bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Intelligent Web-Based Human-Computer Interaction System with Natural Language CSIEC and its Integration into English Instruction
Authors: Jia Jiyou
Published: May 2011

Computer Simulation in Educational Communication (CSIEC), is not only an intelligent Web-based human-computer dialogue system with natural language for English instruction, but also a learning assessment system for learners and teachers. Its multiple functions including grammar gap filling exercises, talk show, and free chatting or chatting on a given topic can satisfy the various needs from the students. This chapter will present the CSIEC system and its integration into English instruction with pilot case studies. At first the computer assisted language learning (CALL) development and research are surveyed to address the need for a virtual interactive chatting partner. Then the underlying theory and architecture of CSIEC are elucidated. This chapter mainly introduces the pedagogical functions in details and explains how to integrate the CSIEC into English class with two pilot studies in middle school, and analyzes the application and evaluation results. At last the lessons learned from the case studies and the further development direction are discussed.
Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Play Games for Learning
Authors: de Freitas Sara , Griffiths Mark
Published: May 2011

This chapter explores whether massively multiplayer online role-play games (MMORPGs) can be used effectively to support learning and training communities. The chapter aims to propose that cross-disciplinary approaches to the study of game-based learning are needed to support better synthesis of our current understanding of the effectiveness of learning with games. The chapter therefore includes a brief literature review of online gaming research to date, taken from psychological and educational research perspectives. The chapter explores the main types of online games and highlights the main themes of research undertaken through a consideration of the use of online gaming in current learning and training contexts where online gaming is being used to support experiential and discovery learning approaches. This chapter indicates future directions for cross-disciplinary research approaches in this field and considers how collaborative learning could best be supported through this approach.
Modelling and Simulation in Biomedical Research
Authors: Steinman Dolores A. , Steinman David A.
Published: May 2011

In the following chapter, the authors will discuss the development of medical imaging and, through specific case studies, its application in elucidating the role of fluid mechanical forces in cardiovascular disease development and therapy (namely the connection between flow patterns and circulatory system disease - atherosclerosis and aneurysms) by means of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The research carried in the Biomedical Simulation Laboratory can be described as a multi-step process through which, from the reality of the human body through the generation of a mathematical model that is then translated into a visual representation, a refined visual representation easily understandable and used in the clinic is generated. Thus, the authors’ daily research generates virtual representations of blood flow that can serve two purposes: a) that of a model for a phenomenon or disease or b) that of a model for an experiment (non-invasive way of determining the best treatment option).
ClassSim
Authors: Ferry Brian , Kervin Lisa , Carrington Lisa
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents one approach to educator development through games and simulations. The goal of the authors’ project was to enhance pre-service teachers’ ability to bridge the gap between the theory and practice of teaching. Some criteria that the authors regarded as indicators of success were the facilitation a professional dialogue, an emerging understanding of content delivery and the articulation of workplace culture in the teaching profession. The chapter describes the theory underpinning of the design and the research approaches used. In particular, the authors explain how cognitive load theory was applied to the design of the key features of this virtual learning environment. They also summarize six years of research that has consistently found that the virtual learning environment of ClassSim provides an effective way of introducing pre-service teachers to their future work in classrooms.
Educational Gaming Avatars
Authors: Wanless-Sobel Colette
Published: May 2011

Avatar (abbreviated Av) in online educational gaming refers to a virtual self or agent who, immersed in a real-time distributed, synthetic environment, vicariously collaborates and learns-by-doing, using virtual artifacts and peer networking to construct knowledge (Walker, 1990; West, 1994). Avatars can also be embodied agents, which are mathematical or computational formulae designed to accomplish specific goals in the online environment. Avatars, which can be 2D, 3D, or animated, are not limited, then, to humanoid or life-form representations in education; avatars can also be embodied in multimedia representations (Guynup, Broglio & Demmers,2004) and in computer software processes, such as bots and AIs (artificial intelligence). Technically speaking, an avatar simulates or embodies the human mind of the computer user onscreen, making the computer mouse the first occasion when a user’s body enters the online environment (Biocca, 1997). No longer limited to a computer mouse, avatars in 2007 have varying degrees of photographic and behavioral realism, which can take the form of a talking head, such as Ananova, or can entail the physiognomy of a human being or other life forms, such as aliens, robots, and animals (furries), who possess various kinesthetic abilities, such as walking and flying; communicative features, such as voice, eye contact, gesture, and attitude; and even the sense of hearing when an avatar is situated in a soundscape. Avatar capability and sophistication vary greatly, depending on the software and the user’s knowledge base and creative persistence.
Productive Gaming and the Case for Historiographic Game-Play
Authors: Durga Shree , Squire Kurt
Published: May 2011

