Synchronous Communication Research Articles

EduLive: Re-Creating Cues for Instructor-Learners Interaction in Educational Live Streams with Learners' Transcript-Based Annotations

Educational live streaming has become a complement to in-person teaching. While synchronous instructor-learner communication is useful, the technology-mediated nature of live streaming can obscure many interaction cues (e.g., learners' facial expressions and body language), which dampens the instructors' ability to respond to remote learners' needs. We explore the opportunity of leveraging real-time transcripts generated from instructors' audio as a basis for re-creating interaction cues. Transcripts can be leveraged to reveal the content of live streams in a form that learners can trace back and annotate, and such annotations can be further aggregated and presented to instructors as signals to assist them in tracking learners' engagement. By designing and evaluating our proof-of-concept prototype system, EduLive, we show that instructors benefited from the summative information extracted from learners' annotations, and the context provided by the transcript enhanced their ability to answer learners' questions. Our system contributes to the design space of social annotations in CSCW by employing social annotations in educational live streaming scenarios.

Development of Traffic Scheduling Based on TSN in Smart Substation Devices

Smart substations are an important trend in substation construction. With increasing data traffic, it is difficult for the traditional Ethernet network to meet the real-time requirements of control information in smart substations. Hence, in this paper, a deterministic network architecture for substations based on time-sensitive networks (TSN) has been developed in order to realize the domain-wide time synchronization and efficient real-time communication of the “three-layer and two-network” model in smart substations. Furthermore, a design scheme for substation automation equipment based on TSN is proposed. The proposed device realizes the timely transmission of real-time control information packets by utilizing the Earliest TxTime First (ETF) Qdisc technology of Linux and the timing sending capability of Intel 210 NIC. Furthermore, it collaborates with the time-aware shaper (TAS) traffic scheduling mechanism of TSN switches to ensure the end-to-end deterministic delay of time-sensitive traffic. As a result, it provides efficient real-time communication services with low latency and jitter for smart substation automation systems.

Lack of Eye Gaze and its Effects on Spoken Interaction in Synchronous Online Communication

The importance of oral interaction in language learning is well recognised, and this paper examines the factors that hinder English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ active participation in online discussions during Synchronous Online Communication. Using focus groups with 51 Cypriot Greek-speaking students from three tertiary institutions in Cyprus, thematic analysis revealed that the perceived prominent factor inhibiting oral interaction in the online environment was the absence of eye gaze and its associated social functions. Specifically, eye gaze was identified as a signal for turn-taking, turn-yielding, and turn-denying, whose absence hindered learners’ ability to interpret their peers’ and teachers’ intentions and expectations. The paper concludes with pedagogical implications for technologists, software developers, students, language teachers, and language teacher educators.

Feasibility of Sexual Health and Contraceptive Web Services for Adolescents and Young Adults: Retrospective Study of a Pilot Program on Reunion Island.

Sexual health indicators for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) aged between 13 and 25 years are particularly poor on Reunion Island. Access to accurate information as well as sexual health and contraceptive services are vital to maintaining sexual well-being. Teleconsultations offer a promising approach to addressing the sexual health and contraceptive needs of AYAs who are more susceptible to engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse. However, the literature on digital sexual health services for this demographic group is limited. This study aims to describe the feasibility of a pilot sexual health and contraceptive teleconsultation web service used by AYAs on Reunion Island. A descriptive, retrospective study was conducted at the Reunion Island University Hospital Center using a convenient sample. Eligible participants were informed about the program through various communication channels, including seminars for health care professionals, radio broadcasts, posters, flyers, press articles, videos, and social media posts. AYAs accessed a web-based platform named SEXTUOZE from December 15, 2021, to September 30, 2022, that offered sexual health information and teleconsultations. Data collected included participant and teleconsultation characteristics, patient satisfaction, and the quality of completeness of medical records. A total of 22 teleconsultations were scheduled and 7 were completed, all via synchronous video communication (duration: median 35 min). Overall, 4731 sessions were generated on the SEXTUOZE website. Reasons cited for accessing the web services were to seek sexual health advice (8/22, 36%), receive an initial birth control prescription (12/22, 55%), and inquire about condom prescriptions (2/22, 9%). While teleconsultation use for sexual health was initially low, it rose toward the end of the study period. Considering all elements of the implementation theory, future research should design interventions that not only are more operative and tailored but also ensure their adoption and sustainability in various health contexts.

