bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Robust Face Recognition for Data Mining
Authors: Lovell Brian C. , Chen Shaokang
Published: May 2011

While the technology for mining text documents in large databases could be said to be relatively mature, the same cannot be said for mining other important data types such as speech, music, images and video. Yet these forms of multimedia data are becoming increasingly prevalent on the Internet and intranets as bandwidth rapidly increases due to continuing advances in computing hardware and consumer demand. An emerging major problem is the lack of accurate and efficient tools to query these multimedia data directly, so we are usually forced to rely on available metadata, such as manual labeling. Currently the most effective way to label data to allow for searching of multimedia archives is for humans to physically review the material. This is already uneconomic or, in an increasing number of application areas, quite impossible because these data are being collected much faster than any group of humans could meaningfully label them — and the pace is accelerating, forming a veritable explosion of non-text data. Some driver applications are emerging from heightened security demands in the 21st century, post-production of digital interactive television, and the recent deployment of a planetary sensor network overlaid on the Internet backbone.
Situated Multimedia for Mobile Communications
Authors: Hakkila J. , Mantyjarvi J.
Published: May 2011

This chapter examines the integration of multimedia, mobile communication technology, and context-awareness for situated mobile multimedia. Situated mobile multimedia has been enabled by technological developments in recent years, including mobile phone integrated cameras, audio-video players, and multimedia editing tools, as well as improved sensing technologies and data transfer formats. It has potential for enhanced efficiency of the device usage, new applications, and mobile services related to creation, sharing, and storing of information. We introduce the background and the current status of the technology for the key elements constructing the situated mobile multimedia, and identify the existing development trends. Then, the future directions are examined by looking at the roadmaps and visions framed in the field.
Multimedia Learning Designs
Authors: Keppell M. , Gunn J. , Hegarty K. , O’Conner V. , Kerse Ngaire , Kan Karen , Messer Louise B. , Bione Heather
Published: May 2011

This chapter describes the learning design of two multimedia modules which complement a problem-based learning health sciences curriculum. The use of student-centred, authentic learning design frameworks guide academics and instructional designers in the creative pedagogical design of learning resources. The chapter describes the educational context, learning design of two multimedia modules and suggests a number of strategies for improving the design and development of multimedia resources.
Feature-Based Multimedia Semantics
Authors: May M.
Published: May 2011

The aim of this chapter is to sketch a semantic taxonomy of representational forms (or “sign types” in the terminology of semiotics) relevant for the compositional analysis, design, and indexing of multimodal multimedia, specifically, in the domain of instructional design of learning objects, and to contribute to current attempts to bridge the “semantic gap” between the technical and spatio-temporal description of media objects and the contextual perception and interpretation by users of their content.q
Adaptive Narrative Virtual Environments
Authors: Steiner K.
Published: May 2011

Narratives are an important method of human-to-human communication. Combining the power of narrative with the flexibility of virtual environments (VEs) can create new and innovative opportunities in education, in entertainment, and in visualization. In this chapter, we explore the topic of narrative VEs. We describe the characteristics and benefits of narrative VEs, review related work in VEs and in computer-generated narrative, and outline components of an architecture for managing narrative VEs. We present the current status of our work developing such an architecture and conclude by discussing what the future of narrative VEs may hold.
Teaching, Learning and Multimedia
Authors: Butcher-Powell Loreen Marie
Published: May 2011

“We must not forget that almost all teaching is Multimedia” (Schramm, p.37). Today, the magnetism of multimedia is clearly oblivious via the use of streaming video, audio clips, and the Internet. Research has shown that the use of multimedia can aid in the comprehension and retention of student learning (Cronin & Myers, 1997; Large Behesti, Breulex & Renaud, 1996; Tennenbaum, 1998). As a result, more educators are utilizing Web-based multimedia materials to augment instruction online and in the classroom. This chapter provides a theoretical framework for transforming Student Centered Discussion (SCD), a traditional based pedagogy strategy, to a new multimedia pedagogy SCD strategy. The new multimedia SCD pedagogy represents a new way of teaching and learning. As a result, positive responses and feedback have been collected from students in their ability to interpret facts, compare and contract material, and make inferences based on recall of information previously presented or assigned in article readings.
An Agent-Oriented Perspective on E-Bidding Systems
Authors: Jureta Ivan , Kolp Manuel , Faulkner Stéphane
Published: May 2011

