Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:24:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2005-04-26Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:20:08Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 fawaz_eh_me_bauru_prot.pdf: 2491433 bytes, checksum: 39168d4608322e2697da1abb06b9e009 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Os meios de comunicação digitais presenciaram a emergência das interfaces culturais a partir da última década do século XX. Fruto do desenvolvimento de pesquisa em ciência computacional, especificamente sobre a questão da interface gráfica de usuário e da interação homem-computador, bem como de um constante entrelaçamento das linguagens midiáticas com as formas expressivas da primeira metade do século citado, tiveram, com o surgimento da Internet e da World Wide Web, a tarefa de conectar o ser humano e a cultura elaborada pelo universo digital. Ao mesmo tempo a influência de recursos provenientes de meios consagrados em sua constituição, como a página retangular, o enquadramento, a perspectiva linear e a câmera subjetiva, imprimem-lhe um fator notadamente cultural, daí passarem a ser denominadas de interfaces culturais. Destacam-se dois formatos básicos pelos quais o processo comunicacional engendra interfaces: os mundos virtuais e as estruturas hipertextuais. Dentro dessa configuração de comunicação digital, a hipermídia torna-se um ambiente propício para a emergência de práticas e experimentações em novos meios, por isso enfatiza-se a formação do campo hipermidiático e uma proposta de análise da hipermídia. / Graphic interfaces of user are intellectual technologies that came to existence during the 70þs and 80þs, resulting from the development of years of research in computers, specifically on the matter of information management and man-computer interaction. With the advent of the Internet and, especially the World Wide Web, the interfaces (of the browser and of the application) have connected human being and the culture elaborated by the digital universe. On the other hand, they receive influence of resources coming from prior means in its constitution, such as the rectangular page, the framing, the linear perspective and the subjective camera, which are reused by the design of interface in the creation of new means. With these factors they are then called cultural interfaces. Two basic formats, through which information is managed in interfaces in the digital culture, are highlighted: the virtual worlds and hypertext structures. Within that technological and cultural configuration, hypermedia becomes a favorable environment for the emergence of practices and experiments in new means, and therefore emphasizes the formation of the hypermedia field and a proposal of analysis of the hypermedia.

Submitted by Marcio Noveli (marcionoveli@yahoo.com.br) on 2013-03-05T13:50:15Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE MARCIO NOVELI 2013.pdf: 5213550 bytes, checksum: ec32da7d5c1562fbeea63c0e73a23045 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Suzinei Teles Garcia Garcia (suzinei.garcia@fgv.br) on 2013-03-05T17:16:39Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE MARCIO NOVELI 2013.pdf: 5213550 bytes, checksum: ec32da7d5c1562fbeea63c0e73a23045 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-03-05T17:31:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE MARCIO NOVELI 2013.pdf: 5213550 bytes, checksum: ec32da7d5c1562fbeea63c0e73a23045 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-06 / As Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação (TIC) têm permitido, no contexto organizacional, que processos que dependiam da presença física dos envolvidos, sejam eles indivíduos ou objetos, em um mesmo lugar e ao mesmo tempo, ocorram sem esses limites. A explicação para esse fenômeno tem passado por diversos modelos e teorias, baseados em diferentes áreas e, a partir de vários níveis de análise, acompanhando a evolução das capacidades dessas tecnologias ao longo dos anos, inclusive na área de Sistemas de Informação (SI). Partindo dessa área, especificamente da corrente de estudos que assume que processos tornam-se virtuais quando as TICs usadas para viabiliza-los são adotadas/utilizadas pelos indivíduos envolvidos no processo, essa pesquisa delimitou-se a estudar empiricamente a divergência acerca da adequação dos mundos virtuais, para a virtualização do processo ensino-aprendizagem, partindo de um modelo geral, baseado na Teoria de Virtualização de Processo (TVP), com o objetivo de identificar a relação entre os requisitos de um processo e as capacidades das TICs na virtualização de um processo. Para isso, utilizou a estratégia de estudo de casos múltiplos, que contou com 3 casos e diversas fontes de evidências, permitindo, por meio de técnicas de análise de conteúdo: (1) identificar cinco constructos que se destacaram como requisitos do processo ensino-aprendizagem, inclusive um constructo adicional ao modelo da TVP, duas capacidades dessa tecnologia, três indicadores da virtualização, além de três outros fatores que estiveram presentes nesse processo; (2) descrevê-los quanto a como eram avaliados e (3) mapear como estavam associados, a