Thesis (M.S.C.I.T.)--Regis University, Denver, Colo., 2007. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Oct. 30, 2007). Includes bibliographical references.

Through mixed-methods research, this dissertation details the regionally variegated and place-specific software production processes in three second-tier US software regions. I focus on the relationship between different industrial, firm, and worker production configurations and broad-based economic development, prosperity, and inequality. I develop four main empirical findings. First, I argue for a periodization of software production that tracks with changes in software laboring activity, software technologies, and wage-employment relationships. Through a GIS-based method, I use the IPUMS-USA to extensively measure the amount and type of software labor in industries across the US between 1970 and 2015. I map the uneven geography of software labor that produces different clusters of various software occupations. Second, I argue that between each software period, locational windows provide an opportunity for second-tier software regions to challenge Silicon Valley. I combine the IPUMS-USA dataset with interviews of software workers to analyze forms of regionally specific modes of production in Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, and Austin, Texas. I trace how software production in these three cities evolves between each software period, taking on different spatial configurations, firm strategies, labor practices, and technological characteristics. Third, I argue that software labor is hyper-sensitive to deskilling because of software production activity produces software. I combine occupation classifications and interviews with software workers to interrogate the ever-present need for software workers to learn the newest development practices and software languages as firms seek to automate software production. I define five key moments since the 1970s that exemplify software labor market dualization and segmentation. Using interviews, and conference observations, I find that community-based organizations and labor market intermediaries locally mitigate the structural tendencies toward labor market dualization and segmentation. I argue that without intervention, the layered and bifurcated labor market for software production reproduces existing inequalities. Further, the organizational, technological, and spatial changes in software production reduce the potential for equitable wealth production. Ultimately, this dissertation argues for the importance of labor organizing in software, contributing empirical and theoretical work in a lineage of regional-based industrial restructuring literature. The regional and industrial geographies produced by and out of software production are significant forces in the economy at regional and national scales. I connect this process to the feminization of other industries, noting how the technical nature of software production structurally genders and racializes the labor force. Leveraging a labor feminization framework highlights the flexibilization of labor and the rift between the pace of software skill building and technological development. Both software production and regional economies are necessary entry points to understand new capitalist relations. Understanding these new relations thus requires examining how configurations of software production differ across regions, how they impact industry and regional economic development outcomes, and how they weaken or strengthen actions of local workers, local organizations, and local firms. These processes offer a glimpse into how the contemporary moment of production differs from other moments of production. Armed with this understanding, this research will be able to connect industry and regional economic-development outcomes to regionally specific modes of production, answering relevant software-based economic-development policy questions.

Augmented Reality is one of the hottest trends in mobile media, yet there is a substantial lack of user studies within this field of research. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the value of mobile augmented reality as a vehicle for information delivery on the basis of a usability and design analysis. Using a multi-­dimensional qualitative method, this study examines the impressions of users and designers regarding mobile augmented reality, along with a heuristic evaluation of select mobile applications. This analysis finds that (1) users believe mobile augmented reality offers great promise as a medium for visual communication, and (2) it’s current execution is limited by technical restraints, design flaws and a lack of compelling content. It is concluded that mobile augmented reality will one day revolutionize how consumers engage geographical and time-basedinformation. Yet, like all new technologies, mobile augmented reality needs time to mature in order to address these limitations. Finally, based on the findings of this study, this thesis offers suggested guidelines for future developments in this medium. / Department of Telecommunications

Mobile agents hold significant benefits for the rapid expansion of Internet applications and current trends in computing. Despite continued interest, the promised deployment has not taken place, indicating a need for a programming model to introduce novice mobile agent programmers to this environment/paradigm. Accordingly the research question asked was, ”Since novice mobile agent programmers1 require a paradigm shift to construct successful systems, how can they be equipped to grasp the contextual issues and gain the necessary skills within reasonable time limits?” To answer the question, a complete reference providing contextual information and knowledge of mobile agent system development was compiled. Simultaneously novices are introduced to agent orientation. A generic mobile agent system architectural model, incorporating guidelines for programming mobile agents, further provides a framework that can be used to design a mobile agent system. These two structures are presented in a knowledge base that serves as a referencing tool to unlock concepts and knowledge units to novices while developing mobile agent systems. / Computing / (M.Sc. (Computer Science))