Today, high volume of goods and services is being traded using online auction systems. The growth in size and complexity of architectures to support online auctions requires the use of distributed and cooperative software techniques. In this context, the agent software development paradigm seems ap-propriate both for their modeling, development and implementation. This chapter proposes an agent-oriented patterns analysis of best practices for online auction. The patterns are intended to help both IT managers and software engineers during the requirement specification of an on-line auction system while integrating benefits of agent software engineering.
Using Semantic Web Concepts to Retrieve Specific Domain Information from the Web
Authors: Cunha Cardoso Rafael , da Fonseca de Souza Fernando , Salgado Ana Carolina
Published: May 2011

Currently, systems dedicated to information retrieval/extraction perform an important role on fetching relevant and qualified information from the World Wide Web (WWW). The Semantic Web can be described as the Web’s future once it introduces a set of new concepts and tools. For instance, ontology is used to insert knowledge into contents of the current WWW to give meaning to such contents. This allows software agents to better understand the Web’s content meaning so that such agents can execute more complex and useful tasks to users. This work introduces an architecture that uses some Semantic Web concepts allied to Regular Expressions (REGEX) in order to develop a system that retrieves/extracts specific domain information from the Web. A prototype, based on such architecture, was developed to find information about offers announced on supermarkets Web sites.
Study of Protein-Protein Interactions from Multiple Data Sources
Authors: Ho Tu Bao , Nguyen Thanh Phuong , Tran Tuan Nam
Published: May 2011

The objective of this paper is twofold. First is to provide a survey of computational methods for protein-protein interaction (PPI) study. Second is to introduce our work and results in using inductive logic programming to learn prediction rules for PPI and DDI (domain-domain interactions) from multiple data sources. We show advantages of ex-ploiting various types of data in these important problems of bioinformatics.
Dynamic Contexts and Concepts as a Set of State Variations Under Emerging Functions
Authors: De Luca Stefano , Quattrociocchi Walter
Published: May 2011

In this paper we present a new agent-based model, CDYS – Complex DYnamic System, for intelligent, flexible, and context-aware multi-modal interaction on autonomous system. This model is focused on context models which facilitate the communication and the knowledge representation with an highly-customized and adaptable representation and distribution of the entities composing the environment. CDYS uses information from multiple perceptions and provides proactive real-time updates and context-specific guidance in the state representation and synthesis. Our work includes the design of interaction, evolution, context definition by states and ontologies; communication, context, task models based on these ontologies, a set of representations of perception to drive agent behavior, communication, and a compatible integration of rules and machine learning aimed to improve information retrieval and the Semantic web. Currently, we have completed the first stage of our research, producing first pass Ontologies, models, and the interaction to apply genetic algorithm to improve the global ontology, by local ontology representation, tested with an initial prototype of a small-scale test-bed on clustering for self improving of the agent’s knowledge base .Our approach is based on social systems in context-aware applications, informed by Autopoietic Systems, to use a system (an agent) that is able to describe and manage the evolution of its environment and of the knowledge base in the autopoietic based model.
Cellular Automata
Authors: Bossomaier Terry
Published: May 2011

In this chapter we present a view of cellular automata (CAs) as the quintessential complex system and how they can be used for complex systems modelling. First we consider theoretical issues of the complexity of their behaviour, discussing the Wolfram Classification, the Langton, lambda parameter and the edge of chaos. Then we consider the input entropy as a way of quantifying complex rules. Finally we contrast explicit CA modelling of geophysical systems with heuristic particle based methods for the visualisation of lava flows.
Innovation Diffusion Among Heterogeneous Agents
Authors: Ratna Nazmun N. , Dray Anne , Perez Pascal , Grafton R. Quentin , Kompas Tom
Published: May 2011

In this paper we apply Agent-Based Modelling (ABM) to capture the complexity of the diffusion process depicted in Medical Innovation, the classic study on diffusion of a new drug Tetracycline by (Coleman, Katz, & Menzel, 1966). Based on our previous model with homogenous social agents, Gammanym (Ratna, Dray, Perez, Grafton, Newth, & Kompas, 2007), in this paper we further our analysis with heterogenous social agents who vary in terms of their degree of predisposition to knowledge. We also explore the impact of stage-dependent degrees of external influence from the change agent, pharmaceutical company in this case. Cumulative diffusion curves suggest that the pharmaceutical company plays a much weaker role in accelerating the speed of diffusion when a diffusion dynamics is explored with complex agents, defined as heterogenous agents under stage-dependent degrees of external influence. Although our exploration with groups of doctors with different combination of social and professional integration signifies the importance of interpersonal ties, our analysis also reveals that degree of adoption threshold or individual predisposition to knowledge is crucial for adoption decisions. Overall, our approach brings in fresh insights to the burgeoning policy literature exploring complexity, by providing necessary framework for research translation to policy and practice.
FinSim
Authors: Outkin Alexander , Flaim Silvio , Seirp Andy , Gavrilov Julia
Published: May 2011

