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The emergence of the Internet has made many institutions involved in the delivery of distance education programs re-evaluate the course delivery framework. A variety of models and techniques co-exist in an often uneasy alliance at many such institutions. These range from the traditional distance learning model, which remains paper-based, to the purely online model. Recently, hybrid models have emerged which apparently attempt to forge elements taken from several models into a unified whole. Many of these hybrid models seek to eliminate paper-based materials from the tuition process. While many arguments are put forward about the efficacy of purely electronic delivery mechanisms, cost containment is often the driving motivation. This study explores student perceptions of the various delivery mechanisms for distance learning materials. In particular, it seeks to determine what value students place on paper-based delivery mechanisms. The study surveys a group of undergraduate students and a group of graduate students enrolled in the Faculty of Business at a large regional Australian university. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose This paper aims to answer the research question, "What are the development phases of the academic discipline of information technology in the United States?" This is important to understand the reason for the growing talent gap in the information technology (IT) industry by reviewing the evolution of information technology across time, how the discipline was formed, evolved, and gained independence from other information and computing disciplines. Background The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the shortage of IT professionals in the workplace. The root reason for this talent shortage requires understanding from both industry and academic perspectives in order to implement effective initiatives to prepare, recruit, and retain diverse IT professionals at an early stage. Methodology This paper used a systematic literature review methodology and retrieved 143 primary studies from the ACM and IEEE Xplore digital libraries to review the development phases of the IT discipline as a contributing factor in understanding why, when, and how the population of professionals in IT and other relevant computing disciplines has changed and continues to fluctuate. Thematic analysis was applied to the abstracts of the primary studies, which spanned the period of 1982 to 2021. Contribution This paper contributes to the understanding of the discipline of IT in the US and contributes foundations to researchers and educators who are working on strategies to fill the talent gap. Findings Based on the thematic analysis in this paper, the academic discipline of IT has evolved over four phases across a timeline from 1982 to 2021. These phases were: Phase 1 (1982-1991) - Advent of Information Technology; Phase 2 (1992-2001) - Industry IT & DevOps; Phase 3 (2002-2011) - Information Technology and Management in Evolving Industry, Academia, and Research Areas; and Phase 4 (2011-2021) - Information Technology Research & Education. Recommendations for Practitioners IT occupies an independent disciplinary space from computer science, computer engineering, and information systems. The paper suggests that practitioners seeking to fill the talent gap in IT invest in enabling its academic programs. Recommendations for Researchers The depth of the IT disciplinary space and its continued evolution over time is ready for exploration. Continued research in this area may yield a better understanding of its role in society, the skills needed to succeed, and how to build programs to empower students with these skills. Impact on Society Examining the discipline of IT and understanding its independence and interrelated connection with other computing disciplines will help address the shortfalls in academia across the nation by identifying the distinction between each discipline and creating comprehensive programs, degrees, and curricula suitable for various students and professionals across all educational levels. Future Research Future research will integrate papers' introductions and conclusions in addition to abstracts, increase the number of databases and reviewers, as well as incorporate papers that focus on other information and computing disciplines such as computer science and information systems to explore the possibility that IT as a discipline was initially practiced in an existing information or computing discipline before it gained independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose Business schools need to design, develop and deliver courses that are relevant to business problem-solving. Current pedagogies do not often provide the insight - or experience - necessary to close the gap between theory and practice. Background The paper describes an initiative to design, develop and deliver courses in business-technology problem-solving that thoroughly immerses students in the actual world of business. Methodology The methodology included case-based analysis where actual cases where selected to model problem-solving scenarios. Contribution Several courses are developed that immerse students into actual problemsolving experiences. Findings The courses will be delivered to business students to assess the impact of immersive/experiential learning. Recommendations for Practitioners Additional courses should be informed by actual cases; the commitment to relevance should be expanded. Recommendations for Researchers Ongoing research to measure the impact of immersive/experiential learning is recommended. Impact on Society Business schools should rethink the content of their courses and the pedagogies that have dominated business schools for many decades. Future Research Additional research will include more courses and additional immersive/experiential pedagogies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose This study seeks to determine the impact of a card game intervention in improving the English verbal communication of nursing students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Background Many international students studying in Australia experience setbacks in their university studies due to English language difficulties. This paper outlines how an educational card game designed can be played by nursing students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds as an intervention for their English verbal communication development. Methodology The study used a descriptive qualitative approach to analyse the learning experiences of forty-five (N=45) nursing students from CALD backgrounds undertaking their second semester at a metropolitan university in Victoria, Australia after being introduced to an educational card game developed by the first author. The card game was designed to explore the use of English pragmatic markers, which are words, phrases, or verbal cues that signal or emphasise the intentions of the speaker. Following the intervention, participants were queried in a survey about their experiences with English language speaking and how the game improved their verbal communication skills. Contribution This paper provides knowledge about how a game can be designed to enhance the English verbal communication skills of nursing students from CALD backgrounds which could help them in their clinical placements and their adjustment into Australian society. Findings Three intertwining themes that emerged from the data analysis were education content, skills development, and fun and creativity. These themes signify the importance of providing opportunities for learners to creatively practise the educational content in simulative contextualised situations within a safe, comfortable, and inclusive learning environment. Recommendations for Practitioners Educators still need to consider the importance of inclusivity of students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds as part of successful integration into the culture of their host countries. Recommendations for Researchers The findings emphasise the need for educators and researchers to understand the challenges facing these students in relation to marginalisation and discrimination and how they can design an intervention that is engaging and inclusive. Impact on Society The findings also put forward the awareness of pragmatics as part of both English language learning and integration into the society of a host country as students learn how to express intention appropriately in various interactions. Furthermore, the themes presented in this paper suggest that not only should an educational game or an intervention contain relevant educational content and practical activities for skills development, but they must also be enjoyable by encouraging creativity and social interaction. Future Research The results of this study also open possible future studies that involves the adaptation of a digital version of the card game or possible implementation of the game in other health professional programs in universities and other educational institutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose: Designing augmented reality (AR) experiences for education, health or entertainment involves multidisciplinary teams making design decisions across several areas. The goal of this paper is to present a classification schema that describes the design choices when constructing an AR interactive experience. Background: Existing extended reality schema often focuses on single dimensions of an AR experience, with limited attention to design choices. These schemata, combined with an analysis of a diverse range of AR applications, form the basis for the schema synthesized in this paper. Methodology: An extensive literature review and scoring of existing classifications were completed to enable a definition of seven design dimensions. To validate the design dimensions, the literature was mapped to the seven-design choice to represent opportunities when designing AR iterative experiences. Contribution: The classification scheme of seven dimensions can be applied to communicating design considerations and alternative design scenarios where teams of domain specialists need to collaborate to build AR experiences for a defined purpose. Findings: The dimensions of nature of reality, location (setting), feedback, objects, concepts explored, participant presence and interactive agency, and style describe features common to most AR experiences. Classification within each dimension facilitates ideation for novel experiences and proximity to neighbours recommends feasible implementation strategies. Recommendations for Practitioners: To support professionals, this paper presents a comprehensive classification schema and design rationale for AR. When designing an AR experience, the schema serves as a design template and is intended to ensure comprehensive discussion and decision making across the spectrum of design choices. Recommendations for Researchers: The classification schema presents a standardized and complete framework for the review of literature and AR applications that other researchers will benefit from to more readily identify relevant related work. Impact on Society: The potential of AR has not been fully realized. The classification scheme presented in this paper provides opportunities to deliberately design and evaluate novel forms of AR experience. Future Research: The classification schema can be extended to include explicit support for the design of virtual and extended reality applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose Higher education institutions face difficulties and challenges when it comes to distance learning. The purpose of this paper is to examine self-efficacy indicators and student satisfaction during online English classes. Background