bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LGBT Right Activism and the Risk of Christianophobia in Nigeria
Authors: Calvain Endong Floribert Patrick
Published: October 2017

Nigerian conservatism and doctrinaire religion have been cardinal forces behind the adoption of a homophobic legislation in Nigeria. This scenario has spurred many (pro)-gay activists into anchoring their advocacy on a “Christianophobic” rhetoric which labels Christianity and religious fanaticism as two forms of bigotry, barbarism and Nazism, as well as facets of an anti-progressive movement. Such an aggressive advocacy tactic has been making a case for the systematic “de-Christianization” and “de-Islamization” of Nigerians' minds. Using empirical understandings, this chapter argues that, Nigerian LGBT activists shape their advocacy strategies according to some Western atheistic models; models which have progressively given rise to gay totalitarianism and “Christianophobia” in a number of western countries. The paper highlights indexes pointing to a future “Christianophobia” in Nigeria, driven by a “Christianophobic” gay activism and finally argues that any pro-gay advocacy rooted in the de-Christianization of Nigerians unarguably proffers the disrespect of religious freedom.
General Approach to Evaluating Beneficial and Adverse Effects of CAM Use in Kidney Diseases
Authors: Tangkiatkumjai Mayuree , Kreepala Chatchai
Published: October 2017

This chapter will address the issue of how to evaluate benefits and nephrotoxicity of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in chronic kidney disease, dialysis therapy, kidney transplantation, and urolithiasis. Serum creatinine, proteinuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate are standard parameters to assess kidney function. Serum creatinine is used in evaluating acute kidney injury, which is the most common nephropathy from using herbal medicine. Assessment of electrolyte imbalance and urolithiasis is included in this chapter. The modified Naranjo algorithm has been proposed as a way to evaluate renal adverse effects of herbal medicine due to a lack of disease-specific causality assessments in herbal use. Measurement of humanistic outcomes is mentioned in this chapter. The SF-36 is commonly used in evaluating quality of life in CAM users and patients with kidney diseases. The MYMOP2 is to assess individual's symptoms in CAM use and might be used in this population.
Green Brand Personality
Authors: Acharya Anitha , Gupta Manish
Published: October 2017

The main purposes of this chapter are to define a green brand, describe its characteristics, and outline its implications. This chapter would help readers understand the need for studying green brand personality and appreciate its importance in the current market scenario. Moreover, it provides a detailed outline of the ways and means that companies can use to market such brands. It highlights the steps companies can take to increase the sales of green brands and get an edge over non-green brands. In addition, it explores certain best practices in the industry to illustrate how well green products can be sold without compromising on sales targets.
A Conceptual Model of Green HRM Adoption Towards Sustainability in Hospitality Industry
Authors: Yusoff Yusmani Mohd , Nejati Mehran
Published: October 2017

This chapter seeks to provide a better understanding on the predictors of green human resource management which can result in improved environmental and financial performance across hospitality industry. The proposed model has been constructed from the perspective of external pressure (i.e., normative) and internal pressure (manager's environmental concerns) by using the Institutional Theory and Resource Based View Theory. The chapter examines the antecedents of sustainability in hospitality industry in terms of improved financial and environmental performance. It therefore expands the level of understanding on mechanisms which leads to corporation sustainability. While the chapter is written with a focus on hospitality industry, the proposed model is applicable to corporations across other sectors.
Heuristic Approaches in Clustering Problems
Authors: Doğan Onur
Published: October 2017

Clustering is an approach used in data mining to classify objects in parallel with similarities or separate according to dissimilarities. The aim of clustering is to decrease the amount of data by grouping similar data items together. There are different methods to cluster. One of the most popular techniques is K-means algorithm and widely used in literature to solve clustering problem is discussed. Although it is a simple and fast algorithm, there are two main drawbacks. One of them is that, in minimizing problems, solution may trap into local minimum point since objective function is not convex. Since the clustering is an NP-hard problem and to avoid converging to a local minimum point, several heuristic algorithms applied to clustering analysis. The heuristic approaches are a good way to reach solution in a short time. Five approaches are mentioned briefly in the chapter and given some directions for details. For an example, particle swarm optimization approach was used for clustering problem. In example, iris dataset including 3 clusters and 150 data was used.
Optimal Strategy Selection in a Supply Chain
Authors: Gürcan Ömer Faruk , Erdoğan Ahmet
Published: October 2017

