Тезаурус как инструмент поэтологии

This article discusses the basic principles of the poetological thesaurus embracing all the branches of learning related to comprehensive theoretical and historical study of poetry. This thesaurus is conceived of as a subject-oriented reference system, as an information search tool, and an analytical instrument. The proposed conceptual and engineering design is evaluated from the standpoint of modern standards of thesaurus implementation in information retrieval systems.Рассмотрены принципы создания тезауруса по поэтологии - группе дисциплин, ориентированных на всестороннее теоретическое и историческое изучение поэзии. Этот тезаурус мыслится как предметно-ориентированный справочник, информационно-поисковый инструмент и инструмент аналитических исследований. Предложенные концептуальные и технологические решения оцениваются с точки зрения современных стандартов представления тезаурусов в информационных системах

User readiness to interact with information systems - a human activity perspective

This study focuses on how and why people become ready to interact with certain information systems (IS) based on their previous experiences with the same and/or similar systems. User-system interaction can be regarded as a mediated and collaborative human activity between a user and a system with the motive of transforming raw information into useful outcome. Using Activity Theory as a paradigm, this study conceptualizes a user-system interaction model that specifies the mediating relationships involved. Based on the user-system interaction model, this study proposes a psychological construct, Information System Interaction Readiness (ISIR), that indicates how an individual is prepared and willing to interact with a system within a user context. This construct advances a developmental view of how previous IS experiences may affect user future behavior. Compared with other constructs as predictors of user behavior, such as computer self-efficacy and intention to use, ISIR takes how IS user behavior is mediated into account. To operationalize and measure the ISIR construct, this study develops a measurement instrument for ISIR using the technique of facet analysis and the semantic differential scale type. To explore how user experiences with a system lead to the formation of ISIR, this study identifies the psychological antecedents of ISIR. This enables the discussion of how general IS capabilities, including interactivity, personalization and context-awareness, may affect ISIR through these antecedents. Because ISIR is a user-, system- and context-specific construct, this study also identifies and discusses the personal and situational factors that may affect ISIR. Putting all these relationships together results in a research framework of ISIR. To validate the ISIR measurement instrument and test the ISIR research framework, several laboratory studies were conducted. The results indicated that the ISIR instrument was valid and the ISIR framework was sound. Finally, the contributions and limitations of this study are discussed

Crowdsourced intuitive visual design feedback

For many people images are a medium preferable to text and yet, with the exception of star ratings, most formats for conventional computer mediated feedback focus on text. This thesis develops a new method of crowd feedback for designers based on images. Visual summaries are generated from a crowd’s feedback images chosen in response to a design. The summaries provide the designer with impressionistic and inspiring visual feedback. The thesis sets out the motivation for this new method, describes the development of perceptually organised image sets and a summarisation algorithm to implement it. Evaluation studies are reported which, through a mixed methods approach, provide evidence of the validity and potential of the new image-based feedback method. It is concluded that the visual feedback method would be more appealing than text for that section of the population who may be of a visual cognitive style. Indeed the evaluation studies are evidence that such users believe images are as good as text when communicating their emotional reaction about a design. Designer participants reported being inspired by the visual feedback where, comparably, they were not inspired by text. They also reported that the feedback can represent the perceived mood in their designs, and that they would be enthusiastic users of a service offering this new form of visual design feedback