This chapter examines the potential of video games as a learning tool given their productive capacity for content creation and dissemination. Based on the findings from a longitudinal, twoyear design-based research study investigating the potential of learning communities constructed around using Civilization III (a turn-based historical simulation-strategy game), the chapter argues that historical model construction is a compelling way to mediate one’s understandings about history. Participants in this game- based learning program developed new identities as producers as well as consumers of historical simulations. Two distinct trajectories of expertise were found to be emerging: one that developed around expert, systemic gaming (orienting toward the experience as a game system), and another that we call historical gaming, orienting to the game experience as a form of “replaying history.” Both forms have value, emphasizing different aspects of the game system. We believe that a community tying these two forms of gaming together (and other ones, as they emerge) is key for building robust learning environments.
Adult Learning and Virtual Worlds Simulations
Authors: Estes Dr. Michele D. , Snow Mr. Randell
Published: May 2011

This chapter will explore conditions for meaningful adult learning and explain how virtual environments and in-world simulations enable or discourage the development of intellectual skills in adults. Adult learners possess particular characteristics that should influence instructional designs. Issues that affect learning in the real-world are also found in the virtual world. Particular problems of cognitive and cultural dissonance in the virtual environment, finding and creating meaningful simulations, and protecting the fidelity of authentic simulations in a public space are discussed. Recommendations and future research directions are provided.
Developing Serious Games for Learning Language-in-Culture
Authors: Barrett K. A. , Johnson W. Lewis
Published: May 2011

This chapter will focus on the instructional design process used to create Alelo’s language and culture training programs. The objective of the design process is not just a serious game, but an integrated learning environment which combines serious games with other supporting learning activities. Learners apply their newfound communication skills and cultural knowledge to complete tasks in a simulated environment. The chapter will specifically focus on the design and development phases of the process, which uses interdisciplinary teams combined with an iterative approach to meet customer needs. The authors employ innovative learning technologies such as artificial intelligence and speech recognition; these add greatly to the learning experience but also introduce unique challenges for instructional design. Central to the instructional design process is situated instructional design and rapid prototyping. Authoring techniques that facilitate the creation of lessons and games that scaffold the learner from beginning- to intermediate-level proficiency are also be described. In addition, the chapter will explain how Alelo’s technology instantiates current theories, models, and research findings in the fields of language learning, serious games, and artificial intelligence.
Learning by Doing via Game Making
Authors: Jung Jae Yeob , Park Hyung Sung
Published: May 2011

The purpose of this chapter is to explore how learning, by making games, can provide opportunities for higher-order thinking such as problem solving, decision-making, and knowledge construction in children. As the game design process involves students drawing on multiple intelligences, it often provides students who are typically not successful in school with a chance to see themselves as capable members of the classroom learning community. In the classroom, computer-based game-making activities give students the opportunity to create lively interactive simulations for any subject, for any grade level, and can be used by students with a wide variety of learning styles. Game making can be used as an alternative way for students to communicate information and demonstrate their knowledge and understanding.
Simulation, Games, and Virtual Environments in IT Education
Authors: Pendegraft Norman
Published: May 2011

The rapid change in information technology presents several problems to IS educators and trainers. In particular, the number of concepts that must be mastered is constantly increasing while the time available is not. This makes it essential to use class time efficiently as well as effectively. Simulations and games provide interesting and useful tools to help in this effort.
The Application of ‘Activity Theory’ in the Design of Educational Simulation Games
Authors: Peachey Paul
Published: May 2011

As you read this text you perform an activity. Activity is literally everything we do and yet we are unaware of most of our operations. In this chapter, I will describe activity through a psychological lens and explain how this relates to the process of learning. The conceptual instrument used for analysis is ‘activity theory’; a cultural-historical concept that was formulated in Russia during the 1920s. I will offer suggestions as to how activity theory may be used in the design of computer simulation games directed at education and highlight its conceptual underpinnings. In the latter part of the chapter, I offer possible directions for further research in this field.
Electronic Games Improve Adult Learning in Diverse Populations
Authors: Tennyson Robert D. , Jorczak Robert L.
Published: May 2011

