the state-of-the-art.
Blended Learning and Teaching Philosophies
Authors: Wiesenberg Faye , Stacey Elizabeth
Published: May 2011

This study explores the similarities and differences between Canadian and Australian university teachers’ face-to-face and online teaching approaches and perspectives in two comparable Canadian and Australian universities, both of which offer instruction in these two modes. The chapter explores whether moving from face-to-face to online teaching results in new teaching approaches or in the creative blending of those developed within the different teaching modalities. Qualitative data were collected with an open-ended survey which asked participants for their thoughts on their face-to-face and online teaching experiences. Quantitative data were collected with the “Teaching Perspectives Inventory” which assessed participants’ teaching approaches and philosophies in terms of their beliefs, intentions and actions in both modalities. The authors discuss the findings in terms of how to assist teachers to successfully transition from traditional teacher-centred to newly emerging learner-centred teaching approaches in blended learning classrooms.
Analyzing Communal Tag Relationships for Enhanced Navigation and User Modeling
Authors: Simpson Edwin , Butler Mark H.
Published: May 2011

The increasing amount of available information has created a demand for better, more automated methods of finding and organizing different types of information resources. This chapter investigates methods for enabling improved navigation, user modeling, and personalization using collaboratively generated tags. The authors discuss the advantages and limitations of tags, and describe how relationships between tags can be used to discover latent structures that can automatically organize a collection of tags owned by a community. They give a hierarchical clustering algorithm for extracting latent structure and explain methods for determining tag specificity, then use visualization to examine latent structures. Finally the authors discuss future trends including using latent tag structures to create user models.
Adaptive User Profiles
Authors: Cayzer Steve , Michlmayr Elke
Published: May 2011

A major opportunity for collaborative knowledge management is the construction of user models which can be exploited to provide relevant, personalized, and context-sensitive information delivery. Yet traditional approaches to user profiles rely on explicit, brittle models that go out of date very quickly, lack relevance, and have few natural connections to related models. In this chapter the authors show how it is possible to create adaptive user profiles without any explicit input at all. Rather, leveraging implicit behaviour on social information networks, the authors can create profiles that are both adaptive and socially connective. Such profiles can help provide personalized access to enterprise resources and help identify other people with related interests.
Modeling Users for Adaptive Information Retrieval by Capturing User Intent
Authors: Santos Jr. Eugene , Nguyen Hien
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, we study and present our results on the problem of employing a cognitive user model for Information Retrieval (IR) in which a user’s intent is captured and used for improving his/her effectiveness in an information seeking task. The user intent is captured by analyzing the commonality of the retrieved relevant documents. The effectiveness of our user model is evaluated with regards to retrieval performance using an evaluation methodology which allows us to compare with the existing approaches from the information retrieval community while assessing the new features offered by our user model. We compare our approach with the Ide dec-hi approach using term frequency inverted document frequency weighting which is considered to be the best traditional approach to relevance feedback. We use CRANFIELD, CACM and MEDLINE collections which are very popular collections from the information retrieval community to evaluate relevance feedback techniques. The results show that our approach performs better in the initial runs and works competitively with Ide dec-hi in the feedback runs. Additionally, we evaluate the effects of our user modeling approach with human analysts. The results show that our approach retrieves more relevant documents to a specific analyst compared to keyword-based information retrieval application called Verity Query Language.
Multiobjective Optimization and Artificial Immune Systems
Authors: Freschi Fabio , Coello Coello Carlos A. , Repetto Maurizio
Published: May 2011

This chapter aims to review the state of the art in algorithms of multiobjective optimization with artificial immune systems (MOAIS). As it will be focused in the chapter, Artificial Immune Systems (AIS) have some intrinsic characteristics which make them well suited as multiobjective optimization algorithms. Following this basic idea, different implementations have been proposed in the literature. This chapter aims to provide a thorough review of the literature on multiobjective optimization algorithms based on the emulation of the immune system.
An Immune Inspired Algorithm for Learning Strategies in a Pursuit-Evasion Game
Authors: Lucinska Malgorzata , Wierzchon Slawomir T.
Published: May 2011

