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Learning by Doing: Twenty Successful Active Learning Exercises for Information Systems Courses

Aim/Purpose: This paper provides a review of previously published work related to active learning in information systems (IS) courses. Background: There are a rising number of strategies in higher education that offer promise in regards to getting students’ attention and helping them learn, such as flipped classrooms and offering courses online. These learning strategies are part of the pedagogical technique known as active learning. Active learning is a strategy that became popular in the early 1990s and has proven itself as a valid tool for helping students to be engaged with learning. Methodology: This work follows a systematic method for identifying and coding previous research based on an aspect of interest. The authors identified and assessed research through a search of ABI/Inform scholarly journal abstracts and keywords, as well as additional research databases, using the search terms “active learning” and “information systems” from 2000 through June 2016. Contribution: This synthesis of active learning exercises provides guidance for information technology faculty looking to implement active learning strategies in their classroom by demonstrating how IS faculty might begin to introduce more active learning techniques in their teaching as well as by presenting a sample teaching agenda for a class that uses a mix of active and passive learning techniques to engage student learning. Findings: Twenty successful types of active learning exercises in IS courses are presented. Recommendations for Practitioners : This paper offers a “how to” resource of successful active learning strategies for IS faculty interested in implementing active learning in the classroom. Recommendation for Researchers: This work provides an example of a systematic literature review as a means to assess successful implementations of active learning in IS. Impact on Society: An updated definition of active learning is presented as well as a meaningful list of exercises that encourage active learning both inside and outside of the IS classroom. Future Research: In relation to future research, this study highlights a number of opportunities for IS faculty in regards to new active learning activities or trends to study further.




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Advantages and Disadvantages of an Innovative Tablet Technology Learning Activity: A Ten Year Case Study in Small Tertiary Mathematics Classrooms

Aim/Purpose: To identify positive and negative aspects for learning of interactive tablet technology learning activities that promote student engagement and learning. Background: Engaging students in mathematics classes is an on-going challenge for teachers. In 2008 we were offered the opportunity to run interactive activities with a class set of tablet PCs that had just been released on to the market. Since then, we have run these interactive activities continuously with mathematics classes for computing students, albeit with two changes in hardware. Methodology: In the interactive activities, students submit full worked solutions to various problem types (classified as table, text, open or multi-choice) which can then be displayed to the class anonymously, discussed and annotated by the teacher. We surveyed student and staff perceptions and monitored academic performance. Contribution: We have over 10 years of results, observations, and experience from 2008, when tablet technologies were new and expensive, to the current time, when modern tablets with styli are now affordable. Findings: There was a significant increase in higher grades although pass rates did not increase significantly. Over the ten year period of the study, perceptions of students and staff about how this technology impacted on student learning were consistently positive. The majority of students found all problem types useful for learning even those they rated “too hard” or “too easy”. Benefits included increased feedback, peer learning and engagement. Recommendations for Practitioners: We recommend using tablet learning activities to engage students and teachers and to contribute to learning. Impact on Society: This study shows how using tablet technologies for interactive classroom activities can enable and enhance known pedagogies of feedback, peer instruction, and student engagement for mathematics classes. Future Research: We recommend extending this study to include larger classes, and other technical subjects that use symbols and diagrams. In addition, we suggest considering control groups.




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Investigating the Feasibility of Automatic Assessment of Programming Tasks

Aim/Purpose: The aims of this study were to investigate the feasibility of automatic assessment of programming tasks and to compare manual assessment with automatic assessment in terms of the effect of the different assessment methods on the marks of the students. Background: Manual assessment of programs written by students can be tedious. The assistance of automatic assessment methods might possibly assist in reducing the assessment burden, but there may be drawbacks diminishing the benefits of applying automatic assessment. The paper reports on the experience of a lecturer trying to introduce automated grading. Students’ solutions to a practical Java programming test were assessed both manually and automatically and the lecturer tied the experience to the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). Methodology: The participants were 226 first-year students registered for a Java programming course. Of the tests the participants submitted, 214 were assessed both manually and automatically. Various statistical methods were used to compare the manual assessment of student’s solutions with the automatic assessment of the same solutions. A detailed investigation of reasons for differences was also carried out. A further data collection method was the lecturer’s reflection on the feasibility of automatic assessment of programming tasks based on the UTAUT. Contribution: This study enhances the knowledge regarding benefits and drawbacks of automatic assessment of students’ programming tasks. The research contributes to the UTAUT by applying it in a context where it has hardly been used. Furthermore, the study is a confirmation of previous work stating that automatic assessment may be less reliable for students with lower marks, but more trustworthy for the high achieving students. Findings: An automatic assessment tool verifying functional correctness might be feasible for assessment of programs written during practical lab sessions but could be less useful for practical tests and exams where functional, conceptual and structural correctness should be evaluated. In addition, the researchers found that automatic assessment seemed to be more suitable for assessing high achieving students. Recommendations for Practitioners: This paper makes it clear that lecturers should know what assessment goals they want to achieve. The appropriate method of assessment should be chosen wisely. In addition, practitioners should be aware of the drawbacks of automatic assessment before choosing it. Recommendation for Researchers: This work serves as an example of how researchers can apply the UTAUT theory when conducting qualitative research in different contexts. Impact on Society: The study would be of interest to lecturers considering automated assessment. The two assessments used in the study are typical of the way grading takes place in practice and may help lecturers understand what could happen if they switch from manual to automatic assessment. Future Research: Investigate the feasibility of automatic assessment of students’ programming tasks in a practical lab environment while accounting for structural, functional and conceptual assessment goals.




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Activity Oriented Teaching Strategy for Software Engineering Course: An Experience Report

Aim/Purpose: This paper presents the findings of an Activity-Oriented Teaching Strategy (AOTS) conducted for a postgraduate level Software Engineering (SE) course with the aim of imparting meaningful software development experience for the students. The research question is framed as whether the activity-oriented teaching strategy helps students to acquire practical knowledge of Software Engineering and thus bridge the gap between academia and software industry. Background: Software Engineering Education (SEE) in India is mainly focused on teaching theoretical concepts rather than emphasizing on practical knowledge in software development process. It has been noticed that many students of CS/IT background are struggling when they start their career in the software industry due to inadequate familiarity with the software development process. In the current context of SE education, there is a knowledge gap between the theory learned in the classroom and the actual requirement demanded by the software industry. Methodology: The methodology opted for in this study was action research since the teachers are trying to solve the practical problems and deficiencies encountered while teaching SE. There are four pedagogies in AOTS for fulfilling the requirements of the desired teaching strategy. They are flipped classroom, project role-play for developing project artifacts, teaching by example, and student seminars. The study was conducted among a set of Postgraduate students of the Software Engineering programme at Cochin University of Science and Technology, India. Contribution: AOTS can fulfil both academic and industrial requirements by actively engaging the students in the learning process and thus helping them develop their professional skills. Findings: AOTS can be molded as a promising teaching strategy for learning Software Engineering. It focuses on the essential skill sets demanded by the software industry such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and understanding of the software development processes. Impact on Society: Activity-oriented teaching strategies can fulfil both academic and industrial requirements by actively engaging the students in the SE learning process and thus helping them in developing their professional skills. Future Research: AOTS can be refined by adding/modifying pedagogies and including different features like an online evaluation system, virtual classroom etc.