We present in this chapter an overview of a financial system model (FinSim) created by the authors at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The purpose of this model is to understand the impacts of external disruptions to the financial system, in particular disruptions to telecommunication networks and electric power systems; and to model how those impacts are affected by the interactions between different components of the financial system, e.g. markets and payment systems, and by individual agents actions and regulatory interventions. We use agent-based modeling to represent the interactions within the financial system and the decision-making processes of banks and traders. We model explicitly message-passing necessary for execution of financial transactions, which allows a realistic representation of the financial system dependency on telecommunications. We describe implementation of the payment system, securities market and liquidity market components; and present a sample telecommunications disruption scenario and its preliminary results.
A Hybrid and Novel Approach to Teaching Computer Programming in MIS Curriculum
Authors: Ritzhaupt Albert D. , Gill T. Grandon
Published: May 2011

This chapter first discusses the opportunities and challenges of computer programming instruction for management information systems (MIS) curriculum, which includes the development of survey instruments and the meaningful integration of information and communication technology. Second, the chapter describes a unique and hybrid computer programming course for MIS curriculum that embraces an assignment-centric design, self-paced assignment delivery, low involvement multimedia tracing instructional objectives, and online synchronous and asynchronous communication. Third, the development and use of a survey is employed as a method to monitor and evaluate the course, while providing an informative discussion with descriptive statistics related to the course design and practice of computer programming instruction. Tests of significance show no differences on overall student performance or satisfaction using this instructional approach by gender, prior programming experiences, or work status. This chapter aims to provide generalizable knowledge to influence the practice in computer programming instruction in MIS curriculum.
What Organizes the World
Authors: Abdoullaev Azamat
Published: May 2011

Relationship as a primary constituent of reality setting a mutual order of things in the world commonly involves a large number of the terms or components or arguments that it interrelates. Realistic, actual, factual, existent, or real relationships consist of a multitude of elements, or parts, or terms, thus being polyadic, N-term connections. This implies that a true modeling of N-relational entities should consider their real nature, types, and properties (ontology) as well as the meanings of their correlatives (semantics) and formal attributes (mathematics). The first considers the reality of relations, telling us: • How they exist, intrinsically and inherently (in the very nature of things) or extrinsically and extraneously (as connections among things) • What kinds of relational species are there • How relationships are classified The second one indicates the primary meanings (definition or intension) with the connotative senses (extension) of the relations, or how they draw their meanings, from the correlative terms or from the relation itself. The third expresses the relationships in terms of mathematical sets, quantities, variables, functions, arguments, and values.
How to Represent the World
Authors: Abdoullaev Azamat
Published: May 2011

As far as human knowledge about the world is commonly given in NL expressions and as far as universal ontology is a general science of the world, the examination of its impact on natural language science and technology is among the central topics of many academic workshops and conferences. Ontologists, knowledge engineers, lexicographers, lexical semanticists, and computer scientists are attempting to integrate top-level entity classes with language knowledge presented in extensive corpora and electronic lexical resources. Such a deep quest is mostly motivated by high application potential of reality-driven models of language for knowledge communication and management, information retrieval and extraction, information exchange in software and dialogue systems, all with an ultimate view to transform the World Wide Web into a machine-readable global language resource of world knowledge, the Onto-Semantic Web. One of the practical applications of integrative ontological framework is to discover the underlying mechanisms of representing and processing language content and meaning by cognitive agents, human and artificial. Specifically, to provide the formalized algorithms or rules, whereby machines could derive or attach significance (or signification) from coded signals, both natural signs obtained by sensors and linguistic symbols.
Reality Classification System
Authors: Abdoullaev Azamat
Published: May 2011

