Este trabalho aborda a utilização de tecnologias para a criação de ambientes virtuais baseados em imagens, com uma aplicação na praça central da cidade de Pelotas/RS. Possibilita que o usuário realize interativamente um passeio no entorno da praça com recursos que permitem avaliações arquitetônicas e urbanísticas por meio de simulações de troca de cor nos prédios, inserção de novas construções e análise do estado de conservação de imóveis, com vantagens sobre métodos tradicionais de análises em montagens fotográficas estáticas. Enfatiza a pesquisa de soluções para visualização interativa de ambientes, focado na identificação de fontes de informação e não na sua modelagem matemática. Para a apresentação do trabalho, além da seleção das cenas urbanas que seriam estudadas, foram consideradas técnicas para a modelagem dos elementos arquitetônicos de forma que se obtivesse a máxima preservação das características naturais (estado de conservação, cores e riqueza de detalhes), formas para a visualização destes dados de maneira integrada com dados bibliográficos (histórico, técnicas construtivas e localização) e também a utilização de objetos multimídia para o enriquecimento na apresentação de conteúdos. Na busca de soluções, foram investigadas as técnicas de modelagem fotogramétrica como forma de obtenção de objetos realísticos com a manutenção das características do objeto original em modelos geométricos simplificados. Foram feitos estudos sobre as formas de apresentação de ambientes virtuais navegáveis através de panoramas interativos e também foi estudada uma forma de aproximar a visualização dos conteúdos com a visão natural humana, através da estereoscopia. O trabalho culmina com a fusão de todas as tecnologias estudadas em uma aplicação denominada “Praça República Virtual – PRV” (para resgatar o antigo nome da atual Praça Coronel Pedro Osório), que funciona como um canteiro de provas na medida que abre um leque de opções para utilização em estudos na área de Arquitetura e Urbanismo. / This work approaches the uses of technologies for creation of virtual environments based on images, with an application to the central square of the city of Pelotas/RS. It makes possible to the user to accomplish an interactive walkthrough with resources that allows architectural and urban planning evaluations through simulations of color changes in the buildings, insertion of new constructions and analysis of the conservation condition of the buildings, with advantages if compared to traditional methods of analysis with static photographic assemblies. It emphasizes the research of solutions for interactive visualization of environments, focused in the identification of sources of information and not in mathematical modeling. Besides the selection of the urban scenes to be studied, it was considered techniques for modeling the architectural elements to obtain the maximal preservation of their natural characteristics (conservation state, colors and wealth of details), ways of visualization of nowadays conservation, but integrated with bibliographical dates (historical, constructive techniques and location). It also includes the uses of multimedia objects to the presentation of contents. In the search of solutions, techniques of photogrammetric modeling were investigated, looking for the construction of realistic objects and maintenance of the characteristics of the original object but using simplified geometric models. It was done a search about forms of presentation of navigable virtual environments through interactive panoramas and also using a prototype of stereoscopy. The work culminates with the coalition of all studied technologies in a prototype of the central square of Pelotas called “Praça República Virtual–PRV” (to rescue the old name of the current Square Cel. Pedro Osório). It works like a stonemason of proofs in the measure that opens various options of use in studies in the area of Architecture and Urban Planning.