Synchronous and Asynchronous Online Communication for Developing Foreign Language Speaking Skills

Synchronous and Asynchronous Online Communication for Developing Foreign Language Speaking Skills

Genre dynamics in teletandem chats

This paper explores the use of chat in Teletandem (TTD) activities (Telles; Vassallo, 2006) on the UNESP-SJRP campus from 2006 to 2020, focusing on possible genres materialized in chats, in English <> Portuguese partnerships. Two main questions guided the study: firstly, to identify the genres materialized in chats; and secondly, to examine how the use of chat has evolved along with synchronous communication tools. The research adopted a qualitative and longitudinal approach (Wagner et. al, 2018; Dörnyei, 2007) and investigated whether textual genres (Bazerman, 1994, 2006; Miller 2012a, 2012b, 2016, 2017; Miller; Shepherd, 2009) emerged in chat interactions. Through this analysis, the use of chats over the period was verified. The data was collected from publications related to TTD, including master's dissertations and doctoral theses, and from MulTeC (Lopes, 2019; Aranha; Lopes, 2019). Once collected, the data was integrated into the technical, ontological and epistemological dimensions (Ferro, 2021). The analysis was conducted based on predefined thematic axes, considering the particularities of the textual genres identified and based on the quantitative results obtained by analyzing the data in the Voyant Tools® tool. The final analysis revealed evidence of the materialization of the Initial Teletandem Oral Session (iSOT) genre (Rampazzo, 2017) in the initial period, which did not carry over into the second period due to advances in synchronous communication tools. However, this possible genre persisted in another form within the tool, indicating potential survival in the new environment. In addition, there was a change in the use of chat from being the main locus of interaction to a supporting role for oral interaction, in line with the evolution of synchronous communication tools over time. Despite these findings, limitations were found, including insufficient data from the initial period. Future avenues of research could explore additional genres within the TTD genre system, investigate the possible migration of genres and analyze the syntactic, semantic and pragmatic consequences of the materialization of genres in chat and vice versa. These new investigations may offer valuable insights for further research into TTD and related linguistic issues.

Practices of critical challenges during requirements implementation in global software development:A systematic literature review

Context: Finding practices of critical challenges are essential in global software development (GSD).Practices of different challenges have discussed in literature in dispersed form that need a proper method to make them useful.Objective: To find out the practices of critical challenges in GSD. New practices helps team to work collaboratively with new products and features and to improve the overall quality of the development process. Some challenges have different background with unique practices which can be find out through a proper process. Method: Systematic literature review (SLR) is used to find out the practices of critical challenges in GSD.Result: Some common practices are ‘Use of synchronous and asynchronous communication technologies’, ‘Use of modern tools and technologies for GSD’, ‘Frequent/regular agile meetings’, ‘Role of effective management’, ‘Process maturity’, ‘Role of liaison’ and ‘Clear roles and responsibilities of duty’.

