bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RETRIEVAL BY CONSTRUCTION: A TRACEABILITY TECHNIQUE TO SUPPORT VERIFICATION AND VALIDATION OF UML FORMALIZATIONS
Authors: DENG MIN , STIREWALT R. E. K. , CHENG BETTY H. C.
Published: November 2005

Recently, there has been growing interest in formalizing UML, thereby enabling rigorous analysis of its many graphical diagrams. Two obstacles currently limit the adoption and use of UML formalizations in practice. First is the need to verify the consistency of artifacts under formalization. Second is the need to validate formalization approaches against domain-specific requirements. Techniques from the emerging field of requirements traceability hold promise for addressing these obstacles. This paper contributes a technique called retrieval by construction (RBC), which establishes traceability links between a UML model and a target model intended to denote its semantics under formalization. RBC provides an approach for structuring and representing the complex one-to-many links that are common between UML and target models under formalization. RBC also uses the notion of value identity in a novel way that enables the specification of the link-retrieval criteria using generative procedures. These procedures are a natural means for specifying UML formalizations. We have validated the RBC technique in a tool framework called UBanyan, written in C++. We applied the tool to three case studies, one of which was obtained from the industry. We have also assessed our results using the two well-known traceability metrics: precision and recall. Preliminary investigations suggest that RBC can be a useful traceability technique for validating and verifying UML formalizations.
THE VIABILITY OF FUZZY LOGIC MODELING IN SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT EFFORT ESTIMATION: OPINIONS AND EXPECTATIONS OF PROJECT MANAGERS
Authors: MACDONELL STEPHEN G. , GRAY ANDREW R.
Published: November 2005

There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that significant benefits may be gained from augmenting current approaches to software development effort estimation, and indeed other project management activities, with models developed using fuzzy logic and other soft computing methods. The tasks undertaken by project managers early in a development process would appear to be particularly amenable to such a strategy, particularly if fuzzy logic models are used in a complementary manner with other algorithmic approaches, thus providing a range of predictions as opposed to a single point value. As well as providing a more intuitively acceptable set of estimates, this would help to reduce or remove the unwarranted level of certainty associated with a point estimate. Furthermore, such an approach would enable organizations to "store" their project management knowledge, making them less susceptible to employee resignations and the like. If fuzzy logic modeling is to be implemented in industry, however, managers must first believe it to be a realistic and workable option. This issue is addressed here by considering two related questions: one, what expectations do project managers have in relation to effort estimation? And two, what is their opinion of the methods that might be useful in this regard? This is followed by a discussion of the results of two surveys of project managers aimed at deriving membership functions using polling methods, the first using an interval declaration approach and the second using votes on fixed points. It is concluded that there is indeed support in the software engineering practitioner community for the use of methods based on the principles of fuzzy logic modeling.
FORMAL METHOD FOR AUTOMATED TRANSFORMATION OF LOTOS SPECIFICATIONS TO ESTELLE SPECIFICATIONS
Authors: EL-GENDY HAZEM , EL-KADHI NABIL
Published: November 2005

ISO and IEC have jointly developed two Formal Description Techniques (FDTs) for specifying distributed real time systems such as computer/telecommunications protocols. These are Lotos and Estelle. In this paper, a formal method for automated transformation of a Lotos specification to an Estelle specification is presented. The method is applicable to various Lotos specification styles and to various communications protocols of ISO OSI layers.

Our method has applications in conformance testing of such systems and building common semantic model for the various FDTs. In this paper, we develop an algorithm for constructing a 'Data Oriented'-Restricted Behavior Tree T that represent both the control flow aspects and the data flow aspects of the system. Then, we develop an algorithm for constructing the Estelle specifications from T. A minimization rule is also developed to optimize the size of the Estelle specification by reducing both the number of states and the number of transitions.
RECOGNITION OF CONTACT STATE BY USING NEURAL NETWORK FOR MICROMACHINED ARRAY TYPE TACTILE SENSOR
Authors: AOYAGI SEIJI , TANAKA TAKAAKI , MAKIHIRA KENJI
Published: November 2005

In this paper, a force sensing element having a pillar and a diaphragm is proposed and thereafter fabricated by micromachining. Piezo resistors are fabricated on a silicon diaphragm for detecting distortions caused by a force input to a pillar on the diaphragm. Since a practical arrayed sensor consisting of many of this element is still under development, the output of an assumed arrayed type tactile sensor is simulated by FEM (finite element method). Using simulated data, the possibility of tactile pattern recognition using a neural network (NN) is investigated. The learning method of NN, the number of units of the input layer and the hidden layer, as well as the number of training data are investigated for realizing high probability of recognition. The 14 subjects having different shape and size are recognized. This recognition succeeded even if the contact position and the rotation angle of these objects are changed.
DESIGN, MODELING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PbPc SENSOR ARRAY FOR THE DETECTION OF GASES
Authors: ISKANDARANI MAHMOUD Z. , SHILBAYEH NIDAL F.
Published: November 2005

