Showing papers in "Knowledge Management & E-Learning: An International Journal in 2014"

Challenges of knowledge sharing in the petrochemical industry

Abstract: Knowledge sharing is one of the important and also challenging parts in the success of KM implementation The objective of this paper is to find out knowledge sharing barriers in the petrochemical companies in a Middle East country Three main categories are found to have an impact on knowledge sharing in the companies These categories are potential individual knowledge sharing barriers, potential organizational knowledge sharing barriers and potential technological knowledge sharing barriers Data were collected by using a convenience sampling survey method 500 questionnaires were distributed among employees and 302 questionnaires were returned Trust, knowledge as power, communication, organizational hierarchy and knowledge sharing technological systems are found to have relationships with knowledge sharing However, reward and recognition system have less significant relationship with knowledge sharing in the petrochemical companies

Analysis of learners’ behaviors and learning outcomes in a massive open online course

Abstract: This paper introduces a massive open online course (MOOC) on educational technology, and studies the factors that may influence learners’ participation and performance in the MOOC. Students’ learning records captured in the course management system and students’ feedback collected from a questionnaire survey are explored. Regression analysis is adopted to examine the correlation among perceived learning experience, learning activities and learning outcomes; data mining is applied to optimize the correlation models. The findings suggest that learners’ perceived usefulness rather than perceived ease of use of the MOOC, positively influences learners’ use of the system, and consequentially, the learning outcome. In addition, learners’ previous MOOC experience is not found to have a significant impact on their learning behavior and learning outcome in general. However, the performance of less active learners is found to be influenced by their prior MOOC experience. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.019

A quantitative analysis of learning object repositories as knowledge management systems

Abstract: Learning Object Repositories (LORs) are a core element of the Opening up Education movement around the word. Despite, the wide efforts and investments in this topic, still most of the existing LORs are designed mainly as digital libraries that facilitate discovery and provide open access to educational resources in the form of Learning Objects (LOs). In that way, LORs include limited functionalities of Knowledge Management Systems (KMSs) for organizing and sharing educational communities’ explicit and tacit knowledge around the use of these educational resources. In our previous work, an initial study of examining LORs as KMSs has been performed and a master list of 21 essential LORs’ functionalities has been proposed that could address the issue of organizing and sharing educational communities’ knowledge. In this paper, we present a quantitative analysis of the functionalities of forty-nine (49) major LORs, so as (a) to measure the adoption level of the LORs’ functionalities master list and (b) to identify whether this level influences LORs’ growth as indicated by the development over time of the number of the LOs and the number of registered users that these LORs include. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.011

Facebook as e-learning tool for higher education institutes

Abstract: World is changing day by day in every aspect of life. A Smart City is an answer to different challenges such as socio-economic development and quality of life. In the way intelligent technology has brought enormous changes in urban development by altering the relation of production, consumption and distribution, it is now bringing enormous changes to the education sector. By providing technological opportunities for various ways of communication, the relationship between instructors and students has improved. Taking consideration of Facebook popularity in students, we argue that it can be used for educational purposes as well. A research study was conducted to analyze the student’s responses towards the use of Facebook for educational purposes based on a use case of educational institutions in Pakistan. We distributed 180 questionnaires among graduate and undergraduate students, out of which we received 140 completed questionnaires. The questionnaire was designed based on the four variables: Student’s perception, Academic Contribution, Student Faculty Relationship, and Concerns for Privacy and Distraction. The results demonstrate the willingness of students to use Facebook and social media for educational purposes alongside with their use for social purposes. The way, the enhanced link between students and faculty can contribute to the enrichment of cooperation and interaction in terms of connectivity between people, urban eco-system development and Smart Cities. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.029

Automatic selection of informative sentences: The sentences that can generate multiple choice questions

Abstract: Traditional education cannot meet the expectation and requirement of a Smart City; it require more advance forms like active learning, ICT education etc Multiple choice questions (MCQs) play an important role in educational assessment and active learning which has a key role in Smart City education MCQs are effective to assess the understanding of well-defined concepts A fraction of all the sentences of a text contain well-defined concepts or information that can be asked as a MCQ These informative sentences are required to be identified first for preparing multiple choice questions manually or automatically In this paper we propose a technique for automatic identification of such informative sentences that can act as the basis of MCQ The technique is based on parse structure similarity A reference set of parse structures is compiled with the help of existing MCQs The parse structure of a new sentence is compared with the reference structures and if similarity is found then the sentence is considered as a potential candidate Next a rule-based post-processing module works on these potential candidates to select the final set of informative sentences The proposed approach is tested in sports domain, where many MCQs are easily available for preparing the reference set of structures The quality of the system selected sentences is evaluated manually The experimental result shows that the proposed technique is quite promising