Uncertainties and unpredictability in the market force companies to develop strategies which enable them to perform better than their competitors. Developing proper strategies for a supply chain is crucial. Strategies are affected by the nature of the firm's products or services, customer preferences, operations, process design of the firm, etc. Companies should form adaptive supply chain strategies which enable them to be resilient and flexible enough in the flow of materials, products, information, and money along the supply chain. There are many studies about supply chain management and supplier selection in the literature. However, the number of studies about the selection of the right supply chain strategy are very limited. This study presents the components which help to constitute a supply chain strategy and classify the supply chain strategies described in the literature. Lastly, it offers a strategy and criteria matrix which can be used as a road map for selecting the most appropriate supply chain strategy by firms.
Lean Manufacturing
Authors: Roy Mousumi
Published: October 2017

Lean has become a new mantra in today's manufacturing sector. In this millennium, companies are facing a challenge to be economically competitive in manufacturing. Many of them have realized that the old style of mass manufacturing is no longer successful. Hence, lean manufacturing is being embraced by the companies to simultaneously achieve a competitive edge and economic growth. Many studies have shown that lean organizations are capable of meeting customer's expectations consistently, at each step of the production systems. Lean manufacturing also implies efficient use of non-renewable resources in order to maintain a sustainable environment. To reach the full potential of an organization, lean must be embraced as a holistic business strategy. In this chapter, the history of lean innovation will be briefly discussed, followed by the principles of lean manufacturing and various tools in implementing lean practices. Examples of organizations that have experienced significant improvements once transformed to lean manufacturing will also be cited.
A Maturity Model to Organize the Multidimensionality of Digitalization in Smart Factories
Authors: Schott Peter , Lederer Matthias , Niedermaier Sina , Bodendorf Freimut , Hafner Matthias
Published: October 2017

Smart Factory concepts describe fully networked, autonomous factories and form an essential part of flexible, but still highly efficient production systems. The requirements for the further development of existing production environments towards a Smart Factory are multidimensional and vastly complex. Many companies therefore fail in the structured realization of a holistic Smart Factory concept. They either focus one dimension of the challenge or merely address the maximum penetration of powerful technologies. This chapter addresses this issue and describes a systematic development path towards a Smart Factory by means of a domain specific maturity model. Based on the analysis of existing maturity models, requirements are derived which must be considered when realizing a Smart Factory. In total, 20 design fields (e.g., degree of intelligence, communication protocols, human-machine-interface and IT security) and respective detail descriptions result from this research. They holistically structure the relevant fields of action to pursue a Smart Factory.
Looking Beyond the Academic Institution for Retention and Student Engagement Models
Authors: Wilcox Alexandra McDermott , Black Ruth Claire
Published: October 2017

Student engagement, retention, and success are not issues limited to traditional academic settings. Corporations and non-traditional business entities allocate significant resources to identify and develop viable solutions that positively impact employee engagement, retention and success. While most corporate training and employee development programs are driven by corporate mandates to improve efficiency and cost containment, the most dynamic retention and student success elements within these programs deserve further study and exploration. Indeed, the possible transfer of these effective retention and student success elements from the corporate training and development space to other learning, training and student development settings, can yield significant benefits to any institution or organization that seeks to improve its initiatives focused on training and education.
Coaching Based on the Hope Model to Address Student Success in South Korean Educational Institutions
Authors: Cromlish Alan , Black Ruth Claire
Published: October 2017

South Korea is one of the highest achieving education countries in the world. However, there are several factors that inhibit South Koreans from realizing their full potential. South Korean students exhibit low scores on a number of learning and success measures, including low satisfaction with education and career prospects, low numbers of positive feelings and high numbers of negative feelings on a range of measures such as, poor family connections and poor social connections. These factors contribute to high depression rates and high rates of suicide among young adults. The depressive states that are common among young South Koreans can be addressed using a Hope Theory based professional coaching intervention to generate and then support more positive feelings about education and personal and professional goals. The combined approach can significantly and positively impact depressive issues and address student confidence, motivation, and learning ability. Thereby, leading to improved metrics on a wide range of life and educational satisfaction indexes.
Boosting Retention Through a Foundation of Academic Advising
Authors: Nemeth Sean
Published: October 2017

While there is no direct causal link between academic advising and increased student persistence, the role of the academic advisor can be key to an institution's success. This chapter examines one university's approach to redesigning the academic advising model from the ground up and committing to a philosophy of continuous improvement in academic advising, retention and student success. A decade in the making, the tools and approaches created through this process now play an important part in the institution's success and can be a road-map for other institutions to follow as they aspire to revise and improve their academic advising models and to improve student success.
Retention, Retention, Retention
Authors: Armstrong Kate
Published: October 2017

