Ubiquitous and context-aware computing modelling : study of devices integration in their environment

Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Information Systems and Technologies ManagementIn an almost imperceptible way, ubiquitous and context-aware computing make part of our everyday lives, as the world has developed in an interconnected way between humans and technological devices. This interconnectedness raises the need to integrate humans’ interaction with the different devices they use in different social contexts and environments. In the proposed research, it is suggested the development of new scenario building based on a current ubiquitous computing model dedicated to the environment context-awareness. We will also follow previous research made on the formal structure computation model based on social paradigm theory, dedicated to embed devices into different context environments with social roles developed by Santos (2012/2015). Furthermore, several socially relevant context scenarios are to be identified and studied. Once identified, we gather and document the requirements that devices should have, according to the model, in order to achieve a correct integration in their contextual environment

Contribution in Information Systems: Insights from the Disciplinary Matrix

Hospital readmissions are an important quality measure in healthcare, as they can indicate issues in treatment, rehabilitation, or discharge management. Furthermore, readmissions are often associated with increased costs resulting from penalties and regulations enforced by policy makers and insurers. Several studies have been conducted in order to identify patients at high risk of readmission, especially focusing on the initial diseases addressed in the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (HF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and pneumonia (PN). Since elective primary total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA) procedures are a added later to the HRRP, research on risk prediction in that area is still quite scarce. This study focuses on total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty procedures. Based on a dataset from a not-for-profit Australian healthcare group, 10,872 admissions from 2011 to 2015 are utilized to build several predictive models for readmissions after THA/TKA procedures. The structure and application of these models are presented and benchmarked against current hospital risk scores, resulting in a good prediction power to identify patients at 28-day risk of readmission

Re-evaluating the Spatio-temporal Relationships of Habermas’s “public sphere”, Bourdieu’s “field”, and McLuhan’s “medium”: Implications for Media Theory

The thesis is an evaluation of the influence of the long-standing hermeneutics/positivist schism on explanations of the spatio-temporal characteristics of “the public sphere”, “the field”, and “the medium”. These are the signature terms in the seminal media-related works of Habermas, Bourdieu and McLuhan - “the public sphere” in The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere by Jurgen Habermas; “the field” in The Political Field, The Social Science Field, and the Journalistic Field and On Television by Pierre Bourdieu; and the “the medium” in Understanding Media by Marshall McLuhan. The key aim of thesis is to analyze the shaping impact of the long-standing hermeneutics/positivist schism on the methodologies employed. The thesis also considers whether the imbalances in the multidisciplinary methodologies of Habermas, Bourdieu and McLuhan brought about by this divide could have been addressed through the use of references, models and analogies from the sub-sciences of emergence and complexity theory. This evaluation includes the responses by critics and commentators to the methodologies used by Habermas, Bourdieu and McLuhan. A central argument is that the multidisciplinary methodologies of Habermas, Bourdieu and McLuhan were compromised by their tendency not to absorb science innovations, nor access new methodological ‘techniques’ – a tendency among many twentieth century academics in the humanities, according to media historian and social theorist John Durham Peters. Close reading analysis exposes the impacts of the hermeneutic/positivist schism on the methodologies of the three theorists. A further argument is that the hermeneutical tendencies present in their methodologies were brought about more by a rejection of positivism and ‘scientism’ than a conscious leaning towards hermeneutics. Habermas, Bourdieu and McLuhan some time ago created the sandbox of modern media theory. This thesis argues that the exceptional value of their media-related works will be well-served by the addition of analytical frameworks from the sub-disciplines of science such as emergence and complexity theory

Re-evaluating the Spatio-temporal Relationships of Habermas’s “public sphere”, Bourdieu’s “field”, and McLuhan’s “medium”: Implications for Media Theory

