bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Task Analysis at the Heart of Human-Computer Interaction
Authors: Diaper Dan
Published: May 2011

The history of task analysis is nearly a century old, with its roots in the work of Gilbreth (1911) and Taylor (1912). Taylor’s scientific management provided the theoretical basis for production-line manufacturing. The ancient manufacturing approach using craft skill involved an individual, or a small group, undertaking, from start to finish, many different operations so as to produce a single or small number of manufactured objects. Indeed, the craftsperson often made his or her own tools with which to make end products. Of course, with the growth of civilisation came specialisation, so that the carpenter did not fell the trees or the potter actually dig the clay, but still each craft involved many different operations by each person. Scientific management’s novelty was the degree of specialisation it engendered: each person doing the same small number of things repeatedly. Taylorism thus involved some large operation, subsequently called a task, that could be broken down into smaller operations, called subtasks. Task analysis came into being as the method that, according to Anderson, Carroll, Grudin, McGrew, and Scapin (1990), “refers to schemes for hierarchical decomposition of what people do.” The definition of a task remains a “classic and under-addressed problem” (Diaper, 1989b). Tasks have been differently defined with respect to their scope: from the very large and complex, such as document production (Wilson, Barnard, & MacLean, 1986), to the very small, for example, tasks that “may involve only one or two activities which take less than a second to complete, for example, moving a cursor” (Johnson & Johnson, 1987). Rather than trying to define what is a task by size, Diaper’s (1989b) alternative is borrowed from conversation analysis (Levinson, 1983). Diaper suggests that tasks always have well-defined starts and finishes, and clearly related activities in between. The advantage of such a definition is that it allows tasks to be interrupted or to be carried out in parallel. Task analysis was always involved with the concept of work, and successful work is usually defined as achieving some goal. While initially applied to observable, physical work, as the field of ergonomics developed from World War II, the task concept was applied more widely to cover all types of work that “refocused attention on the information processing aspect of tasks and the role of the human operator as a controller, planner, diagnostician and problem solver in complex systems” (Annett & Stanton, 1998). With some notable exceptions discussed below, tasks are still generally defined with people as the agents that perform work. For example, Annett and Stanton defined task analysis as “[m]ethods of collecting, classifying and interpreting data on human performance.”
User Interaction and Interface Design with UML
Authors: Almendros-Jimenez Jesus M. , Iribarne Luis
Published: May 2011

This chapter will show you how to use and specialise UML diagrams for describing the user interfaces of a software system. In order to accomplish the description of user interfaces, the proposed technique considers three specialised UML diagrams called user-interaction, user-interface, and GUI-class diagrams, which will be built following a model-driven development (MDD) perspective. These diagrams can be seen as the UML-based UI models of the system. In addition, this chapter is concerned with code-generation to implement the user interfaces of the system by using GUI-class diagrams and user-interaction diagrams. A case study of an Internet book shopping system is introduced in this chapter to proof and illustrate the proposed user interaction and interface design technique.
Guidance in the Interface
Authors: van Nimwegen Christof , Tabachneck-Schijf Hermina , van Oostendorp Herre
Published: May 2011

How can we design technology that suits human cognitive needs? In this chapter, we review research on the effects of externalizing information on the interface versus requiring people to internalize it. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of externalizing information. Further, we discuss some of our own research investigating how externalizing or not externalizing information in program interfaces influences problem-solving performance. In general, externalization provides information relevant to immediate task execution visibly or audibly in the interface. Thus, remembering certain task-related knowledge becomes unnecessary, which relieves working memory. Examples are visual feedback aids such as “graying out” nonapplicable menu items. On the contrary, when certain needed task-related information is not externalized on the interface, it needs to be internalized, stored in working memory and long-term memory. In many task situations, having the user acquire more knowledge of the structure of the task or its underlying rules is desirable. We examined the hypothesis that while externalization will yield better performance during initial learning, internalization will yield a better performance later. We furthermore expected internalization to result in better knowledge, and expected it to provoke less trial-and-error behavior. We conducted an experiment where we compared an interface with certain information externalized versus not externalizing it, and measured performance and knowledge. In a second session 8 months later, we investigated what was left of the participants’ knowledge and skills, and presented them with a transfer task. The results showed that requiring internalization can yield advantages over having all information immediately at hand. This shows that using cognitive findings to enhance the effectiveness of software (especially software with specific purposes) can make a valuable contribution to the field of human-computer interaction.
Integrating Semantic Knowledge with Web Usage Mining for Personalization
Authors: Dai Honghua , Mobasher Bamshad
Published: May 2011

