bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Two Factor Authentication Using M-Pin Server for Secure Cloud Computing Environment
Authors: Nagar Nitin , Suman Ugrasen
Published: November 2015

Cloud computing is comprised of major demand from the every group of organization because of easy availability and cost effectiveness. The responsibilities of cloud service providers will become increasing more due to the great progression in every cloud computing deployment model (public, private and hybrid) and service models (SaaS, PaaS and IaaS). In this perspective, cloud computing faces multiple challenges, especially in cloud computing security at all levels (e.g., host, network, application and data levels). Authentication is the constantly the biggest concerned for IT industries to adopt cloud computing environment. The availability, performance, key logger attack, malicious insiders, outsider attacks and service disruptions explore (service hijacking) issues are the key research challenges in the cloud computing authentication level. In this aspect, traditional user name and password is not enough as a single factor (first factor). This paper has proposed a secure cloud computing framework which uses first factor as a crypt user name and password with the ATM pin as a second factor called M-pin. The proposed work focuses on a solution to the threats that are the major issues in the cloud adoption.
Antecedents to Individual Adoption of Cloud Computing
Authors: Li Yuan , Chang Kuo-Chung
Published: November 2015

This chapter examines factors that influence individual adoption of cloud computing measured by the intentions to use cloud computing for personal needs. Drawing upon the cloud computing and online service literature, it recognizes eleven antecedents to individual intentions to use cloud computing. An empirical test on undergraduate and graduate students shows that of these antecedents a person's attitude toward cloud computing, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and perceived usefulness have direct impacts on intentions, while other antecedents, including perceived ease of use, transferability of computer skills, vendor reputation, perceived risks, privacy concerns, security concerns, and concerns about vendor lock-in, have indirect impacts. The study expands the view on cloud computing adoption among individual users with a multiplicity of factors and an integrative framework, and it also highlights the tradeoffs between benefits and risks in adoption decisions.
The Empirical Analysis of Cloud Computing Services among the Hungarian Enterprises
Authors: Sasvari Peter , Nagymate Zoltán
Published: November 2015

Innovation capability has increasingly been searched by the ICT sector in cloud computing applications recently. This chapter describes the economic potentials of cloud computing and explores the characteristics of its usage among Hungarian enterprises. Although enterprises are aware of the basic concept of cloud computing, they have concerns about its application mainly due to data security issues and the lack of education. The chance of using cloud computing services is mainly facilitated by the creation of easier application and consultation would positively affect their usage. According to microenterprises and corporations, faster information flow and remote access are the key benefits of cloud usage. In the case of small-sized enterprises, the two main advantages are easier system recoverability and a higher level of mobility in case of a system breakdown. For the medium-sized enterprises, remote access and greater data security were the key benefits of using cloud computing services in 2014.
Enterprise Cloud Adoption
Authors: Opala Omondi John , Rahman Shawon S. M. , Alelaiwi Abdulhameed A.
Published: November 2015

Cloud computing is synonymous with outsourced data center management and agile solution architecture that improves the scalability for delivery of services for enterprises. It has the capability to revolutionize how data is delivered from commodity to Information Technology as a service. At its core, Cloud computing is a new approach to distributed computing and shared pooling of IT infrastructure linked together to offer centralized IT services on demand. Companies that provide Cloud computing services manage multiple virtualized computation systems that allow for dynamic on-demand provisioning of IT delivery as services. This chapter presents a study of the factors that influence the adoption of Cloud computing in enterprises based on managements' perception of security, cost-effectiveness, and IT compliance. The results of a linear regression analysis testing are presented, which indicate that managers' perceptions of cost-effectiveness and IT compliance are more significantly correlated to the enterprise adoption of Cloud computing than security.
Measuring Service Quality of Commercial Banks in an Underdeveloped Economy
Authors: Bezbaruah M. P. , Kalita Basanta
Published: November 2015

In the post-reform era, quality delivery of the services has acquired centre point of the service industry around the globe. The banking sector being purely a service-related industry has been influenced more by the issue of providing quality service. With the entry of private banks, the banking sector has gone through many transformations including the way services are extended. In a backward state like Assam, this has arrived a little late, but the changes are gradually visible. The chapter captures the service quality standard of the Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) and also for the different bank groups in order to make a comparison. The SERVPERF scale is used to study the replies of the customers in two cities, Guwahati and Tezpur, and some econometric tools are used to analyse the data. The study reveals that the private sector banks are far ahead of the public sector banks in terms of quality of service. The private banks influence the service quality of the SCBs the most among all the bank groups. Overall, the public sector banks, which are the dominant market players, will have to work hard to catch the level of the private banks.
Exploring the Three- Path Mediation Model
Authors: Yadav Manish Kumar , Rai Alok Kumar , Srivastava Medha
Published: November 2015

