bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transformations rurales sur le Piémont méridional des Aurès
Authors: Khiari Abdellah
Published: March 2013

Les mutations, tardives, sur le Piémont saharien ont été amples et rapides car, l’initiative individuelle, essence de toutes les dynamiques paysannes en Algérie, a longtemps été bloquée, ici, par l’appropriation collective des terres. L’éclatement de l’indivision à partir des années 1970, complété par la loi incitative de 1983 instaurant l’A.P.F.A., aidé par un environnement favorable (disponibilité des terres, présence d’une nappe riche en eau, utilisation de la technique du forage), ont libéré l’initiative des fellahs et provoqué des mutations profondes. La commune de M’Zirâa située ; en amont du Piémont uni aurassien, est un modèle réduit de cette dynamique de transformation ; plus d’un millier de jardins supplantent aujourd’hui les anciens parcours sahariens, produisant une large gamme d’espèces maraîchères qui attire des centaines de négociants venant toutes les régions d’Algérie.Les mutations géographiques et socio-économiques sont généralisées, (déplacement de l’habitat de la montagne vers la Plaine, abandon du système agropastoral au profit d’une mise en valeur intensive moderne, accroissement rapide de la population de la commune dû à l’afflux migratoire provoqué par le nombre important d’emplois créés par ce nouveau système de production. Les premiers signes de richesse de la population M’Zirâa peuvent être observés à travers la multiplication des maisons en dur en rase campagne et celle des tracteurs et fourgonnettes bâchées garées près des bâtiments des exploitations agricoles.La belle réussite des M’Zirâa se voit notamment à travers la dynamique de leur marché quotidien, qui dure de décembre au mois de juillet et qui draine chaque jour entre 500 et 800 camions venus de tous les coins d’Algérie en quête de produits maraîchers.Cependant, ce mouvement, si intense, a ses faiblesses ; l’utilisation anarchique et abusive des eaux souterraines risque de mettre en péril tous les investissements consentis à ce jour. Le degré du rabattement de la nappe est alarmant ; partout on signale l’enfoncement des eaux de forages de 10 à 20 mètres en été, alors qu’en hiver, le niveau ne remonte que de 2 à 5 mètres ; ce déséquilibre s’accentue d’année en année. Seule une politique fondée sur l’utilisation rationnelle des eaux peut épargner ce mouvement de l’éclipse quasi certaine, au cas où les conditions de l’exploitation de la nappe ne changent pas.
Exurbanisation et mobilités résidentielles à Nédroma (1990-2000)
Authors: Trache Sidi Mohammed
Published: March 2013

Les différentes politiques foncières et immobilières pratiquées en Algérie durant les vingt dernières années ont fondamentalement modifié et remodelé le paysage urbain de nos villes.Quelque soit leur taille et leur niveau urbain, elles ont presque toutes bénéficié et subi les mêmes effets de ces politiques urbaines. L’exemple de la ville de Nédroma, ville précoloniale, n’est pas isolé en soit. Après une longue stagnation urbaine, Nédroma assistera à une véritable croissance éclatée de son tissu urbain, la Médina,. Elle sort de ses remparts et déborde sur les terrains agricoles du Nord. Initiée essentiellement par les lotissements communaux, cette exurbanisation verra un desserrement de la médina en faveur d’une certaine amélioration des conditions d’habitat dans les nouveaux espaces et permettra de ce fait un soulagement démographique dans la vieille cité. Cependant, elle a entraîné une grande mobilité résidentielle intra urbaine qui a donné une nouvelle dimension spatiale à la ville : urbanisation très lâche dominée par les lotissements abritant un habitat individuel dominant et des équipements d’accompagnement mal répartis. Par ailleurs, l’intensité des mouvements migratoires et résidentiels au sein de la Médina ont eu des répercussions directes sur la dégradation de son cadre bâti par la location aux particuliers.
Le roman, cet archiviste de l’histoire
Authors: Ali Benali Zineb
Published: March 2013

L’auteur de cet essai propose d’ouvrir quelques pistes de lecture qui permettraient d’entrevoir en quoi la littérature et l’écrivain au Maghreb peuvent être investis d’une fonction qui n’était peut- être pas la leur initialement, car tout tourne autour de la gestion de la mémoire et partant, de l’histoire. Ainsi l’intellectuel algérien en colonisation était soumis soit au silence, soit au discours obligé ; mais même l’accès à l’indépendance ne change rien à cet état de fait.Hier comme aujourd’hui, la politique (le politique) pèse comme un destin sur la littérature maghrébine. Tout écrit est continuellement ramené vers le réel, vers le champ social. Si l’écrivain traite de l’Histoire, ou cherchera, surtout, à lui interdire certains territoires de cette Histoire. Ainsi, plusieurs personnalités historiques comme Kahina, Youcef Ibn Tachfin, et des militants nationalistes, etc. oubliés par l’Histoire officielle, sont repris par les romanciers maghrébins. Ce travail d’exhumation de ce qui était refoulé opère comme un déblocage des mécanismes de la mémoire. L’article cite également des textes écrits dans l’urgence pour dénoncer le massacre des intellectuels algériens dans les années 1990.
صورة الصحراء العربية في المخيال قبل ظهور الإسلام
Authors: بلميلود عثمان
Published: March 2013