Web usage mining has been used effectively as an approach to automatic personalization and as a way to overcome deficiencies of traditional approaches such as collaborative filtering. Despite their success, such systems, as in more traditional ones, do not take into account the semantic knowledge about the underlying domain. Without such semantic knowledge, personalization systems cannot recommend different types of complex objects based on their underlying properties and attributes. Nor can these systems possess the ability to automatically explain or reason about the user models or user recommendations. The integration of semantic knowledge is, in fact, the primary challenge for the next generation of personalization systems. In this chapter we provide an overview of approaches for incorporating semantic knowledge into Web usage mining and personalization processes. In particular, we discuss the issues and requirements for successful integration of semantic knowledge from different sources, such as the content and the structure of Web sites for personalization. Finally, we present a general framework for fully integrating domain ontologies with Web usage mining and personalization processes at different stages, including the preprocessing and pattern discovery phases, as well as in the final stage where the discovered patterns are used for personalization.
Auto-Personalization Web Pages
Authors: Quah Jon T.S. , Leow Winnie C.H. , Yong K. L.
Published: May 2011

This project experiments with the designing of a Web site that has the self-adaptive feature of generating and adapting the site contents dynamically to match visitors’ tastes based on their activities on the site. No explicit inputs are required from visitors. Instead a visitor’s clickstream on the site will be implicitly monitored, logged, and analyzed. Based on the information gathered, the Web site would then generate Web contents that contain items that have certain relatedness to items that were previously browsed by the visitor. The relatedness rules will have multidimensional aspects in order to produce cross-mapping between items. The Internet has become a place where a vast amount of information can be deposited and also retrieved by hundreds of millions of people scattered around the globe. With such an ability to reach out to this large pool of people, we have seen the expulsion of companies plunging into conducting business over the Internet (e-commerce). This has made the competition for consumers’ dollars fiercely stiff. It is now insufficient to just place information of products onto the Internet and expect customers to browse through the Web pages. Instead, e-commerce Web site designing is undergoing a significant revolution. It has become an important strategy to design Web sites that are able to generate contents that are matched to the customer’s taste or preference. In fact a survey done in 1998 (GVU, 1998) shows that around 23% of online shoppers actually reported a dissatisfying experience with Web sites that are confusing or disorganized. Personalization features on the Web would likely reverse this dissatisfaction and increase the likelihood of attracting and retaining visitors. bring the following benefits: 1. Attract and maintain visitors with adaptive contents that are tailored to their taste. 2. Target Web contents correspondingly to their respective audience, thus reducing information that is of no interest to the audience. 3. Advertise and promote products through marketing campaigns targeting the correct audience. 4. Enable the site to intelligently direct information to a selective or respective audience.
Enabling Technologies for Pervasive Computing
Authors: Kleinschmidt João Henrique , Cunha Borelli Walter
Published: May 2011

Bluetooth (Bluetooth SIG, 2004) and ZigBee (ZigBee Alliance, 2004) are short-range radio technologies designed for wireless personal area networks (WPANs), where the devices must have low power consumption and require little infrastructure to operate, or none at all. These devices will enable many applications of mobile and pervasive computing. Bluetooth is the IEEE 802.15.1 (2002) standard and focuses on cable replacement for consumer devices and voice applications for medium data rate networks. ZigBee is the IEEE 802.15.4 (2003) standard for low data rate networks for sensors and control devices. The IEEE defines only the physical (PHY) and medium access control (MAC) layers of the standards (Baker, 2005). Both standards have alliances formed by different companies that develop the specifications for the other layers, such as network, link, security, and application. Although designed for different applications, there exists some overlap among these technologies, which are both competitive and complementary. This article makes a comparison of the two standards, addressing the differences, similarities, and coexistence issues. Some research challenges are described, such as quality of service, security, energy-saving methods and protocols for network formation, routing, and scheduling.
Ontological Engineering in Pervasive Computing Environments
Authors: Tsounis Athanasios , Anagnostopoulos Christos , Hadjiefthymiades Stathes , Karali Izambo
Published: May 2011