The present study attempts to explore structure of relationships among service quality, customer perceived value, customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions through a comprehensive survey of extant literature. The study investigates the direct and indirect relationship between service quality and behavioral intention and probes into the mediating role of customers' perceived value and customers' satisfaction in the indirect relationship between service quality and behavioral intention. The findings suggest that service quality and behavioral intention relationship is mediated at multiple levels as their relationship passes through the junctions of customer perceived value and customer satisfaction.
Analysis of Cloud Services on Business Processes in the Digitalization of the Consumer Product Industry
Authors: Riemann Ute
Published: November 2015

Nowadays, cloud computing is becoming popular within the business environment. Cloud services is not new, but the evolution of mobility, connectivity, and computing hardware has made it interesting for the business. Cloud services provides a way to increase the capacity or add capabilities dynamically without investing in new IT infrastructure, training new personnel, or licensing new software. Focusing on the consumer product goods (CPG) market with its mainly small and medium-sized companies, we see dramatic changes from the market demands, logistic challenges and price competition. The purpose of this chapter is therefore to present the positioning of cloud services in the CPG industry and to outline an approach that enables a typical company in the CPG industry to link the current capabilities of cloud services this to a business-process-driven evaluation approach to provide a transparency for the decision towards cloud services. The result of the business process investigation underlies assumptions and inductive conclusions.
Medical Tourism Service Quality
Authors: Debata Bikash Ranjan , Mahapatra S. S. , Patnaik Bhaswati
Published: November 2015

Medical tourism, a growing phenomenon in the world today, possesses a worthwhile potential for the economic development of any country. Globalization, development of information and communication technology (ICT) and adherence to the international quality standards potentially result in a significant increase in the movement of patients and healthcare professionals across national boundaries. The demand for medical tourism in India is experiencing a tremendous growth. However, the Indian medical tourism sector faces various challenges. Since India attempts to position itself as one of the preferred global medical tourism hub, a thorough understanding of means to attract, satisfy and retain medical tourists is extremely important. Five hundred and thirty four (534) useful responses in two different phases is collected and tested to examine the validity and reliability of the scale to ensure a quantitative and statistically proven identification of the responses. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is used to identify the underlying dimensions of medical tourism service quality for medical tourism in India. Next, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to confirm the factor structure of the constructs and validate EFA results.
Relationships among Information Technology, Service Quality, and Overall Satisfaction of the Customers in Life Insurance Corporation of India
Authors: Choudhuri Partha Sarathi
Published: November 2015

At present, customers are fully aware of their needs and requirements, expectations, and information technology-enabled services. Based on the several factors, customers are evaluating the quality of perceived services offered by their service providers as well as estimating their overall satisfaction with their service providers. As customer satisfaction has now become the ultimate goal of the different service providers, considering different factors, organizations are trying to move their focus from product to the customers. Like any other sector, in life insurance sector the insurance companies are trying to provide better quality of services to their customers with the help of information technology not only to satisfy them but also to retain them in the competitive insurance market. In this chapter, the author studies the significant relationships among the information technology, service quality, and overall satisfaction of the customers in Life Insurance Corporation of India in Burdwan.
Supporting Accessible User Interfaces Using Web Services
Authors: Bouloukakis Georgios , Basdekis Ioannis , Stephanidis Constantine
Published: November 2015

Web services are an emerging technology that has attracted much attention from both the research and the industry sectors in recent years. The exploitation of Web services as components in Web applications facilitates development and supports application interoperability, regardless of the programming language and platform used. However, existing Web services development standards do not take into account the fact that the provided content and the interactive functionality should be accessible to, and easily operable by, people with disabilities. This chapter presents a platform named myWebAccess, which provides a mechanism for the semi-automated “repair” of Web services' interaction characteristics in order to support the automatic generation of interface elements that conform to the de facto standard of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0. myWebAccess enhances interaction quality for specific target user groups, including people with visual and motor disabilities, and supports the use of Web services on diverse platforms (e.g., mobile phones equipped with a browser). The Web developers can build their own design templates and the users of myWebAccess can create a personalized environment containing their favourite services. Thus, they can interact with them through interfaces appropriate to their specific individual characteristics.
The Effect of Trust on Customers' Online Repurchase Intention in Consumer-to-Consumer Electronic Commerce
Authors: Jia Lin , Cegielski Casey G. , Zhang Qinsheng
Published: November 2015

