Office environments have recently adopted ubiquitous computing for collaboration and mobile communication to promote real-time enterprises. Ubiquitous offices, introduced by Weiser and adopted as emerging computationa...Office environments have recently adopted ubiquitous computing for collaboration and mobile communication to promote real-time enterprises. Ubiquitous offices, introduced by Weiser and adopted as emerging computational technology to support office works, have already affected the practice of companies and organizations. Within this context, this study deals with a work service model of the ubiquitous office environments by understanding human behaviors and works in their workspace. We propose a ubiquitous office model considering the correlation between ubiquitous computing technologies and work services in the office. Two attributes are emphasized, collaboration and mobility, as identifiers for categorizing the work types. The types of work services have variations in the amount of communication and the proportion of working outside of the office. The proposed work service model of the ubiquitous office includes territorial and non-territorial services to enable workers in and out of the office to interact with each other effectively. The findings in this paper would be a theoretical basis for embodying an intelligent office which supports office works efficiently.展开更多
Nowadays, collaborative teaching has become an original and effective teaching strategy, which has been generally accepted in many countries. It is an effective means to cultivate and train students＇ language using a...Nowadays, collaborative teaching has become an original and effective teaching strategy, which has been generally accepted in many countries. It is an effective means to cultivate and train students＇ language using ability and their autonomous learning ability. The core of collaborative teaching is making students accomplish a common learning goal via group work. In view of the current situation of college English teaching, this paper has explored issues on the group work in collaborative teaching, including group work designing, group work implementing and group work evaluating. In addition, it has discussed with examples the merits and demerits of group work and come up with concrete measures for improvement so as to further promote college English teaching reforms.展开更多
Learning challenges are more common in the 21 st century than many people believe; however, there are more efficient and better methods to develop academic learning skills for students. Identifying learning problems c...Learning challenges are more common in the 21 st century than many people believe; however, there are more efficient and better methods to develop academic learning skills for students. Identifying learning problems can help both students and lecturers to apply specific learning techniques and work together to be more productive in the process of teaching and learning. This study investigates the collaboration of science foundation lecturers in addressing the students＇ academic performance and challenges in their foundation modules at the University of Venda. The study is also aimed at finding out whether students can be able to apply their information technology （IT） skills in other modules and they make use of group work in projects into different foundation modules to enhance performance and develop academic learning skills. In this study, students were given projects in their respective modules （Foundation Biology and Foundation IT） and it was required to them to make use of their IT skills during the research report and also during the presentation of their project. These projects were done in groups wherein students undertook some mini researches. Their findings were then reported in writing and presentations were held. The Foundation English lecturer helped in assessing the use of the academic language used in writing and during oral presentations. The findings from these projects were that students＇ academic performance and skills improved and their specific knowledge in those modules also improved radically. It was found that group work plays a very imperative role in enhancing the students＇ performance and collaboration in various foundation modules.展开更多
Evaluating care pathways, strengthening patient education, developing staff’s patient education skills, and improving collaboration between primary and special healthcare workers are all topical challenges. Successfu...Evaluating care pathways, strengthening patient education, developing staff’s patient education skills, and improving collaboration between primary and special healthcare workers are all topical challenges. Successful patient education requires seamless cooperation across organizational boundaries throughout the whole nursing process. The aim of this study is to describe participants’ experiences of development work between primary and special health care units on patient education. In this qualitative descriptive study twenty four health care workers who took part in development work in a collaborative project of special and primary health care service in northern Finland were interviewed when they had nine months’ experience of the development work. The material was analysed using content analysis. Experiences of the nature of development work were described using the following categories: attachment to development work, delight in participation, factors supporting success and challenges of development work. Improvement of co-operation between special and primary health service is a topical challenge. Participation in development work offers occupational learning opportunities. Evaluation and development of own work strengthens staff members’ occupational know-how. The results of this research may be utilized in the planning and execution of development work in the field of health care.展开更多
