bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mathematical Retrieval Techniques for Online Mathematics Learning
Authors: Van Tien Le , Tho Quan Thanh , Cheung Hui Siu
Published: May 2011

In recent years, the number of computer-aided educational softwares in mathematics field has been increasing. Currently, there are some research prototypes and systems assisting finding mathematical problems. However, when finding appropriate mathematical expressions, most of these systems only support mechanisms to search expression in a strict exact manner, or search some similar problems based on wildcard, not on the similarity of expression structures and semantic meanings. Such mechanisms restrict users significantly from achieving meaningful and accurate search results of mathematical expressions. In this chapter, we introduce a mathematical retrieval system that helps mathematics learners self-study effectively. The most important module in our system is the math-retrieving system module, which received the analyzed problems submitted from users, retrieves solutions from similar stored problems and ranks the retrieved problems to users. To fulfill these requirements, we have researched and proposed some advanced mathematical retrieval and mathematical ranking techniques. Experiments have shown that our proposed techniques highly suitable for mathematical retrieval as they outperformed the techniques used in typical document retrieval system
Researching Community in Distributed Environments
Authors: Dennen Vanessa Paz , Myers Jennifer B. , Suggs Christie L.
Published: May 2011

In this chapter we examine how a variety of research approaches can be applied to the study of cross-blog interactions. Cross-blog interactions can be challenging to study because of they often require the researcher to reconsider traditional notions of temporality, discourse space, and conversation. Further, in many instances they are neither static nor well defined; defining the beginning and end of a discussion as well as locating all components of the discussion can be difficult. For this reason, we advocate a blend of six approaches (social network analysis, content analysis, discourse analysis, conversation analysis, narrative analysis, and ethnography). For each, we discuss strengths and limitations and provide examples of how the approach may be used to help fully capture the complexity of these interactions. Additionally we discuss web-based tools that are helpful when engaged in this type of research.
Challenges of Analyzing Informal Virtual Communities
Authors: Poon Nancy , Daniel Ben K.
Published: May 2011

Drawing from previous research, this chapter presents major challenges associated with the analysis of interaction patterns in informal virtual communities. Using social network as well as content analysis to understand the structure and nature of interaction in such virtual communities, the goal was understand the physical structure of the community as well as the nature of the themes discussed by community members in an attempt to build a theoretical model of interactions.
Tracer Studies
Authors: Brigham Nancy
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces Tracer Study methodology, a cost-effective, capacity building tool for evaluating the operations and effectiveness of Virtual Communities of Practice (VCoPs). We make the argument that a VCoP is a dynamic, continually evolving entity, whose characteristics distinguish it in important ways from naturally occurring or purposively planned communities of practice operating in the face-to-face world. As a result, VCoPs lend themselves to evaluation by means of Tracer Studies, a methodology that originated in the field of knowledge utilization, and has been adapted to assess how a VCoP operates and the extent to which it is successful in promoting knowledge use and dissemination. The chapter provides historical background on VCoPs, defines Tracer Studies and demonstrates the types of information that may be derived from a Tracer Study evaluation. We also discuss the application of Tracer Study methodology to the evaluation of VCoPs sponsored by a private education organization.
Embracing ICT by the Jordanian Education System
Authors: Abuhmaid Atef
Published: May 2011

This chapter discusses the experience of adopting information and communication technologies (ICT) by the Jordanian education system. The discussion tackles the Jordanian Ministry of Education’s endeavour to update the education system for the Knowledge Economy by shedding light on its two main recent initiatives - Education Reform for the Knowledge Economy (ERfKE) and the Jordanian Education Initiative (JEI). Both projects included ICT as a key component for upgrading the education system for the Information Age. Jordan’s location in the heart of the Middle East as well as the countries scarce resources available for development makes education reform a challenging task for the education system. The chapter discusses the Jordanian education system’s approach in reforming itself through the adoption of ICT.
Mobile Telephony, Public and Private Planning and Regulation
Authors: Peel Deborah , Lloyd Greg
Published: May 2011

The global connectivity, experience and opportunities afforded by the expansion of modern informational mobility is particularly evident in the sustained expansion of mobile, cell and smart phones which are held to offer important social and economic benefits to individuals, businesses and governments. In practical terms, these are held to provide greater spatial mobility and connectivity, whilst potentially contributing to economic competitiveness, social emancipation, and territorial cohesion. Yet, the invisible connectivity afforded by such devices necessitates a visible physical infrastructure in rural and urban localities. This chapter discusses the technological, environmental and socio-economic implications of providing a mobile telephony infrastructure through a case study of the land use planning regulatory framework in the UK. Specific reference is made to Scotland which introduced statutory planning regulation in the public interest. This chapter explores the theoretical dimensions of the regulatory challenge of mobile telephony from a public and private perspective.
MicroRNA Precursor Prediction Using SVM with RNA Pairing Continuity Feature
Authors: Yang Huan , Wang Yan , Joshi Trupti , Xu Dong , Yu Shoupeng , Liang Yanchun
Published: May 2011

