Analyzing e-government research: Perspectives,philosophies, theories,methods, and practice     

Richard Heeks  Savita BailurAuthor Vitae 《Government Information Quarterly》2007

In recent years, there has been rapid growth in the volume of research output on the topic of e-government. To understand this research better, we used content analysis of eighty-four papers in e-government-specific research outlets (two journals and one conference series). Our analytical focus took in five main aspects: perspectives on the impacts of e-government, research philosophy, use of theory, methodology and method, and practical recommendations. Normative evaluation identified some positive features, such as recognition of contextual factors beyond technology, and a diversity of referent domains and ideas. Alongside this, though, research draws mainly from a weak or confused positivism and is dominated by over-optimistic, a-theoretical work that has done little to accumulate either knowledge or practical guidance for e-government. Worse, there is a lack of clarity and lack of rigor about research methods alongside poor treatment of generalization. We suggest ways of strengthening e-government research but also draw out some deeper issues, such as the role of research philosophy and theory, and the institutional factors – particularly pressures of competition and time – that may constrain development of e-government as a research field.  相似文献   

The telecommunications content of state public utility commission Web sites: Remaining relevant in a changing marketplace     

Phyllis Bernt  Lawrence WoodAuthor VitaeCarol TingAuthor Vitae 《Government Information Quarterly》2007

The role and continued relevance of state telecommunications regulators have been challenged by the development of competition, the introduction of new technologies, and the increasing dominance of federal authority. An important role that state utility commissions can play in the current telecommunications environment is to provide consumer education and information about consumer protection, competition, and universal service. Commissions can use their Web sites as effective tools in educating and informing consumers. This study analyzes the consumer-related telecommunications information included on the Web sites of the commissions in the 50 states and the District of Columbia to determine whether, and how well, state commissions are using their Web sites to educate and inform.  相似文献   

Parameter-dependent finite-time observer design for time-varying polytopic uncertain switched systems     

Muhammad Naveed Iqbal  Jian Xiao  Weiming Xiang 《Journal of The Franklin Institute》2014

Mathematical models are an approximate of physical systems and design procedures are only complete when modeling errors have been quantified. Uncertainties are incorporated in design procedure to compensate such discrepancies and to add robustness. This paper investigates the design problem of parameter-dependent switched observers   for polytopic uncertain switched systems. State-space model is considered subject to time-varying uncertainties, and designated observer gains ensuring stability of overall system are also parameter-dependent. Synthesis procedure is demonstrated by employing _?∞${?}_{\infty }$ performance criteria which has become a standard for robust system design against external disturbances. This investigation is carried out in the framework of finite-time stability (FTS) and finite-time boundedness (FTB) which is the focus of researchers recently because of its apparent practical significance, especially after the emergent utilization of linear matrix inequalities.  相似文献   

Use of digital game based learning and gamification in secondary school science: The effect on student engagement,learning and gender difference     

Amna Khan  Farzana Hayat Ahmad  Muhammad Muddassir Malik 《Education and Information Technologies》2017,22(6):2767-2804

This study aimed to identify the impact of a game based learning (GBL) application using computer technologies on student engagement in secondary school science classrooms. The literature reveals that conventional Science teaching techniques (teacher-centered lecture and teaching), which foster rote learning among students, are one of the major concerns in Pakistan Education system. This leads to student disengagement in science lessons eventually resulting in student absenteeism and dropouts from the schools. This study consisted of five stages: (1) examining the impact of Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) and gamification on engagement, learning and gender difference, and literature related to using DGBL models for instructional design; (2) planning learning activities and developing a GBL application based on a specific content in Science; (3) conducting an intervention with a sample of 72 participants of 8th grade (aged 12–15) in a low cost private school of Pakistan following quasi-experimental research framework; (4) observing behaviour and emotions of the participants during science lessons; (5) conducting pre and post tests to assess the learning outcomes of participants followed by focus groups discussion. Analysis from Friedman test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Wilcoxon Signed Rank test show that the GBL application has a positive influence on student engagement. However, GBL application was not equally effective for all students since girls outperformed boys in terms of engagement and learning outcomes. This study gives insights into the development of better educational games to promote student learning.  相似文献   

