Learning in an age of digital networks

The final years of the twentieth century and early years of the twenty first century have been marked by the rapid rise of digital and networked technologies. Some have even called it a paradigm shift and suggested that it will lead to a dramatic change in the way young people learn (Tapscott and Williams, 2010). As with all commentary on new technologies we should beware of being carried away with the excitement of the new. There is a recurrent innovation cycle beginning with over excitement followed by disappointment and once the reaction has set in against the new it is followed by a move away to yet another new technology, often before a proper assessment and evaluation of the previous cycle can take place. Equally we must be careful not to ignore the profound changes that are taking place and how they may affect universities and learning in society more generally. A recent description by a UK based think tank Demos characterized the kind of university that is emerging from the engagement with new digital and networked technologies as the 'edgeless university' (Bradwell, 2009). The term edgeless is borrowed from work on the city that suggests edgeless cities have the function of cities without being organized in their classic form. In the same way the Demos pamphlet suggests that the university retains an identifiable function but the functions of the university are no longer confined to a single institution nor are they confined to higher education institutions more broadly. Over a decade ago Brown and Duguid (2000) identified the core functions of universities as the capacity to grant degrees, to accredit students and to provide the warrant that guaranteed the credentials obtained by the students from the university. They also suggested that the introduction of what were then new technologies would lead to an increased focus on these core functions. The core role remains in the edgeless university but the boundaries to these may alter. This article tries to provide a way of thinking about new technologies that manages to balance these two conflicting needs. It identifies some current ways of thinking about the changes taking place in universities that are related to digital and networked technologies and to assess their impact. It then goes on to suggest the kinds of choices we may have to make in relation to new technologies at a variety of levels, the personal, the institutional and in terms of society in general. The edgeless university is associated with broad technological change but whether such change is inevitable is still an issue that needs to be discussed

iPad2 Logical Acquisition: Automated or Manual Examination?

Due to their usage increase worldwide, iPads are on the path of becoming key sources of digital evidence in criminal investigations. This research investigated the logical backup acquisition and examination of the iPad2 device using the Apple iTunes backup utility while manually examining the backup data (manual examination) and automatically parsing the backup data (Lantern software - automated examination). The results indicate that a manual examination of the logical backup structure from iTunes reveals more digital evidence, especially if installed application data is required for an investigation. However, the researchers note that if a quick triage is needed of an iOS device, then automated tools provide a faster method for obtaining digital evidence from an iOS device. The results also illustrate that the file names in the backup folders have changed between iOS 3 and iOS 4. Lastly, the authors note the need for an extensible software framework for future automated logical iPad examination tools. Keywords: iPad, forensics, logical backup, iOS, manual examination

IPad2 Logical Acquisition: Automated or Manual Examination?

Due to their usage increase worldwide, iPads are on the path of becoming key sources of digital evidence in criminal investigations. This research investigated the logical backup acquisition and examination of the iPad2 device using the Apple iTunes backup utility while manually examining the backup data (manual examination) and automatically parsing the backup data (Lantern software-automated examination).The results indicate that a manual examination of the logical backup structure from iTunes reveals more digital evidence, especially if installed application data is required for an investigation. However, the researchers note that if a quick triage is needed of an iOS device, then automated tools provide a faster method for obtaining digital evidence from an iOS device. The results also illustrate that the file names in the backup folders have changed between iOS 3 and iOS 4. Lastly, the authors note the need for an extensible software framework for future automated logical iPad examination tools

Repair Cafe II

Consumption, waste generation and resource depletion are significant issues concerning the world today. In response to these problems, the Repair Cafe Foundation was created in order to encourage people to fix their broken items instead of throwing them away. This project determined the desirability and feasibility of hosting repair cafés on university campuses by identifying what makes existing repair cafes successful and soliciting opinions of students and staff at our model university, the University of Worcester. With the help of Katy Boom, our sponsor and Director of Sustainability at the University, we developed recommendations to the University of Worcester as well as any others interested in hosting a repair cafe on campus

Framework for the Integration of Mobile Device Features in PLM

Currently, companies have covered their business processes with stationary workstations while mobile business applications have limited relevance. Companies can cover their overall business processes more time-efficiently and cost-effectively when they integrate mobile users in workflows using mobile device features. The objective is a framework that can be used to model and control business applications for PLM processes using mobile device features to allow a totally new user experience