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Delving into the Specificity of Instructional Guidance in Social Media-supported Learning Environments

Aim/Purpose: This study investigates the variations in student participation patterns across different types of instructional activities, learning modes, and with different instructional guidance approaches. In the current study, different variables, modes of learning (guided versus unguided), and types of guidance (social versus cognitive) were manipulated in a series of microblogging-supported collaborative learning tasks to examine to what extent and in which aspects instructional guidance affects the effectiveness and student perception of microblogging-supported learning. Background: Despite the overwhelming agreement on the importance of instructional guidance in microblogging-supported learning environments, very few studies have been done to examine the specificity of guidance, such as how to structure and support microblogging activities, as well as what types of guidance are appropriate in what learning contexts. Methodology: This semester-long study utilized a case-study research design via a multi-dimensional approach in a hybrid classroom with both face-to-face and online environments. Tweets were collected from four types of activities and coded based on content within their contextual setting. Twenty-four college students participated in the study. Contribution: In response to the call to improve social media learning environments under-scored in contemporary education, the current case study took an initial step aiming at deepening the understanding of the role of instructional guidance in microblogging-supported learning environments. Findings: This study showcases that with instructor facilitation, students succeeded in being engaged in a highly participatory and interactive learning experience across a variety of tasks and activities. This study indicates that students’ perspectives of social media tools rely heavily on what instructors do with the tool and how the instructional activities are structured and supported. Instructors’ scaffolding and support is instrumental in keeping students on task and engaging students with meaningful events, thus ensuring the success of microblogging-based learning activities. Meanwhile, students’ perception of usefulness of instructional guidance is closely related to their own pre-perception and experience. Recommendations for Practitioners: When incorporating social media tools, it is important to examine learner’s prior knowledge and comfort level with these tools and tailor the design of instructional activities to their attributes. It is also vital to monitor student progress, adjust the type and amount of guidance and scaffolding provided as they progress, and eventually remove the scaffolding until students can demonstrate that they can perform the task successfully without assistance. Recommendation for Researchers: Due to many other potential factors in place that could potentially influence student learning, no conclusive remarks can be made regarding the superiority of either one type of guidance approach. Future researchers should continue to develop robust research methodologies to seek ways to better operationalize this variable and strive to understand its effect. Future Research: Future replication studies in other settings, with a larger sample size, and different populations will certainly provide further insights on the effects of instructional guidance in microblogging-based learning. Alternative coding methods may also shed light on differences in student interaction in terms of content diversity and depth of learning when analyzing the tweets. Advanced data collection techniques may be explored to ascertain the completeness of data collection.




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Enhancing Student Learning in Cybersecurity Education using an Out-of-class Learning Approach

Aim/Purpose: In this study, the researchers investigated whether the out-of-class learning approach could help the students to attain any valuable learning outcomes for cybersecurity learning and could enhance the perceived value of cybersecurity education among the students. Background: Cybersecurity learning poses challenges for its students to learn a complicated subject matter and the students may be intimidated by the challenging courses in cybersecurity programs. Therefore, it is essential for the faculty members to devise some mechanisms to promote cybersecurity learning to increase its student retention. The mechanism suggested by this study was the out-of-class learning approach. Methodology: The researchers in this study employed a content analysis and adopted a semiotic method to analyze qualitative data. The researchers also conducted crosstabulation analyses using chi-square tests to detect the significant differences in the emerging learning outcomes from the two different out-of-class learning activities investigated in this study. Contribution: This study addressed the difficulty of cybersecurity education and proposed a viable mechanism to promote the student learning in such a complicated subject matter. Findings: For cybersecurity education, the out-of-class learning approach is a viable pedagogical mechanism that could lead the students to several learning outcomes, including connecting them to the real-life scenarios related to the cybersecurity profession, guiding them to their career choices and development, stimulating their intellectual growth, creating their justification of learning, and raising their cybersecurity awareness. Recommendations for Practitioners: The instructors of any cybersecurity programs should incorporate some out-of-class learning activities into the courses in their programs, especially the introductory-level courses. Additionally, it is important to coordinate the out-of-class learning activities with the in-class lessons to enable the students to justify what they have learned in their classrooms and motivate them to learn more. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers could look beyond in-class learning and laboratory learning to investigate the impacts of out-of-class learning activities on cybersecurity education to help the students to attain better learning outcomes. Impact on Society: By promoting cybersecurity education, universities and colleges could attain a higher retention rate of the students in their cybersecurity programs. The higher retention rate of the students in cybersecurity programs would help to ease the critical shortage of cybersecurity talent. Future Research: Future research could explore the impacts of other out-of-class learning activities on cybersecurity learning; for example: job shadowing, attending cybersecurity conferences, internship, developing cybersecurity systems or tools for actual customers, working on cybersecurity research with faculty members. Additionally, future studies could investigate the effects of the out-of-class learning approach on promoting other academic programs that are characterized by intensely complex and technical nature, similar to cybersecurity programs.




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Incorporating Kinesthetic Learning into University Classrooms: An Example from Management Information Systems

Aim/Purpose: Students tend to learn best when an array of learning styles is used by instructors. The purpose of this paper is to add, to introduce, and to apply the concepts of kinesthetic learning and learning structures to university and STEM education. Background: The study applies the concept of kinesthetic learning and a learning structure called Think-Pair-Share to an experiential exercise about Moore’s Law in an introductory MIS classroom. The paper details the exercise and each of its components. Methodology: Students in two classes were asked to complete a short survey about their conceptual understanding of the course material before and after the experiential exercise. Contribution: The paper details the benefits of kinesthetic learning and learning structures and discusses how to apply these concepts through an experiential exercise used in an introductory MIS course. Findings: Results indicate that the kinesthetic learning activity had a positive impact on student learning outcomes. Recommendations for Practitioners: University educators can use this example to structure several other learning activities that apply kinesthetic learning principles. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers can use this paper to study more about how to incorporate kinesthetic learning into education, and about teaching technology concepts to undergraduate students through kinesthetic learning. Impact on Society: The results of this study may be extremely beneficial for the university and STEM community and overall academic business community. Future Research: Researchers should consider longitudinal studies and other ways to incorporate kinesthetic learning activities into education.




