bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wolf-Swarm Colony for Signature Gene Selection Using Weighted Objective Method
Authors: Agarwalla Prativa , Mukhopadhyay Sumitra
Published: August 2018

Microarray study has a huge impact on the proper detection and classification of cancer, as it analyzes the changes in expression level of genes which are strongly associated with cancer. In this chapter, a new weighted objective wolf-swarm colony optimization (WOWSC) technique is proposed for the selection of significant and informative genes from the cancer dataset. To extract the relevant genes from datasets, WOWSC utilizes four different objective functions in a weighted manner. Experimental analysis shows that the proposed methodology is very efficient in obtaining differential and biologically relevant genes which are effective for the classification of disease. The technique is able to generate a good subset of genes which offers more useful insight to the gene-disease association.
Nature-Inspired Algorithms in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Kaushik Ajay , Indu S. , Gupta Daya
Published: August 2018

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are becoming increasingly popular due to their applications in a wide variety of areas. Sensor nodes in a WSN are battery operated which outlines the need of some novel protocols that allows the limited sensor node battery to be used in an efficient way. The authors propose the use of nature-inspired algorithms to achieve energy efficient and long-lasting WSN. Multiple nature-inspired techniques like BBO, EBBO, and PSO are proposed in this chapter to minimize the energy consumption in a WSN. A large amount of data is generated from WSNs in the form of sensed information which encourage the use of big data tools in WSN domain. WSN and big data are closely connected since the large amount of data emerging from sensors can only be handled using big data tools. The authors describe how the big data can be framed as an optimization problem and the optimization problem can be effectively solved using nature-inspired algorithms.
Pedagogical Software Agents for Personalized E-Learning Using Soft Computing Techniques
Authors: Goyal Mukta , Krishnamurthi Rajalakshmi
Published: August 2018

Due to the emerging e-learning scenario, there is a need for software agents to teach individual users according to their skill. This chapter introduces software agents for intelligent tutors for personalized learning of English. Software agents teach a user English on the aspects of reading, translation, and writing. Software agents help user to learn English through recognition and synthesis of human voice and helps users to improve on handwriting. Its main objective is to understand what aspect of the language users wants to learn. It deals with the intuitive nature of users' learning styles. To enable this feature, intelligent soft computing techniques have been used.
Graph and Neural Network-Based Intelligent Conversation System
Authors: Arora Anuja , Srivastava Aman , Bansal Shivam
Published: August 2018

The conventional approach to build a chatbot system uses the sequence of complex algorithms and productivity of these systems depends on order and coherence of algorithms. This research work introduces and showcases a deep learning-based conversation system approach. The proposed approach is an intelligent conversation model approach which conceptually uses graph model and neural conversational model. The proposed deep learning-based conversation system uses neural conversational model over knowledge graph model in a hybrid manner. Graph-based model answers questions written in natural language using its intent in the knowledge graph and neural conversational model converses answer based on conversation content and conversation sequence order. NLP is used in graph model and neural conversational model uses natural language understanding and machine intelligence. The neural conversational model uses seq2seq framework as it requires less feature engineering and lacks domain knowledge. The results achieved through the authors' approach are competitive with solely used graph model results.
Teaching Materials for Civil Engineers in a Slightly Different Way
Authors: Oti Jonathan
Published: August 2018

The overall aim of this chapter is to report the possibility of teaching materials for civil engineers in a slightly different way. Under the proposed change, the assessment criterion of the module was delivered through 50% laboratory coursework (coursework 1 to 10) and 50% closed-book examination. The students worked in groups, a total of 10 laboratory practical exercises were conducted, and 10 laboratory reports were submitted by the student. The work of the students was evaluated after the first practical exercise, and feedback was given to the students before they were allowed to carry out the second practical task. In this way, the students were able to take the feedback on-board and see how they were progressing. The overall result from the quantitative feedback suggests that students overwhelmingly agreed that the laboratory sessions enhanced their understanding of the module. The students read fewer materials, and most of the students achieved a passing grade. In addition, the students developed their report writing skill, which is highly relevant to the engineering profession.
Flipped Class Pedagogy as a Digital Pedagogical Strategy in an Open Distance E-Learning Environment
Authors: van Wyk Micheal M.
Published: August 2018