Pervasive computing is a broad and compelling research topic in computer science that focuses on the applications of technology to assist users in everyday life situations. It seeks to provide proactive and self-tuning environments and devices to seamlessly augment a person’s knowledge and decision making ability, while requiring as little direct user interaction as possible. Its vision is the creation of an environment saturated with seamlessly integrated devices with computing and communication capabilities. The realisation of this vision requires that a very large number of devices and software components interoperate seamlessly. As these devices and the associated software will pervade everyday life, an increasing number of software and hardware providers will deploy functionality in pervasive computing environments (PCE). That poses a very important interoperability issue, as it cannot be assumed that the various hardware and software components share common communication and data schemes. We argue that the use of Semantic Web technologies, namely the ontologies, present a intriguing way of resolving such issues and, therefore, their application in the deployment of PCE is a highly important research issue.
Socio-Cultural Interpretations to the Diffusion and Use of Broadband Services in a Korean Digital Society
Authors: Yong Dal Jin
Published: May 2011

This chapter attempts to ascertain the causes of the rapid growth of broadband services in the context of the broader socio-cultural elements. It recognizes technology as a socio-cultural product which has historically been constituted by certain forms of knowledge and social practice, so this chapter explores cultural elements contributing to the diffusion of broadband services in the context of the cultural environment in Korea. Further, this chapter discusses the significant role of the people, as users, in the process of the rapid diffusion and growth of broadband services. In particular, it emphasizes the way in which the 1997 economic crisis, as one of the most significant socio-cultural turning points in modern Korean history, has influenced the deployment of broadband services as high-speed Internet connections have developed since 1997.
Plagiarism, Instruction, and Blogs
Authors: Hanrahan Michael
Published: May 2011

This chapter takes as its point of departure the Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin Plagiarism Project (http://ats.bates.edu/cbb), which sought to approach the problem of undergraduate plagiarism as a pedagogical challenge. By revisiting the decision to publish the project’s content by means of a weblog, the article considers the ways in which weblogs provide a reflective tool and medium for engaging plagiarism. It considers weblog practice and use and offers examples that attest to the instructional value of weblogs, especially their ability to foster learning communities and to promote the appropriate use of information and intellectual property.
Assessing Weblogs as Education Portals
Authors: Weber Ian
Published: May 2011

Education is one of the key sectors that has benefited from the continuous developments and innovations in information and communication technology (ICT). Web-based facilities now provide a medium for learning and a vehicle for information dissemination and knowledge creation (Khine, 2003). Accordingly, developments in ICTs provide opportunities for educators to expand and refine frameworks for delivering courses in innovative and interactive ways that assist students achieve learning outcomes (Kamel & Wahba, 2003). However, the adoption of ICTs has also created tensions between traditional control and directiveness in teaching and student- centred learning, which relies on flexibility, connectivity, and interactivity of technology-rich environments. This chapter examines the introduction of Web-based technologies within a media studies course. The objective was to establish a community of learning, which provides students with a portal or entranceway into a common work area and out to networks of media related organizations. So doing, a pilot study was conducted within the Department of Communication at Texas A&M University to blend Weblog facilities with a classroom setting to enhance students’ interpersonal and content interaction, and build citizenship through participation and collaborative processes. Four key aims frame this study: 1. provide an accessible, interactive online environment in which students can participate with peers and engage with new media technologies within a learning community setting; 2. develop an instructional technology framework that enhances the learning experience and outcomes within online educative environments; 3. establish a portal or gateway for students to access media advocacy and special interest groups and enhance and diversify perspectives on global media; and 4. evaluate student-learning experiences facilitated through innovative online instructional technologies.
Re-Examining the Socioeconomic Factors Affecting Technology Use in Mathematics Classroom Practices
Authors: Owens Emiel , Song Holim , Kidd Terry T.
Published: May 2011

Over the past 15 years a considerable amount of research has been devoted to study of the socioeconomic aspects that affect the use of economic technology in the mathematics classroom. With the call for curricular and instructional reform, educational institutions have embarked on the process to reform their educational practices to aid the urban student in their quest to obtain quality mathematics and science based education with the integration of technology. The study performed was to reexamine the socioeconomic disparities economic in the mathematics classroom as it relates to implementing technology interventions to support quality teaching and active student learning. This article is to provide empirical evidence of whether these disparities continue to exist and their effects on student achievement in the mathematics classroom. The results of this study showed an overall positive relationship regarding the use of technology interventions within the mathematics classroom with levels of student achievement, showing a clear signs of continued disparities within mathematics classroom.
Let Them Blog
Authors: Huffaker David A.
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces the use of blogs as an educational technology in the K-12 classroom. It argues that blogs can be used to promote verbal, visual, and digital literacy through storytelling and collaboration, and offers several examples of how educators are already using blogs in school. This chapter also reviews issues such as online privacy and context-setting, and ends with recommendations for educators interested in implementing blogs with current curricula.
Chinese POS Disambiguation and Unknown Word Guessing with Lexicalized HMMs
Authors: Fu Guohong , Luke Kang-Kwong
Published: May 2011

