Nvidia, matrox, paper? - Undergraduate game design tools in the humanities and social sciences

Eschewing costly high-tech approaches, this paper looks at the experience of using low-tech approaches to game design assignments as problem based learning and assessment tool over a number of years in undergraduate teaching. General game design concepts are discussed, along with learning outcomes and assessment rubrics in line with Blooms Taxonomy based on evidence from students who had no prior experience of serious game play or design. Approaches to creating game design based assessments are offered.

The 2011 student movement on the Chilean press: What Pluralism in the digital press?

This article presents results of two research projects that explored the coverage of the Student Movement 2011 carried out by two chains of newspaper of Chile: El Mercurio S.A.P and Diarios Mi Voz, in three regions of the country. These press chains correspond to paper and digital press, respectively. In this research, we analyze information and photographs allowed to establish changes in journalistic practices as well as similarities in the ways of representing the student movement.

A Importância do Clima Organizacional no Desempenho das Equipes de Trabalho: um estudo de caso no Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia da Paraíba

O comportamento humano e os aspectos que influenciam na dinâmica organizacional têm sido alvo constante de estudiosos do assunto e uma preocupação crescente das organizações. Uma organização que dispõe de um ambiente de trabalho favorável, onde se encontra uma predisposição dos envolvidos a manterem um clima de colaboração, comprometimento e relações saudáveis pode promover imensamente a motivação e a satisfação das pessoas com o trabalho. O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar quais fatores e de que forma influenciam a formação do clima organizacional entre os servidores técnicos-administrativos em relação ao ambiente de trabalho e aos aspectos que o envolvem, como perfil de liderança, motivação, trabalho em equipe, entre outros. Para tanto, foi realizado um estudo de campo junto aos funcionários técnicos-administrativos do Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia da Paraíba. Quanto aos meios, o estudo foi desenvolvido nos moldes da pesquisa descritiva e, quanto aos fins, foi bibliográfica, documental e estudo de caso. A coleta de dados deu-se através de questionários que é a forma mais utilizada para esta atividade, pois possibilita medir com melhor precisão o que se deseja pesquisar. Este questionário foi aplicado a uma amostra de cinquenta funcionários do IFPB. Os resultados alcançados através do estudo de caso realizado na unidade de João Pessoa permitiram identificar que seus colaboradores percebem um clima de trabalho bastante favorável e no geral sentem-se motivados para o desempenho de suas funções. No entanto, com relação às políticas de treinamento, observou-se certo grau de insatisfação, o que vem a ser um problema da Gestão de Recursos Humanos de algumas organizações públicas. / Human behavior and the factors influencing the organizational dynamics has been the constant target of scholars, and an increasing concern for organizations. An organization that offers a supportive work environment, where there is a predisposition of those involved to maintain a climate of cooperation, commitment and healthy relationships, can greatly promote the motivation and satisfaction of people with work. This study aimed to verify the perception and satisfaction of employees in relation to the work environment and issues surrounding it, as the profile of leadership, motivation, teamwork, among others. For this, we conducted a field study from employees Technical Administrators Federal Institute of Science and Technology Education of Paraíba. As for the means, the study was developed along the lines of descriptive research on the purposes it was literature, documentary and case study. Data collection took place through questionnaires is the most used for this activity, since it allows to measure with better precision what it wants to search. This questionnaire was administered to a sample of fifty employees of the IFPB. The results achieved through the case study conducted in João Pessoa unity identified that your employees perceive a very favorable working atmosphere and overall feel motivated to perform their functions. However, with respect to the policies of training, there was some degree of dissatisfaction, which becomes a problem of human resources management of some public organizations.

Análise das Dimensões do Comprometimento no Setor Público da Educação: um estudo de caso com os gestores dos Campi do IFCE Limoeiro do Norte e Fortaleza - CE/Brasil