This chapter explores student teachers' performance and perceptions of a flipped classroom pedagogy vs. a lecture method in a teacher education course at an open distance learning university. The study used an explanatory mixed methods design, employed a pre-test and post-test online survey, and economics blog postings to collect data for the study. Only Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) and Bachelor of Education (BEd: senior and further education and training phase) student teachers (n=371) were purposively selected. It is reported that the flipped classroom pedagogy group outperformed the lecture group in the final examination scores. Furthermore, the flipped classroom pedagogy encouraged an engaging atmosphere and accelerates a collaborative interactive synergy among student teachers. Finally, the findings revealed that the role of the teacher in the flipped classroom pedagogy design is crucial, promoting optimal learning experiences for student teachers in the course. Findings could not be generalized because this study employed only a small sample, but further investigation is needed to compare similar teacher education courses.
Emerging Technologies in Teaching, Research, and Learning
Authors: Jackson Colbert Mutiso , Kibetu Dickson Kinoti
Published: August 2018

A GIS is a tool for working with geographic information. Therefore, its primary purpose is to maintain data about geographic space. A GIS application deals with spatial information on a computer. GIS software presents earth features on a computer and then uses GIS to visualize, question, analyze, and understand this data about the world and human activity. Often this data is viewed on a map. This chapter shows the relationship between geographical information technology and society and provides educators and policymakers with a basic understanding of GIS, its relevance to teaching and learning, and suggest possible ways for implementing GIS technology in the classroom. This means that GIS has an educational agenda to meet, since this technology presents several opportunities for teachers to implement learner-centered approaches for various subjects.
Disruptive Democratisers?
Authors: Hood Nina , Littlejohn Allison
Published: August 2018

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are described as disruptive and democratising. It is claimed MOOCs have characteristics that challenge traditional forms of education. This chapter critiques these claims, arguing that MOOCs do not always allow for the diverse motivations of masses of learners. This brings into question forms of data-based support based on and in response to learner behaviours. The chapter interrogates narrative accounts of MOOC learner experiences to pinpoint four distinct ways people learn in MOOCs. Factors critical to learning are motivation, self-regulation, environment and socialisation. Developing analytic tools that address these are important. However, analytics systems tend to personalise learner support in relation to pre-defined course goals, rather than focusing on the goals of the learner. Next generation systems are already focusing on empowering learners to follow their own goals and flexing course designs to fit the goals of each learner. These are more powerful than systems where the students have to adapt to a course designed for the masses.
Universal Design Principles and Technology-Supported Learning in the Digital Era: Assistive Technologies in Inclusive Learning
Authors: Sani-Bozkurt Sunagul
Published: August 2018

Today, providing all learners with technology-supported learning environments has become important due to the use of new technological advancements in learning environments. All learners have the right to benefit from these advancements in an equal learning environment. One of the factors which play an important role in providing an equal and effective learning environment is learner characteristics. The learning pace and style of each learner are different. Universal design principles and assistive technologies play a big role in providing learning environments in the context of such individual differences. From this point of view, creating inclusive learning and inclusive learning environments which consider learner variety and differences specific to each learner and providing technology-supported learning environments utilizing universal design principles and assistive technologies are discussed in this chapter.
New School Graduate Image
Authors: Puzyrevsky Valery
Published: August 2018

In recent years, modern, innovative, transnational businesses are actively trying to influence the state of the education system – from participation in projects of specific schools to influence for global trends in the development of education (for example, the idea of 21st century skills). It is important to note that business is not limited to financial support for education. It is important to influence the change in goals, values, content of education, and basic pedagogical technologies. This is done through to the positioning of a new image of the future and another image of the graduate of the school, those professional skills of specialists that will be required for large corporations in the coming years. Analyzing on the materials of online resources, the characteristics of modern startups and educational projects supported by large business, one can understand what changes the business wants from education.
General Trends and New Perspectives on Landslide Mapping and Assessment Methods
Authors: Ercanoglu Murat , Sonmez Harun
Published: August 2018

Landslides and their consequences are of great importance throughout the world and they constitute an important responsibility on the damages and fatalities among the natural or man-made hazards. Landslide mapping and assessment studies have become a very important issue for the geoscientists and the decision makers to prevent from the consequences of the landslides, particularly in the last decades. In addition to the increase in population and poor economic conditions, unconsciously built settlements, located in the landslide-prone areas, were the most influencing factors on these losses and damages sourced from the landslides. This section particularly focuses on the landslide mapping and assessment methods considering the chronological development of these methods. In addition, this section also summarizes the landslide inventory, susceptibility, hazard and risk concepts, considering the scientific landslide literature. Furthermore, past-actual trends and new perspectives on these issues were also compiled to show the readers how this subject emerged and evolved progressively.
Geospatial Digital Rights Management
Authors: Ng'ang'a Titus M. , Wachira Peter M. , Wango Tim J. L. , Ndung'u Joseph M. , Ndungo Margaret N.
Published: August 2018