partir da perspectiva dos participantes do processo. Isso possibilitou identificar um quadro sistematizado de relações entre os fatores identificados e avaliados, o qual aponta que capacidades das TICs estão relacionadas ao preenchimento de requisitos de processo, viabilizando a virtualização, e que outros fatores identificados estão envolvidos na virtualização de um processo. / Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have allowed that, in the organizational context, processes which depended on the physical presence of those involved, individuals or objects, at the same place and time, occur without these limits. The explanation for this phenomenon has gone through several models and theories, based on different areas and from different levels of analysis, following the evolution of the capabilities of these technologies over the years, including in the area of Information Systems (IS). From this area, specifically from the group of studies which assumes that processes become virtual when the ICT used to enable them are adopted/used by individuals involved in the process, this research was delimited to an empirical study on the divergence about the adequacy of virtual worlds in teaching-learning process virtualization, starting from a general model based on the Process Virtualization Theory (PVT), aiming to identify the relationship between the requirements of a process and the capabilities of ICTs in a process virtualization. Thus, it was used the multiple case studies strategy, which included 3 cases and various sources of evidence, allowing, through techniques of content analysis: (1) identify five constructs which stood out as requirements of the teachinglearning process , including an additional construct to the PVT model, two capabilities of this technology, three indicators of virtualization, plus three other factors that were present in this process, (2) describe them as to how they were evaluated and (3) map how they were associated, from the perspective of the participants in the process. It also identified a systematic framework of relations between the factors identified and evaluated, which indicates that ICT capabilities are related to the filling of the process requirements, enabling virtualization, and other factors identified are involved in process virtualization.

<!--[if !mso]> <object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object><mce:style><! st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } --> Traditional education have for long been remaining without major changes made to the actual system. Up until very recently, there has been reluctance towards making fundamental and dramatic changes to the system, but as societies change and develop by mirroring on past experiences, new minds and new ways of thinking emerge suggesting changes and new developments. Consequently, new educational approaches such as e-learning and virtual learning have emerged. Lately, technology has been transforming and developing than ever before and the demand for modifying accordingly to new technology has become a prerequisite for all industries and institutions. Already with e-learning, a derived concept is worthy of notice. Authenticity, meaning validity and accuracy, has been imposed as one major issue when it comes to e-learning, and also v-learning. The main goal of this thesis is to present answers and suggestions to the following research questions: Ø  What value does a virtual education method create for the students? Ø  What implications are there for an education through Second Life and what is the significance of such an environment? Ø  What are the main auxiliary instruments or tools that enhance authenticity and the achievement of high presence in a virtual environment? This research adopted an inductive approach using a qualitative research. The characterizations of knowledge used were descriptive knowledge, normative knowledge, explanatory research and evaluating research for the respective research questions. As a result of collaborating with Kalmar University, Sweden’s first Second Life course “Oral Production” was observed and to intensify the results, an interview was held with the course’s lecturer. The results were thereon analyzed and scrutinized based on the Empirical Findings, Theoretical Framework – consisting of mainly pedagogical theories and of articles concerning virtual learning environments. The conclusion of this research entails the answers for the research questions. An education via a virtual environment is a development of e-learning, which is an enhancement of a traditional physical education. All students are persuaded to be active and participate in learning, which also promotes interconnectedness between students and teacher. Students can do role-playing and do presentations without feeling embarrassed about their “real” identities being represented. Main auxiliary instruments include virtual presentation boards, audio to communicate with each other and the avatar to direct the speech. Additionally, to enhance high presence in a virtual environment, involving all students with creative exercises seems to be another means in achieving high presence in a virtual environment.

