Access To Information Technology Research Articles

Assessment of Accessibility and Utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Effective Teaching of Biological Science in Secondary Schools

This study investigated information and communication technology (ICT) accessibility and utilization for effective teaching of biological science in secondary schools in Ibadan-north Local Government Area of Oyo State. A 20 item instruments of (ICTFAQ) and (ICTFUQ) were adopted for this study. The study sampled 72 biological science teachers in selected secondary schools in Ibadan-north, Oyo State. The descriptive statistics was adopted in analyzing the data collected for this study, while the generated hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance, using t-test. Hence, the results revealed that ICT facilities were not available, and accessed by teachers in secondary schools in Ibadan-north. In addition, it was revealed that biological science teachers in these schools do not also have the proper skills required to utilize ICT for effective teaching of the subject. Conclusively, recommendations on ways of solving the problem were implemented for further consideration and execution by the government authorities, and the stakeholders. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p1439

Intelligent Tutoring Systems by and for the Developing World: A Review of Trends and Approaches for Educational Technology in a Global Context

As information and communication technology access expands in the developing world, learning technologies have the opportunity to play a growing role to enhance and supplement strained educational systems. Intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) offer strong learning gains, but are a class of technology traditionally designed for most-developed countries. Recently, closer consideration has been made to ITS targeting the developing world and to culturally-adapted ITS. This paper presents findings from a systematic literature review that focused on barriers to ITS adoption in the developing world. While ITS were the primary focus of the review, the implications likely apply to a broader range of educational technology as well. The geographical and economic landscape of tutoring publications is mapped out, to determine where tutoring systems research occurs. Next, the paper discusses challenges and promising solutions for barriers to ITS within both formal and informal settings. These barriers include student basic computing skills, hardware sharing, mobile-dominant computing, data costs, electrical reliability, internet infrastructure, language, and culture. Differences and similarities between externally-developed and locally-developed tutoring system research for the developing world are then considered. Finally, this paper concludes with some potential future directions and opportunities for research on tutoring systems and other educational technologies on the global stage.

Performance feedback, paraeducators, and literacy instruction for students with significant disabilities.

Literacy skills are fundamental for all learners. For students with significant disabilities, strong literacy skills provide a gateway to generative communication, genuine friendships, improved access to academic opportunities, access to information technology, and future employment opportunities. Unfortunately, many educators lack the knowledge to design or implement appropriate evidence-based literacy instruction for students with significant disabilities. Furthermore, students with significant disabilities often receive the majority of their instruction from paraeducators. This single-subject design study examined the effects of performance feedback on the delivery skills of paraeducators during systematic and explicit literacy instruction for students with significant disabilities. The specific skills targeted for feedback were planned opportunities for student responses and correct academic responses. Findings suggested that delivery of feedback on performance resulted in increased pacing, accuracy in student responses, and subsequent attainment of literacy skills for students with significant disabilities. Implications for the use of performance feedback as an evaluation and training tool for increasing effective instructional practices are provided.

Is digital divide an issue for students with learning disabilities?

The purpose of this study was to examine if digital divide exists between elementary school aged children with learning disabilities (LD) and their nondisabled peers in Taiwan. A self-reported questionnaire regarding information and communication technology (ICT) access and ICT competency, Scale of Digital Participation of Elementary School Students, designed by the authors, was used to collect data. Totally, 117 students with LD and 117 peers without disabilities were recruited in this investigation and were conducted with the questionnaire. The results indicated that there was no significant difference in the opportunities to access computers and the Internet at home and at school between children with and without LD. However, there was a significant difference found in ICT competencies between children with and without LD. Moreover, students without LD enhanced their computer competency gradually year by year, but students with LD eventually did not. The findings of this study supported the notion that mere provision of ICT access is not sufficient for children with LD to master ICT skills. A specific designed ICT instruction programs should be provided to children with LD. Finally, suggestions for future studies were also discussed.