This Chapter introduces the need for general Digital Rights Management (DRM) requirements. Further, it intertwines DRM with its spatial counterpart, Geospatial DRM (GeoDRM). However, unlike DRM, GeoDRM is far much complicated due to issues such as the development of Web Mapping technology among other issues. The Chapter discusses the ability of GeoDRM to mitigate transgression of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). Highlighting economical and environmental wellbeing and other benefits of Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) geared towards global sustainable developments, the Chapter focuses on challenges of National Spatial Data Infrastructures (NSDIs) and Regional SDIs and the need to harmonize their standards for the upward mobility of global SDI (GSDI). Emphasizing the undisputed need for Local, Regional and Global Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDIs), in the presence of various Geo-communities and different GeoDRM models, the Chapter concludes that capacity building need to be urgently but carefully harnessed across all levels in order to develop cohesive GeoDRM policies.
Geography's Second Twilight
Authors: Dobson Jerome E. “Jerry”
Published: August 2018

Jerome E. Dobson, professor emeritus, University of Kansas; president of the American Geographical Society; and recipient of the 2014 James R. Anderson Medal of Honor in Applied Geography, discusses his career in the context of America's academic purge of geography. Highlights include his time as a Jefferson Science Fellow with the National Academies and U. S. Department of State. Dobson has been recognized with two lifetime achievement awards for his pioneering work in geographic information systems (GIS) and as Alumnus of 2013 at Reinhardt University. His contributions include the paradigm of automated geography, his instrumental role in originating the National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, and his leadership of the LandScan Global Population Database, the de facto world standard for estimating populations at risk. His recent research includes testing a new system for mapping minefields; designing and promulgating the current world standard for cartographic representation of landmines, minefields, and mine actions; and leading six AGS Bowman Expeditions.
New Computational Models for Image Remote Sensing and Big Data
Authors: Pillai Dhanasekaran K.
Published: August 2018

This chapter focuses on the development of new computational models for remote sensing applications with big data handling method using image data. Furthermore, this chapter presents an overview of the process of developing systems for remote sensing and monitoring. The issues and challenges are presented to discuss various problems related to the handling of image big data in wireless sensor networks that have various real-world applications. Moreover, the possible solutions and future recommendations to address the challenges have been presented and also this chapter includes discussion of emerging trends and a conclusion.
Remote Sensing-Based Evapotranspiration Modelling for Agricultural Water Management in the Limpopo Basin
Authors: Alemaw Berhanu F. , Chaoka Thebeyame Ronald , Munyai Brigton
Published: August 2018

The study was motivated by the need to determine the spatial variation of ET and to test the applicability of RS based methods in arid to semi-arid climates with limited ground-based measurements. In this paper we present results of an effort of determining spatial actual evapotranspiration in the Limpopo basin, the Notwane subcatchment in the south-eastern part of Botswana, using remote sensing data from MODIS and Landsat Data sets. The Simplified Surface Energy Balance Index (S-SEBI) was applied to determine actual evapotranspiration using the seven bands of Landsat and MODIS surface reflectance and temperature channels. Three different dates were used to estimate ET from both Landsat and MODIS scenes. The estimated ET values from the two sensors show approximately equally comparable results. An assessment was also conducted to determine the factors influencing evapotranspiration. No strong correlation was identified for ET against the five factors investigated: Net radiation, NDVI, Surface Temperature, emissivity and surface albedo.
Enhancing the Binary Watermark-Based Data Hiding Scheme Using an Interpolation-Based Approach for Optical Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Khosravi Mohammad Reza , Rostami Habib , Samadi Sadegh
Published: August 2018

Computer networking and internet developments create new challenges in information security and copyright protection. In order to protect the multimedia data and also in some cases, for information management, the authors can use watermarking schemes to achieve more security. In this article, the authors firstly review a watermarking scheme for remote sensing applications, represented by Zhu et al.; They also explain two problems in Zhu et al.'s scheme and in addition, introduce two solutions for these problems. Generally, Zhu et al.'s scheme is a non-blind scheme that also does not have any attention to watermarked image quality, thus they try to represent ways in order to achieve the blind and quality-aware watermarking. Experimental results confirm that both of their modifications have suitable effectiveness than the original scheme whereas in practice, their modifications create an output with embedding capacity like the original scheme but it is high quality and also blind.
Supporting Aeronautical Information Management (AIM) Through Geographic Information Technologies and Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI)
Authors: Siabato Willington , Moya-Honduvilla Javier , Bernabé-Poveda Miguel Ángel
Published: August 2018