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Gamification of Statistics and Probability Education: A Mobile Courseware Approach

Aim/Purpose: The study examined how the developed mobile courseware can be used as instructional material to improve senior high school statistics and probability learning, particularly during distance learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also aims to assess the gamified mobile courseware’s engagement, functionality, aesthetics, and information quality using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) and a researcher-made Gamified Mobile Courseware Assessment Tool (GMCET). Background: The need to investigate the effectiveness of incorporating game-based elements into mathematics courses through innovative instructional materials inspired the study. The COVID-19 pandemic has made distance learning a necessity, and gamified mobile courseware is a potential solution to improve learning outcomes and engagement in mathematics courses. Methodology: The study employed a descriptive-evaluative method with quantitative and qualitative data to achieve its objectives. Five IT practitioners assessed the developed courseware using the MARS regarding engagement, functionality, aesthetics, and information. A researcher-made GMCET was also used to evaluate the app’s content quality, learning objectives, content presentation, learning assessment, and usability. Five math experts and 12 math teachers rated the app using the GMCET. The study used weighted mean to analyze the quantitative data and content analysis for the qualitative data. Contribution: The study provides insights into the strengths and weaknesses of gamified mobile courseware from the perspective of IT practitioners, math experts, and math teachers. The study’s findings can inform improvements in future iterations of courseware, and the study provides a valuable guide for practitioners looking to develop gamified mobile courseware for mathematics courses. Findings: The quantitative results based on the weighted mean indicate that the IT practitioners had a moderately positive perception of the developed courseware across all categories. At the same time, the math teachers and math experts showed highly positive perceptions of the gamified mobile courseware in Statistics and Probability, rating it highly across all categories. The qualitative data analysis through content analysis highlights the need for improving the user interface, usability, user experience design, user control, flexibility in interaction, data quality, reliability, and user privacy of the developed app. Recommendations for Practitioners: Practitioners can use the study’s findings to improve the design of gamified mobile courseware for mathematics courses and other content areas. The study recommends that practitioners focus on improving the user interface, usability, user experience design, user control, flexibility in interaction, data quality, reliability, and user privacy of gamified mobile courseware. Recommendation for Researchers: Future research can build on this study’s findings by exploring the use of gamified mobile courseware in other mathematical courses and other subject areas. Further research can also examine how gamified mobile courseware can improve learning outcomes for students with different learning needs. Impact on Society: The study’s findings could improve the effectiveness of gamified mobile courseware in enhancing student learning outcomes in mathematics courses. This can lead to better student performance, improved engagement, and increased interest in mathematics courses, positively impacting society. Future Research: Future research can explore using gamified mobile courseware in other mathematics courses and other subject areas. Additionally, future studies can examine how gamified mobile courseware can improve learning outcomes for students with different learning needs. Further research can also investigate the impact of gamified mobile courseware on student motivation, interest, and performance in mathematics courses.




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COVID-19 Pandemic and the Use of Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) Platforms: Lessons From a Nigerian University

Aim/Purpose: This study examines the use of the Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) platform by undergraduates of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, during the COVID-19 pandemic using the constructs of the UTAUT2 model. Five constructs of the UTAUT2 model were adopted to investigate the use of the ERT platform by undergraduates of the university. Background: The Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak disrupted academic activities in educational institutions, leading to an unprecedented school closure globally. In response to the pandemic, higher educational institutions adopted different initiatives aimed at ensuring the uninterrupted flow of their teaching and learning activities. However, there is little research on the use of ERT platforms by undergraduates in Nigerian universities. Methodology: The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select 334 undergraduates at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, while a questionnaire was used to collect data from 271 students. Quantitative data were collected and analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, mean and standard deviation, Pearson Product Moment Correlation, and regression analysis. Contribution: The study contributes to understanding ERT use in the educational institutions of Nigeria – Africa’s most populous country. Furthermore, the study adds to the existing body of knowledge on how the UTAUT2 Model could explain the use of information technologies in different settings. Findings: Findings revealed that there was a positive significant relationship between habit, hedonic motivation, price value, and social influence on the use of ERT platforms by undergraduates. Hedonic motivation strongly predicted the use of ERT platforms by most undergraduates. Recommendations for Practitioners: As a provisional intervention in times of emergencies, the user interface, navigation, customization, and other aesthetic features of ERT platforms should be more appealing and enjoyable to ensure their optimum utilization by students. Recommendation for Researchers: More qualitative research is required on users’ satisfaction, concerns, and support systems for ERT platforms in educational institutions. Future studies could consider the use of ERT by students in different countries and contexts such as students participating in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and the English for Speakers of other languages (ESOL) programs. Impact on Society: As society faces increased uncertainties of the next global pandemic, this article reiterates the crucial roles of information technology in enriching teaching and learning activities in educational institutions. Future Research: Future research should focus on how different technology theories and models could explain the use of ERT platforms at different educational institutions in other geographical settings and contexts.




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Playable Experiences Through Technologies: Opportunities and Challenges for Teaching Simulation Learning and Extended Reality Solution Creation

Aim/Purpose: This paper describes a technologies education model for introducing Simulation Learning and Extended Reality (XR) solution creation skills and knowledge to students at the tertiary education level, which is broadly applicable to higher education-based contexts of teaching and learning. Background: This work is made possible via the model’s focus on advancing knowledge and understanding of a range of digital resources, and the processes and production skills to teach and produce playable educational digital content, including classroom practice and applications. Methodology: Through practice-based learning and technology as an enabler, to inform the development of this model, we proposed a mixed-mode project-based approach of study within a transdisciplinary course for Higher Education students from the first year through to the post-graduate level. Contribution: An argument is also presented for the utility of this model for upskilling Pre-service Teachers’ (PSTs) pedagogical content knowledge in Technologies, which is especially relevant to the Australian curriculum context and will be broadly applicable to various educative and non-Australian settings. Findings: Supported by practice-based research, work samples and digital projects of Simulation Learning and XR developed by the authors are demonstrated to ground the discussion in examples; the discussion that is based around some of the challenges and the technical considerations, and the scope of teaching digital solutions creation is provided. Recommendations for Practitioners: We provide a flexible technologies teaching and learning model for determining content for inclusion in a course designed to provide introductory Simulation Learning and XR solution creation skills and knowledge. Recommendation for Researchers: The goal was to provide key criteria and an outline that can be adapted by academic researchers and learning designers in various higher education-based contexts of teaching and inclusive learning design focused on XR. Impact on Society: We explore how educators work with entities in various settings and contexts with different priorities, and how we recognise expertise beyond the institutional interests, beyond discipline, and explore ‘what is possible’ through digital technologies for social good and inclusivity. Future Research: The next step for this research is to investigate and explore how XR and Simulation Learning could be utilised to accelerate student learning in STEM and HASS disciplines, to promote knowledge retention and a higher level of technology-enhanced learning engagement.