Impressed by the motivation and effort displayed by players of complex and highly interactive electronic games, psychological researchers seek to apply gaming techniques to enhance globalization of diverse populations in problem solving and decision making. Researchers are interested in identifying characteristics of entertainment games that influence player motivation and learning. From the perspective of Interactive Cognitive Complexity theory, researchers need to examine how game variables relate to key learning components, including learner affect, cognitive strategy, and knowledge/skill acquisition. From a learning perspective, video simulation games are primarily a series of problem solving interactions set in a specific virtual context and using various learning aids that support the solving of problems to achieve the object of the game. Cognitive problem solving factors and strategies are; therefore, key independent variables for learning game studies. In creating such a framework, the authors propose five conceptual categories of instructionally relevant game variables: (1) virtual context, (2) problem specification, (3) interaction and control, (4) learning support, and (5) social interaction. Proposed is that electronic gaming methodology, founded in cognitive learning theory, will enhance efficient and effective development efforts to improve learning of global management strategies.
Crouching Tangents, Hidden Danger
Authors: Garcia-Ruiz Miguel A. , Tashiro Jayshiro , Kapralos Bill , Martin Miguel Vargas
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, the authors examine different types of serious games for healthcare education and pose some hard questions about what they know and do not know about their effectiveness. As part of our analysis, the authors explore general aspects of the use of educational simulations as teaching-learning-assessment tools, but try to tease out how to study the potential such tools might have for leading students toward developing misconceptions. Being powerful instruments with the potential of enhancing healthcare education in extraordinary ways, serious games and simulations have the possibility of improving students’ learning and skills outcomes.Their contribution is an overview of current education technologies related to serious games and simulations with a perspective of potential development of misconceptions in the healthcare education community, with a special focus on millennial students. In addition, the authors provide insight on evidence-based learning and give a perspective of future trends.
Game-Based Instruction in a College Classroom
Authors: Sardone Nancy , Devlin-Scherer Roberta , Martinelli Joseph
Published: May 2011

The last 20 years have brought an increase of computers into educational and home environments, generating an explosion of available educational software products. As a result, students bring a wealth of technology experiences to the college classroom. The use of games as an instructional strategy in the higher education setting is fairly new. This chapter examines the effects of game-based instruction on learning outcomes of college students studying basic computer concepts. With the growing trend toward the use of games to support learning, research is needed to examine learning outcomes. Perhaps faculty will be willing to move to more empirically tested game-based learning strategies, even though initial curriculum development time may be increased.
Learning Processes and Violent Video Games
Authors: Swing Edward L. , Gentile Douglas A. , Anderson Craig A.
Published: May 2011

Though video games can produce desirable learning outcomes, such as improved performance in school subjects, they also can produce undesirable outcomes, such as increased aggression. Some of the basic learning principles that make video games (particularly violent video games) effective at teaching are discussed in this chapter. A general learning model is presented to explain how video games can produce a variety of effects in their users. This model explains both the immediate, short term effects and cumulative, long term effects of video games. Implications of these principles are discussed in relation to education. The issue of addressing violent video games’ effects on aggression is also examined.
The Narrative Event Diagram
Authors: Gould Helyn , Hughes Michael , Maharg Paul , Nicol Emma
Published: May 2011

Game-based learning and simulation is a powerful mode of learning, used by industries as diverse as aviation and health sciences. While there are many generic Virtual Learning Environments available to further education and higher education in the United Kingdom, there is no widely available open-source Web-based simulation environment for professional learning. The SIMPLE (SIMulated Professional Learning Environment) project has designed, created, implemented and is in the process of evaluating such an environment in a range of disciplinary settings. The simulations that are being created place both undergraduates and postgraduates in a professional context where their work is, as it will be in the workplace, distributed between tools, colleagues, resources, anticipated, and unanticipated problems. One of the key tools that staff will use to create simulations is the “narrative event diagram”, a design tool as well as a means by which the narrative of the simulation is constructed. This chapter will describe the tool, its design history and context, its current use, and next design iteration. In particular it will show the interdisciplinary genesis of the tool’s design, arising from the confluence of computer science, information science, and narrative theory, and its power in designing professional educational simulations.
The Need for Rich Theory to Realize the Vision of Healthcare Network Centric Operations
Authors: Wickramasinghe Nimini , Bali Rajeev K.
Published: May 2011

