A Data Model and Task Space for Data of Interest (DOI) Eye-Tracking Analyses

Eye-tracking data is traditionally analyzed by looking at where on a visual stimulus subjects fixate, or, to facilitate more advanced analyses, by using area-of-interests (AOI) defined onto visual stimuli. Recently, there is increasing interest in methods that capture what users are looking at rather than where they are looking. By instrumenting visualization code that transforms a data model into visual content, gaze coordinates reported by an eye-tracker can be mapped directly to granular data shown on the screen, producing temporal sequences of data objects that subjects viewed in an experiment. Such data collection, which is called gaze to object mapping (GTOM) or data-of-interest analysis (DOI), can be done reliably with limited overhead and can facilitate research workflows not previously possible. Our paper contributes to establishing a foundation of DOI analyses by defining a DOI data model and highlighting its differences to AOI data in structure and scale; by defining and exemplifying a space of DOI enabled tasks; by describing three concrete examples of DOI experimentation in three different domains; and by discussing immediate research challenges in creating a framework of visual support for DOI experimentation and analysis

Towards a Research Agenda on Computer-Based Assessment - Challenges and Needs for European Educational Measurement

In 2006 the European Parliament and the Council of Europe have passed recommendations on key competences for lifelong learning and the use of a common reference tool to observe and promote progress in terms of the achievement of goals formulated in ¿Lisbon strategy¿ in March 2000 (revised in 2006, see http://ec.europa.eu/growthandjobs/) and its follow-up declarations. For those areas which are not already covered by existing measurements (foreign languages and learning-to-learn skills), indicators for the identification of such skills are now needed, as well as effective instruments for carrying out large-scale assessments in Europe. In this context it is hoped that electronic testing could improve the effectiveness of the needed assessments, i.e. to improve identification of skills, by reducing costs of the whole operation (financial efforts, human resources etc.). The European Commission is asked to assist Member States to define the organisational and resource implications for them of the construction and administration of tests, including looking into the possibility of adopting e-testing as the means to administer the tests. In addition to traditional testing approaches carried out in a paper-pencil mode, there are a variety of aspects needed to be taken into account when computer-based testing is deployed, such as software quality, secure delivery, if Internet-based: reliable network capacities, support, maintenance, software costs for development and test delivery, including licences. Future European surveys are going to introduce new ways of assessing student achievements. Tests can be calibrated to the specific competence level of each student and become more stimulating, going much further than it can be achieved with traditional multiple choice questions. Simulations provide better means of contextualising skills to real life situations and providing a more complete picture of the actual competence to be assessed. However, a variety of challenges require more research into the barriers posed by the use of technologies, e.g. in terms of computer, performance and security. The ¿Quality of Scientific Information¿ Action (QSI) and the Centre for Research on Lifelong Learning (CRELL) are carrying out a research project on quality criteria of Open Source skills assessment tools. 2 workshops were carried out in previous years bringing together European key experts from assessment research and practice in order to identify and discuss quality criteria relevant for carrying out large-scale assessments at a European level. This report reflects the contributions made on experiences and key challenges for European skills assessment.JRC.G.9-Econometrics and statistical support to antifrau

Analysis of Eye-Tracking Data in Visualization and Data Space

Eye-tracking devices can tell us where on the screen a person is looking. Researchers frequently analyze eye-tracking data manually, by examining every frame of a visual stimulus used in an eye-tracking experiment so as to match 2D screen-coordinates provided by the eye-tracker to related objects and content within the stimulus. Such task requires significant manual effort and is not feasible for analyzing data collected from many users, long experimental sessions, and heavily interactive and dynamic visual stimuli. In this dissertation, we present a novel analysis method. We would instrument visualizations that have open source code, and leverage real-time information about the layout of the rendered visual content, to automatically relate gaze-samples to visual objects drawn on the screen. Since such visual objects are shown in a visualization stand for data, the method would allow us to necessarily detect data that users focus on or Data of Interest (DOI). This dissertation has two contributions. First, we demonstrated the feasibility of collecting DOI data for real life visualization in a reliable way which is not self-evident. Second, we formalized the process of collecting and interpreting DOI data and test whether the automated DOI detection can lead to research workflows, and insights not possible with traditional, manual approaches

Model-driven Personalisation of Human-Computer Interaction across Ubiquitous Computing Applications