Denna uppsats undersöker vad spelare vill uppleva i sitt karaktärsskapande iolika spel. Syftet med arbetet har varit att få bättre förståelse för vad enanvändare vill ha ut av sin karaktär och sitt karaktärskapande.Frågeställningen i arbetet löd: ”Vad är för en designer viktigast att tänka pånär man designar en karaktärsskapande del i ett spel?” Förhoppningen varatt få en djupare förståelse för karaktärsskapandets karaktär för att bättrekunna designa den karaktärsskapande delen i ett spel. Undersökningengenomfördes med en kvalitativ metod för att belysa frågorna djupare. Förstskapades en kvalitativ intervju, och efter intervjuerna skapades tre nyafrågor som lades ut på två internetforum med inriktning mot MMORPGs.De spelare som verkade vara mest intresserade av karaktärsskapande ochprocessen kring karaktärsskapandet, var de spelare som ibland ägnade sig åtrollspelande. De spelare som delvis eller helt ägnade sig åt Player versusPlayer verkade ha svårt att se någon mening med att skapa en identitet ellerett unikt utseende överhuvudtaget. Det viktigaste som framkom iundersökningen var att man måste känna sin publik. Som designer behöverman veta för vilka spelstilar man designar spelet. De faktorer som varviktiga för spelarna, för att kunna fördjupa sig i sina karaktärer, var att deraskaraktärer hade möjligheten att bli unika. / This paper is focused on a better understanding of what computer gameplayers want to get out of their character and the character creation. Thequestion addressed in the paper was: "What is most important for a designerto consider when designing a character-creation part of a game?" The aimwas to gain a deeper understanding of the nature of the character creationprocess in order to better design the character creation part of future games.The study has been conducted with a qualitative method to illuminate thequestions in more depth. First, a qualitative interview was made, and afterthe interviews, three new questions were created, which were then postedon two Internet forums focusing on MMORPGs. The players who were themost interested in character creation and the process of this, were theplayers who sometimes engaged in role play. The players who partially orfully engaged in Player versus Player combat, had difficulties seeing anypoint in creating an identity or a unique look at all. The most importantthing that emerged from the investigation was that the designer needs toknow his audience. As a designer, you need to take into account whatplaying styles you design the game for. The important factors for theplayers to immerse themselves in their characters, was that their characterscould be made unique.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This work presents an approach of game-based learning using a serious game called Software Testing Team Game. It is a three-dimensional multiplayer game developed in the virtual world OpenSim. This game simulates the software testing division of a software development company. It aims to provide knowledge related to software testing strategies, motivate students, and encourage skills such as communication and problem solving. The main difference between this game and others is its integration with the Learning Management System Moodle, which allows teacher to edit game challenges throughout each of the levels, using the Questionnaire tool, so that the game adapts to different undergraduate computing curricula. The game also enables students to export test cases created by them in the game to the test management tool TestLink, in order that they are given the opportunity to interact with a tool used by professionals and also to directly apply the knowledge acquired. The assessment of the game was performed in a class of Computer Engineering undergraduate students in the Software Engineering Discipline. This assessment showed positive results, considering that learners succeed to achieve learning objectives. Students enjoyed playing the game more than learning in a traditional way, which in this study corresponds to a list of exercises. So, we conclude that the use of the game can collaborate on software testing education. These positive results got in the assessment motivate other experiments. / Este trabalho apresenta uma abordagem de aprendizagem baseada em jogos utilizando o jogo sério denominado Jogo da Equipe de Teste de Software (JETS), que é um jogo em três dimensões, multiplayer e foi desenvolvido no mundo virtual OpenSim. Esse jogo simula o setor de Teste de Software de uma empresa de desenvolvimento de sistemas e visa a proporcionar conhecimentos