In a dynamic and complex global environment traditional approaches to healthcare delivery are becoming more and more inadequate. To address this von Lubitz and Wickramasinghe (2006e) proffered the need for a networkcentric approach that allows free and rapid sharing of information and effective knowledge building required for the development of coherent objectives and their rapid attainment. However, to realize this vision it is essential to have rich theory and robust approaches to analyse the levels of complexity of modern healthcare delivery. This paper discusses how this might be done by drawing upon the strong rich analysis tools and techniques of Social Network Analysis combined with Actor Network Theory.
The Theoretical and Analytical Inclusion of Actor Network Theory and its Implication on ICT Research
Authors: Elbanna Amany R.
Published: May 2011

This chapter examines the properties of ANT in light of other approaches. It presents the theoretical and analytical inclusion of ANT in relation to other approaches. The study discusses how the properties of ANT could provide ICT researchers with a wider lens to explore the phenomena of concern. It also highlights some of the theoretical and analytical pitfalls that could be fell into at the start of the research and how a careful application of ANT could avoid it.
Linux Kernel Developers Embracing Authors Embracing Licenses
Authors: Linden Lars , Saunders Carol
Published: May 2011

In June 2007, with the impending release of a revised version of the GNU General Public License (GPLv3), Linux kernel developers discussed the possibility of changing the license of the Linux kernel from being strictly the GPLv2 to a dual-licensing arrangement of both GPLv2 and GPLv3. We studied a set of Linux Kernel Mailing List (LKML) postings to better understand the relationship among the kernel developers and these licenses. Using Actor-Network Theory, we identify and describe a LKML debate about licensing. Our narrative highlights important actor-networks, their interrelationships, and a (failed) process of translation. The details suggest that the conceptualization of a copyright license as a monolithic social force maintaining the Linux community should be tempered with an appreciation of authorship and its distributed nature within Linux development.
Privacy Loss
Authors: Pratt Joanne H.
Published: May 2011

Considerable research shows that personal information privacy has eroded over the last 30 years. Prior research, however, takes a consumer-centric view of personal information privacy, a view that leads to the conclusion that the individual is responsible for his/her own information. This research presents a comprehensive personal information privacy model of extra-organizational data sharing and use in ecommerce and social networking. It incorporates how data is actually passed and leaked to entities of which the individual has no knowledge and no control. This research presents support for the existence of legal, illegal, and legally-grey area extra-organizational parties and the need for more complete comprehension of personal information privacy. In addition, the research identifies the magnitude of privacy violations in spite of legal and self-protection policies. The model can serve as a guide for privacy research and for social discussion and legislation to manage and regulate use of data once collected.
Do Privacy Statements Really Work?
Authors: Nemati Hamid R. , Van Dyke Thomas
Published: May 2011

Companies today collect, store and process enormous amounts of information in order to identify, gain, and maintain customers. Electronic commerce and advances in database and communication technology allow business to collect and analyze more personal information with greater ease and efficiency than ever before. This has resulted in increased privacy concerns and a lack of trust among consumers. These concerns have prompted the FCC to call for the use of Fair Information Practices in electronic commerce. Many firms have added privacy statements, formal declarations of privacy and security policy, to their e-commerce web sites in an attempt to reduce privacy concerns by increasing consumer trust in the firm and reducing the perceived risk associated with e-commerce transactions. This article describes an experiment designed to determine the efficacy of that strategy.
Security and Privacy Issues in Secure E-Mail Standards and Services
Authors: Chen Lei , Hu Wen-Chen , Yang Ming , Zhang Lei
Published: May 2011

Secure e-mail standards, such as Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) and Secure / Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (S/MIME), apply cryptographic algorithms to provide secure and private e-mail services over the public Internet. In this article, we first review a number of cryptographic ciphers, trust and certificate systems, and key management systems and infrastructures widely used in secure e-mail standards and services. We then focus on the discussion of several essential security and privacy issues, such as cryptographic cipher selection and operation sequences, in both PGP and S/MIME. This work tries to provide readers a comprehensive impression of the security and privacy provided in the current secure e-mail services.
A Resilient Fair Electronic Contract Signing Protocol
Authors: Bedi Harkeerat , Yang Li
Published: May 2011