E-learning has been very relevant since the Covid-19 era and is still relevant today. It is possible for students to study regardless of their location or time. By measuring students' self-efficacy, instructors can gain valuable insights into their students' ability to create social interaction, cope with technology, and acquire knowledge and tools to manage the learning process. Methodology This study uses mixed methods along with two measurements. Before and after the course, quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Higher education students in Israel participated. A total of 964 students enrolled in English as a foreign language courses at the pre-basic, basic, and advanced levels. Contribution Analyzing self-efficacy from several angles provides insight into students. What influences students' confidence and belief in their ability to succeed in online courses. Moreover, how students perceive their own learning and how they cope with challenges. Findings Compared to the measurement before the course, self-efficacy decreased on average. Most significant decreases occurred in 'creating social interactions' and 'acquirement of knowledge and tools' to manage the learning process. A slight decrease was observed in the ability to cope with technology. Additionally, selfefficacy and satisfaction with the course were positively correlated. Recommendations for Practitioners An overview is provided of the most effective tools and techniques for teaching languages in digital format in this paper. This will allow instructors to design and deliver courses in a more effective way. Thus, they will be able to make better informed decisions, resulting in better outcomes for students. Recommendations for Researchers Distance Learning courses should resemble the common digital environments in everyday life, rather than imitating face-to-face courses mainly in the field of social interaction. Impact on Society Digital tools should be encouraged that facilitate effective learning processes instead of sticking to traditional methods that characterize face-to-face courses. Using common interfaces in daily use among the general population will enable the implementation of these recommendations. Future Research Future studies could be helpful if they compared the English courses developed in the CEFR model with those taught face-to-face as well as those taught online. In addition, motivation and self-monitoring should be examined in both synchronous and asynchronous courses as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose: This brief paper will provide preliminary insight into an institutions effort to help students understand the application of the scientific method as it applies to the business discipline through the creation of a dedicated, required course added to the curriculum of a mid-Atlantic minority-serving institution. In order to determine whether the under-consideration course satisfies designated student learning outcomes, an assessment regime was initiated that included examination of rubric data as well as the administration of a student perception survey. This paper summarizes the results of the early examination of the efficacy of the course under consideration. Background: A small, minority-serving, university located in the United States conducted an assessment and determined that students entering a department of business following completion of their general education science requirements had difficulties transferring their understanding of the scientific method to the business discipline. Accordingly, the department decided to create a unique course offered to sophomore standing students titled Principles of Scientific Methods in Business. The course was created by a group of faculty with input from a twenty person department. Methodology: Rubrics used to assess a course term project were collected and analyzed in Microsoft Excel to measure student satisfaction of learning goals and a student satisfaction survey was developed and administered to students enrolled in the course under consideration to measure perceived course value. Contribution: While the scientific method applies across the business and information disciplines, students often struggle to envision this application. This paper explores the implications of a course specifically purposed to engender the development and usage of logical and scientific reasoning skills in the business discipline by students in the lower level of an bachelors degree program. The information conveyed in this paper hopefully makes a contribution in an area where there is still an insufficient body of research and where additional exploration is needed. Findings: For two semesters rubrics were collected and analyzed representing the inclusion of 53 students. The target mean for the rubric was a 2.8 and the overall achieved mean was a 2.97, indicating that student performance met minimal expectations. Nevertheless, student deficiencies in three crucial areas were identified. According to the survey findings, as a result of the class students had a better understanding of the scientific method as it applies to the business discipline, are now better able to critically assess a problem, feel they can formulate a procedure to solve a problem, can test a problem-solving process, have a better understanding of how to formulate potential business solutions, understand how potential solutions are evaluated, and understand how business decisions are evaluated. Conclusion: Following careful consideration and discussion of the preliminary findings, the course under consideration was significantly enhanced. The changes were implemented in the fall of 2020 and initial data collected in the spring of 2021 is indicating measured improvement in student success as exhibited by higher rubric scores. Recommendations for Practitioners: These initial findings are promising and while considering student success, especially as we increasingly face a greater and greater portion of under-prepared students entering higher education, initiatives to build the higher order thinking skills of students via transdisciplinary courses may play an important role in the future of higher education. Recommendations for Researchers: Additional studies of transdisciplinary efforts to improve student outcomes need to be explored through collection and evaluation of rubrics used to assess student learning as well as by measuring student perception of the efficacy of these efforts. Impact on Society: Society needs more graduates who leave universities ready to solve problems critically, strategically, and with scientific reasoning. Future Research: This study was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic; however, it is resuming in late 2021 and it is the hope that a robust and detailed paper, with more expansive findings will eventually be generated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose To monitor the Sustainability Development Goals (SDG) established by the United Nations through the hierarchical architecture of informing systems Background The paper discusses the case of Poland and its Gdansk region. Contribution The solution combines the big-picture of civilization with the small-picture of regions, cities, and firms. Findings The presented solution can be implemented if the political will can be secured. Recommendations for Practitioners Take the main idea of this paper and adapt to your local case. Recommendation for Researchers Develop some prototypes of presented informing systems and test in your local environment. Impact on Society The success of the sustainability of globalizing society can be secured if the coherent informing systems can be applied to the planning, monitoring, and implementation of the UN's universal SDGs. Future Research Work on the modeling costs and benefits of the presented solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose: Digital literacy is critical to participation in a contemporary knowledge-based society and is requisite to both academic success and career development. Institutions of higher education have been slow to define, assess, and amplify digital literacy in parallel with advances in the enhancement of reading, writing, and arithmetic literacy. Perhaps as a consequence of the pandemic, awareness appears to be growing of the need to infuse digital literacy at both institutional and individual levels. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the promotion and amplification of digital literacy within top universities around the globe. Background: For years, the role of higher education in the amplification of digital literacy among college students has been debated, but efforts have been limited primarily to ad hoc, unsystematic attempts to rectify disparities between students' exposure and understanding. The impacts of COVID-19 exposed the reality that many institutions, professors, and college students were under-prepared for the surge in reliance on digital technologies. Methodology: This paper explores the prevalence of digital literacy in the top public and private universities around the globe by conducting a qualitative examination on compulsory requirements, digital literacy offerings, university identified digital literacy initiatives, and university strategic plans. Contribution: This paper contributes to the body of knowledge by providing evidence for the need to expand the constructs of what it means to be digitally literate to address the ever-expanding range of emerging technologies and the impact of those technologies on society. Findings: The review of digital literacy amplification at top universities showed that none of the universities' admissions requirements required students to demonstrate digital competence and compulsory digital literacy was uncommon. However, a majority of universities undertook some form of initiative to promote digital literacy. These initiates included a focus on developing digitally literate society and workforce or developing innovative approaches to digital literacy education. Recommendations for Practitioners: The pandemic has generated a greater sense of urgency for institutions of higher education to ensure access to and understanding of digital technologies by students, faculty, and staff. Educational institutions will have to adapt their methodologies to promote explicit and intentionally reasoned digital literacy strategies that combine the competencies possessed by users of technology with the generation of new competencies required to successfully participate in the digital transformation of education, business, and society. Recommendations for Researchers: This paper examined the top 50 universities around the globe. Additional research is needed to examine national, regional and local efforts in the quest to address the need for a digitally literate citizenry. Impact on Society: COVID-19 has thrust us into a new normal wherein digital competence is foundational to success in an ever digitally reliant world. Institutions of higher education are best positioned to carry out the initiatives, programs and research needed to enhance the digital literacy of all citizens, not just students and employees. Future Research: Societal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to emerge and will resonate for decades to come. Continued investigation, exploration and dissemination of information related to effort to enhance and amplify digital literacy is necessary to ensure momentum to reimagine digital literacy education is maintained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose: Fostering student engagement is one of the great challenges of teaching, especially in online learning environments. An educators' assumptions and beliefs about what student engagement is and how it manifests will shape the strategies they design to engage students in