WEB-GIS BASED BRIDGE INFORMATION DATABASE VISUALIZATION ANALYTICS AND DISTRIBUTED SENSING FRAMEWORK

The national bridge system plays very important role in society operations ensuring mobilities that can sustain social and economic growth. Recent increasingly growing concerns about the safety of existing bridges are shared by highway agencies at all levels of government, including federal, state and municipal. To provide a user-friendly and effective environment and services for accessing and analyzing the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) database, a powerful bridge data management system needs be developed to assist the bridge managers or professionals to manage and maintain effectively and efficiently the national bridge system. The objective of this research is to develop a Web-GIS (geographic information system) based bridge information database visualization analytics and distributed sensing framework for nation-wide bridge system management. This is accomplished by integrating modern technologies including GIS, Internet, database, remote sensing, visualization, and smartphone technologies. The objectives of this study include: 1) establishment of a system framework for effective use of current available bridge condition data and volunteering sensing data; 2) development of visualization and visual analytic applications appropriate for bridge information; 3) development of user-defined criteria query for decision-making support; and 4) development of a remote sensing database to aid engineers and other professionals in accessing, retrieving and manipulating information from the bridge database. The citizen-based sensors for bridge monitoring utilize voluntary information-sharing from individuals as a monitoring technique. The Web-GIS based Bridge Management System (BMS) framework developed in this research allows centralized data collection and data visualization analytics at any place and any time. It is intended as a critical step towards rapid bridge diagnostics using an integrated sensing data approach. Current bridge management is predominantly at state level. Furthermore, by adopting the “citizen sensor” concept, public data can be added into the bridge database as additional information for bridge management. The outcome of this research is a framework called: “Bridge-WGI.” The six critical modules formed the core of the framework, which are: 1) bridge database systems; 2) general bridge information visualization; 3) bridge information analytical visualization; 4) user-defined criteria query; 5) citizen sensing application in bridge monitoring; and 6) remote sensing database application. The Bridge-WGI framework demonstrates the capabilities of Web-based BMS can be accomplished via the integration of several technologies. These capabilities include: 1) application of volunteering sensing; 2) flexible accessibility via Internet; 3) several advanced visualization of bridge data; 4) bridge data integration; and 5) online user- defined query for decision making support

A Rhetoric Of Technology: The Discourse In U.S. Army Manuals And Handbooks

This dissertation examines the historical technical publications of the United States Army from 1775-2004. Historical research in Army technical communication reveals the persuasive characteristics of its technical publications. Elements of narrative, storytelling, and anthropomorphism are techniques writers used to help deliver information to readers. Research also reveals the design techniques writers adopted to unite the situated literacies of the troops. Analyses of print, comic, and digital media expose the increasing visualization of information since the eighteenth century. The results of such historical research can be applied to new media designs. Automating processes captured in paper-based technical manuals and adding intelligent functionality to these designs are two of many possible design options. Research also dispels a myth concerning the history of modern technical communication and illustrates the development of many genres and subgenres. Modern technical communication was not born of World War II as many scholars suggest, but was a legitimate field in eighteenth-century America. Finally, historical research in Army technical communication shows the systematic progression of a technological society and our increasing dependence on machine intelligence

Towards a digitised process-wheel for historic building repair and maintenance projects in Scotland

Purpose – With the increasing demand for high quality economical and sustainable historic building Repair and Maintenance (R&M) allied with the perennial problem of skills shortages (PM-project management and on-site practice) investment in new technologies becomes paramount for modernising training and practice. Yet, the historic R&M industry, in-particular Small–Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) have yet to benefit from digital technologies (such as laser scanning, virtual reality (VR) and cloud-computing) which have the potential to enhance performance and productivity. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative participatory action research approach was adopted. One demonstration project (Project A) exhibiting critical disrepair, showcasing the piloting of a five phased digitised ‘process-wheel’ intended to provide a common framework for facilitating collaboration of project stakeholders thereby aiding successful project delivery is reported. Five semi-structured interviews were conducted with industry employers to facilitate the process-wheel concept development. Findings – Implementing only Phase 1 of the digitised ‘process-wheel’ (e-Condition surveying incorporating laser scanning) resulted in an estimated 25-30% cost and time savings) when compared to conventional methods. The accrued benefits are two-fold: (1) provide a structured standardised data capturing approach that is shared in a common project repository amongst relevant stakeholders; (2) inform the application of digital technologies to attain efficiencies across various phases of the process-wheel. Originality/value – This paper has provided original and valuable information on the benefits of modernising R&M practice, highlighting the importance of continued investment in innovative processes and new technologies for historic building R&M to enhance existing practice and in form current training provision. Future work will focus on further piloting and validation of the process-wheel in its entirety on selected demonstration projects with a view of supporting the industry to digitise its workflows and going-fully digital to realise optimum process efficiencies