The way aeronautical information is managed and disseminated must be modernized. Current aeronautical information services (AIS) methods for storing, publishing, disseminating, querying, and updating the volume of data required for the effective management of air traffic control have become obsolete. This does not contribute to preventing airspace congestion, which turns into a limiting factor for economic growth and generates negative effects on the environment. Owing to this, some work plans for improving AIS and air traffic flow focus on data and services interoperability to allow an efficient and coordinated use and exchange of aeronautical information. Geographic information technologies (GIT) and spatial data infrastructures (SDI) are comprehensive technologies upon which any service that integrates geospatial information can rely. The authors are working on the assumption that the foundations and underlying technologies of GIT and SDI can be applied to support aeronautical data and services, considering that aeronautical information contains a large number of geospatial components. This article presents the design, development, and implementation of a Web-based system architecture to evolve and enhance the use and management of aeronautical information in any context, e.g., in aeronautical charts on board, in control towers, and in aeronautical information services. After conducting a study into the use of aeronautical information, it was found that users demand specific requirements regarding reliability, flexibility, customization, integration, standardization, and cost reduction. These issues are not being addressed with existing systems and methods. A system compliant with geographic standards (OGC, ISO) and aeronautical regulations (ICAO, EUROCONTROL) and supported by a scalable and distributed Web architecture is proposed. This proposal would solve the shortcomings identified in the study and provide aeronautical information management (AIM) with new methods and strategies. In order to seek aeronautical data and services interoperability, a comprehensive aeronautical metadata profile has been defined. This proposal facilitates the use, retrieval, updating, querying, and editing of aeronautical information, as well as its exchange between different private and public institutions. The tests and validations have shown that the proposal is achievable.
Innovation on User-Generated Content for Environmental Noise Monitoring and Analysis in the Context of Smart Cities
Authors: Hipólito Juan Humberto Juárez , Ibarra Marco Antonio Moreno , Torres-Ruiz Miguel , Guzmán Giovanni , Quintero Rolando
Published: August 2018

This work presents an approach based on the concept of Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) to monitoring environmental noise; it is a problem that specially affects people's quality of life in urban areas. In this work, mobile devices are used to massively collect environmental noise measurements, which are used to generate maps of a specific area and then make a forecast. The difference of this approach with respect to the traditional methods based on monitoring stations is that it is much less costly, which is a major innovation in developing countries. This approach is based on a GIS approach that consists of an application for mobile devices and a web mapping application; including Geospatial Analysis and Machine Learning methods for the acoustic noise prediction using contextual information. With this approach it will be possible to define actions to mitigate the effects of environmental noise, it is aligned in the context of the smart cities. The proposed case study is based on collecting noise data of the Mexico City.
Designing an Information Infrastructure for Policy Integration of Spatial Planning and Flood Risk Management
Authors: Ran Jing , Nedovic-Budic Zorica
Published: August 2018

The policy integration of spatial planning and flood risk management is a promising approach to mitigate flooding. Scholars indicate that the absence of appropriate information base and technological capacity is among the factors impeding this integration. This study found that what needs to be improved is the access to geographic information and geographic technologies by individual policy makers, rather than the ownership of such resources by one organisation as a whole. Based on this finding, we designed the goals and functions for a Spatially Integrated Policy Infrastructure (SIPI) which shares not only geographic information but also models and analysis tools. A prototype of SIPI was also developed as an illustration of the selected functions of this SIPI. The design of SIPI is consistent with other frontier studies and projects in the field of GIS and planning. The development process also provides experience for future studies and development of infrastructures that aim at supporting policy integration.
Landcover Change Detection Using PSO-Evaluated Quantum CA Approach on Multi-Temporal Remote-Sensing Watershed Images
Authors: Mahata Kalyan , Das Rajib , Das Subhasish , Sarkar Anasua
Published: August 2018

Computer science plays a major role in image segmentation and image processing applications. Despite the computational cost, PSO evaluated QCA approaches perform comparable to or better than their crisp counterparts. This novel approach, proposed in this chapter, has been found to enhance the functionality of the CA rule base and thus enhance the established potentiality of the fuzzy-based segmentation domain with the help of quantum cellular automata. This new unsupervised method is able to detect clusters using 2-dimensional quantum cellular automata model based on PSO evaluation. As a discrete, dynamical system, cellular automaton explores uniformly interconnected cells with states. In the second phase, it utilizes a 2-dimensional cellular automata to prioritize allocations of mixed pixels among overlapping land cover areas. The authors experiment on Tilaya Reservoir Catchment on Barakar River. The clustered regions are compared with well-known PSO, FCM, and k-means methods and also with the ground truth knowledge. The results show the superiority of the new method.
GIS Use for Mapping Land Degradation
Authors: Boussema Mohamed Rached
Published: August 2018

