Communication Commons^™

Political E-Mail: Protected Speech Or Unwelcome Spam?, Mark Sweet

Duke Law & Technology Review

Candidates for political office are using unsolicited bulk e-mails to reach the electorate. Commonly known as "political spam," this campaign tactic is an inexpensive supplement to television, radio, and print ads. Advocates claim that campaigning via the internet reduces candidates' dependence on fundraising, but critics detest political spam as the latest nuisance. This iBrief examines the legal basis for political spam, distinguishes political spam from analogous regulated speech, and argues that political spam serves an interest worth protecting.

An Assessment Of The Fundamental Differences Between Mainstream And Independent Media : A Content Analysis Of The Print Media, Chadford D. Roush

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The mainstream media in the United States is an institutional arrangement of structural power within the political economy of capitalist society. The concentration and centralization of the media corporations creates the structural constraint for ideological social control. A few multinational corporations control a vast amount of media access that creates a filtering process for information. The mainstream media is extremely powerful in American society. The media helps to mold opinions on an array of news topics. Major media sources in the US are conforming their news coverage to be “industry friendly”. In simply terms the American people are only getting …

Generalized Metrics And Uniquely Determined Logic Programs, Pascal Hitzler, Anthony K. Seda

Computer Science and Engineering Faculty Publications

The introduction of negation into logic programming brings the benefit of enhanced syntax and expressibility, but creates some semantical problems. Specifically, certain operators which are monotonic in the absence of negation become non-monotonic when it is introduced, with the result that standard approaches to denotational semantics then become inapplicable. In this paper, we show how generalized metric spaces can be used to obtain fixed-point semantics for several classes of programs relative to the supported model semantics, and investigate relationships between the underlying spaces we employ. Our methods allow the analysis of classes of programs which include the acyclic, locally hierarchical, …

Semantic N-Gram Language Modeling With The Latent Maximum Entropy Principle, Shaojun Wang, Dale Schuurmans, Fuchun Peng, Yunxin Zhao

Kno.e.sis Publications

We describe a unified probabilistic framework for statistical language modeling-the latent maximum entropy principle-which can effectively incorporate various aspects of natural language, such as local word interaction, syntactic structure and semantic document information. Unlike previous work on maximum entropy methods for language modeling, which only allow explicit features to be modeled, our framework also allows relationships over hidden features to be captured, resulting in a more expressive language model. We describe efficient algorithms for marginalization, inference and normalization in our extended models. We then present experimental results for our approach on the Wall Street Journal corpus.

Web Service: Been There, Done That?, Steffen Staab, Will Van Der Aalst, V. Richard Benjamins, Amit P. Sheth, John A. Miller, Chistoph Bussler, Alexander Maedche, Dieter Fensel, Dennis Gannon

Kno.e.sis Publications

Web services can be defined as loosely coupled, reusable software components that semantically encapsulate discrete functionality and are distributed and programmatically accessible over standard Internet protocols. Web services have received a lot of hype, the reasons for which are not easily determined. Some of their benefits might even seem to waste away, once we touch on the nitty-gritty details, because Web services per se do not offer a solution to underlying problems. The contributions included in this section delve into some of these issues, including: pitfalls of workflow issues; structuring procedural knowledge into problem-solving methods; discussing how a low initial …

Enhanced Tv As Brand Extension: The Economics And Pragmatics Of Enhanced Tv To Cable Tv Network Viewership [Slides], Louisa Ha, Sylvia Chan-Olmsted

School of Media and Communication Faculty Publications

A series of 12 slides from a presentation given at the National Cable Television Association Academic Seminar, Chicago, June 8, 2003.

Usability Testing At Florida International University Libraries: What We Learned, Sarah J. Hammill

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

The Florida International University Libraries’ Web site’s new look was launched in Fall 2001. As a result of the new look, a group formed to undertake a usability study on the top page of the site. The group tested three target groups to determine the usability of the top page. The study pointed out some revisions for the top page; however, more importantly, it suggested areas for future research.

Semantic Web Processes, Jorge Cardoso, Amit P. Sheth

Kno.e.sis Publications

No abstract provided.

