Behavior change interventions: the potential of ontologies for advancing science and practice

A central goal of behavioral medicine is the creation of evidence-based interventions for promoting behavior change. Scientific knowledge about behavior change could be more effectively accumulated using "ontologies." In information science, an ontology is a systematic method for articulating a "controlled vocabulary" of agreed-upon terms and their inter-relationships. It involves three core elements: (1) a controlled vocabulary specifying and defining existing classes; (2) specification of the inter-relationships between classes; and (3) codification in a computer-readable format to enable knowledge generation, organization, reuse, integration, and analysis. This paper introduces ontologies, provides a review of current efforts to create ontologies related to behavior change interventions and suggests future work. This paper was written by behavioral medicine and information science experts and was developed in partnership between the Society of Behavioral Medicine's Technology Special Interest Group (SIG) and the Theories and Techniques of Behavior Change Interventions SIG. In recent years significant progress has been made in the foundational work needed to develop ontologies of behavior change. Ontologies of behavior change could facilitate a transformation of behavioral science from a field in which data from different experiments are siloed into one in which data across experiments could be compared and/or integrated. This could facilitate new approaches to hypothesis generation and knowledge discovery in behavioral science

Geospatial information infrastructures

Manual of Digital Earth / Editors: Huadong Guo, Michael F. Goodchild, Alessandro Annoni .- Springer, 2020 .- ISBN: 978-981-32-9915-3Geospatial information infrastructures (GIIs) provide the technological, semantic,organizationalandlegalstructurethatallowforthediscovery,sharing,and use of geospatial information (GI). In this chapter, we introduce the overall concept and surrounding notions such as geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial datainfrastructures(SDI).WeoutlinethehistoryofGIIsintermsoftheorganizational andtechnologicaldevelopmentsaswellasthecurrentstate-of-art,andreflectonsome of the central challenges and possible future trajectories. We focus on the tension betweenincreasedneedsforstandardizationandtheever-acceleratingtechnological changes. We conclude that GIIs evolved as a strong underpinning contribution to implementation of the Digital Earth vision. In the future, these infrastructures are challengedtobecomeflexibleandrobustenoughtoabsorbandembracetechnological transformationsandtheaccompanyingsocietalandorganizationalimplications.With this contribution, we present the reader a comprehensive overview of the field and a solid basis for reflections about future developments