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo definir, analisar e identificar por meio de um estudo de caso, as dimensões de comprometimento organizacional: afetivas, instrumental e normativa dos gestores do campus do Limoeiro do Norte, que estão em fase de estágio probatório e dos gestores do campus Fortaleza que já passaram desse estágio, traçar um comparativo e relacionar ambos os casos. Norteado por um modelo teórico de comprometimento organizacional abordado por Meyer e Allen (1991; 1997). Comprometimento no setor público neste estudo tem-se como unidade de análise duas instituições federais de educação, ciência e tecnologia. Como os gestores são, na maioria das vezes, responsáveis pelo desenvolvimento de uma força de trabalho capaz e comprometida, sua atuação torna-se de fundamental importância no âmbito da educação, aliado a competência técnica e a vontade polí­tica de ações planejadas. De acordo com a pesquisa descritiva e quantitativa, foram aplicados questionários já testados e validados, contendo aspectos semi-estruturados, onde foi dividido em duas partes: a primeira, com seis itens, abordando as caracterí­sticas pessoais e funcionais dos gestores do IFCE de cada campus estudado, e segunda, que possui dezoito itens divididos nas três dimensões do comprometimento organizacional: afetivo, instrumental e normativo, tudo baseado na escala de mensuração do comprometimento de Meyer e Allen (1997) modelo internacionalmente aceito e validado. Os resultados obtidos na pesquisa apontaram que dos 35 gestores do campus Limoeiro do Norte o comprometimento organizacional que obteve maior média foi o afetivo. Os gestores estáveis do campus Fortaleza, também apontaram a dimensão afetiva com a maior média de comprometimento. Com isso os estudos balizam que não há uma possível relação com o fator tempo na instituição, uma vez que a maioria dos gestores do campus Fortaleza possui mais de uma década de atuação, enquanto os do campus Limoeiro do Norte, possuem menos de três anos na instituição. A maior parte dos pesquisados nos campi defendem uma forte relação na instituição, já se sentem de casa, o vínculo se estabelece pela presença de sentimentos, afeição e identificação, até mesmo pelo fato dos gestores permanecerem mais tempo no trabalho que na sua prápria casa, ele faz da organização um esteio do seu próprio lar. Conclui-se que os resultados não permitem afirmar que as dimensões do comprometimento estão relacionadas ao tempo de atuação dos gestores na instituição. / This paper aims to define, analyze and identify through a case study, the dimensions of organizational commitment: affective, continuance and normative managers campus of Castle Hayne, who are in their probationary period and the managers of Fortaleza campus who have passed this stage, draw a comparison and to relate both cases. Guided by a theoretical model of organizational commitment by Meyer and Allen (1991; 1997) approached. Commitment in the public sector in this study has as unit of analysis two federal institutions of science and technology education. As managers are, in most cases, responsible for developing a workforce capable and committed, its performance becomes very important in education, combined with technical competence and political will of planned actions. According to the descriptive and quantitative research, questionnaires were applied, tested and validated, containing aspects of semi-structured, which was divided into two parts: the first, with six items, addressing the personal and functional characteristics of the managers of each campus IFCE studied, and second, which has eighteen items divided into the three dimensions of organizational commitment: affective, continuance and normative, all based on a scale to measure the commitment of Meyer and Allen (1997) model is internationally accepted and validated. The results obtained in this research showed that the 35 managers of the Castle Hayne campus organizational commitment that was obtained more affective. Managers stable campus Fortaleza, also pointed to the affective dimension with the highest average commitment. With this guiding studies that there is a possible relationship with the time factor in the institution, since most managers campus Fortaleza has over a decade of operation, while the Castle Hayne campus, have less than three years in institution. Most of the campuses surveyed favor a strong relationship with the institution, already feel at home, the link is established by the presence of feelings, affection and identification, even by the fact that managers stay longer at work than at home, he is a mainstay of the organization of your own home. We conclude that the results do not allow us to state that the dimensions of commitment are related to time of performance of managers in the institution.

Iowa DOT Project Management Peer Exchange, 2016

This project supported the planning and conduct of a two-day Iowa Department of Transportation–hosted peer exchange for state agencies that have implemented some or all of the suggested strategies outlined in the Second Strategic Highway Research Program–sponsored project R10, Project Management Strategies for Complex Projects. Presentations were made by participating states, and several opportunities were provided for directed discussion. General themes emerging from the presentations and discussions were identified as follows: To implement improvements in project management processes, agency leadership needs to decide that a new approach to project management is worth pursuing and then dedicate resources to developing a project management plan. The change to formalized project management and five-dimensional project management (5DPM) requires a culture shift in agencies from segmented “silo” processes to collaborative, cooperative processes that make communication and collaboration high priorities. Agencies need trained project managers who are empowered to execute the project management plan, as well as properly trained functional staff. Project management can be centralized or decentralized with equal effect. After an agency’s project management plan and structure are developed, software tools and other resources should be implemented to support the plan and structure. All projects will benefit from enhanced project management, but the project management plan should specify appropriate approaches for several project levels as defined by factors in addition to dollar value. Project management should be included in an agency’s project development manual.