Longitudinal analysis of cognitive constructs fostered by STEM activities for middle school students

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the changes found to occur pre- to post intervention in students' cognitive structures continued to persist two years later. Major findings were: 1) higher-order STEM-related constructs established during the treatment year tended to persist two years later, even as component dispositions varied, and 2) gender differences in level of persistence emerged in only one of the four higher-order constructs identified. For the participants taken as a whole, perceptions of science and STEM as a career became more aligned with interest in being a scientist, from pretest to posttest time during the treatment year and continued to be aligned two years later. Perception of engineering moved from alignment with science and STEM as a career at time 1, to alignment with perception of technology and creative tendencies after the treatment year, at time 2, and remained aligned with technology two years later, at time 3. Perception of mathematics was separated from the other constructs during the pre-post treatment year and remained largely separated two years later. One subscale of the career interest survey focusing on working with others to make the world a better place through science, separated from other career interest subscales and became its own higher-order construct at time 2, and still remained on its own at time 3. Data mining techniques as well as higher-order factor analysis were used to identify changes in relationships among these and other constructs over time. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.008

Factors determining learners’ acceptance of Facebook in a higher education classroom

Abstract: Online social networks have become popular tools for facilitating social connections and communication in the world society. The literature demonstrates clear benefits of social networks in encouraging informal learning, linking learners, and enhancing classroom experiences. The main goal of this paper is to find antecedents and consequences of the adoption of Facebook in the classroom of a university in Thailand. The findings revealed that students’ perceived usefulness and ease of use and instructor characteristics significantly drive students’ intention to adopt Facebook. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.021

Awareness and use of Web 2.0 technologies in sharing of agricultural knowledge in Tanzania

Abstract: The current study investigated the extent to which agricultural researchers and extension workers were aware of Web 2.0 technologies and put them into practice in their daily work. The study involved 107 respondents in the first phase and 148 in the second phase. Respondents were from agricultural research and training institutions as well as agricultural extension departments from selected districts across the country. Structured questionnaires were administered to selected respondents. Findings show that 43.9% of the respondents were aware of Web 2.0 while 56.1% knew nothing about this concept. Facebook and Wikipedia were found to be the most used Web 2.0 tools by many respondents while Delicious, Pbworks, Picasa and Digg were identified as among the less commonly used tools by majority of the respondents. The study recommends the need for providing appropriate Web 2.0 training packages to agricultural extension workers, researchers, trainers and other stakeholders in order to enhance knowledge sharing among them for improved agricultural productivity in the country.

Cognitive Diffusion Model with User-Oriented Context-to-Text Recognition for Learning to Promote High Level Cognitive Processes

Abstract: This study proposed Cognitive Diffusion Model to investigate the diffusion and transition of students’ cognitive processes in different learning periods (i.e. pre-schooling, after-schooling, crossing the chasm, and high cognitive processes). In order to enable majority of students crossing the chasm, i.e. bridge lower and higher levels of cognitive processes such as from understanding the knowledge that students learn in class to applying it to solve daily-life problems, this study proposes User-Oriented Context-to-Text Recognition for Learning (U-CTRL). Students participating at learning activities can capture learning objects and then recognize them into text by using U-CTRL. Finally, this study presents a case that shows how to facilitate students’ cognition in English through applying the knowledge to solve daily-life problems with U-CTRL and how to evaluate the case.