In this chapter, the author presents a review of the GIS use during the research carried out during the past three decades dealing with land degradation. The objective is to assess the viability of applying GIS with different modes of remotely sensed data acquisition for quantifying land degradation in Tunisia. Various GIS based modelling approaches for soil erosion hazard assessment such as empirical and physical distributed are discussed. Five case studies are selected from several projects. They apply different methods for land degradation investigation at different scales using GIS and remotely sensed data. The research dealt mainly with: 1) The prediction of soil erosion at the regional level related to conservation techniques; 2) The quantification of soil erosion at the gully level based on GIS, digital photogrammetry and fieldwork; 3) The monitoring of gully erosion using GIS combined to images acquired by a non-metric digital camera on board a kite.
3D InSAR Phase Unwrapping Within the Compressive Sensing Framework
Authors: Ben Abdallah Wajih , Abdelfattah Riadh
Published: August 2018

This chapter presents a new phase unwrapping algorithm for the 3D Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (3D InSAR) volumes. The proposed approach is based on the relationship between the gradient vectors of the observed wrapped phase and the true phase respectively, when the Itoh condition is satisfied. Since this relationship is violated by the residue pixels in the observed wrapped phase, a general problem formulation which takes into account the estimation error due to these residue values is proposed. This approach exploits the temporal inter correlation between the interferometric frames within a compressive sensing framework. The 3D discrete curvelet transform is used in order to ensure a suitable sparse representation of the phase volume. The performance of the proposed 3D phase unwrapping algorithm is tested on simulated and real SAR 3D datasets
Participatory Geographic Information Systems Within a Crowdsourcing Environment, With Special Reference to Volunteered Geographic Information
Authors: Mulalu Mulalu I.
Published: August 2018

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are essentially concerned with fixing locations of features and attaching data to them. This geographic data is subsequently used in spatial analysis as a means to support problem analysis and solution modeling through exploratory data analysis and experimentation with various alternative solutions. Ultimately GIS is used for informed decision making. With the advent of technologies that support participation, digital mapping, Global Positioning System (GPS), the internet, Web Mapping, Web GIS, Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 technologies and smart phones, many people all over the world have become capacitated to collect and communicate geo-tagged multimedia information, a phenomenon that is known as crowdsourcing. One example of crowdsourcing is incorporating geotagged information collected by volunteers into a GIS. Consequently, crowdsourcing facilitates PGIS to become a powerful practice that can be leveraged to collect geographic data over extensive landscapes and often in near real time.
ArchaeoGRID Science Gateways for Easy Access to Distributed Computing Infrastructure for Large Data Storage and Analysis in Archaeology and History
Authors: Pelfer Giuliano
Published: August 2018

This article describes how archaeological and historical research grew as a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary activity due to availability of larger amount of data within the reconstruction of global historical and archaeological contexts at a global spatio-temporal scale. The increased information, also integrated with data from the Earth Sciences, has had an effect on the exponential increase of complex sets of data and of refined methods of analysis. For such purposes, this article discusses the ArchaeoGRID Science Gateway paradigm for accessing ArchaeoGRID Cyberinfrastructure (CI), a Distributed Computing Infrastructure (DCI), that can supply storage and computing resources for managing and analyzing large amount of archaeological and historical data. In fact, ArchaeoGRID Science Gateway is emerging as high-level web environment that makes easier the access, in a transparent way, to DCI, as local high-performance computing, Grids and Clouds, from no specialized Virtual Research Communities (VRC) of archaeologists and historians.
Measuring Dynamics of Ecological Footprint as an Index of Environmental Sustainability at the Regional Level Using Geospatial Information Technology
Authors: Sharma Laxmikant , Sinha Suman
Published: August 2018

Ecological Footprint (EF) analysis is the spatial measurement of ecological load exerted by the humans on the earth that arises from the concept of sustainability and sustainable use of Earth's resources. A region-based EF study is conducted for Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra (India) campus to improve its sustainability. Highlight of the study is the explicitness of the methodology for determining the EF that incorporates analysis derived from conversion factors mentioned in the Ecological Footprint consultancy publications along with inputs from GIS domain. Questionnaire-based survey from the respondents regarding resource utilization and geospatial enumeration of land use land cover that harbors the population and their resources are the two integral parts of the analysis. Total EF of the institution campus is calculated to be 0.645 gha/ individual. This analysis provides a strong framework for combining efforts in a manner that can communicate the immediate priorities for improving the sustainability strategy of the campus area.
Harnessing the Chaotic
Authors: Corbett Jon M. , Brennan Samantha , Whitely Aidan
Published: August 2018