learning. However, there is no agreement on the definition of concept of student engagement and it remains a vague construct. Background: Adopting the principles of user-centered design, the author maintains that to design learning experiences which better support student engagement it is important to gain insights into how students perceive and operationalize the concept of engagement in learning. The recent challenges of teaching effectively online prompted the author to reflect more deeply on the concept of engagement and how it might be achieved. Methodology: In the tradition of reflective teaching, the author undertook an informal, qualitative inquiry in her classroom, administering a brief questionnaire to students in her online class. When the themes which emerged were integrated with other literature and findings from the author's earlier classroom inquiry, some insights were gained into how students 'operationalize' the concept of engagement, and weight was added to the authors' premise of the value of humanistic approaches to university teaching, the need for greater emphasis on studentteacher connection and the necessity of considering the affective domain alongside the cognitive domain in learning in higher education. The insights were brought together and visualized in a conceptual model of student engagement. Contribution: The conceptual model presented in the present paper reflects the author's present 'mental model' of student engagement in classes online and, when the opportunity arrives, in face-to-face classes as well. This mental model shapes the authors' course design, learning activities and the delivery of the course. Although the elements of the model are not 'new', the model synthesizes several related concepts necessary to a humanist approach to understanding student engagement. It is hoped that the model and discussion presented will be stimulus for further rich discussion around the nature of student engagement. Findings: Interestingly, the affective rather than the cognitive domain framed students' perspectives on what engagement 'looks like to them' and on what teachers should do to engage them. Recommendations for Practitioners: By sharing the process through which the author arrived at this understanding of student engagement, the author has also sought to highlight three key points: the importance of including the 'student perspectives and expectations' against which educators can examine their own assumptions as part of the process reflective teaching practices; the usefulness of integrating theoretical and philosophical frameworks in our understandings of student engagement and how it might be nurtured, and finally the necessity of affording greater influence to humanism and the affective domain in higher education. The findings emphasize the necessity of considering the affective dimension of engagement as an essential condition for cognitive engagement and as inextricable from the cognitive dimension of engagement. Recommendations for Researchers: The emphasis in research engagement learning and teaching is on how we (the educators) can do this better, how we can better engage students. While the student perspective is often formulated from data obtained through surveys and focus groups, researchers in learning engagement are working with their own understandings (albeit supported by empirical research). It is crucial for deeper insight to also understand the students' conceptualization of the phenomena being researched. Bringing the principles of design thinking to bear on educational research will likely provide greater depth of insight. Impact on Society: Empirical, formal, and structured research is undeniably essential to advancing human endeavor in any field, including learning and teaching. It is however important to recognize informal research in the form of classroom inquiry as part of teachers' reflexive practice is also legitimate and useful to advancing understanding of complex phenomenon such as student engagement in learning through multiple perspectives and experiences. Future Research: Further research on the nature of student engagement in different contexts and against different theoretical frameworks is warranted as is empirical investigation of the premise of the value of humanism and the affective domain in defining and measuring student engagement in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activity theory (AT) has been used comprehensively in academic studies in the past with varying results depending on many factors. In this paper, AT is considered a lens for addressing electronic collaboration (e-collaboration) for academic and research institutions (ARIs). The focus of this paper is on the advancement of theory for future improved use towards creating a sound and improved guide for future research. The path towards innovation is paved and founded through well-defined theoretical guidelines followed by researchers, participants, and organizations. Underpinning theories continue to be used in academia to provide a solid basis and to afford a good foundation for research work. This enables research work to be reliable for the targeted output, participants, and communities. At times these theories present improvement opportunities for future practical applications and implementations. The Living Labs (LLs) present platforms for knowledge development; thereby their relationship with ARIs is inevitable. Together they facilitate improvement and innovation for ARIs. The literature context is the foundation of this paper together with the empirical data collected through multiple sources such as questionnaires, interviews, and the researchers' reflective journal (RRJ). The study used snowball and purposive sampling. The study primarily used the Grounded Theory Method (GTM) approach with the subsequent data collection influencing the collection process. This main objective of this paper is to propose an activity system model for ARIs. The proposed activity system model presented positive results when applied as the main study progressed. Further advancements can still be applied to the model thereby making it adaptable different environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose The most crucial aspects of teaching a foreign language to more advanced learners are building an awareness of discourse modes, how to regulate discourse, and the pragmatic properties of discourse components. However, in different languages, the connections and structure of discourse are ensured by different linguistic means which makes matters complicated for the learner. Background By uncovering regularities in a foreign language and comparing them with patterns in one's own tongue, the corpus research method offers the student unique opportunities to acquire linguistic knowledge about discourse markers. This paper reports on an investigation of the functions of multi-word discourse markers. Methodology In our research, we combine the alignment model of the phrase-based statistical machine translation and manual treatment of the data in order to examine English multi-word discourse markers and their equivalents in Lithuanian and Hebrew translations by researching their changes in translation. After establishing the full list of multi-word discourse markers in our generated parallel corpus, we research how the multi-word discourse markers are treated in translation. Contribution Creating a parallel research corpus to identify multi-word expressions used as discourse markers, analyzing how they are translated into Lithuanian and Hebrew, and attempting to determine why the translators made the choices add value to corpus-driven research and how to manage discourse. Findings Our research proves that there is a possible context-based influence guiding the translation to choose a particle or other lexical item integration in Lithuanian or Hebrew translated discourse markers to express the rhetorical domain which could be related to the so-called phenomenon of "over-specification". Recommendations for Practitioners The comparative examination of discourse markers provides language instructors and translators with more specific information about the roles of discourse markers. Recommendations for Researchers Understanding the multifunctionality of discourse markers provides new avenues for discourse marker application in translation research. Impact on Society The current study may be a useful method to strengthen students' language awareness and analytic skills and is particularly important for students specializing in English philology or translation. Beyond the empirical research, an extensive parallel data resource has been created to be openly used. Future Research It should be noted that the observed phenomenon of "over-specification" could be analyzed further in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose Providing both formative and summative assessment that allows students to learn from their mistakes is difficult in large classes. This paper describes an automated assessment system suitable for courses with even 100 or more students. Background Assessment is a vital part of any course of study. Ideally students should be given formative assessment with feedback during the course so students and tutors can identify weaknesses and focus on what needs improvement before summative assessment, which results in a grade. This paper describes and automated assessment system that lessens the burden of providing formative assessment in large classes. Methodology We used Checkpoint, a web-based automated assessment system, to grade assignments in a number of different computer science courses. Contribution The students come from diverse backgrounds, with a wide range of ages, previous qualifications and technical skills, and our approach allows the students to work at their own pace according to their individual needs, submitting their solutions as many times as they wish up to a deadline, using feedback provided by the system to help identify and correct their mistakes before trying again. Findings Use of automated assessment allows us to achieve the goals of both summative and formative assessment: we allow students to learn from their mistakes without incurring a penalty, while at the same time awarding them a grade to validate their efforts. The students have an overwhelmingly positive view about our use of automated assessment, and their comments support our views on the assessment process. Recommendations for Practitioners Because of the increasing number of students in today's courses, we recommend using automated assessment wherever possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose To capture digital training experiences, the paper introduces a novel data collection method -- a graphic questionnaire. It aims to demonstrate the opportunities and limitations of this tool for collecting feedback from socially disadvantaged participants of digital literacy training about their progress. Background In training of digital skills for disadvantaged audiences through informal educational interventions, it is important to get sufficient knowledge on factors that lead to their progress in the course of training. There are many tools to measure the achievements of formal education participants, but assessing the effectiveness of informal digital skills training is researched less. The paper introduces a smallscale case study of the training programme aimed at the developing of reading and digital skills among the participants from three socially disadvantaged groups -- people with hearing impairments, children from low income families, and elderly persons. The impact of the training on participants was evaluated using different tools, including a short graphic questionnaire to capture the perceptions of the participants after each training. Methodology We performed