Educating for Good Work: From Research to Practice

Launched in 1995, the GoodWork Project is a long-term, multi-site effort to understand the nature of good work across the professional landscape and to promote its achievement by relevant groups of students and professionals. In this essay, the authors review the goals and methods of the initial research project and its most salient findings. They describe the GoodWork Toolkit, a versatile instrument that consists of actual dilemmas faced by professionals, along with exercises designed to make the issues salient to those who use the Toolkit. Introduced as well is a system of classification of the dilemmas, in terms of their applicability across the professional landscape; and a review of the range of educational settings in which GoodWork materials have been utilized

Effects of Team-Based Computer Interaction: The Media Equation and Game Design Considerations

The current paper applies media equation research to video game de-sign. The paper presents a review of the existing media equation research, de-scribes a specific study conducted by the authors, discusses how the findings of the study can be used to inform future game design, and explores how other media equation findings might be incorporated into game design. The specific study, discussed in detail in the paper, explores the notion of team formation between humans and computer team-mates. The results show that while highly experienced users will accept a computer as a team-mate, they tend to react more negatively towards the computer than to human teammates (a ‘Black Sheep’ Effect

The media equation and team formation: Further evidence for experience as a moderator

This study extends previous media equation research, which showed that interdependence but not identity leads to team affiliation effects with computers. The current study used an identity manipulation that more closely replicated the manipulation used in traditional team and group formation research than the original media equation research in this area. The study also sought further evidence for the relationship between experience with computers and behaviour reflecting a media equation pattern of results. Sixty students from the University of Queensland voluntarily participated in the study. Participants were assigned to one of three conditions: control, human team (a team made of only humans) or human-computer team (a team made of computers and humans). Questionnaire measures assessing participants’ affective experience, attitudes and opinions were taken. Participants of high experience, but not low experience, when assigned to either of the team conditions enjoyed the tasks completed on the computer more than participants who worked on their own. When assigned to a team that involved a computer, participants of high experience, but not low experience, reacted negatively towards the computer (in comparison to high experience participants working on their own or on a team without a computer as a team member) – rating the information provided by the computer lower, rating themselves as less influenced by the computer and changing their own ratings and rankings to be less like those of the computer. These results are interpreted in light of the ‘Black Sheep’ literature and recognized as a media equation pattern of results

Operations between sets in geometry

An investigation is launched into the fundamental characteristics of operations on and between sets, with a focus on compact convex sets and star sets (compact sets star-shaped with respect to the origin) in $n$-dimensional Euclidean space $\R^n$. For example, it is proved that if $n\ge 2$, with three trivial exceptions, an operation between origin-symmetric compact convex sets is continuous in the Hausdorff metric, GL(n) covariant, and associative if and only if it is $L_p$ addition for some $1\le p\le\infty$. It is also demonstrated that if $n\ge 2$, an operation * between compact convex sets is continuous in the Hausdorff metric, GL(n) covariant, and has the identity property (i.e., $K*\{o\}=K=\{o\}*K$ for all compact convex sets $K$, where $o$ denotes the origin) if and only if it is Minkowski addition. Some analogous results for operations between star sets are obtained. An operation called $M$-addition is generalized and systematically studied for the first time. Geometric-analytic formulas that characterize continuous and GL(n)-covariant operations between compact convex sets in terms of $M$-addition are established. The term "polynomial volume" is introduced for the property of operations * between compact convex or star sets that the volume of $rK*sL$, $r,s\ge 0$, is a polynomial in the variables $r$ and $s$. It is proved that if $n\ge 2$, with three trivial exceptions, an operation between origin-symmetric compact convex sets is continuous in the Hausdorff metric, GL(n) covariant, associative, and has polynomial volume if and only if it is Minkowski addition