ISSUES OF CLOUD SECURITY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS

Cloud computing provides an effective computing model for institutions to access information technology and related functions with minimal investment and makes use of the resources to the maximum extent. The reduced complexity and cost of Cloud computing has attributed to it’s popularity and success. The users of this phenomenon range from an individual customer to huge organizations. Though there has been major advances in cloud computing, the security concerns surrounding it cannot be ignored and remedial measures has to be taken to ensure the confidentiality and the integrity of data stored in the cloud. Hence, it is inevitable to obtain a thorough understanding of the risks and threats involved in cloud computing along with the possible remedies before it is implemented by any stake holder. In this paper the authors have provided a comprehensive understanding of the issues in cloud security, it’s implications and the various remedial measures to address the same. A critical observation of the security of cloud is undertaken from the perspective of the cloud architecture, cloud stakeholder and cloud characteristics. The prime security issues that have been scrutinized in this paper include the security with respect to cloud carrier, malware injection problem, accountability problems in cloud, challenges in cloud integrity, securing data transmission in cloud, elasticity, cloud multi-tenancy, service level agreement and compromise on the integrity of the information in cloud. The possible counter measures to these issues have also been highlighted in this paper. There are number of unresolved issues that need to be dealt with respect to security and privacy in a cloud computing environment. This paper aims to elaborate and analyze the numerous threats faced and also provide solutions for most of the mentioned problems.

Making sense of social media streams through semantics: A survey

Using semantic technologies for mining and intelligent information access to social media is a challenging, emerging research area. Traditional search methods are no longer able to address the more complex information seeking behaviour in media streams, which has evolved towards sense making, learning, investigation, and social search. Unlike carefully authored news text and longer web context, social media streams pose a number of new challenges, due to their large-scale, short, noisy, contextdependent, and dynamic nature. This paper defines five key research questions in this new application area, examined through a survey of state-of-the-art approaches to mining semantics from social media streams; user, network, and behaviour modelling; and intelligent, semanticbased information access. The survey includes key methods not just from the Semantic Web research field, but also from the related areas of natural language processing and user modelling. In conclusion, key outstanding challenges are discussed and new directions for research are proposed.

Learning and assistive technologies for college transition

Today's college environment requires knowledge and skill with a variety of learning technologies. Transition planning for students with disabilities addresses academic preparation with limited attention paid to teaching students to use emerging technologies or assistive technologies for learning. Transition assessment that includes learning and assistive technologies pro- vides students with a better understanding of the impact of their disability in the college environment and how to advocate for appropriate accommodations based on this data. While assistive technologies are considered academic accommodations, emerg- ing technologies which are universally designed for a broader range of users offer the opportunity to increase accessibility of information technology. The availability of web based information and built in features opens doors for students to strengthen individual cognitive and functional skills necessary for college success. Access to these technologies affords individuals with disabilities the flexible, yet individualized means to communicate and engage in increasingly digital learning environments.

Legal aspects of interface accessibility in the U.S.

Accessible information technology is not just good design and a clever way to win new users, it is the law.

TOWARDS AN ONTOLOGY-BASED MODEL FOR USER PROFILE REPRESENTATION IN A CLOUD INFRASTRUCTURE

This paper presents an approach for the semantic representation of user profiles through an ontology conducted in the scope of the Cloud4all project. Employing the cloud computing paradigm, Cloud4allaims torealize a global public inclusive infrastructure that will reinforce accessibility of information and communication technologies(ICT). The proposed ontology aims to provide the required representation formalism to sufficiently express personal user needs and preferences based on domain knowledge and the association of interaction-related concepts in order to support automatic reasoning mechanisms for user profile management. To cite this document: Vassilis Koutkias, Evangelos Bekiaris, Nicos Maglaveras and Maria Gkemou, "Towards an ontology-based model for user profile representation in a cloud infrastructure", International Journal of Electronic Commerce Studies, Vol.4, No.2, pp. 349-354, 2013. Permanent link to this document: http://dx.doi.org/10.7903/ijecs.1042