Records Management System: Pilot Projects Functional Report, 1998

The Iowa Department of Transportation began preparation for the acquisition of an electronic document management system in 1996. The first phase was development of a strategic plan. The plan provided guidelines for defining the acquisition and implementation of a document management system to automate document handling and distribution. Phase 2 involved developing draft standards (document, indexing and technology) for planning and implementation of a document management system. These standards were to identify existing industry standards and determine which standards would best support the specific requirements of the Iowa Department of Transportation. During development of these standards, the decision was made to enlarge the scope of this effort from a document management system to a records management system (RMS). Phase .3 identified business processes that were to be further developed as pilot projects of a much larger agency-wide records management system.

Communication System : Employing the IBM 370 Computer System, 1974

The Communication System was developed for the Iowa State Highway Commission Materials Department to unitize the computer terminal system to speed up transmission of the various material test reports that flow between the central office and the six district offices. Letters may be sent from one corner of the state to the other and received in seconds instead of days going by mail.

Draft Project Management Update to the Iowa DOT Project Development Manual, 2016

This work supported drafting project management guidance for the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT). The goal is to incorporate a greater focus on project management in their project development process. A technical advisory committee (TAC) was assembled to accomplish this effort. The TAC took into consideration the current status of project management with the Iowa DOT, their experience during the demonstration workshop held in Iowa as part of the implementation assistance they received, the project management peer exchange hosted by the Iowa DOT, and additional examples of project management that were presented. With this basis, the TAC participated in a number of discussions to develop draft guidance for the foundation of a Project Management Office (PMO) within the Iowa DOT. The final report describes the process that was used in establishing this guidance. The report details the decisions and decision process that the TAC employed in this endeavor and provides additional thoughts and insight into the draft guidance. Appendix A includes the draft guidance in the form of PMO function details and detailed lists of project management roles and responsibilities. Appendix B includes a starter list of project management resources for the PMO.

An Integrated Programming Environment for Undergraduate Computing Courses

The Computing Division of the Business School at University College Worcester provides computing and information technology education to a range of undergraduate students. Topics include various approaches to programming, artificial intelligence, operating systems and digital technologies. Each of these has its own potentially conflicting requirements for a pedagogically sound programming environment. This paper describes an endeavor to develop a common programming paradigm across all topics. This involves the combined use of autonomous robots and Java simulations.

EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF TEACHER PRACTICE ON STUDENT LEARNING IN INTERACTIVE RADIO INSTRUCTION (IRI) CLASSROOMS: LESSONS FROM NEW DELHI AND RAJASTHAN (INDIA)

This quantitative study examines the impact of teacher practices on student achievement in classrooms where the English is Fun Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) programs were being used. A contemporary IRI design using a dual-audience approach, the English is Fun IRI programs delivered daily English language instruction to students in grades 1 and 2 in Delhi and Rajasthan through 120 30-minute programs via broadcast radio (the first audience) while modeling pedagogical techniques and behaviors for their teachers (the second audience). Few studies have examined how the dual-audience approach influences student learning. Using existing data from 32 teachers and 696 students, this study utilizes a multivariate multilevel model to examine the role of the primary expectations for teachers (e.g., setting up the IRI classroom, following instructions from the radio characters and ensuring students are participating) and the role of secondary expectations for teachers (e.g., modeling pedagogies and facilitating learning beyond the instructions) in promoting students’ learning in English listening skills, knowledge of vocabulary and use of sentences. The study finds that teacher practice on both sets of expectations mattered, but that practice in the secondary expectations mattered more. As expected, students made the smallest gains in the most difficult linguistic task (sentence use). The extent to which teachers satisfied the primary and secondary expectations was associated with gains in all three skills – confirming the relationship between students’ English proficiency and teacher practice in a dual-audience program. When it came to gains in students’ scores in sentence use, a teacher whose focus was greater on primary expectations had a negative effect on student performance in both states. In all, teacher practice clearly mattered but not in the same way for all three skills. An optimal scenario for teacher practice is presented in which gains in all three skills are maximized. These findings have important implications for the way the classroom teacher is cast in IRI programs that utilize a dual-audience approach and in the way IRI programs are contracted insofar as the role of the teacher in instruction is minimized and access is limited to instructional support from the IRI lessons alone.