Les dommages-intérêts: une réforme inachevée

L'étude des dispositions de l'Avant-projet concernant l'évaluation des dommages a été orientée à partir de deux axes différents. D'une part, l'Avant-projet contient-il des règles de droit positif dont l'abandon aurait été souhaitable ? La double règle d'évaluation en matière contractuelle (débiteur de bonne foi versus débiteur de mauvaise foi), de même que la consécration des dommages-intérêts exemplaires sont examinés sous cet angle. D'autre part, l'Avant-projet va-t-il assez loin dans ses propositions de réforme ? Les dispositions touchant l'évaluation du préjudice corporel sont ici en cause. Le mode de versement de l'indemnité ainsi que la fixation législative du taux d'actualisation constituent les meilleurs exemples où, de l'avis de l'auteur, des précisions et améliorations pourraient être apportées.The study of provisions in the Draft Bill concerning the assessment of damages was conducted from two different standpoints : First, does the Draft Bill contain rules of substantive law that should be abandoned ? The dual rule of assessment in contractual matters (debtor in good faith vs. debtor in bad faith) and the recognition of exemplary damages are both examined from this angle. Second, does the Draft Bill go far enough with its proposed reforms ? Provisions on bodily harm are at issue here. The way in which indemnity payments are made as well as the legislative setting of rates are prime examples of areas in which improvements could be made and further details added

L'actualisation des dommages-intérêts en matière de préjudice corporel

Since 1978 the evaluation of pecuniary loss resulting from personal injury genuinely derives from the restitutio in integrum principle. In this context the operation of discounting the portion of the lump sum indemnity representing the victim's future losses takes on particular importance. The method used by the Supreme Court has been considerably improved: the refusal to consider interest rates and inflation rates separately, the recognition of a productivity factor for losses representing future salaries, etc. Four provinces have decided to legislate on one or more discount rates to make up for the absence or inadequacy of evidence at this level. Despite legislative and courtroom activity, much remains to be done in improving both the present legal system and its replacement by a regime better adapted to the specific problems inherent in evaluating pecuniary losses

Comparer l'incomparable : les indemnités pour préjudice corporel en droit commun et dans la Loi sur l'assurance automobile

Le système de droit commun de la responsabilité civile s'intéresse aux victimes qui peuvent identifier le responsable de leur préjudice et prévoit l'octroi de dommages-intérêts sous forme forfaitaire. De son côté, la Loi sur l'assurance automobile indemnise toutes les victimes de la route en utilisant principalement la rente et en adaptant la compensation à l'évolution de la condition physique de la victime. Les montants en jeu constituent la trame de fond du présent texte, qui vise à comparer les niveaux d'indemnités accordées en vertu de chacun de ces systèmes. Dans la première partie, l'auteur expose les avantages incontestables qui découlent de l'application d'un régime d'indemnisation sans égard à la responsabilité (délais, frais, etc.). Par la suite, et nonobstant ces avantages, il démontre que le régime québécois d'assurance automobile indemnise mieux les victimes gravement blessées que ne le fait le système de droit commun. Les victimes de préjudices limités bénéficient également du régime étatique d'indemnisation, quoique de façon moins marquée par rapport au droit commun. En revanche, en ce qui concerne les victimes par ricochet, le régime instauré par la Loi sur l'assurance automobile montre ici ses limites, principalement parce qu'il s'est écarté des règles de calcul initialement prévues en 1978, lors de l'entrée en vigueur de la loi.On the issue of civil liability, the provisions of the general law focus on victims who are able to identify the person liable for their harm, then grant them damages in the form of a lump-sum payment. The Québec Automobile Insurance Act compensates all highway accident victims mainly through an annuity whose payments are adjusted as the victim's physical conditions evolves. The amounts at stake constitute the main thrust of this paper, which seeks to compare the levels of indemnities granted under each of these systems. The author opens this presentation by illustrating the undeniable advantages arising from the no-fault indemnification plan (timely processing, expenses, etc.). Then despite these advantages, he demonstrates how the Québec automobile insurance plan offers better compensation to seriously injured victims than do the provisions under the general law. Victims of limited harm also benefit under the State-run indemnification system, although somewhat less markedly when contrasted with the general law. On the reverse side of the coin, third-party victims illustrate the limits of the plan instituted under the Québec Automobile Insurance Act, mainly because the plan has strayed away from the calculation rules initially laid down in 1978 when the Act came into force