This thesis is an examination of the evolution of tech-assisted repression in Putin's Russia. The thesis uses a novel analytical framework called the T.E.A. table framework, which organizes repression into three categories: techniques (the repressive acts themselves), effects (short-to-medium term individual and communal effects), and arcs (large-scale societal shifts over long periods of time). This framework is "tested" against two influential texts in the study of non-democratic politics: The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt and Totalitarian and Authoritarian Regimes by Juan Jose Linz. The following chapters look at the techniques, effects, and arcs of television-based repression, social media-based repression, and finally artificial intelligence-based repression. As these technologies have been introduced, there has been a consisted trend toward centralization, control, and increasing the granularity, or the personalization and adaptability, of repression. / Master of Arts / Authoritarianism is a form of government that opposes democratic values such as freedom of speech, the right to free and fair elections, and checks and balances. Repression is a term that entails the many ways that an authoritarian leader tries to consolidate power without regard for freedoms or rights. Many authoritarian countries in the modern world use technology to help keep control over their citizens. This thesis looks at how different technologies have been used by an authoritarian regime, in this case Russia under Vladimir Putin, in order to maintain control and restrict civil liberties and political rights. The technologies being looked at are television, social media, and artificial intelligence. The main findings are that these technologies are all being used in very different ways in order to reach some end goals: increased control over the activities of citizens, an increased amount of repressive technology in the country, and an increased amount of personalization in the repression citizens interact with, because personalized repression is more effective than non-personalized repression.

Esta pesquisa focaliza práticas e eventos de letramento observados no ensino de leitura em inglês de duas escolas do Ensino Médio (uma pública e outra particular). A partir da análise interpretativa de vários excertos de exercícios, de fragmentos de entrevista gravada em áudio com as professoras e de depoimentos de alunos, colhidos por meio de questionário, identificamos concepções de linguagem e de educação semelhantes nas duas escolas investigadas. Verificamos também regularidades no que diz respeito ao paradigma de aprendizado curricular, presente nas duas escolas, assim como notamos contradições entre o que é realizado nas escolas e as práticas de leitura e de aprendizado interativo desenvolvido pelos alunos fora da escola, possibilidades geradas a partir de novas tecnologias de informação e comunicação. Por entender que a abordagem qualitativa seja a mais adequada aos objetivos propostos, convivemos com a realidade da sala de aula para a coleta de dados, utilizando procedimentos e instrumentos característicos da pesquisa de cunho etnográfico. Por meio de triangulação das informações obtidas, selecionamos práticas e eventos de letramento significativos para uma análise interpretativa, apoiando-nos em teorias de base sociológica postuladas na década de 1990, como a do Letramento Crítico (Critical Literacy), concepção desenvolvida sob o termo guarda-chuva de Novos Letramentos (New Literacy Studies). Também adotamos os Multiletramentos (Multiliteracies), cujo foco está centrado em dois aspectos das sociedades contemporâneas: primeiro, a interação de fronteiras lingüísticas e culturais dentro de e entre sociedades, e, segundo, a multimodalidade, múltiplos modos de construção de significado, envolvendo o lingüístico, o visual e o sonoro, dentre outros meios semióticos que integram a crescente tendência de textos mediados por novas tecnologias. Nas duas instituições participantes dessa pesquisa observamos práticas e eventos de letramento similares, apontando para uma concepção de educação e de linguagem convencionais que não correspondem às necessidades da sociedade contemporânea que integra globalmente a produção e a distribuição de palavras, sons e imagens, interativamente. Portanto, o resultado das análises indica uma necessidade de revisão nas concepções de leitura, aprendizagem, linguagem e de conhecimento estabelecidas nas escolas, de modo a promover a re-estruturação e a adequação de práticas que correspondam às exigências da sociedade pós-industrial, fundada em novas tecnologias de informação e comunicação. / The focus of this research is on literacy practices and literacy events observed for the teaching of reading in English in two high schools (a private one and a public one). Analyzing several excerpts of exercises, fragments of the interviews held with the teachers as well as the answers of the students to a questionnaire, we have identified similar conceptions of language and education in both schools. We have also observed regularities related to the curricular learning paradigm that dominates both institutions, as well as contradictions between the practices developed inside the school and the practices that take place out-of-school, through an interactive learning paradigm enabled by information and communication technologies. A qualitative approach is adopted as well as the procedures that belong to ethnographic research, since the instruments are best suitable to the objectives proposed by a research that requires participation and observation about literacy practices and events that take place in the classrooms. The data collected and triangulated supplied information to interpretive analyses through the lenses of a sociological perspective developed in the 1990\'s known as Critical Literacy, an approach to literacy designed under the umbrella term of New Literacy Studies. We also use the concept of Multiliteracies, which focuses on two key aspects of contemporary societies: first, the interaction of cultural and linguistic boundaries within and between societies and second, multimodality, multiple modes of meaning making: linguistic, visual, auditory among other semiotic media that are an increasing tendency in texts mediated by new technologies. We have observed similar literacy practices and events in both institutions indicating that conventional conceptions of education and language that have been used to the teaching of reading in English do not correspond to the needs of a networking society that integrates globally the production and distribution of words, sounds and images interactively. The research analyses indicate the need of a revision in the concepts of reading, learning, language and knowledge that have been used in schools in order to re-structure and adequate the practices to the demands of a post-industrial society based on information and communication technologies.