Personalisation is essential to Ubiquitous Computing (Ubicomp), which focuses on a human-centred paradigm aiming to provide interaction with adaptive content, services, and interfaces towards each one of its users, according to the context of the applications’ scenarios. However, the provision of that appropriated personalised interaction is a true challenge due to different reasons, such as the user interests, heterogeneous environments and devices, dynamic user behaviour and data capture. This dissertation focuses on a model-driven personalisation solution that has the main goal of facili-tating the implementation of a personalised human-computer interaction across different Ubicomp scenarios and applications. The research reported here investigates how a generic and interoperable model for personalisation can be used, shared and processed by different applications, among diverse devices, and across different scenarios, studying how it can enrich human-computer interaction. The research started by the definition of a consistent user model with the integration of context to end in a pervasive model for the definition of personalisations across different applications. Besides the model proposal, the other key contributions within the solution are the modelling frame-work, which encapsulates the model and integrates the user profiling module, and a cloud-based platform to pervasively support developers in the implementation of personalisation across different applications and scenarios. This platform provides tools to put end users in control of their data and to support developers through web services based operations implemented on top of a personalisa-tion API, which can also be used independently of the platform for testing purposes, for instance. Several Ubicomp applications prototypes were designed and used to evaluate, at different phases, both the solution as a whole and each one of its components. Some were specially created with the goal of evaluating specific research questions of this work. Others were being developed with a pur-pose other than for personalisation evaluation, but they ended up as personalised prototypes to better address their initial goals. The process of applying the personalisation model to the design of the latter should also work as a proof of concept on the developer side. On the one hand, developers have been probed with the implementation of personalised applications using the proposed solution, or a part of it, to assess how it works and can help them. The usage of our solution by developers was also important to assess how the model and the platform respond to the developers’ needs. On the other hand, some prototypes that implement our model-driven per-sonalisation solution have been selected for end user evaluation. Usually, user testing was conducted at two different stages of the development, using: (1) a non-personalised version; (2) the final per-sonalised version. This procedure allowed us to assess if personalisation improved the human-com-puter interaction. The first stage was also important to know who were the end users and gather interaction data to come up with personalisation proposals for each prototype. Globally, the results of both developers and end users tests were very positive. Finally, this dissertation proposes further work, which is already ongoing, related to the study of a methodology to the implementation and evaluation of personalised applications, supported by the development of three mobile health applications for rehabilitation

A Formal Approach to Support Interoperability in Scientific Meta-workflows

Scientific workflows orchestrate the execution of complex experiments frequently using distributed computing platforms. Meta-workflows represent an emerging type of such workflows which aim to reuse existing workflows from potentially different workflow systems to achieve more complex and experimentation minimizing workflow design and testing efforts. Workflow interoperability plays a profound role in achieving this objective. This paper is focused at fostering interoperability across meta-workflows that combine workflows of different workflow systems from diverse scientific domains. This is achieved by formalizing definitions of meta-workflow and its different types to standardize their data structures used to describe workflows to be published and shared via public repositories. The paper also includes thorough formalization of two workflow interoperability approaches based on this formal description: the coarse-grained and fine-grained workflow interoperability approach. The paper presents a case study from Astrophysics which successfully demonstrates the use of the concepts of meta-workflows and workflow interoperability within a scientific simulation platform

Rhetorical strategies in PhD conclusions of computer science: From the review of the study to consolidation of research space