As e-commerce is steadily increasing every year, trust building has become an important research topic in e-commerce research especially in developing countries. In this study, trust in intermediary and trust in online sellers are separated. Antecedents of trust and trust transference between online sellers and the intermediary are also explored. Analysis of the data collected from a questionnaire survey shows that seller performance, buyers' past positive experiences, and psychological contract violation each have a significant effect on trust in online sellers. Meanwhile, information quality and service quality each have a significant effect on trust in intermediary and consumer satisfaction toward the intermediary. Trust is also transferred from the intermediary to online sellers. In turn, trust and satisfaction each have a positive impact on the repurchase intention. Theoretical and managerial implications are also discussed.
The Role of Cloud Computing in Global Supply Chain
Authors: Kasemsap Kijpokin
Published: November 2015

This chapter reviews the role of cloud computing in global supply chain, thus describing the theoretical and practical concepts of cloud computing and supply chain management (SCM); the significance of cloud computing in global supply chain; the overview of electronic supply chain management (e-SCM); and the organizational information processing theory within global supply chain. The utilization of cloud computing is necessary for modern organizations that seek to serve suppliers and customers, increase business performance, strengthen competitiveness, and achieve continuous success in global business. Therefore, it is essential for modern organizations to examine their cloud computing applications, develop a strategic plan to regularly check their practical advancements, and immediately respond to the cloud computing needs of customers in global supply chain. Applying cloud computing in global supply chain will extremely improve organizational performance and reach business goals in the digital age.
Management of Privacy and Security in Cloud Computing
Authors: Tuncalp Deniz
Published: November 2015

There are a number of risk domains that are relevant for information privacy and security in cloud-based scenarios and alternative deployment models, which require implementation of a number of controls. However, cloud service providers often take a one-size-fits-all approach and want all their customers to accept the same standardized contract, regardless of their particular information security and legal compliance needs. Taking ISO 27001 Information Security Management standard as a guide, we have employed the Delphi method with a group of cloud computing experts from around the world who are subscribed to the “Cloud Computing” group on LinkedIN to identify the most applicable controls in a generic cloud service provider – customer context. Based on these results, we use a sample of cloud computing customer service agreement as a case study to further discuss related contingencies. As a result, this chapter argues that a more balanced approach is needed in service contracts to ensure the maintenance of necessary service levels and the protection of cloud users.
Customer Relationship Management as an Imperative for Academic Libraries
Authors: Xu Amanda , Yang Sharon Q.
Published: November 2015

This chapter proposes a conceptual model, the 121 e-Agent Framework, for Customer Relationship Management (CRM) in academic libraries. Linked data and Semantic Web are the core components of this model. The implementation of the Framework will enable the participating U.S. academic libraries to reach out to their user communities through systematic customer group identification, differentiation, and interaction. The main contributions of the chapter are 1) applying Semantic Web technologies for CRM in academic libraries using the 121 e-Agent Framework, 2) defining the relevance challenges of CRM for academic libraries, 3) adding trust management to the linked data layer with a touch of tagging, categorizing, query log analysis, and social ranking as part of the underlying structure for distributed customer data filtering on the Web in CRM applications, and 4) making the approach extensible to address the challenges of CRM in other fields.
Efficiency and Risk Management Models for Cloud-Based Solutions in Supply Chain Management
Authors: Truong Dothang
Published: November 2015

Cloud computing has been proven to have numerous benefits for organizations, especially in supply chain management. More and more organizations have adopted cloud-based solutions to be their primary sourcing applications. Nevertheless, this technology is not without challenges, and in order to deploy and implement cloud-based solutions successfully with minimal risks organizations need to have practical guidance on this emerging technology. Despite the rapid growth of cloud computing in supply chain areas, the existing literature is still conceptual, inadequate, and mainly focused on the pre-adoption stage of this technology. This research examines the post-adoption stage of cloud-based supply chain solutions from the decision science perspective and intends to provide organizations with practical guidance on how to ensure the efficiency of a cloud-based supply chain system and control risks associated with cloud-based solutions.
Customer Management Practices
Authors: Kushwaha Gyaneshwar Singh , Agrawal Shiv Ratan
Published: November 2015

The paper explores the interrelationships between service quality, customer satisfaction, customer retention, and customer loyalty through multiple (three) case studies in stock broking settings. A semi-structured, face-to-face interview was conducted of staff members. The findings from the study show that service quality as an overall and each of them are positively associated with customer satisfaction. The findings also suggested that customer retention is the predictor for customer loyalty in stock broking services. The proposed theory model may provide adoption guidance and a practical foundation for customer management to managers.
Applying Kolb Learning Experiential Theory with Cloud Computing in Higher Education Institutions
Authors: Sanga Camilius Aloyce , Kibirige George
Published: November 2015

