The Management of Manufacturing-Oriented Informatics Systems Using Efficient and Flexible Architectures

Industry and in particular the manufacturing-oriented sector has always been researched and innovated as a result of technological progress, diversification and differentiation among consumers' demands. A company that provides to its customers products matching perfectly their demands at competitive prices has a great advantage over its competitors. Manufacturing-oriented information systems are becoming more flexible and configurable and they require integration with the entire organization. This can be done using efficient software architectures that will allow the coexistence between commercial solutions and open source components while sharing computing resources organized in grid infrastructures and under the governance of powerful management tools.Manufacturing-Oriented Informatics Systems, Open Source, Software Architectures, Grid Computing, Web-Based Management Systems

A review of management tools for OpenSimulator

"Conference on Videogame Sciences and Arts", realizada no Porto de 21-22 de novembro de 2018To host OpenSimulator virtual world servers at educational institutions, system administrators find at their disposal a diversity of web-based management systems with different sets of features. To support the selection among current management tools and provide a baseline from which to identify subsequent development needs, we installed and evaluated 4 of these systems (WiFi pages, OSMW, MWI and jOpenSim), analysing and comparing their features. WiFi pages only provides account-management features. MWI has mostly the same features, but also provides systems administrators with the option of creating their own management website. OSMW has account-management and maintenance features, such as log management and editing of configuration files. jOpenSim provides features for account and event management and feature for generating some actions within virtual world, such as broadcasting a message to all regions. From matching the identified features with the literature-reported requirements for virtual world deployment at educational organizations, we conclude that there is no management tool that fulfils all the functional requirements reported in the literature and, therefore, that the adoption of current tools by system administrators will always requires manually performing some of the administrative tasks. We therefore call for development of novel, more encompassing administrative tools for OpenSimulator virtual worlds.This research has been partially financed by the European Commission [BEACONING H2020ICT-2015-687676]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Global Teamwork: A Study of Design Learning in Collaborative Virtual Environments

With the recent developments in communication and information technologies, using Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs) in design activity has experienced a remarkable increase. In this paper we present a collaborative learning activity between the University of Sydney (USYD), and the Istanbul Technical University (ITU). This paper shares our teaching experience and discusses the principles of collaborative design learning in virtual environments. Followed by a study on students’ perception on the courses and collaborative learning in both universities, this paper also suggests future refinements on the course structure and the main areas of collaborative design learning. Keywords: Collaborative Design; Collaborative Virtual Environments; Design Teaching And Learning</p

Design and Implementation Assist of An College Course Management System

课程管理一直是保持高校教学质量的生命线。结合实际的学科教学管理，建立基于网络的课程管理系统，既能很好地保存学科的知识沉淀，又能促进师生流畅交流，还能延续学科的教学活力。课程管理系统使教学者能够在应用系统上发布课程大纲、教学计划、教学内容等教学资源，并在此基础上建立以学生反馈为评价指标的教学质量管理体系。 本选题主要研究如何基于J2EE框架构建高度可配置性及可扩展性的课程管理系统，使用户可以依据特定需求动态定制相关课程教学模块。我们采用了Hibernate、Spring、Flex、Cairngorm框架作为系统框架，并采用BlazeDS应用作为Flex客户端与Java服务端通信的工具。 全文...Excellent course management is the lifeline to hold high teaching quality in universities. Combined with real course management, establish a web-based management systems can not only present subject knowledge, but also promote interaction between teachers and students. Meanwhile, it well preserves vigorous vitality of course teaching. Course management system is a web application with functions to...学位：工程硕士院系专业：软件学院_工程硕士(软件工程)学号：X201323000

What motivational strategies can teachers use to encourage reading in an L2 for pleasure?