Este trabalho aborda a utilização de tecnologias para a criação de ambientes virtuais baseados em imagens, com uma aplicação na praça central da cidade de Pelotas/RS. Possibilita que o usuário realize interativamente um passeio no entorno da praça com recursos que permitem avaliações arquitetônicas e urbanísticas por meio de simulações de troca de cor nos prédios, inserção de novas construções e análise do estado de conservação de imóveis, com vantagens sobre métodos tradicionais de análises em montagens fotográficas estáticas. Enfatiza a pesquisa de soluções para visualização interativa de ambientes, focado na identificação de fontes de informação e não na sua modelagem matemática. Para a apresentação do trabalho, além da seleção das cenas urbanas que seriam estudadas, foram consideradas técnicas para a modelagem dos elementos arquitetônicos de forma que se obtivesse a máxima preservação das características naturais (estado de conservação, cores e riqueza de detalhes), formas para a visualização destes dados de maneira integrada com dados bibliográficos (histórico, técnicas construtivas e localização) e também a utilização de objetos multimídia para o enriquecimento na apresentação de conteúdos. Na busca de soluções, foram investigadas as técnicas de modelagem fotogramétrica como forma de obtenção de objetos realísticos com a manutenção das características do objeto original em modelos geométricos simplificados. Foram feitos estudos sobre as formas de apresentação de ambientes virtuais navegáveis através de panoramas interativos e também foi estudada uma forma de aproximar a visualização dos conteúdos com a visão natural humana, através da estereoscopia. O trabalho culmina com a fusão de todas as tecnologias estudadas em uma aplicação denominada “Praça República Virtual – PRV” (para resgatar o antigo nome da atual Praça Coronel Pedro Osório), que funciona como um canteiro de provas na medida que abre um leque de opções para utilização em estudos na área de Arquitetura e Urbanismo. / This work approaches the uses of technologies for creation of virtual environments based on images, with an application to the central square of the city of Pelotas/RS. It makes possible to the user to accomplish an interactive walkthrough with resources that allows architectural and urban planning evaluations through simulations of color changes in the buildings, insertion of new constructions and analysis of the conservation condition of the buildings, with advantages if compared to traditional methods of analysis with static photographic assemblies. It emphasizes the research of solutions for interactive visualization of environments, focused in the identification of sources of information and not in mathematical modeling. Besides the selection of the urban scenes to be studied, it was considered techniques for modeling the architectural elements to obtain the maximal preservation of their natural characteristics (conservation state, colors and wealth of details), ways of visualization of nowadays conservation, but integrated with bibliographical dates (historical, constructive techniques and location). It also includes the uses of multimedia objects to the presentation of contents. In the search of solutions, techniques of photogrammetric modeling were investigated, looking for the construction of realistic objects and maintenance of the characteristics of the original object but using simplified geometric models. It was done a search about forms of presentation of navigable virtual environments through interactive panoramas and also using a prototype of stereoscopy. The work culminates with the coalition of all studied technologies in a prototype of the central square of Pelotas called “Praça República Virtual–PRV” (to rescue the old name of the current Square Cel. Pedro Osório). It works like a stonemason of proofs in the measure that opens various options of use in studies in the area of Architecture and Urban Planning.

The Cognitive Walkthrough for the Web (CWW) is a Usability Evaluation Method that can be used as an approach to evaluate a website. Unfortunately, the original formulation of CWW has been applied by researchers in the area as a set of a semi-manual processes, which have proven to be extremely time-consuming, and as with any semi-manual process, error-prone. This thesis presents a web-based approach to automate CWW, which we call ACWW. The automation of these processes implies, on the one hand, that researchers can reduce the amount of time dedicated to computing the results associated with performing various analyses. On the other hand, it implies that the accuracy of computed results can be improved. ACWW is available from http://autocww.colorado.edu/~brownr/. Finally, ACWW has been mentioned in a paper by Dr. Marilyn Blackmon, a leader in usability research, at the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) in April of 2005 [Blackmon05].

The increasingly ubiquitous role of smartphones in our everyday lives causes concerns regarding our relationship with the devices. While some raise the question whether smartphones are addictive (Alter 2017; Lopez-Fernandez 2019), others regard this concern as the most recent manifestation of moral panics (Cashmore, Cleland & Dixon 2018; Leick 2019). Meanwhile advocates of the attention economy argument claim that the problem is the design of technology occupying users’ attention (CHT 2019a-d). Somewhere in between, media and communication studies search for empirical evidence. From this vantage point of ideas this study explores the role of Screen Time, shaping and being shaped by this discourse. As a feature of Apple’s iOS software it is supposed to support users in regulating their smartphone use. Applying the walkthrough method as proposed by Light, Burgess & Duguay (2018) combined with an analysis of user experiences, shows how the technology company shapes a concept of self-regulation for users to adopt to. A concept, which first and foremost follows corporate and not the users’ best interest. This thesis poses the the question whether we are slaves to our screens, but arrives at the conclusion that we carry chains of self-regulation. The question remains, how we can create more sustainable and meaningful environments for protecting our attention.

Důležitou součástí aplikací procházení distribuovanou virtuální scénou je proces plánování přenosu dat. Jeho hlavním úkolem je zajištění efektivního přenosu dat a maximální kvality renderovaného obrazu. Největší vliv na kvalitu renderované scény mají omezení síťového připojení. Tyto omezení lze redukovat pomocí multi-resolution reprezentace dat scény, určováním priorit stahování jednotlivých částí scény, a přednačítáním dat. Pokročilé metody pro určování priorit a přednačítání částí scény jsou založeny na predikci pohybu uživatele vycházející z matematického popisu jeho pohybu. Tyto metody jsou schopny predikovat následující pozici uživatele jen v krátké vzdálenosti od jeho aktuální polohy. V případě náhlých, ale pravidelných změn směru pohybu uživatele jsou tyto metody nedostatečné co do přesnosti i délky predikce. V této práci je navrhnut komplexní přístup k řešení plánování přenosu dat splňující i tyto požadavky. Navrhované řešení využívá predikci pohybu uživatele založenou na znalostech k určení priority stahování dat i předstahování částí scény. Provedené experimenty nad testovacími daty ukazují, že navržené schéma plánování přenosu dat umožňuje dosažení vyšší efektivity přenosu dat a vyšší kvality renderovaného obrazu během průchodu testovací scénou.