يأخذ المؤلف على عاتقه رحلة الإسرائيليين في صحراء الشرق الأوسط منذ الأزمنة الغابرة لتحليل صورة الصحراء في المخيال الغربي. و قد ذكرت هذه الرحلة التي قام بها الشعب اليهودي في التوراة، حيث برزت الصحراء باعتبارها فضاء أسطوريا أو فضاء للقطيعة كما صورته كذلك الأناجيل الأربعة. أخذت الصحراء العديد من الدلالات (امتحان، تلقين،...). ...التي تتغير حسب الحالات و حسب القصص الواردة في الكتب المقدسة. وهكذا كانت التضحية و كبش الفداء من الطقوس التي اعتمدها اليهود لطلب الخلاص و الرحمة من الإله. و على الرغم من أن الصحراء قد اتخذت صورة الفضاء الملعون حيث تعيش الشياطين، فإنها كذلك فضاء مقدس لأنه سمح لليهود بالتوجه لعبادة الخالق.لكن الميزة العدوانية الملصقة بالعربي قد ذكرت في الكتابات المقدسة، مما جعل هذا يتحول إلى حقد أعمى. تشكلت هذه الصورة في تمثل غامض، و في الكليشيهات المقولبة منذ القرون السابقة للميلاد من قبل رجال الأدب و المؤرخين الإغريق و قد أعيد طرحه في مخيال اليهودي-المسيحي.
Les langues étrangères en Algérie : technologies de pouvoir
Authors: Lakhdar Barka Sidi Mohamed
Published: March 2013

Abordant la question de l’enseignement des langues étrangères dans les universités algériennes, l’article insiste sur les nombreuses réformes connues par ce secteur.Pour l’auteur, ces réformes sont marquées par la volonté de calquer le modèle d’apprentissage de la langue arabe, qui aboutera à une conception antagonique des langues et une dissociation langue / lettre, par le moyen d’un cloisonnement des contenus en sous-disciplines. Ainsi l’expression « langue nationale » s’imposera plus comme un critère d’exclusion des pratiques langagières des autres langues et principalement du français, créant ainsi un rapport de force entre les langues, l’apprentissage de la langue arabe permettant à ses utilisateurs d’accéder à des postes – clés.Pour mieux éclairer le lecteur sur ses anachronismes, l’auteur analyse les trois réformes expérimentées dans ce secteur de l’université qui sont de la faculté à l’institut, l’ère des instituts et le retour à la faculté. Une lecture synoptique de la revue des Langues étrangères, de l’université d’Oran lui permet de constater le décalage entre ce qui est planifié et ce qui est réalisé en matière de publications dans le domaine de la linguistique et de la didactique censées être prépondérant. Les mesures palliatives conçues pour réduire ce déséquilibre ont été un échec total.
Etat actuel de la frontière linguistique. Entre l’arabe et le berbère
Authors: Benabbou Mostafa , Behnsthedt Peter
Published: March 2013

Pour analyser l’état actuel de la frontière linguistique au Nord du Maroc et pour situer la carte linguistique de l’arabe et du berbère, les auteurs ont eu recours aux travaux d’historiens notamment coloniaux. A la fin du XXème siècle, beaucoup de chercheurs marocains et étrangers ont essayé de refaire ce travail sans changements notables dans la perception de la carte linguistique de cette région, d’où la nécessité d’un autre regard. Pour ces deux auteurs, l’évolution est notable car le berbère a beaucoup perdu d’espace au détriment de l’arabe au Nord et au Sud-Est d’Oujda. Dans la région de Taza, la situation ne paraît pas changer de la même manière, car les limites entre l’arabe et le berbère, ne sont pas aussi rigides que les autres idiomes, il y a même une union linguistiques entre les deux langues.Les cartes en annexe de l’article illustrent bien que la frontière entre les deux langues n’est pas abrupte.
Pour en finir avec le Patrimoine ? Production identitaire et métissage dans le champ culturel algérien
Authors: Yelles Mourad
Published: March 2013

Compte tenu de sa place, il est permis de se demander à quoi sert le patrimoine dans notre paysage idéologique. Surtout quand on se rend compte du décalage de plus en plus frappant entre les valeurs qu’il prétend défendre et les pratiques socio-culturelles. En Europe, le patrimoine est le produit de la modernité et émerge des ruines de la Tradition populaire. Le patrimoine algérien, quant à lui, se constitue en tant que norme culturelle dans le cadre d’un projet historique qui voit l’Etat tenter de produire une nouvelle identité nationale. Mais empêtrée dans des contradictions héritées de l’époque coloniale, cette "politique du patrimoine" avec ses variantes (personnalité algérienne, spécificités, authenticité, constantes) a finalement échoué. Bien plus, elle a largement contribué au développement de l’imaginaire intégriste. Ne faudrait-il pas, toute affaire cessante, évacuer ce concept mortifère pour assumer nos métissages et promouvoir enfin notre mémoire plurielle ?
التراث الشعبي و المسرح تجربتان من الجزائر
Authors: حمومي أحمد
Published: March 2013