relacionados com Estratégias de Teste de Software, motivar os estudantes e estimular habilidades como comunicação e resolução de problemas. O principal diferencial do JETS é sua integração com o Ambiente Virtual de Ensino-Aprendizagem (AVEA) Moodle, que permite ao professor editar os desafios das fases por meio da ferramenta questionário, de modo que o jogo se adapte aos diferentes currículos dos cursos de graduação em computação. O JETS também permite a exportação dos casos de teste criados no jogo para a ferramenta de gerenciamento de Teste de Software TestLink, proporcionando aos estudantes o contato com uma ferramenta utilizada por profissionais e a aplicação direta dos conhecimentos adquiridos. A avaliação do JETS foi realizada em uma turma do curso de Engenharia da Computação na disciplina de Engenharia de Software. Essa avaliação teve resultados qualitativos muito positivos, pois, segundo os próprios estudantes, os objetivos de aprendizagem foram atingidos. Além disso, os estudantes relataram, em sua maioria, gostar de jogar o JETS e disseram, ainda, preferir esse tipo de atividade (jogo sério) à tradicional neste trabalho, representada por uma lista de exercícios. Portanto, foi possível perceber que a utilização do JETS pode ser uma alternativa promissora no processo de ensino-aprendizagem do conteúdo de Teste de Software. De modo que os resultados positivos obtidos na avaliação do JETS incentivam a realização de outros experimentos.

The arrival of the Internet and the World Wide Web has had a radical impact on commerce and people’s ability to interact virtually. Through these channels various new methods of earning income have been created. Income earned virtually creates a new type of commerce not previously envisioned whilst the South African Income Tax Act was drawn up. The revenue earned is, however. encompassed in the Act. South African residents have as a result entered the taxation net of the South African Revenue Services without understanding the full implications of being taxed. Of particular importance are the deductions available to residents whose incomes are earned through virtual worlds. The various deductions available in the South African Income Tax Act do not specifically deal with the expenses incurred in the production of virtual world income. South Africans are thus exposed to taxation implications not fully explored by the South African Revenue Services nor the general public. The public needs guidance on this matter and the South African Revenue Services needs further research to be conducted in this area. The study revealed that deductions would be allowed against taxable income earned through conducting virtual world commerce. The general deduction formula should be applied to all expenses. Capital expenses should be researched further, for application in terms of the Act. However, it appears that the Act can be applied to non- capital expenses incurred for trading in virtual worlds. AFRIKAANS : Die aankoms van die Internet en die Wêreldwye Web het reeds ‘n geweldige impak op die handle en mense se vermoëns om virtueel in wisselwerking te wees. Deur middle van hierdie kanale het verskeie nuwe metodes onstaan om ‘n inkomste te verdien. ‘n Inkomste wat virtueel verdien word, skep ‘n nuwe sort handle waarvoor daar geen voorsiening gemaak is toe die Inkomste Belastingswetgewing opgestel is. Die inkomste wat verdien word is wel binne die bestek van die Wetgewing. Suid-Afrikaanse inwoners val dus binne die belastingsnet van die Suid-Afrikaanse Inkomste Dienste sonder om die volle implikasies van die belasting te begryp. Van besondere belang is die belastingsaftrekkings wat vir inwoners, wie se inkomste in die virtuele wêreld verdien word, beskikbaar is. Die verskeie aftrekkings beskikbaar in die Suid-Afrikaanse Inkomste Belastingswetgewing maak nie spesifiek voorsiening vir die uitgawes wat aangegaan word terwyl ‘n inkomste in die virtuele wêreld verdien word nie. Suid Afrikaners word duw aan belastingsgevolge blootgestel wat nie ten volle deur die Suid-Afrikaanse Inkomste Dienste, of die algemene publiek verken is nie. Die publiek het leiding in die opsig nodig en die Suid-Afrikaanse Inkomste Dienste benodig verdere navorsing in die verband. Die studie toon dat aftrekkings toegelaat sou word teen belasbare inkomste wat verdien word, deur handel in die virtuele wêreld te dryf. ‘n Algemene formule moet op alle uigawes toegepas word. Kapitale uitgawes moet verder nagevors word vir toepassing op die Wetgewing. Nieteenstaande, wil dit voorkom dat die Wetgewing op nie-kapitale uitgawes wat in die proses van handel dryf in die virtuele wêreld, toegepas kan word. Copyright 2011, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Moodley, T 2011, A critical analysis of the tax deductibility of expenses incurred in virtual worlds by the South African taxpayer, MCom dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-03092012-112031 / > F12/4/163/gm / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Taxation / unrestricted

