Using digital games to transform computer programming courses in Higher Education Institutions

Learning a programming language is usually considered a highly demanding and difficult process for students of all disciplines. This results in programming courses being often characterized by high dropout rates. The paper’s objective is to propose an innovative game-based learning approach towards enhancing the effectiveness and attractiveness of computer language learning courses in Higher Education Institutions. The use of digital games in learning has been increasing lately since it has been proven that they are highly effective in interdisciplinary areas, where students are required to combine knowledge from different fields and apply critical thinking and problem solving skills towards achieving a learning goal. The paper is focused on C programming language, which is considered a significant skill for the development of advanced systems (used in a number of sectors, e.g., business, education, government, health) and is the basis for Java and C++ programs. Towards deciding on an appropriate learning approach, the paper investigates the major challenges and problems the field is faced with and makes a comparative analysis of strategies, approaches and tools that have already been implemented. The proposed approach uses the Microsoft Kodu tool as a mean to provide an immersive, 3D gaming environment, where students can practice their programming skills by first developing their own game and later through their participation in a more sophisticated game, designed by their instructor. The overall approach is aligned with the experiential learning model, while it incorporates problem-based learning principles, aiming to enhance students’ involvement within the learning environment and to strengthen their creativity, high order thinking and problem solving skills. The proposed methodology is expected to have a positive impact on students’ attitude regarding programming, maximising the educational impact of the proposed game-based activities

Education and Learning in the Semantic Web

Web 3.0, also known as the Semantic Web, promises to revolutionize the way learning is delivered over the internet. In this paper, we discuss how the underlying technological elements of the semantic web combine to add intelligence to web-based, desktop or mobile, education and learning. We moreover present three types of semantic web applications for education, namely learning objects, learning object repositories and pedagogical agents, and critically appraise their contribution to learners and instructors like. Our work offers a systematic taxonomy of the current state-ofthe- art along with the relevant future research challenges in the field and an objective assessment of the critical aspects for the successful integration of semantic web applications in learning, aiming to assist researchers in positioning their future work and contribution in the area

Entrepreneurship Education in the Digital Era: A Roadmap for Ubiquitous Game Based Learning in Entrepreneurship Education at Higher Education Institutions

Entrepreneurship has gained a lot of attention over the recent years. New innovative ideas, as well as research outputs, may now be implemented and result into actual products and/or services, having a positive impact on a both economic and social level. However, a lot of work needs to be done in educating the entrepreneurs of tomorrow towards enabling them to effectively apply their managerial and decision-making skills within the current and future competitive environment. To this end, this paper proposes a theoretical framework for entrepreneurship education in Higher Education Institutions, based on the motivational aspects of Game Based Learning (GBL) elements, combined with the engagement and interaction opportunities offered by mobile devices. GBL has proven to be an effective mechanism when it comes to business skills development. The interactive interface included in all GBL applications provides learners with a chance to experiment with their entrepreneurial ideas and strategies in a simulated environment, where they can easily benefit and learn, drawing from hands-on experience rather than obtaining basic theoretical knowledge. Furthermore, mobile devices have evolved considerably and offer ubiquitous access to innovative broadband services and applications, engaging users in social interactions. As a result, Higher Education Institutions, who are considered as major enablers and adopters of new ideas and innovation, can benefit from mobile devices and use them as a complementary medium towards offering integrated and innovative learning material to their students, in the form of an exciting game based application. This paper builds upon the theories of Experiential and Digital Game Based learning and presents a Roadmap for the effective implementation and integration of Ubiquitous Game Based Learning in Entrepreneurship Education at Higher Education Institutions

Public Relations Crisis and Social Media: An Investigation into Extant and Prospective Consumers’ Perceptions through the Lens of Attribution Theory’

Online social media has shifted the balance of power from businesses to consumers, with consumers now being able to share information almost unrestrictedly in real-time. As a result, an effort to suppress what may be considered as harmful information can easily backfire, causing the information to instantly spread through user ties. However, what is considered important in such occasions is the way extant and prospective customers may interpret such crises. In this paper, we discuss the case of a Greek Apple authorized service provider and the manner in which it responded to a customer’s complaint in a blog post. The company, instead of using social media to reach out to its customers, chose to move legally against the disgruntled customer, aiming to suppress the relevant blog post, which quickly resulted to the company’s viral defamation. Building upon attribution theory and employing a content analysis of user postings in social media, our study explores stakeholders’ perceptions regarding the company’s reaction and response strategy, seeking to investigate attributions of cause and responsibility. Our results show that, in the initial stages of a crisis, hostile behaviour or refraining from comments altogether, can lead to negative outcomes in relation to a company’s reputation

Response to a Public Relations Crisis in the age of Social Media

This case study discusses a Greek Apple authorised service provider and reseller and the manner in which it responded to a customer’s complaint in a blog post. The company, instead of using social media to reach out to its customers, chose to pursue legal charges against the disgruntled customer, aiming to suppress the relevant blog post, which quickly resulted in the company’s viral defamation. Various lessons can be drawn from the case: Insights drawn from stakeholders’ comments illustrate that companies cannot afford to refrain from web 2.0, especially in the initial stages of a crisis, or ignore its principles, while developing a direct dialogue with on-line users can help a company be proactive in the case of a public relations crisis and avoid most negative outcomes in relation to a company’s reputation

Enhancing the Tourism Experience through Mobile Augmented Reality: Challenges and Prospects’

This paper discusses the use of Augmented Reality (AR) applications for the needs of tourism. It describes the technology’s evolution from pilot applications into commercial mobile applications. We address the technical aspects of mobile AR application development, emphasizing the technologies that render the delivery of augmented reality content possible and experientially superior. We examine the state of the art, providing an analysis concerning the development and the objectives of each application. Acknowledging the various technological limitations hindering AR’s substantial enduser adoption, the paper proposes a model for developing AR mobile applications for the field of tourism, aiming to release AR’s full potential within the field

Response to a PR Crisis in the age of Social Media: a Case Study Approach

As online social networks proliferate, the landscape of marketing is changing. While firms recognize the importance to actively manage their online presence for marketing purposes, web 2.0 users are the content generators and in control over information sharing and their communications. Web 2.0 applications have shifted the power balance from businesses to consumers, the latter sharing information in real-time with each other. As a result, an attempt to suppress what may be considered as harmful information can in fact backfire and have the contrary consequences with the information spreading following an epidemic process through user ties all over the blogosphere. In this paper we discuss the case of an Apple authorized reseller and service provider in Greece, and the manner with which the company responded to a customer’s blog post in which he described his experience with the company. What could have been resolved with an out-of-court settlement, inevitably implicated concepts such as freedom of speech and consumer rights. The company, instead of using social media to reach out to its customers, chose instead to move against the disgruntled customer, which quickly resulted to the company’s viral defamation across the global blogosphere

Enhancing the Tourism Experience through Mobile Augmented Reality: Challenges and Prospects

The paper discusses the use of Augmented Reality (AR) applications for the needs of tourism. It describes the technology’s evolution from pilot applications into commercial mobile applications. We address the technical aspects of mobile AR applications development, emphasizing on the technologies that render the delivery of augmented reality content possible and experientially superior. We examine the state of the art, providing an analysis concerning the development and the objectives of each application. Acknowledging the various technological limitations hindering AR’s substantial end-user adoption, the paper proposes a model for developing AR mobile applications for the field of tourism, aiming to release AR’s full potential within the field