The Benefits of Computer Conferences in Distance Education: An Assessment

This study examined the positive influence of computer conferencing on distance education, particularly its capacity to foster a sense of community, collaboration, and interaction among learners. The study employed semi-structured interviews, focus groups, observations, and document analysis to investigate the experiences of students, instructors, and educational technologists of Delar College of Education through a qualitative research design. The primary findings indicated that asynchronous communication provides convenience and flexibility, whereas synchronous communication enables immediate engagement and dynamic discussions. Additionally, computer conferencing facilitates the interchange of information at a rapid pace, reduces feelings of isolation, and facilitates the development of diverse learning environments by facilitating detailed discussions through sub-conferences. The research identified substantial advantages of computer conferencing, but it also emphasized potential constraints, including the necessity for effective facilitation and technological dependence. The research emphasizes the transformative potential of computer conferencing in improving the distance education experience. Keywords: Educational Technology, Computer Conferencing, Interaction, Collaboration Distance Education, Online Learning, Qualitative Study

AugPersist: Automatically augmenting the persistence of coverage-based greybox fuzzing for persistent software

Fuzzing is one of the most successful approaches for verifying software functionalities and discovering security vulnerabilities. However, the software with persistent runtime characteristics (e.g., web service programs) cannot be effectively tested by current coverage-based greybox (CG) fuzzers, which strictly rely on the termination state of the target software to feed test cases synchronously and obtain code coverage. The present approach requires delicate analysis and modification of the target to eliminate its persistence, but leads to excessive non-essential restarts during testing, resulting in low throughput.To improve the convenience and efficiency of CG fuzzing for persistent software, we propose augmenting persistence (AugPersist) as a complementary method. AugPersist introduces the concept of persistent basic block (PBB) to leverage the inherent code features of persistent software. PBB can be found automatically and quickly before fuzzing based on the execution flow graph (EFG). On this basis, we develop a low- delay synchronous communication so that after regular test cases are fed into the target, the fuzzer can derive code coverage without rebooting the target, thus significantly minimizing extraneous restarts. Additionally, by utilizing the self-adaptive forkserver, we can dynamically adjust the re-execution point of the target to the PBB position, which further minimizes losses when test cases trigger exceptions and cause necessary restarts.To show the potential of augmenting persistence, we create two implementations, AFL-AugPersist and AFLNet-AugPersist, using AFL and AFLNet as baselines. We evaluate both with their respective baselines on different benchmarks. AFL-AugPersist makes stateless persistent software easier to be fuzzed than AFL and provides 4.9 × to 71.1 × throughput improvement compared to AFL. The throughput of AFLNet-AugPersist improves by a maximum of 210.0 × and a minimum of 3.3 × compared to AFLNet. These results show that AugPersist significantly contributes to the convenience and efficiency of CG fuzzing on persistent software.

Multi-task oriented team formation in online collaborative learning

Rational and personalized team formation can greatly enhance the efficiency of online collaborative learning. However, in the process of forming learning teams and completing learning tasks, online synchronous communication among team members is often overlooked, and the abilities of team members may change during task execution, which may have an effect on the completion of team tasks. To address these problems, this paper comprehensively considers the impact of learners’ online time and skill levels on team formation. We quantify the potential development space of learners’ skills and design optimization objectives accordingly based on the Zone of Proximal Development theory. Additionally, we propose a Near-Informer deep learning model to predict learners’ future online states, aiming to measure communication efficiency. Then, we propose a multi-task oriented multi-objective optimization team formation problem, and transform it into a single-objective one by using weighted aggregation of all objectives. After that, we present a Three-dimensional Monte Carlo Tree Search algorithm (TDMCTS). The experiments are conducted based on two real datasets. Compared with the baselines, our Near-informer model achieved the highest number of optimal predictions, with 22 out of 32. Besides, TDMCTS algorithm achieved more comprehensive team formation results, with average skill satisfaction degrees of 99.8% and 98.9% on two task sets, respectively, while satisfying the task requirements.

