Thesis (MTech (Information Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / The implosion of the mobile phones, mobile applications and social media in recent years has triggered a great interest for more dedicated user-generated contents. Mobile users being the focal point, these modern virtual platforms depend on and live for collecting, structuring and manipulating the very fine-grained details about users' day-to-day activities. Since every human activity takes place in a geographical context, location information ranks high among the set of data to gather about user's daily life. User's specific location details can help filter content to serve and retrieve from them. Therefore, location-based services have been developed and successfully integrated into most virtual platforms in the quest for these precious data. However, location-based services do not fulfil all requirements. They depend on a range of positioning systems which show numerous limitations. None of the existing positioning systems is perfectly accurate. Today, it is therefore difficult to pinpoint a user in a venue using location-based services. Nevertheless, with the set of existing technology and techniques, it is possible to estimate and track users’ whereabouts in real-time. Providing the best possible estimation of user's position within a given venue can help achieve better user engagement. Depending on the gap of accuracy, the end result may actually match the outcome expected from perfectly accurate positioning systems. In this work, the focus is to develop a prototype positioning system which provides the best estimation of user's position in real-time in relation to a targeted venue or location. Through a series of research and comparison study, the most suited technology and techniques are objectively selected to build the intended prototype. The challenge of indoor positioning is also addressed in this work – bearing in mind the fact that this prototype is set to work accurately and efficiently in any geographical location and structure. The prototype is evaluated according to a set of predefined standard metrics, and theories are extracted to grow knowledge about this trending topic.

Acompanha : Telefone celular: possibilidades de mediação pedagógica no espaço educativo / Na atualidade, existem diversos fatores que sugerem a necessidade de a escola rever as suas práticas de ensino: a rapidez com que as tecnologias de informação e comunicação – TIC – se alastram pela sociedade e, em especial, a utilização crescente do telefone celular por faixas etárias em idade escolar; o poder de convergência dessas TIC integrando recursos tecnológicos que podem ser utilizados como recursos didáticos; o fato de os estudantes atuais crescerem em um mundo tecnológico e apresentarem os seus padrões de pensamento funcionando de acordo com essa realidade; etc. Em contrapartida, observam-se: educadores, alheios à apropriação de TIC, apresentando, em muitos casos, resistência a elas; um descompasso entre como os sujeitos utilizam o celular, por exemplo, dentro e fora da escola; educadores, escolas, secretarias estaduais de educação posicionando-se contrários ao seu uso; projetos de lei e leis que regulamentam o seu uso no espaço educativo; etc. Por esses aspectos controversos investigou-se o uso do telefone celular como um recurso didático mediador em práticas do ensino de Física. Para tanto, desenvolveu-se uma pesquisa aplicada, com abordagem predominantemente qualitativa, de caráter exploratório quanto aos objetivos, e, participante quanto aos procedimentos técnicos adotados. Também foi utilizada a pesquisa documental e bibliográfica. Em seu desenvolvimento, inicialmente, via e-mail, foram coletados dados por meio de um questionário de múltipla escolha aplicados a professores de escolas particulares da Região Sul do Brasil, para identificar a realidade pesquisada e elaborar práticas de ensino possíveis de serem aplicadas na amostra estudada. As práticas construídas foram aplicadas em oficinas nas cidades de Ponta Grossa e Curitiba, estado do Paraná. Durante a aplicação, a coleta de dados ocorreu por meio de notas de campo do pesquisador, de gravação de sons e de um bate-papo ocorrido no msn messenger e de registros fotográficos. A análise dos dados foi realizada por triangulação. Os resultados mostraram a necessidade de se intensificarem cursos de formação continuada de professores e a produção de literatura nacional (artigos, dissertações, teses e livros) que explorem a temática do celular e suas funcionalidades em espaços educativos como recursos didáticos mediadores nas práticas do ensino de Física. Um livro foi organizado como produto final desta dissertação desenvolvida junto ao mestrado profissional do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ensino de Ciência e Tecnologia da UTFPR, Campus Ponta Grossa–PR, estado do Paraná. / Currently, there are several factors that suggest the need for the school to review their teaching practices: 1) the speed with which information and communication technologies - ICT are spread throughout society and in particular the increasing use of mobile phone by groups in school age;2) the scope and power of integrating ICT convergence of these technological resources, that can be used as teaching resources; 3) the fact that nowadays students grow up in a technological world and make their thought patterns operating in accordance with this reality, etc... In contrast, there are educators unrelated to the appropriation of ICT, presenting, in many cases, resistance to them. There is a incongruity between how individuals use mobile phones, for example, inside and outside the school. There are also educators, schools, public educational departments claiming to be against mobile phones usage; bills and laws regulating their use in educational space, etc... For these controversial aspects we have investigated whether cell phone use as a teaching resource practices mediator in Physics teaching. For this purpose, we developed an applied research with qualitative and exploratory approach about the objectives, adopting participant and the technical procedures. A documental and bibliographical research was taken. First of all, data were collected by e-mail, through a multiple choice questionnaire applied to private school teachers in southern Brazil, to identify the researched reality and develop teaching practices likely to be applied in the studied corpus. Then, such practices were applied in workshops located in Curitiba and Ponta Grossa cities, in Paraná state. During the application, data was collected by the researcher's field notes. Then, we recorded chats about the workshops from an instant message software (msn messenger), and we took photographic records. Data analysis was performed by triangulation. The results showed the need to enhance continuing education courses for teachers and the production of national academic literature, such as articles, dissertations, theses and books that explore the theme of the cell phone and its functionality in educational spaces as an educational resource mediator in the practices of teaching Physics. A book as well was organized as a final product of this work developed by the Professional Master's Program from the Graduate School of Science and Technology (UTFPR), in Ponta Grossa Campus, in Paraná state.