Course generation as a hierarchical task network planning problem

This thesis presents course generation based on Hierarchical Task Network planning (HTN planning). This course generation framework enables the formalization and application of complex and realistic pedagogical knowledge. Compared to previous course generation, this approach generates structured courses that are adapted to a variety of different learning goals and to the learners\u27; competencies. The thesis describes basic techniques for course generation, which are used to formalize seven different types of courses (for instance introducing the learner to previously unknown concepts and supporting him during rehearsal) and several elementary learning goals (e. g., selecting an appropriate example or exercise). The course generator developed in this thesis is service-oriented thus allowing the integration of learning supporting services into the generated course in a generic and pedagogically sensible way. Furthermore, learning environments can access the functionality of the course generator using a Web-service interface. Repositories are treated as services that can register at the course generator and make their content available for course generation. The registration is based on an ontology of instructional objects. Its classes allow categorizing learning objects according to their pedagogical purpose in a more precise way than existing metadata specifications; hence it can be used for intelligent pedagogical functionalities other than course generation. Course generation based on HTN planning is implemented in Paigos and was evaluated by technical, formative and summative evaluations. The technical evaluation primarily investigated the performance to Paigos; the formative and summative evaluations targeted the users\u27; acceptance of Paigos and of the generated courses.Diese Arbeit stellt Kursgenerierung vor, die auf Hierarchical Task Network Planung (HTN Planung) basiert. Der gewählte Rahmen erlaubt die Formalisierung von komplexem und realistischem pädagogischem Wissen und ermöglicht im Vergleich zu bisherigen Techniken die Generierung von strukturierten Kursen, die an eine Vielzahl von Lernzielen angepasst sind. Aufbauend auf allgemeinen Techniken zur Kursgenerierung wird das pädagogische Wissen für sieben verschiedene Kurstypen und für eine Reihe von elementaren Lernzielen formalisiert. Die in dieser Arbeit vorgestellte Kursgenerierung ist service-orientiert. Dadurch steht ein generischer Rahmen zu Verfügung, in dem externe Lernsysteme in die generierten Kurse eingebunden werden und dem Lernenden zur Verfügung gestellt werden können, wenn es pädagogisch sinnvoll ist. Weiterhin können andere Lernsysteme über eine Web-Service Schnittstelle auf die Funktionalitäten des Kursgenerators zugreifen: Datenbanken werden als Services betrachtet, die an dem Kursgenerator registriert werden können, und auf die während der Kurserstellung zugegriffen wird. Die Registrierung verwendet eine Ontologie, die verschiedene instruktionale Typen von Lernobjekten repräsentiert und es erlaubt, Lernobjekte nach ihrem pädagogischen Verwendungszweck zu klassifizieren. Sie geht dabei über existierende Metadatenspezifikationen hinaus und ermöglicht pädagogische komplexe Funktionalitäten, so wie beispielsweise Kursgenerierung und weitere. Die vorgestellte Kursgenerierung ist implementiert in Paigos und wurde durch technische, formative und summative Evaluationen untersucht. Die technische Evaluation analysierte in erster Linie die Performanz von Paigos; die formative und summative Evaluationen widmeten sich der Frage der Akzeptanz und Verständlichkeit der von Paigos erzeugten Kurse aus Benutzersicht

An exploration of preparation for parenthood amongst first-time biological parents

PhD ThesisBackground and aim: The first-time experience of parenthood is a major life event which is associated with many stresses and rewards. Lack of preparation for parenthood has been shown to result in sub-optimal transitions for the individual parents and the dyadic relationship if present. Hence, this study aimed to explore preparation for first-time parenthood from multiple perspectives. Methods: A multi-method, multi-phased, study consisting of a concept analysis using Walker and Avant’s framework was used to explore the term ‘preparation for parenthood’ (phase one); a systematic review of measurement instruments used in the assessment of preparation for first-time parenthood (phase two) and; in-depth interviews with women, men and couples to develop an understanding of their experiences of preparation for first-time biological parenthood (phase three). Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyse the data elicited in phase three of this study. Results and discussion: Phase one resulted in a preliminary conceptual model consisting of five core domains (psychological, sociological, cultural, spiritual and physical) related to preparation for first-time parenthood. These core domains served as the foundation for the development of phases two and three respectively. The systematic review work revealed that currently there are only a few instruments which measure aspects related to these core domains. Existing tools focus on parental competence, maternal adjustment, expectations, postnatal support and paternal adaptation. The qualitative findings of this study showed how preparation for the first-time experience of parenthood launched a transformation within the women, men and couples alike and was an integral part of their journeys. What may seem like a natural transformation was, in fact, the result of a complex endeavour, with its difficulties and consequences, but also with a possibility for empowerment and growth within individual parents and within the dyadic relationship. Conclusion: There is a need to support both women and men as early as the preconception phase, creating learning opportunities and promoting engagement with educational resources all throughout the childbearing experience, with a particular focus on preparation for parenthood. Addressing the apparent contradictions that are related to the first-time experience of parenthood is paramount in achieving optimum transitions with positive outcomes for both the parents and their children. The findings of this overall study hold potential importance for future work with prospective first-time parents especially with regards to the design and implementation of interventions aimed at supporting individuals through the transition to first-time parenthood.University of Malt

Using MapReduce Streaming for Distributed Life Simulation on the Cloud

Distributed software simulations are indispensable in the study of large-scale life models but often require the use of technically complex lower-level distributed computing frameworks, such as MPI. We propose to overcome the complexity challenge by applying the emerging MapReduce (MR) model to distributed life simulations and by running such simulations on the cloud. Technically, we design optimized MR streaming algorithms for discrete and continuous versions of Conway’s life according to a general MR streaming pattern. We chose life because it is simple enough as a testbed for MR’s applicability to a-life simulations and general enough to make our results applicable to various lattice-based a-life models. We implement and empirically evaluate our algorithms’ performance on Amazon’s Elastic MR cloud. Our experiments demonstrate that a single MR optimization technique called strip partitioning can reduce the execution time of continuous life simulations by 64%. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to propose and evaluate MR streaming algorithms for lattice-based simulations. Our algorithms can serve as prototypes in the development of novel MR simulation algorithms for large-scale lattice-based a-life models.https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/scs_books/1014/thumbnail.jp