Communities in the Okanagan Valley, Canada are increasingly under threat from forest fires due to climate change and expanding urban development into fire interface zones. The effects of forest fires are not always quantifiable ‘hard' impacts. The fluid and chaotic ‘soft' impacts can have a profound effect on the collective consciousness of the people living close to the fires. To make sense of these impacts and understand where and when these forest fires have taken place, the authors have developed and implemented a Geoweb tool to support citizen-to-citizen dialogue and tell the stories of these impacts. This article will explore the interlinked ‘chaos' that exists between forest fires, GIS and volunteered geographic information, using a Geoweb focused case study from the Okanagan Valley, and argue that the Geoweb offers an unprecedented opportunity for citizen-citizen interaction and combines many types of dissimilar and unstructured data into a unified whole.
SiRCub, A Novel Approach to Recognize Agricultural Crops Using Supervised Classification
Authors: Tomàs Jordi Creus , Faria Fabio Augusto , Esquerdo Júlio César Dalla Mora , Coutinho Alexandre Camargo , Medeiros Claudia Bauzer
Published: August 2018

This paper presents a new approach to deal with agricultural crop recognition using SVM (Support Vector Machine), applied to time series of NDVI images. The presented method can be divided into two steps. First, the Timesat software package is used to extract a set of crop features from the NDVI time series. These features serve as descriptors that characterize each NDVI vegetation curve, i.e., the period comprised between sowing and harvesting dates. Then, it is used an SVM to learn the patterns that define each type of crop, and create a crop model that allows classifying new series. The authors present a set of experiments that show the effectiveness of this technique. They evaluated their algorithm with a collection of more than 3000 time series from the Brazilian State of Mato Grosso spanning 4 years (2009-2013). Such time series were annotated in the field by specialists from Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation). This methodology is generic, and can be adapted to distinct regions and crop profiles.
Information Mycological Systems and Traditional Ecological Knowledge
Authors: Thomé-Ortiz Humberto
Published: August 2018

Wild edible fungi are non-timber forest products that have great relevance for forest communities in central Mexico. Texcaltitlán is a rural community known for its traditional ecological knowledge on the use and identification of wild edible mushrooms. The aim of this work is to link Geographic Information Systems and Traditional Ecological Knowledge, in order to generate Mycological Information Systems. This is a qualitative, quantitative and exploratory research, which seeks to determine the usefulness of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to systematize and locate mycological resources for use as a tourist attraction. The results show the existence of a wide variety of edible mushrooms in the region, along with a wide mycological traditional knowledge. Both aspects reflect the existence of unique natural and cultural features that can be the basis to build a unique tourism product in central Mexico. It is concluded that GIS are useful tools to build a multifunctional vision of mushrooms.
Modeling Environmental Impacts on Viticultural Ecosystems
Authors: Tissot Cyril , Neethling Etienne , Rouan Mathias , Barbeau Gérard , Quénol Hervé , Le Coq Céline
Published: August 2018

This paper focuses on simulating environmental impacts on grapevine behavioral dynamics and vineyard management strategies. The methodology presented uses technology from geomatics object oriented databases and spatio-temporal data models. Our approach has two principle objectives, first, to simulate grapevine phenology and grape ripening under spatial and temporal environmental conditions and constraints and secondly, to simulate viticultural practices and adaptation strategies under various constraints (environmental, economical, socio-technical). The approach is based on a responsive agent-based structure where environmental conditions and constraints are considered as a set of forcing data (biophysical, socio-economic and regulatory data) that influences the modelled activities. The experiment was conducted in the regulated wine producing appellation Grand Cru “Quarts de Chaume”, situated in the middle Loire Valley, France. All of the methodology, from the implementation of the knowledge database to the analysis of the first simulation, is presented in this paper.
Urban Sprawl Monitoring Using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques of the City Jaipur, India
Authors: Sisodia Pushpendra Singh , Tiwari Vivekananda , Dahiya Anil Kumar
Published: August 2018

The rapid increase in population of India forced people to migrate from rural areas and small towns to metropolitan cities for better employment, education, and, good lifestyle. Major cities of India were industrialized and required more work force in metropolitan cities, leading to uncoordinated and unplanned growth, often termed as urban sprawl. Urban sprawl destroyed the natural resources such as open green space, agricultural land, open water bodies and ground water. In this paper, an attempt has been made to monitor urban sprawl using Shannon's Entropy model, Remote Sensing, and GIS for city Jaipur, India. The changed entropy value during the years 1972–2013 proves more dispersed growth in the city. The built-up area of Jaipur has increased from 40 km2 in 1972 to 400 km2 in 2013. Land use percentage of urban settlement is doubled as compared to the urban population of Jaipur during 1972–2013. This study shows remarkable urban sprawl in fringe areas of Jaipur city in the last 41 years.
Agro-Geoinformatics, Potato Cultivation, and Climate Change
Authors: Dutta Upasana
Published: August 2018