In this paper the voltage/current characteristics and the effect of NO 2 gas on the electrical conductivity of a PbPc gas sensor array is studied. The gas sensor is manufactured using vacuum deposition of gold electrodes on sapphire substrate with the lead-phathalocyanine vacuum sublimed on the top of the gold electrodes. In a comparison between two versions of the PbPc gas sensor array, it was found that they differ in gap sizes between the deposited gold electrodes. The sensors are tested at different temperatures to account for conductivity changes as the molecular adsorption/desorption rate is affected by heat. The obtained results are found to be encouraging as the sensors showed stability and sensitivity towards low concentrations of applied NO 2 gas.
ENHANCED WIENER RESTORATION OF IMAGES BASED ON THE HAAR WAVELET TRANSFORM
Authors: EL-KHAMY SAID E. , HADHOUD MOHEY M. , DESSOUKY MOAAWAD I. , SALAM BASSIONI M. , ABD-EL-SAMIE FATHI E.
Published: November 2005

This paper proposes two techniques for the enhancement of the performance of the Linear Minimum Mean Square Error (LMMSE) or Wiener restoration algorithm. The first approach relies on adaptively merging the Wiener restoration algorithm with a regularized restoration algorithm that is implemented iteratively. The merging process allows the capturing of edges regions from the Wiener restoration result and the capturing of flat areas from the regularized restoration result. The second approach is a smoothing technique to reduce noise in flat areas in the restored images. The decision that is used for selecting the regions in the restored image, in which either the regularization or the smoothing algorithm can be used, is dependent on the 2D Haar wavelet transform.
WHY DID TIME SERIES SUBSEQUENCE CLUSTERING DISGUISE US: THE OVERALL ANALYSIS
Authors: WANG SHITONG , CHUNG KORRIS F. L. , DENG ZHAOHONG
Published: November 2005

In recent years, time series subsequence clustering is often reported to be very efficient in the data mining community. However, in this article, a negative justification will be given. The overall theoretical analysis and experiments on counterexamples indicate that time series subsequence clustering almost always does not yield any useful result.
X-RDR
Authors: Chou Shihyu , Lu Eric Jui-Lin , Chen Yi-Hui
Published: November 2005

Although Web-based information systems (WISs) have been widely used by enterprises to accomplish business tasks through the Internet, there is little research on designing a flexible access control and delegation model for WISs. In this paper, we design a user-to-user and role-to-role delegation model (called X-RDR model) for WISs. The authorization and delegation policies are encoded in XML and the granularity of control can be as small as a text-field or button. Additionally, the proposed model supports single-step delegation, multi-step delegation, multiple delegation, partial delegation, separation of duties, and cascading revocation. A prototype was also implemented to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed model.
Hierarchical key management scheme using polynomial interpolation
Authors: Das Manik Lal , Saxena Ashutosh , Gulati Ved P. , Phatak Deepak B.
Published: November 2005

We present a hierarchical key management scheme using cryptographic hash function and Newton's polynomial interpolation for users key and system resources management. A similar technique has been proposed in 2002 by Shen and Chen, but their scheme suffers large computational overhead and security weakness. We show that our scheme is secure and efficient in comparisons to the Shen and Chen's scheme.
A trust model of p2p system based on confirmation theory
Authors: Mengshu Hou , Xianliang Lu , Xu Zhou , Chuan Zhan
Published: November 2005

The feature of the peer-to-peer system such as user anonymity, open nature makes that some peers are not responsible for their distributing inauthentic information. An effective solution is that set up the trust model in the p2p system. This paper presents a novel global trust model based on confirmation theory. The reputation of peers is calculated by C-F model according the bartering history, and then the peer decides to download the sharing file from which the peer has good reputation. Analyses and simulations show that this trust model can discard the malicious peer from p2p system effectively and improve the rate of successful barter greatly.
An efficient authentication protocol for mobile satellite communication systems
Authors: Chang Ya-Fen , Chang Chin-Chen
Published: November 2005

Nowadays, wireless communication becomes more and more popular. In 2003, Hwang et al. proposed an authentication scheme for mobile satellite communication systems. However, their proposed scheme lacks efficiency and perfect forward secrecy. Thus, we propose an efficient authentication protocol and also present another version for updating the session key to provide perfect forward secrecy in this paper.
Weaknesses of Yoon-Ryu-Yoo's hash-based password authentication scheme
Authors: Ku Wei-Chi , Chiang Min-Hung , Chang Shen-Tien
Published: November 2005