The maturity of free and open source movement has brought a number of ICT tools. It has affected the way courses are delivered, the way contents are developed, the way data are interoperable, the way learning and teaching materials are shared, the way learners access classes and the way library resources are shared. In developing countries, several libraries are migrating into digital libraries using low cost technologies readily available due to open access, free and open source technology and e-publishing tools. Recent development of cloud computing technology provides state of art tools for libraries. It provides a common platform for easy information storage and sharing. Thus, there is lowering of the cost required to procure and manage library ICT infrastructure due to the capability of that cloud computing which allows the storage to be on a single, efficient system that saves cost and time. In developing countries where most libraries suffer from limited budgets for ICT services, it is anticipated that the future of digital libraries is on cloud libraries.
Service Quality Dimensionality in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)
Authors: Priya B. Shanmuga , Jeyakumaran M.
Published: November 2015

High levels of stress in the academic environment is linked to a lack of clarity in academic role and a phenomenon of chronic overwork caused by changing HEI's structures and expectations. But there is a current positive trend of universities developing more and more wellbeing policies, which means impact of technology in higher education institutions learning environment. The major aim of this research paper is to identify the dimensions, which is the best predictor of overall service quality in higher educational institutions service sector. EduQUAL item in original form is not enough in the context of southern tamilnadu educational environment. A five dimension EduQUAL item including customer evaluation revealed reliable and valid results in one of the southern states of India i.e. Tamilnadu context. The researcher has used SPSS for analyzing the data and AMOS The significant coefficient is Assurance dimension and the remaining 6 predictors are non-significant. The non-significance variable exceeds 0.05, and do not contribute much to the regression model. This means that the Assurance dimension is the main predictor for overall satisfaction of students.
Business Transformation though Cloud Computing in Sustainable Business
Authors: Jasmine K. S. , Sudha M.
Published: November 2015

The changing market trends make it mandatory for businesses to constantly innovate and improve while keeping the expenditures at lowest. For any business, irrespective of size, information technology is playing a major role. Cloud computing is emerging as a driving factor for all types of businesses. Although cloud computing is widely recognized as a technology transformer, its potential for driving business innovation is not exploited to the fullest. Cloud computing promises to decrease capital expenditures and offer higher utilization rates on existing hardware. To exploit the cloud computing capability to enable organizations to enhance their revenue streams and improved customer relationships while increasing business agility, organizations need to determine how best to employ cloud enabled business models that promote sustainable competitive advantage, as this chapter discusses. By completely leveraging cloud computing opportunities, organizations can focus on process improvement by driving inefficiencies out of repeatable processes and providing agility to reuse elements of business logic.
Virtualization Evolution
Authors: Koumaras Harilaos , Damaskos Christos , Diakoumakos George , Kourtis Michail-Alexandros , Xilouris George , Gardikis Georgios , Koumaras Vaios , Siakoulis Thomas
Published: November 2015

This chapter discusses the evolution of the cloud computing paradigm and its applicability in various sections of the computing and networking/telecommunications industry, such as the cloud networking, the cloud offloading, and the network function virtualization. The new heterogeneous virtualized ecosystem that is formulated creates new needs and challenges for management and administration at the network part. For this purpose, the approach of Software-Defined Networking is discussed and its future perspectives are further analyzed.
Digital Collaboration in Educational and Research Institutions
Authors: Muhtaseb Rami Wael
Published: November 2015

This chapter explores the role of digital technologies in promoting interaction and collaboration at educational and research institutions. It describes some forms of digital collaboration, and explores how educational and research institutions employ digital technologies to reach learners inside and outside the institutional boundaries. The chapter investigates a number of digital collaboration tools and their characteristics, and highlights some aspects of employing these tools to support interaction among students, teachers, researchers, and different learning communities with a special focus on science. Some cases of integrating digital technologies in the educational process and in research are also given. At the end of the chapter, insights are discussed, and a summary is presented.
E-Collaborative Learning (e-CL)
Authors: Xafopoulos Alexandros
Published: November 2015

This chapter investigates the highly researched and debated key issue of electronic collaboration (e-collaboration) in the learning process, onwards called e-collaborative learning (e-CL), in a holistic overview. The structure of the chapter is as follows. First of all, it clarifies the meaning and context of e-CL, and compares it with analysed relevant notions. Second, the human elements of e-CL and their roles are explored, classified into functional categories. Third, the supportive elements technology, pedagogy, and methodology are extensively visited. Fourth, the framework elements time, space, and society are presented. Fifth, the e-CL process is analysed, following the ADDIE model and analysing its phases. Sixth, significant affordances and challenges of e-CL are identified, and seventh, future directions are considered. Finally, conclusions are reached. Throughout the chapter new approaches, methods, and terms are proposed in the interests of the enrichment or the effectiveness of e-CL.
The Impact of Social Networking Sites on the Arab Community
Authors: Elkhouly Mahmoud Mohamed
Published: November 2015