This case study is the result of a reconnoitre style approach to observation, analysis and subsequent planning. This approach comprised several (on-going) extensive informal interviews with staff across departments responsible for quality, administration, teaching and management. This has been supported with the analysis and observations of the University's staff and student culture, coupled with benchmarking these insights with other HEIs and current retention academic literature. Before presenting the case, it is necessary to ground the reader in current understanding of student retention in HEI's. The literature reviewed is drawn from both UK and international scholarship and following the presentation of current literature on student retention and the University's case study, further empirical review is integrated within the case study where appropriate, to contextualise, corroborate or reflect.
From Cramming and Convenience to Engagement and Retention
Authors: Galloway Laura Michelle
Published: October 2017

Online learning has shown persistent and unrelenting growth over the past few years and serves a wide variety of modern educational needs. However, attrition can be a troublesome phenomenon unless course designers and instructors develop methods of engaging students through use of the Four Pillars discussed in this chapter. The strategies and tactics associated with and springing from these Pillars will go a long way in retaining students in online programs. Face-to-face instructional methods simply will not work in the online environment, and the innovative methods discussed in this chapter will yield student engagement and completion of their educational goals.
Trends in Peace Research
Authors: Putnik Nenad , Milošević Mladen
Published: October 2017

In this chapter, the authors discuss the phenomenon of interstate conflicts in cyber space. In the last twenty years, this issue has become more explicit, and countries are making increasingly frequent mutual cyber warfare and cyber espionage accusations. The political and military elite of conflicting countries perceive the situation as very serious and are preparing not only for defending their segment of cyber space, but for developing offensive strategies for cyber warfare, as well. The authors endeavor to contribute to peace research by examining the possibilities for achieving cyber détente, the idea promoted by Henry Kissinger in 2011. In this chapter, the authors identify and analyze problems whose solution should be the focus of the States Parties to cyber détente: the question of denotation and potential desecuritization of technical terms, the question of identification and classification of cyber threats and the problem of the legal framework for their opposition. In addition, the authors give guidelines for their solution, based on securitization theory.
The Role of Education in Reducing the Threat of Nuclear War
Authors: Stojanović Gospava Risto
Published: October 2017

We are currently witnessing big problems and conflicts that plague our contemporary society. It is our right and as well as obligation to ask ourselves whether mankind is in danger. Regardless of the fact that a certain country does not possess nuclear weapons, it can be affected by consequences of a nuclear attack. Therefore, the question of nuclear security is important for the whole international community. In that sense, it is important to develop educative projects in the field of nuclear security in all countries, through additional training of lecturers, both for university programs and faculties, as well as for training that would be organized on different levels for various interested groups.
Identity and Social Peace in the Digital World
Authors: Seyfi Murat
Published: October 2017

The concept of identity is changing and developing with digitalization. Macro and national identities, which are the basis of conflicts in the world, have started to decrease and lose their importance against micro-identities introduced by digitalization. This forms the basis of re-shaping the concept of power in the world. Digital identities play a key role in sustaining conflicts and peace in this new balance of power. With digitalization, individuals get numerous identities and have the opportunity to form a joint identity with other individuals and groups at a micro level. These new identities formed in micro level against macro identities are becoming an organic structure that has horizontal and vertical components in order to establish peace in the world by creating time, place and memories. This enables the concept of peace to have multiple intelligence in digital platforms. The aim of this study is to search the power and effect of micro-identities which are formed in virtual platforms and in the process of building social peace in the digital world.
Social Media and Peacemaking
Authors: Cook Bruce L.
Published: October 2017

Taken together, this snapshot of articles affirms that social media participates in the process of peacemaking. Unlike traditional media, which used to set the agenda for peace, social media diffuses the process, making it possible to speak on both sides of any issue. These articles reveal that governments like Russia, China, Malaysia, and Turkey can control social media as a key part of propaganda. At the same time, as in the Arab Spring, activist groups can use social media to undermine government, despite the fact that their new approach might prove temporary. Perhaps most important is the view that media continue to mirror society in the digital age. Prior to social media (about 2005), traditional media fulfilled this function until an internal elite cadre of journalists started speaking to each other and controlling the agenda through something they called “advocacy journalism.” Having thus shattered the mirror of society, they now face the prospect of giving way to citizens' journalism, where their gatekeeping function are in rapid decline.
Women in Leadership
Authors: Ayoola-Amale Ayo
Published: October 2017

