S-COL: A Copernican turn for the development of flexibly reusable collaboration scripts

Collaboration scripts are usually implemented as parts of a particular collaborative-learning platform. Therefore, scripts of demonstrated effectiveness are hardly used with learning platforms at other sites, and replication studies are rare. The approach of a platform-independent description language for scripts that allows for easy implementation of the same script on different platforms has not succeeded yet in making the transfer of scripts feasible. We present an alternative solution that treats the problem as a special case of providing support on top of diverse Web pages: In this case, the challenge is to trigger support based on the recognition of a Web page as belonging to a specific type of functionally equivalent pages such as the search query form or the results page of a search engine. The solution suggested has been implemented by means of a tool called S-COL (Scripting for Collaborative Online Learning) and allows for the sustainable development of scripts and scaffolds that can be used with a broad variety of content and platforms. The tool’s functions are described. In order to demonstrate the feasibility and ease of script reuse with S-COL, we describe the flexible re-implementation of a collaboration script for argumentation in S-COL and its adaptation to different learning platforms. To demonstrate that a collaboration script implemented in S-COL can actually foster learning, an empirical study about the effects of a specific script for collaborative online search on learning activities is presented. The further potentials and the limitations of the S-COL approach are discussed

The role of personal and shared displays in scripted collaborative learning

Over the last decades collaborative learning has gained immensely in importance and popularity due to its high potential. Unfortunately, learners rarely engage in effective learning activities unless they are provided with instructional support. In order to maximize learning outcomes it is therefore advisable to structure collaborative learning sessions. One way of doing this is using collaboration scripts, which define a sequence of activities to be carried out by the learners. The field of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) produced a variety of collaboration scripts that proved to have positive effects on learning outcomes. These scripts provide detailed descriptions of successful learning scenarios and are therefore used as foundation for this thesis. In many cases computers are used to support collaborative learning. Traditional personal computers are often chosen for this purpose. However, during the last decades new technologies have emerged, which seem to be better suited for co-located collaboration than personal computers. Large interactive displays, for example, allow a number of people to work simultaneously on the same surface while being highly aware of the co-learners' actions. There are also multi-display environments that provide several workspaces, some of which may be shared, others may be personal. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the influence of different display types on group processes. For instance, it remains unclear in which cases shareable user interfaces should replace traditional single-user devices and when both personal and shared workspaces should be provided. This dissertation therefore explores the role of personal and shared workspaces in various situations in the area of collaborative learning. The research questions include the choice of technological devices, the seating arrangement as well as how user interfaces can be designed to guide learners. To investigate these questions a two-fold approach was chosen. First, a framework was developed, which supports the implementation of scripted collaborative learning applications. Second, different prototypes were implemented to explore the research questions. Each prototype is based on at least one collaboration script. The result is a set of studies, which contribute to answering the above-mentioned research questions. With regard to the choice of display environment the studies showed several reasons for integrating personal devices such as laptops. Pure tabletop applications with around-the-table seating arrangements whose benefits for collaboration are widely discussed in the relevant literature revealed severe drawbacks for text-based learning activities. The combination of laptops and an interactive wall display, on the other hand, turned out to be a suitable display environment for collaborative learning in several cases. In addition, the thesis presents several ways of designing the user interface in a way that guides learners through collaboration scripts

A Comparative Analysis of Node.js (Server-Side JavaScript)

Node.js (also termed Node) is a platform built on Google Chrome V8 JavaScript runtime engine for easily building fast, scalable, and lightweight applications.V8 and Node are mostly implemented in C and C++ focusing on performance and low memory consumption. In this paper, we provide an overview of Node by comparing it to a conventional server-side scripting programming language, PHP. Initially, we focus on Node’s modularity, its in-built package manager labeled Node Package Manager and Node’s working architecture. The main feature of Node is its use of non-blocking event-driven I/O with an asynchronous programming model to remain lightweight and efficient in handling concurrency. These comprise the underlying features of Node which we discuss in detail. Node differs from JavaScript which we describe by emphasizing some major deficiencies in JavaScript that Node remediates. Likewise, by introducing AJAX, and its pros and cons, we show how Node surpasses AJAX in real-time application development usability. With Node.js, complex real-time applications can be built that can scale to millions of client connections. We also discuss factors supporting choosing Node and why developers should use it. We describe some of the security holes in Node with solutions to handle them. In order to clarify where Node succeeds and where it fails, we present two different benchmarks comparing Node with PHP. We conclude by highlighting some of the limitations of Node and we discuss the current developments in process to remediate Node’s deficiencies

Computer Science's Digest Volume 3

This series of textbooks was created for the students of the Systems Engineering Program at the University of Nariño. They have been intentionally written in English to promote reading in a foreign language. The textbooks are a collection of reflections and workshops on specific situations in the field of computer science, based on the authors’ experiences. The main purpose of these textbooks is essentially academic. The way in which the reflections and workshops were constructed follows a didactic structure, to facilitate teaching and learning, making use of English as a second language. This book covers Professional Issues in Computing and Programming the Interne

Security assessment of open source third-parties applications

Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) components are ubiquitous in both proprietary and open source applications. In this dissertation we discuss challenges that large software vendors face when they must integrate and maintain FOSS components into their software supply chain. Each time a vulnerability is disclosed in a FOSS component, a software vendor must decide whether to update the component, patch the application itself, or just do nothing as the vulnerability is not applicable to the deployed version that may be old enough to be not vulnerable. This is particularly challenging for enterprise software vendors that consume thousands of FOSS components, and offer more than a decade of support and security fixes for applications that include these components. First, we design a framework for performing security vulnerability experimentations. In particular, for testing known exploits for publicly disclosed vulnerabilities against different versions and software configurations. Second, we provide an automatic screening test for quickly identifying the versions of FOSS components likely affected by newly disclosed vulnerabilities: a novel method that scans across the entire repository of a FOSS component in a matter of minutes. We show that our screening test scales to large open source projects. Finally, for facilitating the global security maintenance of a large portfolio of FOSS components, we discuss various characteristics of FOSS components and their potential impact on the security maintenance effort, and empirically identify the key drivers

Experimental Techniques In The Recording And Display Of Archaeological Materials

In the area of the display of data and images from archaeological sites there is very little uniformity. Universities, museums, and institutions use a variety of techniques and software. Because of the lack of a common framework for storing information gathered from the field a great deal of time is lost converting between disparate file formats and learning new program structures. The goal of this project is to create an open platform to accomplish the specialized tasks of recording and displaying data from the field, specifically dealing with the unique problems associated with sites in an underwater context. The final result should be freely available and adaptable. Many challenges were overcome over the course of this project. Providing security, estimating the user’s level of technical ability, creating a simple but effective interface, creating a three dimensional object viewer, and using only tools freely available for public use were the primary problems. The software chosen to author the platform as well as the hardware requirements were intentionally left to a minimum to ensure that users without access to the latest hardware would still be able to use these tools. In addition to these requirements, the final product would have to be hardware agnostic, as well as operating system neutral. As tempting as it would be to call this project complete, it is very much still an evolving work in progress. As new challenges arise the platform should be robust enough to be able to adapt. The modular design of the platform will ensure that future users will be able to adjust and even create completely new components to add functionality and customize the software to their needs