This article presents a lexicalized HMM-based approach to Chinese part-of-speech (POS) disambiguation and unknown word guessing (UWG). In order to explore word-internal morphological features for Chinese POS tagging, four types of pattern tags are defined to indicate the way lexicon words are used in a segmented sentence. Such patterns are combined further with POS tags. Thus, Chinese POS disambiguation and UWG can be unified as a single task of assigning each known word to input a proper hybrid tag. Furthermore, a uniformly lexicalized HMM-based tagger also is developed to perform this task, which can incorporate both internal word-formation patterns and surrounding contextual information for Chinese POS tagging under the framework of HMMs. Experiments on the Peking University Corpus indicate that the tagging precision can be improved with efficiency by the proposed approach.
The Cross-Cultural Dimension of Gender and Information Technology
Authors: Huang Haiyan
Published: May 2011

The underrepresentation of women in the information technology (IT) sector has been widely studied in the contexts of western countries such as North American and Western European countries. These studies indicate that the underrepresentation of women in the IT sector is unveiled in multiple perspectives, including IT access, the development, adoption and use of IT, IT education, and the IT workforce in general and within the IT workforce structure itself (e.g., different levels of IT positions) (Cooper & Weaver, 2003; Gürer & Camp, 2002; Hartzel, 2003; Klein, Jiang & Tesch, 2002; Margolis & Fisher, 2002; Rommes, 2002; Trauth, 2002; von Hellens, Neilsen, & Beekhuyzen, 2001; Webster, 1996). Why is it important to study issues related to gender and information technology? First, it is argued that the information technology sector should value and leverage all kinds of diversity (including gender diversity as one dimension) to enhance productivity, to facilitate IT innovation, and to develop IT for a wide variety of people (Avgerou, 2002; Roberts, 2003; Trauth, Huang, Morgan, Quesenberry, & Yeo, 2006). Second, it is also argued that women’s underrepresentation in and exclusion from information technology can be attributed to power and socio-cultural reproduction of inequality through technology development and use, and the historically socialconstruction of technology fields as “masculine” domains, which result in a gendered digital divide (Cockburn, 1985; Kvasny & Trauth, 2002; Kvasny & Truex, 2001; Wajcman, 1991, 2004; Woodfield, 2000). Ignorance or failure to address issues related to gender and IT will further marginalize women’s participation in future economic and social development, and will endanger social equality and social welfare in general (Kvasny & Trauth, 2002). A significant trend of the contemporary information technology industry is towards globalization, which is manifested through a variety of established practices such as IT offshore outsourcing, global software development, and innovation through global R&D (research & design) collaboration (Sahay, Nicholson, & Krishna, 2003; Walsham, 2000, 2001, 2002). Such a globalization trend of the IT industry and market has put forward new challenges to gender and IT research, to incorporate the cross-cultural dimension. Similar to the rationale for studying gender and IT in developed countries (leveraging diversity and improving social inclusion), Hafkin and Taggart (2001) argued that it is imperative to examine the cultural factors while studying gender and IT in developing countries
Cultural Barriers of Human-Computer Interaction
Authors: Sater Carstens Deborah
Published: May 2011

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) researchers and practitioners are well aware of the cultural challenges brought on by a global market (Smith, 2004; Smith, Dunckley, French, Minocha, & Chang, 2004). However, there are many unresolved problems concerning the extent to which culture influences ICT usability. Businesses use ICT in the form of databases to house customer information, Web sites enabling customers to place orders, information systems for management or suppliers, training systems, and as products sold to customers. Internet growth enables businesses to expand their customer base to international markets. Thus, businesses benefit from the explosion of Internet usage but may be challenged by how to best meet the needs of their multi-cultural customers, suppliers, and employees. There is a need to develop a model of cultural barriers to human-computer interaction (HCI). With all of the technology in use today, along with the different cultures that interact with ICT, it is important to identify a model of ICT and the HCI barriers produced by it to better help designers of ICT avoid these technology pitfalls. Figure 1 displays how the incorporation of technology, people, and culture into businesses must be carefully positioned together to optimize the success of all involved. This article examines cultural barriers to HCI and outlines a model to help designers of ICT avoid these barriers so as to enhance a company’s ability to conduct business internally and with international businesses and customers. The article addresses topics of interest to ICT practitioners and researchers alike. Current services available to businesses that support effective international HCI are discussed. Current research and future research opportunities in the field of international HCI in ICT are also examined.
Extrinsic Plus Intrinsic Human Factors Influencing the Web Usage
Authors: Sánchez-Franco Manuel Jesús
Published: May 2011