<p>The study seeks to investigate the perceived lack of coordination, integration, and coherence among units of government as related to eGovernment. The nature of the study is qualitative with a focus on the use of eGovernment in the public sector and whether it can facilitate intergovernmental forums business processes in an effective and efficient manner. The scope of the study is confined to the intergovernmental fiscal system but focused on eGovernment, intergovernmental relations, and cooperative governance. The primary objective of the study is to explore the use of eGovernment whether it can facilitate, coordinate, and integrate intergovernmental relations. Some studies portray that there are challenges in the coordination of intergovernmental forums which have resulted into a disintegration of services. The study further investigates options that could mitigate these challenges through acknowledging the effective application of ICTs (eGovernment) in government services. The study has found that South Africa has a functioning system of intergovernmental which are not effectively coordinated in terms of engaging each other in matters of mutual interest. On the other hand, eGovernment promised to bring about cohesion and transparency when they are effectively employed. The study revealed that the application of eGovernment in the intergovernmental forums has the capability to improve their operations, respond to its ineffective coordination and improve delivery of services. In a nutshell, the study has found that there is a need for a radical planning outlook that recognises proper utilization of eGovernment in the intergovernmental forums to promote cooperative governance.</p>

Nowadays a company’s focus has shifted from a product-centric view to a more customer-centric view. Customers play a major role for doing business with companies. That leads to the purpose of this research, which is to identify critical factors of CRM implementation and to gain a deeper understanding of how companies deal with those critical factors. This was done with the help of a qualitative method, where six case companies were taken under the research. These six case companies are operating in different industries (1) laundry system industry, (2) printing industry and (3) heavy industry. In addition, the aim of this thesis was to find out how CRM implementation is influenced by critical factors in terms of CRM process and CRM system, interaction of sales force, information / communication flow and organizational structure / culture. The main points which influence the critical factors of CRM implementation were (1) customer-focused, (2) create trust, (3) sharing information and knowledge and (4) decision-making. To overcome these points at first companies need to be customer-focused their sales force need to be able to create trust with customers. Also it is important that companies have a well-implemented information / communication flow to optimise the decision-making process. Within the research more points for how an international organization can manage these critical factors are described. The collected data was analysed with the help of the theoretical framework. The conclusion could be drawn that, a well implemented CRM would help companies to build a better customer relationship and to be able to know as much about customers as possible.