On The Macroeconomic Effects Of Establishing Tradability In Weak Property Rights, Gunnar Eliasson, Clas Wihlborg

Business Faculty Articles and Research

The New Economy is closely associated with computing & communications technology, notably the Internet. We discuss property rights to, and trade in, the difficult-to-define intangible assets increasingly dominating the New Economy, and the possibility of under-investment in these assets. For a realistic analysis we introduce a Schumpeterian market environment (the experimentally organized economy). Weak property rights prevail when the rights to access, use, andtrade in intangible assets cannot be fully exercised. The trade-off between the benefits of open access on the Internet, and the incentive effects of strengthened property rights, depend both on the particular strategy a firm employs to …

Attempting To Ground Ethnographic Theory And Practice, Lelia Rosalind Green

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper is a response to continued discussion about the necessary and sufficient characteristics of a claim to 'ethnographic method' when made by researchers in the Media and Cultural Studies traditions. Many of the seminal studies informing-particularly-audience studies research have claimed that they were 'ethnographic'. But is this a variety of ethnographic that an anthropologist would recognise? And if not, what kind of ethnography is it, and why might it be more or less appropriate as a research fromework than straightforward 'interview' or 'focus group' research? Further, when might we say that an interview is conducted in the course of …

Using Multimedia To Develop Students' Programming Concepts, Kacha Chansilp, Ron Oliver

Research outputs pre 2011

The growing use of computers and computer technology is creating a worldwide need for more programmers and computer professionals. The increasing complexity of programming languages and applications is demanding higher skills sets from the programmers who are being trained. Kann et al. (1997) suggest that the graphic representation of algorithms used in most textbooks are too abstract and insufficient for learners to develop the logical thinking required in computer science courses. Many programming students have problems due to a lack of understanding of conceptual and mental models (Soloway et al., 1981). This paper describes the development of an alternative teaching …

Exploring Online Learning Community Development: The Relative Importance Of Influencing Factors, Christopher Brook, Ron Oliver

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper describes an investigation into the development of learners’ sense of community using a model describing community development through presage, process and product stages. The study sought to explore the relative importance of design factors and to describe the relative influence of factors between the presage and process stages in the model. The study was facilitated through an investigation into the practices of a professional working in the field who was committed to the principles of collaborative learning and the development of a learning community. The findings reveal a strong influence of presage factors many of which had the …

Home-Grown Courseware Management System, Arshad Omari, Joseph Luca, Andrew Dunbar

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

Designing For Online Learning Communities, Christopher Brook, Ron Oliver

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper investigates the development of sense of community among learners engaging in online learning where the principles of collaborative learning are considered key instructional strategies. In particular this paper explores the development of learner's sense of community as an outcome of engaging in instructor initiated activities that are intended to promote community development. The paper discusses design principles for the development of sense of community identified in contemporary literature. In addition it reports a case study that sought to identify the forms of engagement and activity that promote community development, the manner in which students responded to these and …

Formal Concept Analysis And Resolution On Algebraic Domains - Preliminary Report, Matthias Wendt, Pascal Hitzler

Computer Science and Engineering Faculty Publications

We relate two formerly independent areas: Formal concept analysis and logic of domains. We will establish a correspondence between contextual attribute logic on formal contexts resp. concept lattices and a clausal logic on coherent algebraic cpos. We show how to identify the notion of formal concept in the domain theoretic setting. In particular, we show that a special instance of the resolution rule from the domain logic coincides with the concept closure operator from formal concept analysis. The results shed light on the use of contexts and domains for knowledge representation and reasoning purposes.

Learning Continuous Latent Variable Models With Bregman Divergences, Shaojun Wang, Dale Schuurmans

Kno.e.sis Publications

We present a class of unsupervised statistical learning algorithms that are formulated in terms of minimizing Bregman divergences— a family of generalized entropy measures defined by convex functions. We obtain novel training algorithms that extract hidden latent structure by minimizing a Bregman divergence on training data, subject to a set of non-linear constraints which consider hidden variables. An alternating minimization procedure with nested iterative scaling is proposed to find feasible solutions for the resulting constrained optimization problem. The convergence of this algorithm along with its information geometric properties are characterized.

