On the automated extraction of regression knowledge from databases

The advent of inexpensive, powerful computing systems, together with the increasing amount of available data, conforms one of the greatest challenges for next-century information science. Since it is apparent that much future analysis will be done automatically, a good deal of attention has been paid recently to the implementation of ideas and/or the adaptation of systems originally developed in machine learning and other computer science areas. This interest seems to stem from both the suspicion that traditional techniques are not well-suited for large-scale automation and the success of new algorithmic concepts in difficult optimization problems. In this paper, I discuss a number of issues concerning the automated extraction of regression knowledge from databases. By regression knowledge is meant quantitative knowledge about the relationship between a vector of predictors or independent variables (x) and a scalar response or dependent variable (y). A number of difficulties found in some well-known tools are pointed out, and a flexible framework avoiding many such difficulties is described and advocated. Basic features of a new tool pursuing this direction are reviewed

How Public Is the Internet? A Conversation on the Nature of Human Interactions On-line and the Implications for Research Methods

In the past decade, ???virtual??? research???empirical investigations conducted via the Internet???has increased dramatically across a variety of disparate disciplines. Areas such as cybersecurity and encryption, digital government and citizenship, consumer health informatics, and user behavior in online spaces have emerged to become signature iSchool research areas, often shared with particular disciplinary heritages (e.g., computer science, political science and communication, public health, and sociology???respectively, but not exclusively). In addition, the field of Information Science is dominated by research developing or using emerging technologies. These new technologies often occupy a gray area in which ethical issues either have not been sufficiently well-defined or push against existing definitions. Questions surrounding the ???public??? nature of the internet and Web 2.0-era information technologies have also emerged and have become increasingly urgent given the tightening of federal, state and University regulations as they relate to the protection of human subjects. At the convergence of multiple disciplinary and methodological perspectives, Information Science researchers are well-positioned to become more active participants in both scholarly and institutional conversations regarding the appropriate risks and benefits that participants in online research studies might be subject to. Critiques of IRB inconsistencies exist, what we need is a thoughtful and thorough community response to the innately complex nature of virtual research and a map which can guide us towards the future and the study of twenty-first century systems, selves and societies. Our goal for this wildcard event, is to generate a lively and rigorous debate which accomplishes the following three goals: 1) extends the dialogue within the Information Science field concerning the beneficence and respect for participants in online research; 2) enumerates a set of best practices for iSchool researchers in relation to conducting approved research on-line and; 3) moves us towards the process of drafting an iSchool set of ethical guidelines related to virtual research

Problemas enfrentados por alunas de graduação em ciência da computação: uma revisão sistemática

Este estudo apresenta uma revisão sistemática da literatura sobre os problemas sofridos por universitárias de cursos de ciência da computação, com o objetivo de examinar os motivos que levam à evasão de meninas desse curso. Uma gama completa de periódicos indexados foi pesquisada usando os bancos de dados da ACM Digital Library, IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science e Springer. Um total de 818 artigos foram obtidos nas bibliotecas digitais, mas apenas 24 trabalhos foram aceitos para extração de dados desta revisão. Os resultados revelam que existem vários problemas que levam as meninas a evadir dos cursos de graduação em informática. Tais problemas foram descritos e classificados em seis categorias principais. Também foram abordadas iniciativas que vêm sendo aplicadas para minimizar o abandono dos cursos pelas alunas de graduação em ciência da computação. Apontar os principais problemas das estudantes de informática e identificar as limitações das iniciativas tomadas para solucioná-los é o primeiro passo para trabalhos futuros que proponham boas formas de contorná-los e delineiem soluções específicas para a sala de aula, conscientizando profissionais da educação e até colegas sobre estes problemas. A atenção a essas questões pode despertar o interesse dos pesquisadores, enquanto fazem a pós-graduação em STEM, em trabalhar para tornar mais positivas as experiências das alunas de graduação, diminuindo suas chances de evasão. Além disso, a partir dos resultados desta pesquisa, é possível tomar decisões acadêmicas, gerenciais e administrativas com base teórica em relação às questões de gênero.This systematic literature review on the issues faced by female computer science undergraduates sought to examine the reported reasons for female evasion from computer science major. A full range of indexed journals was surveyed using the ACM Digital Library, IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, and Springer databases. Of the 818 articles retrieved from the digital libraries, only 24 papers were selected for data extraction. The several issues cited as reasons for female evasion from computer science undergraduate courses were divided into six major categories and described. Initiatives that have been implemented to minimize the dropout rate among undergraduate computer science female students were also addressed. Pointing out the main issues faced by female computer science students and identifying the limitations of the initiatives taken to solve them is the first step for future work, proposing good ways around them and outlining specific solutions for the classroom, making education professionals and even classmates aware of these problem. Attention to these issues may pique the researchers’ interest, while pursuing a graduate STEM degree, in working to make the experience of female undergraduate students more positive, thus decreasing their chances of evasion. Moreover, based on the results of this research, it is possible to make theory-based academic, managerial and administrative decisions concerning gender issues