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous single-stranded non-coding RNAs of ~22 nucleotides in length and they act as post-transcriptional regulators in bacteria, animals and plants. Almost all current methods for computational prediction of miRNAs use hairpin structure and minimum of free energy as characteristics to identify putative pre-miRNAs from a pool of candidates. We discovered a new effective feature named “basic-n-units” (BNU) to distinguish pre-miRNAs from pseudo ones. This feature describes pairing continuity of RNA secondary structure. Simulation results show that a classification method, called Triplet-SVM-classifier, achieved an accuracy of 97.24% when this BNU feature was used. This is a 3% increase caused solely by adding this new feature. We anticipate that this BNU feature may increase the accuracy for most classification methods.
Agonist Fluctuation Maintained Calcium Signaling in a Mesoscopic System
Authors: Ji Lin , Wang Haiyan
Published: May 2011

Signals in transduction cascades are widely exposed to stochastic influences. In this work, we investigate the effects of agonist release noises on calcium signaling. Besides the usually considered “amplitude noise”, the case of “frequency noise” is also discussed. Simulation results show that the transduction cascades may amplify these noises when its intensity is bigger than certain critical value. The amplified noise show constructive effect to maintain the calcium signaling in critical signal-free cases. Moreover, the signal is more sensitive to the “frequency noise” than to the “amplitude noise”. This suggests frequency fluctuations in signaling cascades may have greater influence than the amplitude ones, which is an important finding for signal transduction in complex pathways. Since biological systems are inherently stochastic, this work demonstrates how the calcium system takes advantage of the environmental fluctuations to maintain signaling, and therefore provide effective, sensitive signal communication.
Root Water Uptake Model of Populus Euphratica in Desert Riparian Forest in Extreme Arid Region
Authors: Tian Yongzheng , Si Jianhua , Feng Qi , Cao Shengkui
Published: May 2011

Plant root water uptake is a key way to transfer soil water to the atmosphere. It is an important part of the research on water transforming patterns in the SPAC (Soil-Plant-Air Continuum). So understanding the water absorption patterns of plant root system is a base to recognize the SPAC. Recently there are many studies on the water absorption patterns of plant root system. However, the researched plants are mostly crops and the main researched areas are regions with adequate precipitation. There are only a few studies on the water absorption of natural plants in extreme arid desert regions. This paper studied the root water absorption patterns of Populus euphratica and established the corresponding mathematical model based on the data of root density and soil water dynamics in root zone in desert riparian forest in extreme arid region. The finite difference method was used to discretize the soil water movement equation with evaporation boundary conditions. Numerical simulation analysis of soil water movement in root zone of Populus euphratica showed that the simulated values were consistent with the measurement values with 92-98% precision. This work provides a theoretical basis for the study of water movement in the SPAC.
Integrated Marketing Communications and Their Application to the Open Education Field
Authors: Stoltenkamp Juliet , Mapuva Jephias
Published: May 2011

Among those communication and marketing tools that will inform the basis of this chapter will be the blog whose introduction into the ICT interface has livened communication and interaction among users. This chapter will therefore deliberate on the various marketing tools and their application to open education, with prevalence being on the blog tool.
From Consumer to Prodsumer
Authors: Koçak Goknil Nur
Published: May 2011

This chapter aims to open a discussion on how tertiary level students of 21st century transform from passive receivers of courses to producer – consumers. The chapter brings up a new term that is “prodsumer.” The term explains that students assume two roles simultaneously. By designing the learning programs, deciding the technology, and by choosing the source of information, they become producers of their service package. On the other hand, by consuming the package that they initially created, they are consumers too. A new era is opening up, and in this new era students will assume and practice the “power” which they had never before. When the power of producer and consumer is united in one hand, this will initiate a new look to the age old marketing marketing paradigm. Thus, such conception will certainly be the milestone of new argumentations.
Educational Marketing
Authors: Cook Ruth Gannon
Published: May 2011

This chapter addresses the effectiveness of down-to-earth marketing efforts over cloud management in both recruitment and retention of students in educational institutions and presents some possible options for utilizing both to maximize recruitment and retention in higher educational settings.
Applying the Corporate Identity in Mega Universities’ Web Sites
Authors: Ozturk Mesude Canan
Published: May 2011