Designing Accessible On-Line Environments For The Visually Impaired, Ruchireak Permvattana, Ron Oliver, Frank Bate, Jean Macnish

Research outputs pre 2011

Providing accessible Web pages is becoming a key concern for many providers of electronic information. There are many people who find accessing Web pages difficult and among these, vision impaired users are perhaps the group with the greatest needs. The Web is a strong visual environment and most designers use this aspect of the environment as a critical element in their interface and information design. Such strategies, while providing many opportunities for mainstream Web users, provide limiting and impeding outcomes for visually impaired Web users. There are a number of accessibility standards that now exist to inform and guide the …

Implementing Courseware Management: Off-The-Shelf Purchase Or In-House Development?, Joseph Luca, Arshad Omari

Research outputs pre 2011

In the past decade there has been a proliferation of courseware management systems being developed and promoted as a means of simplifying the creation and management of instructional websites. Implementing these systems can be resource intensive and require large budgets to cover aspects such as infrastructure, integration into legacy databases, training, maintenance and on-going support. With these costs in mind, deciding to implement such a system should be carefully considered. Are there other options? With the proliferation of many freeware applications, and powerful online databases, the ability to develop customised in-house solutions is now becoming more attractive and viable. This …

Overcoming "Process-Blindness" In The Design Of An Online Environment: Balancing Cognitive And Psycho-Social Outcomes, Catherine E. Mcloughlin, Joseph Luca

Research outputs pre 2011

Learning environment research can contribute to our understanding of how psychosocial processes need to be balanced with cognitive outcomes in the design of units of study. The research on Web-based learning supports the assumption that the nature of social interaction affects student outcomes and student perceptions of the quality of the learning experience. The purposeful this study is to examine student perceptions of psychosocial processes in a blended learning environment using a learning environment survey tool. Students assessed the environments as favourable, but found that the quality of dialogue and peer support offered did not meet their needs. Implications for …

Making Teamwork Equitable With Online Technology: A Case Study, Joseph Luca, Catherine E Mcloughlin

Research outputs pre 2011

In many higher education institutions, teamwork is considered an essential part of the syllabus in helping to promote deep and meaningful learning as well as professional skills such as communication, collaboration and leadership skills. However, in many cases students are unhappy with teamwork activities, as they consider the distribution of marks to be unfair. In many cases, team members are all allocated the same mark regardless of the amount of effort or quality of work contributed by each individual. This case study attempts to resolve these issues by presenting a self and peer assessment strategy (supported with online technology) to …

Cognitive Realism In Online Authentic Learning Environments, Janice Herrington, Ron Oliver, Thomas Reeves

Research outputs pre 2011

The development of virtual reality and advanced computer applications have meant that realistic creations of simulated environments are now possible. Such simulations have been used with to great effect in training in the military, air force, and in medical training. But how realistic do problems need to be in education for effective learning to occur? Some authors and researchers argue that problems should be real, or that simulations should have ultra-realistic physical similarity to an actual context. This paper proposes that physical verisimilitude to real situations is of less importance in learning than 'cognitive realism', provided by immersing students in …

Can Reflective And Executive Control Skills Be Fostered Online?, Catherine E. Mcloughlin, Joseph Luca

Research outputs pre 2011

One of the crises facing the professions is the scepticism surrounding the nature of professional knowledge and whether individuals can cope with the increased complexity of society and the changing demands of the workplace. In order to develop these skills students need to be able to reflect on their learning experiences, integrate them with prior knowledge, self-evaluate and develop decision-making and planning processes. The development of reflexivity is presented in the context of an online tertiary unit where students proceed through the cycle of action, reflection, planning and abstract conceptualisation by engaging in a range of collaborative tasks including peer …

Online Learning Designs In The Training Sector, Ron Oliver, Vivienne Blanksby

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper describes current activities within the vocational education training (VET) sector in Australia where traditional views of teaching and learning for training are being challenged. The paper showcases innovative and leading edge applications of technology in the National Flexible Toolbox Project and draws on the history of this project to demonstrate current thinking within the Australian VET sector in relation to student learning. The paper examines the learning designs and resources that have been developed across the past five years in the National Flexible Toolbox Project and uses the outcomes to argue and demonstrate its findings.