English

      The study attempts to investigate the level of awareness, access and relevance of information and communication technology (ICT) tools among cassava farmers in Osun State, Nigeria. Data were gathered through a survey interview scheduled on a total of 130 cassava farmers. The data were analyzed using frequency, mean, standard deviation, Spearman rho correlation and independent sampled t-test. The result revealed that, the mean age of the respondents was 45.3 years and mean years of farming experience of 17.7 years. Radio, television, video recorder, audio cassette, mobile phone (GSM), computer and camera were categorized into high level of awareness and access. These ICT tools were also rated as highly relevant to cassava production activities in the area of cassava stem selection, land selection, land preparation, time of planting of cassava stem; and marketing of cassava produce. Based on the result of independent sampled t-test, there were significant differences in the mean scores of awareness and access to radio, television, computer, video and camera. These ICT tools were highly relevant to cassava production in the study area. Spearman Rho correlation analysis revealed that significant relationship exist between age (r = -0.434, p ≤ 0.05), cosmopoliteness (r = 0.276), p ≤ 0.05); Sex (r = -0.76, p ≤ 0.05), years of education (r = 0.328; ≤ 0.05) and accessibility to ICT. Sequel to the findings of the study, it was recommended that, the extension institutions in Nigeria should concentrate their effort on agricultural information delivery through these ICT facilities accessible to cassava farmers in order to improved cassava production in the study area.    Key words: Information and communication technology, cassava farmers, extension delivery, Nigeria.

An Innovative Tactile Interactive Interface Graphical Display for the Visually Impaired Information Technology Access Applications

This paper presents an innovative tactile interactive interface graphical display for visually impaired people, information technology (IT) access application. The display consists of matrix of dots. Each dot is an electro rheological fluid micro actuator. The micro-actuator designed based on linear vertical movement principles. The actuator design and development process is presented in this paper. An advanced software tools and embedded system based on voltage matrix manipulation are developed to provide the display near real time control. Prototype size 124x4 dots, on a matrix form, of 2.54mm pitch, was manufactured. The experimental tests carried out into the prototype showed that each actuator of the matrix was able to provide a vertical holding force of 100 to 200 mN and vertical movement of 0.7 mm. The stroke and dynamic response tests showed the practicability of the developed micro actuation system, for tactile display IT access applications.

Do Information and Communication Technology access and innovation increase outsourcing in small and medium enterprises?

In this paper we present an econometric model to determine whether an SME (Small and Medium Sized Enterprise)’s probability of outsourcing depends on their levels of innovation and information and communication technology use. The predictions of the econometric model are tested by means of a LOGIT model using a cross section sample of an Argentinean SME for the year 2006. The model predicts that the level of innovation of an SME will significantly influence its probability of outsourcing. Besides, it stresses the negative incidence of the information and communication technologies (ICT) access on the outsourcing decision.

