Dinner For One, a hypermedia poetry thesis, explores the themes of aloneness, sexuality, independence, and journeys of discovery and distance. The Chinese zodiac stamps used as navigational elements in Dinner for One and the prose poems written as postcards to oneself an others reinforce the notion of travel. The fortunes from Chinese cookies give prophecies and horoscopes, reminding us of our fate, which is beyond our conrol. Dinner For One means to question, through poetry and interactive, hypertextual reading techniques, how much faith and trust we should hold in influences outside of our lives. The poems in this thesis are meant to be an examination of what we tell ourselves and, sometimes, make ourselves believe.This multimedia, interactive presentation is written with Macromedia 2000. To view the executable file, you must first download it to your computer. It compatible with PC Windows 95/98/NT and best viewed with 800x600 high color resolution on a 17" or larger monitor. To close the document, press the ESC key. The Chinese Zodiac stamps are courtesy of http://www.post.gov.tw/estamp/

This thesis explores the evolution of Alessandra Torres's work, from her early performances and installations, to her latest work with surrogate bodies, as she challenges the relationship between artist and their creation, body and object, and audience and art. Examining the work of artists such as Cindy Sherman, Rebecca Horn and Marina Abramovic, Torres explores the transformative capabilities of interactive sculpture and live performance. Join Ms. Torres as she transforms herself into everything from a paintbrush to a serpent, in her ongoing exploration of the body's ability to adapt and evolve.

Integrating new-media nonfiction into secondary-level English provides an efficient and effective resource in teaching modern literacy, which requires an understanding of the participatory element of communication today. Messages can be consumed and created among multimodalities and multimedia. The form and interactivity of a publication can affect its interpretation. Technology extends students' publishing capabilities and their reach to a bounty of discourse communities.This thesis, which is available in conventional hard copy and electronic forms, explores the definitions of New Media and modern literacy, how teachers can adopt the use of New Media nonfiction, and the resources needed to do so. A case study stands as a practical example. The Participatory Element Cone measures a publication's interactivity and sensory stimulation. The thesis is broken into modules, rather than chapters, so that the reader can choose to follow it linearly or to use the paper more as a manual and enter it at any point.

This diploma thesis presents the simulation of the high frequency trading (HFT) strategies on electronic markets such as NASDAQ. The simulation is based on merging real historical order flow data and order flow of artificial trading agents representing new HFT strategies. This concept has not yet been widely discussed elsewhere. The problems discussed include: processing order flow market data, very precise time referencing, parametric reaction latency, various order types distinction etc. The design and the implementation of simulation process are presented, with respect to high computational requirements, modularizable strategies implementation and parallelization of whole simulation. In the final part of the work, we discuss the implementation and the results of a simulation of a simple HFT strategy.

The purpose of the present thesis is to create an understanding of entrepreneurship interpreted as communicative action. This is done through reflections on an interactive study that was planned and conducted together with members of a civic network-organization called Societal Change in Practice (SIP). According to Habermas, civic organizations are ideally characterized by a communicative rationality that enables them to organize informal public spheres; that is, arenas in social life where individuals can come together to discuss and act upon societal problems or opportunities that they have experienced in their private life-spheres. I have actively participated in three ventures with members from SIP. The first venture revolves around my own and members from SIP’s respective practices as education coordinators. Based on our common interest in education and learning in relation to entrepreneurship, we planned and conducted a series of joint activities that also involved our respective student groups. The activities are interpreted based on my own personal experiences as a researcher participating in a project that requires commitment and responsibility. The second venture involves the creation of a local community magazine that highlights examples of civic initiatives in two municipalities. The production of the magazine is interpreted as an example of how SIP creates public opinion in the local community. The third event relates to the organization of a conference on the subject of youth and digital media. The main message of the conference is interpreted in terms of a manifestation of what the public sphere can accomplish, or as a reaction in defense of a well-functioning public sphere in society. The methodological contribution of the thesis is its definition of three interactive research roles based on my own interaction as a researcher in different kinds of ventures. Based on a theatrical metaphor, I argue that the researcher can participate as one of the directors of a venture, as a member of the ensemble that performs a venture, or as a member of the audience that observes an event. The theoretical contribution of the study is that it shows how Habermas’ theory of communicative action can be modified and made useful as a theoretical frame of reference for studying entrepreneurship in civil society. Entrepreneurship is understood as a way to vitalize the informal public sphere, thereby influencing society as a whole and not just its economy.