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Educational Continuity in Emergencies: The Role of Offline Digital Libraries in Under-Connected Communities

Aim/Purpose: This article explores the critical need for adaptable educational models in times of crisis, focusing on strategies to overcome infrastructural and digital inequalities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Background: By examining a case study of an offline digital library project implemented in South Sudan, this paper seeks to examine the impact of an offline digital educational solution for low-resource and crisis situations. Methodology: The authors utilize a mixed-methods approach, integrating both qualitative interviews and quantitative data analysis, to evaluate the use and impact of the SolarSPELL Initiative’s offline digital libraries in South Sudan. Contribution: This study contributes to our understanding of digital and information literacy within crisis contexts, highlighting the vital role of localized, offline content. Findings: The findings demonstrate that offline digital solutions can effectively mitigate educational disruptions by providing an accessible means to continue education during emergencies. Recommendations for Practitioners: Recommendations for practitioners include the adoption of robust offline digital learning solutions to promote educational continuity. Recommendation for Researchers: The authors recommend that researchers continue investigating the potential of offline digital educational solutions for low-resource and crisis situations. Impact on Society: Ultimately, this article finds that offline digital libraries, when paired with skill-building, are a viable means to lessen digital disparities and promote educational continuity in times of crisis and beyond. Future Research: The study suggests further exploration into the long-term impacts of such interventions on learning outcomes.




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Adoption and Usage of Augmented Reality-based Virtual Laboratories Tool for Engineering Studies

Aim/Purpose: The study seeks to utilize Augmented Reality (AR) in creating virtual laboratories for engineering education, focusing on enhancing teaching methodologies to facilitate student understanding of intricate and theoretical engineering principles while also assessing engineering students’ acceptance of such laboratories. Background: AR, a part of next-generation technology, has enhanced the perception of reality by overlaying virtual elements in the physical environment. The utilization of AR is prevalent across different disciplines, yet its efficacy in facilitating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is limited. Engineering studies, a part of STEM learning, involves complex and abstract concepts like machine simulation, structural analysis, and design optimization; these things would be easy to grasp with the help of AR. This restriction can be attributed to their innovative characteristics and disparities. Therefore, providing a comprehensive analysis of the factors influencing the acceptance of these technologies by students - the primary target demographic – and examining the impact of these factors is essential to maximize the advantages of AR while refining the implementation processes. Methodology: The primary objective of this research is to develop and evaluate a tool that enriches the educational experience within engineering laboratories. Utilizing Unity game engine libraries, digital content is meticulously crafted for this tool and subsequently integrated with geo-location functionalities. The tool’s user-friendly interface allows both faculty and non-faculty members of the academic institution to establish effortlessly the virtual laboratory. Subsequently, an assessment of the tool is conducted through the application of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) model, involving the administration of surveys to university students to gauge their level of adaptability. Contribution: The utilization of interactive augmented learning in laboratory settings enables educational establishments to realize notable savings in time and resources, thereby achieving sustainable educational outcomes. The study is of great importance due to its utilization of student behavioral intentions as the underlying framework for developing an AR tool and illustrating the impact of learner experience on various objectives and the acceptance of AR in Engineering studies. Furthermore, the research results enable educational institutions to implement AR-based virtual laboratories to improve student experiences strategically, align with learner objectives, and ultimately boost the adaptability of AR technologies. Findings: Drawing on practice-based research, the authors showcase work samples and a digital project of AR-based Virtual labs to illustrate the evaluation of the adaptability of AR technology. Adaptability is calculated by conducting a survey of 300 undergraduate university students from different engineering departments and applying an adaptability method to determine the behavioral intentions of students. Recommendations for Practitioners: Engineering institutions could leverage research findings in the implementation of AR to enhance the effectiveness of AR technology in practical education settings. Recommendation for Researchers: The authors implement a pragmatic research framework aimed at integrating AR technology into virtual AR-based labs for engineering education. This study delves into a unique perspective within the realm of engineering studies, considering students’ perspectives and discerning their behavioral intentions by drawing upon previous research on technology utilization. The research employs various objectives and learner experiences to assess their influence on students’ acceptance of AR technology. Impact on Society: The use of AR in engineering institutions, especially in laboratory practicals, has a significant impact on society, supported by the UTAUT2 model. UTAUT2 model assesses factors like performance, effort expectancy, social influence, and conditions, showing that AR in education is feasible and adaptable. This adaptability helps students and educators incorporate AR tools effectively for better educational results. AR-based labs allow students to interact with complex engineering concepts in immersive settings, enhancing understanding and knowledge retention. This interactive augmented learning for laboratories saves educational institutions significant time and resources, attaining sustainable learning. Future Research: Further research can employ a more comprehensive acceptance model to examine learners’ adaptability to AR technology and try comparing different adaptability models to determine which is more effective for engineering students.




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Emerging Research on Virtual Reality Applications in Vocational Education: A Bibliometric Analysis

