A Database Design Case: Teton Whitewater Kayak

The Teton Whitewater Kayak case is designed to provide students with a challenging hands-on exercise in relational database design. It is extensive enough to provide a stimulating exercise, but not so large as to be overwhelming. This case can be utilized for a group project in a database management or database design course. The case is sufficiently detailed to challenge students as they apply the design concepts explained in class to a problem that closely simulates a real-world problem. An associated project can be broken into deliverables, or individual components that cover a single task, to make the project more manageable. Some of the suggested deliverables associated with this project include the design of entity-relationship diagrams, normalization of the database schema, table creation, SQL query design, form and report design, and stored procedure and trigger design. The problem was designed to be extensible. For example, while it does into include credit card processing or selling equipment on consignment, those features can be easily added to make the case more complex. The case can even be extended for use in an analysis and design class, as the services provided by the company are presented as a set of processes that can be easily represented in a data flow diagram

Lost River Wind Riders: A Project for Teaching Database Design

Lost River Winder Riders is a project designed to provide students with a challenging hands-on exercise in relational database design. It is extensive enough to provide a stimulating exercise, but not so large as to be overwhelming. This case can be used as an individual or team project in a database design course. It is sufficiently detailed to challenge students as they apply design concepts to a problem that closely simulates a real-world situation. NOTE THAT THIS ARTICLE IS APPROXIMATELY 525kb. IF YOU USE A SLOW MODEM, IT MAY TAKE A WHILE TO LOA

Using and Enhancing Online Lecture Materials

Online lecture materials are in wide use, but their level of detail as well as level of sophistication varies greatly. Incorporating some sophisticated yet easy-to-use web features into online lecture materials makes them both more useful and more engaging. The author explains how to apply pop-ups, image swapping, and bookmarks to enliven online materials, and discusses special applications for password protection and date-triggered links

Language history : A tale of two countries

This paper looks at the relationships between industry computer languages and those taught in universities. By considering the differences between two of the first countries to embrace programmable computers (USA and Australia) we find patterns that seem culturally independent. History shows a set of recurring problems for academics in choosing languages. This study shows that academics should be informed by history when making those decisions.2nd IFIP Conference on the History of Computing and EducationRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Applied Learning with the Virtual Teaching Assistant

The relevance of a university degree depends upon the ability of graduates to apply their learning in complex problemsolving situations. This ability should be taught and practiced wherever possible in the curriculum, but often requires asubstantial commitment of face-to-face instructor time. However, in many disciplines software systems can be constructed toprovide or supplement relevant learning environments. This paper describes a system developed through the use of the designand development research technique. The case shows how collaborative, intentional, and project-based learning can beincorporated in and stimulated by design decisions informed by the research technique. The paper provides details about asystem built around realistic role playing and supported by a range of tools. The combination of a scenario with a real-worldcontext, along with a software system that evaluates student work as well as interactively mentoring students, provides theservices of a virtual teaching assistant

The REA Ontology to Supplement Teaching Data Flow Diagrams

Systems Analysis and Design is a core component of most information systems curricula, and generally includes coverage of process modeling with data flow diagrams. In order to relate process modeling to something with which all students are familiar, the content of a traditional Systems Analysis and Design course can be supplemented with an ontological framework. This manuscript proposes that an ontology from accounting literature (REA) be used to supplement traditional modeling approaches. The REA Ontology incorporates elementary accounting concepts familiar to many business students, and as a consequence makes contextual learning possible. This manuscript points out several synergies between the REA Ontology and data flow diagrams, and notes that the contextual learning factor enhances student learning. As a result, students are able to develop an efficient and enriched mental concept of data flow modeling and the business processes the models seek to capture

e-Government and the Elderly: A Two Country Comparison

This paper first identifies characteristics of aging populations across two countries: the USA and Australia. Government websites of special interest to the elderly are then identified at three levels of government: National, State and Local. A randomsample of these sites is tested for readability. Results show that reading levels of web sites are harder than thoserecommended and that this design flaw occurs across all levels of government and between the two countries. It is arguedthat the simple mistake of making material too hard for the elderly to read inhibits the transformative ability of e-governmentfor this citizen group with special needs

Language history : A tale of two countries

This paper looks at the relationships between industry computer languages and those taught in universities. By considering the differences between two of the first countries to embrace programmable computers (USA and Australia) we find patterns that seem culturally independent. History shows a set of recurring problems for academics in choosing languages. This study shows that academics should be informed by history when making those decisions.2nd IFIP Conference on the History of Computing and EducationRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

A Simple Model for Nanofiber Formation by Rotary Jet-Spinning

Nanofibers are microstructured materials that span a broad range of applications from tissue engineering scaffolds to polymer transistors. An efficient method of nanofiber production is rotary jet-spinning (RJS), consisting of a perforated reservoir rotating at high speeds along its axis of symmetry, which propels a liquid, polymeric jet out of the reservoir orifice that stretches, dries, and eventually solidifies to form nanoscale fibers. We report a minimal scaling framework complemented by a semi-analytic and numerical approach to characterize the regimes of nanofiber production, leading to a theoretical model for the fiber radius consistent with experimental observations. In addition to providing a mechanism for the formation of nanofibers, our study yields a phase diagram for the design of continuous nanofibers as a function of process parameters with implications for the morphological quality of fibers.Engineering and Applied Science