Women in leadership constitutes a major problem which barely receives attention in today's male-dominated world. Problems of war, starvation, and injustice in today's world can be blamed on the absence of women in leadership positions. This situation demands immediate attention because the world needs both feminine and masculine traits to solve global problems. Women are half the talent of the human race. The world needs them for economic and social success. Women bring a perspective that values not only competition but also collaboration in organizations and teams. Their feminine values are a functional system of contemporary, communal and open economy. Ultimately women's leadership will improve not only business, the family and society, but the world which will become more sustainable and peaceful as a result. We dare not exclude any group of people based on gender, colour or race from the opportunity to lead others to a better future.
Understanding Our Minds and How We Can Liberate Ourselves and Others From the Hex of the Internet
Authors: Gayatriprana Sister
Published: October 2017

In facing the frustration and anger generated by the imposition by the digital world of the power of conceptual thinking and unseen algorithms, the West has sought to find the balance of inner experience. From progressive developments in psychology and a study of the great spiritual teachers of the world a model of balance between conceptual thinking and internal experience emerges: There is a need, not only to think clearly and rationally, but also to feel and empathize with all, to know deep from within what is of primary human value and the innate relationship between all beings, from the physical world to the greatest Buddha. The suggestion is that, through a secular type of spirituality integration of all of those qualities, an overall worldview will emerge. Such integration will lead directly to exuberant action that not only benefits individuals, but all whom they meet and from there outwards, outwards, and outwards, to integrate and bless the contents of the entire universe.
World Citizenship
Authors: Martin Glen T.
Published: October 2017

This chapter reviews the history of the concept of world citizenship as well as the several basic senses in which this phrase has been used in contemporary literature. It links the concept with the developing tradition of human rights, and the emergence of the new holistic paradigm beginning in the 20th century. It also relates the concept of world citizenship with a main stream in contemporary psychological theories of human development that see becoming “worldcentric” as a higher level of human maturity. Finally, it reviews a number of organizations today that promote world citizenship, and addresses the concept of legal citizenship which today remains with the nation-states. It asks the question: is there a need for a legalized world citizenship under the authority of a Constitution for the Federation of Earth?
Gandhi's Satyagraha and the Earth Constitution
Authors: Martin Glen Theron
Published: October 2017

Mahatma Gandhi developed an integrated world view within the very specific contexts of his struggles for justice and freedom in South Africa and India. Much of his thought regarding such basic concepts as Satyagraha (clinging to truth), ahimsa (nonviolence), swaraj (self-determination, independence), and sarvodaya (the welfare of all) was articulated in the light of the concrete struggles he encountered. Some scholars have undertaken the task of extrapolating Gandhi's world view in terms of a general philosophy of liberation (see Iyer, 1973; Jesudasan, 1984; Prabhu & Rao, 1967; Richards 1991). However, these studies have not generally extrapolated the theme of world federalism that Gandhi occasionally mentions in his writings. This paper argues that Gandhi's relevance for the 21st century requires delineating the larger scope of his vision in relation to our contemporary situation and seeing the possibility of concretely actualizing that vision within the world federalism advocated by the Constitution for the Federation of Earth (see Martin 2010a).
IDEA and Inclusive Education
Authors: Grant Marquis C.
Published: October 2017

Federal mandates, most notably the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), guarantee education rights for children classified under one of the 13 categories of disabilities, ensuring that they are educated with their peers in the general education classroom as much as possible based on their ability and needs. State educational agencies and local educational agencies are responsible for ensuring that the pedagogical needs of all children with a disability are met in accordance with the law. This chapter discusses IDEA and the concept of inclusion and how special and general educators must increase their efforts to promote and support equitable opportunities for all students.
Thinking It Through
Authors: Chamblin Michelle
Published: October 2017

The concept of differentiating and adapting instruction for all students, including students with disabilities, is explored in this chapter. Preservice teachers, upon exiting their teacher preparation programs, are expected to be fully developed and know how to differentiate instruction for diverse learners and adapt instruction for exceptional students who require more. However, the plethora of information on differentiation of instruction and adapting instruction can be overwhelming, leaving the preservice teacher overloaded. Concrete approaches must be available. This chapter presents the ADAPT strategy, which models one approach of organizing information and thinking through a process. With the use of lesson planning, universal design guidelines, and evidence-based practices, the chapter presents a step-by-step teaching model. Examples, work samples, and data derived from teaching the strategy to preservice teachers are included. This strategy may help preservice teachers, as well as more experienced teachers, approach the task of varying instruction in a consistent, thoughtful, and manageable way.
Music Therapy
Authors: Torres María Luisa Montánchez , Ramos Verónica Juárez
Published: October 2017