Aim/Purpose: This study explores the subject structure, social networks, research trends, and issues in the domain that have the potential to derive an overview of the development of virtual reality-based learning media in vocational education. Background: Notwithstanding the increasingly growing interest in the application of virtual reality in vocational learning, the existing research literature may still leave out some issues necessary for a comprehensive understanding. This study will point out such areas that need more exploration and a more comprehensive synthesis of the literature by conducting a bibliometric analysis. It will be interesting to keep track of the changing concepts and methodologies applied in the development of VR-based learning media in vocational education research. Methodology: This review was carried out using bibliometric methodology, which can highlight patterns of publication and research activity in this hitherto little studied area. The results of the study have the potential to lead to evidence-based priority in VR development, which will tailor work for vocational contexts and set the compass against the growing worldwide interest in this area. The study provides a descriptive analysis of publications, citations, and keyword data for 100 documents published between the years 2013 and 2022 from the Scopus database, which is conducted to illustrate the trends in the field. Contribution: This study also counts as a contribution to understanding the research hotspots of VR-based learning media in vocational education. Through bibliometric analysis, this study thoroughly summarized the relevant research and literature laying a knowledge foundation for researchers and policy makers. Additionally, this analysis identified knowledge gaps, recent trends, and directions for future research. Findings: The bibliometric analysis revealed the following key findings: 1. A growing publication trajectory, with output increasing from 7 articles in 2013 to 25 articles in 2022. 2. The United States led the contributions, followed by China, and Germany. 3. The most prominent authors are affiliated with American medical institutions. 4. Lecture proceedings include familiar sources that reflect this nascent domain. 5. Citation analysis identified highly influential work and researchers. 6. Keyword analysis exposed technology-oriented topics rather than learning-oriented terms. These findings present an emerging landscape with opportunities to address geographic and pedagogical research gaps. Recommendations for Practitioners: This study will be beneficial for designers and developers of VR-based learning programs because it aligns with the most discussed and influential VR technologies within the literature. Such an alignment of an approach with relevant research trends and focus can indeed be very useful for the effective application and use of VR-based learning media for quality improvements in vocational students' learning. Recommendation for Researchers: In fact, in this bibliometric review of VR integration within vocational classrooms, a future call for focused research is presented, especially on teaching methods, course design, and learning impact. This is a framework that seeks to establish its full potential with effective and integrated use of VR in the various vocational curricula and settings of learners. Impact on Society: From the findings of the bibliometric analysis, it is evident that virtual reality technologies (VR) have significantly led to transformation within educational media. There is no denying that the growing interest and investment in the integration of virtual reality into vocational education has been well manifested in the substantive increase in publications in the last decade. This shows what the innovation driving factor is in the United States. At the same time the rapid contributions from China signal worldwide recognition of the potential of VR to improve technical skills training. This study points the way for more research to bridge critical gaps, specifically how VR tools can be used in vocational high school classrooms. Furthermore, research should be aligned to meet specific needs of vocational learners and even promote international cross-border partnerships, pointing out the potential of virtual reality to be a universally beneficial tool in vocational education. The examination of highly cited articles provides evidence of the potential of VR to be an impactful pedagogical tool in vocational education. The findings suggest that researchers need to move forward looking at the trajectory of VR in vocational education and how promising it is in defining the future for innovative and effective learning methodologies. Future Research: This study is an exceptionally valuable contribution, a true landmark in the field of dynamic development, and one that denotes very meaningful implications for the future course of research in the dynamically developing field of bibliometric analysis of VR-based learning media for vocational education. The increase in the number of publications emanates from growing interests in the application of virtual reality (VR) technologies in vocational education. The high concentration of authorship from the USA, along with the ever increasing contributions from China, spotlights the increasing worldwide recognition of the impact of immersive technologies in the enhancement of training in technical skills. These are emerging trends that call for research to exemplify the diverse views and global teamwork opportunities presented by VR technologies. The study also highlights critical areas that need focused attention in future research endeavors. The fact that the embedding of VR tools into classrooms in vocational high schools has been poorly researched points to the major gap in pedagogical research within authentic educational settings. Therefore, further investigations should evaluate teaching methods in VR, lesson designs, and the impacts of VR in specific vocational trades. This supports the need for learner-centered frameworks that are tailor-made to the needs of vocational learners. This calls for more direct and focused investigations into identified research gaps noting a growing dominance in the field of health-related research with the most cited articles in this field, to integrate virtual reality into additional vocational education contexts. In this way, the gaps present an opportunity for researchers to make significant contributions to the development of interventions responsive to the unique needs of vocational learners; this will contribute to strengthening the evidence base for the worldwide implementation of VR within vocational education systems. This was recommended as the intention of such a bibliometric analysis: supporting the potential of VR as a pedagogical tool in vocational contexts and providing grounding for a strong and focused future research agenda within this burgeoning area of educational technology.




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Faculty Perspectives on Web Learning Apps and Mobile Devices on Student Engagement

Aim/Purpose: The digital ecosystem has contributed to the acceleration of digital and mobile educational tools across institutions worldwide. The research displays educators’ perspectives on web applications on mobile devices that can be used to engage and challenge students while impacting their learning. Background: Explored are elements of technology in education and challenges and successes reported by instructors to shift learning from static to dynamic. Methodology: Insights for this study were gained through questionnaires and focus groups with university educators in the United Arab Emirates. Key questions addressed are (1) challenges/benefits, (2) types of mobile technology applications used by educators, and (3) strategies educators use to support student learning through apps. The research is assisted by focus groups and a sample of 42 completed questionnaires. Contribution: The work contributes to web/mobile strategic considerations in the classroom that can support student learning and outcomes. Findings: The results reported showcase apps that were successfully implemented in classrooms and provide a perspective for today’s learning environment that could be useful for instructors, course developers, or any educational institutions. Recommendations for Practitioners: Academics can integrate suggested tools and explore engagement and positive associations with tools and technologies. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers can consider new learning applications, mobile devices, course design, learning strategies, and student engagement practices for future studies. Impact on Society: Digitization and global trends are changing how educators teach, and students learn; therefore, gaps need to be continually filled to keep up with the pace of ever-evolving digital technologies that can engage student learning. Future Research: Future research may focus on interactive approaches toward mobile devices in higher education learning and shorter learning activities to engage students.




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The authenticity of digital evidence in criminal courts: a comparative study

Scientific progress has a significant impact on both reality and the law that applies to it. As the ICT system has positive points that are considered an added value to it, it made it easier for people to perform their tasks and facilitate interpersonal communication for individuals, saved effort and money, and reduced the time needed to accomplish part of the duties. However, at the same time, it has become a means of committing offences and a fertile space for the existence of offence, to the extent that offence in our current era has become the result of intermarriage between human intelligence and artificial intelligence. Thus, the issue of proving cybercrimes requires a deep exploration in the notion of the authenticity of audio evidence obtained from electronic searches, as well as the process of eavesdropping and recording phone calls, and the use of expert and inspection procedures in criminal lawsuits and its impact on proof before the criminal courts.




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Honeybrid method for network security in a software defined network system

This research introduces a hybrid honeypot architecture to bolster security within software-defined networks (SDNs). By combining low-interaction and high-interaction honeypots, the proposed solution effectively identifies and mitigates cyber threats, including port scanning and man-in-the-middle attacks. The architecture is structured into multiple modules that focus on detecting open ports using Vilhala honeypots and simulating targeted and random attack scenarios. This hybrid approach enables comprehensive monitoring and detailed packet-level analysis, providing enhanced protection against advanced online threats. The study also conducts a comparative analysis of different attack detection methods using tools like KFSensor and networking shell commands. The results highlight the hybrid honeypot system's efficacy in filtering malicious traffic and detecting security breaches, making it a robust solution for safeguarding SDNs.




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International Journal of Electronic Security and Digital Forensics




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E-service quality subdimensions and their effects upon users' behavioural and praising intentions in internet banking services

The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of electronic service quality subdimensions upon the behavioural and praising intentions of users engaged in internet banking. Using the survey method, 203 responses were collected from users of online banking in Turkey. A partial least square structural equation model was constructed to test both the reliability and validity of the measurement, as well as the structural model. The results indicated that emotional benefits, ease of use, and control subdimensions, which are influenced through graphical quality and layout clarity, have a significant and positive impact upon the behavioural and praising intentions of users of online banking. The study did not find support for the direct effect of layout clarity upon behavioural and praising intentions.




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Determinants of FinTech adoption by microfinance institutions in India to increase efficiency and productivity

The present study attempts to find out the determinants of FinTech adoption for financial inclusion by a microfinance institution in India. The factors such as efficiency, consistency, convenience, reliability are taken as predictors of organisational attitude. Similarly, organisational attitude, ease of use, and perceived benefits are considered as antecedents of organisational adoption intention of FinTech in microfinance institutions of India. The purposive sampling technique was used to get a filled survey instrument by target samples. The results indicate that convenience and consistency in the use of FinTech applications build a favourable attitude to adopt it. Furthermore, perceived benefits are the most important antecedents of the adoption intention of FinTech in the microfinance institution in India. Additionally, the reliability of the application has a positive but insignificant impact on organisational attitude to adopt FinTech. The implications of the present study are discussed.