إذا ما رجعنا إلى البدايات الأولى للمسرح الجزائري نفهم أن الرجوع إلى التراث كان أمرا محتوما.فعلا لو – بعد فشل عروض جورج أبيض و طاهر علي الشريف – يلجأ إلى التراث (جحا و ألف ليلة و ليلة)، كما أن علولة – في الثمانينات – يلجأ إلى الشكل التراثي – الحلقة ليتصل مباشرة مع الجمهور من أجل توعيته و تنويره.
المقدس والعنف الصهيوني في رواية الصراع العربي- الإسرائيلي
Authors: شرشار عبد القادر
Published: March 2013

تحاول هذه الدراسة تحليل إشكالية المقدس و العنف الصهيوني من خلال قراءة خصائص الخطاب السردي في رواية الصراع العربي - الإسرائيلي، و قد تمحورت حول النقاط الآتية :1. المفهوم النظري لمصطلحي المقدس و العنف : تناول هذا العنصر بالتحليل إشكالية العلاقة بين المقدس و العنف، مسلطا لضوء على بعض المفاهيم التي تبحث في مصادر المقدس و العنف، و علاقتها بالصراع الغربي-الإسرائيلي، منتهيا إلى أنه إذا كان للعنف الصهيوني مصادر متنوعة، فإن للمقدس مصدرا واحدا و هو الدين، سواء أتعلق الأمر بالجانب الروحي التراثي أو الفكري.و قد تجلى المقدس في أشكال تتصل بالمعتقد الشعبي الذي تمثله الخطاب الروائي الغربي.2. عنـصر القداسة في رواية الصراع الغربي-الاسرائيلي : يركز المقال في هذا المستوى على عنصر القداسة في رواية الصراع الغربي - الاسرائيلي باعتباره أحد العناصر الموضوعاتية البارزة في بناء النص الروائي، و يقدن عدة نصوص تكرس ما توصل إليه البحث في نقطته الأولى.3. البعد القـدسي و العنف الصهيـوني في رواية الصراع الغربي-الاسرائيلي و اعتمادا على ما تقدم من معطيات، ينتهي المقال إلى تكريس فرضية العلاقة بين المقدس باعتباره نقطة ارتكاز في تبرير العنف الصهيوني.
Violence, les possibles réparations
Authors: Karadja Fatima Zohra , Korso Bioud Nadia
Published: March 2013

Nous proposons à la réflexion ici, une expérience première d’intervention psychosociale dans le cadre d’une violence organisée, réalisée par des psychologues auprès d’une communauté victime d’un massacre collectif. Cette pratique de l’intervention psychosociale est également une occasion de réinterroger les enveloppes identitaires professionnelles à travers leurs multiples référents, notamment les outils conceptuels théoriques et le dispositif technique et clinique de la relation d’aide. Est exposée alors une première description d’un recadrage pragmatique qui tente une articulation, adaptée, un temps soit peu, aux situations réelles, travaillant le lien entre l’individu et le groupe, reconstituant par là même un nouvel espace thérapeutique. Répondant ainsi quelque peu, au principe de la réalité que l’on construit et qui nous construit dans des interactions permanentes avec les acteurs du drame.
Histoire (s) et enjeu (x) d’une (re) dé/dé/ dénomination : la Place rouge de Tiaret
Authors: Benramdane Farid
Published: March 2013

Quels sont les processus énonciatifs et discursifs quand il s’agit de l’acte de re/dé/nommer un espace et quand, aussi, des perceptions et représentations mentales linguistiques collectives différentes et différenciées, carrément opposées, entrent en concurrence ? Nous tenterons, à travers un cas précis : La Place rouge de Tiaret, de rendre plus visibles et lisibles les conditions de production d’une pratique onomastique (nom propre), son mode de réception ainsi que les interactions linguistiques, sociales et idéologiques dans un contexte plurilingue, doublée de la dualité de verbalisation entre l’oral et l’écrit ainsi que celui, enfin, liée à des enjeux symboliques de pouvoir.Les groupes se forment et se déforment et il est aisément facile, en se déplaçant, d’être au courant des informations les plus récentes et les commentaires les plus divers. Cette place « mesure » la température politique et sociale de la cité. Les jeudi et vendredi matin, en trois heures d’intervalle de 9 h à midi, un déferlement d’êtres et d’informations se côtoient dans une densité et une fluidité communicatives remarquables. Dans les années 1970, en pleine lutte politique très âpre, dans cette région précisément, autour de la révolution agraire, donc de la nationalisation des terres et de leur distribution aux paysans pauvres, l’APC (Municipalité) de Tiaret, issue du Parti Unique le FLN (Front de Libération Nationale), comme toutes les mairies d’Algérie, inaugurent leur mandat par la réfection des trottoirs et par la mise en place d’un carrelage neuf sur les trottoirs et les places publiques, qui, en fait, n’en avaient même pas besoin…L’histoire de ce carrelage et de sa couleur sur notre place publique va prendre une des orientations sémantiques et symboliques les plus… inattendues.
Paroles d’étudiants
Authors: Cherrad Benchefra Yasmina
Published: March 2013