The use of music as a therapeutic discipline has become well established in schools over the course of many years. Music therapy has very positive, therapeutic results on children with any type of special educational need but in particular students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disabilities (IDs). This chapter looks at inclusive education and research-based instructional strategies within the realm of music as a pedagogical alternative when working with students with ASD and IDs in the general education classroom. The chapter presents two case studies—one involving a student with ASD and another involving a student with an ID. Solutions and recommendations on further implementation and research of music therapy in inclusive classroom settings are provided.
The Role of the School Library in Empowering Visually Impaired Children With Lifelong Information Literacy Skills
Authors: Juliana Iwu-James , Izuagbe Roland , Itsekor Victoria , Fagbohun Michael Opeoluwa , Asaolu Aderonke , Nwokeoma Mary Nwanne
Published: October 2017

Libraries provide the platform on which successful education systems are built through the provision of access to information. The ability to provide equal and nondiscriminatory access to library resources and services is the hallmark of modern librarianship. School libraries must be prepared to serve children with specific disabilities, such as visually impaired students who will need special types of technology and other specialized services. This preparation is even more important with the push for inclusion and the corresponding increase in children with disabilities attending regular (vs. specialized) schools and utilizing the school library resources. Thus, this chapter examines the role of school libraries in empowering visually impaired children with lifelong information literacy skills as a part of inclusive education.
Distance Learning Course Design
Authors: Wendt Jillian L. , Nisbet Deanna , Rockinson-Szapkiw Amanda
Published: October 2017

Research has extensively provided insight regarding best practices for designing distance learning courses at U.S. institutions of higher education. However, with the increase in course offerings to students abroad and with the documented challenges that international students enrolled in U.S. courses face, it is important to consider whether current frameworks for course design support the needs of international learners. Unfortunately, little research exists that examines this facet of culturally responsive course design and development. This chapter presents what is currently understood regarding international learners enrolled in U.S. courses, an overview of the most widely utilized frameworks for course design in the U.S. context, what preliminary research suggests regarding support for international learners, and practical implications and areas in need of further exploration.
Exploring Social Presence in the Culturally Diverse Online Classroom
Authors: Smith Debra K.
Published: October 2017

This qualitative single-case study explored student perceptions associated with social presence in a graduate online course of culturally diverse learners. Findings included themes that align with Hofstede's (1984, 2011) cultural relationship domain indicating student preference for construction of schedules to create a cohort where students can stay together through future courses. Tu's (2000) online communication dimension was supported with findings of email and phone communication as the top two ways students prefer to interact with faculty. The feedback area of the LMS was a surprising third element in ratings and the number one ranking for documented weekly social interaction with the instructor. Specific challenges to social presence were language barriers, reported by all students in the class. Implications are presented for instructors, instructional designers, institution policy, course scheduling and faculty training initiatives.
Program Development, Assessment, and Evaluation in Early Childhood Care and Education
Authors: Özdoğru Asil Ali
Published: October 2017

Early childhood years are a fundamental period of development in human lifespan. Infant and toddler care programs, early childhood education services, after-school care programs, and parenting programs are foundational in the physical, cognitive, and socioemotional development of children. Development of quality early childhood programs can be realized through consideration of various elements of quality. Early childhood care and education (ECCE) program designers should aim to develop safe, healthy, responsive, engaging, and developmentally appropriate programs. Program curriculum, which takes place at the heart of program development, should also be responsive to children's needs and interests to construct meaningful, age-appropriate, and play-based learning experiences. Ongoing assessment and evaluation are integral part of quality ECCE program development. Early childhood assessment consists of child-level and program-level assessments. Assessment of children's developmental outcomes and program environmental characteristics play key roles in the development and evaluation of ECCE programs. Even though there are many available tools of assessment, common features of quality assessments include reliability, validity, purposefulness, and universality. Evaluation of early childhood programs makes use of different methodologies designed to study program process, outcome, impact, and cost-benefit. Development of quality early childhood care and education programs need systematic planning, implementation, and monitoring through the use of quality assessment and evaluation methodologies. This chapter provides a synthesis of the current state of knowledge in program development, assessment, and evaluation in early care and education based on high quality research studies coming from a variety of fields.
The Found Poem as a Pedagogical Strategy for Promoting Self-Authorship for Practice
Authors: Lauzon Al , Khan Bakhtawar , Sawatzky Katrin
Published: October 2017