Information Technology, Social Media, APA, and You

Back to table of contents Previous article Residents’ ForumFull AccessInformation Technology, Social Media, APA, and YouErik Vanderlip, M.D.Erik VanderlipSearch for more papers by this author, M.D.Published Online:27 Aug 2013https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2013.9a5It is tough to stay ahead of the curve these days in social media. New trends rise and fall, and the now ubiquitous Facebook and Twitter logos are accompanied by Pinterest, Google+, and LinkedIn, among others. There’s a growing cacophony of services vying for our attention, all claiming to serve our needs, and we’ve grown accustomed to information overload. If you’re at all like me, you’ve already selected your one or two sources and left the rest, hoping that the ones you rely on deliver the content you need to stay abreast of the latest developments and help you be the best clinician you can be.The Board of Trustees met in July and set in place the processes to ensure that APA has a presence in our social-media lives. I’m pleased to report very broad support for the recommendations, which came from a work group charged with improving the APA experience for members-in-training (MITs), fellows, and early career psychiatrists (ECPs).Rather than focusing on specific membership benefits, the work group strove to put in place the staff support and process measures that will ensure that our organization has the resources necessary to deliver exemplary services to its future membership. Together with Dr. Saul Levin, the incoming CEO and medical director, and under the leadership of APA President Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman, APA has already taken steps to hire additional staff support for services geared to ECPs (see page 9). In July the Board took action to create an advisory panel of MITs and ECPs that will work closely with APA staff to ensure a smooth continuum of services from the first year of residency to the first years of practice. Undoubtedly, some of those services will include improved communications and social-media usage.In that vein, I’m excited to report that staff of APA’s Department of Information Services are pursuing new avenues of member communication, outreach, and support that could be available as a pilot initiative as early as this fall to ECPs and MITs. Our annual meeting in San Francisco was a resounding success, in part, because of our shared Facebook group for MITs attending the meeting. The Facebook group allowed for facile communication, networking, and instant feedback regarding the ins and outs of the large meeting. APA leadership was able to respond quickly to MIT concerns, share real-time information on meet-and-greet gatherings, and connect MITs with housing and mentorship opportunities. The new initiatives currently being pursued by APA staff would allow for a very similar social-networking experience across all mobile and Web-based platforms and would be free with APA membership (think “Facebook meets LinkedIn”) tailored to APA. It has the potential to provide the platform for members to join APA-curated groups or form their own. Most APA services could have access to these online “groups,” providing streamlined information for everything from Psychiatric News to the American Journal of Psychiatry and advocacy and government relations, all nuanced to specific APA demographics. I look forward to gathering feedback on this and other initiatives as we seek to pilot them in the coming year.These efforts are examples of the ways in which APA leadership is working toward creating an organization that is innovative, responsive, and welcoming—and an indispensable ally for all those wanting to stay ahead of the information-technology curve. ■Erik Vanderlip, M.D., is a second-year fellow in psychiatry health services research at the University of Washington and the member-in-training trustee on the APA Board of Trustees. ISSUES NewArchived

Availability, Accessibility and Utilization of Information and Communication Technology in Physics Teaching in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, West Africa

This article reports on a study which investigated availability, accessibility and utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in secondary school physics curriculum delivery. The sample of 378 physics teachers randomly drawn from the eight educational zones in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria was used for the study. The study revealed that most of the physics teachers in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria are aware of ICT resources such as computer set, television set, video cassettes, audio tape player, slide projector and overhead projector. Most secondary schools in the State were not connected to the internet and hence physics teachers have no access to the internet for use in physics curriculum delivery. Further finding showed that most physics teachers are not computer literate. It was further revealed that very few of the respondents used for the study were aware of the selected computer software packages used for the study and no teacher used any of the programmes to complement on their physics instructional delivery. The recommendation arising from the findings was that Government and all stakeholders in education should equip schools with sufficient quantity of modern ICT resources. Another recommendation was that physics teachers should be trained on the use of ICT in physics teaching.

Media Logic, Social Control, and Fear

The role of mediated communication and media logic in social order is discussed, along with recent examples involving social media and popular culture, surveillance, commercialism and marketing, social change and revolution, and military strategies and weapon systems. The relevance of an ecology of communication—the structure, organization, and accessibility of information technology, various forums, media, and channels of information—is proposed as a template for inspecting the interaction of social context, information technology, communication formats, and how these affect social activities. Suggestions are offered for continued investigation and mapping of media logic across information technologies in order to clarify the reflexive relationship between communication, social interaction, and institutional orders.