Alors qu’il est demandé aux étudiants algériens de n’utiliser que des formes linguistiques conformes au français standard prodigué par l’école, ces derniers recourent de plus en plus à des formations offrant des singularités et des constructions distinctes de l’usage normatif, préférant à l’uniforme la variation et l’hétérogène. Pour nos étudiants les couples « se divorcent ». Tout en prenant pour ainsi dire leur revanche sur le caractère étranger du français, nos étudiants affirment des droits sur lui et se l’approprient. Des règles de fonctionnement spécifiques, dites et non dites, régissent les actes des locuteurs d’une communauté et l’étudiant algérien semble ne pas ignorer celles du français central.En plus des variations du genre et du nombre auxquelles est systématiquement soumis le substantif, nos locuteurs lui affectent une autre, celle du degré propre à la classe de l’adjectif et des adverbes. L’Algérie se trouve dans cette situation et, ce français fixé par une norme qui, si elle est présentée comme extérieure et étrangère, est transformée en fait, par des facteurs sociaux et psychologiques en une réglementation proprement locale, par une réadaptation de cette langue dans ses fonctions et dans sa possession selon des références et usages algériens.
اللهجات في الموشحات والأزجال الأندلسية
Authors: عباسة محمد
Published: March 2013

نشأ الشعر العربي في القرن الرابع للميلاد، غير أن ما وصلنا منه يعود إلى القرن السادس الميلادي، و يُعتقد أن القبائل العربية الشمالية لما اصطلحت فيما بينها على لغة أدبية فصحى لجأ إليها الشعراء الجنوبيون، ينظمون بها قصائدهم لاعتقادهم أنها اللغة الرسمية في ذلك الوقت.وظل الشعر العربي حتى عصر الخلافة بالأندلس في القرن التاسع الميلادي، حيث ظهر شعر الموشحات و الأزجال الأندلسية، و عمل الشعراء على إدخال بعض الألفاظ العامية و توظيفها شعريا، لا سيّما بعد انتشار الغناء.و تسعى هذه الدراسة لإثبات أن التنوع اللغوي لا يعني بالضرورة أن الشعر الأندلسي كان مجرد تقليد، و إنما يعبّر عن تطور في توظيف اللغة، و أن اللهجة غير المعربة لم تكن عائقا و إنما تعبر عن التطور الذي عرفه تاريخ الشعر العربي.
La question de l’histoire dans le débat sur la violence en Algérie
Authors: Remaoun Hassan
Published: March 2013

La situation de violence politique actuelle en Algérie est souvent expliquée par le passé de ce pays et ses particularités historiques.Si tout processus social peut être d’une manière ou d’une autre ramené à l’histoire, c’est peu enrichir la connaissance que d’expliquer la violence actuelle, par « un passé lui-même marqué par la violence », ou sous une forme plus sophistiquée, par une violence structurelle qu’éclaireraient notamment des approches comme celles s’appuyant sur la théorie de la segmentarité. Après tout, toutes les sociétés ont eu à transiter par des rapports segmentaires, et ont connu la violence avec ou sans segmentarité (y compris l’Europe avec des guerres menées en plein XXe siècle). Aussi marquée soit-elle par le legs du passé, la crise algérienne doit d’abord être expliquée par des causes actuelles et le regard porté sur le passé peut lui-même relever des enjeux du présent. Différentes composantes sociales et institutions ont ainsi longtemps eu tendance à user de la mémoire et de la pratique historiographiques, en sélectionnant et en manipulant dans l’image du passé tout ce qui peut servir à leur légitimation, y compris au risque de la diffusion d’une culture basée sur l’apologie de la violence.
Social Presence in Virtual World Interviews
Authors: Dean Elizabeth , Murphy Joe , Cook Sarah
Published: March 2013

Social presence varies from low, to moderate, to high in self-administered, telephone, and face-to-face survey interviews. New communication technologies add another layer of survey modes that can be understood along the same spectrum of social presence. Virtual worlds like Second Life are rapidly becoming popular environments for testing theories of social and economic behavior. Researchers who use Second Life as a data collection platform must consider the extent to which existing social theories hold in virtual environments. This study tests the hypothesis that indicators of interviewers’ social presence observed in real world survey environments persist in virtual environments with avatar interviewers and respondents. Results from data quality indicators provide tentative support for the hypothesis.
Engaging Classes in a Virtual World
Authors: Gregory Sue
Published: March 2013

Virtual worlds, such as Second Life, are multi-user, interactive computer-simulated environments created for users to inhabit and interact via avatars, which are graphical representations of a person that can be personalised and used in the virtual world. In this research, 239 off-campus (distance) education students chose to attend weekly sessions in Second Life from 2008 to 2011. These sessions catered for a diverse group of students. It is internationally claimed that virtual worlds are engaging for distance education students. Engagement is the combination of student’s feelings, observable actions or performance, perceptions, and beliefs. This mixed-methods research sought to investigate whether virtual worlds were engaging for adult student learners. Recorded in-world (in the virtual world) conversations and the completion of a survey by university students provide data from which the findings are made. In-world discussion found that the virtual world, in this case Second Life, is an engaging environment in which to learn. These findings indicate the need for further research in using a virtual world as an educational resource.
Gaming in School
Authors: Schultheiss Daniel , Helm Maike
Published: March 2013