[ES] Este artículo analiza los patrones de movimientos que predominan en los capítulos finales de conclusión de 48 tesis doctorales de informática en una universidad británica. Se centra en la naturaleza y frecuencia de las conexiones entre pasos del Movimiento 1 sobre la revisión del trabajo de investigación y los pasos del Movimiento 2, de consolidación del espacio investigador. Las combinaciones más comunes relacionan (1) el resumen del trabajo de la tesis con el producto y su evaluación, (2) el propósito y la hipótesis inicial con los resultados, (3) las preguntas de investigación con la metodología, el producto y la reivindicación, (4) un problema o necesidad con una metodología específica, un nuevo producto y/o una reivindicación, y (5) un resumen del trabajo realizado en cada capítulo con los resultados y reivindicaciones. Algunos de los resultados obtenidos son específicos del área de la informática. Del estudio se desprenden implicaciones pedagógicas para cursos de inglés para fines específicos (IFA).[EN] This study investigates the predominant moves and move patterns used in the separate final conclusion chapters of 48 PhD theses of computer science at a UK university. The focus is on the most salient connections of steps in the review of the study (Move 1) with steps for the consolidation of research space (Move 2). The most common combinations relate (1) a summary of the thesis work to the product and the evaluation of the product, (2) the purpose, thesis statement or hypothesis to the findings or results, (3) the research questions to the methodology, product or claim, (4) a problem or need to a specific methodology, a new product and/or a claim, and (5) a summary of the work done in each thesis chapter to the findings and claims. Some findings are specific of the field of computer science. The study has pedagogical implications for courses of English for Academic Purposes (EAP).Soler Monreal, C. (2019). Rhetorical strategies in PhD conclusions of computer science: From the review of the study to consolidation of research space. Revista Española de Lingüística Aplicada/Spanish Journal of Applied Linguistics. 32(1):356-384. https://doi.org/10.1075/resla.16034.solS356384321Badley, G. (2009). Academic writing as shaping and re-shaping. Teaching in Higher Education, 14(2), 209-219. doi:10.1080/13562510902757294Basturkmen, H. (2009). Commenting on results in published research articles and masters dissertations in Language Teaching. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 8(4), 241-251. doi:10.1016/j.jeap.2009.07.001Basturkmen, H. (2012). A genre-based investigation of discussion sections of research articles in Dentistry and disciplinary variation. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 11(2), 134-144. doi:10.1016/j.jeap.2011.10.004Bitchener, J., & Basturkmen, H. (2006). Perceptions of the difficulties of postgraduate L2 thesis students writing the discussion section. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 5(1), 4-18. doi:10.1016/j.jeap.2005.10.002Bunton, D. (2005). The structure of PhD conclusion chapters. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 4(3), 207-224. doi:10.1016/j.jeap.2005.03.004Cotos, E. (2014). Genre-Based Automated Writing Evaluation for L2 Research Writing. doi:10.1057/9781137333377Cumming, A., Lai, C., & Cho, H. (2016). Students’ writing from sources for academic purposes: A synthesis of recent research. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 23, 47-58. doi:10.1016/j.jeap.2016.06.002Geng, Y., & Wharton, S. (2016). Evaluative language in discussion sections of doctoral theses: Similarities and differences between L1 Chinese and L1 English writers. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 22, 80-91. doi:10.1016/j.jeap.2016.01.001Holmes, R. (1997). Genre analysis, and the social sciences: An investigation of the structure of research article discussion sections in three disciplines. English for Specific Purposes, 16(4), 321-337. doi:10.1016/s0889-4906(96)00038-5Holmes, R. (2001). Variation and Text Structure. ITL - International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 131-132, 107-137. doi:10.1075/itl.131-132.06holJohns, A. M., & Swales, J. M. (2002). Literacy and disciplinary practices: opening and closing perspectives. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 1(1), 13-28. doi:10.1016/s1475-1585(02)00003-6Kuteeva, M., & Negretti, R. (2016). Graduate students’ genre knowledge and perceived disciplinary practices: Creating a research space across disciplines. English for Specific Purposes, 41, 36-49. doi:10.1016/j.esp.2015.08.004Kwan, B. S. C. (2006). The schematic structure of literature reviews in doctoral theses of applied linguistics. English for Specific Purposes, 25(1), 30-55. doi:10.1016/j.esp.2005.06.001Lim, J. M.-H. (2014). Formulating research questions in experimental doctoral dissertations on Applied Linguistics. English for Specific Purposes, 35, 66-88. doi:10.1016/j.esp.2014.02.003Lim, J. M.-H., Loi, C.-K., Hashim, A., & Liu, M. S.-M. (2015). Purpose statements in experimental doctoral dissertations submitted to U.S. universities: An inquiry into doctoral students’ communicative resources in language education. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 20, 69-89. doi:10.1016/j.jeap.2015.06.002Paltridge, B. (2002). Thesis and dissertation writing: an examination of published advice and actual practice. English for Specific Purposes, 21(2), 125-143. doi:10.1016/s0889-4906(00)00025-9Paltridge, B., Starfield, S., Ravelli, L. J., & Tuckwell, K. (2012). Change and stability: Examining the macrostructures of doctoral theses in the visual and performing arts. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 11(4), 332-344. doi:10.1016/j.jeap.2012.08.003Parkinson, J. (2011). The Discussion section as argument: The language used to prove knowledge claims. English for Specific Purposes, 30(3), 164-175. doi:10.1016/j.esp.2011.03.001Peacock, M. (2002). Communicative moves in the discussion section of research articles. System, 30(4), 479-497. doi:10.1016/s0346-251x(02)00050-7Posteguillo, S. (1999). The Schematic Structure of Computer Science Research Articles. English for Specific Purposes, 18(2), 139-160. doi:10.1016/s0889-4906(98)00001-5Samraj, B. (2008). A discourse analysis of master’s theses across disciplines with a focus on introductions. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 7(1), 55-67. doi:10.1016/j.jeap.2008.02.005Soler-Monreal, C. (2015). Announcing one’s work in PhD theses in computer science: A comparison of Move 3 in literature reviews written in English L1, English L2 and Spanish L1. English for Specific Purposes, 40, 27-41. doi:10.1016/j.esp.2015.07.004Soler-Monreal, C., Carbonell-Olivares, M., & Gil-Salom, L. (2011). A contrastive study of the rhetorical organisation of English and Spanish PhD thesis introductions. English for Specific Purposes, 30(1), 4-17. doi:10.1016/j.esp.2010.04.005Swales, J. M. (2004). Research Genres. doi:10.1017/cbo9781139524827Swales, J., & Feak, C. (2000). English in Today’s Research World. doi:10.3998/mpub.9059Ruiying, Y., & Allison, D. (2003). Research articles in applied linguistics: moving from results to conclusions. English for Specific Purposes, 22(4), 365-385. doi:10.1016/s0889-4906(02)00026-1Yayli, D. (2011). From genre awareness to cross-genre awareness: A study in an EFL context. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 10(3), 121-129. doi:10.1016/j.jeap.2011.02.00