Inom de kommande åren kommer många nya skolor att byggas och renoveras. För att dessa ska fungera så bra som möjligt är det viktigt att erfarenheter från tidigare skolor samlas in och överförs, en så kallad erfarenhetsåterföring. Denna studie är en sådan erfarenhetsåterföring från tre moderna skolor i Sollentuna. Den följer en ramverksmodell framtagen av M. A. Hassanain och A. Iftikhar som kompletteras med metoden för pedagogisk gåtur; en metod där personal och elever från skolan tillsammans med forskaren diskuterar utbildningsmiljöns positiva och negativa aspekter. Det erhållna materialet från metoderna består av intervju- och gåtursanteckningar, enkätsvar och fotografier från de besökta skolorna.  Brukarna på skolorna uppskattar en god uppsyn av lärare och öppenhet för ökad trivsel och trygghet medan för öppna ytor gör att funktioner krockar och skapar trängsel och störande moment. Nischer i väggar skapar en viss avskärmning och kan gömma skåp för en känsla av mer rymd. Skogränserna fungerar inte på alla skolor och de som tar av skorna blir smutsiga, vilket även tas upp i matsalen där elever kan trampa på mat på golvet. Den fast möbleringen på skolorna uppskattas och nyttjas väl men placeringen är bristfällig på en skola. Ett stort problem i skolorna är stora fönsterpartier från klassrummen ut mot hemvister och korridorer som stör elever när folk passerar. Även dålig möjlighet till ljusavskärmning framkommer upprepande som ett problem. Många nämner att grupprum i direkt anslutning till alla klassrum är något som skulle underlätta undervisningen.  Materialet analyseras genom en kvalitativ dataanalys där två av de tre skolorna ställs mot varandra. På den tredje skola kunde inte en pedagogisk gåtur genomföras. Utöver detta presenteras sist i rapporten en sammanställning av analysen i en kunskapsmatris för varje diskussionsämne för att bistå arkitekter, verksamheter och beställare i framtiden. Studien svara på vilka erfarenheter som kan överföras och vad man bör ta hänsyn till vid utformning av skolor. Viktiga punkter så som dimensionering efter verksamhetens storlek, vuxennärvaro i gömda utrymmen, noggrann övervägning av glaspartier mellan klassrum och hemvister samt vikten av inredningsarkitekters kunskap vid val av möbler presenteras.  Slutligen tas nya ämnen från undersökningen upp för vidare forskning som är: inrymning i lokalerna, skolans installationssystem, flexibilitet, F-9 skolor, personalutrymmen, och upphandlingar av skolor. / In the coming years, many new schools will be built and renovated. In order for these to work as well as possible it is important that experiences from previous schools are collected and transferred, so-called post occupancy evaluation. This study is such a post occupancy evaluation from three modern schools in Sollentuna. It follows a framework model developed by M. A. Hassanain and A. Iftikhar which is combined by the method of pedagogical walking; a method where staff and students from the school together with the researcher discuss the positive and negative aspects of the learning environment. The material obtained from the methods consists of interview and walk notes, questionnaire responses and photographs from the schools visited. The users of the schools appreciate a good supervision of teachers and openness for increased well-being and security, while for open spaces, functions collide and create congestion and disturbing elements. Niches in walls create a certain screen and can hide cabinets for a feeling of more space. The forest boundaries do not work in all schools and those who take off their shoes get dirty, which is also taken up in the dining room where students can step on food on the floor. The fixed furniture in the schools is appreciated and used well, but the location is deficient in a school. A major problem in schools is large windows from classrooms to dormitories and corridors that disturb students as people pass by. Poor access to light shielding is also a recurring problem. Many mention that group rooms directly adjacent to all classrooms are something that would facilitate teaching. The material is analysed through a qualitative data analysis where two of the three schools are set against each. In addition, a summary of the analysis is presented at the end of the report in a knowledge matrix for each discussion topic to assist architects, occupants and developers in the future.  The study answers what experiences can be transferred and what should be considered when designing schools. Important points such as dimensioning according to the size of the business, adult presence in hidden spaces, careful consideration of glass between classrooms and dormitories and the importance of interior designers' knowledge when choosing furniture are presented. Finally, new topics from the survey are taken up for further research, which are: evacuation into the premises, the school's installation system, flexibility, F-9 schools, staff rooms, and procurement of schools.