As the impact of media on society steadily increases, schools need to teach their students media skills. In this regard, the usage of computers is an inherent part of everyday school life. The recent integration of serious games and their future potential in Middle German general educational schools is the subject of this chapter. With the aid of interviews held with experts the usage and potential of serious games in Middle German schools are examined, and the barriers to integrate computers and serious games into lessons are discussed. Serious game usage has clear potential for development. Games are applied in different subjects and for different age groups, but not all teachers are aware of their existence. The interviewees disagree about factors hindering integration of computers and serious games in school. As a qualitative study, this chapter constitutes a basis for further research and enlarges knowledge about serious games in schools.
Toward Agile Interactive Software Development Process Models for Crowd Source Projects
Authors: Alsmadi Izzat , Saeed Saqib
Published: March 2013

Typical traditional software development models are initially designed for company-style software project teams. They also assume a typical software project that has somewhat clear goals, scope, budget, and plan. Even Agile development models that are very flexible in considering previous project parameters assume somewhat stable team and project structures. However, in recent years, the authors have noticed expansion in software projects that are developed in a very illusive flexible team, scope, budget, and plan structures. Examples of such projects are those projects offered in open competition (also called crowd sourcing) structure for software developers to be part of. In typical open competition projects, initial, high level project ideas are submitted to the public through the Internet. The project initiators give their initial requirements, constraints, and conditions for successful products or submissions. Teams can be organized before or through the competition. Submission and evaluation of deliverables from teams are subjected to project initiator evaluation along with evaluation teams organized through the open competition host. This chapter investigates all traditional project characteristics. The authors elaborate on all those elements that should be modified to fit the open competition agile structure. They use several case studies to demonstrate management issues related to managing software projects in open competitions.
Software Development Techniques for Constructive Information Systems
Authors: Jesmin Runa
Published: March 2013

This chapter discusses the software engineering lifecycle, history, and software architecture as well as the foundation of Information Engineering and Information Systems. The first part of this chapter discusses the software lifecycle phases and how to make effective use of various technical methods by applying effective technical and other efficient methods at the right time. This chapter also shows the technical similarities between software database design and Information System’s database design. In the second part of this chapter, the author introduces the information engineering life cycle and discusses the key phrases for information engineering as well as Information System. In fact, this part is a good dictionary of information and software engineering. This chapter provides guidance for decision-makers in selecting an appropriate Information System strategy that contributes to the achievement of information engineering sustainability targets and leverages competitiveness.
Developing Semantic Web Applications
Authors: Ilyas Qazi Mudassar
Published: March 2013

Semantic Web promises to make the content on World Wide Web machine understandable, thus enabling creation of an agent based web where automated programs can accomplish a variety of tasks that involve interpretation of the content and are not possible with existing web technologies. As Semantic Web technologies are being adopted by the industry at a rapid place, there is the need to develop awareness among developer community about components of typical Semantic Web applications and principles driving the design of these components. This chapter gives a brief introduction to the Semantic Web and components common to all Semantic Web applications. The common components include ontology development, content annotation, and information extraction using reasoning. Basic design principles and available alternative choices are highlighted for ontology construction and content annotation. Reasoning component is not discussed because stable reasoners are available such as RACER, FaCT++ and Pallet and any Semantic Web application can make use of them without having to reinvent the wheel. A running example is used to enhance understandability of the concepts described.
Constructive Knowledge Management Model and Information Retrieval Methods for Software Engineering
Authors: Aung Zeyar , Nyunt Khine Khine
Published: March 2013

In this book chapter, the authors discuss two important trends in modern software engineering (SE) regarding the utilization of knowledge management (KM) and information retrieval (IR). Software engineering is a discipline in which knowledge and experience, acquired in the course of many years, play a fundamental role. For software development organizations, the main assets are not manufacturing plants, buildings, and machines, but the knowledge held by their employees. Software engineering has long recognized the need for managing knowledge and that the SE community could learn much from the KM community. The authors introduce the fundamental concepts of KM theory and practice and mainly discuss the aspects of knowledge management that are valuable to software development organizations and how a KM system for such an organization can be implemented. In addition to knowledge management, information retrieval (IR) also plays a crucial role in SE. IR is a study of how to efficiently and effectively retrieve a required piece of information from a large corpus of storage entities such as documents. As software development organizations grow larger and have to deal with larger numbers (probably millions) of documents of various types, IR becomes an essential tool for retrieving any piece of information that a software developer wants within a short time. IR can be used both as a general-purpose tool to improve the productivity of developers or as an enabler tool to facilitate a KM system.
Audio and Visual Speech Recognition Recent Trends
Authors: Wei Lee Hao , Phooi Seng Kah , Li-Minn Ang
Published: March 2013