Multi-agent systems (MAS), consist of a number of autonomous agents, which interact with one-another. To make such interactions successful, they will require the ability to cooperate, coordinate, and negotiate with each other. From a theoretical point of view such systems require a hybrid approach involving game theory, artificial intelligence, and distributed programming. On the other hand, biology offers a number of inspirations showing how these interactions are effectively realized in real world situations. Swarm organizations, like ant colonies or bird flocks, provide a spectrum of metaphors offering interesting models of collective problem solving. Immune system, involving complex relationships among antigens and antibodies, is another example of a multi-agent and swarm system. In this chapter an application of so-called clonal selection algorithm, inspired by the real mechanism of immune response, is proposed to solve the problem of learning strategies in the pursuit-evasion problem.
An Immune Algorithm Based Robust Scheduling Methods
Authors: Zuo Xingquan
Published: May 2011

Inspired from the robust control principle, a robust scheduling method is proposed to solve uncertain scheduling problems. The uncertain scheduling problem is modeled by a set of workflow simulation models, and then a scheduling scheme (solution) is evaluated by the results of workflow simulations that are executed by using the workflow models in the set. A variable neighborhood immune algorithm (VNIA) is used to obtain an optimal robust scheduling scheme that has good performances for each model in the model set. The detailed steps of optimizing robust scheduling scheme by the VNIA are given. The antibody coding and decoding schemes are also designed to deal with resource conflicts during workflow simulation processes. Experimental results show that the proposed method can generate robust scheduling schemes that are insensitive for uncertain disturbances of scheduling environments.
Research of Immune Controllers
Authors: Dongmei Fu
Published: May 2011

In engineering application, the characteristics of the control system are entirely determined by the system controller once the controlled object has been chosen. Improving the traditional controller or constructing the new controller is an unfading study field of control theory and application. The control system is greatly enriched and developed by this way. As a complicated self-adaptable system, the biological immune system can effectively and smoothly stand against antigens and viruses intruded into organism. It is possible to improve the self-learning, adaptive and robustness capability of the control system through embedded an artificial immune controller in control system. Based on the biological immune mechanism and artificial immune model, this chapter attempts to study the immune controller design and application in traditional control system..First, a kind of artificial immune controller is proposed based on the T-B cells immunity. The boundedness and the stability of SISO control systems, which constructed by the artificial immune controller, are proved by the little gain theorem. A general controller structure frame based on the T-B cells immunity is proposed, which includes the same kind of controller proposed previously. The validity of this artificial immune controller is verified by simulation. Second, a new type of artificial immune controllers is constructed according to a simple double-cell immune dynamics model. The non-error characteristic of SISO control systems, which constructed by the artificial immune controller, is proved by the nonlinear theory in this chapter. The I/O stability and no-error characteristic of the system are verified by simulations, which show that the kind of artificial immune system have good anti-lag capability. Third, the Varela immune network model has been improved based on which an artificial immune system is proposed. The odd linearization method of the non-linear system is used to prove the stability and non-error characteristic of the SISO system constructed by the artificial immune control system. Its I/O stability, non-error characteristic and strong anti-lag capability are also verified by simulation. Finally, based on the comparison of the three kinds of immune controllers, a general structure of the artificial immune controller is proposed. The further study on this field is indicated in this chapter lastly.
Ant Colonies and Data Mining
Authors: Bursa Miroslav , Lhotska Lenka
Published: May 2011

The chapter concentrates on the use of swarm intelligence in data mining. It focuses on the problem of medical data clustering. Clustering is a constantly growing area of current research. Medicine, market, trade, and meteorology belong to the numerous fields that benefit of its techniques. First an introduction into data mining and cluster validation techniques is presented, followed by a review of ant-inspired concepts and applications. The chapter provides a reasonably deep insight into the most successful ant colony and swarm intelligence concepts, their paradigms and application. The authors present discussion, evaluation and comparison of these techniques. Important applications and results recently achieved are provided. Finally, new and prospective future directions in this area are outlined and discussed.
Segmentation of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Images
Authors: Tsalikakis Dimitrios G. , Karvelis Petros S. , Fotiadis Dimitrios I.
Published: May 2011