This was a non-experimental, mixed methods study to research the different ways in which the Marzano casual teacher evaluation system was implemented in 25 school districts in the state of Florida during the 2012-2013 school year. Based on seven implementation variables, the teacher evaluation systems were compared to the implementation model and research-based best practice. The researcher then sought to determine what relationships may or may not exist in teacher performance ratings between districts that followed the research-based implementation model and districts that did not. Two stated purposes of the Marzano causal teacher evaluation system were to improve the accuracy of teacher performance ratings and to improve the accuracy of feedback provided to teachers. Variation in implementation may possibly occur among school districts. To date no research has been conducted to analyze how variations in implementation may relate to teacher performance ratings. The purpose of this study was to provide data to support best-practice in the implementation of the Marzano causal teacher evaluation system and to guide instructional leaders on the implementation of this evaluation system. The researcher also sought to ensure the Marzano causal teacher evaluation system provides both accurate teacher feedback and accurate teacher evaluations. Data was collected from the Florida Department of Education published reports and information. School district implementation plans were gathered from state submitted documentation. Implementation plans were analyzed and read. Data was collected on a data collection sheet and then analyzed in SPSS using a crosstab Chi square test to determine if a statistically significant relationships existed between districts that followed the research-based implementation model and districts that did not. It was determined that implementation of the Marzano causal evaluation system varies widely. In six out of the seven implementation variables, it was determined that there were statistically significant relationships in teacher evaluation scores between districts that followed the research-based implementation variables and districts that did not. Further research should include validity and reliability studies on the Marzano causal evaluation system. Research should continue to analyze different ways in which the Marzano causal evaluation system is implemented, and what relationship there is between implementation and teacher performance ratings. Research should be conducted to analyze the effectiveness of feedback provided to teachers through the Marzano causal teacher evaluation system. This research indicates that the Marzano causal teacher evaluation system should be used following research based best-practice and how it is intended to be used. The research in this study shows that when implementation variables are altered in the Marzano causal teacher evaluation system, teacher performance ratings may become inaccurate. Based on misunderstandings of the Marzano causal evaluation system, it is recommended school leaders receive additional training on the understanding and implementation of the Marzano casual teacher evaluation system.

In the era of digital transformation, the need for more efficient self-service technologies has increased, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, which highlighted the importance of reducing physical interactions. Although there is some research on self-service technologies, there is a lack of research on the usability of internal self-service portals which are used within organizations. This study aims to address this gap by applying the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the design principles within Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) field to examine the usability of a self-service portal in a university in Sweden. The study adopts a mixed-method approach, incorporating data collection techniques such as cognitive walkthrough and semi-structured interviews for qualitative data, as well as System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire, and some other quantitative measurements for collecting data. Findings from the quantitative analysis through the System Usability Scale (SUS) results indicate a good to borderline OK design, with user satisfaction affected by the number of clicks and time required to complete tasks.  Findings from the qualitative analysis reveal important factors influencing user experience, including user perception of the portal's design, learnability, impact of access to multiple systems, influence of easy-to-reach IT assistance, impact of insufficient information and guidance, lack of awareness, user desires, and suggestions for the design. The study concludes with the development of design guidelines based on the identified themes, aiming to enhance the usability of the self-service portal. These findings contribute to the understanding of self-service portals' usability within organizational contexts and provide actionable recommendations for improving the design and the user experience.

The submission of this thesis was preceded by a specialised studio „Brněnské nábřeží a kulturní čtvrť Ponava“. This work focused on a complex urban architectural solution to the area around the former “Jaselská kasárna”, the urban context, transport services, the field configuration etc. The thesis follows this project in a section defined by streets U Červeného mlýna, Staňkova and Střední. The goal of the thesis lies in the creation of an intensive goal – a cultural area, which will offer a high-quality space for intergenerational communication and new social experiences and activities. It newly connects the urban part Ponava with the town center of Brno by a high-quality axis for pedestrian and cycling transport. The project of this cultural area arose after a thorough analysis of surrounding, intercity and global relations as a combination of aims: for children – the elementary art school with graphic and dancing fields, for seniors – leisure time center, and for all together - a multifunctional concert hall and a revitalized area of the former industrial zone of furniture production to a multipurpose intergenerational area with a modern art gallery, offices for young businessmen, architects and artists, and a music club in the basement of the gallery.