This chapter focuses on a brief introduction on the origins of the audio-visual speech recognition process and relevant techniques often used by researchers in the field. Brief background theory regarding commonly used methods for feature extraction and classification for both audio and visual processing are discussed with highlights pertaining to Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficient, and contour/geometric based lips feature extraction with corresponding tracking methods (Yingjie, Haiyan, Yingjie, & Jinyang, 2011; Liu & Cheung, 2011). Proposed solution concepts will include time derivatives of mel-frequency cepstral coefficients for audio feature extraction, Chroma-colour-based (YCbCr) Face segmentation, Feature Point extraction, Localized Active Contour tracking algorithm, and Hidden Markov Models with Vitebri algorithm incorporated. Information contained in this chapter focuses on being informative for novice speech processing candidates but insufficient mastery knowledge. Additional suggested reading materials should assist in expediting field mastery.
Southern Skies Distance Education Academic Exchange Project
Authors: Bossu Carina
Published: March 2013

In order to combine forces and experiences to overcome current challenges faced by distance education providers in Australia and South America, specifically in Brazil and Argentina, leading distance education institutions from both worlds decided to develop the Southern Skies Distance Education Academic Exchange Project. Funded by the Council on Australia Latin America Relations, this project promoted academic exchange between four Australian universities collaborating as DEHub and four educational institutions in South America: two institutions in Argentina and two in Brazil. This chapter presents the two stages of this exchange project during which visits by representatives from participating institutions were reciprocated. It also highlights some of the challenges faced by the project participants. Finally, it discusses the opportunities that have emerged for further exchange and collaboration amongst the institutions involved.
An Associate Dean’s Community of Practice
Authors: Lawrence Jill , Burton Lorelle , Summers Jane , Noble Karen , Gibbings Peter D.
Published: March 2013

Associate deans (Learning and Teaching) face a number of challenges in successfully retaining and progressing students in their faculties. The first challenge involves identifying strategies to assist students to actively engage with their studies. This challenge escalates if the primary mode of delivery involves distance learning. The second challenge stems from the need for associate deans to empower their staff to design, develop, and deliver curricular that achieves student retention. This chapter conceptualizes blended learning and describes how an associate dean’s community of practice facilitates an institutional approach to student engagement, both in terms of supporting students and supporting staff. These initiatives include a whole-of-institution approach to learning and teaching polices, practices and infrastructure, and professional development activities, incorporating an assessment week, university presentations, and peer review activities. The chapter outlines the success of these initiatives in building the learning and teaching capacities of both students and staff at a regional Australian university.
The Problem of Analysis of the Temporal Dimension in e-Learning Research
Authors: Gros Begoña
Published: March 2013

E-learning is a complex phenomenon that includes technological, pedagogical, social, and management dimensions. The importance of multiple variables and temporal dimensions for evaluating changes and development are crucial elements that are not taken into account in the methods and orientation of most studies. Most established methods of research are not able to analyse complex situations adequately. This chapter describes the problems that arise when standard methods are applied and explores the use of methods that support the analysis of multiple variables and temporal dimensions for evaluating changes and development.
DSS-CMM
Authors: El-Gayar Omar F. , Deokar Amit V. , Tao Jie
Published: March 2013

While DSS development methodologies and implementation research are abound in the DSS literature, a gap still exists in terms of the ability to provide a holistic conceptual structure for improving the management and development of decision support systems, the ability to capture and share understanding of key DSS development processes, and most notably, the ability to provide guidance for DSS development and process improvements. This paper proposes a Decision Support System Capability Maturity Model (DSS-CMM). The model leverages related DSS literature and input from DSS researchers and practitioners to identify pertinent DSS development processes and capability levels. From a theoretical perspective, DSS-CMM provides a meta-model for DSS development processes and represents the first maturity model specifically targeting DSS development. From a practical perspective, the model provides a framework for organizations to assess the capability level of their DSS development processes and devise process improvement initiatives to address any limitations with existing practices.
Visualization-Based Decision Support Systems
Authors: Sauter Vicki L. , Mudigonda Srikanth , Subramanian Ashok , Creely Ray
Published: March 2013

Increasingly, decision makers are incorporating large quantities of interrelated data in their decision making. Decision support systems need to provide visualization tools to help decision makers glean trends and patterns that will help them design and evaluate alternative actions. While visualization software that might be incorporated into decision support systems is available, the literature does not provide sufficient guidelines for selecting among possible visualizations or their attributes. This paper describes a case study of the development of a visualization component to represent regional relationship data. It addresses the specific information goals of the target organization, various constraints that needed to be satisfied, and how the goals were achieved via a suitable choice of visualization technology and visualization algorithms. The development process highlighted the need for specific visualizations to be driven by the specific problem characteristics as much as general rules of visualization. Lessons learned during the process and how these lessons may be generalized to address similar requirements is presented.
Strategic Development of a Decision Making Support System in a Public R&D Center
Authors: Escobar-Toledo Carlos E. , Martínez-Berumen Héctor A.
Published: March 2013

