A method for extracting semantic information from on-line art music discussion forums

In this paper a method for extracting semantic informationfrom online music discussion forums is proposed. The semantic relations are inferred from the co-occurrence of musical concepts in forum posts, using network analysis. The method starts by defining a dictionary of common music terms in an art music tradition. Then, it creates a complex network representation of the online forum by matchingsuch dictionary against the forum posts. Once the complex network is built we can study different network measures, including node relevance, node co-occurrence andterm relations via semantically connecting words. Moreover, we can detect communities of concepts inside the forum posts. The rationale is that some music terms are more related to each other than to other terms. All in all, this methodology allows us to obtain meaningful and relevantinformation from forum discussions.

Value co-creation in gaming the industry: A qualitative research on virtual discussion forums

This study discusses the procedures of value co-creation that persist in gaming industry. The purpose of this study was to identify the procedures that persist in current video gaming industry which answers the main research problem how value is co-created in video gaming industry followed by three sub questions: (i) What is value co-creation in gaming industry? (ii) Who participates in value co-creation in gaming industry? (iii) What are the procedures that are involved in value co-creation in gaming industry? The theoretical background of the study consists of literature relating to the theory of marketing i.e., notion of value, conventional understanding of value creation, value chain, co-creation approach, co-production approach. The research adopted qualitative research approach. As a platform of relationship researcher used web 2.0 tool interface. Data were collected from the social networks and netnography method was applied for analyzing them. Findings show that customer and company both co-create optimum level of value while they interact with each other and within the customers as well. However mostly the C2C interaction, discussions and dialogues threads that emerged around the main discussion facilitated to co-create value. In this manner, companies require exploiting and further motivating, developing and supporting the interactions between customers participating in value creation. Hierarchy of value co-creation processes is the result derived from the identified challenges of value co-creation approach and discussion forums data analysis. Overall three general sets and seven topics were found that explored the phenomenon of customer to customer (C2C) and business to customer (B2C) interaction/debating for value co-creation through user generated contents. These topics describe how gamer contributes and interacts in co-creating value along with companies. A methodical quest in current research literature acknowledged numerous evolving flows of value in this study. These are general management perspective, new product development and innovation, virtual customer environment, service science and service dominant logic. Overall the topics deliver various realistic and conceptual implications for using and handling gamers in social networks for augmenting customers’ value co-creation process.

Co-creating Value For Smart Phone Operating Systems Via Virtual Discussion Forums

In the traditional way, value is created by manufacturer or producer of a product without engaging the customers. So, traditionally value creation is a monopoly in the part of a manufacturer. After gathering all the raw materials the manufacturers are inserting value to a product. And the inserted value is recognized in the time of consuming the product. In the modern time though there is traditional way of value creation but with the increase of more educated, smart, and technically sound customers the idea of value creation has changed. Now, customers are also contributing in value creation as value co-creator even before the product is consumed. This scenario has been encountered in the thesis with the main purpose of how value is cocreated in smart phone operating systems. The purpose is further divided into the following supobjectives: o What is value co-creation in smart phone operating systems? o Who participates in value co-creation in smart phone operating systems? o What are the procedures that are involved in value co-creation in smart phone operating systems? The research was conducted as a qualitative desk study by observing two of the leading smart phone operating system providers. Data has been collected from the official discussion forum of both the operating system providers. Other general concepts relating to the purpose of the study has been encountered through literature review. The research findings reveal that customers and companies both together co-create value of anticipated level when they communicate and interact with each other. However, most of the time customer to customer interactions, dialogues and discussions that come out in the core conversation help the value co-creation. The value co-creation framework sets up the customer at the main focus of value creation theory. By nullifying the inherited notion that companies only create value within its boundary and provide it to their customers in exchange of currencies. Rationally, it has been commenced that the firms are merely compromising value propositions to its customers. But the value has been co-created in a point where offerings are combined and interacted with customers’ capabilities, knowledge, resources and perceptions. This new perspective has radically altered the prospect of firms towards its customers. Typically customers are now taking part in value cocreation as a crucial member.

Assessing participation in online discussion forums : a proposal for multidimensional analysis. 'Evaluación de la participación en foros de discusión online : una propuesta de multianálisis'.