Exploring key antecedents through a technology acceptance perspective

The main aim of this Ph.D. thesis in Management is to provide better understanding of the role of Information Systems (ISs) in the decision-making process and successful performance of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), exploring the antecedents of technology acceptance. To achieve the objectives defined, four articles were elaborated: a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) and three articles of an empirical nature. Therefore, the first article aimed to identify, explore and systematize the main topics regarding the role of web portals as tools to support information management in HEIs. Based on 126 articles published up to 5 November 2016 on the Web of Science and SCOPUS databases, four major topics were identified, namely, the software used in web portals, internal and external benefits of using web portals, technology acceptance and information storage and management. The main contribution of this research lies in identifying the main topics and trends in scientific production for each topic identified, and in identifying gaps and future lines of research in this field of study. The second article aimed to study the influence of web portals in supporting HEI management and performance, considering personality traits, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, through an empirical study. To achieve the aim proposed, Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used together with a structured questionnaire administered to teaching and non-teaching staff in Portuguese HEIs. The results obtained, through 338 valid responses, indicate a positive influence of personality traits on the use of web portals and that their use also has a positive influence on HEIs’ performance. The third chapter sought to identify the factors influencing the use of e-learning platforms in the Portuguese academic context through an empirical study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information. Based on 631 valid responses, SEM was applied, leading to the conclusion that, in accordance with Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT), the characteristics of e-learning platforms and Personal Innovativeness in Information Technology (PIIT) have a positive influence on the use of this tool. The fourth and final article aimed to identify and explain the factors of successful operation, implementation and use of e-libraries in the academic context of Portuguese higher education. To achieve this goal, a qualitative approach was adopted, through a case study of the e-library at the University of Beira Interior (UBI). Primary data were obtained from interviews with staff of the library, computer services and administration of this teaching institution holding leadership positions and directly involved in the implementation, maintenance or use of the e-library. The empirical evidence highlights the importance of minimizing costs, particularly by forming cooperation protocols, the use of open-source software and training of UBI library staff. Acceptance and use of the e-library depends on the platform’s characteristics, the ease of access to information, actions to publicise and make the whole academic community aware of the e-library and its functions, and implementation of appealing, intuitive User Interfaces (UIs). In addition, the training of students and library staff was revealed as a relevant factor for acceptance of this tool. For the future, the creation of a functional search aggregator is suggested, to allow a simultaneous search in all the databases and creating the least noise possible. This function could be implemented based on multi-disciplinary teams with skills acquired through specific training. This study was based on Resource-Based View (RBV) and Social Learning Theory (SLT). In this thesis, considering the four studies developed, it was possible to support the influence of IS acceptance on HEIs’ performance and determine the role of ISs in supporting these institutions’ management, in the Portuguese academic context. This research also presents contributions to theory and implications for practice, as well as future lines of study on the topic.O principal objetivo desta tese de doutoramento em Gestão consistiu em proporcionar uma melhor compreensão acerca do papel dos Sistemas de Informação (SIs) no processo de tomada de decisão e no sucesso da performance das Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), explorando os antecedentes da aceitação das tecnologias. Para conseguir alcançar os propósitos definidos, foram elaborados quatro artigos: uma Systematic Literature Review (SLR) e três artigos de natureza empírica. Neste sentido, o primeiro artigo teve por objetivo a identificação, exploração e sistematização dos principais temas sobre o papel dos portais web como ferramentas para apoiar a gestão da informação nas HEI. Tendo por base 126 artigos publicados até ao dia 5 de novembro de 2016, nas bases de dados Web of Science e SCOPUS foi possível identificar quatro grandes temáticas, nomeadamente, software utilizado em Portais Web, benefícios internos e externos da utilização de Portais Web, aceitação das tecnologias e o armazenamento e gestão da informação. O principal contributo desta investigação prende-se com a identificação das principais temáticas e tendências da produção científica em cada temática identificada, bem como, a identificação de lacunas e futuras linhas de investigação dentro deste campo de investigação. O segundo artigo teve por objetivo estudar a influência dos portais web no apoio à gestão e no desempenho das HEIs, tendo em consideração os traços de personalidade, a perceção acerca da utilidade e da facilidade de utilização, através de um estudo empírico. Para conseguir alcançar o objetivo proposto, recorreu-se ao Strucutral Equation Modeling (SEM) e a um questionário estruturado, dirigido a pessoal docente e não docente de HEIs portuguesas. Os resultados obtidos, através de 338 respostas válidas, indicam que existe uma influência positiva entre os traços de personalidade e a utilização dos portais web e que a sua utilização também influencia positivamente o desempenho das HEIs. No terceiro artigo procurou-se identificar os fatores que influenciam a utilização de plataformas de e-learning no contexto académico português, através de um estudo empírico. Recorreu-se a um questionário estruturado como objeto de recolha de informação. Tendo por base 631 respostas válidas, aplicou-se o SEM e podemos concluir que, em concordância com a Teoria da Difusão da inovação (TDI), as caraterísticas das plataformas de e-learning e o Personal Innovativeness in Information Technology (PIIT) influenciam de forma positiva a utilização desta ferramenta. O quarto e último artigo teve por objetivo a identificação e explicação de fatores para o bom funcionamento, implementação e utilização de e-librarys no contexto académico do ensino superior português. Para alcançar o objetivo proposto adotou-se uma abordagem qualitativa, através de um estudo de caso da e-library da Universidade da Beira Interior (UBI). Os dados primários obtiveram-se com recurso a entrevistas ao Staff da Biblioteca, dos Serviços de informática e da Administração desta instituição de ensino, com posições de chefia e envolvidos de forma direta na implementação, manutenção ou utilização da e-library. As evidências empíricas ressaltam a importância para a minimização de custos, nomeadamente, a celebração de protocolos de cooperação, a utilização de software open source e a formação do staff da biblioteca da UBI. A aceitação e utilização da e-library, depende das caraterísticas da plataforma, da facilidade do acesso à informação, de ações de divulgação que deem a conhecer a toda a academia a e-library e as suas funcionalidades e da implementação de User Interfaces (UIs) apelativas e intuitivas. Adicionalmente, a formação de alunos e do staff da biblioteca revelou ser um fator relevante para a aceitação desta ferramenta. De futuro sugere-se a criação de um agregador de pesquisa funcional, que pesquise em simultâneo em todas as bases de dados e crie o menor ruido possível. Esta funcionalidade será possível ser implementada com base em equipas multidisciplinares com as skills adquiridas através de formação especifica. Este estudo teve por base a Resource-Based View (RBV) e a Social Learning Theory (SLT). Neste trabalho de tese, tendo em consideração os quatro estudos desenvolvidos, foi possível sustentar a influência da aceitação de SIs no desempenho das HEIs e averiguar o papel dos SIs no apoio dado à gestão destas instituições, no contexto académico português. Esta investigação apresenta também contributos para a teoria e implicações para a prática, bem como, futuras linhas de investigação acerca da temática em estudo