The urgent necessity of a true knowledge society is mainly caused by the fact that the natural unity of world knowledge is badly destroyed by the modern system of scientific, formal research and education. For example, the harmful consequences of the greenhouse effect were predicted and explained by S. Arrenhuis. Only because the fragmented learning could not be available to the right people in the right place at the right time, the phenomenon should be reopened again after a 100 years bringing almost irreparable consequences of worldwide reach. Division of labor and increasingly narrowing specialization are making knowledge irreparably fragmented and scattered, and thus producing a confusing multitude of disunited scientific and technological communities and associations, often duplicating the same R&D programs even within the same community, like the Semantic Web projects in the EU Framework Programs. Due to modern information technologies and particularly the Net, there is a sea wealth of information recorded in gigantic databases. This may be mastered only by more advanced information technology, knowledge machines with a built-in common ontology framework, a single code of fundamental standards, principles, rules, and laws, suggesting a broad, integrated model of all the world things. This may alter the whole knowledge production system in an essential way, ending up in a radically new type of human society, the intellectual knowledge society, driven by the (reality)-centered semantic technology.
Service Concepts
Authors: Karakostas Bill , Zorgios Yannis
Published: May 2011

Services are something we routinely experience in everyday life as consumers. Also, depending on our profession, we may deal with services as providers. School teachers, hairdressers, and airline pilots are three examples of professions that offer services to consumers. The typical domestic dwelling is connected to several services such as services for drainage, electricity, and water supply. Architects and house builders take into account the local availability of external services and arrange the house’s drainage, heating and plumbing accordingly. Gas heating, for example, requires the availability of a gas supply service. If such service is not available, the house’s heating system must be based on an alternative fuel such as oil. This will, in turn, impact other decisions about the design of the house, such as, for example, the provision of space for an oil storage tank.
Web Enhanced vs. Traditional Approach for a Science Course
Authors: Kuleshov Gennadiy
Published: May 2011

The use of web enhanced curriculum to teach and reinforce science concepts based on specific learning objectives has been a positive experience for faculty and students. This chapter provides a review of the rapid development of web enhanced science courses as a teaching-with-technology alternative to the traditional approach. The main theme of the article is a step by step introduction to the design, implementation, and usage of a computer-aided system in teaching undergraduate science (physics, mathematics, electronics, and chemistry) courses with an adequate laboratory experience. These steps are (i) the learning management system evaluation and selection; (ii) computerized course curriculum adjustment to a web-based format; (iii) the simulations (virtual labs) and animated illustrations if needed; (iv) the establishment of threaded discussion board where each student is expected to participate in discussions moderated by a professor; (v) computerized test set ups; (vi) student feedback summarization and analysis.
Digital Storytelling as a Tool in Education
Authors: Nilsson Monica E.
Published: May 2011

The aim of this chapter is to discuss digital storytelling in the context of education. Two questions guide the study: What is a digital story? What is the motivation for making a digital story? I have examined short multimodal personally-told digital stories published on the Internet. As a theoretical framework for the discussion I have compared digital storytelling with storytelling traditions in the oral and the written culture. The result implies that the definition of a digital story depends on what is considered a narrative. By transcending what has traditionally been considered narrative and by defining narrative in a broader sense, digital storytelling is an innovative tool and serves as a promising activity facilitating learning and development in the post modern society.
Improving Online Readability and Information Literacy
Authors: Loucky John Paul
Published: May 2011

This chapter integrates important challenges of how to improve accessibility, readability and learnability of online content. It is concerned with issues of how to create effective and enjoyable contents for online learning that is linguistically accessible, textually comprehensible and readable for foreign language learners. Information literacy is an umbrella term encompassing computer, critical, digital, and media literacy. Yet a crucial area for research is the overlap of traditional reading literacy and new forms of online and digital library literacy. This area seems to have been largely overlooked and under-researched. This chapter elucidates how various threads can be more skillfully woven together so as to enhance online reading and language learning skills. The aim is to gain insights that enhance online learning and integrate information literacies in foreign language education.
Technology-Enhanced Learning in the Corporate Context
Authors: Margaryan Anoush , Collis Betty
Published: May 2011

This paper focuses on tools and strategies to integrate the strengths of formal and informal learning in the corporate context via the use of work-based activities within courses. The following proposition is argued: An effective course in the corporate context becomes a blend of formal and informal learning, a guided opportunity to learn from and share experiences gained through work-based activities, and to contribute one’s own experiences as learning resources for others, for use in both formal and informal learning settings. Examples from practice in a multinational corporate learning context where a number of courses have been redesigned to allow integration of formal and informal learning are given. Key issues and challenges arising from this experience are discussed.
Virtual Learning Environment Blends
Authors: McClelland Robert J.
Published: May 2011