Les mondes virtuels multi-joueurs sont des jeux à trois dimensions. Leurs utilisateurs s’adonnent depuis plusieurs années à plusieurs activités en se transférant des objets virtuels créés ou achetés dans les mondes virtuels dont ils revendiquent la propriété. Ces objets appelés «biens virtuels» n’ont d’existence qu’en ligne et peuvent prendre n’importe quelle forme (avatars, vaisseaux spatiaux, etc.). Bien que le marché des transactions de biens virtuels représente un important impact économique, social et juridique sur l’ensemble de la consommation, ces «biens» ne sont pourtant pas juridiquement reconnus, ni protégés par la loi ou par la jurisprudence en Amérique du Nord et en Europe, seuls les contrats de licence rédigés par les développeurs régissent leurs utilisations. Or, les conflits dans ce domaine peuvent devenir très complexes, car les rencontres virtuelles donnent lieu à une grande variété d’activités et sont créatrices de liens de droit entre des internautes qui peuvent se trouver physiquement à l’autre bout de la planète pour se rencontrer virtuellement dans l’environnement du cyberespace. Ainsi, les effets dommageables de ces activités vont se manifester en dehors du réseau. Puisque dans ces cas, l’espace virtuel et l'espace matériel sont interconnectés, on se pose la question suivante : quelle est la loi applicable aux transferts de "biens virtuels"? Pour traiter d’une question litigieuse en droit international privé, il faut passer par l’étape préalable de la qualification juridique de l’objet du litige, ici les biens virtuels, afin d’être en mesure de le rattacher à un régime juridique et à la règle de conflit applicable selon ce régime. Les biens virtuels, immatériels par essence, n’existent pas réellement. Techniquement parlant ce sont des représentations graphiques de codes sources enregistrés dans le logiciel du monde virtuel. Ainsi, l’existence juridique de l’objet virtuel en tant que «bien» est controversée en droit civil, car elle dépend de la conception stricte (traditionnelle) ou élargie (moderne) que l’on adopte du droit de propriété. En admettant que les biens virtuels soient reconnus en droit des biens, les règles de conflits de lois applicables à cette matière portent beaucoup d’importance sur la situation matérielle du bien pour la localisation du rapport de droits, ce qui rend très difficile la recherche de solution des conflits de lois dans notre matière. Ainsi, l’application du principe de l’autonomie tend à s’élargir aux questions de droits réels, mais cette solution n’est pas satisfaisante pour les tiers. Dès lors, il convient de se rallier à la doctrine contemporaine qui critique la référence générale à la règle de rattachement localisatrice dans des situations nouvelles et spécifiques empreintes de difficultés de localisation afin d’appliquer préférablement le régime de propriété intellectuelle, adoptée spécifiquement pour les biens immatériels. L’application de la loi sur les droits d’auteur est plus adaptée aux biens virtuels en tant qu’oeuvre de l’esprit, parce que les droits ne se trouvent pas limités par l’inexistence de cet objet et parce que les règles de conflits propres au droit d’auteur d’origine conventionnelle permettent une protection internationale du droit d’auteur. / Multi-player virtual worlds are three-dimensional games. Over the past few years, players have been engaging in various activities involving the transfer of virtual objects that they have themselves created or purchased in these virtual worlds and over which they claim ownership. The objects, called “virtual goods”, exist only in the online world and may take any number of forms (e.g. avatars, space ships, etc.). Although the market for virtual property has important economic, social and legal impacts on consumption, these “goods” are neither recognized by the law, nor protected by North American or European legislation or jurisprudence; only the licensing contracts drafted by the developers regulate their uses. However, conflicts that arise in this domain may grow very complex since virtual interactions give rise to a great variety of activities and create legal relationships