Factors Influencing The Discovery And Reusability Of Digital Resources For Teaching And Learning, Graeme Brownfield, Ron Oliver

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper describes findings and outcomes from the Toolbox Digital Repository project (http://toolbox.flexiblelearning.net.au/index.htm) undertaken in 2002 that was concerned with the design and development of a digital library to support the discovery, access and reuse of the vast number of digital resources developed for online learning settings as part of the National Flexible Toolbox Project. The importance for processes and strategies supporting resource discovery in development stages has emerged from the work as an area needing attention. Digital resources use metadata to facilitate their discovery and recovery. Our project has identified the provision of metadata as an important component of …

Patterns Of Engagement In Authentic Online Learning Environments, Janice Herrington, Ron Oliver, Thomas Reeves

Research outputs pre 2011

The use of authentic activities within online learning environments has been shown to have many benefits for learners in online units and courses. There has been renewed interest in the role of student activities within course units, as constructivist philosophy and advances in technology impact on educational design and practice. Courses based on these principles have been used successfully across a wide variety of discipline areas. In spite of the growing evidence of the success of authentic learning environments, they are not without their problems. In this paper we discuss patterns of engagement that have emerged from our own research …

Exploring The Reusability Of Web-Based Learning Resources, Ron Oliver, Ralph Wirski, Philip Hingston, Arshad Omari, Graeme Brownfield

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper describes a project in the Australian training sector which sought to design and develop a digital repository of learning resources to facilitate their reuse and application in new learning settings. The paper describes the context in which the original resources were created and the development of a system to store and provide access to these resources. The paper concludes with an examination of the utility and functionality of the system and the limitations inherent in the reuse of digital resources supported by such systems.

Global Diffusion Of The Internet - I: India: Is The Elephant Learning To Dance?, Peter Wolcott, Seymour E. Goodman

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis Faculty Publications

With his proclamation in 1998 that "IT is India's tomorrow", Prime Minister Vajpayee captured a vision of a 21st century India substantially different from that of the previous century, with its high levels of poverty, bloated bureaucracies, and protectionist policies. He envisioned the new India as a major IT power, fully integrated with the global economy, bringing about substantial domestic and international benefit. The Internet is a key to this vision, both as an enabler of technology-based change, and as an indicator of the vision's fulfillment.

Using an analytic framework developed by the authors and others, this study documents the …

Online Avatar Based Interactions, Han Wei Koay

Theses : Honours

The gridWorld project attempts to utilize 3D to develop an online multi-user visual chat system. GridWorld address ideas of how conversations in a virtual environment can be facilitated and enhanced by an abstract visual interface design. The visual interface was developed from research and examination of existing ideas, methodologies and application for development of user-embodiment, chat/virtual space, and interface useability towards the visualization of communication.

The Great Leveler: Free Business Resources On The World Wide Web, Jason Martin

The Southeastern Librarian

The Internet is full of reliable sources that are filled with a wealth of business information. Some of these sites are fee-based with subscription prices that are much lower than those of the large commercial databases. Unfortunately, only a single subscriber may use most of those fee-based sites. That means the librarian must turn to sites that are free to the general public. Many of these free sites rival fee-based services for quality and quantity of information.

Off The Shelf And Into The Classroom: Working With K-12 Teachers To Integrate Digitized Collections Into Classroom Instruction, Tara Zachary Laver

The Southeastern Librarian

Thanks to a grant funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Special Collections Department of LSU Libraries and the LSU digital library have been digitizing, cataloging, and making available via the World Wide Web selected documents and publications from the era of the Louisiana Purchase held by LSU and the New Orleans City Archives. A goal of the grant was to enhance K-12 teaching and learning by working with Louisiana teachers to integrate the use of the digital collection into their classroom activities. The digital collection’s availability on the web would also give access to any teacher, …