Acompanha : Telefone celular: possibilidades de mediação pedagógica no espaço educativo / Na atualidade, existem diversos fatores que sugerem a necessidade de a escola rever as suas práticas de ensino: a rapidez com que as tecnologias de informação e comunicação – TIC – se alastram pela sociedade e, em especial, a utilização crescente do telefone celular por faixas etárias em idade escolar; o poder de convergência dessas TIC integrando recursos tecnológicos que podem ser utilizados como recursos didáticos; o fato de os estudantes atuais crescerem em um mundo tecnológico e apresentarem os seus padrões de pensamento funcionando de acordo com essa realidade; etc. Em contrapartida, observam-se: educadores, alheios à apropriação de TIC, apresentando, em muitos casos, resistência a elas; um descompasso entre como os sujeitos utilizam o celular, por exemplo, dentro e fora da escola; educadores, escolas, secretarias estaduais de educação posicionando-se contrários ao seu uso; projetos de lei e leis que regulamentam o seu uso no espaço educativo; etc. Por esses aspectos controversos investigou-se o uso do telefone celular como um recurso didático mediador em práticas do ensino de Física. Para tanto, desenvolveu-se uma pesquisa aplicada, com abordagem predominantemente qualitativa, de caráter exploratório quanto aos objetivos, e, participante quanto aos procedimentos técnicos adotados. Também foi utilizada a pesquisa documental e bibliográfica. Em seu desenvolvimento, inicialmente, via e-mail, foram coletados dados por meio de um questionário de múltipla escolha aplicados a professores de escolas particulares da Região Sul do Brasil, para identificar a realidade pesquisada e elaborar práticas de ensino possíveis de serem aplicadas na amostra estudada. As práticas construídas foram aplicadas em oficinas nas cidades de Ponta Grossa e Curitiba, estado do Paraná. Durante a aplicação, a coleta de dados ocorreu por meio de notas de campo do pesquisador, de gravação de sons e de um bate-papo ocorrido no msn messenger e de registros fotográficos. A análise dos dados foi realizada por triangulação. Os resultados mostraram a necessidade de se intensificarem cursos de formação continuada de professores e a produção de literatura nacional (artigos, dissertações, teses e livros) que explorem a temática do celular e suas funcionalidades em espaços educativos como recursos didáticos mediadores nas práticas do ensino de Física. Um livro foi organizado como produto final desta dissertação desenvolvida junto ao mestrado profissional do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ensino de Ciência e Tecnologia da UTFPR, Campus Ponta Grossa–PR, estado do Paraná. / Currently, there are several factors that suggest the need for the school to review their teaching practices: 1) the speed with which information and communication technologies - ICT are spread throughout society and in particular the increasing use of mobile phone by groups in school age;2) the scope and power of integrating ICT convergence of these technological resources, that can be used as teaching resources; 3) the fact that nowadays students grow up in a technological world and make their thought patterns operating in accordance with this reality, etc... In contrast, there are educators unrelated to the appropriation of ICT, presenting, in many cases, resistance to them. There is a incongruity between how individuals use mobile phones, for example, inside and outside the school. There are also educators, schools, public educational departments claiming to be against mobile phones usage; bills and laws regulating their use in educational space, etc... For these controversial aspects we have investigated whether cell phone use as a teaching resource practices mediator in Physics teaching. For this purpose, we developed an applied research with qualitative and exploratory approach about the objectives, adopting participant and the technical procedures. A documental and bibliographical research was taken. First of all, data were collected by e-mail, through a multiple choice questionnaire applied to private school teachers in southern Brazil, to identify the researched reality and develop teaching practices likely to be applied in the studied corpus. Then, such practices were applied in workshops located in Curitiba and Ponta Grossa cities, in Paraná state. During the application, data was collected by the researcher's field notes. Then, we recorded chats about the workshops from an instant message software (msn messenger), and we took photographic records. Data analysis was performed by triangulation. The results showed the need to enhance continuing education courses for teachers and the production of national academic literature, such as articles, dissertations, theses and books that explore the theme of the cell phone and its functionality in educational spaces as an educational resource mediator in the practices of teaching Physics. A book as well was organized as a final product of this work developed by the Professional Master's Program from the Graduate School of Science and Technology (UTFPR), in Ponta Grossa Campus, in Paraná state.