Implementation of a mobile peer assessment system with augmented reality in a fundamental design course

Abstract: This study proposes a framework that incorporates mobile peer assessment and augmented reality (AR) technology to enhance interaction and learning effectiveness. According to the framework, a mobile AR peer assessment system has been developed to facilitate students to improve work interpretation, frequently interact with peers, represent their thinking and reflect upon their own works anytime anywhere. Moreover, the mobile AR technology provides personalized and location-based adaptive contents that enable individual students to interact with the mixed reality environment and observe how works are possibly applied to the real world in the future. In a fundamental design course, students used the system to acquire sufficient information in indoor and outdoor situations and mark peers’ work accurately based on appropriate assessment criteria. The experimental results showed that the system really assisted students in acquiring useful information, proposing their viewpoints, and further fostering critical thinking skills and reflection. During the process of interviews, most students made positive responses and provided meaningful suggestions. The system allows students to concentrate on observing and understanding the relative explanation and representation of works within a combined real–virtual environment and apply appropriate assessment criteria that produce sufficient assessment results to mark peers’ works. Rich feedback can encourage students to reflect upon their own works and improve the quality of their works. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.009

Learning paradigms in workplace e-learning research

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to explore the discourses of learning that are actualized in workplace e-learning. It aims to understand how learning is defined in research within this field. The em ...

Analyzing the role of social networks in mapping knowledge flows: A case of a pharmaceutical company in India

Abstract: Knowledge Management literature lays emphasis on the fact that a major chunk of knowledge dissemination occurs through the various forms of social networks that exist within the organizations. A social network is a simple structure comprising of set of actors or nodes that may have relationships ties with one another. The social network analysis (SNA) will help in mapping and measuring formal and informal relationships to understand what facilitates or impedes the knowledge flows that bind interacting units. This paper aims at studying the knowledge flows that happen through the social networks. It first, provides a conceptual framework and review of literature on the recent research and application of knowledge mapping and SNA, followed by a discussion on application of SNA for mapping knowledge flows in a pharmaceutical firm. In the last part, Knowledge maps are presented to illustrate the actual knowledge flow in firm. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.004

Editorial: Smart cities of the future: Creating tomorrow’s education toward effective skills and career development today

Abstract: This special issue is dedicated to recent opportunities, perceptions, solutions and expectations that the emergent number of cities, exploiting the Smart City concept, face in designing and providing education that is striving to shape the new generation of the Smart Citizens Smart Cities are improving the interconnection between citizens and with governments paying regard to shaping a new environment for the education of today’s students for life in tomorrow’s multifaceted technology-driven world Various definitions that evolved from Digital City through Wireless City to Smart City and recently Smart City of the Future make us aware that technology and infrastructures are the leading aspect of the Smart City concept The Smart City concept embraces not only various definitions but also diverse directions representing a collection that conveys many opportunities for educational arrangements Viewed in this way, it builds the focus of this special issue illustrating the utilization of technologies, and methodology design experiences toward a Smart City setting by considering a wide-range of education and human performance development aspects, including new opportunities for learning and instruction, technology-enhanced learning, curriculum reform, assessment, skills development, and competence and knowledge management in a highly interconnected networked environment https://doiorg/1034105/jkmel201406023

Social media for informal science learning in China: A case study

Abstract: This article reports a case study on a popular informal science learning community via social media in China, named GuoKr (meaning “nutshell” in English). Data were collected through a variety of Chinese social media and social networking sites, web-based community portals, and discussion boards. Content analyses and data mining were conducted to investigate how GuoKr successfully attracted and engaged public in informal learning on scientific topics in particular. The study found three key characteristics that contributed to the success of such learning communities: (a) utilizing a variety of social media to empower participants with just-in-time, accidental learning opportunities; (b) daily tweets related to emerging or ongoing social events or hot topics to provide brief but intriguing knowledge “bites”, which often leads to extended readings and related resources; and (c) the integration of social media and traditional face-to-face local events to engage the public in science-related learning and knowledge sharing. Practical and research implications are discussed with suggestions for future research as related to ubiquitous learning communities for informal science learning. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.018

Evolution of Facebook groups: Informal e-learning among medical laboratory scientists in Nigeria

Abstract: Most people think of online courses when they talk about e-learning, but aspects of social media can also be considered e-learning. In 2011 the Knowledge for Health Project (K4Health) began work with local partners to implement an e-learning and professional development policy for Medical Laboratory Scientists based on the needs identified by United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Nigeria. Six e-learning courses were developed and promoted through several channels including social media. A Facebook Group was created to share information about accessing and navigating the courses and attracted 8,500 members in 18 months. As the Group grew, the topics discussed evolved to include trade union news, employment opportunities and technical resources. Another Facebook Group provided insights that Facebook Groups could be used to facilitate interactions focused on continuing professional development. The findings show that Facebook Groups accommodate an informal learning style, allowing individuals to learn through peer support in flexible ways. It has also shown that the use of Facebook Groups is associated with high levels of engagement with e-learning courses. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.017