Social media or social networking tools are Internet-based applications that focus on building social networks or social relations among people with shared interests and/or activities. Social media sites essentially consist of a representation of each user (often a profile), his/her social links, and a variety of additional services. Social networking sites fuss and was impressed by the community as a result of submissions from the ease and facilitated communication between people, and widened its fame and many use became their top concern, where communicating through these sites to get to know each other, and find out news each other, and receive news and themes and all that is new in the arena. However, since these sites and programs are open, there are no controls commensurate with our religion and our values and our habits of Arab and fixed principles, which impact on the lives of people in general, whether positively or negatively.
e-Research, a way of Learning Together?
Authors: Diviacco Paolo
Published: November 2015

The aim of this chapter is to compare the two worlds of science and learning in the perspective to find commonalties that could be used to develop new methods and technologies to better support collaborative and on-line scientific research. In this perspective we claim the existence of a convergence of these two domains and highlight similarities in on-line tools that support such activities. At the same time, we bring attention to the fact that a largely overlooked aspect of existing on-line scientific collaborative research systems, which is instead well represented in learning systems, is communication among partners. To address this issue we build a collaborative on-line software tool that allows to make some interesting early observations. Further on, we report on the introduction of a discourse structuring facility that could be used, on one hand, to ease the use of communication tools and on the other as a boundary object: an artifact that allows to bridge different paradigms and backgrounds.
The Scholarship of Engagement and Generative Learning Communities
Authors: Cabanilla Gianina O
Published: November 2015

The Regional English language learning (ELL) project in the American Spaces Philippines was established at the US Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP) in the fiscal year 2013 as a response to a study which showed the modest state of English language teaching and learning in the country. The project, a cooperation between English as a Foreign Language (EFL) educators and administrators at partner schools, universities, and American spaces in the archipelago counterparts and funded by the US Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP), was aimed at assisting with the production of more and better-qualified English as a Foreign Language (EFL) educators and administrators.
Integration of Web 2.0 Tools for Non-Formal Learning Practices
Authors: Kok Ayse
Published: November 2015

This research tries to explore the specific benefits of online collaboration tools, and finds out how their use has been appropriated by employee volunteers for their practice of volunteering and how they influenced the process of their meaning-making. By doing so, it raised an awareness of the digital tools that provide collections of traits through which individuals can get involved in non-formal learning practices by having digital interactions with others.
The Theory of Artistic-Aesthetic Education versus Didactics of Arts
Authors: Pâslaru Vlad
Published: November 2015

Teaching and learning of literature and of the arts in school is assimilated to scientific knowledge, which neglects the identity of the arts. A didactics of the arts could solve this problem. Philosophy of art shows that beauty has the capacity to capture the essence of human being and that puts the arts in a special position in the educational practice. Existence of artistic and esthetic knowledge demonstrates the need to constitute, recognize and implement a didactics of arts. The author offers a first definition of artistic-esthetic education based on examination of its gnostic origins and of the subsequent historical developments of the term and of the field of artistic-esthetic education. Principles of artistic-esthetic education as a branch of science education are used to exemplify the definition. Ideas, concepts and principles examined and developed by the author are illustrated with theoretical and praxeological developments from the East-European educational space.
Utilizing Adaptive and Intelligent Systems for Collaborative Online Learning
Authors: Abdullah Matin Saad , Pathan Al-Sakib Khan
Published: November 2015

The purpose of this chapter is to present an Adaptive and Intelligent model for online Qur'anic Arabic learning. The goal of this model is to make the learning process easier by extracting frequently used words and collocation in Qur'an with different contextual connotations and then applying a periodic reminding system via online. The target is to make occasional learning easier for the subscribers. The work focuses on non-native speakers of Arabic among the Muslims because it is an obligation for them to memorize and recite a part of the Qur'an during the five daily prayers. While for native Arabic speakers, it is relatively easy to understand, this approach of ours aims at achieving a level of understanding of the recited Arabic words even for the non-native users. The power of Social Media, thus Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has been effectively used in this domain. A part of this project has already been implemented. Alongside the description of our base learning model, we also present the technical details and obtained results from our implemented prototype.
The Role of Social Cognitive Flexibility in Effective Teaching
Authors: Mechi Aneta , Sanchez-Mazas Margarita
Published: November 2015