Fair exchange between parties can be defined as an instance of exchange such that either all parties involved in the exchange obtain what they expected or neither one does. The authors examine a protocol by Micali that provides fair contract signing, where two parties exchange their commitments over a pre-negotiated contract in a fair manner. They show that Micali’s protocol is not entirely fair and demonstrate the possibilities for one party cheating the other by obtaining the other party’s commitment and not offering theirs. A revised version of this protocol by Bao which provides superior fairness by handling some of the weaknesses is also discussed. However, both these protocols fail to handle the possibilities of a replay attack. Their prior work improves upon these protocols by addressing the weakness that leads to a replay attack. This journal extends their prior work on fair electronic exchange by handling a type of attack which was not handled earlier and provides a brief survey of the recent work related to the field of fair electronic exchange. They also discuss the application of cryptography to our protocol which includes implementation of hybrid cryptography and digital signature algorithms based on elliptic curves to achieve features like confidentiality, data-integrity and non-repudiation.
Secure and Private Service Discovery in Pervasive Computing Environments
Authors: Zhu Feng , Zhu Wei
Published: May 2011

In pervasive computing environments, service discovery is an essential step for computing devices to properly discover, configure, and communicate with each other. We introduce a user-centric service discovery model, called PrudentExposure, which automates authentication processes. Traditional authentication approaches requires much users’ involvement. PrudentExposure encodes hundreds of authentication messages in a novel code word form. Moreover, we discuss how a progressive and probabilistic model can protect both users’ and service providers’ privacy. Perhaps the most serious challenge for pervasive service discovery is the integration of computing devices with people. In a challenging case, both users and service providers want the other parties to expose sensitive information first. Our model protects both users and service providers.
Three Models to Measure Information Security Compliance
Authors: Al-Hamdani Wasim A
Published: May 2011

This work introduces three models to measure information security compliance. These are the cardinality model, the second’s model, which is based on vector space, and the last model is based on the priority principle. Each of these models will be presented with definitions, basic operations, and examples. All three models are based on a new theory to understand information security called the Information Security Sets Theory (ISST). The ISST is based on four basic sets: external sets, local strategy sets, local standard sets, and local implementation sets. It should be noted that two sets are used to create local standard sets—local expansion and local creation. The major differences between the Zermelo Fraenkel set theory and the ISST are the elimination of using empty element and empty set. This assumption is based on “there is not empty security” measure and the is substituted to be and is defined as “minimum security (or system default security)”. The main objective of this article is to achieve new modeling system for information security compliance. The compliance measurement is defined in the first model as the cardinality between local strategy sets and the actual local implementation. The second model is looking at the security compliance as the angle between two sets, local implementation and local standard. The third model is based on the priority philosophy for local security standard.
Social Knowledge Case Study
Authors: Gordon Cindy
Published: May 2011

The premise of this chapter is that Innovation Growth is tightly tied to the collaborative process of socializing knowledge. Case examples from leading companies leading the way in socializing knowledge leading practices will be profiled. These companies will be a mix of new stories from a mix of both profit and not for profit organizations, in a mix of industries. The leaders of these organizations recognize that the socialization process of knowledge is core key to innovation growth. This chapter tells the story of change agents that are helping to move from vision to execution successfully. You will hear of experiences where the full enablement of their programs are not fully funded, or necessarily aligned across all levels of management where the generational gaps between understanding community and value network networks vs those based on linear “one way flow” models continue to conflict with one another; The case studies all started off with a small project well scoped and defined, and organically evolved vs a big bang approach. Each of these cases is rooted in a clear business need either for employee engagement or customer engagement needs.
Becoming a Blogger
Authors: Mariano Stefania
Published: May 2011

“The outcomes of the blog open a gateway for new venues in my personal knowledge” [Participant 2]
Encouraging Participation in Virtual Communities of Practice within the United States Air Force
Authors: Bowersox Nick
Published: May 2011

With the growth of information and communication technology (ICT) such as the internet, email, and video conferencing, the United States Air Force has become more efficient and productive in conducting its daily business. However, not only do computer technologies increase daily productivity rates among the employees; they also increase the Air Force’s capability to digest larger amounts of information while supporting an end goal of being able to share that information across the entire organization. Perhaps one of the most popular methods by which to share such large amounts of organizational information is through informal learning environments such as communities of practice. The Air Force has no doubt embraced the concept of communities of practice. However, as popular as these “communities” are among many employees, there is still a majority of Air Force employees who choose not to use them. The purpose of this chapter is to provide practical ways in which the United States Air Force can increase participation in Virtual Communities of Practice (VCoPs) among its workforce, as well as providing theoretical frameworks upon which further research can be conducted. Finally, this chapter will propose a set of testable propositions that may serve as the basis for future research.
Social Knowledge
Authors: Chethan M. , Ramanathan Mohan
Published: May 2011