In 2000, Peyravian and Zunic proposed an efficient hash-based password authentication scheme that can be easily implemented. Later, Lee, Li, and Hwang demonstrated that Peyravian-Zunic's scheme is vulnerable to an off-line guessing attack, and then proposed an improved version. However, Ku, Chen, and Lee pointed out that their scheme can not resist an off-line guessing attack, a denial-of-service attack, and a stolen-verifier attack. Recently, Yoon, Ryu, and Yoo proposed an improved scheme of Lee-Li-Hwang's scheme. Unfortunately, we find that Yoon-Ryu-Yoo's scheme is still vulnerable to an off-line guessing attack and a stolen-verifier attack. Furthermore, their scheme can not achieve backward secrecy. Herein, we first briefly review Yoon-Ryu-Yoo's scheme and then describe its weaknesses.
Cryptanalysis of a flexible remote user authentication scheme using smart cards
Authors: Ku Wei-Chi , Chen Shuai-Min
Published: November 2005

In 2002, Lee, Hwang, and Yang proposed a verifier-free remote user authentication scheme using smart cards. Their scheme is efficient because of mainly using cryptographic hash functions. However, we find that Lee-Hwang-Yang's scheme is not reparable once the user's permanent secret is compromised and is vulnerable to a privileged insider's attack. Furthermore, it lacks the user eviction mechanism. In this paper, we first show the weaknesses of Lee-Hwang-Yang's scheme, and then compare Lee-Hwang-Yang's scheme with three similar schemes.
Economic justification of an OSCL/OSRL
Authors: Sibley E. H.
Published: November 2005

Because an OSCL/OSRL has many of the properties of programming languages, a discussion of the pros and cons of programming language standardization sets the stage for the statement of needs for a generalized operating system command and response language.
Control functions for a multiprocessor architecture
Authors: Mills Philip M.
Published: November 2005

This paper is tutorial in nature in that it applies known techniques to control the execution of processes in a multiprocessor multiprogram environment. Aspects of the software and hardware needs in a multiprocessor system are discussed. An example hardware system of the less expensive mini or micro processors is used to help illustrate the control software needed. A framework of a small set of control routines is presented for controlling the concurrent execution of processes. Finally, a number of open ended questions on how the system may be improved are brought to the reader's attention.
On minimizing contention at semaphores
Authors: Denning Peter J. , Dennis T. Don
Published: November 2005

A method for reducing semaphore and ready list contention in multiprocessor operating systems is described. The method is based on tagged memory, semaphore words, and the principle of locking the individual semaphores rather than the programs that manipulate them.
The management of operating system state data
Authors: Turton Trevor
Published: November 2005

A new approach is proposed for the management of operating system state data. Relational database concepts are suggested for the analysis and organization of this data, and a common central service routine is described whichcould manage all shared state data. This central routine is based on the techniques currently employed by database management systems.
Atomic actions and timestamps
Authors: Natarajan N.
Published: November 2005

Atomic actions
have been proposed in the literature [Lomet, 77] as mechanisms for process structuring. They have the property that either the atomic action successfully executes or if it aborts it is as if it never executed. Thus they combine features of synchronization and error recovery. Atomic actions are of particular interest in
distributed systems
. In a distributed system there may exist individual object managers guarding a group of objects and transactions are composed using requests to these decentralized managers. In such organizations, conventional synchronization mechanisms like
monitors
and other synchronizers fail to provide robust synchronization. In addition, they cannot support
post-hoc
interfaces and require advance knowledge of all potential sharing [Reed, 79].
Model driven development with Ada
Authors: Lapping Andy
Published: November 2005

System and software development has become an increasingly complex science. With so many emerging devices, processors, systems specification languages, software implementation languages, and tools for all of these, there needs to be a common denominator in the development process that brings focus back on the application. Model-Driven Development (MDD) based on the UML has emerged as the preferred approach by a growing number of systems engineers and software developers for addressing this growing complexity. The UML has proven to be the standard visual representation language capable of providing both systems and software teams with a coherent set of interchangeable artefacts that fully describe an application with rich enough specification to be able to design and implement it in Ada.