This work is concerned with the evolution of blended learning supports for university students in moving from early Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) platforms and supports that were designed and facilitated by academics to those platforms designed commercially (particularly Blackboard) and developed using a mixture of commercial, collaborative and e-learning supports. The chapter is an examination of a range of issues including production of learning resources and student learning approaches. It concludes by highlighting the importance of innovation and variety in the learning blend with increased reliance on digital collections and for learning approaches student experiences were evaluated as positive when undergoing problem-based approaches and were seen as stimulated to engage with e-learning materials based on the structure and operation of action learning sets.
Learning and Meaning Making in the Virtual Space
Authors: Selander Staffan , Åkerfeldt Anna
Published: May 2011

School pedagogy is being questioned. Increasing migration as well as increasing access to information and new patterns of communication are challenging traditional school work and school curricula. Teachers’ and students’ positions as didactic agents seem to be changing. The individualized curriculum puts new demands on schools. Teachers not only function as subject experts but also as individual “coaches” or “mentors”. To a greater degree than ever before students are obliged to understand their own learning paths and develop strategies for their school work. A new perspective on learning is needed to capture these changes in learning in institutional settings. Our aim is to outline a new perspective on designs for learning.
Information Technology/Systems Offshore Outsourcing
Authors: Raisinghani Mahesh S. , Starr Brandi , Hickerson Blake , Morrison Marshelle , Howard Michael
Published: May 2011

The offshore outsourcing of information technology and information systems (IT/IS) is being increasingly practiced among firms that are focusing on core competencies and cost-effectiveness. With the increase in offshore IT/IS operations, a growing number of companies are encountering negative experiences and unpredicted results. The analysis performed in this chapter reveals the possible risks and perceived success factors of companies outsourcing IT/IS operations offshore. The major points of interest are operational and strategic risks; legal contracts; cultural, security, and financial issues; and noted success factors by companies that participate in offshore outsourcing. The research indicates the importance of risk identification and the formulation of strategic plans that include preventive, detective, and corrective control methods of implementation and evaluation. Effective methods and metrics for measuring the success or failure of IT/IS offshore outsourcing operations is expected to be a continuing development with the increasing growth of this phenomenon.
The Use of Outsourcing as a Business Strategy
Authors: Misra Ram B.
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, we discuss how a leading telecommunications software development company went about outsourcing some phases of the system development life cycle (SDLC) of network management systems in order to achieve both the short-term tactical goals as well as the long-term strategic goals. We present a framework consisting of seven factors that should be used by companies using outsourcing as a business strategy. This framework was used to analyze the outsourcing practices used by this company. The framework includes the driving forces for offshore outsourcing, the selection process of outsourcing vendors and the infrastructure (communication links, hardware, software, and organizational structure) that was needed to insure that the outsourced work meets company’s internal quality requirements, which are derived from CMM5 and ISO9001 certifications. We also present the challenges of making these things happen, what worked well, and the lessons learned.
Historic Perspective of Log Analysis
Authors: Penniman W. David
Published: May 2011

This historical review of the birth and evolution of transaction log analysis applied to information retrieval systems provides two perspectives. First, a detailed discussion of the early work in this area, and second, how this work has migrated into the evaluation of World Wide Web usage. The author describes the techniques and studies in the early years and makes suggestions for how that knowledge can be applied to current and future studies. A discussion of privacy issues with a framework for addressing the same is presented as well as an overview of the historical “eras” of transaction log analysis. The author concludes with the suggestion that a combination of transaction log analysis of the type used early in its application along with additional more qualitative approaches will be essential for a deep understanding of user behavior (and needs) with respect to current and future retrieval systems and their design.
Topic Analysis and Identification of Queries
Authors: Ozmutlu Seda , Ozmutlu Huseyin C. , Spink Amanda
Published: May 2011

This chapter emphasizes topic analysis and identification of search engine user queries. Topic analysis and identification of queries is an important task related to the discipline of information retrieval which is a key element for the development of successful personalized search engines. Topic identification of text is also no simple task, and a problem yet unsolved. The problem is even harder for search engine user queries due to real-time requirements and the limited number of terms in the user queries. The chapter includes a detailed literature review on topic analysis and identification, with an emphasis on search engine user queries, a survey of the analytical methods that have been and can be used, and the challenges and research opportunities related to topic analysis and identification.
HSM
Authors: Rath Annanda Thavymony , Krithivasan Saraswathi , Iyer Sridhar
Published: May 2011