Every now and then a technology appears that changes or speeds up the development of civilization in a new direction. It started with agriculture, spread through the Industrial Revolution and to the electronic age and now moved on to a state of technology that people would have laughed at a few decades ago. Social networks have changed the way people connect, redefining the knowledge value system that is being shared without borders or limits. The multitude of science and technology that go behind building the social networks spans across mathematics to engineering to software and ultimately to the realms of psychology and sociology once thought as distantly removed from any application of technology. In this write up, we explore the convergence of many ideas and innovations and the technology that is building these networks.
Youth and Contemporary Learning
Authors: Frånberg Gun-Marie , Dunkels Elza , Hällgren Camilla
Published: May 2011

The aim of the chapter is to problematize the concept of learning and common views on transformed conditions for learning; have contemporary digital media reformed the processes of learning and if so, how can the educational system benefit from and exploit this? The chapter highlights changes and reflects on contemporary and future aspects of learning. What is seen as meaningful learning? Is learning more demanding today or does the open and abundant access to information simplify it?
Literacies on the Web
Authors: Olin-Scheller Christina , Wikström Patrik
Published: May 2011

In this chapter the authors discuss and informal learning settings such as fan fiction sites and their relations to teaching and learning within formal learning settings. Young people today spend a lot of time with social media built on user generated content. These media are often characterized by participatory culture which offers a good environment for developing skills and identity work. In this chapter the authors problematize fan fiction sites as informal learning settings where the possibilities to learn are powerful and significant. They also discuss the learning processes connected to the development of literacies. Here the rhetoric principle of “imitatio” plays a vital part as well as the co-production of texts on the sites, strongly supported by the beta reader and the power of positive feedback. They also display that some fans, through the online publication of fan fiction, are able to develop their craft in a way which previously have been impossible.
Media Literacy Education
Authors: Wakefield Natalie
Published: May 2011

Media literacy education offers educators a vehicle by which they can promote and foster social responsibility. It prepares students for the technological world in which they are required to be active participants and contributing producers of knowledge. Technology allows students to explore the various methods of communicating their ideas, expertise and opinions with others in a participatory culture; it is therefore important for student to develop analytical skills that will help them create, interact and engage effectively in a socialized network. The challenge for educators is to understand the cultural needs of students in today’s technologically advanced society and to incorporate media literacy programs as an integral part of education. In order to achieve these goals, teachers should be encouraged to attend seminars and hands-on workshops and more importantly, practical resources should be developed and made available for their use in the classroom.
Young People and Online Risk
Authors: Dunkels Elza , Frånberg Gun-Marie , Hällgren Camilla
Published: May 2011

The authors suspect that the young perspective has been left out when online risk and safety are discussed in contemporary research. The aim of this chapter is to give a critical approach to this matter and question fear as a driving force for protecting young people online. Interviews with children about their views of internet use (Dunkels, 2007) and a study of safe use guides from European countries conducted in 2008 (Lüders et al, 2009) form the empirical base. The discussion in the chapter is underpinned by ideas of childhood as a social construction, emerging ideas of power relations pertaining to age and theories of technology reception. The authors also introduce a metaphor, the layer cake, to better understand how the same action can be viewed from different vantage points.
Fat Talk
Authors: Palmgren Ann-Charlotte
Published: May 2011

The purpose of this chapter is to study how young women in a Swedish context construct their body by writing about eating disorders in blogs. Connected to the body and eating disorders a construction of girlhood can be seen. The blogs studied are all part of the online community ungdomar.se. The chapter begins with a background to eating disorders, blogs and girlhood and youth in a cultural context. The main focus is on examples from thirteen blogs. The content and typographical emphasis in the blogs are analysed and discussed. The study shows that the process of becoming or constructing a certain body and blogging is both social and collective because of the interaction between the blogger, the community and blog commentators. The body is not only constructed by teenaged girls by striving to a certain type of a female body, but also by mastering the talk about one’s own body, dissatisfaction with it and by typographical emphasises in the blogs.
Young People and Cybersex in a Sexually Conservative Society
Authors: Rambaree Komalsingh
Published: May 2011