This chapter explores the question does the use of the found poem—a poem constructed by assembling a series of phrases from a series of readings—promote self-authorship in a professionally oriented graduate program. The chapter begins by arguing that self-authorship is a necessary condition to being an effective practitioner, followed by outlining self-authorship, its relationship to practice and higher education. This is then followed by laying out the practice context for the use of the found poem, a graduate course in the Capacity Development and Extension program at the University of Guelph. We then discuss the use of the found poem and how its use changed over time. In the following section two former participants in the class, who are now practitioners, share their reflections on the found poem followed by the instructor's reflections. We then discuss the implications for its use and attempt to answer the question does the found poem facilitate the development of self-authorship?
Utilizing Digital Educational Games to Enhance Adult Learning
Authors: Cordie Leslie , Lin Xi , Whitton Nicola
Published: October 2017

As adult educators, we strive to facilitate learning using a variety of teaching strategies that engage learners. Learning by doing is a powerful method that combines both application and practice to address the needs and motivations of adult learners. Digital educational games provide one type of an engaging instructional strategy for adult learners that can be delivered in both synchronous and asynchronous learning environments. Digital educational games are not something new, however, as they were developed soon after the first computer games (Wolfe & Crookall, 1998). Additionally, game-based educating has been used in many adult learning contexts, including the corporate environment to train staff in financial and economic skills, and in the military system for combat and strategy training (Whitton & Hollins, 2008). Despite these successful applications, there is a lack of recognition of digital educational games as a significant instructional method for the adult learner (Connolly, Boyle, MacArthur, Hainey, & Boyle, 2012; Gros, 2007). In this chapter, we review the research literature on adult learning via games in terms of learner motivation and engagement, specifically focusing on adult learning in the online environment. We will define key terms and essential characteristics of educational games, share best practices for developing and designing engaging educational games as an instructional strategy, and discuss the types of learning outcomes that can be achieved through the use of effective educational games, concentrating on adult learners in the online environment.
Teaching and Learning Through Interdisciplinary Pedagogies in a Second Life Environment
Authors: Ellis Maureen , Anderson Patricia
Published: October 2017

While virtual worlds have been available since the 1970s, opportunities for teaching and learning leading to improved pedagogical practice have increased over the past three decades (Livingstone, Kemp, & Edgar, 2008). Second Life, a highly immersive and scalable three-dimensional (3-D) multi-user social virtual environment, emphasizes the use of rich and authentic worlds for supporting an array of human activities and interactions within Web 2.0. Through synchronous communication, collaboration, and simulated experiences (Skiba, 2009), students accept the role of active creators of knowledge when faculty members adopt the Second Life platform as a learning environment. Bandura's social learning theory, Vygotsky's social development theory, and Piaget's constructivist learning theory form the conceptual framework for this chapter. This chapter describes how faculty from different disciplines in higher education adopted the interdisciplinary approach to course design, development, and delivery of a Second Life course with emphasis on authentic evaluation and assessment to improve student learning outcomes. The Second Life platform offered unique opportunities for students to become fully engaged in learning outcomes within two different courses. With learning outcomes and pedagogical needs at the forefront of instructional design decisions, instructors identified strategies for teaching, assessing, and evaluating the collaborative, immersive opportunities within Second Life as they taught two separate courses to the same group of students. This interdisciplinary approach to teaching entailed the use and integration of methods and analytical frameworks from more than one academic discipline to examine a theme, issue, question, or topic (Newell, 1994, 2001). Following both a constructivist approach and an integrated teaching model, instructors from two disciplines collaborated in the learning process with the goal of fostering inter-professional interactions. Interdisciplinary education was based on mutual understanding and respect for the concrete and unique opportunities for new contributions of each discipline.
Scalable Software Framework for Real-Time Data Processing in the Railway Environment
Authors: Verstichel Stijn , Kerckhove Wannes , Dupont Thomas , Bhatti Jabran , Van Den Wouwer Dirk , De Turck Filip , Volckaert Bruno
Published: October 2017

To this day, railway actors obtain information by actively hunting for relevant data in various places. Despite the availability of a variety of travel-related data sources, accurate delivery of relevant, timely information to these railway actors is still inadequate. In this chapter, we present a solution in the form of a scalable software framework that can interface with almost any type of (open) data. The framework aggregates a variety of data sources to create tailor-made knowledge, personalised to the dynamic profiles of railway users. Core functionality, including predefined non-functional support, such as load balancing strategies, is implemented in the generic base layer, on top of which a use case specific layer – that can cope with the specifics of the railway environment – is built. Data entering the framework is intelligently processed and the results are made available to railway vehicles and personal mobile devices through REST endpoints.
Intelligent Transport Systems Services in VANETs and Case Study in Urban Environment
Authors: Barkouk Hamid , En-Naimi El Mokhtar
Published: October 2017