Student motivation and achievement in learning English as a second language using second life

Abstract: This study investigates the impact of a 3D virtual learning environment based on Second Life on student motivation and achievement in learning English as a second language. Twenty-one university students participate in this study, with the support of an English instructor. The Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) was used to evaluate students’ intrinsic and extrinsic goal orientation and self-efficacy in Second Life. The pre-test and post-test were used to assess students’ learning achievement. The results showed that students’ intrinsic and extrinsic goal orientations in English learning in Second Life had a positive influence on their self-efficacy. In addition, students’ self-efficacy of English learning in Second Life was found to positively relate to their learning achievement. Moreover, students’ intrinsic and extrinsic goal orientations were found to significantly influence their learning achievement via self-efficacy. In other words, instructors can utilize Second Life to enhance student motivation and achievement in English learning. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.001

Challenges of knowledge integration in small and medium enterprises

Abstract: This study attempts to develop a better understanding of the challenges of knowledge integration (KI) within the innovation process in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Using several case studies, this study investigates how knowledge integration may be managed within the context of innovation in SMEs. The research places particular focus on identifying the challenges of knowledge integration in SMEs in relation to three aspects of knowledge integration activities, namely knowledge identification, knowledge acquisition, and knowledge sharing. Four distinct tasks emerged in the knowledge integration process, namely team building capability, capturing tacit knowledge, role of knowledge management (KM) systems, and technological systemic integration. The paper suggests that managing knowledge integration in SMEs can be best managed by focusing on these four tasks, which in turn will lead to innovation.

Our building is smarter than your building: The use of competitive rivalry to reduce energy consumption and linked carbon footprint

Abstract: This research is located within the smart city discourse and explores the linkage between smart buildings and an intelligent community, employing the University of Cape Town as a case study. It is also situated within the research stream of Green Information Systems, which examines the confluence between technology, people, data and processes, in order to achieve environmental objectives such as reduced energy consumption and its associated carbon footprint. Since approximately 80% of a university’s carbon footprint may be attributed to electricity consumption and as the portion of energy used inefficiently by buildings is estimated at 33% an argument may be made for seeing a campus as a “living laboratory” for energy consumption experiments in smart buildings. Integrated analytics were used to measure, monitor and mitigate energy consumption, directly linked to carbon footprinting. This paper examines a pilot project to reduce electricity consumption through a smart building competition. The lens used for this research was the empirical framework provided by the International Sustainable Campus Network/Global University Leadership Forum Charter. Preliminary findings suggest a link between the monitoring of smart buildings and behaviour by a segment of the intelligent community in the pursuit of a Sustainable Development strategy. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.031

Mobile-based system for cost-effective e-learning contents delivery in resource and bandwidth constrained learning environments

Abstract: The advancement in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has brought opportunities for the development of Smart Cities. The Smart City uses ICT to enhance performance and wellbeing, to reduce costs and resource consumption, and to engage more effectively and actively with its citizens. In particular, the education sector is adopting new ways of learning in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) through e-learning systems. While these opportunities exist, e-learning content delivery and accessibility in third world countries like Tanzania is still a challenge due to resource and network constrained environments. The challenges include: high cost of bandwidth connection and usage; high dependency on the Internet; limited mobility and portability features; inaccessibility during the offline period and shortage of ICT facilities. In this paper, we investigate the use of mobile technology to sustainably support education and skills development particularly in developing countries. Specifically, we propose a Cost-effective Mobile Based Learning Content Delivery system for resource and network constrained environments. This system can be applied to cost-effectively broaden and support education in many cities around the world, which are approaching the 'Smart City' concept in their own way, even with less available technology infrastructure. Therefore, the proposed solution has the potential to reduce the cost of the bandwidth usage, and cut down the server workload and the Internet usage overhead by synchronizing learning contents from some remote server to a local database in the user’s device for offline use. It will also improve the quality of experience and participation of learners as well as facilitate mobility and portability in learning activities, which also supports the all-compassing learning experience in a Smart City. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.030

Measuring influence of internationalized universities on smart city development in terms of human capital and urban aspects