This chapter describes the process, explains the aspects, analyses the experiences and considers the social policy implications, of cybersex among young people from the sexually conservative Mauritian society. This chapter is based on a study, in which it is found that some of young people from Mauritius are involved in cybersex. The chapter therefore argues that Internet-based technologies are further breaking down ‘the traditional and moral values’, which some politicians, religious leaders and parents want to preserve through social policy related to sexuality education in Mauritius. A sexual rights-based approach to policy making and interventions for a formal sex education programme in Mauritius is found more appropriate within this particular context, and therefore recommended in this chapter. Finally, this chapter concludes that an appropriate formal sex education for young people should take into account the ‘Net Culture’ context within which contemporary young people are growing sexually in Mauritius.
Optimizing Fault Tolerance for Multi-Processor System-on-Chip
Authors: Nikolov Dimitar , Väyrynen Mikael , Ingelsson Urban , Singh Virendra , Larsson Erik
Published: May 2011

While the rapid development in semiconductor technologies makes it possible to manufacture integrated circuits (ICs) with multiple processors, so called Multi-Processor System-on-Chip (MPSoC), ICs manufactured in recent semiconductor technologies are becoming increasingly susceptible to transient faults, which enforces fault tolerance. Work on fault tolerance has mainly focused on safety-critical applications; however, the development of semiconductor technologies makes fault tolerance also needed for general-purpose systems. Different from safety-critical systems where meeting hard deadlines is the main requirement, it is for general-purpose systems more important to minimize the average execution time (AET). The contribution of this chapter is two-fold. First, the authors present a mathematical framework for the analysis of AET. Their analysis of AET is performed for voting, rollback recovery with checkpointing (RRC), and the combination of RRC and voting (CRV) where for a given job and soft (transient) error probability, the authors define mathematical formulas for each of the fault-tolerant techniques with the objective to minimize AET while taking bus communication overhead into account. And, for a given number of processors and jobs, the authors define integer linear programming models that minimize AET including communication overhead. Second, as error probability is not known at design time and it can change during operation, they present two techniques, periodic probability estimation (PPE) and aperiodic probability estimation (APE), to estimate the error probability and adjust the fault tolerant scheme while the IC is in operation.
Self-Repair by Program Reconfiguration in VLIW Processor Architectures
Authors: Schölzel Mario , Pawlowski Pawel , Dabrowski Adam
Published: May 2011

Statically scheduled superscalar processors (e.g. very long instruction word processors) are characterized by multiple parallel execution units and small sized control logic. This makes them easy scalable and therefore attractive for the use in embedded systems as application specific processors. The shrinking feature size in CMOS technology makes such processors in long living embedded systems more susceptible to several types of faults. Therefore, it should be possible to run an application, even if one or more components in the data path of a statically scheduled processor become permanently faulty. Then it becomes necessary either to reconfigure the hardware or to reconfigure the executed program such that operations are scheduled around the faulty units. The authors present recent investigations to reschedule operations in the field either on-line in hardware or off-line in software. Thus, the reconfiguration of the program is either done dynamically by the hardware or permanently by self-modifying code. If a permanent fault is present in the data path, then in both cases a delay may occur during the execution of the application. This graceful performance degradation may become critical for real-time applications. A framework to overcome this problem by using scalable algorithms is provided, too.
SoC Self Test Based on a Test-Processor
Authors: Koal Tobial , Kothe Rene , Vierhaus Heinrich Theodor
Published: May 2011

Testing complex systems on a chip (SoCs) with up to billions of transistors has been a challenge to IC test technology for more than a decade. Most of the research work in IC test technology has focused on problems of production testing, while the problem of self test in the field of application has found much less attention. With SoCs being used also in long-living systems for safety critical applications, such enhanced self test capabilities become essential for the dependability of the host system. For example, automotive electronic systems must be capable of performing a fast and effective start-up self test. For future self-repairing systems, fault diagnosis will become necessary, since it is the base for dedicated system re-configuration. One way to solve this problem is a hierarchical self-test scheme for embedded SoCs, based on hardware and software. The core of the test architecture then is a test processor device, which is optimised to organize and control test functions efficiently and at minimum cost. This device must be highly reliable by itself. The chapter introduces the basic concept of hierarchical HW / SW based self test, the test processor concept and architecture, and its role in a hierarchical self test scheme for SoCs.
Sequential Test Set Compaction in LFSR Reseeding
Authors: Jutman Artur , Aleksejev Igor , Raik Jaan
Published: May 2011