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Quality of work life: an impact on bankers productivity

Quality of work life (QWL) is a generic term that includes an employee's feeling about various aspects of their work including the compensation and rewards, job security, interpersonal relations and the intrinsic meaning of being satisfied in their workplace. This research paper was documented with an intention to understand the influence of the QWL on the productivity of employees working in the banking arena. The study examined the most clout able factors that contributed to the quality of work-life of employees and its correlation on their productivity. A multi-stage sampling method was used to draw a sizeable sample from ten major banks situated in the Karnataka state of India. A total of 756 personnel spread across various branches belonging to rural, semi-urban and urban were covered. The study was validated further by testing various hypotheses drawn based on a review of the literature. The study empirically identified eight major attributes that influence the QWL of bankers. The relationship between QWL and productivity was investigated with notable results using SEM approach.




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'CSR, sustainability and firm performance linkage' current status and future dimensions - a bibliometric review analysis

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability are gaining worldwide recognition. The question of whether CSR and sustainability programs benefit an organisation's financial success is still being debated. This study aims to verify this phenomenon by examining the current literature pattern on this relationship using bibliometric and systematic review analysis. It further provides a taxonomy for understanding this association. VOSviewer is used to obtain comprehensive dataset mapping and clustering in the field. The manuscript offers promising insights regarding academia by assessing the pattern of publication trends, the most influential author in the area, and analysing the methodological and theoretical underpinnings of CSR, sustainability and firm performance linkage. The outcome of this study provides exploratory insights into research gaps and avenues for future research.




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Revolutionising facility layout: a case study of dynamic facility layout in cable production

In the competitive landscape of globalised markets, businesses must prioritise cost reduction for sustained competitiveness. This study delves into the dynamic facility layout problem (DFLP) within a cable production company in Kerala, emphasising adaptability to changing production demands. Addressing material handling costs and rearrangement expenses, the research evaluates the efficacy of the current static layout and explores the benefits of transitioning to a dynamic layout. The case study reveals potential cost savings through the strategic restructuring of machine arrangements. The innovative machine learning-based genetic algorithm (ML-GA) integrates machine learning algorithms, genetic algorithms, and a local search method, offering a cutting-edge solution to dynamic facility layout challenges. By considering demand variability and relocation costs, the study provides insights for informed decision-making, emphasising the significance of material flow patterns. This research contributes to enhancing efficiency and profitability, providing practical implications for businesses navigating the complexities of modern manufacturing.




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Measuring information quality and success in business intelligence and analytics: key dimensions and impacts

The phenomenon of cloud computing and related innovations such as Big Data have given rise to many fundamental changes that are evident in information and data. Managing, measuring and developing business value from the plethora of this new data has significant impact on many corporate agendas, particularly in relation to the successful implementation of business intelligence and analytics (BI&A). However, although the influence of Big Data has fundamentally changed the IT application landscape, the metrics for measuring success and in particular, the quality of information, have not evolved. The measurement of information quality and the antecedent factors that influence information has also been identified as an area that has suffered from a lack of research in recent decades. Given the rapid increase in data volume and the growth and ubiquitous use of BI&A systems in organisations, there is an urgent need for accurate metrics to identify information quality.




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Evaluation criteria for information quality research

Evaluation of research artefacts (such as models, frameworks and methodologies) is essential to determine their quality and demonstrate worth. However, in the information quality (IQ) research domain there is no existing standard set of criteria available for researchers to use to evaluate their IQ artefacts. This paper therefore describes our experience of selecting and synthesising a set of evaluation criteria used in three related research areas of information systems (IS), software products (SP) and conceptual models (CM), and analysing their relevance to different types of IQ research artefact. We selected and used a subset of these criteria in an actual evaluation of an IQ artefact to test whether they provide any benefit over a standard evaluation. The results show that at least a subset of the criteria from the other domains of IS, SP and CM are relevant for IQ artefact evaluations, and the resulting set of criteria, most importantly, enabled a more rigorous and systematic selection of what to evaluate.




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A longitudinal study of user perceptions of information quality of Chinese users of the internet

More than a half billion people use the internet in China, and the environment in which these users work, study, and play using the internet is a rapidly changing one. User perceptions of the quality of information accessed through the internet and through more traditional sources of information may shift over time as the underlying social, cultural, and political environment changes. This study reports the results of a longitudinal survey study of perceptions of information quality of young adults using the internet in China. Results suggest that perceptions of the information quality of internet-based information have shifted more from 2007 to 2012 than perceptions of traditional text sources of information. Implications of the findings for researchers, educators, and information providers are discussed.




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International Journal of Information Quality




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Evolution of academic research in French business schools (2008-2018): isomorphism and heterogeneity

In the perspective of institutional theory, business education is an institutional field, in which two major institutional forces are accreditations and rankings. In this context, French business schools (BS) have adopted an isomorphic response by starting to engage in research and publishing in academic journals. Studies have discussed their research as a new institutional trajectory. However, what remains unknown is how they differ from each other in such research dynamics. To bring new insights to the discussion, this quantitative study examines, over the period of 2008-2018, the evolution of research of French BS by systematically comparing the 'best' schools with other schools in all analyses. The results indicate a strong isomorphism in terms of publication quantity and productivity, scale of research collaboration and the internationalisation of research. However, these schools are heterogeneous in terms research quality and scale of international research collaboration, reflecting the diversity in their research strategy.




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High quality management of higher education based on data mining

In order to improve the quality of higher education, student satisfaction, and employment rate, a data mining based high-quality management method for higher education is proposed. Firstly, construct a high-quality evaluation system for higher education based on the principles of education quality evaluation. Secondly, the association rule mining method is used to construct a university education quality management model and determine the weight of the impact indicators for high-quality management of university education. Finally, the fuzzy evaluation method is used to determine the high-quality evaluation function of higher education, and the results of high-quality evaluation of higher education are obtained. High-quality management strategies are developed based on the evaluation results to improve the quality of education. The experimental results show that the student satisfaction rate of this method can reach 99.3%, and the student employment rate can reach 99.9%.




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A method for evaluating the quality of college curriculum teaching reform based on data mining

In order to improve the evaluation effect of current university teaching reform, a new method for evaluating the quality of university course teaching reform is proposed based on data mining algorithms. Firstly, the optimal data clustering criterion was used to select evaluation indicators and a quality evaluation system for university curriculum teaching reform was established. Next, a reform quality evaluation model is constructed using BP neural network, and the training process is improved through genetic algorithm to obtain the model weight and threshold of the optimal solution. Finally, the calculated parameters are substituted into the model to achieve accurate evaluation of the quality of university curriculum teaching reform. Selecting evaluation accuracy and evaluation efficiency as evaluation indicators, the practicality of the proposed method was verified through experiments. The experimental results showed that the proposed method can mine teaching reform data and evaluate the quality of teaching reform. Its evaluation accuracy is higher than 96.3%, and the evaluation time is less than 10ms, which is much better than the comparison method, fully demonstrating the practicality of the method.