It can be seen that due to increasing importance of public relation efforts, mega universities started to assign more place to corporate identity elements in their web pages. Those universities also include visual corporate identity in their web pages. Those institutions may differentiate themselves from other universities only via their corporate identities. Corporate identity studies are of importance for increasing awareness on the institution and promoting recognizability. The aim of current study is to reveal the way mega universities utilize web pages as public relations tools in order to provide information on their corporate identities to the target audience. As a consequence of this examination, practices are revealed which are implemented by mega universities with tremendous target audience in order to take attention of the target audience and introduce the institution.
Cross-Cultural Comparison of Student Perceptions and Performance in a Multicultural, Interdisciplinary and Bilingual Online Educational Project
Authors: Cuadrado-Garcia Manuel , Ruiz-Molina María-Eugenia
Published: May 2011

Exchange agreements between universities and new technologies are influencing the education-learning process during the past few years. E-learning has become an educational tool with several applications and the main aim of facilitating student learning process and adapting it to the social and professional reality. In this study, the authors present an online project based on a multicultural, interdisciplinary, and bilingual collaboration developed between two European universities: the University of Valencia (Spain) and the London School of Economics and Political Science (United Kingdom) through the free access academic platform, Moodle. Additionally, the chapter examines the significant differences in student perceptions and performance and problems arising from cultural differences.
Standardization, Hybridization, or Individualization
Authors: Mense Evan G. , Fulwiler John H. , Richardson Michael D. , Lane Kenneth E.
Published: May 2011

With student population on the rise globally, colleges and universities face daunting new challenges to accommodate the increased demand for services (Marginson, 2006). The historic threshold of 100 million students worldwide has been crossed and the prospect of reaching the figure of 125 million students will be attained before 2020 (NCES, 1993). Important increases in student numbers are reported in all regions, particularly in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Arab countries, and in Eastern and Central Europe (Altbach & Balan, 2007).
Promoting Online Education for New Working Environments in Companies
Authors: Hamburg Ileana , Terstriep Judith , Engert Steffi
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, results of European studies and projects coordinated also by authors i.e. ARIEL (Analysing and Reporting on the Implementation of Electronic Learning in Europe) and SIMPEL are presented showing that IT-based online learning activities in companies often face a series of problems. Secondly, some issues related to the design of new working environments are presented, particularly the aspect of learning in new working environments. This is followed by a presentation of the concept of Communities of Practice (CoPs) as an interesting approach to cooperative learning by using online methods, particularly based on Web 2.0. The concept of Cluster is also presented. In the final section, some conclusions are presented.
The Meditation Chamber
Authors: Shaw Chris , Gromala Diane , Song Meehae
Published: May 2011

The Meditation Chamber is an immersive virtual environment (VE), initially created to enhance and augment the existing methods of training users how to meditate, and by extension, to realize the benefits from meditation practice, including the reduction of stress, anxiety and pain. Its innovative combination of immersive virtual reality (VR) and biofeedback technologies added interoceptive or dimensions of inner senses to the already sensorially rich affordances of VR. Because the Meditation Chamber enabled users to become aware of autonomic senses that they are not normally conscious of, and to manipulate them in real-time, we found that it did enhance users’ abilities to learn how to meditate, particularly those who had never meditated. We describe the Meditation Chamber, scientific methods of evaluation and findings, and discuss first-person phenomenological aspects, its long-term applicability for users who have chronic pain, and future directions.
The Virtual World of Cerberus
Authors: Kiss Jocelyne , Soueina Sidi , Laliberté Martin , Elmaghraby Adel
Published: May 2011

While exploring autonomous evolution concepts for virtual worlds, we will present a new design Cerberus an avatar singer who can accompany a singer, perform alone and make his song evolves using simple past events. This 3D interactive facial animated avatar was made thanks to virtools software. The main originality of Cerberus is to develop his own melody by using learning machines and constantly improve his musical style and emotions. Cerberus is implemented using competitive learning rules to trained artificial neural networks in order to perform these self-improvements. Self-improvements is a key of our learning capacity, The challenge of building a virtual singer that could promotes his own improvisation is an open research field (Minsky, 2000).We will expose the difficulties of the synchronization in real-time between the voice and animation to generate the right emotion, also the difficulties of establishing a classification which could be in contradiction with the ontology of the musical fact. Also we will expose the necessity of developing avatars that use the amazing potentialities of spike-timing-dependent plasticity concept (Abraham, & Bear, 1996), that hence metaplasticity. This powerful concept enhance the potentiality of avatar design and give the impression that the avatar has a memory and simulate “feelings” linked to a context.
Digital Media and the Quest for the Spiritual in Art
Authors: Chavez Ina Conradi
Published: May 2011