a thematic analysis of graphic questionnaires collected after each training session to determine how the students perceived their progress in developing literacy and digital skills. Contribution The findings of the paper can assist in designing assessment of digital literacy programmes that focus not only on final results, but also on the process of gaining digital skills and important factors that facilitate progress. Findings The graphic questionnaire allowed the researchers to get insights into the perception of acquired skills and progressive achievements of the participants through rich self-reports of attitudes, knowledge gained, and activities during training sessions. However, the graphic questionnaire format did not allow the collection of data about social interaction and cooperation that could be important in learning. Recommendations for Practitioners Graphic questionnaires are useful and easy-to-use tools for getting rich contextual information about the attitudes, behaviour, and acquisition of knowledge in digital literacy training. They can be used in applied assessments of digital literacy training in various settings. Their simplicity can appeal to respondents; however, in the long-run interest of respondents in continuing self-reports should be sustained by additional measures. Recommendations for Researchers Researcher may explore the variety of simple and attractive research instruments, such as "honeycomb" questionnaires and similar, to facilitate data collection and saturate feedback with significant perception of personal experiences in gaining digital literacy skills. Impact on Society Designing effective digital literacy programmes, including engaging selfassessment methods and tools, aimed at socially disadvantaged people will contribute to their digital inclusion and to solving the issues of digital divide. Future Research Exploration of diverse research methods and expanding the research toolset in assessing digital literacy training could advance our understanding of important processes and factors in gaining digital skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose Drone technology has been increasingly used in education. This paper reports a study of assessing teachers' readiness and training needs for using drone technology in their teaching. Background New technology promotes new ways of practices. With the sophisticated design and the affordance to explore our world from a bird's eye perspective, a drone has been increasingly used to support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. However, it also brings challenges to teachers to integrate drone technology in their teaching. It is therefore important to obtain a better understanding of various aspects of integrating drone technology in education. Methodology A group of pre-service teachers was engaged in a case study conducted using a designed-based approach. The participants were randomly assigned into three groups. They were required to develop lesson plans with the application of drone technology in teaching. The lesson plans were subsequently analyzed using the TPCK framework to identify teachers' readiness and training needs. Findings The participants, to a large extent, have sufficient competence to master the skills and knowledge of drone technology and to integrate it into their teaching. However, they were required to strengthen the pedagogical knowledge, subject content knowledge, and technological content knowledge in order to maximize the potential benefits of drone technology in education. Contribution This paper reports the level of readiness and training needs of teachers regarding the use of drone technology in their teaching. Recommendations for Practitioners To conduct teacher training regarding the use of drone technology in education, a particular focus should be put on enhancing teachers' pedagogical knowledge, subject content knowledge, and technological content knowledge. Recommendations for Researchers Researcher may further explore the strategies to integrate drone technology in teaching. Impact on Society This paper suggests the area of teacher training regarding the use of drone technology in education. The teaching and learning effectiveness could be improved. Future Research Future research may study the safety issue and ethical issue of using a drone in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most common course delivery model is based on teacher (knowledge provider) - student (knowledge receiver) relationship. The most visible symptom of this situation is over-reliance on textbook's tutorials. This traditional model of delivery reduces teacher flexibility, causes lack of interest among students, and often makes classes boring. Especially this is visible when teaching Computer Literacy courses. Instead, authors of this paper suggest a new active model which is based on MS Office simulation. The proposed model was discussed within the framework of three activities: guided software simulation, instructor-led activities, and self-directed learning activities. The model proposed in the paper of active teaching based on software simulation was proven as more effective than traditional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact that mobile web-enabled devices have had on the lives and behavior of university students has been immense. Yet, many of the models used in the classrooms have remained unchanged. Although a traditional research approach of examining the literature, developing a methodology, and so on is followed, this paper's main aim is to inform practitioners on observations and examples from courses which insist on and encourage mobiles in the classroom. The paper asked three research questions regarding the use, impact, and unintended consequences of mobile web-enabled devices in the classroom. Data was collected from observing and interacting with post graduate students and staff in two universities across two continents: Africa and Europe. The paper then focuses on observations and examples on the use, impact, and unintended consequences of mobile web-enabled devices in two classrooms. The findings are that all students used mobile web-enabled devices for a variety of reasons. The use of mobile devices did not negatively impact the class, rather students appeared to be more engaged and comfortable knowing they were allowed to openly access their mobile devices. The unintended consequences included the use of mobiles to translate text into home languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose: In the midst of COVID-19, classes are transitioned online. Instructors and students scramble for ways to adapt to this change. This paper shares an experience of one instructor in how he has gone through the adaptation. Background: This section provides a contextual background of online teaching. The instructor made use of M-learning to support his online teaching and adopted the UTAUT model to guide his interpretation of the phenomenon. Methodology: The methodology used in this study is action research through participantobservation. The instructor was able to look at his own practice in teaching and reflect on it through the lens of the UTAUT conceptual framework. Contribution: The results helped the instructor improve his practice and better understand his educational situations. From the narrative, others can adapt and use various apps and platforms as well as follow the processes to teach online. Findings: This study shares an experience of how one instructor had figured out ways to use M-learning tools to make the online teaching and learning more feasible and engaging. It points out ways that the instructor could connect meaningfully with his students through the various apps and platforms. Recommendations for Practitioners: The social aspects of learning are indispensable whether it takes place in person or online. Students need opportunities to connect socially; therefore, instructors should try to optimize technology use to create such opportunities for conducive learning. Recommendations for Researchers: Quantitative studies using surveys or quasi-experiment methods should be the next step. Validated inventories with measures can be adopted and used in these studies. Statistical analysis can be applied to derive more objective findings. Impact on Society: Online teaching emerges as a solution for the delivery of education in the midst of COVID-19, but more studies are needed to overcome obstacles and barriers to both instructors and students. Future Research: Future studies should look at the obstacles that instructors encounter and the barriers with technology access and inequalities that students face in online classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to detect plagiarism, comparisons must be made between a target document (the suspect) and reference documents. Numerous automated systems exist which check at the text-string level. If the scope is kept constrained, as for example in within-cohort plagiarism checking, then performance is very reasonable. On the other hand if one extends the focus to a very large corpus such as the WWW then performance can be reduced to an impracticable level. The three case studies presented in this paper give insight into the text-string comparators, whilst the third case study considers the very new and promising conceptual analysis approach to plagiarism detection which is now made achievable by the very computationally efficient Normalised Word Vector algorithm. The paper concludes with a caution on the use of high-tech in the absence of high-touch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Requirements elicitation is the process through which analysts determine the software requirements of stakeholders. Requirements elicitation is seldom well done, and an inaccurate or incomplete understanding of user requirements has led to the downfall of many software projects. This paper proposes a classification of problem types that occur in requirements elicitation. The classification has been derived from a literature analysis. Papers reporting on techniques for improving requirements elicitation practice were examined for the problem the technique was designed to address. In each classification the most recent or prominent techniques for ameliorating the problems are presented. The classification allows the requirements engineer to be sensitive to problems as they arise and the educator to structure delivery of requirements elicitation training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose Despite millions of apps on the market, it is still challenging to develop a mobile app that can run across platforms using the same code. Background This paper explores a potential solution for developing cross platform apps by presenting the hybrid app approach. Methodology The paper first describes a brief evolution of the different mobile app development approaches and then compares them with the hybrid app approach. Next, it focuses on one specific hybrid app development framework called Ionic. Contribution The paper presents the hybrid app approach as an emerging trend in mobile app development and concludes with the highlight of its advantages and teaching implications. Findings The hybrid app approach reduces the learning curve and offers tools to allow the reuse of code to create apps for different mobile devices. Recommendations for Practitioners The experience that the paper describes in using Ionic framework to create a hybrid app can be adopted in a web design or mobile app development course. Impact on Society The advance in hybrid framework in general and the growing acceptance of open source framework, such as Ionic in particular, may provide an alternative to the native app domination and may trigger the rapid rise of hybrid apps in the years to come. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to address the issue of gaps in students' knowledge at the time they enter a comprehensive Information Systems capstone course. This problem of knowledge gaps was exacerbated by the forced remote learning and isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim was to find a technique that would identify and fill those gaps. Ideally, the method would also reinforce the students' interpersonal soft skills. Background: Many universities have a capstone course where students may apply their knowledge from the curriculum to a project, and they are evaluated on their retention of knowledge from the core classes. Over the past two years, students have experienced course interruptions and modifications due to the pandemic, resulting in learning gaps on topics covered in the core courses. Depending on the project's scope and curriculum, this may prevent students from conversing on many essential concepts during the capstone course. By requiring students to create "Teach Back" tutorials on materials from their core courses, faculty may ensure that the key concepts are discussed multiple times within the curriculum. Methodology: We present a case study to identify key concepts and compare cohort results before and after implementation. Contribution: A process for identifying potential knowledge gaps is identified, and a method to repeatedly expose students to concepts is introduced. Findings: There were improvements to the overall capstone scores after the tutorial implementation. While many factors influence changes in scores across cohorts, the initial findings are promising, supporting the concept that teaching back helps to close knowledge gaps. Recommendations for Practitioners: Faculty should collaborate to identify knowledge areas that need to be reinforced later in their students' academic careers. Teaching back essential concepts that may not be prioritized in implementing a capstone project ensures a repeated exposure to the identified concepts. Recommendations for Researchers: There needs to be a priority to teach students to be lifelong learners and to teach the skills needed to share their knowledge with future coworkers. There needs to be more research into a pedagogy that builds these essential soft skills within our curriculum. Finally, research into alumni feedback on course topics and pedagogy is needed. Impact on Society: Introducing pedagogy that improves both knowledge and soft skills, this research looks to build individuals who will learn independently and be able to communicate with and improve others. Future Research: There needs to be additional research to study the changes in technical knowledge before and after Teach Back, the consequences of elective sequencing, the consideration of elective versus required courses, and the use of Teach Back to capture student knowledge gained from completing diverse electives prior to the capstone course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose: This paper focuses on systematizing and rethinking the conformity of modern transdisciplinarity with its prime cause and initial ideas. Background: The difficulties of implementing transdisciplinarity into science and education are connected with the fact that its generally accepted definition, identification characteristics, and methodological features are still missing. In order to eliminate these disadvantages of transdisciplinarity, its prime cause and initial ideas had to be detected. It is also important to analyze the correspondence of the existing opinions about transdisciplinarity with the content of these cause and ideas. Methodology: The qualitative analysis of the literature reviews on the subject of transdisciplinary was used in order to determine the correspondence of the opinions about the transdisciplinarity with the meaning of its prime cause and initial ideas. These opinions had to be generalized as well. Through this method, it was possible to detect and classify opinions into 11 groups including 39 stereotypes of transdisciplinarity. For substantiation of transdisciplinary approaches that are consistent with the approaches of contemporary science, C.F. Gauss random variables normal distribution was used. The "Gauss curve" helped to show the place of transdisciplinary and systems transdisciplinary approaches in the structure of academic and systems approaches. The "Gauss curve" also demonstrated the step-by-step "broadening of the scientific worldview horizon due to sequential intensification of synthesis, integration, unification, and generalization of the disciplinary knowledge." Contribution: After reconsideration of the results on qualitative analysis of the literature reviews, the generalized definition of transdisciplinarity could be formulated, including the definition for transdisciplinary and systems transdisciplinary approaches. It was proven that transdisciplinarity is a natural stage for the development of contemporary science and education, and the transdisciplinary approaches were able to suggest the methods and tools to solve the complex and poorly structured problems of science and the society. Findings: Many existing stereotypes of transdisciplinarity do not meet its prime cause and initial ideas. Such stereotypes do not have deep philosophic and theoretical substantiation. They also do not suggest the transdisciplinary methods and tools. Thus, the authors of such stereotypes often claim them to be transdisciplinary or suggest perceiving them as transdisciplinarity. This circumstance is the reason why many disciplinary scientists, practitioners, and initiators of higher education view transdisciplinarity as a marginal direction of contemporary science. Based on the generalized definition of transdisciplinarity, as well as its prime cause and initial ideas, it was shown that transdisciplinarity is presented in contemporary science in the form of two different approaches, i.e., the transdisciplinary approach and systems transdisciplinary approach. The objective of the transdisciplinary approach is to ensure science development at the stage of synthesis and integration of disciplinary knowledge, while the objective of the systems transdisciplinary approach is to ensure that the problems of modern society are solved through unification and generalization of the disciplinary knowledge. Recommendations for Practitioners: The practitioners should take into consideration that the transdisciplinary and systems transdisciplinary approaches have different specific features. Within the limits of the transdisciplinary approach, a team of disciplinary specialists forms a new method to solve each new problem every time. As a result, the solution of the problem is created based on the consensus formed by compromises. Such a solution is difficult to be risk analyzed. Within the limits of the systems transdisciplinary approach, a team of disciplinary specialists uses a universal systems transdisciplinary methodology to solve each problem. In this case, the disciplinary specialists do not seek compromises, but perform their part of research using the disciplinary methods and tools. The disciplinary results are unified and generalized by the generalist specialist, who has a methodology of the systems transdisciplinary approach. Thus, the solution of the problem should be subject to risk analysis since it is included into the basic research process. Recommendations for Researchers: The researchers should consider that within the limits of the transdisciplinary approach, the disciplinary specialists are managed. Within the limits of the systems transdisciplinary approach, the disciplinary knowledge is managed. Thus, the transdisciplinary approach is efficient for organization and research with participation of the scientists of the complementary disciplines. An example of such research can be a team of researchers of medical disciplines and complementary disciplines from chemistry, physics, and engineering. The systems transdisciplinary approach is efficient for organization and performance of research with participation of the scientists of non-complementary disciplines such as economics, physics, meteorology, chemistry, ecology, geology, and sociology. Impact on Society: The prime cause of transdisciplinarity is associated with a desire of economists, politicians, and managers to find a method of efficient long-range forecasting, planning, and control of social and economic development of the modern society, as well as the search for the solution to current problems accompanying this development. The transdisciplinary approaches formed the methods and tools to solve these tasks. Although society could use the advantages of the transdisciplinary approaches, it is necessary to ensure that in the consciousness of the disciplinary specialists, "the desire to have such approaches" should coincide with "the desire to apply such approaches" for the benefit of the society. Future Research: In terms of the main initial idea, transdisciplinarity is formed as a global approach. The global approach should have a traditional institutional form. This implies that it should be a science discipline (meta-discipline) and have carriers with the transdisciplinary worldview. Training for such carriers can be organized by the universities within the limits of the systems transdisciplinarity departments and Centers of Systems Transdisciplinary Retraining for Disciplinary Specialists. Thus, it is reasonable to initiate discussions for the idea to reform the disciplinary structure of the universities while considering the creation of such departments and centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers a case study of a smart grid-connected home in Australia that has solar photo- voltaic panels for distributed electricity generation and batteries for local energy storage. With a focus on Web of Things (WoT), this paper explores a strategy to facilitate management of electrical energy in the context of the emerging smart grid ideas that are consistent with sustainability practices. The strategy considers a cyber-physical software system that incorporates web-enabled physical devices and RESTful APIs to enable monitoring, integrating and controlling electrical appliances in a household. A dynamic adaptation is considered of the energies flowing between the smart grid, local solar panels and local storage batteries for powering the house with a view to reduce costs and greenhouse emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on the problems related to information systems assessment from the point of view of informing users. More specifically the paper tries to answer whether the examined information systems provide users with information in a form, format, and schedule that maximizes its effectiveness in the sense of informing science. Measures of information systems usability are used in evaluation of the ability of information systems to inform users effectively. A framework, model and assessment methodology are presented. Results of an empirical experiment conducted to evaluate informativeness of university websites are shared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The achievement of academic research involves a series of steps and activities that must be managed in order to avoid delays, development problems (due to unforeseen risks) and even monitoring (which involves the work of the Advisor). Aiming to contribute to project development for academic research, this paper presents some principles of project management considering project management theories and also presenting many frameworks on this area. The PMBoK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) developed by the PMI (Project Management Institute) is presented in more details because it was used to define part of main specific proposals of this paper. Two (Initiating and Planning Process