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Evaluation method of teaching reform quality in colleges and universities based on big data analysis

Research on the quality evaluation of teaching reforms plays an important role in promoting improvements in teaching quality. Therefore, an evaluation method of teaching reform quality in colleges and universities based on big data analysis is proposed. A multivariate logistic model is used to select the evaluation indicators for the quality evaluation of teaching reforms in universities. And clustering and cleaning of the evaluation indicator data are performed through big data analysis. The evaluation indicator data is used as input vectors, and the results of the teaching reform quality evaluation are used as output vectors. A support vector machine model based on the whale algorithm is built to obtain the relevant evaluation results. Experimental results show that the proposed method achieves a minimum recall rate of 98.7% for evaluation indicator data, the minimum data processing time of 96.3 ms, the accuracy rate consistently above 97.1%.




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A method for evaluating the quality of teaching reform based on fuzzy comprehensive evaluation

In order to improve the comprehensiveness of evaluation results and reduce errors, a teaching reform quality evaluation method based on fuzzy comprehensive evaluation is proposed. Firstly, on the premise of meeting the principles of indicator selection, factor analysis is used to construct an evaluation indicator system. Then, calculate the weights of various evaluation indicators through fuzzy entropy, establish a fuzzy evaluation matrix, and calculate the weight vector of evaluation indicators. Finally, the fuzzy cognitive mapping method is introduced to improve the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, obtaining the final weight of the evaluation indicators. The weight is multiplied by the fuzzy evaluation matrix to obtain the comprehensive evaluation result. The experimental results show that the maximum relative error of the proposed method's evaluation results is about 2.0, the average comprehensive evaluation result is 92.3, and the determination coefficient is closer to 1, verifying the application effect of this method.




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Multiplication complexity in education activities with fair use principle of copyright in Indonesia

Copying and duplicating papers for educational purposes is a violation form of copyright in Indonesia. The principle of fair use in education is a form of structured violation. Copying and duplicating the papers of the authors for educational purposes has provided commercial (business) benefits for libraries and universities. The research method is conducted using the observation method in libraries and universities that duplicate papers. The method also uses the normative juridical method that connects duplication of the papers in libraries and universities with the fair use principle. The results explain the authors' loss from copying and duplicating of papers in libraries and universities. Therefore, copying and duplicating the papers can only be done by implementing the responsibility system. Copying and duplicating the papers of the authors' in libraries and universities can be allowed if they fulfil the elements of copyright protection in the new concept.




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Intellectual property management in technology management: a comprehensive bibliometric analysis during 2000-2022

Presently, there are many existing academic studies on the development, protection and operation of intellectual property management (IPM). Therefore, provides a comprehensive econometric analysis in order to provide scholars, with a clearer understanding of the evolution and development of IP management research during 2000 to 2022. The study is aiming to help scholars to better discern the expanding IPM research field from a multidimensional perspective. The database used for this analysis is the Web of Science Core Collection database. After retrieval through keywords and using a variety of tools such as CiteSpace, VOSviewer, Bibliometrix and HistCite, 1033 documents were refined to conduct the econometric analysis, and produce graphs. The findings indicate that the US is a highly active country/region in the field IP management research, and its expanding IP management research is branching out into other disciplines. The study also presents the future directions and possible challenges for IPM in technology management.




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Intellectual property protection for virtual assets and brands in the Metaverse: issues and challenges

Intellectual property rights face new obstacles and possibilities as a result of the emergence of the Metaverse, a simulation of the actual world. This paper explores the current status of intellectual property rights in the Metaverse and examines the challenges and opportunities for enforcement. The article describes virtual assets and investigates their copyright and trademark protection. It also examines the protection of user-generated content in the Metaverse and the potential liability for copyright infringement. The article concludes with a consideration of the technological and jurisdictional obstacles to enforcing intellectual property rights in the Metaverse, as well as possible solutions for stakeholders. This paper will appeal to lawyers, policymakers, developers of virtual assets, platform owners, and anyone interested in the convergence of technology and intellectual property rights.




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International Journal of Intellectual Property Management




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An evaluation of English distance information teaching quality based on decision tree classification algorithm

In order to overcome the problems of low evaluation accuracy and long evaluation time in traditional teaching quality evaluation methods, a method of English distance information teaching quality evaluation based on decision tree classification algorithm is proposed. Firstly, construct teaching quality evaluation indicators under different roles. Secondly, the information gain theory in decision tree classification algorithm is used to divide the attributes of teaching resources. Finally, the rough set theory is used to calculate the index weight and establish the risk evaluation index factor set. The result of teaching quality evaluation is obtained through fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method. The experimental results show that the accuracy rate of the teaching quality evaluation of this method can reach 99.2%, the recall rate of the English information teaching quality evaluation is 99%, and the time used for the English distance information teaching quality evaluation of this method is only 8.9 seconds.




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Auditing the Performing Rights Society - investigating a new European Union Collective Management Organization member audit method

The European Union Rights Management Directive 2014/26/EU, provides regulatory oversight of European Union (EU) Collective Management Organizations (CMOs). However, the Directive has no provision indicating how members of EU CMOs may conduct non-financial audits of their CMO income and reporting. This paper addresses the problem of a lack of an audit method through a case study of the five writer members of the music group Duran Duran, who have been members of the UK's CMO for performing rights - the Performing Rights Society (PRS) for over 35 years. The paper argues a new audit CMO member method that can address the lacunae regarding the absence of CMO member right to audit a CMO and an applicable CMO audit method.




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Transformative advances in volatility prediction: unveiling an innovative model selection method using exponentially weighted information criteria

Using information criteria is a common method for making a decision about which model to use for forecasting. There are many different methods for evaluating forecasting models, such as MAE, RMSE, MAPE, and Theil-U, among others. After the creation of AIC, AICc, HQ, BIC, and BICc, the two criteria that have become the most popular and commonly utilised are Bayesian IC and Akaike's IC. In this investigation, we are innovative in our use of exponential weighting to get the log-likelihood of the information criteria for model selection, which means that we propose assigning greater weight to more recent data in order to reflect their increased precision. All research data is from the major stock markets' daily observations, which include the USA (GSPC, DJI), Europe (FTSE 100, AEX, and FCHI), and Asia (Nikkei).




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A prototype for intelligent diet recommendations by considering disease and medical condition of the patient

The patient must follow a good diet to lessen the risk of health conditions. The body needs vitamins, minerals, and nutrients for illness prevention. When the human body does not receive the right amount of nutrients, nutritional disorders can develop, which can cause a number of different health issues. Chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension can be brought on by dietary deficiencies. The human body receives the nutrients from a balanced diet to function properly. This research has a prototype that enables patients to find nutritious food according to their health preferences. It suggests meals based on their preferences for nutrients such as protein, fibre, high-fibre, low-fat, etc., and diseases such as pregnancy and diabetes. The process implements the recommendation based on the patient's profile (content-relied, K-NN), recommendation relied on patients with similar profiles, and recommendation based on the patient's past or recent activity.