‘On earth, painters, sculptors, musicians, dream dreams of exquisite beauty, creating their visions by the powers of the mind, but when they seek to embody them in the coarse materials of earth they fall short of the mental creation. The marble is too resistant for perfect form, the pigments too muddy for perfect color. In heaven all they think is at once reproduced in form, for the rare and subtle matter of the heaven- world is mind staff, the medium in which the mind normally works when free from passion and it takes shape with every mental impulse. Each man, therefore, in a very real sense, makes his own heaven, and the beauty of his surroundings is indefinitely increased, according to the wealth and energy of his mind’ (Besant) (Ringbom, 1986).
Plastika [Totipotenta]
Authors: Nyeki Catherine
Published: May 2011

Over the last ten years, my work has developed into a biotope abounding in diversity, a sort of virtual “vivarium” composed of interactive pieces, musical creations, drawings and writings in numerous sketchbooks, films and installations. A digital work of art is by definition non-uniqueness; it is potentially transformable at any moment. It is both fascinating and intriguing to have access to such a “plastic material”. My artistic research, which has flexible boundaries and echoes that of today’s nanosciences, genetics and cell biology, has gradually led me to improve certain personal concepts like the sensitive microscope, tactile laboratory, imaginary incubator, parallel botany, nano evolutions, visible and audible strata, multilingual semantic zoo, bud cell, virtual tissue, body graft… and the list goes on. My contribution’s title, Plastika [Totipotenta], is taken from my last solo exhibition in Paris that brought together recent works related to plasticity, questioning a sort of constantly evolving “modeling clay”-type thinking. This chapter is an invitation to question the various levels of plasticity concepts applied to some of my latest works that have been inspired by current biotechnology and my recent collaboration with a cell biologist.
Crafting a Personalised Agent-Oriented Mobile E-Learning Platform for Adaptive Third Level Education
Authors: Ayoola Olapeju Latifat , Phelan Eleni Mangina
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents the architecture of an agent-based m-Learning platform, “Personalised Ubiquitous Learning Platform” (PULP), which incorporates adaptive personalisation and collaborative learning for the development of enhanced e-learning. The main objective of this platform is to provide University College Dublin with a single supported intelligent mobile learning environment that will promote adaptive and collaborative learning, human computer interaction on mobile clients anywhere, anytime and also to provide useful recommendation about available educational resources. The system aims to enhance the students’ learning experience in third level educational environment.
Privacy Expectations in Passive RFID Tagging of Motor Vehicles
Authors: Desierto Diane A.
Published: May 2011

This paper describes Bayan Muna et al. v. Mendoza et al., a 2009 Philippine Supreme Court petition involving the first and ongoing certiorari challenge to the Philippine government’s implementation of passive Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in the registration of all motor vehicles in the Philippines. As a matter of constitutional jurisprudence and policy, the passive use of RFID technology in this context does not infringe constitutionally-protected privacy expectations, entirely consistent with the Executive Branch’s law enforcement powers. The paper shows how the proposed RFID tagging of motor vehicles in the Philippines satisfies the tests of reasonable expectations, and by dealing only with already publicly available information, avoids spectral fears of data mining and government abuse.
Flexible Implementation of Industrial Real-Time Servo Drive System
Authors: Ben Salem Ahmed Karim , Abdelkrim Hedi , Ben Saoud Slim
Published: May 2011

The research presented in this chapter deals with the design and implementation of Real-Time (RT) control systems applying advanced Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGAs). The chapter proposes a promising flexible architecture that uses RT Operating System (RTOS) and ready-to-use Intellectual Properties (IPs). The authors detail an approach that uses software closed control loop function blocks (FB), running on embedded processor cores. These FBs implement the different control drive sub-modules into RTOS tasks of the execution environment, where each task has to be executed under well defined conditions. Two RTOSes are evaluated: µC-OS/II and Xilkernel. The FPGA embedded processor cores are combined with reconfigurable logic and dedicated resources on the FPGA. This System-on-Chip (SoC) has been applied to electric motors drive. A comparative analysis, in terms of speed and cost, is carried-out between various hardware/software FPGA-based architectures, in order to enhance flexibility without sacrificing performance and increasing cost. Case studies results validate successfully the feasibility and the efficiency of the flexible approach for new and more complex control algorithms. The performance and flexibility of FPGA-based motor controllers are enhanced with the reliability and modularity of the introduced RTOS support.
A Reasoning Community Perspective on Deliberative Democracy
Authors: Yearwood John , Stranieri Andrew
Published: May 2011