Researchers are confronted with a choice among models to explain Web acceptance and usage. Therefore, as Venkatesh et al. (2003) suggest, there is a need for a review and synthesis in order to progress toward a unified view of Web acceptance and usage. In this situation of development, a theoretical model based on technology acceptance (TAM) and flow, is proposed to describe the extrinsic and intrinsic motivations, respectively, for Web users. The aim of the research is thus (1) to investigate how well flow-model theory can be aligned with TAM and (2) to provide a relationship with the Web acceptance and its proper usage. Furthermore, better measures for predicting and explaining Web use will have greater practical value. Singular Web sites would like to assess user demand for new design ideas to facilitate electronic service quality and flow. Users would like to find a Web site leading to an enduring and cost-effective relationship.
Knowledge Blogs in Firm Internal Use
Authors: Kosonen Miia , Henttonen Kaisa , Blomqvist Kirsimarja
Published: May 2011

Knowledge sharing in today’s distributed organizations is a challenge. Hierarchical structures may not support the fast flow of information or the efficient co-creation of knowledge from specialized and tacit individual knowledge bases (see Grant, 1996; Miles et al., 2000; Adler, 2001). There is therefore a need to devise new patterns for leveraging dispersed knowledge within organizations and across organizational borders. In the following we explore internal company weblogs as a potential new channel for sharing knowledge and expertise. Knowledge is deeply embedded in social interaction. Recent advances in ICT have led to the production of social software, the primary purpose of which is knowledge sharing (Teigland & Wasko, 2005). One example of this is the emergence of weblogs (or blogs), personal Web pages that incorporate regular posts in reverse chronological order about a particular topic, current events or personal thoughts and expression (Blanchard, 2004; Herring et al., 2004; Wagner & Bolloju, 2005). Our focus is on internal knowledge blogs. A small proportion of blogs could be classified as knowledge blogs, implying the online equivalent of professional journals in which authors share new knowledge in their professional domains: they report on their research progress, share references and make observations (Wagner & Bolloju, 2005). However, the application of blogs in knowledge management is a new phenomenon, and firms have been slow to do so. Current research fails to promote understanding of the applicability of blogs in networked teams and organizations, and of their role in the social processes of knowledge sharing and creation. Thus we contribute to the emerging literature by exploring the critical factors involved in applying internal company blogs. Most studies have addressed only the rational part of mediated communication, that is, the characteristics of communication technologies and their capacity for managing and transferring information. Our aim in this article is to include the social perspective, and to provide a categorization that combines the rational-social and individual-organizational dimensions. We then report on a mini-case study in order to illustrate the identified factors. We argue that anyone wishing to exploit the potential of knowledge sharing through internal blogs should understand their nature and characteristics in order to be able to make the best possible media choices.
Gender Differences in Information Technology Acceptance
Authors: Ma Will Wai-kit , Yuen Allan Hio-Kau
Published: May 2011

Gender differences in computer use has been always a topic of research interest. The understanding of the patterns among gender, including beliefs, intention and use behavior of IT/IS would provide us a better picture to the process of design and implementation, which gives support to IT/IS success. However, published works explaining why and how beliefs and attitudes varied between different genders are still scarce, yet the topic was of widespread relevance. We direct our empirical work on user’s beliefs, intention and usage behavior. Gender differences in beliefs would likely make a corresponding impact on the intention to use or not to use computer in the future, and hence, the actual usage pattern. Assumed to be behavioral manifestations of users’ gender differences, we infer these gender differences in the beliefs of computer use from their self-reported intention and usage behavior. Therefore, we aim to explore the factors affecting the intention and usage behavior; and their corresponding strengths in affecting the intention and usage behavior; in order to suggest effective implementation strategies accordingly. The research questions of this empirical study are: 1. What are the emergent constructs that drive the intention and usage behavior of computer use? 2. Do users’ beliefs regarding IT/IS usage differ among genders? 3. To what extent do these effects differ? To address these research questions, we applied technology acceptance model (TAM) to a group of pre-service teachers, and measured their beliefs in using computer to explain the gender differences in their beliefs, intention, and usage of computer. The rest of the article proceeds as follows. The next section starts with a review on gender and technology. The third section explains the model framework TAM. The fourth section describes the instrument construction and validation. The fifth section reports the model testing results. The final section discusses the thrusts of the study and future trends.
Digital Imaging Trek
Authors: Andrade Stephen C. , Mason Hilary
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces the concept and activities of the digitally enabled tourist and the impact such as tourist has on the travel and tourism industry. It summarizes the existing and emerging technical environments that encourage the use of hand held digital recording devices and personal Internet communications. Additionally, it looks at ways tourists publish and exhibit digital visual and written artifacts of their travel experience. The chapter introduces general types of digital communication infrastructure to be considered by the industry to create an experience to support this type of tourism. The authors hope that further understanding of the digitally enabled tourist will inform travel professionals to better facilitate commerce and practice in the industry.
ID and HCI
Authors: Danielson Jared , Lockee Barbara , Burton John
Published: May 2011