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition characterized by painful nodules, abscesses, and scarring, primarily affecting areas rich in apocrine glands. Environmental and occupational risk...Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition characterized by painful nodules, abscesses, and scarring, primarily affecting areas rich in apocrine glands. Environmental and occupational risk factors, including prolonged exposure to heat, friction, and certain chemicals, have been identified as exacerbating conditions for HS. Yet, there remains a lack of tailored recommendations for modifying work environments to alleviate these triggers. This review presents novel suggestions for work modifications to reduce HS flare-ups, such as implementing breathable, friction-reducing workwear, ergonomic adjustments to minimize pressure on affected areas, and introducing low-irritant hygiene protocols in workplaces with chemical exposure. These recommendations are grounded in emerging evidence linking specific occupational exposures to the exacerbation of HS symptoms. The novelty of this approach lies in its proactive stance, shifting from reactive management of HS symptoms to preventative environmental modifications. Future studies should explore the long-term efficacy of these modifications and investigate the potential for personalized work environment adjustments based on individual patient profiles. Targeted workplace interventions may significantly improve the quality of life for HS patients, highlighting the need for multidisciplinary collaboration between dermatologists, occupational health specialists, and employers.展开更多
This paper proposes a collaborative design model based on operation semantics in a distributed computer-aided design (CAD) environment. The goal is to reduce time consumption in data format conversion and the requirem...This paper proposes a collaborative design model based on operation semantics in a distributed computer-aided design (CAD) environment. The goal is to reduce time consumption in data format conversion and the requirement of network bandwidth so as to improve the cooperative ability and the synchronization efficiency. Firstly, real-time collaborative design is reviewed and three kinds of real-time collaborative design models are discussed. Secondly, the concept of operation semantics is defined and the framework of an operation semantics model is presented. The operation semantics carries the original design data and actual operation process to express design intent and operation activity in conventional CAD systems. Finally, according to the operation semantics model, a CAD operation primitive is defined which can be retrieved from and mapped to the local CAD system operation commands; a distributed CAD collaborative architecture based on the model is presented, and an example is given to verify the model.展开更多
Shifting demographics—that is, the growing number of older adults in Canada and internationally—and intersecting climatic risks create a complex landscape of aging in place in disaster contexts. Some older adults ar...Shifting demographics—that is, the growing number of older adults in Canada and internationally—and intersecting climatic risks create a complex landscape of aging in place in disaster contexts. Some older adults are vulnerable due to their underlying health conditions and limited physical mobility. Yet they also exhibit resilience in a distinct manner, owing to their wealth of knowledge, wisdom, and ability to navigate adversities. This article elucidates potential avenues for promoting the involvement of older adults in disaster recovery efforts. Our intention is to recognize and foster older adult resilience and mitigate vulnerability by drawing upon insights from the study titled “In the Aftermath of the 2016 Alberta Wildfires: The Role of Social Work Practitioners and Human Service Professionals in Long-Term Disaster Recovery.” Employing a qualitative research approach, that study recruited 51 participants for semistructured interviews and focus groups. A thematic analysis of the collected data unveiled the pivotal roles played by social workers and human service practitioners in facilitating recovery from the 2016 wildfires in the research. Notably, three overarching themes emerged concerning the promotion of older adults' involvement in disaster recovery: fostering supportive relationships, building partnerships and enhancing collaboration, and addressing ongoing challenges. These findings offer valuable insights into how social work practitioners and human service professionals can effectively facilitate the engagement of older adults in disaster recovery initiatives. This article emphasizes the significance of actively promoting the participation of older adults in disaster mitigation efforts, thereby fostering greater resilience within communities.展开更多
This paper proposes a group synchronization control scheme with prediction in work using haptic media. The scheme adjusts the output timing among multiple terminals and keeps the interactivity high. It outputs positio...This paper proposes a group synchronization control scheme with prediction in work using haptic media. The scheme adjusts the output timing among multiple terminals and keeps the interactivity high. It outputs position information by predicting the future position later than the position included in the last-received information by a fixed amount of time. It also advances the output time of position information at each local terminal by the same amount of time. We deal with two different types of work using haptic media so as to demonstrate the effectiveness of the scheme. We assess the output quality of haptic media for the two types of work subjectively and objectively by Quality of Experience (QoE) assessment. We further clarify the relationship between subjective and objective assessment results.展开更多