The VANET (Vehicular Ad hoc Network) is a collection of mobile nodes forming a temporary network on variable topology, operating without base station and without centralized administration. Communication is possible between vehicles within each other's radio range as well as with fixed components on road side infrastructure. The characteristics of VANET network that distinguishes it from other ad hoc networks, such as high mobility and communication with the infrastructure to support security or comfort applications, have prompted researchers to develop models and mobility specific protocols. The main goal of this chapter is firstly to compare the performance of three Ad hoc routing protocols: OLSR, AODV and DSDV, and secondly to examine the impact of varying mobility, density and pause time on the functionality of these protocols. The results of this chapter demonstrate that AODV have better performance in terms of Throughput and Packets Delivery Rate (PDR), whereas OLSR have best performance in terms of Packet Delivery Time (Delay).
Evolution of Indian Railways Through IoT
Authors: Rasool Shaik , Dulhare Uma N.
Published: October 2017

Indian Railways is the largest rail network in the world, can be plays an essential role in the development of infrastructure areas such as coal, electric power, steel, concrete and other critical industries. Indian government has started concentrating on the modernization of the railways through huge investment. Internet of Things(IoT) is vital attention to expansion and excellence. The chapter will commence with the past history of rail transport in India Further section will support the IoT which is another great trend in technology. The later section of the chapter will give attention to how Internet of things could expertise the railroad industry, introducing a remedy which will be made to modernize aging sites at railroads, improve basic safety. The railway can help the passenger to utilize fewer interruptions in the event that's what they need. There's a large number of things that require to be watched and the railway can run as a completely digital service, without having to have people walking the tracks, it brings cost benefits and increased safety for the workforce.
Application of Big Data Technologies for Quantifying the Key Factors Impacting Passenger Journey in a Multi-Modal Transportation Environment
Authors: Kohli Shruti , Muthusamy Shanthini
Published: October 2017

Transportation systems are designed to run in normal conditions. The occurrence of planned works, unscheduled major events or disturbances can affect the transportation services that intended to provide and as a result, the disruptive nature may have a significant impact on the operation of the transport modes. This chapter focuses on the impact of disruptions in the multimodal transportation using the available open data. The enablers (key variables) of the datasets are taken into account to evaluate the service performance of each transport mode and its influence on other transport modes in case of disturbances. The high-volume, streaming data collected for a long time is a good potential use case for applying text mining techniques on big data. This chapter provides an insight into research being carried out for developing capabilities to store and analyze multi-modal data feeds for predictive analysis.
Crowd Funding
Authors: Gosain Surbhi
Published: October 2017

Financing is an essential element for running any organization without which an organization cannot even be created. With many new organizations coming up and foreign companies entering into the market competition has touched its peak. This is valid even for scenarios where companies have to face a cut-throat competition to get the investors for themselves. New and booming startups have to compete with already establish companies where they are generally less preferred as an investment option by the investors who eventually choose big companies because of their return. Thus, new methods of financing such as crowd funding are making their way into present day business environment. Crowd funding has been positioned as a viable option in line with traditional methods of financing such as venture capitalism and angel investments. Crowd funding has gain popularity among new and inexperienced entrepreneurs and for getting money to carry out social, cultural and environmental projects. Various crowd funding platforms have come up with different pricing and operational strategies.
Organizational Intervention Plan for Automation SMEs
Authors: Vargas-Hernández José G. , Ortega Ángel Daniel Rodríguez
Published: October 2017

This study has the aim of identify the main causes of a bad work environment with a high rate of turnover. The objective is to propose an intervention plan to increase the participation, commitment and employees' proactivity. This job is performed with a case study with the quantitative paradigm, transversal and exploratory; the selected sample is from a PYME dedicated to automation power services. For it is based on the model of situational leadership Hersey and Blanchard, in addition to job satisfaction survey NTP 213.
Uber Strategies for Transport Incorporated Private Market
Authors: Vargas-Hernández José G. , Álvarez L. E. Fabián Rojas
Published: October 2017