Traditionally, Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) deploy proxy servers at strategic locations at the edge of the network to efficiently serve client requests. With the tremendous growth in multimedia applications and the number of clients accessing such applications, an edge proxy server may serve clients connected to it through a multihop network of heterogeneous links. Further, a special class of multimedia applications that can tolerate startup delays is emerging. In such applications, clients require a minimum acceptable quality (loss-free transmission at a minimum encoded rate ri) and the start of playback at a specific time (t + di) where t is the current time and di is the delay tolerance acceptable to client i. Our work deals with enhancing performance of such networks through a Hybrid Streaming Mechanism (HSM). In HSM, a client’s request triggers the selection of an intermediate node as a streaming point to which multimedia contents are dynamically transferred from the proxy/source, and this streaming point streams the contents to the client. Transferred contents are temporarily cached at the streaming point to service future requests for the same content. HSM helps a Content Service Provider’s objective of satisfying as many client requests as possible and providing enhanced quality to clients given their delay tolerance. Simulation results demonstrate that by leveraging the delay tolerance of clients and by combining the dynamic download and streaming mechanisms, HSM performs better than directly streaming from edge servers, serving on average 40% more client requests.
Multimedia Transcoding in Mobile and Wireless Networks
Authors: Lian Shiguo
Published: May 2011

Secure multimedia transcoding is a challenge that operates the encrypted multimedia content directly. For example, the encrypted multimedia data’s bit rate is changed directly in order to adapt a narrow channel. However, since it avoids the triple operations decryption-transcoding-re-encryption, it is suitable for the application scenarios requiring low cost operations, such as wireless or mobile multimedia communication. In this chapter, the secure transcoding scheme for scalable video coding is proposed and analyzed, together with the introduction to scalable video coding and multimedia encryption, the overview of existing secure transcoding schemes, and some open issues in this field. The chapter is expected to provide researchers or engineers valuable information on secure multimedia transcoding and communication.
Multimedia Transcoding in Wireless and Mobile Networks
Authors: Masadeh Shadi R. , Salameh Walid K.
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents a keyless self-encrypting/decrypting system to be used in various communications systems. In the world of vast communications systems, data flow through various kinds of media, including free air. Thus the information transmitted is free to anyone who can peer it, which means that there should be a guarding mechanism so the information is transmitted securely over the medium from the sender to the intended receiver, who is supposed to get it in the first place and deter the others from getting the information sent. Many encryption systems have been devised for this purpose, but most of them are built around Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) wherein public key cryptography, a public and private key, is created simultaneously using the same algorithm (a popular one is known as RSA) by a certificate authority (CA). The private key is given only to the requesting party, and the public key is made publicly available (as part of a digital certificate) in a directory that all parties can access. The private key is never shared with anyone or sent across the medium. All of the commonly used encryption systems exchange keys that need to be generated using complex mathematical operations that take noticeable time, which is sometimes done once, and exchanged openly over unsecured medium. We are proposing an expandable keyless self-encrypting/decrypting system, which does not require the use of keys in order o minimize the chances of breaching data exchange security and enhance the data security of everyday communications devices that are otherwise insecured.
Image Watermarking Algorithms Based on the Discrete Wavelet Transform
Authors: Al-Haj Ali
Published: May 2011

In the last decade, many digital image watermarking algorithms have been proposed and implemented; however, algorithms based on the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) have been widely recognized to be more prevalent than the others. This is due to the wavelets’ excellent spatial localization, frequency spread, and multiresolution characteristics, which are similar to the theoretical models of the human visual system. In this chapter, we describe three DWT-based digital image watermarking algorithms. The first algorithm watermarks a given image in the DWT domain, while the second and third algorithms improve the basic algorithm by combining DWT with two powerful transforms. The second algorithm is a hybrid algorithm in which DWT and the discrete cosine transform (DCT) are combined. The third algorithm is also a hybrid algorithm in which DWT and the singular value decomposition transform (SVD) are combined. Performance evaluation results show that combining DWT with DCT or SVD improved the imperceptibility and robustness performance of the basic DWT-based digital watermarking algorithm. Finally, the ideas described in the chapter can be easily extended to watermarking multimedia objects that include audio and video data contents.
Knowledge Transfer and Collaboration Structures for Online Science
Authors: Downing Kevin F. , Holtz Jennifer K.
Published: May 2011