Teaching students with visual impairments in an inclusive educational setting: a case from Nepal     

Kamal Lamichhane 《International Journal of Inclusive Education》2017,21(1):1-13

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The 2001 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Earth Science presented to Rob Van der Voo     

Kenneth P. Kodama^{Author Vitae} 《Journal of The Franklin Institute》2002,339(3):315-320

The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, awarded the 2001 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Earth Science to Rob Van der Voo for his outstanding contributions to the field of paleomagnetism and his reconstruction of ancient continental positions that have lead to a better understanding of plate tectonic processes for the past billion years of Earth history.  相似文献   

In search of query patterns: A case study of a university OPAC     

Eng Pwey LauAuthor Vitae  Dion Hoe-Lian Goh 《Information processing & management》2006

A transaction log analysis of the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) OPAC was conducted to identify query and search failure patterns with the goal of identifying areas of improvement for the system. One semester’s worth of OPAC transaction logs were obtained and from these, 641,991 queries were extracted and used for this work. Issues investigated included query length, frequency and type of search options and Boolean operators used as well as their relationships with search failure. Among other findings, results indicate that a majority of the queries were simple, with short query lengths and a low usage of Boolean operators. Failure analysis revealed that on average, users had an almost equal chance of obtaining no records or at least one record to a submitted query. We propose enhancements and suggest future areas of work to improve the users’ search experience with the NTU OPAC.  相似文献   

Sir Bob Edwards: Salute to a giant     

Kamal Ahuja 《Resonance》2011,16(10):956-959

The 2010 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Dr. Robert Edwards for “the development of in vitro fertilization”. The Nobel Assembly stated that the vision Edwards had of discovering a treatment for infertility is now “a reality and brings joy to infertile people all over the world”. Indeed, looking back over my own familiarity with Edwards and with the treatment of infertility by in vitro fertilization (IVF), I can think of only very few — if any — disciplines in medicine that owe their origins and their progress so much to just one man. For Edwards it was his controversial experiments in oocyte maturation and fertilization that paved the way for IVF. With the gynaecologist Patrick Steptoe, he successfully pioneered the birth of the world’s first IVF baby in July 1978, and thereby, in that single event, opened the door to IVF for so many individuals and clinics around the world.  相似文献   

Approaches to studying and perceptions of the academic environment among university students in Pakistan     

Raza Ullah  Muhammad Hafeez 《Compare》2011,41(1):113-127

There has been a paucity of research on the experiences of students at Pakistani universities. A survey of over 900 students at two universities examined their approaches to studying and perceptions of their courses. Evidence was obtained for a deep approach, a surface approach and two aspects of a strategic approach. Their perceptions were based upon the instructional practices, the acquisition of generic skills, the appropriateness of the assessment and of their workload, and the available learning resources. A higher‐order analysis revealed two broad dimensions of the student experience in Pakistan. Students who had positive perceptions tended to adopt a deep approach, to prefer courses, teaching and assessment that supported their understanding and to be engaged and reliable in their studies. However, students who had negative perceptions tended to adopt a surface approach and to prefer courses, teaching and assessment that reinforced this approach through the bare transmission of information.  相似文献   

Multi-physics modelling and sensitivity analysis of olympic rowing boat dynamics     

Andrea Mola  Mehdi Ghommem  Muhammad Hajj 《Sports Engineering》2011,14(2-4):85-94

A multidisciplinary approach is implemented to model and analyse the performance of Olympic rowing boats. A reduced-order model that couples rowers motions with the hull, oars and hydrodynamic and hydrostatic forces is detailed. This model is complemented with a sensitivity analysis carried out by means of a non-intrusive polynomial chaos expansion. Sensitivity analysis results for two different boat classes, namely, a lightweight single scull and a coxless four are presented and discussed. This analysis contrasts, for both classes, the effects of varying forces exerted by the rowers, weights of rowers and cadence of motions on the boat performance.  相似文献