nÃo hà / No contexto de relevante influÃncia das novas tecnologias, à importante considerar os efeitos que se produzem no ambiente escolar a partir da relaÃÃo professor/aluno/mÃdia. Bruno (2013) aponta que as novas TIC nÃo sà afetam os limites do que à vivido no pÃblico e no privado, como nos remete a uma maneira diferente de se produzir subjetividade. CrianÃas e adolescentes que jà nasceram em uma era tecnolÃgica frequentam escolas que, muitas vezes, parecem estar seguindo padrÃes disciplinares da Ãpoca de sua expansÃo (SIBILIA, 2012b). Na escola, com a proibiÃÃo ou restriÃÃo do uso do celular em sala de aula, principalmente apÃs o surgimento dos smartphones, espera-se que o aluno aumente sua produtividade (concentraÃÃo, aprendizagem, resultados). Seguindo o pensamento foucaultiano de que a escola à exemplo de uma instituiÃÃo prÃpria da sociedade disciplinar e levando em consideraÃÃo tantas mudanÃas que jà ocorreram nos cÃdigos disciplinares e as novas formas de controle que as mÃdias ajudam a configurar, como a escola està lidando com essa questÃo contemporÃnea? A presente pesquisa de mestrado, atravÃs de uma pesquisa-intervenÃÃo realizada a partir de um curso de extensÃo, buscou analisar os posicionamentos dos docentes de uma escola da rede pÃblica de ensino da cidade de Fortaleza acerca do binÃmio mÃdia-educaÃÃo, tendo como analisador o celular. A partir de observaÃÃes feitas em sala de aula, rodas de conversa, oficinas de fanzine e de vÃdeo, foram problematizadas as relaÃÃes de poder e vigilÃncia na escola na atualidade, assim como a judicializaÃÃo dessa instituiÃÃo via utilizaÃÃo de prÃticas jurÃdicas para proibir o uso do celular em sala de aula. TambÃm foi discutida a possibilidade do uso do celular como ferramenta pedagÃgica. AlÃm disso, atravÃs de um vÃdeo construÃdo pelos docentes participantes da pesquisa, pode-se perceber a abertura de espaÃo para outras vozes, um espaÃo polifÃnico sem consenso, mas conscientemente heterogÃneo como deve ser o espaÃo escolar.