Technological innovations in the area of digital media have opened up the possibility for a great number of inventive ways to share and transfer knowledge in online science learning environments. Knowledge transfer may involve interaction between a learner and learning resources such as ‘learning objects’, or conversely knowledge transfer and sharing may be social, that is to say between individuals and/or groups. The types of knowledge transfer that can now be hybridized in educational settings are delineated by Puntschart (2005) as follows: 1) technology-enhanced versus face to face, 2) asynchronous versus synchronous, 3) voluntary versus obligatory, 4) self-directed versus externally controlled, 5) learning object transfer versus person to person, and 6) open versus closed communities. Such a wide variety of interaction options gives way to a variety of communication and collaboration approaches in online science education. Many of these options prospectively support more individualized learning. For example, learning scenarios are now possible where a science student conducts online remote experiments sponsored by another institution in the dead of night in the absence of an instructor. Moreover, a student may opt out of attending an onsite class session in favor of a streaming video lecture where they still contribute to the discussion through an m-learning device. Alternatively, a student may pursue learning at his or her own pace and learning style by reviewing relevant digital library learning objects on a science subject.
Online Geoscience
Authors: Downing Kevin F. , Holtz Jennifer K.
Published: May 2011

Complimenting the geoscience examples reviewed in the Online Science Strategies section of this book, our focus in Chapter 11 is to present a more discipline-centered review of representative published examples from the geosciences. Our review takes account of courses, virtual fieldtrips, virtual laboratories, collaboration, virtual science museums and the relationship of the emerging cyberinfrastructure to the geosciences. Our goal is to provide the reader with a diversity of models and resources to consider in the development of new online or blended geoscience courses or to support the systematic improvement of existing ones. Additionally, our impetus here is to highlight the particular design requirements to achieve learning outcomes in an online science course, such as the design of practical work. Our discussion begins with a review of recent trends in undergraduate geoscience education.
A Didactic Model for the Development of Effective Online Science Courses
Authors: Downing Kevin F. , Holtz Jennifer K.
Published: May 2011

In our final chapter, we present a didactic model for online science instruction based upon best practices in both science education and online education coupled with insights from the diverse and substantial literature reviewed in previous chapters. Our goal is to present the reader a process flow through key course design steps bringing together original learning design structures with sensible paradigms from the literature. The general structure of our model is comparable to the three-part convention described by Hegarty-Hazel (1990) that includes planning, design and implementation phases.
English-Language Teaching with Learning Objects at PUCPR
Authors: Torres Patrica Lupion , de Cassia Veiga Marriott Rita , Ferreira Ramos Andreia
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents the experience of production and use of learning objects (LOs) for English-language learning at the Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Parana (PUCPR), Brazil. PUCPR made its first steps towards online education in 1995 when it started developing its virtual learning environment. Along this trajectory, the need was felt to look for technological resources for the development of digital didactic material. This led to the creation of the Web-based Student Support System (SAAW) by the Center for Educational Technologies. In this research, we developed a case study as the basis for this small data-collection study to elucidate and analyze perceptions and information supplied by the study population. This study was carried out by students studying for a Master’s in Education and taking the “Theory and Practice in Distance Education” module. The English-language LO was considered to be satisfactory and to facilitate the teaching learning process.
The Use of the CMC Tool AMANDA in the Teaching of English
Authors: Irala Esrom Adriano , Torres Patrica Lupion
Published: May 2011

This chapter belongs to the context of the computer-mediated communication (CMC) for language teaching and learning. Since the introduction of this new communication method, new paths for the teaching and learning of languages have been opened. In this research, virtual discussions in the English language about polemical topics were carried out through the use of the AMANDA program. This program features artificial intelligence principles in the discussion coordination, diminishing the tutor’s workload in the task of coordinating the discussions. The goal of this research was to observe the contributions of the CMC tool for the learning of English by the participating students. In total, 83 upper-intermediate English level students took part. The analyses and final considerations concentrate on the evaluation of the program used as well as the positive and negative aspects observed during this research for the teaching/learning of the English language.
Listening Comprehension of Languages with Mobile Devices
Authors: Djoudi Mahieddine
Published: May 2011

The use of the mobile devices in language learning has been developed at a very high speed in the last years. Thus, we are witnessing many research and development projects set in universities and distance learning programs. However, the interest in research related to listening comprehension competence remains relatively low. Our proposed research examines mobile devices such as MP3 players, laptops, PDAs, and cell phones in a mobile learning environment for studying English as a foreign language at a French university. One focus is on pedagogy; therefore, a major part of our research is on developing, evaluating, and analyzing listening comprehension activities, and then composing activities into a curriculum. The chapter starts with the presentation of mobile learning, language skills, and listening comprehension. It then presents our approach of the use of mobile devices for learning English as a second language. Finally, a learner evaluation methodology is presented. The chapter ends with the conclusion and future trends.
WebCT Design and Users' Perceptions in English for Agriculture
Authors: Camino Bueno Alastuey Ma
Published: May 2011

