Unplugged Computing and Semantic Waves: Analysing Crazy Characters

We explore how Legitimation Code Theory, and, in particular, semantic waves, provides a useful way to understand what makes unplugged computing activities eff ective (or not) in the classroom. We overview the theory, discuss how it applies to unplugged activities, and describe a case study where we apply it to a specific widely used, unplugged activity. In particular, we show that the published lesson plan follows a semantic wave. We suggest that semantic waves are useful both in developing and reviewing lesson plans around unplugged (and other) computing activities. They also have great potential in teacher training and continuous professional development of computing teachers

An Examination of Privacy Policies of Global University Web Sites

Due to demand in online services, universities throughout the world are increasing the content of their Web sites and adding features, such as online applications and e-learning. However, adding online services requires that personal data is kept within computerized systems, thus putting personal private information at risk. Online consumers express concern about the risk of their personal private data and demand to know how organizations will protect their records. It is imperative that firms have mechanisms to guard their data and publish protection information within online privacy policies to mitigate user distrust. However, although industry privacy groups may recommend better protection and some countries may legislate its use; this is not universal in all university sites. This study analyzes 90 universities site throughout the world to determine the use of privacy protection. The results show a lack of use of certain privacy mechanisms. The research suggests methods for improving protection

Informatics Research Institute (IRIS) September 2008 newsletter

2007-8 was a very busy year for IRIS. It was a bumper year for visiting Profs with Prof Michael Myers visiting from New Zealand, Prof Brian Fitzgerald visiting from University of Limerick, Ireland, Prof. Uzay Kaymak visiting from Erasmus University Netherlands and Prof Steve Sawyer visiting from Pennsylvania State University, USA. Their visits enriched our doctoral school, seminar programme workshops and our research. We were very lucky to have such a distinguished line up of visiting professors and we offer them hearty thanks and hope to keep ongoing research links with them

Effective partnerships in Open Distance Learning: implications of the Irish National Distance Education Centre model

The National Distance Education Centre in Ireland has adopted a cooperative and collaborative approach in meeting its primary aim of extending access to qualifications and training throughout Ireland to those who are unable to attend full-time education because of work, location, disability, or domestic reasons. This paper analyses the conditions which determine the effectiveness of partnerships and networks in the context of this experience. The paper will consider the challenges and opportunities facing cooperative national distance education systems in the context of new technologies, globalisation, and converging markets

A game theory framework for clustering

The Game Theory-based Multi-Agent System (GTMAS) of Toreyen and Salhi, [10] and [12], implements a loosely coupled hybrid algorithm that may involve any number of algorithms suitable, a priori, for the solution of a given optimisation problem. The system allows the available algorithms to co-operate toward the solution of the problem in hand as well as compete for the computing facilities they require to run. This co-operative/competitive aspect is captured through the implementation of the Prisoners? Dilemma paradigm of game theory. Here, we apply GTMAS to the problem of clustering European Union (EU) economies, including Turkey, to find out whether the latter, based on a number of criteria, can fit in the EU and find out which countries, if any, it has strong similaries with. This clustering problem is first converted into an optimisation problem, namely the Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP) before being solved with GTMAS involving two players (agents) each implementing a standard combinatorial optimisation algorithm. Computational results are included

HCI for the deaf community: developing human-like avatars for sign language synthesis

With ever increasing computing power and advances in 3D animation technologies it is no surprise that 3D avatars for sign language (SL) generation are advancing too. Traditionally these avatars have been driven by somewhat expensive and inflexible motion capture technologies and perhaps this is the reason avatars do not feature in all but a few user interfaces (UIs). SL synthesis is a competing technology that is less costly, more versatile and may prove to be the answer to the current lack of access for the Deaf in HCI. This paper outlines the current state of the art in SL synthesis for HCI and how we propose to advance this by improving avatar quality and realism with a view to ameliorating communication and computer interaction for the Deaf community as part of a wider localisation project

Using software to tell a trustworthy, convincing and useful story

This paper discusses the potential of specialist software to develop category construction in qualitative data analysis and considers how the uses of software may best be reported to substantiate researchers’ claims. Examples are examined from two recent projects: a consultation of pupil’s perceptions of assessment for learning strategies and an exploratory enquiry on employing music as a tool for inclusion in post-conflict Northern Ireland. From this experience, a number of suggestions on how to support the researchers’ claims are made and a model of knowledge generation is put forward. Some of the practical implications outlined are discussed within the context of social research, but it is acknowledged that the suggestions also apply to any field in which knowledge is generated from qualitative data

Staying the course: retention and participation in on-line learning in Singapore and the UK

In 2001 the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) in collaboration with the British Open University (OU) ran a successful presentation of the Level 1 Technology Course 'You, Your Computer and the Net'. The 30 point foundation level course was delivered to 9,000 students in 13 UK regions and simultaneously to a cohort of 200 students in Singapore. One of the striking factors about the results of this course was the difference in retention and ultimately the final pass rates of the two cohorts of students. This paper will describe the course and its delivery in the two countries, attempting to offer some explanations for this discrepancy in drop out rates using a cross cultural perspective