Groups) from the five process groups defined by the framework are presented and also their correlation to academic projects. This is relevant to formalize all activities and artifacts during an academic project. Besides that, the Knowledge Areas (KA) defined by the framework are also presented in details. The relationship between these KA's and the Initiating and Planning Process Groups are discussed in a viewpoint of academic research stakeholders. Specifics templates by KA are proposed to be used in this kind of projects and to support the student's academic journey conducted by an Advisor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose The flipped classroom approach is one of the most popular active learning approaches. This paper explores the effectiveness of a new pedagogy, known as FOCUSED, for postgraduate students. Background The flipped classroom approach is a trendy blended learning pedagogy which capitalizes on the flexibility of online learning and the stimulating nature of face-to-face discussion. This article describes a pilot study involving postgraduate students who experienced the flipped classroom approach in one of their courses. Methodology In additional to online activities, students adopted a newly learned approach to solve a related problem that was given by another group of students during classes. Quantitative data were collected from pre- and post-tests for both selflearned online materials and group discussion during classes so that the effectiveness of the flipped classroom pedagogy could be examined from the perspective of a holistic learning experience. Findings It was found that the average scores for the post-test for the self-learned online video were much higher than for pre-test, even though the post-tests for both online and face-to-face learning were higher than the respective pre-tests. The qualitative data collected at the end of the flipped classroom activities further confirmed the value of the flipped classroom approach. Even though students could self-learn, more students valued peer interactions in the classroom more than the flexibility of online learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose Blended learning can transform students experience and learning in higher education. Although the literature extensively explores benefits of blended learning, limited research exists to provide a detailed design principle for implementing instructional activities in blended courses and its usage as tool to influence learning outcomes for second language first year accounting learners. Background The objective of this study is to find out how the learning experience of students was impacted and by designing and implementing blended learning and connectivity between online and face-to-face learning. This paper reviews the challenges and benefits of blended learning and highlights teachers' and students' perceptions on the impact of the connectivity of online and face-to-face activities on students' learning. Methodology Data was collected from students enrolled in the course using an open-ended questionnaire. There were 220 respondents, representing a response rate of 65%. Data was extracted from the online learning data and grade center. Teachers' experiences and observations were also noted. The survey results were analyzed using content analysis. Contribution Research focusing on blended learning design and implementation is limited, and there is no one size fits all when it comes to blended learning. Consequently, this paper contributes to the discussion by highlighting how second language, first-year accounting students benefit from blended learning and the connectivity between online and face-to-face activities. Increased flexibility for learners appears to be one of the most cited rationale for the combination of traditional with online instructional methods, however, this study evaluates blended learning as a tool for transforming the learning experience of second language, first year accounting students. Findings Findings show that students benefit from blended learning, and connectivity between online and in-class activities allows students to exploit the advantages of both online and face-to-face learning. Students can see the relevance of what they are doing online and how that contributes to their in-class activities and, hence, are motivated to complete the activities. Recommendations for Practitioners Educators should use a well-designed blended learning pathway to empower students to be in charge of their learning. Placing materials online creates more and better opportunities for engaging students in class. Institutional support is important when implementing blended learning. Recommendations for Researchers There is a need for more studies on blended learning design and implementation. Future researchers may carry out more studies on how blended learning design affects student engagement and learning for second language learners in other courses. Impact on Society A blended learning pathway would greatly benefit second language learners to learn better and empower them to be more independent as a self-directed learner who is able to utilize their time wisely. Community of practice is an excellent platform to encourage teaching teams to work together and create innovative teaching and assessment materials. Future Research Future studies may carry out the study using other methods for example quantitative surveys and interviews to get a deeper understanding of both students and teachers' perceptions and experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose This paper presents an exploratory case study into using 360° videos to present small segments of lecture content for IT students in an Australian University. The aim of this study was to understand; what is the impact of incorporating 360° videos into class content for students and teaching staff ? In this study the 360° videos are described as "learning atoms". Learning atoms are short duration videos (1 to 5 minutes) captured in 360°. Background Within this paper we conducted experiments in the classroom using 360° videos to determine if they have an impact on student's feeling of presence with class content. Additionally, to follow up, how does the inclusion of 360° impact on the teaching experience. Methodology The methodology used in this study focused on both quantitative and qualitative aspects. Data was captured at the same time during the teaching period to address the research questions. In order to gauge the feeling of presence within the classroom a short survey was administered to students in the undergraduate IT class at the start (pre) and end (post) of the semester using the same questions to measure any change. Contribution The main contributions from this study were that we demonstrated there is a potential for providing an alternative 'immersive' content presentation for students. This alternative content took the form of 360° learning atoms, whereas further showed our nuance process for creating and publishing of these atoms. Findings The results show that for students, learning atoms can help improve the sense of presence, particularly for remote students, however the interactive experience can take student's attention away from the lecturer. The results present potential for providing an alternative 'immersive' content presentation for students, however problems for uptake are present for both students and teachers, such as image capture quality and file size Impact on Society We foresee this approach as being a new approach to teaching students in higher education within online spaces to increase engagement and move towards having a richer virtual experience no matter the location. Future Research Future research will be conducted to resolve whether presence and engagement is supported by the inclusion of 360° videos in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose Little is known of the cultural competence or leadership styles of a minority owned newspaper. This autoethnography serves to benchmark one early 1990s example. Background I focused on a series of flashbacks to observe an African American weekly newspaper editor-in-chief for whom I reported to 25 years ago. In my reflections I sought to answer these questions: How do minorities in entrepreneurial organizations view their own identity, their cultural competence? What degree of this perception is conveyed fairly and equitably in the community they serve? Methodology Autoethnography using both flashbacks and article artifacts applied to the leadership of an early 1990s African American weekly newspaper. Contribution Since a literature gap of minority newspaper cultural competence examples is apparent, this observation can serve as a benchmark to springboard off older studies like that of Barbarin (1978) and that by examining the leadership styles and editorial authenticity as noted by The Chicago School of Media Theory (2018), these results can be used for comparison to other such minority owned publications. Findings By bringing people together, mixing them up, and conducting business any other way than routine helped the Afro-American Gazette, Grand Rapids, proudly display a confidence sense of cultural competence. The result was a potentiating leadership style, and this style positively changed the perception of culture, a social theory change example. Recommendations for Practitioners For the minority leaders of such publications, this example demonstrates effective use of potentiating leadership to positively change the perception of the quality of such minority owned newspapers. Recommendations for Researchers Such an autoethnography could be used by others to help document other examples of cultural competence in other minority owned newspapers. Impact on Society The overall impact shows that leadership at such minority owned publications can influence the community into a positive social change example. Future Research Research in the areas of culture competence, leadership, within minority owned newspapers as well as other minority alternative publications and websites can be observed with a focus on what works right as well as examples that might show little social change model influence. The suggestion is to conduct the research while employed if possible, instead of relying on flashbacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textbook options are expanding and the electronic text is poised to become prevalent in the college classroom. Cost pressures are driving this trend even as the academic value of e-textbooks has yet to be established. Limited research is available that examines the effectiveness of the e-textbook as a learning tool. This paper presents the results of a study that compares student performance in two sections of an online course, one using an e-textbook and the other using a paper-based text. No significant difference in student performance was found. However, until e-textbook format and features are standardized and business models generate sizable cost savings, e-textbook adoption is likely to evolve slowly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faculty teaching computer courses go through repeated updates of their classes in order to keep their programs current. The updates may include more than changing textbooks or adding a new volume. Instead, the changes may require the installation of new software, hardware, troubleshooting and solving complicated technology related problems. The faculty requesting these changes may need the expertise of technical staff in updating these technology courses and in solving emerging problems. In such cases, coordination and collaboration between the faculty and technical staff will be necessary in order to assure course updates. This paper reports on the collaboration between a faculty and technical staff at Eberly