Closing the Gap for Young Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders, Utilising Today’S Technology and Moving Forward Together

Australia is talking about 'Closing the Gap'.This gap relates to differences in qualitative and quantitative criteria, comparing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders with non-indigenous people. We link internet access with prevention of trauma for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Queensland Australia. Some areas around the world are lagging behind with information technology (IT) development, so it appears do some of the rural and remote areas in Queensland Australia. We look at the gap in internet access and how potentially good IT access may have a beneficial effect on how trauma is perpetuated trans-generationally. Human society is seeing unprecedented acceleration in the development of faster and wider ranging options for communication. We show that lack of IT access is potentially a barrier to accessing self-motivated education and changing perceptions as to what may be acceptable parenting. We draw parallels with powerful internet-assisted groupings of individuals that triggered change. Some of these initiatives have been successful, some appear popular and widely acceptable,others not. Immediate communication was quintessential for individuals coming together. Self-motivated addressing of the cycle of abuse via internet social networking sites in Australia's remotest areas is unlikely without good IT access. Of course there are many other factors contributing to the prevalence of child abuse in remote parts of Australia. Although we are hopeful, it remains to be seen what effect the internet will have on moving forward together when even the remotest parts are well connected.

Probability Assessment of Analysis of High-Rise Buildings Seismic Resistance

This paper presents the probabilistic assessment to analyze the resistance of the unsymmetrical effects (accidental torsional effects, soil-structure interaction, and seismic action) to symmetrical high rise buildings. The Eurocode requires that the seismic resistance of structures must be checked to the accidental torsion effects. In order to cover uncertainties in the location of masses and in the spatial variation of the seismic motion, the calculated centre of mass at each floor shall be considered displaced from its nominal location in each direction by an accidental eccentricity due to the requirements of ENV 1998. Recent advances and the general accessibility of information technologies and computing techniques give rise to assumptions concerning the wider use of the probabilistic assessment of the reliability of structures through the use of simulation methods. The possibilities of the utilization the RSM method to analyze the extensive and robust tasks in FEM is presented in the case of the buildings with central core and columns system. The deterministic and probability analysis of the seismic resistance of the structure was calculated in the ANSYS program.

Digital Differentiation in Young People’s Internet Use—Eliminating or Reproducing Disability Stereotypes

Norwegian authorities’ policy aims at securing an information society for all, emphasizing the importance of accessible and usable Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for everyone. While the body of research on young people’s use of ICT is quite comprehensive, research addressing digital differentiation in young people with disabilities’ use of ICT is still in its early days. This article investigates how young people with disabilities’ use, or non-use, of assistive ICT creates digital differentiations. The investigation elaborates on how the anticipations and stereotypes of disability establish an authoritative definition of assistive ICT, and the consequence this creates for the use of the Web by young people with disabilities. The object of the article is to provide enhanced insight into the field of technology and disability by illuminating how assistive ICT sometimes eliminates and sometimes reproduces stereotypes and digital differentiations. The investigation draws on a qualitative interview study with 23 young Norwegians with disabilities, aged 15–20 years. I draw on a theoretical perspective to analyze the findings of the study, which employs the concept of identity multiplicity. The article’s closing discussion expands on technology’s significance in young people’s negotiations of impairment and of perceptions of disability.

Report and recommendations on multimedia materials for teaching and learning electricity and magnetism

This paper presents the results of a peer review of multimedia materials for teaching and learning electricity and magnetism prepared as a part of the annual activities undertaken by an international group of scientists associated with Multimedia Physics in Teaching and Learning. The work promotes the use of valuable and freely accessible information technology materials for different levels of teaching, mostly higher education. The authors discuss the process of selecting resources and the rubrics used in the rating process. The reviews of high-quality learning resources are presented along with descriptions of valuable didactical features.

Tutor-facilitated Adult Digital Literacy Learning: Insights from a Case Study

While the digital divide has decreased, those who are still unable to access and use information and communication technologies are left further behind. An effective digital literacy program helps underserved populations gain needed skills and alleviate the demand placed on public library staff. This case study presents findings on a digital literacy learning model that utilizes a self-paced online platform and in-person volunteer tutors. The researchers found that the learner/tutor relationship is an essential part of the learning process, and that tutors develop a variety of strategies for helping learners. The researchers also identify aspects of effective program implementation.