In this paper, we put forward a collaborative mode based on A/S mode to solve existing problems in the process of developing electromechanical instrument collaborative sharing system (EICSS). The mode architecture, wo...In this paper, we put forward a collaborative mode based on A/S mode to solve existing problems in the process of developing electromechanical instrument collaborative sharing system (EICSS). The mode architecture, working pattern and development flow of this system were described. The prototype system developed was applied to Lambda 900 Spectrometer in Chongqing University to realize electromechanical instrument networked sharing, and demonstrated desirable expansibility and felxibility to satisfy diverse demands of customers.展开更多
The arrival of Building Information Modelling(BIM)platforms to the Architecture,Engineering and Construction(AEC)markets and companies has led to a significant increase in efficiency in this economy sector.However,man...The arrival of Building Information Modelling(BIM)platforms to the Architecture,Engineering and Construction(AEC)markets and companies has led to a significant increase in efficiency in this economy sector.However,many AEC companies try to implement BIM as a normal or incremental change or improvement in technology rather than as a technological paradigm shift that radically affects most organizational processes.This paper aims to present a basic BIM framework amenable to ensure a successful BIM adoption in Brazilian federal public organizations.Based on a literature review,we propose to split the factors into three groups:project development procedures,model development procedures and public governance policies.Some processes were studied in order to infer which of them is necessary for a successful BIM adoption.A BIM implementation is expected to be a success only if all groups of factors are well defined and the established goals for each of them are reached.We also describe results of two concept proofs related to actual cases of BIM implementation,with changes in product and governance management processes.Main results show that any BIM adoption should consider the close relation among model management,product management and governance management groups.展开更多
The current situation of English learners in class is not optimistic. Facing with such a situation, how to promote students' learning is a big problem in English teaching. Cooperative learning is a kind of effecti...The current situation of English learners in class is not optimistic. Facing with such a situation, how to promote students' learning is a big problem in English teaching. Cooperative learning is a kind of effective learning method and teaching strategy,which is student-centered, group-centered, and aims at common learning goals. The paper focuses on the definition, advantages and effective implementation of cooperative learning.展开更多
This paper mainly seeks to discuss what factors contribute to students' passive involvement in English classes. It also explores whether it would be possible to solve the above pedagogical dilemmas through impleme...This paper mainly seeks to discuss what factors contribute to students' passive involvement in English classes. It also explores whether it would be possible to solve the above pedagogical dilemmas through implementing collaborative learning mode in ESL. After analyzing the data collected from case study, classroom observation and post-hoc interviews, researcher discovers that collaborative learning mode exerts a considerable positive influence on reducing students' learning anxiety and rebuilding their self-confidence. In addition, peer interaction and group collaboration are highly motivating and effective for ESL learners at college level.展开更多
Background: Participating in working life is important for most peoples’ economy, self-confidence, independence, social life, and feeling of belonging. Persons with co-occurring severe mental health difficulties and ...Background: Participating in working life is important for most peoples’ economy, self-confidence, independence, social life, and feeling of belonging. Persons with co-occurring severe mental health difficulties and substance use problems have challenges in entering working life. Objective: The aim of the study was to explore the importance of work and activity for the recovery of persons with co-occurring severe mental health difficulties and substance use problems and to determine the significant elements that aid them in getting into work and/or meaningful activities. Methods: A professional development program was conducted to explore how following-up on these persons could lead to participation in working life. The data were collected through qualitative interviews with 24 participants, and with 25 of those carrying out the follow-up. Results: The participants described the benefit from the follow-up as well. They expressed enthusiasm for work and vocational training, although they all did not obtain work. Many had a better life, with more daily structure and less substance abuse. The personal encounter between the helper and the participant was ascribed crucial importance— being respected and valued, being relied on, and being able to be honest were considered significant. Conclusions: The participants valued work and regular activities, a more structured life, decreased drug abuse, and altogether a better life. The helpers’ respect, recognition and their ability to see dignity through wretchedness?and broken agreements were important. The participants emphasized the importance of getting help for different problems from different helpers at the same time, and the providers’ interdisciplinary collaboration in teams was essential. It seems that the supported employment philosophy on speedy job seeking ought to be adapted to this target group and that prior social training may be necessary.展开更多