This chapter describes some of the current approaches to deliberative democracy and then considers them from the perspective of a reasoning community framework. This approach highlights important tasks, processes and structures that can be used to enhance the processes of groups engaging in deliberative democracy approaches. In particular it focuses attention on the potential for technologies to support groups in achieving broad agreed structured reasoning bases that capture the scope of an issue from multiple perspectives.
Methods of Group Decisions and Aggregation of Experts’ Opinions
Authors: Vanícek Jirí , Vrana Ivan , Aly Shady
Published: May 2011

Expert evaluation is often the most reliable way to predict results of a certain process. Estimates from several experts are usually needed in order to achieve correct decision making. This chapter presents and systematically sorts methods for aggregation expert opinions with respect to specific features of the decision making process. Based on information theory, the chapter introduces concepts for understanding expert consensusand also discusses the impact of suppressing/emphasizing extreme estimates or of unequally valuing individual estimates. This chapter addresses the estimation of YES/NO binary results as well as numeric values of a certain attribute and also considers cases when only an estimate or a dispersion of opinions of experts is considered.
Indexing as an Ontological Support for Legal Reasoning
Authors: Schweighoferf Erich
Published: May 2011

Legal reasoning is still insufficiently understood. Formalisations of legal reasoning have failed so far, due in particular to the non-consideration of societal and legal complexity. Thus, the network of co-operative reasoning and its compilation and analysis should be represented by an index of legal and fact concepts of a legal ontology. The Dynamic Electronic Legal Commentary (DynELCom) constitutes such a semantic description and analysis of the legal information system. Knowledge acquisition tools support the establishment and refinement of the extensive ontology. Since a first ontology exists in European law, international law and Austrian law, this chapter also presents early experiments on EU state aid law which show the feasibility of the approach. Next steps will be a deep refinement of the ontology and the development of a dialogue system.
Web Technologies and Reasoning Communities
Authors: Miller Charlynn , Smith Philip
Published: May 2011

The popularity of the Internet, coupled with a reduction in traditional community participation has resulted in maturation in the way that people use Web 2.0 technologies to support communities. Reasoning communities come together to make decisions or form courses of action on particular topics. This chapter investigates how traditional Web (1.0), Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 technologies can be used to support the four phases of the process that reasoning communities typically undergo to achieve their results.
Trust in Virtual Communities
Authors: Casaló Luis V. , Flavián Carlos , Guinalíu Miguel
Published: May 2011

Individuals are increasingly turning to computermediated communication in order to get information on which to base their decisions. For instance, many consumers are using newsgroups, chat rooms, forums, e-mail list servers, and other online formats to share ideas, build communities and contact other consumers who are seen as more objective information sources (Kozinets, 2002). These social groups have been traditionally called virtual communities. The virtual community concept is almost as old as the concept of Internet. However, the exponential development of these structures occurred during the nineties (Flavián & Guinalíu, 2004) due to the appearance of the World Wide Web and the spreading of other Internet tools such as e-mail or chats. The justification of this expansion is found in the advantages generated by the virtual communities to both the members and the organizations that create them.
Millenials, Social Networking and Social Responsibility
Authors: Ferris Sharmila Pixy
Published: May 2011

In this chapter the author explores Millenials’ participation in the public good, investigating whether they use social networking for social responsibility. Millenials, the wired, connected generation for whom social networking is an essential aspect of life, are often criticized for their lack of social responsibility. Social networking, as new media uniquely a part of Millenials’ wired and connected lifestyles, has the potential to “transform citizenship.” To investigate Millenials’ social networking and social responsibility, a Webnography was conducted. Findings go against conventional wisdom as the author found that Millenials use social networking to take social and political action, engage in social entrepreneurship, and conduct charitable solicitation and donation.
In Search of Social Television
Authors: Harboe Gunnar
Published: May 2011

This chapter provides an introduction to and overview of social television, in an attempt to find the real meaning of the term. It explores the history and current state of social television, looks at a number of examples of Social TV systems and their features, compares different definitions of the term, and outlines dimensions of design that have been used to organize the topic. The author argues that historically the notion of social television is intimately bound up with television itself, and that the two remain difficult to separate even today. The convergence of content and communication to create social media is turning Social TV into a reality and in the process turning television into what it was originally intended to be.
Development and Implementation of E-Government Services in Turkey
Authors: Balci Asim , Kumas Erhan , Medeni Tunç D.
Published: May 2011

Development and extensive use of information and communication technologies has led to important implications for public sectors throughout the world. As a result, in governmental services, citizens have been enjoying better quality services, in an efficient and effective manner. e-government, however, is more related to “government” rather than the “e” as the technical and technological one. The challenge is to use technologies to improve the capacities of government institutions, while improving the quality of life of citizens by redefining the relationship between citizens and their government. Accordingly, this chapter focuses on e-government applications highlighted to reach a more citizen centric e-government in Turkey. Especially, two concepts of e-government, content management system and measuring citizens’ satisfaction from e-services are underlined. Therefore, after giving a theoretical background first on e-government, content management and then measuring e-services satisfaction, new developments towards these concepts are accounted.
Social Network Analysis for Virtual Communities
Authors: Domínguez
Published: May 2011