Several years ago a professor at a large research institution prepared to deliver her first on-line course. The activities had been planned meticulously, the software to be used had been tested, and hopes were high. One week after the course started, the professor in frustration pulled students back into the classroom and delivered the course in its traditional format. The problem? The students were unable to figure out how to use the software. This story highlights the need to design Web-based learning experiences that are user-friendly, as well as instructionally sound. While most instructional developers acknowledge the importance of the systematic design process for effective mediated learning experiences, many fail to recognize the necessity to include interface design as a component of that process. Many instructional designers believe that if one can design instruction, one can design anything, including intuitive and easy-to-use Web-based programming. The field of human-computer interaction has evolved over the past 20 years as a discipline of its own, with principles and practices based on empirical research. Though similar to the process of instructional design, interface design is a separate endeavor with its own procedures and outcomes, and is essential to producing good instructional software. In this chapter we will describe how interface design can be integrated into the traditional instructional design process, thereby helping to ensure the overall effectiveness of the final product.
Layers of Navigation for Hypermedia Environments
Authors: Rogers Patricia L.
Published: May 2011

As an instructional medium, computer-based hypermedia environments (e.g., Web sites or CD-ROM materials) enable distinct and enriched activities that facilitate learning. With the pressure on educators to produce Web-based courseware and other distance educational materials, more and more instructional Web sites have been developed. However, simple access to the World Wide Web (WWW) in any course does not guarantee that learning takes place: “No computer technology in and of itself can be made to affect thinking” (Salomon, Perkins, & Globerson, 1991, p. 3). Too often, Web sites are developed for instructional uses without the aid of sound instructional design principles. Content is presented as static, verbal information pages linked to other information pages that may or may not include obvious or intuitive navigational cues for making the cognitive connections necessary for knowledge construction. That is, critical information is delivered in a potentially rich learning environment but the format of the presentation confuses or “loses” the novice learner. Such environments are most often the result of an educator’s first few attempts at Web site development. Even with the use of Web site builders and intranet templates, designing instruction for instructional hypermedia requires thoughtful attention to certain aspects of learning. Over-simplification of the complexities of an ill-structured or even a well-defined domain encourages novices to reduce the “solutions” of domain-specific problems to simplified or cookbook answers, which is known as reductive bias (Spiro, Feltovich, & Coulson, 1992). Thus what is learned from some Web sites is often not what the designer or educator intended. A deliberate instructional design strategy for educational hypermedia environments is needed.
Distributed Web-Based Assignment Management
Authors: Darbyshire Paul
Published: May 2011

There is an ever-increasing use of computers and applications used by educators for delivering course material. The term ‘courseware’ has been applied to the comprehensive software available to manage many aspects of the delivery process. Until recently, the main thrust of such software has been towards the delivery process and the incorporation of educational material. However, subject management is also an important task carried out by the subject coordinator, and the role it plays in the overall course delivery process should not be underestimated. Although the subject administrative tasks are usually transparent to some degree, if they are performed inefficiently, they become immediately obvious and in the worst case can distract students and staff from the learning process. An instructional system must be backed up by an efficient subject administration system. One administrative task that can consume much of a subject coordinator’s time is assignment management. Assignment management involves collection, date stamping, redistribution to tutors for marking, collation of results, and return of assignments to students. Many such computerized systems have been previously developed, but due to the nature of the infrastructure they were designed for, their use has been awkward and they are not easily transferred from system to system. With the development of the Web since the early 1990s, we now have a ‘standard’ platform used by education and the general community that allows us to build platform independent systems to implement assignment management functionality. Such software provides tangible benefits to both students and subject coordinators.
Developing On-Line Collaboration
Authors: Kemery Edward R.
Published: May 2011