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FISHNet: encouraging data sharing and reuse in the freshwater science community

This paper describes the FISHNet project, which developed a repository environment for the curation and sharing of data relating to freshwater science, a discipline whose research community is distributed thinly across a variety of institutions, and usually works in relative isolation as individual researchers or within small groups. As in other “small sciences”, these datasets tend to be small and “hand-crafted”, created to address particular research questions rather than with a view to reuse, so they are rarely curated effectively, and the potential for sharing and reusing them is limited. The paper addresses a variety of issues and concerns raised by freshwater researchers as regards data sharing, describes our approach to developing a repository environment that addresses these concerns, and identifies the potential impact within the research community of the system.




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Beyond The Low Hanging Fruit: Data Services and Archiving at the University of New Mexico

Open data is becoming increasingly important in research. While individual researchers are slowlybecoming aware of the value, funding agencies are taking the lead by requiring data be made available, and also by requiring data management plans to ensure the data is available in a useable form. Some journals also require that data be made available. However, in most cases, “available upon request” is considered sufficient. We describe a number of historical examples of data use and discovery, then describe two current test cases at the University of New Mexico. The lessons learned suggest that an instituional data services program needs to not only facilitate fulfilling the mandates of granting agencies but to realize the true value of open data. Librarians and institutional archives should actively collaborate with their researchers. We should also work to find ways to make open data enhance a researchers career. In the long run, better quality data and metadata will result if researchers are engaged and willing participants in the dissemination of their data.




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REDDNET and Digital Preservation in the Open Cloud: Research at Texas Tech University Libraries on Long-Term Archival Storage

In the realm of digital data, vendor-supplied cloud systems will still leave the user with responsibility for curation of digital data. Some of the very tasks users thought they were delegating to the cloud vendor may be a requirement for users after all. For example, cloud vendors most often require that users maintain archival copies. Beyond the better known vendor cloud model, we examine curation in two other models: inhouse clouds, and what we call "open" clouds—which are neither inhouse nor vendor. In open clouds, users come aboard as participants or partners—for example, by invitation. In open cloud systems users can develop their own software and data management, control access, and purchase their own hardware while running securely in the cloud environment. To do so will still require working within the rules of the cloud system, but in some open cloud systems those restrictions and limitations can be walked around easily with surprisingly little loss of freedom. It is in this context that REDDnet (Research and Education Data Depot network) is presented as the place where the Texas Tech University (TTU)) Libraries have been conducting research on long-term digital archival storage. The REDDnet network by year's end will be at 1.2 petabytes (PB) with an additional 1.4 PB for a related project (Compact Muon Soleniod Heavy Ion [CMS-HI]); additionally there are over 200 TB of tape storage. These numbers exclude any disk space which TTU will be purchasing during the year. National Science Foundation (NSF) funding covering REDDnet and CMS-HI was in excess of $850,000 with $850,000 earmarked toward REDDnet. In the terminology we used above, REDDnet is an open cloud system that invited TTU Libraries to participate. This means that we run software which fits the REDDnet structure. We are beginning to complete the final design of our system, and starting to move into the first stages of construction. And we have made a decision to move forward and purchase one-half petabyte of disk storage in the initial phase. The concerns, deliberations and testing are presented here along with our initial approach.




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Building a Community of Curatorial Practice at Penn State: A Case Study

The Penn State University Libraries and Information Technology Services (ITS) collaborated on the development of Curation Architecture Prototype Services (CAPS), a web application for ingest and management of digital objects. CAPS is built atop a prototype service platform providing atomistic curation functions in order to address the current and emerging requirements in the Libraries and ITS for digital curation, defined as “... maintaining and adding value to a trusted body of digital information for future and current use; specifically, the active management and appraisal of data over the entire life cycle” (Pennock, 2006)[7]. Additional key goals for CAPS were application of an agile-style methodology to the development process and an assessment of the resulting tool and stakeholders’ experience in the project. This article focuses in particular on the community-building aspects of CAPS, which emerged from a combination of agile-style approaches and our commitment to engage stakeholders actively throughout the process, from the construction of use cases, to decisions on metadata standards, to ingest and management functionalities of the tool. The ensuing community of curatorial practice effectively set the stage for the next iteration of CAPS, which will be devoted to planning and executing the development of a production-ready, enterprise-quality infrastructure to support publishing and curation services at Penn State.




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DAR: A Modern Institutional Repository with a Scalability Twist

The Digital Assets Repository (DAR) is an Institutional Repository developed at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina to manage the full lifecycle of a digital asset: its creation and ingestion, its metadata management, storage and archival in addition to the necessary mechanisms for publishing and dissemination. DAR was designed with a focus on integrating DAR with different sources of digital objects and metadata in addition to integration with applications built on top of the repository. As a modern repository, the system architecture demonstrates a modular design relying on components that are best of the breed, a flexible content model for digital objects based on current standards and heavily relying on RDF triples to define relations. In this paper we will demonstrate the building blocks of DAR as an example of a modern repository, discussing how the system addresses the challenges that face an institution in consolidating its assets and a focus on solving scalability issues.




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Agricultural informatics: emphasising potentiality and proposed model on innovative and emerging Doctor of Education in Agricultural Informatics program for smart agricultural systems

International universities are changing with their style of operation, mode of teaching and learning operations. This change is noticeable rapidly in India and also in international contexts due to healthy and innovative methods, educational strategies, and nomenclature throughout the world. Technologies are changing rapidly, including ICT. Different subjects are developed in the fields of IT and computing with the interaction or applications to other fields, viz. health informatics, bio informatics, agriculture informatics, and so on. Agricultural informatics is an interdisciplinary subject dedicated to combining information technology and information science utilisation in agricultural sciences. The digital agriculture is powered by agriculture informatics practice. For teaching, research and development of any subject educational methods is considered as important and various educational programs are there in this regard viz. Bachelor of Education, Master of Education, PhD in Education, etc. Degrees are also available to deal with the subjects and agricultural informatics should not be an exception of this. In this context, Doctor of Education (EdD or DEd) is an emerging degree having features of skill sets, courses and research work. This paper proposed on EdD program with agricultural informatics specialisation for improving healthy agriculture system. Here, a proposed model core curriculum is also presented.




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Information Security Management: A Research Project




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A Comparison of Learning and Teaching Styles – Self-Perception of IT Students




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Assessing the Impact of Instructional Methods and Information Technology on Student Learning Styles




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The SWIMS CD-ROM Pilot: Using Community Development Principles and Technologies of the Information Society to Address Identified Informational Needs




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Web Based vs. Web Supported Learning Environment – A Distinction of Course Organizing or Learning Style?