The adaptation to the European Space of Higher Education and to the new demands of the labor market has produced a shift in university education, which has changed from being teacher-centered to being learner-centered. Following this trend, at the Public University of Navarre, a blended course of English for Agriculture was created using the virtual platform WebCT. In this chapter, we forward a description of content organization and resources used, analyze students’ attainments and perceptions, and finally conclude with a reflection on the effect various organizations have produced in students, together with future trends in the use of WebCT in our context.
Adapting to Virtual Third-Space Language Learning Futures
Authors: Gesche Astrid
Published: May 2011

This chapter provides a basis for thinking about the dynamics and boundaries of foreign language learning in virtual learning communities of the future. It is suggested that their members increasingly create and operate in so called Virtual Third Spaces. Teaching and learning in these environments requires an adaptive pedagogy that goes beyond mere enthusiasm and technophilia to render them successful. Adaptations in pedagogical practice are proposed in three categories: (1) affective, (2) cognitive, and (3) operational. Consideration is given to the roles of both the learner and educator. Attention is also drawn to an important ethical dimension pertinent for the online virtual environment, but seldom mentioned in the language learning literature: data and information privacy. The chapter concludes by imagining some online language learning futures.
The Information Wave of Civilization
Authors: Targowski Andrew
Published: May 2011

This chapter will attempt to analyze the cumulative evolution of labor, intellect (information & knowledge), and politics. In pursuit of this aim, it will analyze the role of information throughout civilization history. Whereas historians reveal the myriad dimensions of social order that remained uncontrollable in the past, modern analysts consciously initiate designs that are not a product of chance—but do so in webs of dispute, ambivalence, and fuzziness of language. There are questions concerning the relevance of history (Henry Ford’s famous aphorism was that history is “bunk”) and the objectivity of information (to the postmodernist philosophers, there is no such thing). These cast doubt on the use of historical data for predicting the future, and also suggest its limitations. In this section, we shall analyze the architectural relationships between intellect, politics, and labor in a historical context, in order to understand the relationships, rules, and eventually laws that govern civilization development. Through such a structural understanding of the past, it may be possible to better predict the future of civilization. Even though this may not be optimal, it is at the very least a satisfactory place and role for historians and our institutions. The architectural approach to a history of civilization is a new layer over quantitative history based on statistical data. In an architectural history of civilization, we seek a “big picture” of “civilization ages and revolutions” to develop some criteria-oriented views of the world and its future predictability. To understand how crises and conflicts of civilization have been driven by technology in recent centuries, such analysis must be undertaken with some optimism about human proactive adaptation, survival, and development. This approach to civilization development should allow humans eventually to “reinvent the future” in a continuous manner. In due course, we should be able to predict the “rate of change” and provide “civilization-bridging solutions” based on original thinking. In the last several centuries, civilization has been driven by its infrastructures (such as bureaucracy, electrical power, vehicle engines). Therefore, we shall look more at the role of information infrastructure, which secures the vitality of the information ecology. The information ecology (environment) is a holistic, human-centered management of information to control development and operations of info-materiel-energy-oriented processes. The first who applied this term are Bruce W. Hasenyager (1996) and Thomas H. Davenport (1997), who emphasize people over machines in the role of handling information.
Active Learning with Multiple Views
Authors: Muslea Ion
Published: May 2011

Inductive learning algorithms typically use a set of labeled examples to learn class descriptions for a set of user-specified concepts of interest. In practice, labeling the training examples is a tedious, time consuming, error- prone process. Furthermore, in some applications, the labeling of each example also may be extremely expensive (e.g., it may require running costly laboratory tests). In order to reduce the number of labeled examples that are required for learning the concepts of interest, researchers proposed a variety of methods, such as active learning, semi-supervised learning, and meta-learning. This article presents recent advances in reducing the need for labeled data in multi-view learning tasks; that is, in domains in which there are several disjoint subsets of features (views), each of which is sufficient to learn the target concepts. For instance, as described in Blum and Mitchell (1998), one can classify segments of televised broadcast based either on the video or on the audio information; or one can classify Web pages based on the words that appear either in the pages or in the hyperlinks pointing to them. In summary, this article focuses on using multiple views for active learning and improving multi-view active learners by using semi-supervised- and meta-learning.