This paper examines the pros and cons of a Model Based Approach, the problems that might be encountered and some possible solutions.
A refactoring tool for Ada 95
Authors: Anderson Paul
Published: November 2005

Refactoring is a technique for restructuring code to improve its design. A tool for automatically applying refactoring transformations to Ada 95 programs is described. The tool is based on a language-neutral static-analysis toolset named CodeSurfer, and uses the ASIS interface to retrieve basic facts about a program. A higher-level object-oriented interface to the ASIS representation is described, which enables pattern-matching queries on the program's abstract semantic graph. The tool has been validated by using it to apply a set of transformations designed to bring a general-purpose code library into compliance with a safety-critical subset of Ada. Future plans for a set of tools based on these techniques are described.
Re-engineering global variables in Ada
Authors: Sward Ricky E. , Chamillard A. T.
Published: November 2005

This paper describes one method for identifying global variables in Ada procedures and adding them to the parameter list of appropriate procedures. Global variables, ones that are visible to the entire program, are considered harmful to the maintainability of software systems because of the side effects that can result. A tool has been developed based on the Ada Semantic Interface Specification (ASIS) that can be used to identify global variables and re-engineer Ada procedures. By adding global variables to the parameter lists of appropriate procedures, the variables can be removed from the globally visible data space and introduced into the local declaration space.
Comparative analysis of genetic algorithm implementations
Authors: Soricone Robert , Neville Melvin
Published: November 2005

Genetic Algorithms provide computational procedures that are modeled on natural genetic system mechanics, whereby a coded solution is "evolved" from a set of potential solutions, known as a population. GAs accomplish this evolutionary process through the use of basic operators, crossover and mutation. Both the representation of the population and the operators require careful scrutiny, and can change dramatically for different classes of problems. Initial tests were conducted using a GA written in Ada95, and required substantial modifications to handle the changing domains. Subsequent testing was done with a toolbox constructed for Matlab, but the class of problems it can solve is restrictive. Ada95's generic mechanism for parameterization would allow for reuse of existing structures for a broader range of problems. This paper describes the tests performed thus far using both approaches, and compares the performance of the two approaches with regards to optimization.
Teaching graphics using Ada
Authors: Brown C. Wayne
Published: November 2005

This paper describes several tools related to the Ada language that were developed to support the teaching of a computer graphics course. These tools include an updated and improved OpenGL Ada specification file, a VRML-to-code conversion tool, and an Ada-to-C conversion tool. The rational for the development of these tools and some issues related to their implementation are discussed.
GNAT
Authors: Miranda Javier , Schonberg Edmond
Published: November 2005

The GNAT Development Team is directly involved with the Ada 2005 effort, both participating in the Ada Rapporteur Group (ARG), and implementing and testing the new features proposed for the language revision. In this paper we summarize the Ada 2005 issues already implemented in the development version of GNAT, and give a brief overview of the implementation of the more complex ones. We find that the proposed language enhancements fit well into the existing compiler structure, and present no major implementation hurdles.
From the chair
Authors: Sipior Janice C. , Schatzberg Laurie , Leidner Dorothy , Lending Diane , Vowels Susan
Published: November 2005

It was great fun seeing everyone at the "Fourth Annual ACM-SIGMIS Reception," held as an ACM-SIGMIS event on Saturday, December 11, 2004, prior to the International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS2004) in Washington, D.C. USA. Thanks to all of our members and their guests who attended. Photos from the event are posted on ACM-SIGMIS's website at: http://www.acm.org/sigmis. Mark your calendar now for next year's reception, scheduled for Saturday, December 10, 2005, from 5:30-7:00pm, prior to ICIS2005 to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada USA, December 11--14, 2005.Please plan to attend our 2005 ACM-SIGMIS Computer Personnel Research (CPR2005) Conference. For more information, please contact the Conference Chair, Mike Gallivan, Georgia State University, mgallivan@gsu.edu, the Program Co-Chairs, Jo Ellen Moore, joemoor@siue.edu and Susan E. Yager, syager@siue.edu, both of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, or visit the conference website listed below:

Conference:
ACM-SIGMIS Computer Personnel Research 2005 (CPR2005) Conference

Theme:
"Beyond the Bust: Preparing for the Boom?"

Dates:
April 14-16, 2005

Location:
Atlanta, Georgia USA

Website:
http://www.acm.org/sigmis/CFP2005.html
Data exchange in interorganizational relationships
Authors: Elgarah Wafa , Falaleeva Natalia , Saunders Carol C. , Ilie Virginia , Shim J. T. , Courtney James. F.
Published: November 2005

This paper explores the theoretical underpinning of data exchange research, specifically Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), over the period from 1993 to 2002. It identifies the underlying research paradigms applied to examination of data exchange, and determines conceptual and theoretical gaps in previous research on data exchange in interorganizational relationships (IORs). Sixty-eight articles are analyzed. Results suggest a predominant concern with the outcomes realized with EDI adoption and use. There appears to be a shift in emphasis from dyadic relationships to networks. As a majority of the studies are of the survey nature using single cross-sectional snapshots, the emphasis appears to be on short-term outcomes of EDI-enabled relationships. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Understanding intranets in the context of end-user computing
Authors: Lamb Roberta , Davidson Elizabeth
Published: November 2005