This chapter further details the topic of embedded self-test directing the reader towards the aspects of embedded test generation and test sequence optimization. The authors will brief the basics of widely used pseudorandom test generators and consider different techniques targeting the optimization of fault coverage characteristics of generated sequences. The authors will make the main focus on one optimization technique that is applicable to reseeding-based test generators and that uses a test compaction methodology. The technique exploits a great similarity in the way the faults are covered by pseudorandom sequences and by patterns generated for sequential designs. Hence, the test compaction methodology previously developed for the latter problem can be successfully reused in embedded testing.
OntoArch Reliability-Aware Software Architecture Design and Experience
Authors: Zhou Jiehan , Ovaska Eila , Evesti Antti , Immonen Anne
Published: May 2011

Reliability-aware software architecture design has recently been gaining growing attention among software architects. This chapter tackles the issue by proposing an ontology-based, reliability-aware software architecture design and evaluation approach, called OntoArch, which incorporates quantitative reliability evaluation in software architecture design by the means of the OntoArch ontology and the OntoArch tool. The OntoArch approach is characterized by: (1) integration of software reliability engineering and software architecture design; (2) proposing a reliability-aware software architecture design process model; (3) developing the OntoArch ontology in the context of software architecture design and software reliability engineering; and (4) the OntoArch tool not only enabling software architects to design architectures and model reliabilities, but also functioning as a knowledge management platform relying on reliability-aware software architecture design. The OntoArch approach is validated for a software architecture design; for example, Personal Information Repository (PIR), with the use cases of OntoArch-based software architecture knowledge management, software reliability profiling, and software architecture modeling and evaluation.
A Software Cost Model to Assess Productivity Impact of a Model-Driven Technique in Developing Domain-Specific Design Tools
Authors: Achilleos Achilleas , Georgalas Nektarios , Yang Kun , Papadopoulos George A.
Published: May 2011

Programming languages have evolved through the course of research from machine dependent to high-level “platform-independent” languages. This shift towards abstraction aims to reduce the effort and time required by developers to create software services. It is also a strong indicator of reduced development costs and a direct measure of a positive impact on software productivity. Current trends in software engineering attempt to raise further the abstraction level by introducing modelling languages as the key components of the development process. In particular, modelling languages support the design of software services in the form of domain models. These models become the main development artefacts, which are then transformed using code generators to the required implementation. The major predicament with model-driven techniques is the complexity imposed when manually developing the domain-specific design tools used to define models. Another issue is the difficulty faced in integrating these design tools with model validation tools and code generators. In this chapter a model-driven technique and its supporting model-driven environment are presented, both of which are imperative in automating the development of design tools and achieving tools integration to improve software productivity. A formal parametric model is also proposed that allows evaluating the productivity impact in generating and rapidly integrating design tools. The evaluation is performed on the basis of a prototype domain-specific design tool.
Strategic E-Business/ IT Alignment for SME Competitiveness
Authors: Escofet Eduardo , Rodríguez-Fórtiz María José , Garrido José Luis , Chung Lawrence
Published: May 2011

Many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have used e-business models for enhancing their competitiveness. As the needs of SMEs grow, however, so does e-business/ IT strategic alignment. Although some techniques have been proposed in literature to find and evaluate business/ IT strategic alignment, they largely suffer from lack of objectivity and integration. In this chapter, the authors propose a practical lightweight interview-based method that permits us to align e-business and IT strategies and to obtain investment priorities per software development process and area, towards improvements on service quality and business profitability. This method incorporates goal modeling and the Strategic Alignment Modeling techniques to address the growing needs of SMEs, to avoid inconsistencies and to increase confidence in compiled data and modeling results.
Information and Technology Management (ITM)
Authors: Biehl Marjorie Luísa , Link Brandon , Vanti Adolfo Alberto , Schneider Gustavo
Published: May 2011

A competitive market gives the organizations a constant update on the management process of their businesses and allows the creation of new ways to take competitive advantage. Retail businesses need to identify the value perceived by customers as a strategic source of value generation. This chapter presented a competitive value generation methodology by identifying the most important values perceived by customers of a Volkswagen Car Dealer. There was application and analysis of two strategic instruments of research, a qualitative and another qualitative/quantitative one. As a result, the study obtained a proposal for value generation by setting the following strategic variables referent credibility/reliability.