The role of web 2.0 technologies has become windfall for knowledge building in higher education in the entire modern world. Web 2.0 technologies (Podcasts, Wikis, and Blogs) are being explored for collaboration, innovation, and creative purposes in digital literacy. The ICT based system (Learning Management System, Student Portal, Web mail) of Växjö University lacks web 2.0 technologies (Podcasts, Blogs, and Wikis) that are important for classroom learning for knowledge building. This research intends to investigate and describe the educational importance of web 2.0 (Podcasts, Wikis, and Blogs) as a possible source to facilitate class room learning in higher education in Sweden. In this regard, role of web 2.0 in its current usage in the teaching and learning have been identified and, thereby, possible measures for more improvements have been suggested in this research. Keeping in view the potential of web 2.0 as content development and management technologies and incorporating their role in formative evaluation of students, peer assessment, collaborative content creation, and individual as well as group reflection on learning experiences, the researcher conducted a survey by asking very simple and short questions as to how far has this potential been exploited in Sweden. Based on the findings and the empirical evidences thereof a model has been proposed for maximum utility of web 2.0 technologies.

Texte remanié de: Thèse de doctorat--Sciences de l'éducation--Rennes 2, 2006. / Bibliogr. p. 209-221.

Reproduction de : Thèse de doctorat : Sciences de l'éducation : Lyon 2 : 2008. / Titre provenant de l'écran-titre. Bibliogr.