Extensive reading (ER)as a pedagogical method is gaining ground as an effective way to increase foreign language input. There are an abundance of articles on the positive effects of ER on reading motivation but less widely reported in the literature are articles on the dynamic changes in motivation EFL learners experience during an ER course and the demotivating factors that obstruct learners from gaining success in a course. How to identify these factors and from this knowledge be in a better position to engage all learners in ER is in the interest of this author. This paper will look at the evidence of the benefits of ER on language proficiency and reading motivation and discuss the motivational strategies identified in engaging learners in extensive reading programs

Factors Driving Success of Cost Management Practices in Integrated Project Delivery (IPD)

Integrated project delivery (IPD) is a mode of project procurement recognised as facilitating superior project performance. However, this success is contingent on effective cost management practices that share cost data with all project stakeholders in an accurate, timely and transparent manner. Despite an extensive literature on aspects of cost management, none identifies the essential ingredients required of an effective cost management system, sufficiently robust to support successful IPD projects. Candidate cost management augmenting practices are drawn from the literature, and presented for scrutiny in questionnaire form, to fifty IPD experienced experts, based in the USA, UK and Australia. Findings reveal activity-based costing (ABC) to be effective at identifying overhead costs and creating accounting transparency. Similarly, earned value management (EVM), in combination with ABC, is effective at developing mathematical models for equitable risk-reward distribution. Moreover, web-based management systems, as supported by Building Information Modelling (BIM), are effective at generating trust and collaboration on which IPD success depends. A questionnaire survey using purposive sampling was conducted to assess the factors driving success of implementing IPD regarding cost management process. The contribution to knowledge made by this paper is in identifying requisite support mechanisms essential to elevate traditional cost management practices to the higher standard needed to ensure IPD delivery success

Information Outlook, September 2005

Volume 9, Issue 9https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_io_2005/1008/thumbnail.jp

The Development of Online Billing and Invoice Management System for Saudi Small Companies

Invoicing and billing application for different business purposes helps mainly the service providers and freelancers to manage, send professional invoices online, and track its status. Generally, all the small companies in Saudi Arabia facing a various issues for managing and tracking the invoice status of customers, which mostly back to the lacks of adapting new technology in these companies. One of these lacks is tracking the bills status for a definite projects'. Therefore, this research intends to design and develop an online billing and invoice management system to expenses effortlessly and saves both time and money on the employees in the Saudi small companies (Sepco Company). The propose system intend to provide a digital tracking of the time spend on projects and send invoices directly to clients. An evaluation was conducted among 30 employees and business administrators at Sepco Company to perceive their opinion towards the system ease of use, usefulness, and satisfaction. The result revealed that the proposed system gained a satisfactory level among the participants

Egyptian Students' Experience of E-Maternity Course

Background: Egypt is facing a massive shortage in health care providers including nurses.  One of the Egyptian government strategies to overcome this problem is to increase students' intake at the existing nursing faculties as well as building additional nursing faculties in different governorates.  In such situation, there is an urgent need for e-learning, which is a means of alleviating the educational and health problems in Egypt. Responding to the rabid changes in the field of Information Technologies, an increasing interest in E-learning has emerged. In Egypt, little is known about the experience of introducing e learning in nursing education. Aim: This study aims to explore the Egyptian students' experience of E-maternity course. Methods: A Qualitative exploratory descriptive design was utilized using a phenomenological approach during the academic year 2012-2013.  Forty nine male and female students were selected through purposive sampling technique based o the following criteria: was having had a personal computer or laptop with an internet access and was agreed to share their views and experiences of the electronic course. Student feedback and focus group interviews were coded to develop an in-depth narrative data about students' experiences. Findings: E-learning was supported by positive students' feedback and reflections but still some students experienced some difficulties and challenges during their experiences of E-learning.  Indeed, as this study has shown, the main positive emerged themes were: convenience and sense of control, new teaching and learning method and self learning and interaction.  The second emerged theme was challenges and obstacles faced students who taught the online course.  Students' reflections were related to lack of electronic environment such as limited number of computers available, network problems, electronic management system, lack of technical support, and lack of computer skills.  Conclusion: Moving from teaching to learning is one of the policy makers' strategic objectives.  The use of e-learning would help students to acquire the learning outcomes.  E learning experience in nursing education can be improved; if the factors affecting the use of it were addressed in a correct manner. Recommendation: Corporation of e learning in nursing education should be guided both by governmental and institutional support. Key wards: E-learning, education, student's feedback.