Decision making in new technologies is a crucial activity to raise competitiveness, especially for technology organizations. The decision-making process requires the use of information technology tools, since the information amount is large and requires reliable methods for collecting, accessing, storing, processing, distributing, and evaluating, in order to provide reliable information to decision makers. The strategy of an organization must take into account the integration of this aspect with other organizational functions. This paper presents a proposal to integrate new elements into the IT strategy, considering the interactions with other organizational functions, defining an implementation and transition plan that takes into account the organization dynamics, which has limited resources and, therefore, requires a gradual and long term transition plan. This paper refers as case study to a Mexican Public R&D Center, which has re-engineered its operating model with a systems approach.
Development and Application of a Spreadsheet-Based Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS)
Authors: Oryspayev Dossay , Sugumaran Ramanathan , DeGroote John
Published: March 2013

Spatial decision support systems (SDSS) are decision support tools which have been used widely in addressing complicated issues involving a spatial component. The use of SDSS has increased greatly over the last few decades especially in fields such as planning, natural resources management, and environmental science. Traditionally, SDSS have been developed with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology as a major component and used in application areas in which the use of GIS technology has been common. GIS software is often expensive and requires significant expertise, which can lead to under-utilization of GIS-based SDSS. In this paper, we describe the development of a freely available SDSS extension developed for Microsoft Excel, a very commonly used spreadsheet application. The purpose of this SDSS is to expand potential SDSS use to a wider potential audience for research, management, and teaching purposes.
An Image Region Description Method Based on Step Sector Statistics and its Application in Image Copy-Rotate/Flip-Move Forgery Detection
Authors: Chen Likai , Lu Wei , Ni Jiangqun
Published: March 2013

A robust method for local image region feature description based on step sector statistics is proposed in this paper. The means and the standard deviations along the radial direction of the circle image region are extracted through the sector masks, and the rearrangement of these statistics makes this image region description method rotation-robust. The proposed description method is applied in the detection of copy-rotate-move forgery, and it can detect the exact rotation angle between the duplicate regions. With minor extension, the proposed description method can also be applied in the detection of copy-flip-move forgery. The experimental results show that the proposed description method can work well for the detection of copy-rotate/flip-move forgery.
A Study on Embedding Efficiency of Matrix Encoding
Authors: Yu Lifang , Shi Yun Q. , Zhao Yao , Ni Rongrong , Cao Gang
Published: March 2013

In this paper, the authors examine embedding efficiency, which influences the most concerned performance of steganography, security, directly. Embedding efficiency is defined as the number of random message bits embedded per embedding change. Recently, matrix embedding has gained extensive attention because of its outstanding performance in boosting steganographic schemes’ embedding efficiency. Firstly, the authors evaluate embedding change not only on the number of changed coefficients but also on the varying magnitude of changed coefficients. Secondly, embedding efficiency of matrix embedding with different radixes is formularized and investigated. A conclusion is drawn that ternary matrix embedding can achieve the highest embedding efficiency.
Spam 2.0 State of the Art
Authors: Hayati Pedram , Potdar Vidyasagar
Published: March 2013

Spam 2.0 is defined as the propagation of unsolicited, anonymous, mass content to infiltrate legitimate Web 2.0 applications. A fake eye-catching profile in social networking websites, a promotional review, a response to a thread in online forums with unsolicited content, or a manipulated Wiki page are examples of Spam 2.0. In this paper, the authors provide a comprehensive survey of the state-of-the-art, detection-based, prevention-based and early-detection-based Spam 2.0 filtering methods.
Pypette
Authors: Lempereur Brett , Merabti Madjid , Shi Qi
Published: March 2013

Live digital forensics presents unique challenges with respect to maintaining forensic soundness, but also offers the ability to examine information that is unavailable to quiescent analysis. Any perturbation of a live operating system by a forensic examiner will have far-reaching effects on the state of the system being analysed. Numerous approaches to live digital forensic evidence acquisition have been proposed in the literature, but relatively little attention has been paid to the problem of identifying how the effects of these approaches, and their improvements over other techniques, can be evaluated and quantified. In this paper, the authors present Pypette, a novel platform enabling the automated, repeatable analysis of live digital forensic acquisition techniques.
Probabilistic Evaluation of SMS Messages as Forensic Evidence
Authors: Ishihara Shunichi
Published: March 2013

This study is one of the first likelihood ratio-based forensic text comparison studies in forensic authorship analysis. The likelihood-ratio-based evaluation of scientific evidence has started being adopted in many disciplines of forensic evidence comparison sciences, such as DNA, handwriting, fingerprints, footwear, voice recording, etc., and it is largely accepted that this is the way to ensure the maximum accountability and transparency of the process. Due to its convenience and low cost, short message service (SMS) has been a very popular medium of communication for quite some time. Unfortunately, however, SMS messages are sometimes used for reprehensible purposes, e.g., communication between drug dealers and buyers, or in illicit acts such as extortion, fraud, scams, hoaxes, and false reports of terrorist threats. In this study, the author performs a likelihood-ratio-based forensic text comparison of SMS messages focusing on lexical features. The likelihood ratios (LRs) are calculated in Aitken and Lucy’s (2004) multivariate kernel density procedure, and are calibrated. The validity of the system is assessed based on the magnitude of the LRs using the log-likelihood-ratio cost (Cllr). The strength of the derived LRs is graphically presented in Tippett plots. The results of the current study are compared with those of previous studies.
A Comprehensive Survey of Event Analytics
Authors: Gidwani T. , Argano M. J. , Yan W. , Issa F.
Published: March 2013