This chapter focuses on developing on-line collaboration. The basic premise is that an effective educational experience involves much more that just delivery of content material. In addition to effective content delivery, a positive educational experience also involves a climate conducive to learning. The recent push for web courses with either little or no face-to-face contact ignores the importance of subtle and cumulative effects of a variety of factors that create a learning environment. It is shown that recent educational research has found that students learn more effectively if they become partners in a cooperative learning environment, but they need the skills to do so. A model describing collaborative group development, instructor behavior, and student readiness for on-line cooperative learning is provided to show how instructors can foster on-line collaboration. The concept of transactional distance is used to describe aspects of the distance learning environment. Specific examples and recommendations are given for decreasing transactional distance and increasing on-line collaboration.
A Critical Inquiry into Web-Mediated Collaborative Learning
Authors: Cecez-Kecmanovic Dubravka , Webb Carolyn
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents a critical approach to collaborative learning viewed as a social interaction process. Based on Habermas’ theory of communicative action, the chapter proposes a communicative model of collaborative learning with the aim to enhance understanding of communicative practices in Web-mediated collaborative learning situations and to provide a methodological instrument for the analysis of concrete learning processes. Drawing on the empirical data from a field study the chapter illustrates how the communicative model of collaborative learning can be applied to analyse not only what linguistic interactions among students mean but also what they produce in a particular learning situation. The chapter concludes by summarising possible implications of this critical perspective and the communicative model of collaborative learning on both practical pedagogy and empirical research in Web-mediated environments.
Designing Hospital Information Systems
Authors: Krabbel Anita , Wetzel Ingrid
Published: May 2011

Anyone working in the area of hospital information systems is sooner or later amazed about the intrinsic complexity of the field. Finding ways to handle this complexity seems utterly important. In this chapter we present a user-oriented, document-based approach being developed and proven in cooperation projects with hospitals. The advantage of the proposed approach lies in the provision of means for handling different sources of complexity. The approach is characterized by an intended continuous switch between an organizational and workplace perspective in order to reduce complexity by changing the levels of detail. It initiates and supports ongoing negotiation processes among the heterogeneous user groups by providing user-oriented, easy-to-understand documents. Furthermore, it enables developers and users alike to represent and discuss current and future work practices including interim solutions of future system support.
Telemedicine and the Information Highway
Authors: Lavi Bruno , Rothstein Zeev
Published: May 2011

Health systems broaden their importance in the midst of the ongoing international communications revolution. Health services are a natural candidate to become an integral part of the “information highway”. Terms such as telemedicine, telehealth, teleradiology, and teledermatology have been integrated into technical and academic jargon and have become the object of research and organizational planning. Telemedicine is the utilization of electronic technology to send medical data from one location to another. Supporting technology may be anything from a simple telephone, to complex communication satellite, and modern, videoconference equipment. The term telemedicine is used to define the practice of medicine through communication technology. These two ancient words, medicine and communication, were first linked at the beginning of the 20th century, when ships used radio communication to receive medical assistance. It was only in the early 1960s, however, that link became truly significant. When we discuss communication from the technological aspect, we refer to the means permitting widespread transfer of information.
Excellent Systems Analysts
Authors: Hunter M. Gordon
Published: May 2011

There is evidence which suggests the software crisis still exists and is negatively impacting both information systems (IS) development and maintenance. Kendall (1992) has reported IS development backlogs averaging 30 work-months. Others (Senn, 1985; Yourdon, 1989) including Kendall (1992) suggest a hidden backlog, users’ plans not even submitted as requests because of the identified backlog, may result in IS development delays of up to four to seven years. Further Laudon and Laudon (1998) have determined that 51 percent of software development projects require up to three times more than the initial budget for both cost and time. The situation regarding IS maintenance is also of concern. Kendall (1992) suggests the IS maintenance software crisis has resulted from problems created in phases prior to programming. This situation is further confounded by the fact that the later in the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) that an error is discovered, the more it costs to fix (Boehm, 1981).
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Web Sites
Authors: Small Ruth V. , Arnone Marilyn P.
Published: May 2011

As millions of people “search-and-surf “ the Internet, seeking needed products and services or just exploring to see “what’s out there,” businesses are concerned that their Web sites will: (1) attract both searchers and surfers, (2) interest them long enough to thoroughly explore the site, (3) motivate them to purchase their product or service, and (4) encourage them to return to the site and/or recommend the site to others. As the number of commercial Web sites continues to grow at an explosive rate, this competitive market requires effective interface design guidelines and evaluation criteria. Although there are a number of resources that provide guidance on the structure and content of Web interfaces, they typically focus on content. Some focus heavily on content and validity issues (Does it have the right information?), while others focus on functionality issues (Does it work the way it is supposed to?). Few have a theoretical foundation, offer diagnostic methods for assessing and interpreting results, and provide detailed feedback for improvement. Furthermore, few, if any, emphasize the motivational aspects of Web sites, i.e., those features that stimulate curiosity and engage the user’s interest, while providing relevant content and an easy-to-use interface. These features help to motivate customers to visit, explore, and return to a Web site.
Telemedicine
Authors: Turner Jeanine W.
Published: May 2011