In this paper, we examine the adoption and use of organizational intranets as an extension of the end-user computing movement. This perspective provides a background against which the rapid proliferation of organizational intranets in the 1990s can be compared and contrasted with the explosion of personal computers and end-user computing in the 1980s. Our retrospective analysis of end-user computing is based on academic and business journal literature. Our contemporary analysis of intranet development and use relies on data from a large-scale study of intranets in US firms. We examine similarities with early EUC efforts, such as the initial grass-roots, multiple adoption of PC technologies, that were followed by efforts to standardize and integrate technological "islands." We also highlight ways in which organizational experiences with intranets may diverge from earlier EUC experiences. Our discussion of these organizational experiences and practices draws on institutional theory to understand how and why organizational adoption and use of information technologies may differ from those of the past in important ways that require rethinking of current practices. In particular, we focus on the issues related to intranet integration and to the evolving roles of intranet end-users and IT professionals.
Computing accreditation
Authors: Zweben Stu , Reichgelt Han , Yaverbaum Gayle
Published: November 2005

The Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC) of ABET has proposed changes in the structure of the criteria used to accredit computer science and information systems programs. The new structure combines, into so-called "general criteria," components of criteria that apply to any computing program accredited by CAC. Individual program areas will supply criteria that only apply to that specific program area, to supplement the general criteria. The new criteria format allows CAC to accredit additional program areas, such as information technology. In fact, program criteria for information technology also have been proposed. This session will discuss the new criteria structure, including the proposed general and program criteria, changes to existing criteria, and the timetable for implementation of the new structure.
Increasing the number of women majoring in computer science
Authors: Klawe Maria
Published: November 2005

This talk examines approaches taken at a variety of universities and colleges to increase the number of women majoring in computer science. We also discuss the new National Center for Women in Information Technology and its role as a repository for best practices.
The ACM java task force
Authors: Roberts Eric , Bruce Kim , Cutler Rob , Cross James H. , Grissom Scott , Klee Karl , Rodger Susan , Trees Fran , Utting Ian , Yellin Frank
Published: November 2005

SIGCSE 2004 marked the official announcement of the ACM Java Task Force, which is working to develop a stable collection of pedagogical resources that will make it easier to teach Java to first-year computing students. The Java Task Force has received funding from the ACM Education Board, the SIGCSE Special Projects Fund, and the National Science Foundation (NSF Award DUE-0411905). This session offers an update on the work of the Java Task Force over the past year and provides an opportunity for community feedback prior to the publication of the final report in June 2005.
A synthesis and ontology of all of computing
Authors: Cassel Lillian (Boots) , Shackelford Russell , Sloan Robert H.
Published: November 2005

In recent years, the discipline of computing has matured to the point of having distinct sub elements, each of which is developing curriculum recommendations, accreditation criteria, conferences, professional societies and publications. In particular, five distinct curriculum projects range in status from completed some time ago
Computing Curricula 2001: Computer Science (CS-2001)[4]
and
IS 2002 Model Curriculum and Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Information Systems (IS-2002)[1]
), through almost completed as of the writing of this special session proposal, and very likely to be published by the time of SIGCSE 2005
Computing Curricula 2004: Software Engineering [2]
and
Computing Curricula: Computer Engineering [5]
) to one that will likely be finished in late 2005 or early 2006
Computing Curricula: Information Technology
). More broadly, recent work in the UK to identify the variety of computing related programs currently offered in British universities identified 2,400 distinct program names [3].We are making an interim report on, and seeking input into, a project to keep the family of computing related disciplines together. This project is partially funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF grant 0338546,
Special Project: All in the Family: A unified representation of the computing and information related disciplines
), and is being run by a joint task force from several professional societies, with ACM taking the lead.Very roughly, the goals of the project are to provide a synthesis of all that is computing, and various ways of organizing and visualizing that synthesis. This project began in late 2003, and got started in earnest in early 2004. We anticipate completing the work late in 2005 or early in 2006. Thus SIGCSE 2005 is the perfect time for us both to report on our work to date, and to get valuable feedback from the community.
The voice of experience
Authors: Cunningham Steve
Published: November 2005

The National Science Foundation wants STEM faculty to be able to develop projects that will succeed in attracting funding from NSF programs. For the SIGCSE Symposium audience, this probably means being successful in being funded from the CCLI program. This special session gives attendees the opportunity to learn from those who have built successful CCLI-funded projects.
Agile development in computer science education
Authors: Bergin Joseph , Kussmaul Clifton , Reichlmayr Thomas , Caristi James , Pollice Gary
Published: November 2005

Agile approaches to software development share a particular set of values [2,4]:

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.

Working software over comprehensive documentation.

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation.

Responding to change over following a plan.