College of Business and Information Technology (ECOBIT) -- Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). Both faculty and technical staff have been working cooperatively at different levels to address course and programmatic changes for their computer curriculum. The details of this cooperation between the faculty and the technical staff are explained in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual model for learning to program in entry level programming courses. The intended model is aimed at providing a framework to simplify learning to program at beginner or entry level programming courses. Learning to program is considered to be a difficult task to many students and it has been attributed to the continuous decline in enrollment in technology programs lately. The conceptual model being worked on in this paper is developed along another model widely used in program and systems development known as the Systems Development Life Cycle or SDLC. The SDLC model is used widely in academia to teach the planning of programs and systems. Hence, the SDLC model is used in this paper to guide in the creation of a new conceptual model that is aimed to provide a framework to simplify learning to program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A vertical electronic marketplace (EM) is an inter-organizational intermediary within a single industry that enables participating buyers and sellers to exchange information about price and product offerings and to cooperate on commodity exchange. Using a Relational View (RV) perspective, this paper develops theoretical arguments that explain the impact of ownership on the likelihood of vEM survival. With a survival analysis, this paper provides empirical support for the theoretical arguments using data collected on 159 vEMs across six industries. The paper found that EM ownerships with industry ties will have higher survival rates than those without. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic computing programs often want to keep pace with technological changes by frequently updating their program contents. These program changes are often reactionary and lack uniform standards. Thus some of the changes are often rolled back and, as a result, face additional changes shortly after their implementation. A helpful strategy in computer program updates is to utilize a standard curriculum to gauge and benchmark the program. This paper compares the content of two technology programs with a standard curriculum developed by the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) and other organizations including, AIS, AITP, IEEE and ABET-CAC. The paper examines the content of two technology programs: The Technology Support and Training program (TST) at Eberly College of Business -- Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), and the Computer Information Systems (CIS) and Information Sciences (IS) programs in the School of Communications and Information Technology at Robert Morris University (RMU). It then compares the content of both programs with the Computing Curricula Information -- Information Technology Volume (IT2005) Body of Knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cardiovascular disease is one of the serious and life-threatening diseases in the developed world. One aspect of medical treatment is using drugs with blood pressure reducing or cholesterol lowering functions. Importantly, such treatment needs to be individually tailored and is significantly correlated to the particular conditions of individual patients. However, such pathologies and mechanisms are still only under investigation. Several novel and unique computational methods, called meta-analyses techniques, for formatting and analyzing a wide variety of cardiac datasets are discussed in this paper with the aim to building cardiovascular database and related patient life-cycle management services. In this paper we also present an overview of a second order inference engine underlying the meta-analyses, which yields evidenced-based reasoning that is more likely to better assist decision-making on the effectiveness of cardiovascular treatment than what is available currently. Furthermore, the software architecture and other details of such a medical informatics system tailored to cardiovascular disease are also described. Research and development work on this project yields itself to application to many other areas, such as disease control and prevention in Epidemiology, and dietics. The system can therefore make a profound impact to medical informatics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the concept of Open Educational Resources (OERs). The discussion then shift to OER sustainability, a fundamental element essential for the success of OER. Special attention is given to the following as they relate to the OER sustainability: instructional design & presentation; cost of production and maintenance; support; and OER communities of practice as relate to scalability. The paper concludes with recommendations for OERs future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting with the introduction of Visual Studio .NET (VS .NET) application developers can write programs that may be used for different languages listed in VS .NET globalization. However, the list of languages is incomplete and is missing many. One of these missing languages from VS .NET globalization is the Kurdish: a language written and spoken by millions of Kurds around the world. Previous research conducted by the authors made a case for adding the Kurdish language to the globalization component of the .NET Framework. We were hopeful that the Kurdish will be added to VS .NET in the latest version (VS .NET 2005) that was yet to be released in full version at the time of writing that paper. However, VS .NET 2005 has been released, and to our disappointment, Microsoft excluded the Kurdish language again from the languages it supports in VS .NET. This paper is to emphasize adding Kurdish to VS .NET globalization component. It shows that there are no technical, lingual or cultural hurdles for adding Kurdish to VS .NET globalization and thus it is time to add the Kurdish Culture to the newly released Microsoft .Net Framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the assumption that critical reflection skills are acquired automatically during post-graduate study is queried by examining whether keeping a reflective journal is an aid in developing reflective habits. All course outlines in the postgraduate program studied for this paper state that students will learn how to critique issues relating to the topic being studied. The assumption is that critical reflection is a skill that is acquired automatically during the degree. Postgraduate students at this particular institution are required to complete a Research Methods course before enrolling in a thesis or dissertation. Research Methods students are encouraged but not required to keep a reflective journal. This paper reports on the effectiveness of keeping a reflective journal by analyzing results obtained over five semesters within the Research Methods course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is based on an ongoing study that looks at farm management practices by Australian women cotton growers using farm management software, most particularly an agricultural decision support system, CottonLOGIC. The study is informed through a theoretical framework of structuration theory as a metatheory for probing the recursiveness of farm management and technology usage, and diffusion of innovations theory as a lower-level theory for analysing software adoption characteristics. Empirical research indicates that effective information exchange flows from homophilous communication. In this paper, the principles of homophily and heterophily in communication networks were initially drawn from diffusion theory. The findings suggest that despite apparent gender disparities, the presence of empathy and shared goals between farming partners overrides 'gender heterophily' to become gender homophily. Therefore cotton growers are informed of scientific research through homophilous communication, influencing the construction and reconstruction of innovative software usage and existing farm management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ongoing investigation into the declining participation of women in IT education and professional level work has recently focused on professional women's perceptions of the IT industry. This paper presents some of the findings from a discourse analysis of interviews with thirty-two female and two male IT professionals. The analysis identified a distinctive characteristic of the women's discourse in the representation of mutually exclusive attributes, skills and attitudes as closely identified with gender. This paper explores two of these dualisms - women's perceptions of the rapid and continuous change characteristic of the IT industry and the dualism of the public (work) and private (domestic) spheres. The implications of rapid change and the concomitant long working hours characteristic of the IT industry, are discussed in relation to women's continued responsibility for social and domestic life. Discourse analysis is used to identify contradictions in the women's talk and to relate this to tensions in the IT industry and the wider social context. Although these women characterise themselves as 'different' from most women, in their skills, aptitudes and attitudes towards IT, this characterisation shows tensions and contradictions. The authors use Giddens' perspective on identity formation and the structuration of institutions (Giddens, 1984; 1991) to identify factors, which may further discourage women from participating in IT education and work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems since the 90's has been immense. Their organisational wide functionality is vast and overall capabilities are enormous but their success, usability and the user perception is questioned in the information systems (IS) literature. This paper looks at an implemented ERP system in a large Australian University. The core aspect of the paper is the user perception on the implemented system, which is measured by two criterions: user satisfaction and post-implementation factors. The author is using interviews, documentary analysis and observation techniques for data gathering. Based on the gathered findings, the author portrays the use of participatory design (PD) methods as a possible tool for successful ERP implementation. User-Centred Design (UCD) and Joint Application Development (JAD) were compared as part of the PD approach and it was concluded that the UCD approach would best suit for the development and the implementation of an ERP system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reviewed the emerging roles of the 21st century librarians who are managers of repository services across libraries in present day information technology environments. Librarians need to be trained in requisite skills and be empowered for successful management of the ICT driven repository initiatives of the 21st century. Literature was reviewed on the roles and responsibilities of librarians, training needs and opportunities, career path of librarians, and community support necessary for effective and efficient implementation and management of repository initiatives. This entails the ability to comprehend trends and change patterns which are essential for providing research focused and user friendly models in open repository services, based on thorough analytical understanding of the challenges of emerging trends. Librarians need training and retraining in order to reposition themselves in their career path. The library is an integral part of its social environment, that is to educate the community about the existence