Segmentation plays a crucial role in cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) applications, since it permits automated detection of regions of interest. In this chapter we review semi-automated and fully automated cardiac MRI segmentation techniques and discuss their advantages. We classify those segmentation methods as classical and model-based.
Automatic Correspondence Methods towards Point-Based Medical Image Registration
Authors: Matsopoulos George K.
Published: May 2011

The accurate estimation of point correspondences is often required in a wide variety of medical image processing applications including image registration. Numerous point correspondence methods have been proposed, each exhibiting its own characteristics, strengths and weaknesses. This chapter presents a comparative study of four automatic point correspondence methods. The four featured methods are the Automatic Extraction of Corresponding Points approach, the Trimmed Iterated Closest Points scheme, the Correspondence by Sensitivity to Movement technique and the Self-Organizing Maps network. All methods are presented, mainly focusing on their distinct characteristics. An extensive set of dental images, subject to unknown transformations, was employed for the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the four methods, which was performed in terms of registration accuracy. After assessing all methods, it was deduced that the Self-Organizing Maps approach outperformed in most cases the other three methods in comparison.
Supporting Open-Ended Programming Assignments
Authors: Kelleher Caitlin
Published: May 2011

Self-directed, open-ended projects can enable students to pursue their own interests and lead to deep learning. However, it can be difficult to incorporate these kinds of projects into a traditional curriculum in which all students must master a set of basic skills. In this chapter, the authors describe the design and implementation of Storytelling Alice, a programming environment that presents computer programming as a means to the end of creating animated stories. By studying the kinds of animated movies that students envision creating, the chapter’s authors were able to design the system such that typical student projects naturally motivate the set of basic concepts we want students to learn. The authors present a potential model for incorporating Storytelling Alice into a classroom setting using open-ended projects. The chapter concludes with a discussion of some directions for future work that may help to enable the use more open-ended projects in formal education.
Complex Systems Concepts in Simulations
Authors: Gibson David
Published: May 2011

This chapter discusses how a teaching simulation can embody core characteristics of a complex system. It employs examples of specific frameworks and strategies used in simSchool, a research and development project supported by two programs of the U. S. Department of Education: Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers to Use Technology (2004-2006), and currently, the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (2006-2009). The chapter assumes that a complex system simulation engine and representation is needed in teaching simulations because teaching and learning are complex phenomena. The chapter’s two goals are to introduce core ideas of complex systems and to illustrate with examples from simSchool, a simulation of teaching and learning.
Modelling Classification by Granular Computing
Authors: Zhao Yan
Published: May 2011

A granular structure includes granules, levels, hierarchies and multiple hierarchies. Classification can be modelled by granular computing regarding these components. More specifically, classification tasks can be understood as a search in a certain search space represented by a granule network. This chapter discusses the basic components of a granular structure, followed by the modelling of classification in terms of these components. The top-down, bottom-up strategies for searching classification solutions within different granule networks are discussed.
Dominance-Based Rough Set Approach to Granular Computing
Authors: Greco Salvatore , Matarazzo Benedetto , Slowinski Roman
Published: May 2011

Dominance-based Rough Set Approach (DRSA) was introduced as a generalization of the rough set approach for reasoning about preferences. While data describing preferences are ordinal by the nature of decision problems they concern, the ordering of data is also important in many other problems of data analysis. Even when the ordering seems irrelevant, the presence or the absence of a property (possibly graded or fuzzy) has an ordinal interpretation. Since any granulation of information is based on analysis of properties, DRSA can be seen as a general framework for granular computing. After recalling basic concepts of DRSA, the article presents their extensions in the fuzzy context and in the probabilistic setting. This permits to define the rough approximation of a fuzzy set, which is the core of the subject. The article continues with presentation of DRSA for case-based reasoning, where granular computing based on DRSA has been successfully applied. Moreover, some basic formal properties of the whole approach are presented in terms of several algebras modeling the logic of DRSA. Finally, it is shown how the bipolar generalized approximation space, being an abstraction of the standard way to deal with roughness within DRSA, can be induced from one of the algebras modeling the logic of DRSA, the bipolar Brower-Zadeh lattice.
Insider Threat Prevention, Detection and Mitigation
Authors: Mills Robert F. , Peterson Gilbert L. , Grimaila Michael R.
Published: May 2011