Η αλματώδης εξέλιξη που σημειώθηκε και εξακολουθεί να σημειώνεται τα τελευταία χρόνια στις τεχνολογίες του παγκόσμιου ιστού, έχει οδηγήσει σε προσπάθεια ενσωμάτωσεις του παγκόσμιου ιστού (Web) σε όλες τις πτυχές της ζωής με στόχο την παροχή καλύτερων και πιο αποδοτικών υπηρεσιών. Το Web έχει εξελιχθεί τα τελευταία χρόνια με πάρα πολύ γοργούς ρυθμούς και σε συνδυασμό με τις εξελίξεις στις τεχνολογίες επικοινωνιών και ιδιαίτερα με την παροχή αξιόπιστων και ταχύτατων ευρυζωνικών δικτύων επικοινωνίας, έχει μετεξελιχθεί σε μία πλατφόρμα παροχής προηγμένων δικτυακών υπηρεσιών οι οποίες καλύπτουν ένα ευρύτατο φάσμα εκπαιδευτικών αναγκών. Αυτό σε συνδυασμό με την σημασία που δίνεται παγκοσμίως στην εκπαιδευτική διαδικασία και στη σχέση που έχει η εκπαίδευση με την εξέλιξη και ανάπτυξη της κοινωνίας και της οικονομίας έχει οδηγήσει σε εκτεταμένες μελέτες και αναλύσεις σχετικά με την ενσωμάτωση των νέων τεχνολογιών και ιδιαίτερα των σχετικών με τον παγκόσμιο ιστό τεχνολογιών στην εκπαιδευτική διαδικασία από τα πρώιμα στάδια μέχρι και την τριτοβάθμια εκπαίδευση. Στην εργασία αυτή γίνεται προσπάθεια να προσδιοριστεί το κοινωνικό και οικονομικό πλαίσιο μέσα στο οποίο εξελίσεται ο τομέας της εκπαίδευσης σε όλο της το φάσμα και να αποτυπωθούν οι διάφορες τάσεις σε σχέση με τις νέες τεχνολογικές προσεγγίσεις και ιδιαίτερα με τις τεχνολογίες παγκοσμίου ιστού και τον τρόπο με τον οποίο αυτές επηρεάζουν την εκπαίδευση. Παρουσιάζεται συνοπτικά το πλαίσιο μέσα στο οποίο επιχειρήται η ενσωμάτωση των τεχνολογιών πληροφορικής και επικοινωνιών στην εκπαιδευτική διαδικασία και γίνεται αναφορά σε προγράμματα και δράσεις που υλοποιούνται και έχουν υλοποιηθεί στην Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση και στην Ελλάδα, καθώς και σε καλές πρακτικές εφαρμογές τεχνολογιών παγκοσμίου ιστού στην εκπαίδευση σε χώρες της ΕΕ και στην Ελλάδα. Στη συνέχεια παρουσιάζονται αναλυτικά οι διάφορες τεχνολογίες και υπηρεσίες που συνθέτουν τον παγκόσμιο ιστό με ιδιαίτερη αναφορά στις πιο σύγχρονες από αυτές. Γίνεται μία προσπάθεια να παρουσιαστεί ο τρόπος με τον οποίο οι τεχνολογίες και οι υπηρεσίες αυτές επηρεάζουν ή μπορούν να επηρεάσουν την εκπαιδευτική διαδικασία στο σύνολό της και η δυναμική που αυτές αναπτύσσουν. Τέλος, παρουσιάζεται το εκπαιδευτικό λογισμικό ΙΣΤΟΠΟΛΙΣ, το οποίο αποτελεί ένα δικτυακό υπερμεσικό εκπαιδευτικό περιβάλλον με στόχο τη διδασκαλία στην τάξη σε γνωστικά αντικείμενα όπως η Ιστορία και το οποίο αναπτύχθηκε χρησιμοποιώντας σύγχρονες τεχνολογίες παγκοσμίου ιστού. / The huge evolution in web technologies which took place and continues to take place the last years leads to an effort to integrate these technologies in all aspects of human life, in order to provide better and more efficient services to everyone. Web has developed rapidly the last years. The development in the communication technologies and especially the provision of reliable and high rate broadband communication networks has lead to a platform which can provide advanced network services that cover a broad spectrum of educational needs. The above mentioned, in combination with the importance that the educational procedure has and the relation of education to the development and progress of the society and economy, have lead to thorough studies and research concerning the integration of the new information and communication technologies (ICT) - and especially those related to the World Wide Web - in the learning procedure from primary school to higher education. In this master thesis an effort is being made to define the social and economical framework within which the educational sector is functioning and to outline the various tendencies concerning the new technological approaches and the way they affect education. Moreover the thesis provides an overview of the framework within which the integration of computer technologies in education is taking place and references to various programs and actions that are taking place in European Union and Greece. In addition some good examples are being mentioned as far as good practices in European countries and Greece are concerned. Furthermore, there is a detailed presentation of the various technologies and services that constitute the WWW with special reference to the most contemporary of them and of the way in which these technologies and services affect or could affect the education and the potential that they have. Finally, there is a presentation of the educational software ISTOPOLIS, which is a hypermedia educational environment which provides an alternative or complementary way of teaching in the classroom and which has been developed using some of the most modern web technologies.

Testavimas – vienas iš būdų patikrinti ir įvertinti mokinių žinias. Darbe aprašomas tyrimas, kuriame siekta išsiaiškinti kaip naudojamos informacinės technologijos profesinėse mokyklose, ar naudojamos žinių testavimo programos. Palygintos dažniau naudojamos testavimo programos. Pristatomi su žinių testavimo programa TestTool sukurti bandomieji testai Alytaus profesinio rengimo centro kompiuterio ir organizacinės technikos operatoriaus specialybės mokiniams iš modulio programavimas, bei padavėjo ir barmeno specialybės mokiniams iš modulio lankytojų aptarnavimas. / Testing is one of the types to check up and to estimate pupil’s knowledge. In this work I’m descriptive a research, in which was reaching ascertain how is using the information technologies in the vocational schools and is using knowledge testing programs. In this work was compares witch testing programs are popular in schools. There is a presentation with knowledge testing program TestTool and create a test in Alytus Vocational Education Centre for computer and office equipment operator training programs and waiter/barmen training programs students.