Telemedicine is redefining the boundaries of the doctor and patient encounter. No longer do the doctor and patient need to be in the same room. No longer does the doctor have to visually see the patient to develop a diagnosis. New telecommunications infrastructures have created the possibility for a virtual office visit, outside of the constraints of time and space. This radical change in physical boundaries creates a profound transformation of the doctor and patient relationship, the organizational cultures of the healthcare institutions involved, and the administration, management, and reimbursement of services. Debakey (1995) argued that telemedicine, or the use of telecommunications technologies within the field of healthcare, has the potential for having a greater impact on the future of medicine than any other modality. Although the term telemedicine can include a wide variety of applications and technologies, including database management, distance education, and electronic patient records, this chapter will focus the application of telemedicine on delivery of remote electronic clinical consultations. This chapter will discuss telemedicine’s historical development, the transformation of the clinical environment from an external, internal, and individual perspective, and future trends.
Building National Collections of Internet Publications
Authors: Cameron Jasmine , Phillips Margaret E.
Published: May 2011

Fundamental to the idea of national libraries is the notion that they should take responsibility for collecting, recording, providing access to and preserving their own national imprint. The extension of publishing beyond the realm of print into a variety of media forms, including online publications, adds complexity to, but does not change the fundamental role and responsibilities of national libraries. This chapter explores the issues that must be resolved in order to ensure that today’s Internet publications will still be available to researchers in the centuries to come. The transient nature of Internet publications, the huge volume of them and the difficulty of identifying what exists are challenges for national libraries. Collection building, description of resources, efficient resource discovery, technical infrastructure, permanent naming and preservation are areas that need focussed attention and development. A number of national libraries have active programs to find solutions and the progress being made is described.
Libraries on the Information Highway
Authors: Bertot John Carlo
Published: May 2011

This book presented readers with numerous views, perspectives, and issues regarding the past, present and future of libraries, librarianship and the information profession in the networked environment. By reviewing the various chapters in this book, readers rapidly conclude that the information environment, particularly the digital information environment, requires a reconceptualization of the information creation, dissemination and consumption processes. Information professionals, and those relying on information professionals, are at an exciting and challenging point in their careers — the transition to the networked information resources and services environment. Meeting this challenge necessitates the resolution to numerous issues, several of which this chapter presents below.
What Are the Actual Industry Expectations and Needs with Regard to Object Oriented Technology?
Authors: Proano Luis F.
Published: May 2011

This chapter is a review of journals and printed articles published during the last two years. It will give you an idea of the current needs in the industry due to object oriented technologies. It also analyzes factors like the lack of mainstream products and object standards influencing the development of skilled professionals in working with object databases. It will show industry trends and needs and make recommendations for training approaches in order to develop skilled professionals who will satisfy these needs. It will tell you what you need to know to make yourself more marketable in an ever-changing industry.
Embedding the Net
Authors: Loader Brian D. , Hague Barry , Eagle Dave
Published: May 2011

Throughout the world millions of people are getting online to the Internet to exchange information and communicate with each other to form what Howard Rheingold has famously described as ‘virtual communities’ (1994). The revolutionary potential of the new Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs), currently epitomized by the Internet and other Web-based technologies, to transform social relations has not surprisingly grasped the imagination of the media, academics, politicians, businesspeople and members of the public more generally. It has produced an extensive and often fierce debate about the possible beneficial consequences of such technological developments for social interaction which is based more around common interests rather than spatial proximity. Such optimistic visions have also been matched by alternative dystopian depictions of the new media facilitating the emergence of surveillance societies (Lyon, 1994; Davies, 1996). Yet, in whatever form the arguments are couched, their emphasis on remote communication often acts to disassociate individuals from the everyday experience of the communities they live in. It is as if there is no place for localized face-to-face interaction between people in the Information Age. Whilst we do not preclude ‘communities of interest’ and recognize that the term community itself can be used in many ways, our own approach to community informatics (CI) has been shaped by the desire to reconnect locally spaced communities to the wider electronic network of cyberspace.