Many agile methodologies were developed in response to so-called disciplined methodologies that emphasize detailed documentation and formal processes, and that are often associated with ISO compliance or the CMM. However, there is growing recognition that both agile and disciplined approaches have advantages, and that often a combination can be very effective [1].Many faculty are exploring and experimenting with ways to integrate agile concepts and practices into academic programs in areas such as computer science, software engineering, and information systems. This special session will help us work together in agile ways to better understand the importance and role(s) of agile concepts and practices, successful ways to incorporate them in academic settings, potential pitfalls, and key questions that should be explored further. We want to gather input from a wide range of people in different sub-disciplines and programs.We will begin with a very brief overview of agile concepts and practices, followed by brief statements from each of the five speakers, to give other participants a sense of the range of possibilities (25 min). Next, we will poll participants to identify a set of topics within agility that they want to discuss further (5 min). Participants will then gather into subgroups for each topic, and each subgroup will identify best practices, interesting ideas, and open questions for that topic (30-35 min). Each subgroup will then give a brief report to the entire group, and we will conclude with a few minutes of general discussion (10-15 min).
Taking advantage of national science foundation funding opportunities
Authors: Cunningham Steve , Gant Diana , Taylor Harriet
Published: November 2005

This session will highlight programs in the National Science Foundation EHR Division of Undergraduate Education and CISE Division of Computer and Network Systems that are of interest to college faculty, discussing the requirements and guidelines for programs in these areas. It will also include a presentation of the characteristics of a competitive proposal and the proposal and review processes, and participants will be encouraged to explore their ideas with the presenters.
Status report on the SIGCSE committee on the implementation of a discrete mathematics course
Authors: Marion Bill
Published: November 2005

This session is a progress report from the first committee created under the SIGCSE Committee Initiative. The Committee on Implementation of a Discrete Mathematics Course is charged with developing implementation models and materials for the one-semester discrete math course proposed in Computing Curriculum 2001. At the time of the session, the Committee will have completed about three-fourths of its task. In this session the committee will present a number of course models which, for each, will include a syllabus/course outline and a list of possible applications which connect the mathematics to fundamental ideas in computer science. Comments and additional input from the SIGCSE community will be solicited. Presentation will by Bill Marion, one of the two committee co-facilitators and two other committee members.
The concorde doesn't fly anymore
Authors: Ben-Ari Mordechai (Moti)
Published: November 2005

While computing technology has undoubtedly changed the world in which we live, the changes have been exaggerated. Talk of a hi-tech internet-driven revolution during the last decade is inaccurate from a historical perspective: (a) It belittles previous technological achievements; for example, the landings on the moon between 1969 and 1972 were achieved with less computing capability than a PDA has today. (b) So much of the "new" technology dates back thirty years or more; for example, how many of our students know when the first email was sent? This loss of historical perspective has led to demands for an artifact-driven curriculum that I believe is inadequate for the education of future computer scientists and computational engineers. (The latter is a new term I wish to propose for people engaged in the scientifically-based design and construction of systems that perform computations. It is linguistically modeled on the terms mechanical and electrical engineer, and is intended to take the place of the term software engineer.) A comparison of the CC2001 curriculum with the curriculum of a traditional, "non-revolutionary" engineering discipline points to what I believe the future of CS education should be.
The year in review
Authors: Drysdale Scot , Hromcik Judith , Reed David , Hahne Reg
Published: November 2005

The 2004 school year marked significant changes in the Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science curriculum. Most visibly, Java replaced C++ as the exam-testable programming language. More fundamentally, however, the AP CS curriculum now places a greater emphasis on object-oriented design than in previous years. Students are expected to be able to implement interfaces, design and implement class hierarchies using inheritance, analyze the tradeoffs between alternative designs and their associated efficiencies, and make use of Java Collection classes where appropriate. This special session is intended to inform both high school and college teachers as to the extent of these changes and how they affected the development and grading of the 2004 AP CS exams. In addition, it will provide practical insights as to how the new curriculum can be taught in high schools, and how teachers can better prepare their students for the exams.The AP CS Development Committee's charge is not only to provide a comprehensive testing mechanism, but also to recommend a direction that high school teachers should take in preparing a foundation for more advanced student studies during college. This special session will bring together two college and two high school members of the AP CS Development Committee to share some of their insights into the AP program.AP teachers will learn valuable information to continue to support their shift to Java in the classroom and about the exam for which they are preparing their students. College teachers will learn more about the AP CS curriculum and test development process, which may aid them in similar course redesigns and in the placement of students with AP credit.Time will be provided to discuss participant's questions.
Developing resources to support a national computer science curriculum for K-12
Authors: Verno Anita , Carter Debbie , Cutler Robb , Hutton Michelle , Pitt Lenny
Published: November 2005