Resumen basado en el de la publicación

Design patterns for promoting peer interaction in discussion forums in MOOCs

Design patterns are a way of sharing evidence-based solutions to educational design problems. The design patterns presented in this paper were produced through a series of workshops, which aimed to identify Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) design principles from workshop participants’ experiences of designing, teaching and learning on these courses. MOOCs present a challenge for the existing pedagogy of online learning, particularly as it relates to promoting peer interaction and discussion. MOOC cohort sizes, participation patterns and diversity of learners mean that discussions can remain superficial, become difficult to navigate, or never develop beyond isolated posts. In addition, MOOC platforms may not provide sufficient tools to support moderation. This paper draws on four case studies of designing and teaching on a range of MOOCs presenting seven design narratives relating to the experience in these MOOCs. Evidence presented in the narratives is abstracted in the form of three design patterns created through a collaborative process using techniques similar to those used in collective autoethnography. The patterns: “Special Interest Discussions”, “Celebrity Touch” and “Look and Engage”, draw together shared lessons and present possible solutions to the problem of creating, managing and facilitating meaningful discussion in MOOCs through the careful use of staged learning activities and facilitation strategies.

Assessing participation in online discussion forums: a proposal for multidimensional analysis

This paper aims to assess the discussion forums being used in the programme Especialista Universitario online sobre Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación, taught at the University of Alicante, on the basis of the analysis model suggested by Kay (2004). In such a model, it is essential to represent graphically the forum activity so that the visual representation may improve analysis. This research has allowed reaching results which define the forum activity and has contributed with a proposal for multi analysis in the area of assessing participation in communication within online discussion forums.

Développement d’une grille pour l’analyse de la culture e-learning dans des forums de discussion en ligne

La formation à distance (FAD) est de plus en plus utilisée dans le cadre de la formation des enseignants aux technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC). Dans les pays en voie de développement, elle permet non seulement de réduire les coûts par rapport à une formation traditionnelle, mais aussi de modéliser des pratiques pédagogiques exemplaires qui permettent de maximiser le recours aux TIC. En ce sens, la formation continue des enseignants aux TIC par des cours à distance qui intègrent des forums de discussion offre plusieurs avantages pour ces pays. L’évaluation des apprentissages réalisés dans les forums reste cependant un problème complexe. Différents modèles et différentes procédures d’évaluation ont été proposés par la littérature, mais aucun n’a encore abordé spécifiquement la culture e-learning des participants telle qu’elle est définie par le modèle IntersTICES (Viens, 2007 ; Viens et Peraya, 2005). L’objectif de notre recherche est l’élaboration d’une grille opérationnelle pour l’analyse de la culture e-learning à partir des contenus de différents forums de discussion utilisés comme activité de formation dans un cours à distance. Pour développer cette grille, nous utiliserons une combinaison de modèles recensés dans la revue de littérature afin de circonscrire les principaux concepts et indicateurs à prendre en compte pour ensuite suivre les procédures relatives à l’analyse de la valeur, une méthodologie qui appelle la production d’un cahier des charges fonctionnel, la production de l’outil, puis sa mise à l’essai auprès d’experts. Cette procédure nous a permis de mettre sur pied une grille optimale, opérationnelle et appuyée par une base théorique et méthodologique solide.

Quality of weight loss advice on internet forums.

BACKGROUND: Adults use the Internet for weight loss information, sometimes by participating in discussion forums. Our purpose was to analyze the quality of advice exchanged on these forums. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of messages posted to 18 Internet weight loss forums during 1 month in 2006. Advice was evaluated for congruence with clinical guidelines; potential for causing harm; and subsequent correction when it was contradictory to guidelines (erroneous) or potentially harmful. Message- and forum-specific characteristics were evaluated as predictors of advice quality and self-correction. RESULTS: Of 3368 initial messages, 266 (7.9%) were requests for advice. Of 654 provisions of advice, 56 (8.6%) were erroneous and 19 of these 56 (34%) were subsequently corrected. Forty-three (6.6%) provisions of advice were harmful, and 12 of these 43 (28%) were subsequently corrected. Messages from low-activity forums (fewer messages) were more likely than those from high-activity forums to be erroneous (10.6% vs 2.4%, P < .001) or harmful (8.4% vs 1.2%, P < .001). In high-activity forums, 2 of 4 (50%) erroneous provisions of advice and 2 of 2 (100%) potentially harmful provisions of advice were corrected by subsequent postings. Compared with general weight loss advice, medication-related advice was more likely to be erroneous (P = .02) or harmful (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Most advice posted on highly active Internet weight loss forums is not erroneous or harmful. However, clinical and research strategies are needed to address the quality of medication-related advice.