From e-Lexicography to Electronic Lexicography. A Joint Review

Two recently published books outline the main issues of the current debate on lexi­cography. The first, e-Lexicography edited by Fuertes-Olivera and Bergenholtz in 2011, presents the standpoints of the lexicographical function theory on the future developments of dictionaries, while, in some chapters, current innovative tools are described, tools which allow customizations according to the user's type of need. The second volume, Electronic Lexicography edited by Granger and Paquot in 2012, presents different opposing views on what the dictionaries of the future will look like, such as the linguistic-oriented stance of Hanks and that of Tarp concerning theoretical lexi­cography. The dictionary projects that are described within these pages offer an interesting basis of comparison with those developed by the representatives of the function theory. Keywords: computer assisted language learning (call), corpus lin­guis­tics, customization, databases, dictionary survey, dictionary use, effi­cacy, efficiency, electronic lexicography, information science, lan­guages for special purposes, lexicographical function theory, linguistic theory, monofunctional diction­ary, p-dictionaries, practical lexicog­raphy, usability testin

Evaluating the Validity of Technology-Enhanced Educational Assessment Items and Tasks: An Empirical Approach to Studying Item Features and Scoring Rubrics.

With the advent of the newly developed Common Core State Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards, innovative assessments, including technology-enhanced items and tasks, will be needed to meet the challenges of developing valid and reliable assessments in a world of computer-based testing. In a recent critique of the next generation assessments in math (i.e., Smarter Balanced), Rasmussen (2015) observed that many aspects of the technology “enhancements” can be expected to do more harm than good as the computer interfaces may introduce construct irrelevant variance. This paper focused on issues surrounding the design of TEIs and how cognitive load theory (Miller, 1956) is a promising framework that can be applied to computer-based item design to mitigate the effects of computer interface usability. Two studies were conducted. In the first study I used multi-level modeling to assess the effect of item characteristics on examinees’ relative performance. I hypothesized that item level characteristics, namely response format, would significantly contribute to the amount of variance explained by item characteristics over and above student characteristics. In study two, I used two exemplar items to show how data concerning examinees’ actions—produced through latent class analyses—can be used as evidence in validity investigations. Results from study 1 suggested that item type does not explain the variation in student scores over and above examinee characteristics. Results from study two suggested that LCA is a useful tool for diagnosing potential issues in the design of items and the design of their scoring rubrics. Evidence provided from both studies illuminates the immediate need to further research computer-based items that are beginning to be used widely in high stakes, large-scale assessments. In an effort to move away from traditional multiple choice items and toward more authentic measurement by incorporating technology based item features, we may be affecting how examinees respond to the item due to inadvertent increases in cognitive load. Future research involving experimental manipulation is necessary for understanding how item characteristics impact how examinees responses

Evolution of artificial intelligence research in Technological Forecasting and Social Change: Research topics, trends, and future directions