La démarche artistique à laquelle se lie ce travail de thèse est le fruit d’interrogations sur ce qui constitue les liens kinesthésiques et perceptuels à l’environnement. Ralliées à ces explorations, les technologies de l’interactivité, issues de la pensée cybernétique et de l’essor de l’informatique, permettent l’instauration de scénographies qui se construisent par interférence avec la corporéité,dans son caractère autopoïétique, au travers des dispositifs d’interfaces. L’interactivité est appréhendéeici dans son volet hypermédia. Cette thèse est l’expression d’un travail de recherches pratiqueset théoriques. Le premier axe de recherche concerne directement les enjeux relationnels entre plasticité etcorporéité. Les premières lignes de notre développement sont consacrées aux modes de relations au sein de la plasticité des installations immersives. Par les scénographies interactives, corps et espace se tissent de façon complexe. Ces scénographies permettent l’apparition de nouveaux possibles kinesthésiques et sensoriels.Le second axe concerne les enjeux d’une spectatorialité spécifique. Par filiation à des démarches antérieures, on identifie un déplacement épistémologique de la notion d’espace qui s’effectue par l’intégration d’espaces computationnels hypermédias à l’espace topologique. Le spectateur devenu interacteur (Couchot, Weisseberg) accède à des conduites auctoriales. Cette idée d’auctorialité n’est-Elle pas à modérer au regard des contraintes exercées par le dispositif ? La dialectiqueentre contrainte et liberté est abordée en termes de territoires d’action programmée en rapport à des territoires d’action individualisée. Les thèses de Steigler permettent de considérer le spectateur comme praticien de l’espace plastique. L’auctorialité spectatorielle fait alors l’objet d’une poïétique de l’empreinte. Le troisième axe est consacré aux enjeux poïétiques (Passseron) des technologies interactives ralliées à une démarche plasticienne. Méta-Outils, l’interactivité et les outils numériques qu’elle sollicite dans la constitution de médias favorisent une nouvelle approche de l’atelier. La multiplicité de compétences que nécessite cette pratique ouvre des considérations poïétiques quant aux pratiquescollectives. L’identification d’une culture propre aux arts numériques comme champ transdisciplinaire souligne l’influence d’un terrain professionnel constitué autour de ces pratiques. La pratique de l’interactivité, par l’expérimentation, se singularise alors au sein d’une démarche de création-Recherche- profession. / The present dissertation partakes of an ongoing inquiry into our kinesthetic experience and the influence of the environment on our perceptions. The technologies of interactivity, which stem from cybernetics and from the rise of computer technology, are major tools in this exploration, as they enable the emergence of scenographies whose specificity is the way they integrate corporeality in its autopoieticdimension, by means of the interface-Based devices.This dissertation is the product of research work of a practical and of a theoretical nature. The first part tackles the question of what is at stake, in relationships, between plasticity and corporeality. A few paragraphs are devoted to modes of interaction in the context of immersive plasticity. In interactive scenographies, body and space are complexly interconnected. The scenographies lead to the emergence of new cognitive possibilities, notably at the level of the sensory-Motor perception patterns. They are explored through the practice of installation. The second part focuses on the stakes of a specific spectaroriality. Following previous approaches, we proposeto identify an epistemological shift of the notion of space which occurs with the integration of hypermedia computationalareas into the topological field. Being thus made an interactor, the spectator becomes a potential author. The notion of auctoriality is tempered in the way of constraint caused by the apparatus. By resorting to systemic thought and relying on theanalysis of our productions, we can define the dialectic between constraint and freedom as programmed action fields inrelation with individual action fields. Steigler’s theory enables us to regard the spectator as a practician-Body in the plasticsphere. The third part deals with the poietics of interaction technologies, on which is brought to bear an approach focusingon plasticity. As metatools, the interactivity and the digital tools it requires in the constitution of media promote a new approach to the worshop. The multiplicity of skills this practice involves leads to poietic considerations as regards collective practices.The identification of a culture specific to digital art as a cross-Disciplinary field underlines the influence of a professional field established around these practices. Interactivity practice, by experimentation, stends out in a creation-Research-Profession process.

ABSTRACT This phenomenological study examines knowledge acquisition and the environmental practices of Shitlhelani community members in relation to the uses and benefits of electricity. Prior to the installation of electricity, the main source of fuel was wood which villagers gathered from the natural vegetation surrounding their village. ESKOM installed electricity to the village in 1985 and 1994, however deforestation of the surrounding area continued. This research study draws primarily on a qualitative research paradigm, using participant observation; semi-structured interviews and document analysis, to investigate the relationship between knowledge and the development of healthy environmental practices. The qualitative research paradigm allows insight into the social context and experiences of the Shitlhelani villagers in order to understand the complexities and diversity of their daily lives. The study’s main findings highlight the need to recognise and value the existence of social networks, and the importance of fostering collaborative learning within communities to achieve collective action. Developing social capital as a framework that supports the process of learning through interaction is necessary if the Shitlhelani villagers wish to develop their community educationally, socially, economically and environmentally.