The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the insider threat and discuss methods for preventing, detecting, and responding to the threat. Trusted insiders present one of the most significant risks to an organization. They possess elevated privileges when compared to external users, have knowledge about technical and non-technical control measures, and potentially can bypass security measures designed to prevent, detect, or react to unauthorized access. In this chapter, we define the insider threat and summarize various case studies of insider attacks in order to highlight the severity of the problem. We then discuss best practices for preventing, detecting, and mitigating insider attacks, to include application of risk management principles specific to the insider threat. Finally, we provide a survey of ongoing research into detecting irregular activities that are potentially harmful to an organization.
Introduction, Classification and Implementation of Honeypots
Authors: Hernandez y Lopez Miguel Jose , Lerma Resendez Carlos Francisco
Published: May 2011

This chapter discusses the basic aspects of Honeypots, how they are implemented in modern computer networks, as well as their practical uses and implementation in educational environments, providing the reader with the most important points regarding the main characteristics of Honeypots and Honeynets. Honeypots are defined as “closely monitored network decoys” that can be set by network administrators to deal with a wide variety of attacks and interact with users in different levels (Provos, 2004). The implementation of Honeypots provides an answer to a common question posted by the field of information security and forensics: How to dissect the elements that make up an attack against a computer system. The chapter will summarizes the different features and capabilities of Honeypots once they are set up in a production environment to clarify the elements that are needed to be configured in order for a Honeypot to accomplish its main tasks and in order for it to be considered an effective tool. The end of the chapter will shift towards the analysis of virtualization as an important tool that maximizes the practical use of Honeypots in controlled environments that are focused towards the study of attacks, responses and analysis methods.
Situated Discourse and Essential Terms
Authors: Schoechle Timothy
Published: May 2011

The research for this work is based on the thesis that standardization is moving from public formal bodies to more private consortia. A relevant question is why? Another basic question is what do these key words mean? In any case, the approach taken in this study is analysis of historical and current discourses about standardization from the perspective of a separate discourse about privatization, the enclosure discourse. The latter discourse was examined in the previous chapters to establish a perspective for analysis. This chapter seeks to identify the essential terms of the discourse of standards and standardization and to establish meanings. First, however, it is useful to briefly note the way in which much of the current standards discourse is situated and how it has been researched.
Discourse on Standardization
Authors: Schoechle Timothy
Published: May 2011

The preceding chapter examined the history, structure, and practices of the principal international standards-setting organizations, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), with particular attention to their composition, the public/private nature of their organizations, the interests they serve, and their processes. The present chapter will examine current discourse on standardization and the rise of the consortia movement. It will do so first by framing the debate within general structural and openness issues and then by looking at specific rhetorical examples of arguments, claims, and controversies. It will then establish a taxonomy of arguments and rhetorical discourses, focusing on the issue of legitimation of consortia standardization. It will next analyze several important cases, looking at public documents, testimony, and reports. In doing so, it will examine the specific claims to legitimacy made by consortia and traditional bodies. It will seek to clarify how the practice of standardization is being discursively re-constructed. Finally it will consider international, institutional, and industrial responses to these claims of legitimacy and to the political/economic pressures they have brought.
Grounding Collaborative Learning in Semantics-Based Critiquing
Authors: Cheung William K. , Mørch Anders I. , Wong Kelvin C. , Lee Cynthia , Liu Jiming , Lam Mason H.
Published: May 2011

In this article we investigate the use of latent semantic analysis (LSA), critiquing systems, and knowledge building to support computer-based teaching of English composition. We have built and tested an English composition critiquing system that makes use of LSA to analyze student essays and compute feedback by comparing their essays with teacher’s model essays. LSA values are input to a critiquing component to provide a user interface for the students. A software agent can also use the critic feedback to coordinate a collaborative knowledge-building session with multiple users (students and teachers). Shared feedback provides seed questions that can trigger discussion and extended reflection about the next phase of writing. We present the first version of a prototype we have built and report the results from three experiments. We end the paper by describing our plans for future work.
Streaming of Continuous Media for Distance Education Systems
Authors: Dashti Ali , Safar Maytham
Published: May 2011