This session will continue efforts by the ACM and Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) to create a comprehensive body of resources to support the implementation of a national K-12 computer science curriculum. The ACM K-12 Computer Science Curriculum Committee, with input from the Computer Science educational community, published a Model Curriculum [1] in 2003. The Model suggests a 4-level curriculum. Level-1 topics, primarily for the K-8 years, closely follow the well-defined ISTE Standards. Level-2 topics are suggested for all students in grades 9 or 10 and are comprised of introductory computer science content. Level-3 topics focus on analysis and design with emphasis on the scientific and engineering aspects of computer science. AP Computer Science and special topics courses comprise Level-4. This special session will focus on the learning objectives and activities for Level 2 of the K-12 Computer Science Model curriculum. Attendees will be invited to provide critical feedback that will help move the curriculum project forward.
Objects-early tools
Authors: Bergin Joe , Bruce Kim , Kölling Michael
Published: November 2005

Various software tools have been proposed or developed for use in introductory programming courses. Usually, presentation of a new tool at the SIGCSE symposium occurs when a tool is first developed, leaving it to interested observers to identify success or failure of tools over their lifetime.For teachers, it can be difficult to compare available tools and judge potential application in their courses.In this session, three tools with an established track record of successful classroom use are presented: Karel J Robot [1], objectdraw [2], and BlueJ [2]. In addition to considering each tool individually, opportunities for combinations of these tools are also discussed.The focus of this session will be on concrete, hands-on advice that teachers can immediately apply in their classrooms.
Randomness and probability in the early CS courses
Authors: Ginat David , Anderson Richard , Garcia Daniel D. , Rasala Richard
Published: November 2005

Randomness and probability are essential notions in CS studies. They are invoked and employed in diverse courses at different levels. Although a structured course on these notions does not usually appear early in the curriculum, students and educators may benefit from their encapsulation already in CS0 and CS1. The special session will involve motivation, demonstration, and discussion with the audience of the assets of such an encapsulation. Attending CS educators will enrich their teaching perspectives, pedagogical tools, and assignment repertoires.
Teaching compiler construction using a domain specific language
Authors: Henry Tyson R.
Published: November 2005

Building a compiler for a domain specific language (a language designed for a specific problem domain) can engage students more than traditional compiler course projects. Most students feel that compiler courses are irrelevant because they are not likely to get a job writing compilers[2]. However, the technologies used to construct a compiler are widely applicable [2,5]. Using a domain specific language demonstrates to students the wide applicability of compiler construction techniques. This paper presents the results of using a domain specific language in an upper division compiler course.
Hide and show
Authors: White Elizabeth , Sen Ranjan , Stewart Nina
Published: November 2005

In this paper, we present a novel approach that enables students in graduate compiler courses to examine and experiment with a real compiler without becoming overwhelmed by complexity. The key to the idea is the use of a debugger directly on a compiler during the compilation process. By providing instructions on breakpoints and variables of interest, the student is only shown the relevant portions of the compiler; the rest is hidden. We describe our strategy of using exercise sessions targeted toward illustration of core compiler concepts such as lexical analysis, parsing and code generation.
Opening the eyes of those who can see to the world of those who can't
Authors: Harrison Susan M.
Published: November 2005

While some web page or user interface design courses include a lecture or two highlighting issues related to users with visual impairments, it is rare that such courses make this a recurring theme. This paper describes how a web page design course weaves the idea of designing for screen reader users throughout the entire course with minor changes to the standard curriculum of the course. Included are examples of how the eyes of the students are opened to the world of blind users, to the requirements of the law, to the code to make pages accessible, and to ways to test accessibility.
Integrating science and research in a HCI design course
Authors: Pastel Robert
Published: November 2005

Undergraduate computer science students have few opportunities to experience scientific investigation and computer science research. A human-computer interaction (HCI) course can offer many opportunities for research that are accessible to undergraduate students, and because of the similarity between the design and research processes, a design project based HCI course is particularly suited to introducing undergraduate computer science students to the research process. In this paper, we describe and discuss the challenges of integrating research projects into a design HCI course. We also present example research projects and discuss the feedback form students attending the course.
Interpreting Java program runtimes
Authors: Hansen Stuart
Published: November 2005

Many instructors use program runtimes to illustrate and reinforce algorithm complexity concepts. Hardware, operating systems and compilers all influence the runtimes, but generally not to the extent of making the data difficult to interpret. The Java virtual machine adds an additional layer of software, making it much harder to see the relationship between the runtimes and the underlying algorithm. This paper presents some of the basic issues the author and his students have encountered when analyzing Java program runtimes and briefly discusses strategies to address them.
Contrasting women's experiences in computer science at different institutions
Authors: Zur Ela , Irani Lilly , Barker Lecia , Guzdial Mark
Published: November 2005