Abstract: Modern urban performance depends not only on the city's endorsement of hard infrastructure (physical capital), but also on the availability and quality of knowledge communication and social infrastructure (intellectual capital and social capital). This is one of the clear reasons why the concept of Smart Cities recently attracted a great amount of attention, both from academia and city planners. One of the challenges of the Smart City concept is how to raise human capital among people, such as making them culturally sensitive, mobile and to improve other social characteristics. This challenge is especially valid for industrial cities that are facing economic turbulence and a demand for revitalizing their public spaces and economic specialties. The aim of this study is to examine the correlation between the amount of international students in Russian universities with the positive changes that occur in a Russian student’s human capital, and their neighbourhood areas, especially in public spaces. We aim to support the hypothesis that a network of “internationalized” universities serves as a revitalization measure for a city, facilitating the development of its surrounding areas, and reducing political and social risks within a society. Research methods for gathering data are: deductive trend search, which uses a literature review from leading academic journals and the empirical study based on the created questionnaire. This questionnaire forms a dataset which consists of a number of master courses held in English from one of the leading Russian universities based in Moscow. In this paper, we explain the research design and the results of a long-term project which we expect to complete in Russia in 2016. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.027

Co-creating value: Student contributions to smart cities

Abstract: Given the interdependence of the public and private sectors and simultaneous and massive impact of widespread disasters on the entire community, this paper investigates the use of information technologies, specifically geospatial information systems, within the multi-organizational community to effectively co-create value during disaster response and recovery efforts. We present and examine in depth a participatory action research project in a disaster-experienced coastal community conducted during the 2006-2014 time period. The results of the action research project and analysis of a survey completed by stakeholders leads to a list of findings, in particular those related to developing a model of next generation learning design where students are co-creators of value to the smart cities. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.026

Math on a sphere: Making use of public displays in mathematics and programming education

Abstract: Science on a Sphere (SoS) is a compelling educational display installed at numerous museums and planetariums around the world; essentially the SoS display is a large spherical surface on which multicolor high-resolution depictions of (e.g.) planetary weather maps may be depicted. Fascinating as the SoS display is, however, it is in practice restricted to the use of museum professionals; students (and for that matter, older museum visitors) are unable to create their own displays for the surface. This paper describes a working software system, Math on a Sphere (MoS), that democratizes the SoS display by providing a simple programming interface to the public, over the World Wide Web. Briefly, our system allows anyone to write programs for spherical graphics patterns, and then to upload those programs at a planetarium or museum site and see the result on the giant sphere. This paper describes the implementation of the MoS system; sketches a sample project; and concludes with a more wide-ranging discussion of our user testing to date, as well as strategies for empowering children and students with greater control of public displays. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.010

Storytelling for project knowledge management across the project life cycle

Abstract: Project organizations face the problems to manage knowledge embedded in various projects because of the uniqueness and short-term orientation of most projects. Therefore, project knowledge management is regarded as an important approach to building competitive advantages. This paper aimed to examine the application of storytelling as an effective and inexpensive mechanism for managing project knowledge. The study was conducted with the project management office from the Tax Administration and Reform Automation (TARA) program in Iran. A questionnaire survey was used to analyze the storytelling applications in the projects of the TARA program. Based on the result, a conceptual framework of storytelling was proposed for integration into the project management lifecycle. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.006

Designing learning scenarios for serious games with ARGILE

Abstract: The design of Serious Games for training in complex areas of expertise presents many difficulties related to trainers’ participation in the design phase, the formalization of scenarios describing highly complex situations, the limited number of scenarios in Serious Games due to their high costs, and the low re-use level of real-life scenarios. This study proposes functional and technical infrastructure with ARGILE (Architecture for Representations, Games, Interactions, and Learning among Experts) for design of Serious Games. We illustrate our solution applied to a project in the sustainable development field.

Competences and knowledge: Key-factors in the smart city of the future

Abstract: The effective and modern management of competence development, which represents a distinguishing key-factor in future Smart Cities, cannot be limited to the Learning Management exclusively, but rather be inclusive of aspects pertaining to Human Capital and Performance Management in a holistic vision that encompasses not only the sphere of operations but also the tactical and strategic levels. In particular, organizations need solutions that especially integrate Learning Management, Performance Management, and Human Resource Management (HRM). We propose an approach considering the competences as key-factors in the management and valorization of Human Capital and making use of a socio-constructivist learning model, based on the explicit (ontological) modeling of domain competences as well as a learner and didactic oriented approach. Unlike most of the current solutions, far from the proposed vision and concentrated on specific functionalities and not on the processes as a whole, the solution offered by MOMA, spin-off of the Research Group of the University of Salerno led by Prof. Salerno, is here presented as a demonstrative case of the proposed methodology and approach. A distinctive feature of our proposal, supported by the MOMA solution is the adoption of semantic technologies that for instance allows for the discovery of unpredictable paths linking them in the Knowledge Graph. Finally, we discuss how this framework can be applied in the context of the Smart Cities of the future, taking advantage of the features, enabled especially by semantics, of researching, creating, combining, delivering and using in a creative manner the resources of superior quality offered by Smart Cities. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.024