Distance education created new challenges regarding the delivery of large size isochronous continuous streaming media (SM) objects. In this paper, we consider the design of a framework for customized SM presentations, where each presentation consists of a number of SM objects that should be retrieved and displayed to the user in a coherent fashion. We describe a retrieval optimizer (Prime) that captures the flexibilities and requirements imposed by the user query, user profile, and session profile. Then, it determines how this query script should be imposed against the continuous media (CM) server to reduce contention. We also provide a cost model to evaluate each proposed plan. Finally, we explain the role of memory buffering in alleviating the server bandwidth fragmentation problem. Our preliminary experimental results show the feasibility and effectiveness of our proposed model and techniques in generating near optimal retrieval.
Inhabited Virtual Learning Worlds and Impacts on Learning Behaviors in Young School Learners
Authors: Lin Chi-Syan , Chou C. Candace , Kuo Ming-Shiou
Published: May 2011

The paper outlines a new paradigm and its underlying rationales for implementing networked learning environments that is emerging from new technologies such as multi-user platform, virtual worlds, virtual learning community, and intelligent agents. The proposed paradigm of the networked learning environments is described as inhabited virtual learning worlds (IVLW), which is a shared learning space in 3-D format and populated with avatars that are the representations of learners who are geographically dispersed around the world. The virtual learning worlds are also composed of objects such as intelligent agents and learning materials. A pilot system is created based on the discussed rationales of inhabited virtual learning worlds. A preliminary empirical study focusing on the selected learning behaviors in young learners also has been conducted with the pilot system. The results of the empirical study and suggestions for enhancing the pilot system are discussed in the closing section of the article.
Holography
Authors: Richardson Martin , Scattergood Paul
Published: May 2011

When writing this chapter it became apparent that we were not only exponents of digital holography, but also the critics. This is a problem when it comes to new media. How can one begin to make objective critical theory on a subject when there are no historical or ideological structures that produce and constrain it? While other digital technologies prove well developed, semantic and expressive, digital holography has some way to go before any quantized analysis of the subject is possible. This paper explores the function of digital holography, seeking comparison from other media and explores holography’s influence as a radical form of electronic digital three-dimensional image capture. Within this context we draw comparison with other forms of image making, from cave paintings in Lascaux (France), to Fox Talbot’s early experiments to capture light, Corbusiers architectural designs of space, to early television transmission. They all have one unifying factor: the unfamiliar and the strange, emblematic to visual possibilities in our perception of space.
EVO-PARK
Authors: De Luca Stefano , Benelli Eugenia , Altarocca Francesco , Dussoni Dario
Published: May 2011

Designing good and sound architectural projects is a hard job. Generally these kinds of projects involve many stakeholders, everyone with his/her own aims, and designing activities could be very difficult to face. We can make this process easier using an “autonomous genetic design facilitator” and “collective subjective designer” to realize projects that meet needs of every part involved in. The chapter describes a methodology we suggest as a process of urban parks design. This methodology can be adapted to other situations considering many variables (and consequently a huge amount of possible solutions) and many specific needs to satisfy.
Teaching Artful Expressions of Mathematical Beauty
Authors: Barta Jim , Eglash Ron
Published: May 2011