Home Care Nurses at the Heart of the Communication Web: Communication Synchronicity and Effects on the Psychosocial Work Environment

This qualitative study explores how communication practice affects Swedish home care nurses’ psychosocial work environment. Data consisted of interviews and field observations, analyzed from the perspective of Media Synchronicity Theory and the Job-Demand-Control-Support model. Individual home care nurses were found to manage an interorganizational communication web. The results indicated that this web could have a protective function for the nurses. Synchronous communication was found important to control the work situation. Nevertheless, asynchronous communication was enforced when communicating with other health care organizations. This reduced the level of control for the nurses. However, when possible, the nurses also arranged their communication practice to gain control. Thus, local optimization for one group could result in suboptimization for others. We conclude that communication practice should be designed holistically and promote synchronous communication to foster well-functioning interprofessional teamwork and to create a healthy psychosocial work environment for both home care nurses and their collaborators.

Working Around the Clock: Temporal Distance, Intrafirm Communication, and Time Shifting of the Employee Workday

This paper examines the effects of temporal distance generated by time zone separation on communication in geographically distributed organizations. We build on prior research, which highlights time zone separation as a significant challenge, but argue that employees may time shift—move work-related communication to outside of regular business hours—to counteract temporal distance. We propose a theory in which employees’ tendency to time shift depends on the demands of their tasks and collaborative relationships and individuals’ ability to supply work outside of regular business hours. Analyzing communication-level data from 12,038 employees of a large multinational firm and using cities’ shifts to/from daylight saving time for identification, we find that temporal distance leads to sizable but smaller than expected reductions in volumes of rich, synchronous communication between employees. Consistent with our arguments, increased temporal distance significantly increases time shifting of work-related communication, especially among workers whose jobs are nonroutine and interactions in strong collaborative relationships. We further document that female employees and employees based in countries with stricter legal work hour limits engage in significantly less time-shifted communication. Our study improves understanding of a ubiquitous source of collaboration friction. It also sheds light on a potential source of inequities in workplace outcomes stemming from differences in individuals’ ability to work outside of regular business hours. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2023.17558 .

FPGA-based SPI serial communication

With advances in computer and IoT technology, the realization of the Internet of Everything is just around the corner. Synchronous serial bus communication with simple, high-speed interfaces and easy implementation will become a key player in the electronics industry. However, due to factors such as I/O resources, timing constraints, and register resources, general microcontrollers have various problems. The serial bus communication of I/O simulation has a low transmission rate and cannot achieve true full duplex communication. SPI is a standard for serial transmission introduced by Motorola in the United States. It is a high-speed, full-duplex, synchronous communication bus. Peripheral chips with SPI interface are abundant and widely used. This design uses Verilog HDL language to describe the function, based on the FPGA platform, verifies the SPI serial communication protocol, and realizes the serial communication between the sender and the receiver. SPI has important research significance for enhancing the stability of inter-device communication, improving communication speed and transmission security in the future.

Religious Expressions and Discursive Politeness in Synchronous Communication

Religious Expressions and Discursive Politeness in Synchronous Communication

Enhancing Adaptability and Autonomy in Cooperative Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm Robots: Implementation of Coordination and Rapidly Exploring Random Tree Algorithms for Safe and Efficient Manipulation Tasks

In this study, a cooperative robotic system comprising two Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm (SCARA) robots was developed and simulated. An algorithm was proposed for the coordination of robots in cooperative tasks, along with a Rapidly exploring Random Tree (RRT) path planner for obstacle avoidance. The proposed system proved effective in transferring objects between robots and in handling various scenarios of variable complexity without collisions. The implementation of advanced trajectory planning and coordination algorithms significantly improves the adaptability and autonomy of robotic systems, allowing robots to predict and react to the movements of their counterparts and changes in the environment in real time. This capability is crucial for maintaining a safe and efficient work environment. The importance of synchronization and effective communication between robots is highlighted to avoid collisions and optimize trajectories and cycle times. All tests were conducted in virtual environments, allowing for the evaluation and refinement of the performance of the robots’ performance under controlled conditions. The positive results obtained in the simulations suggest that the system is well suited for future practical implementation in industrial and manufacturing applications, such as chemical handling, collaborative welding, quality inspection, among others. These findings underscore the potential of the cooperative SCARA system to improve the efficiency and safety in industrial applications using advanced algorithms and control techniques, establishing a solid foundation for future research and development in the field of cooperative robotics.

