Learning objects are under discussion in the context of electronic and in particular Web-based learning. Intuitively, they represent reusable units of learning content that can be consumed or studied within a single learning session, and that can be sequenced into larger units such as classes and courses if necessary or desired. To achieve these goals, making learning objects amenable to the te...

Skill-Biased Technical Change is a shift in the production technology that favors skilled over unskilled labor by increasing its relative productivity and, therefore, its relative demand. Traditionally, technical change is viewed as factor-neutral. However, the observed rapid rise in the relative wage of skilled workers in conjunction with an upward trend in their relative supply means that rec...

The paper investigates augmented reality as a perspective on the design of computer support for process control in a distributed environment. Based on empirical studies of work in a wastewater treatment plant, three technical approaches on augmented reality — augmenting the user; the object of work; and the environment — are examined in terms of a collection of design scenarios .We conclude tha...

Franchising has been popular as a growth strategy for small businesses; it is even more so in today’s global and information-based economy. In early 2001, Entrepreneur magazine—well known for its Franchise 500 listing—added a Tech Businesses category to its Franchise Zone with three subcategories: Internet Businesses, Tech Training, and Miscellaneous Tech Businesses. This study applies Herbert ...

1School of Business Administration, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics No. 555, Liutai Ave, Wenjiang Zone, Chengdu 611130, China 2Yangtze Normal University, No. 98, Julong Ave, Fuling Zone, Chongqing, 408100, China 3School of Management and Economics University of Electronic Science and Technology of China No. 2006, Xiyuan Ave, West Hi-Tech Zone, Chengdu 611731, China e-mail: koug...

Acknowledgements I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my advisor, Professor Jim Dai for his direction, support and feedback. His genius, patience and deep insights make it a pleasure to work with him. I also acknowledge the help and support of the other members of my committee, Professors Georgia Tech, students and faculty, for their support and help. I would especially like to thank...

CSCL faces the challenge of not only designing educational technologies and interventions, but of inventing analytic methodologies and theoretical frameworks appropriate to the unique character of collaborative learning as an interactional group accomplishment. This paper argues that thinking in CSCL settings should be primarily analyzed at the small-group unit of analysis, where contributions ...

Today, electronic commerce (e-commerce) has been utilised as a rapid vehicle to transform the world into an information society. In the business environment, e-commerce has made considerable inroads not only into large organisations but also the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, SMEs are not adopting e-commerce with same speed as their larger counterparts. This slow growth has...

Since the mid-2000s, some US and British news organizations have hired programmers to design data-driven news projects within the newsroom. But how does the rise of these “programmer-journalists,” armed with their skills and technical artifacts, really affect the way journalism can contribute to the public good? Based on an empirical study in Chicago, we show in this article that although they ...