Students who may typically view mathematics as a sterile and disjointed subject are learning new skills and concepts using a suite of virtual design tools to create artful expressions. Students being instructed in the use of these tools can artistically explore artifacts illustrating several Native American cultures as they learn mathematical concepts and apply them to replicate the art or create their own interpretations. Readers of this chapter will gain insights into cultural definitions of “art”, “mathematics”, and “technology” in various Native American communities, culturally effective instruction for Native American students, the role of technology in enhancing mathematical understanding of students using Native American Art (bead and loom work, wampum, and rug weaving), and illustrative applications of technology connecting art and mathematics instruction using virtual design tools.
Smoking Assessment through Information Technology
Authors: Gremigni Paola
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces a proposal for the role of information technology as a means of completing a comprehensive assessment of smoking behaviour. Smoking cessation is an important goal both in primary care and in healthcare settings. Results of the literature encourage the utilisation of self-report questionnaires to assess individual differences that could assist to develop stage-matched-intervention for smoking cessation. Reliable and valid measurement tools are available in this area, but comprehensive assessment procedures are not yet standardized. Computerized/web-based psychological testing procedures may provide relevant advantages, in comparison to traditional paper-pencil approach, in that they may guarantee reliable results through the standardization of both testing and scoring procedures. They may also allow creating a common database accessible to researchers from various healthcare organizations.
Planning Successful Telemedicine and E-Health Systems
Authors: Mackert Michael , Whitten Pamela , Krol Emily
Published: May 2011

Telemedicine and e-health applications have the potential to improve healthcare organizations’ ability to provide advanced services in a cost-effective manner. Given the failure rate of information technology projects in general (25%), successfully launching a new telemedicine or e-health system can be a daunting prospect–especially for organizations without experience with these new technologies. This chapter provides examples of important aspects of pre-project planning that can help set the stage for success in implementing new telemedicine and e-health applications; importantly, the lessons provided in this chapter are provided by discussing both systems that have achieved success and others that have faced significant difficulties. Key points discussed include: the benefits of involving important stakeholders and users in the planning process, effectively contracting with external technology vendors, and successfully managing expectations. Improved pre-project planning can contribute substantially to the eventual project outcome, so this is a step that cannot be overlooked.
IAM
Authors: Pluye Pierre , Grad Roland , Repchinsky Carol , Farrell Barbara , Johnson-Lafleur Janique , Bambrick Tara , Dawes Martin
Published: May 2011

Methods to systematically document the health professionals’ perspective on relevance, cognitive impacts, use, and health outcomes of information items delivered by or retrieved in electronic knowledge resources (EKRs) may enhance evaluation of these resources, continuing education, and two-way knowledge ex change between information users and providers. The present chapter aims to overview seven years of research and development pioneering a comprehensive and systematic information assessment method (IAM), which has been validated for information delivery networks, information retrieval technology, and decision support systems. Using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies, we will support the feasibility, content validity, and construct validity of the IAM checklist combined with a computerized ecological momentary assessment technique for efficiently evaluating ‘relevance-impact-use-outcomes’ of information items derived from all these types of EKR. We will then present the current implementation of IAM 2008 for assessing e-therapeutics, an electronic textbook that provides updated therapeutic options for Canadian health professionals.
Systems Thinking as the Model for Educating Future Healthcare Managers in Information Technology
Authors: Goodman Gerald , Selcer Anne
Published: May 2011

This chapter explores the individual competencies presented by various healthcare executive organizations as being important for healthcare leaders to emulate in the exchange of information and knowledge. These competencies provide a set of tools that healthcare leaders can use to make their organizations successful in the healthcare systems and knowledge management (KM) environment. Several possible ways these can be instilled within the academic setting are presented. Systems and KM paradigms, such as organizational learning and memory, are superordinate metaphors that provide an approach to analyzing organizational capability through an understanding of processes occurring in healthcare organizations.
Reputation Evaluation Framework Based on QoS in Grid Economy Environments
Authors: Liu Guanfeng
Published: May 2011

This chapter mainly introduces some recent researches of reputation evaluation methods in Grid economy. The GRACE (Grid Architecture for Computational Economy architecture) is adopted to explain some mechanisms in the Grid economy for its clearly inner modules architecture. In addition, several new developed modules based on GRACE architecture are detailed discussed and two of them are laid morn emphasis on by us, which are the RCM (Reputation Control Module) and distributed reputation control architectures based on VOD (Virtual Organizational Domain). The inner communication and workflow of them are shown in this chapter. Furthermore, through experiments results, the authors discover the profit of Grid nodes and tasks execution success rate are all improved by adding these new modules.