The opportunities of the information communication technologies in the art lessons in the education of the teenagers’ social abilities are discussed in this work. In the introduction of the work the urgency of the theme is argued. As nowadays in the school of the general education it is important to use the information communication technologies (ICT) as much positive as possible using them as benevolent medium to the psycho social development of a teenager and taking into account every teenager’s cultural and social experience, abilities and individual opportunities. In the introduction the problems of this work are formed, the hypothesis is risen and the methods which were adapted in the work are indicated. In order to ground the aiming of the information communication technologies in the art lessons, upbringing teenagers’ social abilities theoretically, the understanding of upbringing and the understanding of the information communication technologies and information communication technologies as the development of the social form which shows teenagers’ psycho social development is benevolent time for using ICT. All this lets us to make the precondition that socialization problem is very urgent this time and positive, productive, creative teenagers’ communication should be induced and trained in every possible way, including art lessons which form peculiarly benevolent socialization conditions. In the second part of this work the opportunities in the content of the... [to full text]

Šiuo metu Lietuvoje nėra centralizuotos skatinimo bei paramos programos naudoti vaizdo konferencijas mokyklose. Stebimi pavieniai aktyvesnių mokyklų atvejai. Lietuvoje vaizdo konferencijos mokyklose labai mažai naudojamos, tai įtakoja: - Ne visos mokyklos turi pakankamą perdavimo spartą ir ryšio kokybę reikalingą norint realizuoti vaizdo konferencijas (dauguma mokyklų prijungtos radijo ryšiu). - Vaizdo konferencijoms yra reikalinga speciali įranga (pvz., kameros, mikrofonai, projektoriai, ekranai). - Vaizdo konferencijas reikia kruopščiai suplanuoti, reikalingos tam tikros techninės žinios bei įgūdžiai, jų organizavimas reikalauja atitinkamo pasirengimo. - Iniciatyvos trūkumas plėtoti tokią paslaugą mokyklų lygmenyje. Darbo tikslas – ištirti ir įvertinti vaizdo konferencijų galimybes Lietuvos mokyklose, prijungtose prie akademinio tinklo LITNET. Darbo tikslui įgyvendinti buvo iškelti tokie uždaviniai: - Informacinių komunikacinių technologijų privalumų įvertinimas; - Kitų šalių patirties analizė diegiant vaizdo konferencijas; - Vaizdo konferencijų galimybių apžvalga; - Vaizdo konferencijų technologijų nagrinėjimas; - Sprendimo reikalingo vaizdo konferencijoms mokyklose prijungtose prie LITNET tinklo organizuoti ir vykdyti analizė ir parinkimas; - Pateikti vaizdo konferencijų naudojimo mokymosi vadovą (kursą) mokytojams, norintiems išbandyti šią technologiją mokyme. / There are no centralized support and motivation system for using videoconferencing at schools in Lithuania. In this research project were measured advantages of Information Communication Technologies for learning and teaching process, analyzed videoconference’s experience at schools of United Kingdom and treated situation of Lithuanian schools connected to academic and research network LITNET. Also, there were proposed possible videoconferencing solutions according to school network connection type. The main problem of organizing videoconferences at schools – lack of teacher’s qualification and knowledge of videoconferences. There was created distance learning course “Videoconferences at schools” with purpose to encourage schools to use videoconferences. The object of this work is videoconferencing in Lithuania Schools connected to academical computer network LITNET. The problems: - Not all schools have enough bandwidth and required connectivity quality to use good quality videoconferencing (mostly connected using wireless technology); - For using videoconferences schools need to buy special equipment; - Videoconferencing needs careful planning; there are needs of special knowledge and experience for school personal. Use of videoconferences at schools provides great possibilities to active pupils learning; also provide content from remote locations. For schools that are connected with low bandwidth technology (wireless) the best solution to implement videoconferencing is to... [to full text]