In the past few years,group activities have been warmly welcomed by EFL(English as a foreign language)classes in Chi-na,but few studies have discussed it from a critical perspective.Thus,this study explores from stude...In the past few years,group activities have been warmly welcomed by EFL(English as a foreign language)classes in Chi-na,but few studies have discussed it from a critical perspective.Thus,this study explores from students’experiences what and whythe strengths and weaknesses of group work in actual contexts appear.The findings reveal that Chinese learners regard group workas an effective interactive activity for language,personal,and emotional development.However,the possible pitfalls,such as pseu-dogroups,unequal participation,groupthink,L1(first language)influence may prevent learners from obtaining the benefits of CL(collaborative learning).Finally,some suggestions are given,with the purpose of creating a more suitable facilitative EFL classroomenvironment for future Chinese EFL teaching and learning.展开更多
文摘Office environments have recently adopted ubiquitous computing for collaboration and mobile communication to promote real-time enterprises. Ubiquitous offices, introduced by Weiser and adopted as emerging computational technology to support office works, have already affected the practice of companies and organizations. Within this context, this study deals with a work service model of the ubiquitous office environments by understanding human behaviors and works in their workspace. We propose a ubiquitous office model considering the correlation between ubiquitous computing technologies and work services in the office. Two attributes are emphasized, collaboration and mobility, as identifiers for categorizing the work types. The types of work services have variations in the amount of communication and the proportion of working outside of the office. The proposed work service model of the ubiquitous office includes territorial and non-territorial services to enable workers in and out of the office to interact with each other effectively. The findings in this paper would be a theoretical basis for embodying an intelligent office which supports office works efficiently.
文摘Nowadays, collaborative teaching has become an original and effective teaching strategy, which has been generally accepted in many countries. It is an effective means to cultivate and train students＇ language using ability and their autonomous learning ability. The core of collaborative teaching is making students accomplish a common learning goal via group work. In view of the current situation of college English teaching, this paper has explored issues on the group work in collaborative teaching, including group work designing, group work implementing and group work evaluating. In addition, it has discussed with examples the merits and demerits of group work and come up with concrete measures for improvement so as to further promote college English teaching reforms.
文摘Learning challenges are more common in the 21 st century than many people believe; however, there are more efficient and better methods to develop academic learning skills for students. Identifying learning problems can help both students and lecturers to apply specific learning techniques and work together to be more productive in the process of teaching and learning. This study investigates the collaboration of science foundation lecturers in addressing the students＇ academic performance and challenges in their foundation modules at the University of Venda. The study is also aimed at finding out whether students can be able to apply their information technology （IT） skills in other modules and they make use of group work in projects into different foundation modules to enhance performance and develop academic learning skills. In this study, students were given projects in their respective modules （Foundation Biology and Foundation IT） and it was required to them to make use of their IT skills during the research report and also during the presentation of their project. These projects were done in groups wherein students undertook some mini researches. Their findings were then reported in writing and presentations were held. The Foundation English lecturer helped in assessing the use of the academic language used in writing and during oral presentations. The findings from these projects were that students＇ academic performance and skills improved and their specific knowledge in those modules also improved radically. It was found that group work plays a very imperative role in enhancing the students＇ performance and collaboration in various foundation modules.
文摘Evaluating care pathways, strengthening patient education, developing staff’s patient education skills, and improving collaboration between primary and special healthcare workers are all topical challenges. Successful patient education requires seamless cooperation across organizational boundaries throughout the whole nursing process. The aim of this study is to describe participants’ experiences of development work between primary and special health care units on patient education. In this qualitative descriptive study twenty four health care workers who took part in development work in a collaborative project of special and primary health care service in northern Finland were interviewed when they had nine months’ experience of the development work. The material was analysed using content analysis. Experiences of the nature of development work were described using the following categories: attachment to development work, delight in participation, factors supporting success and challenges of development work. Improvement of co-operation between special and primary health service is a topical challenge. Participation in development work offers occupational learning opportunities. Evaluation and development of own work strengthens staff members’ occupational know-how. The results of this research may be utilized in the planning and execution of development work in the field of health care.