Quality of weight loss advice on internet forums.

BACKGROUND: Adults use the Internet for weight loss information, sometimes by participating in discussion forums. Our purpose was to analyze the quality of advice exchanged on these forums. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of messages posted to 18 Internet weight loss forums during 1 month in 2006. Advice was evaluated for congruence with clinical guidelines; potential for causing harm; and subsequent correction when it was contradictory to guidelines (erroneous) or potentially harmful. Message- and forum-specific characteristics were evaluated as predictors of advice quality and self-correction. RESULTS: Of 3368 initial messages, 266 (7.9%) were requests for advice. Of 654 provisions of advice, 56 (8.6%) were erroneous and 19 of these 56 (34%) were subsequently corrected. Forty-three (6.6%) provisions of advice were harmful, and 12 of these 43 (28%) were subsequently corrected. Messages from low-activity forums (fewer messages) were more likely than those from high-activity forums to be erroneous (10.6% vs 2.4%, P < .001) or harmful (8.4% vs 1.2%, P < .001). In high-activity forums, 2 of 4 (50%) erroneous provisions of advice and 2 of 2 (100%) potentially harmful provisions of advice were corrected by subsequent postings. Compared with general weight loss advice, medication-related advice was more likely to be erroneous (P = .02) or harmful (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Most advice posted on highly active Internet weight loss forums is not erroneous or harmful. However, clinical and research strategies are needed to address the quality of medication-related advice.

Border Patrol in the Borderless World: Negotiating Intercultural Internet Discussion

Public Internet discussion forums appear to offer limitless opportunities for communication across linguistic, geographical and cultural borders. Closer inspection, however, reveals that cordial intercultural exchanges are far from widespread in this genre. And yet, such forums have a great deal to offer the independent language learner in terms of ease of access, potential for meaningful language practice and feedback, and exposure to different cultural conventions. This paper explores obstacles to the participation of advanced language learners in public forums of this kind through an examination of the speaking positions most readily available to the non-native speaker. A case study of sustained intercultural interaction on a public discussion thread suggests an alternative to these. Here a core of Francophone and Anglophone participants manage to negotiate an intercultural identity in order to pursue their communicative goals. The paper traces the way in which participants shift footing to regulate insider and outsider status on the forum and draws conclusions regarding the conditions for successful intercultural exchange in this genre

Moodle and multiple-choice tests

Multiple-Choice items are used in many different kinds of tests in several areas of knowledge. They can be considered an interesting tool to the self-assessing or as an alternative or complementary instrument to the traditional methods for assessing knowledge. The objectivity and accuracy of the multiple-choice tests is an important reason to think about. They are especially useful when the number of students to evaluate is too large. Moodle (Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) is an Open Source course management system centered around learners' needs and designed to support collaborative approaches to teaching and learning. Moodle offers to the users a rich interface, context-specific help buttons, and a wide variety of tools such as discussion forums, wikis, chat, surveys, quizzes, glossaries, journals, grade books and more, that allow them to learn and collaborate in a truly interactive space. Come together the interactivity of the Moodle platform and the objectivity of this kind of tests one can easily build manifold random tests. The proposal of this paper is to relate our journey in the construction of these tests and share our experience in the use of the Moodle platform to create, take advantage and improve the multiple-choices tests in the Mathematic area.

Challenges in the creation and development of a mathematics MOOC

The fast development of distance learning tools such as Open Educational Resources (OER) and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC or MOOCs) are indicators of a shift in the way in which digital teaching and learning are understood. MOOC are a new style of online classes that allow any person with web access, anywhere, usually free of charge, to participate through video lectures, computer graded tests and discussion forums. They have been capturing the attention of many higher education institutions around the world. This paper will give us an overview of the “Introduction to Differential Calculus” a MOOC Project, created by an engaged volunteer team of Mathematics lecturers from four schools of the Polytechnic Institute of Oporto (IPP). The MOOC theories and their popularity are presented and complemented by a discussion of some MOOC definitions and their inherent advantages and disadvantages. It will also explore what MOOC mean for Mathematics education. The Project development is revealed by focusing on used MOOC structure, as well as the quite a lot of types of course materials produced. It ends with a presentation of a short discussion about problems and challenges met throughout the development of the project. It is also our goal to contribute for a change in the way teaching and learning Mathematics is seen and practiced nowadays, trying to make education more accessible to as many people as possible and increase our institution (IPP) recognition.