The social network analysis (SNA) method is a set of methods considered these days as a paradigm or a method that offers “the mapping and measuring of relationships and flows between people, groups, organizations, animals, computers or other information/knowledge processing entities. The nodes in the network are the people and groups while the links show relationships or flows between the nodes. SNA provides both a visual and a mathematical analysis of human relationships. Management consultants use this methodology with their business clients and call it organizational network analysis (ONA).” (Krebs, 2005)
Virtual Community Models in Relation to E-Business Models
Authors: Shan Lee Moh , Sutanto Juliana , Kankanhalli Atreyi , Tan Bernard C.Y.
Published: May 2011

Virtual communities were initially recognized as social phenomena. This is evident from the definition of virtual community as “a social aggregation that emerges from the Net when enough people carry on public discussions long enough, with sufficient human feeling, to form webs of personal relationships in cyberspace” (Rheingold, 2000, p. 5). The idea of a virtual community as a profitable business model was subsequently raised by Hagel and Armstrong (1996, 1997) who claimed that the benefits of a virtual community would arise from two aspects: from the unique capabilities of the digital medium where the virtual community is located in and from the virtual community model itself. The latter aspect is what differentiates virtual communities from other online Web sites. Unlike other online Web sites, a virtual community is intended to create a “sense of community” that binds individuals to the Web site and serves as the “push” factor for repeat visits. Table 1 summarizes some of the proposed business benefits stemming from a virtual community (Bank & Daus, 2002; Hagel & Armstrong, 1996, 1997). Although the startup cost of a virtual community is comparatively low, the costs of maintaining it are significantly higher (Hagel & Armstrong, 1997; Kim, 2000). Therefore the decision of whether to create a virtual community in support of an e-commerce Web site is not to be taken lightly. Critics have also questioned the validity of the suggested benefits of a virtual community, particularly since there are no clear-cut measures to verify that these benefits can be attributed to the virtual community. Additionally, the fundamental premise which the virtual community relies on for its success, that is, its unique capacity for interaction amongst members and/or with the company (Balasubramanian & Mahajan, 2001; Lechner & Hummel, 2002; Mynatt, O’Day, Adler, & Ito, 1997), is subject to high risks of failure. This is because customers can always turn this capability to the company’s disadvantage by spreading adverse comments about the company’s products and services. Hence, a virtual community actually has the means to work both for as well as against the company sustaining it. This article seeks to explain how virtual communities can be made to work for the organization by proposing a fit between the virtual community model to be adopted and the company’s e-business goals.
Blogs as a Social Networking Tool to Build Community
Authors: Kervin Lisa , Mantei Jessica , Herrington Anthony
Published: May 2011

This chapter examines blogging as a social networking tool to engage final year preservice teachers in reflective processes. Using a developed Web site, the students post their own blogs and comment upon those of others. The authors argue that opportunity to engage with this networking experience provides avenue for the students to consider their emerging professional identity as teachers. The blogging mechanism brought together the physical university context and virtual online environment as students identified, examined and reflected upon the intricacies of what it means to be a teacher. The authors hope that examining the findings that emerged from this research will inform other educators as to the affordances of blogging as a social networking tool.
Course Management Meets Social Networking in Moodle
Authors: Crosslin Matt
Published: May 2011

Moodle is currently one of the more popular opensource course management systems in online education. Some evaluations have also indicated that Moodle is one of the top-rated programs when compared to other open-source course management systems (Graf & List, 2005). The creators of Moodle describe their program as a course management system built on social constructivist pedagogy. Social constructivist pedagogy is a collaborative approach to learning based upon the works of Jerome Bruner, Lev Vygotsky, and Jean Piaget. Moodle’s unique focus on pedagogy allows online learning to cross over from the traditional educational realm of factual recall and rote memorization into the realm of social networking. Social networking has recently become one of the more popular uses of the Internet, with sites like MySpace and FaceBook attracting millions of users every month. Social networking Web sites began to appear on the Internet around 2002 (Downes, 2005). Social networks are now seen as an important component of modern society – even in educational contexts (Finin, Ding, Zhou, & Joshi, 2005). Current online social networking sites thrive on social constructivism pedagogy – whether the users or designers know this or not.
On the Social Shaping of the Semantic Web
Authors: Kidd Paul T.
Published: May 2011