A Novel Radiology Communication Tool to Reduce Workflow Interruptions: Clinical Evaluation of RadConnect.

Despite the importance of communication, radiology departments often depend on communication tools that were not created for the unique needs of imaging workflows, leading to frequent radiologist interruptions. The objective of this study was test the hypothesis that a novel asynchronous communication tool for the imaging workflow (RadConnect) reduces the daily average number of synchronous (in-person, telephone) communication requests for radiologists. We conducted a before-after study. Before adoption of RadConnect, technologists used three conventional communication methods to consult radiologists (in-person, telephone, general-purpose enterprise chat (GPEC)). After adoption, participants used RadConnect as a fourth method. Technologists manually recorded every radiologist consult request related to neuro and thorax CT scans in the 40 days before and 40 days after RadConnect adoption. Telephone traffic volume to section beepers was obtained from the hospital telephone system for the same period. The value and usability experiences were collected through an electronic survey and structured interviews. RadConnect adoption resulted in 53% reduction of synchronous (in-person, telephone) consult requests: from 6.1 ± 4.2 per day to 2.9 ± 2.9 (P < 0.001). There was 77% decrease (P < 0.001) in telephone volume to the neuro and thorax beepers, while no significant volume change was noted to the abdomen beeper (control group). Survey responses (46% response rate) and interviews confirmed the positive impact of RadConnect on interruptions. RadConnect significantly reduced radiologists' telephone interruptions. Study participants valued the role-based interaction and prioritized worklist overview in the survey and interviews. Findings from this study will contribute to a more focused work environment.

Effects of Task Complexity on Chinese EFL Learners’ Language Production in Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication

Effects of Task Complexity on Chinese EFL Learners’ Language Production in Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication

Reduced Order Observer Based Synchronization and Secure Communication for a Class of Nonlinear Chaotic Systems

Reduced Order Observer Based Synchronization and Secure Communication for a Class of Nonlinear Chaotic Systems

Efficient Parallel FDTD Method Based on Non-Uniform Conformal Mesh

The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is a versatile electromagnetic simulation technique, widely used for solving various broadband problems. However, when dealing with complex structures and large dimensions, especially when applying perfectly matched layer (PML) absorbing boundaries, tremendous computational burdens will occur. To reduce the computational time and memory, this paper presents a Message Passing Interface (MPI) parallel scheme based on non-uniform conformal FDTD, which is suitable for convolutional perfectly matched layer (CPML) absorbing boundaries, and adopts a domain decomposition approach, dividing the entire computational domain into several subdomains. More importantly, only one magnetic field exchange is required during the iterations, and the electric field update is divided into internal and external parts, facilitating the synchronous communication of magnetic fields between adjacent subdomains and internal electric field updates. Finally, unmanned helicopters, helical antennas, 100-period folded waveguides, and 16 × 16 phased array antennas are designed to verify the accuracy and efficiency of the algorithm. Moreover, we conducted parallel tests on a supercomputing platform, showing its satisfactory reduction in computational time and excellent parallel efficiency.

Conferencing together in social virtual reality: Bringing agency back into affordances-based approaches in communication scholarship

Technological advancements allow embodied and synchronous communication via social virtual reality (VR), where multiple users interact as avatars in a shared virtual space. However, the affordances of social VR and how users interact with them have been underexplored. We expand the discourse on media affordances by emphasizing user agency in strategic media choices for overcoming constraints in physical and virtual worlds. We qualitatively investigated user experiences of a social VR platform. Findings from semi-structured interviews (N = 28) revealed that media selection is determined through a dynamic relationship between platforms designed to encourage action possibilities and users strategically leveraging media affordances to overcome situational constraints of their physical environment.