Analytics has emerged as an important area of study as it avoids further incidents or risks after the events have occurred; this is done by analysing computer events and making further statistics. The purpose of this survey is to gain knowledge for the authors’ own event knowledge database which will consist of how unusual events work and how they are related to other events. The algorithms mentioned in this paper have been used to build their future development, resulting in a knowledge database designed to be similar to an internet browser engine where it can search events and their relationships. The research and algorithms have helped the authors to decide on the technology they will be using for the knowledge database.
The Need for Digital Evidence Standardisation
Authors: Grobler Marthie
Published: March 2013

Continuous developments in forensic processes and tools have aided in elevating the positioning of digital forensics within the legal system. The equally continuous developments in technology and electronic advances, however, are making it more difficult to match forensic processes and tools with the advanced technology. Therefore, it is necessary to create and maintain internationally accepted standards to control the use and application of digital forensic processes. This article addresses this need and touches on the motivation for such internationally recognised standards on digital evidence. It also looks at current work in and progress towards the establishment of digital evidence related documents addressing all phases of the digital forensic process.
What is the Secret of Successful University Brands?
Authors: Chapleo Chris
Published: March 2013

This paper examines branding and how the concept adds value to organizations beyond the usual focus of consumer product marketing. In particular, the focus of exploring branding conceptualizations associated with successful higher education brands in a UK context makes a contribution to a little researched but increasingly topical area. The UK focus was chosen for this initial stage with a view to later comparison with other markets such as the United States where branding of universities has a longer track record. The literature was examined and the concept of ‘successful’ brands explored. The research approach involved generating constructs to determine what underpins a successful university brand, and subsequently testing these among a larger sample of UK university ‘customers.’ Findings explore the variables that underpin successful university brands and significant relationships among these variables. Ultimately, the paper offers initial conclusions on what underpins a successful university brand and proposes variables associated with such brands.
Identifying the Basis for Segmenting Higher Education
Authors: Mourad Maha , Shamma Hamed M.
Published: March 2013

This paper reviews the developments taking place in the Higher Education (HE) industry. The focus of the research is to identify the main variables used to segment universities in Egypt. The research is qualitative in nature as the dimensions for segmentation were derived based on a series of in-depth interviews followed by two focus groups. Perceived quality and level of internationalization were found to be the two most important dimensions for classifying HE institutions in Egypt. These two dimensions formed the basis of a two-by-two matrix, which was used to segment HE universities into four main segments. The four HE segments that were identified are: legacy, prestigious, imitators, and the uncertain. Each quadrant was identified based on the level of perceived quality and the degree of internationalization. The matrix is useful for universities’ administrators to identify their current position and assess their future positioning strategies.
They’re Here, Now How Do You Keep Them?
Authors: Cook Ruth Gannon
Published: March 2013

This is a case study of a class of first year traditional college-age students enrolled in a class that assessed measures to orient new students and enlist them in becoming committed to completing their degrees. The motivation of the university that designed the course was two-fold: to help students develop good time management and study skills; and to nurture student loyalty to retain them through graduation at this university. The study followed a small class of 18-20 year old first year students through their first semester at a mid-sized western public university. The results of the study indicated that while many factors affect students’ attitudes and retention throughout their college years, simple measures of enlistment and peer-mentoring fared best to positively influence student attitudes and responses in the college-orientation class; and, peer involvement offered the most promise of future brand commitment to student retention at the university.
The Use of Facebook as a Marketing Tool by Private Educational Institutions in Singapore
Authors: Leng H. K.
Published: March 2013

With social network sites growing in popularity, many organisations have started to use this platform to market themselves. However, marketing on social network sites is different from traditional marketing. Its value lies in engaging members of the social network and generating shared cultural meaning of the advertised brand rather than promoting awareness of the brand to a large number of people. This is not apparent to marketers and as such, many organizations are not leveraging on this media tool effectively. This paper examines the use of Facebook as a marketing tool by private educational institutions offering degree programmes in Singapore and investigates the extent that these educational institutions are leveraging on this new marketing communications tool. The findings suggest that marketing on social network sites remains in its infancy. Educational institutions in Singapore have started to use social network sites as a marketing communications tool. However, as the majority of visitors were using social network sites as an extension to existing mediums for seeking information, there is clearly the potential for the educational institutions to move to the next level in leveraging on social network sites to engage its members and generating a shared cultural meaning of their brands.
Marketing to and Developing Faculty Members to Create High Quality, Highly Interactive Online Courses
Authors: Hargis Jace
Published: March 2013

In this paper, the author shares a detailed process for soliciting and securing exemplar faculty members, who are ready to redesign and offer their course in a high quality online environment. The goal is to help faculty create highly engaging online learning opportunities as good as or better than their current face to face classes. Interested faculty members submitted a competitive proposal, and were selected to interact in a highly dynamic three day short course. The course introduced and applied learning theories as a mechanism to help faculty develop their materials, so that learners could attend, process, retain and use meaningful conceptually-based material. The outcome of the program was targeted, high quality online courses; word of mouth support and requests for short courses from our law and dental schools.