Submitted by Irene Nascimento (irene.kessia@ufpe.br) on 2017-04-19T18:38:22Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) AVALIAÇÃO MICROBIOLÓGICA DOS APARELHOS CELULARES DENTRO DO BLOCO CIRÚRGICO - AVALIAÇÃO EM UM HOSPITAL BENEFICENTE DE PERN~1.pdf: 1580134 bytes, checksum: b60325dc747fdf22e1a96b2dd0cd039e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-19T18:38:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) AVALIAÇÃO MICROBIOLÓGICA DOS APARELHOS CELULARES DENTRO DO BLOCO CIRÚRGICO - AVALIAÇÃO EM UM HOSPITAL BENEFICENTE DE PERN~1.pdf: 1580134 bytes, checksum: b60325dc747fdf22e1a96b2dd0cd039e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-26 / Introdução: A infecção hospitalar é um problema frequente e crescente em todo o mundo. Tentar determinar fatores que possam contribuir com a disseminação de bactérias dentro do ambiente hospitalar faz parte da estratégia de controle deste infortúnio. Os telefones celulares, dispositivos presentes no cotidiano de qualquer ambiente, incluindo os estabelecimentos de saúde, podem servir de reservatórios de patógenos, e, em seu manuseio, ajudar na disseminação de infecção nos hospitais. Essa preocupação se eleva ao se tratar de aparelhos pertencentes a funcionários de ambientes potencialmente colonizados por bactérias resistentes. Objetivo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o grau de contaminação dos aparelhos celulares dos funcionários de um bloco cirúrgico de um hospital, verificando se há diferença entre as funções destes profissionais, tais como cirurgiões, anestesistas, perfusionistas, enfermeiros, e instrumentadores. Material e Métodos: Foram colhidos swabs umedecidos em caldo enriquecedor de 50 telefones celulares de funcionários do bloco cirúrgico. Esses swabs foram encubados e semeados, tendo suas leituras sido realizadas em 24 e 48h, tendo os resultados separados de acordo com cada especialidade. Resultados: Dos 50 aparelhos celulares avaliados, 88% (44) estavam colonizados. A bactéria mais comum foi o Estafilococos coagulase-negativa, seguido do Bacillus subtillis (15,9%) e Micrococcus sp (9,1%). Não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa do grau de contaminação entre as especialidades avaliadas. Conclusão: Foi verificado que os aparelhos celulares dos profissionais de saúde que trabalham no bloco cirúrgico do Hospital do Coração do Hospital Português de Beneficência em Pernambuco estavam contaminados com bactérias potencialmente causadoras de infecção. Não foi possível encontrar diferença estatística entre os aparelhos pertencentes às diversas especialidades que exercem suas atividades laborais no referido bloco cirúrgico. / Introduction: Hospital infection has been a frequent and growing problem worldwide. To try to determine factors that might contribute to the spread of bacteria in the hospital environment is part of the control strategy of this evil. Mobile phones, which are devices present in everyday life in any environment on the planet, including health facilities, can serve as reservoirs of pathogens, and its handling might help in the spread of infection in hospitals. This concern rises when it comes appliances belonging to potentially colonized environments of employees by resistant bacteria environments. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the degree of contamination of mobile phones of employees of a surgical ward of a hospital, checking for differences between the functions of these professionals, such as surgeons, anesthetists, perfusionists, nurses, and scrub nurses. Methods: We collected swabs moistened in enriching broth 50 mobile phones of employees of the surgical rooms. These swabs were hatched and sown, and his reading was held on 24 and 48 hours, with separate results according to each specialty. Results: Of 50 evaluated handsets, 88% (44) were colonized. The most common bacteria were coagulase-negative staphylococci, followed by Bacillus subtilis (15.9%) and Micrococcus sp (9.1%). There was no statistically significant difference in the degree of contamination among the evaluated specialties. Conclusion: It was found that the cell phones of health professionals working in the surgical ward of the Hospital Português de Beneficência em Pernambuco were contaminated with potentially cause bacterial infection. It could not find statistically significant differences between devices belonging to different specialties who perform their professional activities in that operating room.

Os jogos são manifestações naturais presentes desde os primórdios da cultura humana. Apesar de dispensarem suportes tecnológicos - a prontidão e a filosofia desencadeiam o processo para que o jogo aconteça entre os jogadores - é inegável que os avanços tecnológicos contribuíram para alavancar a difusão e a popularização dos jogos. Exemplo disso é a prensa de Gutemberg que tornou acessíveis baralhos cuja utilização era principalmente reservada à elite e à corte, às quais as cartas inclusive representava. Se a tecnologia se transformou, especialmente na transição do século XX para o XXI, os jogos acompanharam essa mudança. E a indústria, por sua vez, se apropriou do formato para produzir esses bens simbólicos em escala. O correlato dessa expansão é que os jogos passaram a ser utilizados para diversas funções além do entretenimento, ampliando as experiências do jogador. Este estudo de caso apresenta o jogo apropriado como ferramenta de uma ação estratégica de ampliação da base de usuários da empresa Vivo. Além disso, o modelo possibilitou a ressignificação do telefone celular para ampliar a familiaridade do usuário em relação a todas as possibilidades desse meio. Também mostra que o gestor é o profissional responsável pela mediação desse processo comunicativo existente entre empresa e o usuário. Também cabe ao gestor articular com habilidade e pertinência as variáveis que atuam em cada experiência de jogo, favorecendo os resultados do relacionamento empresa/ usuário, potencializando o binômio investimento/benefício, mas - acima de tudo - buscando uma interatividade que possa transformar o jogo em si e a própria realidade. / Games have been natural expressions of the human culture since its beginning. Although independent from technology - readiness and philosophy trigger the process so that a game can be played - it is undeniable that technological advances have helped leverage the diffusion and popularization of games. An example of this is Gutenberg press, which made available decks of cards used mainly by the elite and the court, who were even depicted in the cards. As the technology evolved, especially at the end of the 20th century and beginning of the 21st century, games followed this change. And industry, in its turn, took hold of this format for scale production of these symbolic goods. As a result of this expansion, games started to take several roles besides entertainment, thus enhancing the player\'s experiences. This case study presents the game used as a tool for a strategic action aimed at increasing the user base of cell phone company Vivo. In addition, this model enabled a new meaning for the cell phone to enhance the user\'s familiarity with all the possibilities of the medium. It also shows the manager as the professional responsible for mediating this type of communication between the company and the user. The manager is also expected to skillfully and appropriately articulate the variables present in each game experience, favoring the results of company/user relationship, boosting both investment and benefit, and - above all - pursuing an interactivity that can transform the game and even the reality.