Addressed in this chapter is the Social Shaping of the Semantic Web in the context of moving beyond the workplace application domain that has so dominated the development of both Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs), and the Social Shaping of Technology perspective. The importance of paradigms and the values that shape technology are considered along with the utility value of ICT, this latter issue being somewhat central in the development of these technologies. The new circumstances of ubiquity and of uses of ICT beyond mere utility, as a means of having fun for example, are considered leading to a notion of the Semantic Web, not just as a tool for more effective Web searches, but also as a means of having fun. Given this possibility of the Semantic Web serving two very different audiences and purposes, the matter of how to achieve this is considered, but without resorting to the obvious and rather simple conceptual formulation of the Semantic Web as either A or B. The relevance of existing Social Shaping of Technology perspectives is addressed. New thoughts are presented on what needs to be central to the development of a Semantic Web that is both A and B. Key here is an intelligent relationship between the Semantic Web and those that use it. Central to achieving this are the notions of the value of people, control over technology, and non-utility as a dominant design principle (the idea of things that do not necessarily serve a specific purpose).
RSS in Virtual Organizations
Authors: Chan Tom
Published: May 2011

Rich site summary (RSS) is a type of XML document used to share Web contents. Originally designed by Netscape (http://www.netscape.com) to create customize Web channels, RSS has been adopted by news syndication services, Weblogs, Webcasting and online information services. RSS is thus also known as “Really Simple Syndication”. While around for many years, it is now quickly gaining momentum owing to RSS’s active “content-push” technology. RSS is also attractive because of the growing problems of spam making e-mail content delivery extremely challenging. As the data is in XML, RSS information can be handled by a large number of devices. The strength of RSS is its simplicity and universality. It is exceptionally easy to syndicate and deliver site content using RSS; and it is also very easy for the users to read RSS data feeds.
Social TV from a Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Perspective
Authors: Gross Tom , Paul-Stueve Thilo , Fetter Mirko
Published: May 2011

Social TV provides co-located and geographically distributed TV spectators with facilities for jointly watching television and for social interaction. In this chapter the authors discuss Social TV from a computer-supported cooperative work perspective by introducing Social TV, presenting computersupported cooperative work and its requirements for technological support of social interaction, and by identifying key issues of Social TV concepts and applications—thereby particularly focussing on group awareness, communication, and seamless integration. In particular, this chapter aims to provide users and developers of Social TV systems with concepts and base technology from computer-supported cooperative work and ubiquitous computing as a basis of advanced Social TV.
Application of Adult Learning Theory in Distance Learning
Authors: Grant Mary Rose
Published: May 2011

Adult learning theory suggests that adults need to perceive the relevance and purpose of learning in order to learn most effectively. Grounded in the notion that adults frame their own learning objectives, are self-directed and active participants in their learning, require constructive feedback and want opportunities to practice new skills, online and virtual learning environments are well suited for adult learners and are directly based on adult learning principles. Virtual environments provide opportunities for adults to construct learning based on what they already know and apply what they are learning in the instructional setting. An online instructor is an adult learning expert. Using adult and constructivist learning theories and current knowledge about web-based andragogy, this chapter will focus on the characteristics and learning preferences of adult-learners in virtual learning environments and recommend instructional design and teaching strategies to encourage behaviors that influence student engagement, retention and learning.
Individual Differences in Social Networking Site Adoption
Authors: Gangadharbatla Harsha
Published: May 2011

This chapter focuses on detailing the role of five individual level factors—Internet self-efficacy, self-esteem, need to belong, need for information, and gender—in influencing the attitudes toward social networking sites (SNS) and the adoption of such sites. First, the growing importance of social networking sites in business is discussed, and their usage as advertising vehicles is outlined. Individual differences in SNS adoption are presented from a technology acceptance model framework. A paper-pencil-based survey is conducted and data obtained is used to test a structural model that explains the role of individual-level factors in influencing individuals’ attitudes toward SNS, their willingness to join SNS, and their actual membership on SNS. Results are presented and managerial implications are drawn.
Asynchronous Communication
Authors: Amento Brian , Harrison Chris , Nathan Mukesh , Terveen Loren
Published: May 2011

With the advent of digital video recorders and video-on-demand services, the way in which we consume media is undergoing a fundamental change. People today are less likely to watch shows at the same time, let alone the same place. As a result, television viewing which was once a social activity has been reduced to a passive, isolated experience. CollaboraTV was designed to address this new mode of television viewing by directly supporting asynchronous communication. We demonstrated its ability to support this communal viewing experience through a lab study and a month-long field study. Our studies show that users understand and appreciate the utility of asynchronous interaction, are enthusiastic about CollaboraTV’s engaging social communication primitives and value implicit show recommendations from friends. Our results both provide a compelling demonstration of a social television system and raise new challenges for social television communication modalities.
Destructive Creativity on the Social Web
Authors: Wheeler Steve
Published: May 2011