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a set of rapidly expanding disruptive technologies that are radically transforming various aspects related to people, business, society, and the environment. With the proliferation of digital computing devices and the emergence of big data, AI is increasingly offering significant opportunities for society and business organizations. The growing interest of scholars and practitioners in AI has resulted in the diversity of research topics explored in bulks of scholarly literature published in leading research outlets. This study aims to map the intellectual structure and evolution of the conceptual structure of overall AI research published in Technological Forecasting and Social Change (TF&SC). This study uses machine learning-based structural topic modeling (STM) to extract, report, and visualize the latent topics from the AI research literature. Further, the disciplinary patterns in the intellectual structure of AI research are examined with the additional objective of assessing the disciplinary impact of AI. The results of the topic modeling reveal eight key topics, out of which the topics concerning healthcare, circular economy and sustainable supply chain, adoption of AI by consumers, and AI for decision-making are showing a rising trend over the years. AI research has a significant influence on disciplines such as business, management, and accounting, social science, engineering, computer science, and mathematics. The study provides an insightful agenda for the future based on evidence-based research directions that would benefit future AI scholars to identify contemporary research issues and develop impactful research to solve complex societal problems

Papers for Task Force Meeting on Future and Impacts of Artificial Intelligence, 15-17 August 1983

IIASA's Clearinghouse activity is oriented towards issues of interest among our National Member Organizations. Here, in the forefront, are the issues concerning the promise and impact of science and technology on society and economy in general, and some selected branches in particular. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the most promising research areas. There are many indications that the long predicted upswing of this discipline is finally in the making. A recent survey had Nobel-laureates predict that the most influence in the next century will be made by computers, AI, and robotics. Already, at present, "expert" systems are emerging and applied; natural language understanding systems developed; AI principles are used in robots, flexible automation, computer aided-design, etc. All this will have an, as yet, unspecified social and economic impact on the activity of human beings, both at work and leisure. It certainly takes interdisciplinary and cross-culturally based studies to enhance the understanding of this complex phenomenon. This is the aim of our endeavors in the field which is in excess of our duty to pass useful knowledge to our constituency. We think that IIASA, cooperating in this respect with the Austrian Society for Cybernetic Studies (ASCS), can develop some comparative advantage here. This publication contains papers written by leading personalities, both East and West, in the field of artificial intelligence on the future and impact of this emerging discipline. We hope that the meeting, where the papers will be discussed, will not only identify important areas where the impact of artificial intelligence will be felt most directly, but also find the most rewarding issues for further research

Implications of computer science theory for the simulation hypothesis

The simulation hypothesis has recently excited renewed interest, especially in the physics and philosophy communities. However, the hypothesis specifically concerns {computers} that simulate physical universes, which means that to properly investigate it we need to couple computer science theory with physics. Here I do this by exploiting the physical Church-Turing thesis. This allows me to introduce a preliminary investigation of some of the computer science theoretic aspects of the simulation hypothesis. In particular, building on Kleene's second recursion theorem, I prove that it is mathematically possible for us to be in a simulation that is being run on a computer \textit{by us}. In such a case, there would be two identical instances of us; the question of which of those is ``really us'' is meaningless. I also show how Rice's theorem provides some interesting impossibility results concerning simulation and self-simulation; briefly describe the philosophical implications of fully homomorphic encryption for (self-)simulation; briefly investigate the graphical structure of universes simulating universes simulating universes, among other issues. I end by describing some of the possible avenues for future research that this preliminary investigation reveals

Informaticology: combining Computer Science, Data Science, and Fiction Science

Motivated by an intention to remedy current complications with Dutch terminology concerning informatics, the term informaticology is positioned to denote an academic counterpart of informatics where informatics is conceived of as a container for a coherent family of practical disciplines ranging from computer engineering and software engineering to network technology, data center management, information technology, and information management in a broad sense. Informaticology escapes from the limitations of instrumental objectives and the perspective of usage that both restrict the scope of informatics. That is achieved by including fiction science in informaticology and by ranking fiction science on equal terms with computer science and data science, and framing (the study of) game design, evelopment, assessment and distribution, ranging from serious gaming to entertainment gaming, as a chapter of fiction science. A suggestion for the scope of fiction science is specified in some detail. In order to illustrate the coherence of informaticology thus conceived, a potential application of fiction to the ontology of instruction sequences and to software quality assessment is sketched, thereby highlighting a possible role of fiction (science) within informaticology but outside gaming

Global perspectives on legacy systems

Summarises findings of two international workshops on legacy systems, held in conjunction with an EPSRC managed programme. Issues covered include the nature and dynamics of legacy systems, the co-evolution of software and organisations, issues around software as a technology (its engineering and its management), and organisational/people issues