Pitfalls and guide lines in the transition to object oriented software design methodologies

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering.Due to the dynamic nature of the software engineering industry there is a constant move towards new strategies for solving design problems. More specifically there is a move towards Object Oriented (OO) methodologies, presumably because of the various advantages offered in terms of maintainability, and reuse of code produced this way. As with various other aspects of the software industry there are however also problems encountered in this transition and lessons to be learned from the experience of companies who have already performed this change. This research report investigates possible guidelines for companies who are currently contemplating a change to the OO software design methodologies, by covering a collection of issues one should know about prior to this change. It also summarises the problems faced in the transition so far, the reasons for these problems and suggests possible solutions. Lastly it also investigates new trends in the OO arena. The emphasis is on South African companies and projects. The results obtained are compared with results obtained overseas to find out what the differences and similarities are. Areas of concern are also identified, where theoreticians' views have been ignored, and both South African and overeeas companies have not implemented any of the suggestions made.Andrew Chakane 201

Case studies of the pedagogical content knowledge development of concept-oriented teachers.

By reviewing teacher-made revisions of regularly taught curriculum units, this set of case studies attempts to describe the pedagogical content knowledge development of four concept-oriented middle school teachers. One strand is highlighted: The nature and use of their instructional representations. A primary goal of this effort is to trace the kinds of refinements teachers make in their teaching knowledge after years of blending subject matter with pedagogy. A second goal is to detail influences on such refinements in order to inform preservice and inservice teacher education aimed at teaching for conceptual understanding

Proceedings of the 2nd Int'l Workshop on Enterprise Modelling and Information Systems Architectures - Concepts and Applications (EMISA'07)

The 2nd International Workshop on “Enterprise Modelling and Information Systems Architectures – Concepts and Applications” (EMISA’07) addresses all aspects relevant for enterprise modelling as well as for designing enterprise architectures in general and information systems architectures in particular. It was jointly organized by the GI Special Interest Group on Modelling Business Information Systems (GI-SIG MoBIS) and the GI Special Interest Group on Design Methods for Information Systems (GI-SIG EMISA). -- These proceedings feature a selection of 15 high quality contributions from academia and practice on enterprise architecture models, business processes management, information systems engineering, and other important issues in enterprise modelling and information systems architectures

Understandig trust : longitudinal studies on trust dynamics in governance interactions

Trust is generally perceived as an important concept in governance processes where people cooperate, as it enables people to take risks and deal with uncertainties, and it facilitates cooperation. These characteristics are seen as important in new and alternative ways of implementing public policies. These governance approaches focus more and more on network governance and on organising more horizontal interactions. In these contexts, trust is seen as a means to control and manage relations. It is therefore surprising that empirical studies on trust are lacking. Consequently, little is known about how trust emerges and develops in governance processes. This thesis addresses this gap and focuses on the question: How does trust emerge and develop in governance interactions? In answering this question, I take a dynamic perspective on trust. Here, trust is seen as a positive expectation about an actor’s ways of doing. This perspective in particular takes into account the dynamics of governance interactions. In this thesis, I focus on the field of spatial planning, as one of the fields of governance. In planning processes, four aspects are important. First, planning processes consist of a series of interactions that are organised in a certain way and have specific characteristics. Second, in these interactions, various policy instruments are used to guide the process and work towards a collective objective. Third, these interactions take place between groups and their members. These groups have their own identity and related roles and rules that influence the planning process. Fourth, in these interactions, people express trust and distrust to support their ideas, collaboration, or preferred choice. In studying trust dynamics, I focus in the subsequent chapters on these four aspects and how they influence and are influenced by trust dynamics

Secondary cities as catalysts for nutritious diets in low- and middle-income countries

The world is facing a malnutrition crisis in the midst of rising rates of urbanization; more than half of the world's population lives in urban areas, a number that is expected to reach two-thirds by 2050, consuming 80% of the world's food. Instead of the development of existing cities into 'mega-cities, ' urbanization is creating a patchwork of smaller urban areas. In 2018, close to half of the world's urban residents lived in settlements or towns with less than 500, 000 inhabitants. These settlements are classified as secondary cities and are, in terms of population, the fastest growing urban areas. Poor diets among city inhabitants are the consequence of a combination of forces. These include changes in types of occupation, particularly for women; food-environment factors; shifts in norms and attitudes regarding food; globalization of food supply chains; lack of infrastructure; post-harvest food loss and waste, etc. Secondary cities offer entry points for food system transformation. Secondary cities are characterized by strong urban-rural linkages and the opportunity for localized food production and consumption. These cities could also play a key role in enhancing resilience to food security shocks. This chapter discusses the challenge of the growing triple burden of malnutrition in urban contexts and argues for the important role of secondary cities in transforming urban food systems. Through three case studies of secondary cities in LMICs, these cities are shown as emerging players in nutrition-centered food system interventions. © The Author(s) 2023