文摘Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition characterized by painful nodules, abscesses, and scarring, primarily affecting areas rich in apocrine glands. Environmental and occupational risk factors, including prolonged exposure to heat, friction, and certain chemicals, have been identified as exacerbating conditions for HS. Yet, there remains a lack of tailored recommendations for modifying work environments to alleviate these triggers. This review presents novel suggestions for work modifications to reduce HS flare-ups, such as implementing breathable, friction-reducing workwear, ergonomic adjustments to minimize pressure on affected areas, and introducing low-irritant hygiene protocols in workplaces with chemical exposure. These recommendations are grounded in emerging evidence linking specific occupational exposures to the exacerbation of HS symptoms. The novelty of this approach lies in its proactive stance, shifting from reactive management of HS symptoms to preventative environmental modifications. Future studies should explore the long-term efficacy of these modifications and investigate the potential for personalized work environment adjustments based on individual patient profiles. Targeted workplace interventions may significantly improve the quality of life for HS patients, highlighting the need for multidisciplinary collaboration between dermatologists, occupational health specialists, and employers.
文摘This paper proposes a collaborative design model based on operation semantics in a distributed computer-aided design (CAD) environment. The goal is to reduce time consumption in data format conversion and the requirement of network bandwidth so as to improve the cooperative ability and the synchronization efficiency. Firstly, real-time collaborative design is reviewed and three kinds of real-time collaborative design models are discussed. Secondly, the concept of operation semantics is defined and the framework of an operation semantics model is presented. The operation semantics carries the original design data and actual operation process to express design intent and operation activity in conventional CAD systems. Finally, according to the operation semantics model, a CAD operation primitive is defined which can be retrieved from and mapped to the local CAD system operation commands; a distributed CAD collaborative architecture based on the model is presented, and an example is given to verify the model.
基金supported in part by funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)。
文摘Shifting demographics—that is, the growing number of older adults in Canada and internationally—and intersecting climatic risks create a complex landscape of aging in place in disaster contexts. Some older adults are vulnerable due to their underlying health conditions and limited physical mobility. Yet they also exhibit resilience in a distinct manner, owing to their wealth of knowledge, wisdom, and ability to navigate adversities. This article elucidates potential avenues for promoting the involvement of older adults in disaster recovery efforts. Our intention is to recognize and foster older adult resilience and mitigate vulnerability by drawing upon insights from the study titled “In the Aftermath of the 2016 Alberta Wildfires: The Role of Social Work Practitioners and Human Service Professionals in Long-Term Disaster Recovery.” Employing a qualitative research approach, that study recruited 51 participants for semistructured interviews and focus groups. A thematic analysis of the collected data unveiled the pivotal roles played by social workers and human service practitioners in facilitating recovery from the 2016 wildfires in the research. Notably, three overarching themes emerged concerning the promotion of older adults' involvement in disaster recovery: fostering supportive relationships, building partnerships and enhancing collaboration, and addressing ongoing challenges. These findings offer valuable insights into how social work practitioners and human service professionals can effectively facilitate the engagement of older adults in disaster recovery initiatives. This article emphasizes the significance of actively promoting the participation of older adults in disaster mitigation efforts, thereby fostering greater resilience within communities.
文摘This paper proposes a group synchronization control scheme with prediction in work using haptic media. The scheme adjusts the output timing among multiple terminals and keeps the interactivity high. It outputs position information by predicting the future position later than the position included in the last-received information by a fixed amount of time. It also advances the output time of position information at each local terminal by the same amount of time. We deal with two different types of work using haptic media so as to demonstrate the effectiveness of the scheme. We assess the output quality of haptic media for the two types of work subjectively and objectively by Quality of Experience (QoE) assessment. We further clarify the relationship between subjective and objective assessment results.
基金Funded by the Foundation for 211 Projects of the Ministry of Education During the 10th Five-year Plan Period of China (No. shi wu 211CERS-13).