The focus of this thesis is usability of an everyday used product; the cell phone seen from a Human – Computer Interaction perspective. The purpose with the thesis is to create an understanding of how cell phones are used by persons in natural /public settings and in everyday activities. Further the purpose is to describe users’ experiences of using cell phones. In this study, ethnography was used as method. The theoretical framework is the contextual usability perspective. The cell phone is used in many contexts and in different ways. We can make the conclusion from what the study shows, that the cell phone is outermost used and need for social issues. From a subjectivity perspective on usability, we can see that the cell phone is a product which needs and goals are highly subjective to the user. From a flexibility perspective on usability, we see that the cell phone is used in different contexts and therefore must be flexible in use. From a subjectivity perspective on usability, we see that it is a product that exists and is used in a social environment. A design suggestion that correspond to these aspects is the module cell phone. We can also make the conclusion that goals, needs and use are inseparable and constitute prerequisites for each other.

The arrival of the cell phone in rural areas has taken Kenya by storm. It has turned out to be such an amazing transition happening since most people in the start, did not reckon its capacity to gradually become a lifestyle choice. It has certainly changed the way people communicate and becoming a natural necessity for people of Kenya. This can be seen from the numbers of cell phone units sold in the past years. The cell phones in Kenya have gone from 1 million in 2002 to 6.5 million in 2006. Some of this boost has found their way into the rural areas of Kenya and that is what this thesis focuses on. Through a qualitative research approach presented as a case study provide both vigorous descriptions and exiting information. The case study is based mainly on material from telephone interviews that were carried out with a selected sample of the population living in the countryside to obtain their points of view. In addition some opinions received in email form from an organization based in the western part of Kenya is included. A related email questionnaire was administered to one of the companies that sell cell phones in Kenya. Reference has been made to previous research to present some insightful frame of reference on this subject. In conclusion the people in rural parts of Kenya use the short messaging service (SMS) as the most cost effective way of communication. Furthermore, the M-Pesa function on that enables users to make money transactions is also widely used since most people in these areas do not have a bank account. The cell phone has transformed the job market and had a tremendous impact on running a business and made it easier to be available when looking for jobs. It is clear that the cell phone has brought practical, social and economical change and contributing to cultural enhancement. There is however future needs as to solve the battery charging which is a main problem that rural inhabitant have to deal with. This thesis finally shows that the penetration of the cell phone in rural Kenya is of great success. The cell phone is a technique to bridge the gap between cities and rural areas in Kenya.

M.Comm. / This dissertation reports on the findings of a study conducted in order to understand the factors that impact on retail bank customers‘ attitudes towards and usage of internet and cell phone banking services in Gauteng, South Africa. A conceptual model based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) plus other variables including trust, subjective norm and demographic variables was used to help understand factors that impact on adoption of electronic banking. Data was collected from customers of the four biggest banks in South Africa namely ABSA, Standard Bank, First National Bank and Nedbank. A total of 394 usable responses were obtained. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) was used to analyse the data. A number of statistical tools were used in the analysis including descriptive statistics, correlation analysis correlation analysis, regression analysis and independent sample ttesting. The findings of the study reveal that customers‘ attitude towards internet and cell phone banking contributes significantly to customer‘s intention to start using or continue using internet and cell phone banking services. The findings also show that while differences in attitude may exist between customers across different demographic groups, demographic factors, alone, are weak predictors of attitude. The study found that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and trust; significantly contribute to customers‘ attitude towards internet and cell phone banking. Of these variables, trust emerged as the most important predictor of attitude towards internet and cell phone banking while the subjective norm was found to be the weakest predicator of attitude. The findings have wider implications on efforts aimed at attracting more customers to start using or continue using internet or cell phone banking services. The implications have also been discussed and suggestions for future research made.

No description available.