In response to teachers' uncertainty and helplessness facing some types of cross-domain educational situations (CDESs), such as aggressive or impolite behavior, lack of interest, slow understanding, or drop in performance, the social cognitive flexibility (SCF) approach proposes an alternative way of considering teaching which focus not on the pupil as a problem but on the problematic nature of the situation. In this chapter, the two-phase SCF competence is theorized and illustrated by applied research and analyzed in close relation with teachers' perception of zone of action, theirs inclusive behaviors and epistemic inclusion in order to provide teachers with effective, tested, and concrete tools. SCF procedures are easy to implement, follow and routinize in the daily practice and they allow teachers master the cross-domain problems, foresee them, and even transform them into learning sequences. A training SCF program for future teachers is presented as well as some avenues for research.
Using Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Framework to Design Support Systems for Education and Special Education
Authors: Walker Gabriela , Pattison Elizabeth
Published: November 2015

Principles of Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Theory were reviewed to examine potential uses for classroom teachers and re-imagine Bronfenbrenner's System's Theory into a series of novel frameworks that could be practically applied to students' lives and experiences outside of the classroom environment. This interpretive review offers educators and families novel conceptual frameworks intended to foster deep understanding of individual students and to provide practical tools to visualize and navigate the unique web of human relationships and support available outside of the classroom. Fourteen newly created “systems theories” are briefly presented here.
Collaborative Design in School
Authors: Tartas Valérie , Giglio Marcelo
Published: November 2015

This chapter presents a literature review on collaboration to learn with some illustrations to design adequate collaborative settings to promote learning in the classroom. From a socio-cultural approach of education, the authors present the way teacher and students participate together in several discursive activities to elaborate a shared understanding of the topic or task under study. This chapter offers two collaborative designs: an argumentative tool-based collaboration in astronomy and a creative collaboration in music education. Some examples are proposed in order to identify different conflicts, contradictions, agreements and disagreements between students to solve a problem, complete a task or create a product in collaboration.
Understanding How Images and Attitudes toward Scientists and Science Contribute to Science Identities
Authors: Farland-Smith Donna , Ledger Toni
Published: November 2015

In this study, a modified Draw-A-Scientist Test (mDAST) and an Attitude Toward Science Survey (ATS) were analyzed. Results revealed that students' (N=127) drawings of scientists were not consistent with students' attitude toward science in grades 5, 9, and 12. Attitudes toward science continued to decline while student drawings became more positive in respect to where they were drawing scientists and what activities scientists were doing in grades 9 through 12. Most importantly, the fact that students' perception of the appearance of scientists did not change from the end of elementary school to the end of high school suggests the severity and longevity of these images. The findings of this study reinforce the significance of ATS and perceptions of scientists in conjunction with the interest of science-related careers.
The Growth of Learning Colleges Including a Case Study from 2008 Revisited in 2015
Authors: Davis McGaw Martha Ann
Published: November 2015

In 1981, the National Commission on Excellence in Education identified “widespread public perception that something is seriously remiss in our educational system” (Fiske, 2008). Thirty years later, in 2011, Harvard School of Education's Pathways to Prosperity Project states “In an era in which education has never been more important to economic success, the U.S. has fallen behind many other nations in educational attainment and achievement.” Learning-centered learning is not a new concept, with roots dating back to the progressive movement of early 1900's, gaining prominence in post-modern education with Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform. A major focus of applied learning theory in post-modern education is preparing learners for a profession, a basis for achieving economic independence. This chapter identifies higher education institutions in the United States, Australia, and Great Britain highlighting methodologies, best practices, challenges. Two community college case studies are reviewed, identifying successes and opportunities of current learning practices.
Instructors as End-User Developers
Authors: Pena Joslenne , Shih Patrick C. , Rosson Mary Beth
Published: November 2015

This chapter seeks to elaborate on two points. First, the authors would like to focus on the inverted (flipped) classroom, by providing a detailed understanding of it, as well as, current practices. Second, the authors want to propose that instructors become end-user developers, in other words, becoming content creators and designers of their technology usage in the inverted classroom. For instance, several issues arise when using this teaching approach, such as resources, costs, time constraints, and the process of learning new technology. The authors believe that allowing instructors to harness technical ability is beneficial and critical to their success in implementing the inverted classroom.
Augmented Reality as a New Media for Supporting Mobile-Learning
Authors: Figueiredo Mauro , Gomes José , Gomes Cristina Maria Cardoso , Gaspar Rui , Lopes João Madeira
Published: November 2015

Combining mobile technologies with Augmented Reality (AR) has recently enabled the ubiquity of AR technologies in our everyday life. We believe that the use of augmented reality will change significantly the teaching activities by enabling the addition of supplementary information that is seen on a mobile device. This chapter presents the most popular augmented reality applications and we select AR eco-systems to be used in daily teaching activities which are user friendly, do not require programming skills and are free. Different augmented reality technologies are explored in this chapter. It is presented the creation of two novel augmented reality books. One developed with teachers and students. Another book that was developed for increasing the interest of reading for children that is being used by storytellers. Several examples are also presented that are used in educational activities, from kindergarten, elementary, secondary schools and university, to improve reading, comprehension, learning of music and better understand the drawing of orthographic views.
Artistic Education Areas
Authors: Morari Marina
Published: November 2015