文摘In this paper, we put forward a collaborative mode based on A/S mode to solve existing problems in the process of developing electromechanical instrument collaborative sharing system (EICSS). The mode architecture, working pattern and development flow of this system were described. The prototype system developed was applied to Lambda 900 Spectrometer in Chongqing University to realize electromechanical instrument networked sharing, and demonstrated desirable expansibility and felxibility to satisfy diverse demands of customers.
文摘The arrival of Building Information Modelling(BIM)platforms to the Architecture,Engineering and Construction(AEC)markets and companies has led to a significant increase in efficiency in this economy sector.However,many AEC companies try to implement BIM as a normal or incremental change or improvement in technology rather than as a technological paradigm shift that radically affects most organizational processes.This paper aims to present a basic BIM framework amenable to ensure a successful BIM adoption in Brazilian federal public organizations.Based on a literature review,we propose to split the factors into three groups:project development procedures,model development procedures and public governance policies.Some processes were studied in order to infer which of them is necessary for a successful BIM adoption.A BIM implementation is expected to be a success only if all groups of factors are well defined and the established goals for each of them are reached.We also describe results of two concept proofs related to actual cases of BIM implementation,with changes in product and governance management processes.Main results show that any BIM adoption should consider the close relation among model management,product management and governance management groups.
文摘The current situation of English learners in class is not optimistic. Facing with such a situation, how to promote students' learning is a big problem in English teaching. Cooperative learning is a kind of effective learning method and teaching strategy,which is student-centered, group-centered, and aims at common learning goals. The paper focuses on the definition, advantages and effective implementation of cooperative learning.
文摘This paper mainly seeks to discuss what factors contribute to students' passive involvement in English classes. It also explores whether it would be possible to solve the above pedagogical dilemmas through implementing collaborative learning mode in ESL. After analyzing the data collected from case study, classroom observation and post-hoc interviews, researcher discovers that collaborative learning mode exerts a considerable positive influence on reducing students' learning anxiety and rebuilding their self-confidence. In addition, peer interaction and group collaboration are highly motivating and effective for ESL learners at college level.
文摘Background: Participating in working life is important for most peoples’ economy, self-confidence, independence, social life, and feeling of belonging. Persons with co-occurring severe mental health difficulties and substance use problems have challenges in entering working life. Objective: The aim of the study was to explore the importance of work and activity for the recovery of persons with co-occurring severe mental health difficulties and substance use problems and to determine the significant elements that aid them in getting into work and/or meaningful activities. Methods: A professional development program was conducted to explore how following-up on these persons could lead to participation in working life. The data were collected through qualitative interviews with 24 participants, and with 25 of those carrying out the follow-up. Results: The participants described the benefit from the follow-up as well. They expressed enthusiasm for work and vocational training, although they all did not obtain work. Many had a better life, with more daily structure and less substance abuse. The personal encounter between the helper and the participant was ascribed crucial importance— being respected and valued, being relied on, and being able to be honest were considered significant. Conclusions: The participants valued work and regular activities, a more structured life, decreased drug abuse, and altogether a better life. The helpers’ respect, recognition and their ability to see dignity through wretchedness?and broken agreements were important. The participants emphasized the importance of getting help for different problems from different helpers at the same time, and the providers’ interdisciplinary collaboration in teams was essential. It seems that the supported employment philosophy on speedy job seeking ought to be adapted to this target group and that prior social training may be necessary.
文摘In the past few years,group activities have been warmly welcomed by EFL(English as a foreign language)classes in Chi-na,but few studies have discussed it from a critical perspective.Thus,this study explores from students’experiences what and whythe strengths and weaknesses of group work in actual contexts appear.The findings reveal that Chinese learners regard group workas an effective interactive activity for language,personal,and emotional development.However,the possible pitfalls,such as pseu-dogroups,unequal participation,groupthink,L1(first language)influence may prevent learners from obtaining the benefits of CL(collaborative learning).Finally,some suggestions are given,with the purpose of creating a more suitable facilitative EFL classroomenvironment for future Chinese EFL teaching and learning.