Editorial: Digital systems supporting cognition and exploratory learning in 21st century

Abstract: Digital systems and digital technologies are globally investigated for their potential to transform learning and teaching towards offering unique learning experiences to the 21st century learners. This Special Issue on Digital Systems supporting Cognition and Exploratory Learning in 21st Century aims to contribute to the dialogue between the educational technology and educational psychology research community and the educational practitioners on current issues towards large scale take-up of educational technology. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.007

Informing physicians using a situated decision support system: Disease management for the smart city

Abstract: We are in the midst of a healthcare paradigm shift driven by the wide adoption of ubiquitous computing and various modes of information communications technologies. As a result, cities worldwide are undergoing a major process of urbanization with ever increasing wealth of sensing capabilities – hence the Internet of Things (IoT). These trends impose great pressure on how healthcare is done. This paper describes the design and implementation of a situated clinical decision support (SCDSS) system, most appropriate for smart cities. The SCDSS was prototyped and enhanced in a clinic. The SCDSS was then used in a clinic as well as in a university hospital centre. In this article, the system’s architecture, subcomponents and integrated workflow are described. The systems’ design was the result of a knowledge acquisition process involving interviews with five specialists and testing with 50 patients. The reports (specialist consultation report) generated by the SCDSS were shown to general practitioners who were not able to distinguish them from human specialist reports. We propose a context-aware CDSS and assess its effectiveness in managing a wide medical range of patients. Five different patient cases were identified for analysis. The SCDSS was used to produce draft electronic specialist consultations, which were then compared to the original specialists’ consultations. It was found that the SCDSS-generated consults were of better quality for a number of reasons discussed herein. SCDSSs have great promise for their use in the clinical environment of smart cities. Valuable insights into the integration and use of situated clinical decision support systems are highlighted and suggestions for future research are given. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.032

Development and use of a digital signage system for revitalizing regional shopping districts

Abstract: In Japan, regional shopping districts are on the decline because residents prefer suburban-type large-scale shopping stores. Such issues can be addressed in the context of the “Smart City”, of which functions depend on the information and communication technology (ICT). We established the “KIT Digital Signage Project,” which aims to help the regional stores around the Kanazawa Institute of Technology (KIT). In our project, we developed a digital signage system that is low-cost and easy to introduce in small stores. We conducted an experiment to evaluate the effect of our system. During the experiment, store-advertising movies were shown on digital signage terminals, which were placed in each store. The total average watching time and audience rate of our system were 24 s and 50%, respectively. In addition, we investigated the educational aspects of our project. The students in our project could master movie production in a shorter time when compared against learning it as an ordinary classroom subject. The future plans of our project are also discussed. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.028

An exploratory study on knowledge sharing practices among professionals in Bangladesh

Abstract: This study aims to explore the environment, behaviour patterns, and use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for knowledge sharing (KS) practices by the professionals from different sectors in Bangladesh This study employs the quantitative approach and a survey method The findings show that the professionals held positive perceptions about KS practices and most of them believe that KS practices can enhance their professional efficiency While most professionals found ICTs useful for KS, they faced technological problems in addition to communication and social problems in sharing knowledge https://doiorg/1034105/jkmel201406022

Use of global context for handling noisy names in discussion texts of a homeopathy discussion forum

Abstract: The task of identifying named entities from the discussion texts in Web forums faces the challenge of noisy names. As the names are often misspelled or abbreviated, the conventional techniques have failed to detect the noisy names properly. In this paper we propose a global context based framework for handling the noisy names. The framework is tested on a named entity recognition system designed to identify the names from the discussion texts in a homeopathy diagnosis discussion forum. The proposed global context-based framework is found to be effective in improving the accuracy of the named entity recognition system. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2014.06.002