Identifying the emergence and development of new technologies has become an essential ability for firms competing in dynamic environments. Nonetheless, current technology intelligence practices are unstructured and vaguely defined. Moreover, the existing literature in future technology studies lacks strong, systematic explanations of what technologies are, where technologies come from, and how new technologies emerge and evolve. The present study builds on Structuration Theory, and proposes the structurational model of emerging technologies (SMET). The SMET suggests not only an ongoing view of technologies as social objects, but also a process for thinking through scientifically the complex, multidimensional and emergent dynamic of social and technological change. The SMET proposes that the emergence and development of a new technology can be tracked by examining systematically and collectively the extent of development of its technology-related social structure – its degree of structuration. The degree of structuration of a technology is an ongoing process instantiated in social practices, and can be observed through visible patterns or specific social outcomes of systemic activity organized in three analytical dimensions: structures of meaning, power, and legitimacy. The SMET assumes that the conceptual initiation of a new technology triggers new patterns of social activity or a signal of technological change; thus, the variation in the slope or trajectory of the degree of structuration of a technology may indicate an early signal of technological change. The SMET sets a foundation for identifying early signals of technological change when it is used on a systematic basis. Empirically, the study conducted an exploratory case study in the Internet industry. The study employed a sequential transformative mixed method procedure, and relied on 77 Internet experts to create retrospectively a systematic and collective interpretation of the Internet industry in the last ten (10) years. The test of hypotheses was based on only seven (7) Internet technologies due to time and instrumental constraints. The results confirm the fundamental relationships among constructs in the model, and support, thus, the SMET. The degree of structuration of a technology is revealed as a process independent of individuals’ participation in the enactment of a technology. Technological outcomes are explained by the extent of development of structures of meaning, power, and legitimacy (i.e., the degree of structuration of a technology). Moreover, influential technological outcomes shape individuals’ perspectives over time – i.e., the structurational effect. Hence, the study not only provides evidence that supports this novel theoretical framework, but also illustrates methodologically how to identify the emergence and development of new technologies. Likewise, the study discusses the implications of these results for technology management practices (e.g., product and technology development, innovation policies, and technology transfer activities). Lastly, the study recognizes limitations and suggests further research avenues.

Il est devenu commun de dire que notre société se transforme inexorablement en une société dite de « l'information ». Cette transformation se caractérise entre autres par une utilisation accrue des technologies de l'information afin de communiquer, d'échanger ou de transiger. Les supports traditionnels de communication (tel que le papier) cèdent progressivement leur place à de nouveaux supports technologiques favorisant l'efficacité et la rapidité des échanges, et par la même occasion le développement du commerce électronique. Qu'on le souhaite ou non, un constat s'impose: la montée en puissance des réseaux virtuels a eu raison du monopole du papier. Sur le plan juridique, cette nouvelle réalité bouleverse aussi considérablement les règles de droit civil largement pensées et ancrées dans un contexte papier. L'avènement de la numérisation et du phénomène de la dématérialisation des supports ont effectivement soulevé plusieurs questions d'ordre juridique tout à fait nouvelles que nous pourrions résumer de la manière suivante: Quels sont les rapports entre l'écrit et son support autre que le papier? Quelles sont les caractéristiques de l'écrit faisant appel aux technologies de l'information? Ce type d'écrit peut-il être admis en tant que moyen de preuve? Si oui, quelle sera sa force probante? Ce type d'écrit doit-il être conservé? Le présent mémoire vise précisément à identifier certains éléments de réponses à ces diverses questions en étudiant spécifiquement les cadres juridiques français et québécois. Ce mémoire traite d'une part des enjeux liés à l'évolution et au rôle de l'écrit face à l'avènement des technologies de l'information et d'autre part du cadre juridique de la preuve et de la conservation de l'écrit dans la société de l'information. / It is becoming commonplace to say that we have entered a so-called "information society". In the process, we have witnessed a transformation characterized by an increased use of information and communication technologies that has revolutionized the way we communicate, learn and conduct business. The traditional communication formats (i.e., paper) gradually yield their place to new technological formats which affect the effectiveness and the speed of transactions, there by enabling the rise of ecommerce. The advent of virtual networks calls into question the monopoly of paper. From a legal perspective, the new paradigm has a huge impact on civil law rules, which were largely anchored in a paper context. The advent of the digitization and the phenomenon of the dematerialization of formats raised several new legal issues that we could summarize in the following manner: What is the relationship between writing and its various formats (e.g., other than paper)? What characterizes writing in an electronic environment? Can this type of writing act as evidence? If so, what will be its conclusive force? How can the integrity of documents be ensured? This thesis examines these various questions within the context of two different legislations: France and Québec. Two issues are addressed: 1) the evolution ofwriting in an electronic, networked environment; 2) the legal framework around evidence and archiving ofwriting in the information society. / "Mémoire présenté à la faculté des études supérieures en vue de l'obtention du grade de maîtrise en droit (L.L.M.)"