24th International Conference on Information Modelling and Knowledge Bases

In the last three decades information modelling and knowledge bases have become essentially important subjects not only in academic communities related to information systems and computer science but also in the business area where information technology is applied. The series of European – Japanese Conference on Information Modelling and Knowledge Bases (EJC) originally started as a co-operation initiative between Japan and Finland in 1982. The practical operations were then organised by professor Ohsuga in Japan and professors Hannu Kangassalo and Hannu Jaakkola in Finland (Nordic countries). Geographical scope has expanded to cover Europe and also other countries. Workshop characteristic - discussion, enough time for presentations and limited number of participants (50) / papers (30) - is typical for the conference. Suggested topics include, but are not limited to: 1. Conceptual modelling: Modelling and specification languages; Domain-specific conceptual modelling; Concepts, concept theories and ontologies; Conceptual modelling of large and heterogeneous systems; Conceptual modelling of spatial, temporal and biological data; Methods for developing, validating and communicating conceptual models. 2. Knowledge and information modelling and discovery: Knowledge discovery, knowledge representation and knowledge management; Advanced data mining and analysis methods; Conceptions of knowledge and information; Modelling information requirements; Intelligent information systems; Information recognition and information modelling. 3. Linguistic modelling: Models of HCI; Information delivery to users; Intelligent informal querying; Linguistic foundation of information and knowledge; Fuzzy linguistic models; Philosophical and linguistic foundations of conceptual models. 4. Cross-cultural communication and social computing: Cross-cultural support systems; Integration, evolution and migration of systems; Collaborative societies; Multicultural web-based software systems; Intercultural collaboration and support systems; Social computing, behavioral modeling and prediction. 5. Environmental modelling and engineering: Environmental information systems (architecture); Spatial, temporal and observational information systems; Large-scale environmental systems; Collaborative knowledge base systems; Agent concepts and conceptualisation; Hazard prediction, prevention and steering systems. 6. Multimedia data modelling and systems: Modelling multimedia information and knowledge; Contentbased multimedia data management; Content-based multimedia retrieval; Privacy and context enhancing technologies; Semantics and pragmatics of multimedia data; Metadata for multimedia information systems. Overall we received 56 submissions. After careful evaluation, 16 papers have been selected as long paper, 17 papers as short papers, 5 papers as position papers, and 3 papers for presentation of perspective challenges. We thank all colleagues for their support of this issue of the EJC conference, especially the program committee, the organising committee, and the programme coordination team. The long and the short papers presented in the conference are revised after the conference and published in the Series of “Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence” by IOS Press (Amsterdam). The books “Information Modelling and Knowledge Bases” are edited by the Editing Committee of the conference. We believe that the conference will be productive and fruitful in the advance of research and application of information modelling and knowledge bases. Bernhard Thalheim Hannu Jaakkola Yasushi Kiyok