The agriculture sector is reeling under the pressures of population, land and water scarcity, diseases, disasters and the most challenging of them all, climate change. Although climate change is yet to be charged with affecting agriculture, but in recent years trends of change have been witnessed in various crop production, with a hint of climate's role in it. With the advent of technology, these trends have become easier to analyse and in certain cases predict too. Information Technology (ICT) tools like Geoinformatics are playing a profound role in the agriculture sector and is helping to understand and assess the various factors affecting the growth of crops along with finding out the alternative suitability parameters for better production and distribution. The main aim of this chapter on agro-geoinformatics is to look into this linkage between technology usage and better potato production during adverse conditions.
Increasing Student Engagement and Participation Through Course Methodology
Authors: Ruffin T. Ray , Hawkins Donna Patterson , Lee D. Israel
Published: August 2018

Educators have been criticized for limited resources in building capacity for continued growth through reflective learning. A large number of educational institutions concentrate on acquiring formal knowledge of the subject matter excessively, with theory being overstated and the practical realities of the classroom not being effectively addressed. There are a number of factors to increase student engagement in the classroom. It is also important to organize the environment in which adult learners learn eagerly. Two commonly used methodologies are pedagogy and andragogy. This chapter investigates the different methodologies found to be most effective with adult learners. This will enhance the field of education and course methodology and its influences on all aspects of modern educational institutions and society in general.
Self-Awareness and Motivation Contrasting ESL and NEET Using the SAVE System
Authors: Vettraino Laura , Castello Valentina , Guspini Marco , Guglielman Eleonora
Published: August 2018

This chapter analyzes the main drivers and the related approaches adopted to contrast ESL and NEET with a special focus on the reinforcement of motivational, reflective, and active learning dimensions to enhance youth personal development. That allows one to foster both the guidance and the training system by defining the basis for personalized and effective learning and development processes. This in turn facilitates the effective implementation of job/training dual systems as well as the job placement itself. These dimensions and focus represent the main goals and results of a project approved under the EU Erasmus + Program, named SAVE. The chapter presents the methodological and technological frameworks developed within the SAVE project that have been validated by over 60 trainers and about 250 students in Europe, mainly in Italy, the UK, and Spain.
Adaptive Hypermedia in Education
Authors: Turel Vehbi
Published: August 2018

The aims of this chapter are (1) to give the definition of adaptive hypermedia (AH) and state what AH means and (2) to explore the role of AH in education at this digital age, in which the majority of learners are generally digitally fluent and competitive although some claim otherwise. Pedagogically and epistemologically, educational institutions (i.e., nursery, primary, secondary and high schools, colleges, vocational schools and colleges, life-long learning centers, adult education centers, and universities) should respond to such learning demands and differences to accommodate the digital-literate, wise, and efficient learning style preferences of today's learners by providing AH learning materials for them. More frankly, educational institutions have to use and provide AH learning materials for their learners in order to be competitive in this digital age.
Computational Thinking in Innovative Computational Environments and Coding
Authors: Ferrari Alberto , Poggi Agostino , Tomaiuolo Michele
Published: August 2018

The concept of computational thinking has been discussed for several decades and in recent years has been brought to the attention of the scientific community by Jeanette Wing. The importance of computational thinking places it among the basic skills for the 21st century, together with reading, writing, and calculation, that every person will have to master, so it is important to teach it in primary school. As the invention of printing facilitated the spread of the three Rs (reading, writing, and arithmetic), the technology must lead to the spread of computational thinking. This chapter will introduce the research on computational thinking and, in particular, the works on innovative computational environments, and will describe the situation of the education to CT in high school and in academic courses.
Do Usability Design Features of a Mobile Game Influence Learning?
Authors: Bringula Rex Perez , Cabrera Edison , Calmerin Princess B. , Lao Eduardo A. , Sembrano Christian Gerard , Guia Angelita D. , Lazaro Joan P. , Rubio Alexis John M. , Catacutan Annaliza E. , Jamis Marilou N. , Abad Lalaine P.
Published: August 2018

This one-group pretest-posttest experimental design study presents the effects of mobile games on students' disaster response learning. It also determines which of the usability features of the game might influence learning of students. Ninety-eight students utilized the game for three consecutive days (i.e., the intervention period). Students learn significantly in terms of responding to fire, flood, tsunami, and volcanic eruption but not on storm and earthquake situations. The game did not contribute significantly to the knowledge of the students on storms since students are already attuned to storms. Students did not achieve significant learning gains in earthquake test items because earthquake drills were conducted in local, institutional, and national levels before the study was initiated. Aesthetics was the only usability design factor that can influence learning. Thus, the null hypothesis stating that the usability design factors do not influence students learning was partially rejected. Recommendations were also offered.
Employing Educational Robotics for the Development of Problem-Based Learning Skills
Authors: Eteokleous Nikleia
Published: August 2018

