Introduction. The perceived information needs of teachers who specialize in reading instruction for at-risk first graders were studied and related to frameworks for the role of social context in information needs, seeking and use. The frameworks considered were: disciplinarity, role theory in work settings, small worlds and information grounds and communities of practice. Method. Two focus grou...

This research aims to develop indicators for assessing green interior design of new residential buildings in China, grounded in the socio-technical systems approach. The research was carried out through a critical literature review and two focus group studies. The results show that the boundaries of green interior design were identified with respect to three dimensions, namely performance, meth...

This paper summarizes research conducted by the authors on private sector stakeholders’ perceptions of challenges and potential of off-peak deliveries to congested urban areas. The paper analyzes the information gathered by a comprehensive outreach program which involved the use of focus groups, in-depth-interviews and Internet surveys. On the basis of the insights gained into the dynamic inter...

In recent years, the growth in technology and new media has created a communications revolution that allows people instant and equal access to previously unavailable or difficult-to-find information. Despite this proliferation,, however, there remains a gap, a "Digital Divide", between Americans who have access to technology and those who do not. According to the most recent report from the Dep...

Web applications that offer entertainment rarely support knowledge sharing. Conversely, applications that are intended for knowledge sharing rarely offer entertainment. The intent of this paper is therefore to propose the coalescence of knowledge sharing and entertainment in a Web application. The objectives of this paper are twofold: (1) to introduce a prototype called Rendezvous, which serves...

One of the primary challenges for the tourism sector is to communicate with potential customers in a manner that is readily accessible to them. Tourism enterprises must ensure that the tourism product is presented and promoted in the most effective and efficient manner possible. Information and communication technology (ICT) applications play a critical role in overcoming this challenge. The li...

This paper explores the use of system modelling as an approach for appraising critical infrastructure systems. It reports on focus group findings with relation to the system modelling aspects of a critical infrastructure security analysis and modelling framework. Specifically, this discussion focuses on the interpretations of a focus group in terms of the likely benefits or otherwise of system ...

Sometimes , products resulting from design for environment (DFE) endeavours are sub-optimisations from an environmental perspective, because the tool determines the process and not vice versa. For a more systematic way of getting the focus right, a hierarchy of focusing is introduced: 1. What is the function provided and what is the optimal way of providing it while making a business out of it?...

Conducting focus group discussions in Lake Naivasha Evaluation is seen as vital for both accountability and learning purposes. This involves understanding not only what worked but also the process of change and why and how an intervention worked. Donors, programme managers and evaluators often claim to seek not only successful outcomes, but the ‘holy grail’ of impact. This paper surveys the min...

The importance of well developed team-working skills as well as reflective or metacognitive skills among engineering graduates is widely recognized. Many undergraduate engineering programs, as well as K-12 programs, have introduced a number of activities throughout the curriculum, ranging from a variety of team projects to the requirement of maintenance of portfolios of a student’s work as he/s...