A critical and interpretative investigation of the ethical dimension of policies about school digital technologies

This thesis examines digital technologies policies designed for Australian schools and the ways they are understood and interpreted by students, school staff, teachers, principals and policy writers. This study explores the ways these research participant groups interpret and understand the ‘ethical dimension’ of schools’ digital technologies policies for teaching and learning. In this thesis the ethical dimension is considered to be a dynamic concept which encompasses various elements including; decisions, actions, values, issues, debates, education, discourses, and notions of right and wrong, in relation to ethics and uses of digital technologies in schools. In this study policy is taken to mean not only written texts but discursive processes, policy documents including national declarations, strategic plans and ‘acceptable use’ policies to guide the use of digital technologies in schools. The research is situated in the context of changes that have occurred in Australia and internationally over the last decade that have seen a greater focus on the access to and use of digital technologies in schools. In Australian school education, the attention placed on digital technologies in schools has seen the release of policies at the national, state, territory, education office and school levels, to guide their use. Prominent among these policies has been the Digital Education Revolution policy, launched in 2007 and concluded in 2013. This research aims to answers the question: What does an investigation reveal about understandings of the ethical dimension of digital technologies policies and their implementation in school education? The objective of this research is to examine the ethical dimension of digital technologies policies and to interpret and understand the responses of the research participants to the issues, silences, discourses and language, which characterise this dimension. In doing so, it is intended that the research can allow the participants to have a voice that, may be different to the official discourses located in digital technologies policies. The thesis takes a critical and interpretative approach to policies and examines the role of digital technologies policies as discourse. Interpretative theory is utilised as it provides a conceptual lens from which to interpret different perspectives and the implications of these in the construction of meaning in relation to schools’ digital technologies policies. Critical theory is used in tandem with interpretative theory as it represents a conceptual basis from which to critique and question underlying assumptions and discourses that are associated with the ethical dimension of schools’ digital technologies policies. The research methods used are semi-structured interviews and policy document analysis. Policies from the national, state, territory, education office and school level were analysed and contribute to understanding the way the ethical dimension of digital technologies policies is represented as a discourse. Students, school staff, teachers, principals and policy writers participated in research interviews and their views and perspectives were canvassed in relation to the ethical use of digital technologies and the policies that are designed to regulate their use. The thesis presents an argument that the ethical dimension of schools’ digital technologies policies and use is an under-researched area, and there are gaps in understanding and knowledge in the literature which remain to be addressed. It is envisaged that the thesis can make a meaningful contribution to understand the ways in which schools’ digital technologies policies are understood in school contexts. It is also envisaged that the findings from the research can inform policy development by analysing the voices and views of those in schools. The findings of the policy analysis revealed that there is little attention given to the ethical dimension in digital technologies at the national level. A discourse of compliance and control pervades digital technologies policies from the state, education office and school levels, which reduces ethical considerations to technical, legal and regulatory requirements. The discourse is largely instrumentalist and neglects the educative dimension of digital technologies which has the capacity to engender their ethical use. The findings from the interview conversations revealed that students, school staff and teachers perceive digital technologies policies to be difficult to understand, and not relevant to their situation and needs. They also expressed a desire to have greater consultation and participation in the formation and enactment of digital technologies policies, and they believe they are marginalised from these processes in their schools. Arising from the analysis of the policies and interview conversations, an argument is presented that in the light of the prominent role played by digital technologies and their potential for enhancing all aspects of school education, more research is required to provide a more holistic and richer understanding of the policies that are constructed to control and mediate their use.

The user participation on facebook pages of the three Portuguese tv news channels – RTP3, SIC NOTÍCIAS, AND TVI24

In recent decades, the national and international media contexts, in particular television media, significantly changed. The role that social networks, in particular Facebook, have taken as a content diffusion platform is unquestionable. Nowadays, traditional media (radio, newspaper, television) use the Web’s potential to distribute news content (Canelas, 2011). Currently, all TV news channels in Portugal have a website or a page on social networks. TV stations have increased communication channels with the public on digital platforms and study strategies that promote the participation and interaction with the news content (Cazajeira, 2015). The TV / Internet convergence will not only reach the content, but also the consumer, who becomes an interactive and participative audience. This reality imposes on journalism a continuous and updated news production system, dependent on a user being permanently connected to the Internet (Cazajeira, 2015). In fact, a report launched by an autonomous institution that has the function of supervising and regulating the media Portugal (ERC, 2015), confirms the relevance that social media has assumed in the publication and consumption of news. Social networks are recognised as one of the most important means for news media consultation, right after television, and the practice of sharing news is very common among consumers of online news in Portugal. Furthermore, when compared to other countries analysed by Reuters Institute (Newman, Levy, & Nielsen, 2015), Portuguese consumers are those who make the most comments to online news, preferring social networks to news sites. Considering the importance of new online platforms for journalism, this study aims to present a quantitative analysis of user participation on the Facebook pages of the three Portuguese TV news channels, specifically RTP3, SIC Notícias and TVI24, between 8 and 14 February 2016. To track this participation, the following parameters were used: the "like" button as a way to study the demonstration of publication interest; "sharing" of a particular element, be it a photo, a video or a text, on the user Timeline, the Timeline of a friend or by private message. This monitoring is important to understand the dissemination of news content; and the comments area. The number of comments will help understand the dynamics and the discussion that the publication has on the public. The results of 1063 posts indicate that of the analysed parameters - "Like", "Comment", and "Share" – the one with the greatest power of participation among the users of the pages of the three Portuguese TV news channels is the "Like" system, followed by "Share" and then "Comment". The theme that generates the most user participation with "Likes" and “Comments” parameters are "Science and Technology", “Education” and “Humorous/Satirical/Unusual”. Finally, the publications available end of the night (10pm-1am) has better participation rates.