Robotics activities are related to addressing a problem, and usually problems in authentic, real situations. The students are given a driving question and are requested to solve a “problem.” Having noticed this connection, the current study evaluates the integration of robotics as a tool where the problem-based learning (PBL) method and the interdisciplinary approach are intertwined. Specifically, the pre-programmable floor robots, the BeeBots, were used as cognitive-learning tools in order to examine students' development of problem-based learning skills: creativity-innovation, critical thinking, and collaboration. A case study approach was employed, collecting quantitative (pre- and post-questionnaires) and qualitative data (focus groups). The results revealed positive student experiences and reactions, and enhancement of the critical thinking and creativity-innovation skills.
ICT Eases Inclusion in Education
Authors: Gašpar Dražena
Published: August 2018

This chapter explores the importance of using ICT in education, focusing on the strong potential of ICT's ability to ease the process of inclusion. Namely, ICT could be a particularly valuable tool for people with disabilities; these tools can improve these individuals' quality of life, reduce social exclusion, and increase social participation. Inclusive education involves focusing on the individual needs of learners, helping them to overcome any barriers that may prevent them from reaching their potential. Through the extensive use of ICT in education, it becomes possible to meet the specific needs of different groups of students, including students with special needs. This chapter presents brief analyses of different supportive technologies, such as hardware and software solutions, Web 2.0 technologies, virtual learning environments (VLEs), virtual worlds, and other similar technologies. The chapter will also stress some open issues, including limitations in interactions, communication, and learning.
The Use of Postcasting/Vodcasting in Education
Authors: Stavrianos Athanasios T. , Syropoulos Apostolos
Published: August 2018

Podcasting and vodcasting are audio and video files, respectively. These files can be accessed by subscribers at any time of day. Initially, the technology was used for information and entertainment. Later on, it became clear that this technology could be useful in education. There are many advantages in the use of these technologies. Yet, there are a few drawback that cannot render the technology useless. The technology can be used in various ways in both tertiary and secondary education. Until recently, the process of creating, editing, and distributing vodcasts and podcasts was a manual process. Fortunately, new tools have automated this process, and the authors describe one of these tools and its use.
Experiences of Implementing a Large-Scale Blended, Flipped Learning Project
Authors: Owen Hazel , Dunham Nicola
Published: August 2018

In the context of ongoing global adoption of all forms of technology, e-learning has continued to evolve, informed by a growing body of research. Many schools, tertiary institutions, and other organizations are implementing a variety of e-learning initiatives, although frequently it appears the investment does not always equate to more engaged, knowledgeable, skilled learners. Tertiary education in Aotearoa, New Zealand covers all post-secondary education and is analogous to the term higher education in other countries. This chapter draws on the implementation of a large-scale blended, flipped learning project at a tertiary institution in Aotearoa, New Zealand. The project (within the Health Science faculty) was driven by a desire to improve student learning experiences and develop a common semester with a suite of interdisciplinary postgraduate qualifications. The discussion is based on personal reflections, which provide different perspectives of the initial phases, from three participants in the associated study (two of whom are also the authors of this chapter). During the project, two key prevalences were observed. The first was an ingrained set of beliefs, often unquestioned, that shaped overall expectations of what an e-learning experience might comprise. Interpretations and implications are discussed using the lens of mindsets to illustrate how beliefs of “self” fundamentally influence a person's ability to embrace—and thrive in—a period of change. The second prevalence was a familiarity with large-scale, “monolithic” e-learning developments, which translated into discomfort with an agile approach. The overall aim of this chapter is to provide sufficient detail to draw educators and administrators together to apply the recommendations offered, while providing support for “change agents,” as well as those ambivalent about reform. The authors are keen to highlight how ultimately rewarding, but also emotionally and physically demanding, the implementation of reform can be for those educators on the front lines.
A Framework for Profiling Prospective Students in Higher Education
Authors: Lakkaraju Santhosh Kumar , Tech Deb , Deng Shuyuan
Published: August 2018

Before purchasing a higher education program, prospects invest a significant amount of time researching different programs. This chapter intends to provide a conceptual framework to profile prospective students by giving an overview of higher education marketing literature and extracting a theoretical model to analyze different prospect decision-making factors. These decision-making factors are further categorized into prospect profiles based on their contextual relevance.