of an open repository; building partnership with community-oriented research centres through seminars, workshops, symposium, training, and awareness programmes. The paper recommends that librarians should strategize and collaborate with researchers to make open repository an essential research tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper compares the effect of social isolation on students enrolled in online courses versus students enrolled in on campus courses (called in this paper Face-to-Face or F2F). Grade data was collected from one online section and two F2F sections of a computer literacy course that was recently taught by one of the authors of this study. The same instructor taught all sections thereby providing a controlled comparison between the two forms of teaching (F2F and online). This paper first introduces the plan and the limitation of this study. It provides a literature review and notes the trend of social isolation found in online courses. This paper then presents a summary of the collected data; and offers a conclusion based on the collected data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a need for Information Technology (IT) students to develop an awareness of current IT business practice and the role of IT plays in the broader society, together with an appreciation of some of the ethical dilemmas, security challenges, and threats to privacy that the application of IT can raise. In fact, an understanding of these concepts is underlined by professional bodies through their accreditation requirements for university IT programs. Yet, students have limited professional experience and may have difficulty in relating to the challenges posed by the use of IT in the wider community; therefore it is incumbent on undergraduate programs to provide learning experiences that foster students' professional growth in these areas. The difficulty for IT educators is how to develop in their students an understanding of current IT industry practice coupled with a broader awareness of the impact of their discipline on society. A discussion on how best to address this difficulty brought academics from Victoria University and University of Ballarat together. The outcome was a proposal for a joint teaching collaboration that centered on a common assessment formative task for students enrolled in each institution's professional development units. This paper outlines the motivation and rationale for the proposal and it details the collaborative framework essential to support an across-institutional assessment task. The paper relates the framework to realize the creation of the assessment at both universi-ties to improve students' IT professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper refers to the Competitive Intelligence (CI) that is an important area of study for both practitioners and researches. CI is a subset of Business Intelligence (BI), providing balanced picture of the environment to the decision makers. It concerns the collecting and analyzing of the information about the behaviors of the various markets' actors in order to make certain decisions based on market trends. This type of information is mainly semi-structured or unstructured nature-in contrast to the well-structured information used in BI. It turns out that many previous information tools used to build BI are insufficient and adequate for CI. The research study is mainly exploratory and descriptive in nature, with the objective of providing an overview of the issue of CI and investigating the various information tools and technologies for CI building. The structure of this paper is organized as follows. Firstly, the idea of CI is explained and the most important differences between BI and CI are highlighted. Next, the most significant information tools and technologies for building CI are preceded. Finally, some guidelines and recommendations are provided in order to build CI in organizations. Some limitations of this research are indicated as well. What is more, further studies on CI are outlined. The paper provides some valuable information on using different information tools and technologies for CI building. The results of this study may be useful for ICT specialists, as well as for the organizations that plan to build CI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we focus on models and methods for quantifying the risks related to a product purchase and the impact of product warranty on these risks. There are two risks associated with purchasing a product -- the risk of malfunctioning, i.e., the risk of buying a product that is not up to the quality prescribed by its specifications, and the risk of misinforming -- the risk of buying a product that is not suitable for the tasks it is aimed for, i.e., misunderstanding the features of the product while deciding whether to buy it. The later risk is caused by the information asymmetry, which is a natural property of any communication process. Warranty is the usual sharing mechanism of these risks between the manufacturer/ vendor and clients. In this paper we review the ideas related to quantifying the risk of misinforming and discuss the role of the warranty of misinforming. We conclude our overview by outlining several possible directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose: The aim of this study is to explore the role of service-learning in Information Systems (IS) education. Background: While the use of modern technologies presents many operational benefits, such as the lowering of the costs, it may also aggravate social-economic issues. IS professionals should account for these issues as well as exhibit the skills demanded by modern-day employers. Hence, why there is a need for IS educators to adopt a new pedagogy that supports the development of more holistic and socially responsible IS graduates. Methodology: In this qualitative exploratory case study, two IS service-learning courses at a South African university were studied. Interviews, course evaluations, and reflection essays were analyzed to gain insight into the implications that servicelearning may have for students. Contribution: This study contributes to IS education research by advancing discussions on the role of service-learning in providing learning outcomes such as the development of important skills in IS, civic-mindedness, and active participation in society. Findings: The findings showed that the courses had different implications for students developing skills that are important in IS and becoming civic-minded due to the variation in their design and implementation. Recommendations for Practitioners: It is recommended that IS educators present their courses in the form of service-learning with a careful selection of readings, projects, and reflection activities. Recommendations for Researchers: IS education researchers are advised to conduct longitudinal studies to gain more insight into the long-term implications that service-learning may have for IS students. Impact on Society: This paper provides insight into how IS students may gain social agency and a better understanding of their role in society. Future Research: It is recommended that future research focus on mediating factors and the implications that service-learning may have for IS students in the long-term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose: To build the skills of innovation, we must first establish a framework for the belief system that surrounds effective innovation practice. In building any belief system, sometimes outdated beliefs need to be replaced with better, more carefully researched ideas. One such belief, discovered in our research and elsewhere, is that creativity is innate and that great ideas arise through chance or happenstance. Background: One belief regarding innovation and creativity, discovered in our research and elsewhere, is the belief that creativity is innate. History has repeatedly shown this to be untrue, yet people still believe it. We have found within our research another belief is that innovation happens through random, unstructured processes -- that great ideas arise through chance or happenstance. However, participants also believed that innovation is a skill. If someone believes innovation is a skill but also believes innovation is innate, random, and unstructured, this disconnect presents obstacles for the training and development of innovation skills. Methodology: This research is based on a combination of background research and direct survey of innovators, educators, scientists, and engineers, in addition to the general public. The survey is used to illuminate the nature of significant beliefs related to creativity and innovation practice. Contribution: We examine the myths and truths behind creativity as well as the false beliefs behind innovation as we present a closed model for innovation and the key framing elements needed to build a successful, trainable, developable system that is the innovation mindset. And like any skill, creativity and innovation can be taught and learned using tools and processes that can be followed, tracked, and documented. If innovation is a skill, creativity should not require magic or the production of ideas out of thin air. Findings: This paper identifies the historic nature of creativity as well as the general strategies used by innovators in implementing innovation practices and proposes a framework that supports the effective development of the innovation mindset. Recommendations for Practitioners: Apply the framework and encourage ideation and innovation participants to appreciate that they can learn to be creative and innovative. Start as early as possible in the education process, as all of these skills can be instructed at early ages. Recommendations for Researchers: Continue to gather survey data to support a refined understanding of the motivations behind the disconnect between innovation as a methodical skill and the beliefs in the use of random ideation techniques. Impact on Society: Transforming the understanding of creativity and innovation from one of mythical belief to one of methodical skill application will dramatically alter the lifelong impact of knowledge gained in support of global economic and environmental challenges. Future Research: A continuation of the recommended research paths and collaboration with other creativity researchers leading to improved methods for dissuading mythical beliefs toward formalized, systematic ideation and innovation practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose: The authors provide different technology applications useful in online instruction in addition to providing effective strategies for use in a virtual environment. Background: Last year, educators were forced to move their instruction online almost overnight. Many were not prepared to teach effectively in a virtual environment. Contribution: This paper serves as a resource to educators who are unfamiliar with teaching online as well as for those who would like to enhance their current practice. Recommendations for Practitioners: Be flexible when teaching in a virtual environment. Remain open to using new and unfamiliar technologies. Be consistent in providing feedback to students and communicate frequently with them. Impact on Society: The abrupt transition for educators, as well as for most workplaces, to an exclusively online environment in response to COVID has long-lasting effects in how business as usual will be conducted. Being proficient and comfortable in navigating a virtual environment is essential. Future Research: As we continue to work virtually, ongoing research that informs our practice is critical for remaining effective educators. Additionally, it is important to remain knowledgeable about current and new technologies available to us. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]