The use of group oriented software, or groupware, encourages students to generate their own content (McGill et al, 2005) and can foster supportive and dynamic communities of learning (Shaikh & Macauley, 2001). One form of open architecture groupware known as the Wiki is freely available online in several versions, and enables tutors to quickly set up online spaces which can be edited by students, at any time and from any location. Online social spaces of this nature can be used to encourage creative writing and to engage students in critical discourse through focused discussion, but Wikis also have disruptive potential and can cause dissent and disharmony within the group. This chapter aims to highlight some uses of the wiki as a social writing tool, reporting on student perceptions of the limitations and benefits. The chapter also focuses on the tension between creative and destructive uses of wikis and concludes by offering recommendations on the effective use of wikis in mainstream higher education. The use of interview data gathered from a study conducted with a group of student teachers in 2007 is included to support the key messages of this chapter.
The Social Requirements of Technical Systems
Authors: Whitworth Brian
Published: May 2011

A socio-technical system (STS) is a social system built upon a technical base. An STS adds social requirements to human-computer interaction (HCI) requirements, which already add to technical (hardware and software) requirements. Socio-technical systems use technology to connect people socially, for example through e-mail, electronic markets, social network systems, knowledge exchange systems, blogs, chat rooms, and so forth. Yet while the technology is often new, the social principles of people interacting with people may not be. The requirements of successful social communities, whether mediated by computers or the physical world, may be similar. If so, socio-technical systems must close the gap between social needs and technical performance, between what communities want and what the technology does. If online society is essentially a social system, of people interacting with people, social principles rather than the mediating technology should drive its design. Societies create value through social synergy, which is lost for example when people steal from others, whether time (spam), money (scams), credibility (lying), reputation (libel) or anything else of value. The success of today’s global information society depends upon designing the architecture of online interaction to support social goals. This chapter briefly reviews some of the emerging requirements of STS design.
From Software to Team Ware
Authors: Sofo Francesco
Published: May 2011

Social interaction technologies have made it possible for teams to exist in a virtual reality. Such change to the workplace status quo requires a new appreciation of the ways in which team members can create, maintain, transmit and influence their competitiveness and effectiveness. This chapter explores the concepts of virtual teams and online culture; it analyses the key requirements for the successful functioning of virtual teams; for instance, building trust, consolidating authentic communication flows and thinking critically. Commencing with a review of the current research, the chapter concentrates on the rise of virtual teams, the key dimensions, and the importance of establishing online learning cultures to ensure high performance. Additionally, pitfalls of virtual teams and recommendations for enhancing their work are presented.
Trust in Social Networking
Authors: Kennedy Max , Sakaguchi Toru
Published: May 2011

This chapter attempts to understand the trust in social network services, where users post their personal information online to everyone with or without any specific relationships. Many definitions of trust were examined through a literature review in electronic commerce and virtual community areas, and it was found that most of them were based on a specific relationship, such as a buyer-seller relationship. However, one concept of trust—generalized trust, also known as dispositional trust—was found to best fit the situation of social networking. Generalized trust in social networking is further discussed from a cultural viewpoint. As an example, a Japanese SNS, Mixi, was analyzed in detail. Future research direction on trust in social networking is discussed as well.
Virtual Communities of Practice
Authors: Gammelgaard Jens
Published: May 2011

In geographically dispersed organizations, like multinational corporations (MNCs), contextual gaps exist between senders and receivers of knowledge. Employee socialization resulting from physical proximity facilitates contextualization of the transferred knowledge. However, in MNCs most knowledge transfers take place through virtual communication media. We investigate the phenomenon of virtual communities of practice, and propose them to be efficient for individual’s knowledge retrieval as participation in such communities reduces the contextual gaps between senders and receivers of knowledge. However, the organization must provide a knowledge-sharing friendly culture, and an institutional protectionism, in order to establish the required level of swift trust within the virtual community.
Moving from E-Government to T-Government
Authors: Weerakkody Vishanth , Dhillon Gurjit
Published: May 2011

The UK government is striving towards a vision for government-wide transformation, in which local authorities and central government departments are endeavouring to work with each other to deliver better services to citizens via a one-stop-shop environment for all services under the guise of electronic government (e-government). Having successfully e-enabled customer facing processes, the UK government is now working towards reengineering and e-enabling back office processes and information systems to facilitate more joined-up and citizen centric e-government services; these efforts are referred to as the transformational stage of e-government or T-Government. This paper seeks to explore what T-Government means to local authorities in the UK and what process related challenges have to be overcome to successfully implement transformational change in local government.