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

This thesis is a work of practical philosophy situated at the intersection of bioethics, environmental ethics, and social and political thought. Broadly, its topic is the moral status of nonhuman animals. One of its pivotal aims is to encourage and foster the “sympathetic imaginative construction of another’s reality” and to determine how that construction might feed back on to understandings of ourselves and of our place in this world that we share with so many other creatures. In the three chapters that follow the introduction, I explore a concept (vulnerability), a tradition in moral philosophy (the ethic of care), and a philosopher (Wittgenstein) that are not often foregrounded in discussions of animal ethics. Taken together, these sections establish a picture of other animals (and of the kinship that humans share with them) that can stand as an alternative to the utilitarian and rights theories that have been dominant in this domain of philosophical inquiry. In my fifth and sixth chapters, I extend this conceptual framework by turning to the work of Michel Foucault. Here, I develop a two-pronged approach. The first direction – inspired by Foucault’s work on “technologies of power” – is a broad, top-down engagement that explores many of the social apparatuses that constitute the power-laden environments in which human beings and other animals interact. I focus on the slaughterhouse in particular and argue that it is a pernicious institution in which care and concern are rendered virtually impossible. The second direction – inspired by Foucault’s later work on “technologies of the self” – is a bottom-up approach that looks at the different ways that individuals care for, and fashion themselves, as ethical subjects. Here, I examine the dietary practice of vegetarianism, arguing that it is best understood as an ethical practice of self-care. One virtue of my investigation is that it enables a creative synthesis of disparate strands of philosophical thought (i.e. analytic, continental, and feminist traditions). Another is that it demonstrates the philosophical importance of attending to both the wider, institutional dimension of human-animal interactions and to the lived, embodied experiences of individuals who must orient themselves and live their lives within that broader domain. This more holistic approach enables concrete critical reflection that can be the impetus for social, and self-, transformation.

One of the most important steps in the search for life on Mars is to determine if a specific sub-surface location it is "habitable", or that it provides the conditions and requirements to support life as we know it. In this thesis, I present a miniature, thermal-IR radiometer and reflectometer designed to determine temperature, the presence of water ice, and the discrimination of minerals, all necessary for a habitable environment. A dual use detector was selected for the thermal and five reflectance channels. The IR source is provided by five LEDs. These components were embedded in a thermally controlled aluminium block. Integrated electronics provided signal amplification and demodulation. This device will be suitable for drilling applications with less than 25 mm diameter boreholes and with limited available power (<5watts). Thermal testing was within a simulated borehole mounted in a thermal vacuum chamber. The results were compared to a theoretical model of the expected temperature. The maximum temperature error between predicted and measured was 0.21 K (∼0.08%). The total RMS error of all sources were calculated to be <3%. Reflectance testing in all five channels included a variety of minerals and a two point calibration method. The results were compared to the predicted reflectance values for the samples. The results of the reflectance channel testing demonstrated that the measured values matched the predicted values with a 2.5% measured error. The total RMS error was 6.1%. Detection and discrimination of water ice and hydrated minerals included a non-linear mixing model and/or testing. The model predicted that water ice mixed in a pyroxene mineral matrix can be detected and discriminated from 5% to 60% concentration by weight. Testing with a hydrated mineral mixed within a non-hydrated mineral matrix demonstrated that the measured result matched the predicted result from 5-45% concentration by weight.