The artistic education areas in didactic process are articulated with different weight. The aim of this chapter is theoretical substantiating of reference marks for methodological integralization of artistic education. This chapter analyses the impact of artistic education arias to general education. Based on hypothesis that inconsistent methodological approach of the artistic education demarches in different schooling stages, it is confirming the coherence of our society in realizing the formation/development process of the pupil's personality through and for the art. Thus, in context of methodological integration the ideal of integral personality on the affective, attitude, cognitive, cultural line belongs to artistic education arias. It will offer new perspectives for the theoretical conceptualization, design and development of innovative educational-artistic methodologies and technologies.
The Roles of E-Learning, Organizational Learning, and Knowledge Management in the Learning Organizations
Authors: Kasemsap Kijpokin
Published: November 2015

This chapter presents the roles of e-learning, organizational learning, and knowledge management (KM) in the learning organizations, thus describing the practical and theoretical concepts of learning organization, e-learning, organizational learning, and KM; and the significance of e-learning, organizational learning, and KM in the learning organizations. The utilization of e-learning, organizational learning, and KM leads to the improved organizational success in the growing knowledge economy. The appropriateness of e-learning, organizational learning, and KM is influential for the learning organizations to serve practitioners and researchers, increase business performance, sustain competitiveness, and fulfill expected accomplishment in the learning organizations. The chapter argues that promoting e-learning, organizational learning, and KM has the potential to increase organizational performance and achieve strategic goals in the learning organizations.
Estimates of emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) larval galleries in branch samples from asymptomatic urban ash trees (Oleaceae)
Authors: Turgeon Jean J. , Fidgen Jeffrey G. , Ryall Krista L. , Scarr Taylor A.
Published: November 2015

Agrilus planipennis(Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is causing extensive mortality of ash (FraxinusLinnaeus; Oleaceae) in North America. Once detected in an area, resource managers require methods to obtain estimates that could improve management decisions. We studied the within-crown and within-branch distribution and abundance ofA. planipennisfeeding galleries by sampling 3-m-long branches from asymptomatic urban ash trees and subdividing each branch into 12 sections of 25 cm each. We found galleries in all 12 sections of some, but not all, branches. Section was a significant source of variation inA. planipennisgallery density/m2of branch surface area. A comparison of predictive power and efficiency of estimates for samples of increasing length, and for samples of the same length but consisting of different combinations of sections, revealed that those based on the two basal 25-cm sections of a branch from the lower-crown or mid-crown of an asymptomatic tree were less accurate and precise than those based on more sections, but were the most cost effective. Whittling more sections per branch, irrespective of the combinations of branch sections per length, improved predictive power but reduced cost effectiveness. We also observed that crown level was not important, and aspect was only marginally so, when estimating gallery abundance per sampled branch.
Four new combinations in Jacobaea Mill. (Asteraceae, Senecioneae) for the European flora
Authors: Galasso Gabriele , Bartolucci Fabrizio
Published: November 2015

Based on recent advances in the phylogeny of Senecioneae, several genera, including Jacobaea, are currently separated from traditional Senecio. New combinations are here proposed for four European taxa: J. disjuncta (Flatscher, Schneew. & Schönsw.) Galasso & Bartolucci, J. insubrica (Chenevard) Galasso & Bartolucci, J. norica (Flatscher, Schneew. & Schönsw.) Galasso & Bartolucci and J. racemosa subsp. kirghisica (DC.) Galasso & Bartolucci.
Groundwater resources of the Lachine-Saint-Jean area, Quebec (south of St. Lawrence River), 31 H/5 (part of) and 31 H/6 W1/2
Authors: Freeze R A
Published: November 2015

Sufficient groundwater or suitable quality exists throughout the Lachine-Saint-Jean area to supply the domestic agricultural and industrial needs of the present population. There is approximately 5 inches of groundwater recharge each year, giving rise to a
basin-wide safe yield of 140 gallons per minute per square mile. Salt, hydrogen sulphide, and excessive iron occur in the water in localized areas, but for the most part water quality is good. Hardness, total dissolved solids, and the nature of the major chemical constituents can be correlated with
the source aquifer. Alluvial, glacio-fluvial and buried valley deposits constitute excellent sand and gravel aquifers, which are too often over looked in the location of high-capacity wells. The bedrock can be divided into three aquifers, which in order of decreasing transmissibility are: (a)
Sandstone, (b) Carbonate, and (c) Shale aquifer. The groundwater occurs under artesian head and is probably part of an unconfined artesian system. Groundwater flow is toward and into the St. Lawrence River and its tributaries.
Middle Devonian tectonic history of the Tathlina Uplift, southern District of Mackenzie and northern Alberta, Canada
Authors: Belyea H R
Published: November 2015