A Universidade do Estado do Amazonas UEA, no âmbito de seu crescimento cultural, regional e educacional tem realizado um esforço visando expandir para grande parte dos Municípios do Amazonas, o conhecimento, e a busca pela qualificação profissional, através de projetos relacionados ao ensino presencial mediado por TV. A Educação à Distância - EAD hoje já é uma realidade e encontra-se em uso e destaca-se com êxito no Estado do Amazonas, a idéia então é contextualizar o cenário e estudar recursos e/ou ferramentas que possibilitem desenvolver um protótipo que permita visualizar o conhecimento obtido pelo aluno na disciplina ministrada, permitindo uma interatividade em tempo real do professor com os alunos por meio da televisão. A proposta é o desenvolvimento de um modelo educacional interativo utilizando recursos da tecnologia de TV Digital que possibilite aos professores titulares dos cursos do sistema presencial mediado por tecnologia da UEA obter uma realimentação em tempo real do aprendizado dos alunos. / The University of the State of Amazon - UEA, in the extent of its growth cultural, regional and education has been accomplishing an effort seeking to expand for great part of the Municipal districts of Amazon, the knowledge, and the search for the professional qualification, through projects related to the teaching presence courses mediated by TV. The Education the Distance Learning today is already a reality and it is in use and stands out with success in the State of Amazon, the idea then is contextualize the scenery and to study resources and/or tools that make possible to develop a prototype gone back to an interactive application. Creating like this, an infrastructure using education platforms at the distance and adapting the proposed prototype. The proposal is to develop an educacional model learning using interactive technology features digital TV to professors holders of the courses system presence mediated by technology of UEA to obtain a real time feedback of student learning.

Thesis advisor: Laura M. O'Dwyer / Youth civic participation is at alarmingly low levels. In 2014, nearly 80% of eligible 18-29 year-olds did not vote in the midterm election (CIRCLE, 2014). Other forms of civic engagement are also at starkly low levels: less than one in ten 18-29 year-olds report contacting a public official, boycotting a product, or frequently expressing political opinions on the internet (U.S. Census Bureau, 2014). Historically, schools have been tasked with preparing students with the knowledge and skills to be active democratic citizens. However, few studies have examined the role of teachers in fostering students' civic knowledge and skills. This study used data from the 2010 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 8th grade civics assessment to analyze the relationships between teacher participation in professional learning, use of interactive instructional practices, and student achievement in civics. Participation in professional learning significantly predicted both interactive instruction and student achievement: a one standard deviation increase in professional learning was associated with a predicted .32 standard deviation increase in interactive instructional practices, and a predicted .045 standard deviation increase in student achievement. There was no significant difference between more traditional and communities of practice based forms of professional development in their relationships with interactive instructional practices and student civic achievement. Interactive instructional practices were also significantly associated with increases in student achievement on NAEP civics, but the effect size was small: a one standard deviation increase in interactive instruction was related to a predicted .03 standard deviation increase in student achievement. Moreover, the relationship between interactive instruction and student achievement was curvilinear; high levels of interactive instruction were associated with decreases in student achievement. The study did not find any evidence that teacher participation in professional learning increased the effectiveness of interactive instructional practices. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2015. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation.

Esta dissertação associa a cerâmica às novas tecnologias do computador objetivando a criação de um CD-ROM híbrido. Trabalho que se realiza na construção de uma grande rede tramada com a poética da terra, dos devaneios da matéria, da massa e do fogo, do laborioso jogo do fazer com as mãos, com a poética do virtual, da extensão do corpo, do caminho labiríntico que se desdobra em muitas possibilidades no instante de um clicar eletrônico. Ao longo do desenvolvimento deste CD-ROM, imagens poéticas estarão entrelaçadas às informações e conhecimento científico sobre o assunto. A partir do conceito de trama é desenvolvida, com registros fotográficos e em vídeos, uma pesquisa pessoal com o material cerâmico em ateliê. Imagens destes trabalhos são utilizadas ao longo da construção do objeto CD-ROM assim como a de outras produções. Neste CD apresentam-se alguns profissionais brasileiros, que utilizam a cerâmica como suporte para sua expressão plástica, seus trabalhos, além de diversas técnicas e processos deste fazer. Todo o conteúdo informativo poderá ser acessado e enriquecido através da interatividade possibilitada pela hipermídia. Trata-se, portanto, de um trabalho que enfoca o individual e o coletivo. Utilizou-se para este desenvolvimento conceitos da área da comunicação e informática, tais como multimídia, hipermídia, hipertexto, interatividade, labirinto e rizoma, entre outros. / This issues associated with ceramic to the new technologies of computer and its goals on the creation of a hybrid CD-ROM. This work takes place in the construction of a great net schemed with the poetic of the earth, of the fantasy of the matter, of the mass and of the fire, the laborious game of doing with hands, with poetic of the virtual, of the extension of the body, of the labyrinth road that is unfolded in a lot of possibility in the moment of electronic clicks. Along the development of this CD-ROM, poetic of images will be interlaced to the information and scientific knowledge on the subject. It starts from the plot concept and it is developed with photographic registration and video, also with a personal research with the ceramic material in atelier. Image of these works have been used along the construction of this CD-ROM, as well as one of another productions. In this CD there are some Brazilians professionals that use the ceramic as support for its plastic expression in their works, besides several techniques and processes of this. The whole informative content can be accessed and enriched, through the integrate possibility for the hypermedia. It is, therefore, a work that focuses the individual and the collectively. It was used for this development several concepts of the area of the communication and computer science as multimedia, hypermedia, hypertext, interactive, labyrinth and rhizome among others.