The aim of this paper is to analyze the different strategies that take Uber to join the global market successfully, positioning itself in different countries and analyze how come these businesses and strategies that follow to become successful to the extent that Uber is doing, not just one city but in several countries around the world. In order to accomplish this, it is necessary from a previous literature review that is appropriate to identify the different theories that may be applicable, taking terms as work global, you tried to see Uber as a technology - based company and see it from an overall, same strategy refers to a strategy that follows the company having a worldwide standardized product, another issue that would revise the importance of the theory of institutions.
Impact of Digitization on Learning and Opportunities in the Workplace
Authors: Naidoo Vannie
Published: October 2017

Digital technologies have permeated all areas of society, be it education, work, business, government or medicine. This has had a major impact on the world of work and its environment as technology continues to permeate all areas of society. There has been a rapid speed of new technological developments in the area of education. These new developments have created learning opportunities for working people. Digital technologies can now assist workers in their training and education needs thus making the worker of today more viable in the labor market. In the workplace, E-learning has made considerable inroads in the lives of workers development. E-learning is a combination of two important constructs namely learning and technology. Learning is a cognitive process where a student filters knowledge that he retains. Technology if used properly in this era can be used as a teaching tool to enable learning.
Social Media as Efficacious Tool for Teaching
Authors: Panchal Swati , Panchal Lakshay
Published: October 2017

Social Networking is a good source to stay connected with others so it can be used as a tool in teaching. Those students, who are not able to learn the concept in the regular classroom, go to tuition. They work whole night to complete their homework and assignments meanwhile they cannot resist themselves from using social networking sites. They have a view that they can multitask, but actually, most of the concentration is in social networking and messengers and less in studies. So ultimately their studies suffer. Because of this, they feel unrest in next day classroom also. To change the habit of using the mobile phone and social networking is very difficult. Now they are addicted to using these. So, the only solution is to change the way they use these things. The only requirement is training the student about the use of these systems, for which they are made of. So, the basic aim of this research is how social networking can be used as an Efficacious tool in teaching and utilizing the time wastage on social networking sites and messenger by students in studies.
Motivations and Positive Effects of Taking, Viewing, and Posting Different Types of Selfies on Social Media
Authors: Zhang Fiouna Ruonan , Bi Nicky Chang , Ha Louisa
Published: October 2017

In this study, we explored the motivations and the effects of selfie taking, posting, and viewing. To understand the selfie phenomenon, we conducted in-depth interviews with 16 American and Chinese students. The findings suggest that the selfie phenomenon among American students is not necessarily related to narcissism and low self-esteem, as argued in many previous literatures. Contrarily, selfie usage among Chinese students is more associated with narcissism (self-indulgence in recreational selfie-taking) and impression management (selfie-editing to improve online self-image). In the general, selfie taking, viewing, and posting behaviors could be conceptualized as more than just a display of narcissism, but also as a new way of communication, life-recording, online impression management, and relationship management. Cultural differences between American and Chinese students' use of selfies are also discussed.
Senses of “Selfie” Around the World From Web Search Patterns Over Extended Time
Authors: Hai-Jew Shalin
Published: October 2017

When social phenomena and practices go viral, like “selfies,” they instantiate in different locations around the world in different ways based on cultural differences, technological affordances, and other factors. When people go to search for “selfie” on Google Search, they are thinking different things as well. On Google Correlate, it is possible to identify the top correlating search terms that pattern-match the time patterns for the seeding search term. Based in this big data, these search term correlates (associated over extended time) provide a sense of the “group mind” around a particular topic.
Genesis of Cloud-Based IoT Systems for Smart Generation
Authors: Kaur Gurjit , Tomar Pradeep
Published: October 2017

Internet of Things (IoT) and Cloud computing are exceptionally different innovations that have become the backbone of the smart world. This paradigm where IoT and Cloud are integrated is anticipated as an empowering influence to an extensive number of smart applications. In this chapter, the integration of Cloud and IoT is explored. This chapter also provides a picture of the integration of Cloud IoT applications. Finally, some future open issues are described.
Deployment and Optimization for Cloud Computing Technologies in IoT
Authors: Singh Aditya Pratap , Tomar Pradeep
Published: October 2017

Cloud computing has proven itself and is accepted in industrial applications. Cloud computing is based on the co-existence and co-working of various technologies and services from different sources that together make cloud computing a success. Over the last few years, the Internet of Things (IoT) has been widely studied and being applied. The blending of these two efficient technologies may provide an intelligent perception about usage of resources on demand and efficient sharing. The adoption of these two different technologies and usage is likely to be more and more pervasive, making them important components of the future internet-based systems. This chapter focuses on the deployment models of cloud computing in relation to IoT. The implications of cloud computing in view of deployment are discussed. The issues for deployment and optimization related to the merger of IoT with cloud computing are raised.