The SIGCSE community has produced much analysis of the dynamics causing women to choose Computer Science in disproportionately low numbers. In truth, we have learned that the factors are complex and contextual. This panel presents dynamics affecting women in four different institutions and explores the possibilities for common solutions to unique contextual problems.In the last five years, there has been extensive attention paid to the gender-gap in computer science courses (e.g., [1, 5]). Women are not succeeding in our introductory computer science courses, nor are they continuing in the curriculum, at the same rate as men. The reasons why have much to do with the context of individual courses, which can differ markedly between institutions. This panel explores how markedly different institutions can have similar outcomes, and how there may be some cross-institutional contextual issues that we might address.We will begin presenting an analysis of the results found in one university regarding the success of women in CS. Then we will present how classroom climate and the way CS is sometimes taught can lead to negative experience of studying CS at a different institution. We will suggest that interventions are necessary while students are building images of CS. We will end by presenting such an intervention that changes the classic CS1 course, and leads to changing the focus of what we're teaching.
Using SeSFJava in teaching introductory network courses
Authors: Elsharnouby Tamer , Shankar A. Udaya
Published: November 2005

Networking course projects are usually described by an informal specification and a collection of test cases. Students often misunderstand the specification or oversimplify it to fit just the test cases. Using formal methods eliminates these misunderstandings and allows the students to test their projects thoroughly, but at the expense of learning a new language. SeSF (Services and Systems Framework) is one way to overcome this obstacle. In SeSF, both implementations and services are defined by programs in conventional languages, thereby, eliminating the need to teach the students a new language. SeSF is a markup language that can be integrated with any conventional language. The integration of SeSF and Java is called SeSFJava. SeSFJava provides a technique to mechanically test whether student projects conform to their corresponding specifications, thereby, providing the instructors with a technique for semi-automated grading.We present a four-phase transport protocol project, and describe how SeSFJava is used in specifying, testing and grading the different phases of this project. The use of SeSF significantly (1) increased the percentage of students who completed the projects, (2) reduced their email queries about the specification, and (3) reduced the grading time.
A pattern-based development tool for mobile agents
Authors: Modak Vishal D. , Langan David D. , Hain Thomas F.
Published: November 2005

Mobile agents are a technology that is applicable in several courses. However, the development of applications using mobile agents can be difficult and time-consuming for students. To address this problem, a tool called Mobile Agent Development Environment (MADE) is presented. MADE facilitates the rapid creation of mobile agent based applications through a pattern-based code generating wizard. MADE organizes and offers the creation of mobile agents based on their characteristics and behavior. MADE is based on the IBM Aglets API. MADE also offers easy-to-use plug-ins for course specific domains such as database and networking. Initial testing has shown that 55% of the code needed for simple applications can be generated quickly and automatically using the described tool.
The virtual network system
Authors: Casado Martin , McKeown Nick
Published: November 2005

The goal of our work is to give students a hands-on experience designing, deploying and debugging parts of the Internet infrastructure, such as an Internet router that routes real network traffic, or a security firewall. To do so normally requires that the students have access to snoop and generate raw network traffic, which is a risk to privacy and security. And it normally requires each student to have a dedicated computer, and to modify the kernel. The Virtual Network System (VNS) is a teaching tool designed for undergraduate and graduate networking courses. With VNS, each student can build a router (or any packet-processing device) in user-space, in their own private, protected topology, and process real Internet traffic. VNS has been used by over 500 students at Stanford and remotely from other universities. This paper describes the VNS tool, and our experiences using it in the classroom.
The course scheduling problem as a source of student projects
Authors: Combs William , Hawkins Robert , Pore Thomas , Schechet Arik , Wahls Tim , Ziantz Louis
Published: November 2005

The course scheduling problem is simple to understand, yet complex enough to admit a wide range of solutions at varying levels of difficulty in implementation. In this work, we outline four types of student projects based on this problem, discuss how these projects can be approached and how they might integrate into a computer science curriculum, and describe two example projects that we have used.
CAMERA
Authors: Null Linda , Rao Karishma
Published: November 2005

CAMERA,
Cache and Memory Resource Allocation
, is a collection of workbenches for cache mapping schemes (including direct, fully associative, and set associative) and virtual memory (including paging and TLBs). Its goals are to provide users with interactive tutorials and simulations to help them better understand the fundamental concepts of memory management. Implemented in Java Swing, these workbenches allow users to observe the processes of memory to cache mapping, and virtual memory using paging. The workbenches have proven useful in both introductory architecture classes and operating system classes. Students find CAMERA easy to use, even without the supplied user's guide. In the paper, we compare CAMERA to various existing systems and explore the software's features in detail in addition to discussing future enhancements.