Students Expectations Towards New Technologies: A Case of Blockchain

The paper presents the results of an investigation into factors that influence expectations towards new technologies on an example of blockchain technology (BC). The authors propose a research model that encompasses information sources, knowledge and usage factors, and three types of expectations towards new technology: Technological Evolution, Social Evolution, and Social Revolution. The model was tested on the population of IT students from Cracow universities (Poland). The results indicate that students that are aware of technological and practical aspects of BC have more reserved expectations towards BC, contrary to students whose knowledge and experience of this technology is superficial, and whose expectations are high and might be classified as Social Revolution. The results of research might help in shaping education curricula at universities. The proposed model might be useful in the investigation of attitudes towards other new technologies

A portal of educational resources: providing evidence for matching pedagogy with technology

The TPACK (Technology, Pedagogy and Content Knowledge) model presents the three types of knowledge that are necessary to implement a successful technology-based educational activity. It highlights how the intersections between TPK (Technological Pedagogical Knowledge), PCK (Pedagogical Content Knowledge) and TCK (Technological Content Knowledge) are not a sheer sum up of their components but new types of knowledge. This paper focuses on TPK, the intersection between technology knowledge and pedagogy knowledge – a crucial field of investigation. Actually, technology in education is not just an add-on but is literally reshaping teaching/learning paradigms. Technology modifies pedagogy and pedagogy dictates requirements to technology. In order to pursue this research, an empirical approach was taken, building a repository (back-end) and a portal (front-end) of about 300 real-life educational experiences run at school. Educational portals are not new, but they generally emphasise content. Instead, in our portal, technology and pedagogy take centre stage. Experiences are classified according to more than 30 categories (‘facets’) and more than 200 facet values, all revolving around the pedagogical implementation and the technology used. The portal (an innovative piece of technology) supports sophisticated ‘exploratory’ sessions of use, targeted at researchers (investigating the TPK intersection), teachers (looking for inspiration in their daily jobs) and decision makers (making decisions about the introduction of technology into schools)

Artificial Intelligence, Decision Making, and the Knowledge Creation Process

The continued evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) presents new opportunities for businesses to improve performance through better decision making. Prior literature has emphasized the relationship between AI and decision making as structures contributing to improved decision quality. This paper proposes that knowledge is a critical construct in the decision-making process and that it is the combined interactions of AI, decision making, and knowledge management within decision support systems and processes that contribute to improved decision quality. This paper outlines research trends that have occurred over the years and where the conversations regarding AI, decision making, and knowledge converge. Proposed in this paper is a research framework to classify AI capabilities in the knowledge creation process to further our understanding of these critical linkages