Siekiant išspręsti didelio studijuojančiųjų bei norinčių studijuoti geografinio išsibarstymo bei laiko, galimo skirti studijoms, stokos problemas Kauno medicinos universitete įsteigtas nuotolinių studijų centras. Tačiau, pradėjus rengti nuotolines studijas, susidurta su Studentų bei dėstytojų kompiuterinio raštingumo stokos, mažo studentų aktyvumo paskaitose bei atliekant užduotis, nuolatinio vėlavimo atsiskaityti bei nepakankamo studijų dalyvių tarpusavio bendravimo problemomis. Atlikus sinchroninių ir asinchroninių informacinių komunikacinių technologijų lyginamąją analizę medicinos specialistų tęstinio mokymo nuotoliniu būdu aspektu įvertinta, jog asinchroninės komunikacinės priemonės studentams yra daug priimtinesnės ir tinkamesnės mokymosi procesui. Dažniausiai ir efektyviausiai naudojama priemonė yra elektroninis paštas. Siekiant bent dalinai išspręsti kursų organizaciniame etape kylančias problemas bei tokiu būdu užtikrinti teikiamų kursų kokybę, sukurta studentų savalaikio informavimo sistema, kurios pagrindinė funkcija yra laiku informuoti studentus apie artėjančius atsiskaitymus, paskaitas ar kitus įvykius elektroninio pašto žinute. Tyrimas rodo, kad studentų savalaikio informavimo sistemos veiksmingumas pasiteisino, todėl tikėtina, kad ši sistema bus plačiai naudojama ateityje rengiant medicinos specialistų nuotolinio mokymo programas. / Distance learning center was established in Kaunas medical university trying to solve the problems of large distribution of students and lack of time, that could be spent on learning,. When distance education was started, new problems were encountered: weak computer knowledge of students and teachers; low activity in video lectures and performance of tasks; permanent lateness with performing task or taking tests; not enough of communication between participants of studies. Synchronous and Asynchronous information communication technologies comparative analyses in aspect of continuous medical distance education showed, that asynchronous communication technologies are more suitable and preferable for the process of studying. Most frequently and most effectively used asynchronous communication technology is e-mail. Trying to solve problems occurring in the stage of presenting distance courses and thereby to ensure the quality of courses, well-timed information system for students was constructed. Main function of the system is to inform students about the forthcoming events – tests, videoconferences, group discussions and etc., by sending e-mail messages. The investigation shows that well-timed information system for students is effective, so, most probably, it will be used in future distance courses in Kaunas medical university.

<p>The study seeks to investigate the perceived lack of coordination, integration, and coherence among units of government as related to eGovernment. The nature of the study is qualitative with a focus on the use of eGovernment in the public sector and whether it can facilitate intergovernmental forums business processes in an effective and efficient manner. The scope of the study is confined to the intergovernmental fiscal system but focused on eGovernment, intergovernmental relations, and cooperative governance. The primary objective of the study is to explore the use of eGovernment whether it can facilitate, coordinate, and integrate intergovernmental relations. Some studies portray that there are challenges in the coordination of intergovernmental forums which have resulted into a disintegration of services. The study further investigates options that could mitigate these challenges through acknowledging the effective application of ICTs (eGovernment) in government services. The study has found that South Africa has a functioning system of intergovernmental which are not effectively coordinated in terms of engaging each other in matters of mutual interest. On the other hand, eGovernment promised to bring about cohesion and transparency when they are effectively employed. The study revealed that the application of eGovernment in the intergovernmental forums has the capability to improve their operations, respond to its ineffective coordination and improve delivery of services. In a nutshell, the study has found that there is a need for a radical planning outlook that recognises proper utilization of eGovernment in the intergovernmental forums to promote cooperative governance.</p>

Master's paper (MSLS)--University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2001. / Also available in PDF via the World Wide Web.

Master's paper (M.S.I.S.)--University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2003. / "January 2003." Bibliography: p. 32-33. Also available in PDF via the World Wide Web.