Identifications and age determinations are presented for fossils from twenty-three wells in the District of Mackenzie and the Yukon Territory. Ages range from Middle Cambrian to Tertiary and are based on identifications of spores, pollen, dinoflagellates,
acritarchs, conodonts, foraminifers, graptolites, corals, pelecypods, brachiopods and trilobites.
Paleozoic formations and Silurian biostratigraphy, Lake Timiskaming region, Ontario and Quebec
Authors: Bolton T E , Copeland M J
Published: November 2015

Strata of Middle Silurian age from Lake Timiskaming, Ontario and Quebec contain numerous diverse fossils. One hundred and thirty-five taxa are listed and ninety-three illustrated in this report. Some comparative fossils from Middle Silurian formations of the
Michigan Basin are also illustrated. Strata of older Silurian age occur in the subsurface of the Lake Timiskaming area; these have not yet yielded fauna of proved stratigraphic value .
Cambrian stratigraphy from western Alberta to northeastern British Columbia
Authors: Pugh D C
Published: November 2015

The Cambrian System of Alberta and northeastern British Columbia developed in a marine environment governed by a cyclic pattern of crustal movements. Cambrian time was characterized, tectonically, by a series of pulsations resulting in: (1) periodic phases of
subsidence and stability in depositional areas (markedly so in the Cordilleran Trough to the west and also in the Williston Basin to the east); and (2) corresponding periodic phases of uplift and erosion of sediment source areas (e.g. early movements of the Peace River-West Alberta Arch system).
Following deposition of the sands of the Lower Cambrian Gog Group in the Cordilleran Trough, shallow seas flooded wide areas of the shelf. Four Middle Cambrian depositional cycles are represented by the Mount Whyte-Cathedral, Stephen-Eldon, Pika, and Arctomys-Waterfowl Formations. Following a
depositional break, two cycles during Late Cambrian time gave rise in the west to the Sullivan Format ion and Upper Lynx Group, while related events shaped the development of the Deadwood and Finnegan Formations to the east. Pre-Devonian erosion of the whole area removed many hundreds of feet of
lower Paleozoic strata, leaving significant Cambra-Ordovician escarpments both in eastern Alberta and on the western flank of the West Alberta Arch. Major uplift and erosion of the Peace River Arch began during Middle Devonian time, and the whole area was completely submerged during Late Devonian
time.
La3+ Alters the Response Properties of Neurons in the Mouse Primary Somatosensory Cortex to Low-Temperature Noxious Stimulation of the Dental Pulp
Authors: Jin Yanjiao
Published: November 2015

Although dental pain is a serious health issue with high incidence among the human population, its cellular and molecular mechanisms are still unclear. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are assumed to be involved in the generation of dental pain. However, most of the studies were conducted with molecular biological or histological methods. In vivo functional studies on the role of TRP channels in the mechanisms of dental pain are lacking. This study uses in vivo cellular electrophysiological and neuropharmacological method to directly disclose the effect of LaCl3, a broad spectrum TRP channel blocker, on the response properties of neurons in the mouse primary somatosensory cortex to low-temperature noxious stimulation of the dental pulp. It was found that LaCl3 suppresses the high-firing-rate responses of all nociceptive neurons to noxious low-temperature stimulation and also inhibits the spontaneous activities in some nonnociceptive neurons. The effect of LaCl3 is reversible. Furthermore, this effect is persistent and stable unless LaCl3 is washed out. Washout of LaCl3 quickly revitalized the responsiveness of neurons to low-temperature noxious stimulation. This study adds direct evidence for the hypothesis that TRP channels are involved in the generation of dental pain and sensation. Blockade of TRP channels may provide a novel therapeutic treatment for dental pain.
Giant Left Ventricular Pseudoaneurysm and Myocardial Dissection as a Complication of Multiple Ventricular Tachycardia Ablations in a Patient with Cardiac Sarcoidosis
Authors: Koch Krysthel Engstrom , Raiszadeh Farbod , Godelman Alla , Palma Eugen , Forman Robert
Published: November 2015

Late development of left ventricular (LV) pseudoaneurysms after ventricular tachycardia (VT) catheter ablation is a rare phenomenon, and very few cases have been reported in the medical literature. We describe the case of a giant LV pseudoaneurysm as a late complication of multiple epicardial and endocardial VT ablations in a female in her 50s with known cardiac sarcoidosis.