The thesis is an evaluation of the influence of the long-standing hermeneutics/positivist schism on explanations of the spatio-temporal characteristics of “the public sphere”, “the field”, and “the medium”. These are the signature terms in the seminal media-related works of Habermas, Bourdieu and McLuhan - “the public sphere” in The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere by Jurgen Habermas; “the field” in The Political Field, The Social Science Field, and the Journalistic Field and On Television by Pierre Bourdieu; and the “the medium” in Understanding Media by Marshall McLuhan. The key aim of thesis is to analyze the shaping impact of the long-standing hermeneutics/positivist schism on the methodologies employed. The thesis also considers whether the imbalances in the multidisciplinary methodologies of Habermas, Bourdieu and McLuhan brought about by this divide could have been addressed through the use of references, models and analogies from the sub-sciences of emergence and complexity theory. This evaluation includes the responses by critics and commentators to the methodologies used by Habermas, Bourdieu and McLuhan. A central argument is that the multidisciplinary methodologies of Habermas, Bourdieu and McLuhan were compromised by their tendency not to absorb science innovations, nor access new methodological ‘techniques’ – a tendency among many twentieth century academics in the humanities, according to media historian and social theorist John Durham Peters. Close reading analysis exposes the impacts of the hermeneutic/positivist schism on the methodologies of the three theorists. A further argument is that the hermeneutical tendencies present in their methodologies were brought about more by a rejection of positivism and ‘scientism’ than a conscious leaning towards hermeneutics. Habermas, Bourdieu and McLuhan some time ago created the sandbox of modern media theory. This thesis argues that the exceptional value of their media-related works will be well-served by the addition of analytical frameworks from the sub-disciplines of science such as emergence and complexity theory

Reviewing the Interdisciplinarity of Professors at Colleges and Universities Globally Through a Meta-Analysis of Current Literature

The lineage of interdisciplinarity throughout history pushes us towards understanding the need for interdisciplinarity more than ever in a modern climate. Through a meta-analysis of current literature, topics and themes will be discussed to find answers on how interdisciplinarity of professors are present within institutes of higher learning on a global scale; in addition, the implications that can be drawn from interdisciplinarity of higher education professors. This global outlook of research will focus on a continental approach to observing the divergent forms of interdisciplinarity in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania with nineteen different articles across nineteen different nations across the globe. Themes discussed in the literature relate to creating a free and autonomous interdisciplinarity in higher education, the need for sustainable education, new and integrative ways of learning, university frameworks for administration and professional development, and a global interdisciplinarity framework to consolidate the many socio-geographic forms of interdisciplinarity. Implications arose with the need to address the impact of inherent and biological interdisciplinarity, and the potential limitations of interdisciplinarity when used as a policy lever inside institutions. Ultimately, the need for interdisciplinarity relating to our innate convictions of making knowledgeable connections is not a new idea, rather a reinvigoration of primal concepts relating to knowledge attainment

Prescient custodians: biocultural ecological economics and restorative governance of the Wet Tropics

Ellie Bock explored conceptualisations of ecological economics, biocultural concepts and governance, investigating Indigenous Protected Areas intersecting with the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area and its buffer. Her study found evidence of the presence and emergence of biocultural ecological economies in the Wet Tropics bioregion, with implications for restorative governance policy

Investigating the effects of using a science writing heuristic approach in first year mechanical engineering laboratory report writing at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

The extent to which writing can be used to promote learning from laboratory activities has received limited attention in engineering contexts in South Africa. In this study the Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) approach and aspects of academic literacies approach were used to develop laboratory report writing among first year mechanical engineering students. The intervention utilised a modified report writing template for engineering practical sessions which focused on argumentation, conceptual understanding, critical thinking and language literacies. Quantitative and qualitative data were generated via pre-post-analysis of the modified practical report template, Cornell Critical Thinking Test, questionnaires, as well as focus group interviews with students; and individual interviews with staff, on their perceptions of the SWH. The sample (n=56 matched pairs) was divided into three groups through convenience sampling. Group 1 (n=15) utilised an online intervention, Group 2 (n=20) utilised a paper-based intervention and Group 3 (n=21) utilised a standard paper-based laboratory report template. Statistically significant differences with large effect sizes were obtained between group scores from pre- to post-tests in terms of argumentation and language. No differences between the pre-post-test changes in terms of group conceptual scores (n= 91) were found and there was a drop in scores from pre- to post-test in terms of critical thinking (n= 56). Overall, the data indicates that the SWH approach improved students‟ argumentation and language literacies with large effect sizes. Focus group interviews revealed that students believed that the SWH approach made them “think deeper” and that they preferred the intervention (SWH) over the traditional approach. The apparent unawareness of the academics concerned in terms of argument-based inquiry provides a possible answer for their use of assessment strategies focused only on concepts. Focus group interviews revealed that students believed that the SWH approach made them “think deeper” and that they preferred the intervention (SWH) over the traditional approach. The apparent unawareness of the academics concerned in terms of argument-based inquiry provides a possible answer for their use of assessment strategies focused only on concepts