The presence of three Portuguese TV news channels (RTP3, SIC NOTÍCIAS, and TVI24) on facebook

In recent decades, the national and international media contexts, in particular television, media significantly changed. Although they were not created for the purpose, the role that social networks, in particular Facebook, have taken as a content diffusion platform is unquestionable. Nowadays, traditional media (radio, newspaper, television) use the Web’s potential to distribute news content (Canelas, 2011). Currently, all TV news channels in Portugal have a website or a page on social networks. TV stations have increased communication channels with the public on digital platforms and study strategies that promote the participation and interaction with the news content (Cazajeira, 2015). The TV / Internet convergence will not only reach the content, but also the consumer, who becomes an interactive and participative audience. This reality imposes on journalism a continuous and updated news production system, dependent on a user being permanently connected to the Internet (Cazajeira, 2015). In fact, an ERC report (2015) confirms the relevance that social media has assumed in the publication and consumption of news. Social networks are recognised as one of the most important means for news media consultation, right after television, and the practice of sharing news is very common among consumers of online news in Portugal. Furthermore, when compared to other countries analysed by Reuters Institute (Newman, Levy, & Nielsen, 2015), Portuguese consumers are those who make the most comments to online news, preferring social networks to news sites. Considering the importance of new online platforms for journalism, this study aims to present a quantitative analysis of user participation on the Facebook pages of the three Portuguese TV news channels, specifically RTP3, SIC Notícias and TVI24, between 8 and 14 February 2016. To track this participation, the following parameters were used: the "like" button as a way to study the demonstration of publication interest; "sharing" of a particular element, be it a photo, a video or a text, on their own Timeline, the Timeline of a friend or by private message. This monitoring is important to understand the dissemination of news content; and the comments area. The number of comments will help understand the dynamics and the discussion that the publication has on the public. The results of 1063 posts indicate that of the analysed parameters - "Like", "Comment", and "Share" – the one with the greatest power of participation among the users of the pages of the three Portuguese TV news channels is the "Like" system, followed by "Share" and then "Comment". Analysing the thematic that create the most user participation with "Likes" and “Comments” parameters are "Science and Technology". “Education” and “Humorous/Satirical/Unusual Finally, the publications available end of the night (10pm-1am) has better participation rates.

Importance in the acquisition of the transversal competences in the degree of law

This project aims to clarify the importance of acquiring cross-disciplinary competencies in the Law and Criminology degrees, specifically entrepreneurial capability in order to further students' comprehensive training and complete preparation for the legal and professional sector, thereby fostering students' greater involvement in the development of such competencies.

Teaching / learning process through the case method in the law degree

This project in teaching innovation and improvement aims to disseminate the case method as one of the most innovative educational instruments inteaching of Law in general, and specifically with regard to Family and Inheritance Law. The methodology used ensures learning through a legal conflict, which must be resolved by the students themselves from different viewpoints as legal agents. This is an activity in teaching innovation, in which students become the protagonists. Participation is voluntary, and the main aim is student motivation. The subject's aim is for students to learn public speaking skills fundamental to the profession while familiarising themselves with judicial practice. Theteacher sets up a legal conflict in order for students to resolve the dispute as legal agents with divergent viewpoints - in other words, as judges, attorneys, lawyers and so on. The project seeks alternatives to traditional teaching methods and is an innovative teaching method aimed at professionally training future lawyers as well as being a model that involves students more in their own learning.