Mobile agents hold significant benefits for the rapid expansion of Internet applications and current trends in computing. Despite continued interest, the promised deployment has not taken place, indicating a need for a programming model to introduce novice mobile agent programmers to this environment/paradigm. Accordingly the research question asked was, ”Since novice mobile agent programmers1 require a paradigm shift to construct successful systems, how can they be equipped to grasp the contextual issues and gain the necessary skills within reasonable time limits?” To answer the question, a complete reference providing contextual information and knowledge of mobile agent system development was compiled. Simultaneously novices are introduced to agent orientation. A generic mobile agent system architectural model, incorporating guidelines for programming mobile agents, further provides a framework that can be used to design a mobile agent system. These two structures are presented in a knowledge base that serves as a referencing tool to unlock concepts and knowledge units to novices while developing mobile agent systems. / Computing / (M.Sc. (Computer Science))

The object-oriented paradigm is widely advocated and has been used in South African universities since the late 1990s. Object-oriented computer programming is based on the object-oriented paradigm where objects are the building blocks that combine data and methods in the same entity. Students' performance in object-oriented programming (OOP) is a matter of concern. In many cases they lack the ability to apply various supportive techniques in the process of programming. Efficient knowledge, skills and strategies are required during problem solving to enhance the programming process. It is often assumed that students implicitly and independently master these high-level knowledge, skills and strategies, and that teaching should focus on programming content and coding structures only. However, to be successful in the complex domain of OOP, explicit learning of both programming and supportive cognitive techniques is required. The objective of this study was to identify cognitive, metacognitive and problem-solving knowledge, skills and strategies used by successful and unsuccessful programmers in OOP. These activities were identified and evaluated in an empirical research study. A mixed research design was used, where both qualitative and quantitative methods were applied to analyse participants' data. As a qualitative research practice, grounded theory was applied to guide the systematic collection of data and to generate theory. The findings suggest that successful programmers applied significantly more cognitive-, metacognitive- and problem-solving knowledge, skills and strategies, also using a greater variety, than the unsuccessful programmers. Since programming is complex, we propose a learning repertoire based on the approaches of successful programmers, to serve as an integrated framework to support novices in learning OOP. Various techniques should be used during problem solving and programming to meaningfully construct, explicitly reflect on, and critically select appropriate knowledge, skills and strategies so as to better understand, design, code and test programs. Some examples of teaching practices are also outlined as application of the findings of the study. / Mathematical Sciences / PhD. (Nathematics, Science and Tecnical Education)

The object-oriented paradigm is widely advocated and has been used in South African universities since the late 1990s. Object-oriented computer programming is based on the object-oriented paradigm where objects are the building blocks that combine data and methods in the same entity. Students' performance in object-oriented programming (OOP) is a matter of concern. In many cases they lack the ability to apply various supportive techniques in the process of programming. Efficient knowledge, skills and strategies are required during problem solving to enhance the programming process. It is often assumed that students implicitly and independently master these high-level knowledge, skills and strategies, and that teaching should focus on programming content and coding structures only. However, to be successful in the complex domain of OOP, explicit learning of both programming and supportive cognitive techniques is required. The objective of this study was to identify cognitive, metacognitive and problem-solving knowledge, skills and strategies used by successful and unsuccessful programmers in OOP. These activities were identified and evaluated in an empirical research study. A mixed research design was used, where both qualitative and quantitative methods were applied to analyse participants' data. As a qualitative research practice, grounded theory was applied to guide the systematic collection of data and to generate theory. The findings suggest that successful programmers applied significantly more cognitive-, metacognitive- and problem-solving knowledge, skills and strategies, also using a greater variety, than the unsuccessful programmers. Since programming is complex, we propose a learning repertoire based on the approaches of successful programmers, to serve as an integrated framework to support novices in learning OOP. Various techniques should be used during problem solving and programming to meaningfully construct, explicitly reflect on, and critically select appropriate knowledge, skills and strategies so as to better understand, design, code and test programs. Some examples of teaching practices are also outlined as application of the findings of the study. / Mathematical Sciences / PhD. (Nathematics, Science and Tecnical Education)