between the cybernauts who meet in the virtual environment of cyberspace although they may bephysically located on either ends of the planet. Thus, the adverse effects of these activities may manifest themselves outside of the cyber environment. Since the virtual world and the physical world are interconnected in these cases, we have to ask the following question : what law should apply to the transfer of the “virtual goods”In order to answer contentious questions that arise under private international law, one must first go through the initial step of juridically qualifying the objects in question, here the virtual goods, in order to be able to assign them to a specific legal regime and to the specific conflict of laws rules that apply under that regime. Virtual goods – inherently immaterial – do not really exist:they are graphic representations of source code embedded in the software of the virtual world. Thus, the legal characterization of the virtual objects as “property” is controversial under civil law because it depends on whether one adopts a strict (traditional) concept of property law or a more expansive (modern) concept. Even if virtual goods were to be recognized under property law, since the conflict of laws rules applicable to property law place a lot of importance on the physical location of the property in order to determine the legal attachment, this renders the search for a solution to the conflict of laws in this area very difficult. Application of the principleof contractual autonomy therefore provides greater scope in determining property rights, butthis solution may not be satisfactory to third parties. Thus, it is useful to turn to the contemporary doctrine that criticizes the general application of the rule of physical attachment to particular and novel contexts that present difficulties in determining the location of the property and instead applies the intellectual property regime which is specifically designed to deal with incorporeal goods. Copyright law is better suited to virtual goods as creations of the mind since its application is not hampered by the non-existence of the goods and because the conflict of laws rules applicable to traditional copyright lawprovide international protection for copyrights.

The goal of this study was to examine the professional development experiences of two participants while they were creating standards-based individualized education plan (IEP) goals using a virtual world called TeacherSim. The focuses of the study were how did special educators engage with the task of creating standards-based IEP goals using TeacherSim and how did TeacherSim support or hinder this? This research used a descriptive case study selecting two participants from the larger data set of seven participants. The data was analyzed using qualitative coding which compared the observed experiences with the case propositions. This case study demonstrated that special education professionals can work at a distance to learn the process of creating standards-based IEP goals while using the technology of a virtual world. Similarly, the use of virtual world technology appeared to facilitate feelings of physical and social presence, which aided in online collaborative activities.

The purpose of this study was to provide data concerning Distributive Justice system use and perceived fairness by citizens who have participated in a Distributive Justice based society over a long period of time. This data filled a hole in academic studies which had previously focused on datasets from citizens in non-Distributive Justice based societies or participants in short-term experiments. Using a questionnaire, players of the online game Final Fantasy XIV were asked a series of questions concerning their perceptions of fairness and use of varying Distributive models, as well as questions on their perceived relationships to one another and time spent within Final Fantasy XIV. There were four main results of the study. Firstly, Utilitarian and Need based distribution systems were seen as the most fair and used. Secondly, perceived relationships between participants did not majorly affect perceived fairness of Distribution systems. Thirdly, more time spent in Final Fantasy XIV did affect perceived fairness of varying types of Distribution systems. And, finally, the results indicated a Sufficiency based reasoning for using Utilitarian and Need based resource distribution to individuals until groups hit a sufficiency level, at which point the Distribution systems changed to meet new criteria.

No description available.