Preprint: Computer Science Courses Using Laptops

A preprint of paper to be publish in the next edition the journal Innovation in Teaching and Learning in Information and Computer Sciences (ITALICS) is now available at http://journals.heacademy.ac.uk/doi/abs/10.11120/ital.2014.00011

Computer Science Courses Using Laptops

Gary Hill, Espen Svennevik and Scott Turner

Department of Computing & Immersive Technologies, University of Northampton, UK

Corresponding author: Scott Turner, Department of Computing & Immersive Technologies, University of Northampton, UK Email: scott.turner@northampton.ac.uk, Phone: +44 (0) 1604 893028

Abstract

Traditionally computer sciences courses have been taught using laboratories full of expensive desktop computers. Although this approach may have been valid in the 80, 90s and even the early part of this decade, this paper suggests that buying, maintaining and replacing laboratories full of computers is no longer required. This paper raises the issues associated with attempting to use laptops – as thin/thick clients using virtual machines – to deliver the computer science curriculum and offers potential solutions that, in some cases, may make computer science courses at such ‘brave’ institutions more appealing.

Read More: http://journals.heacademy.ac.uk/doi/abs/10.11120/ital.2014.00011

Gary Hill, Espen Svennevik, and Scott Turner: (2014) Computer Science Courses Using Laptops. Innovation in Teaching and Learning in Information and Computer Sciences. DOI: 10.11120/ital.2014.00011

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Sub 1GHz M2M Communications Standardization

Conference slides from Sylvester Ajah

Sylvester Ajah, Research student in Department of Computing and Immersive Technologies, University of Northampton, is to present a paper at PGNet 2014 , on 23rd June at Liverpool John Moore's University, UK

update:full text available from:
  http://www.cms.livjm.ac.uk/PGNet2014/papers/1569953869.pdf

Sub 1GHz M2M Communications Standardization: The Advancement in White Space Utilization for Enhancing the Energy Efficiency

Sylvester Ajah, Ali Al-Sherbaz, Scott Turner and Phil Picton

Abstract

 Energy efficiency of machine to machine (M2M) communications terminals is one of the major design goals of M2M networks, resulting from anticipated over 50 billion  M2M communications devices to be deployed into the networks by 2020. The stakeholders in the M2M communications have observed that it will be environmental and economic catastrophic to deploy M2M communications devices without solving the energy inefficiencies associated with wireless devices that are expected to be used for M2M communications. In view of the aforementioned energy challenge, sub 1GHz spectra have provided enormous opportunities that can be energy efficient, cost effective and coverage efficiency which can be utilized for M2M communications. This work will evaluate the energy efficiency benefits of optimized Sub 1GHz spectra for M2M communications.

E

Open Educational Resources: Problem-Solving

A new Open Education Resource (OER) has been made available by the Department of Computing and Immersive Technologies, School of Science and Technology, University of Northampton.

Problem-Solving

Author: Dr Scott Turner

http://find.jorum.ac.uk/resources/19001

Details

These mini lectures are intended for undergraduate computing students, for providing simple steps in problem solving before the students learn a programming language. Problem-Solving and Programming is a common first year undergraduate module on the BSc Computing Programme at the University of Northampton. This material was taken from the problem solving part of the module and provides an introduction to five topics in problem-solving.

The resource can be found at: http://find.jorum.ac.uk/resources/19001

Immersive technology devices and field work: Oculus Rift

Who is your project team? Scott Turner and Naomi Holmes, School of Science and Technology, Adel Gordon, Learning Technology

How much funding did you receive? £1,200 Poster available at: http://slidesha.re/1kvvUuX  http://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.1054675 What is your project? The aim was to investigate the potential use and the student experiences of using virtual reality (Oculus Rift) devices for field trips. Virtual reality field trips have been used by a number of HE institutions for a number of reasons To give students the opportunity to prepare for a ‘real-life’ field trip (risk assessments, kit selection, project preparation etc) To allow students to reflect on a recent field trip To provide an additional field trip experience without incurring extra costs for the student or institution To improve accessibility to field work experiences To allow distance learning students to participate in field work Computer-based (virtual reality) field trips have in the past been perceived negatively by students, often due to a poor representation of reality. Currently these field trips take place in 3D environments on a 2D computer screen. There has been an emphasis on enhancing the realism of these virtual field trips. The recent release of Oculus Rift, a relatively low-cost virtual-reality headset which tracks the user’s head movements, allowing users to ‘walk through’ a virtual landscape immersively, offers an opportunity to further improve the virtual reality field trip experience. Thirteen Environmental and Geographical Sciences student volunteers tested the Oculus Rift. The students used the Oculus Tuscany Demo software to work around a landscape, spending between 10 and 30 minutes in the landscape. No students had used an Oculus Rift previously. After using the devices they fed back through a questionnaire their views on its use from a learner's perspective. Do you have any outcomes you can report? From the questionnaires: The students all saw the virtual reality as beneficial only if used alongside or in addition to actual field trip experiences Motion sickness was a common problem of using the devices and so limits the time it can be used Overall the response was positive for the testers Other applications such as studying plant structure, looking at past environments and cell structure were suggested by the students The work has been disseminated. The results were discussed and participants had a chance to try the Oculus Rifts in a workshop at the recent Northampton Learning and Teaching Conference - Northampton 2018: Planning, Designing and Delivering Student Success.

The Mystery of The Hanging Garden of Babylon

It is not usually what you thinking of as related computing but the team within the Department of Computing and Immersive Technologies, University of Northampton have wide and varied interests. Here is one example:

The Adoption of e-Government in Arab Countries: The Case for Libya

Yousef Forti, a Computing PhD student in the Department of Computing and Immersive Technologies, University of Northampton, is to presented work in a paper on e-government in Arab Countries at the 14th European Conference of e-Government: ECEG2014

The Adoption of e-Government in Arab Countries: The Case for Libya

Y Forti, K Bechkoum, S Turner, S Ajit

Proceedings of  14th European Conference of e-Government :EGEG2014

page 319-327.

Abstract

Countries around the world are adopting e-government as a tool to provide online public services to their citizens, businesses and other stakeholders in a manner that reduces cost, saves time, and increases efficiency and effectiveness that leads to high quality services and greater engagement with citizens. However, the adoption of e-government faces many challenges that would act as barriers in the implementation process.  Such barriers, be they technical, social or organisational, must be considered carefully before implementation takes place. While there are successful stories of e-government implementation in developed countries, the picture is far from being similar in the developing world.

Reports have shown a high rate of failure among most developing countries that have attempted to adopt e-government initiatives. The readiness of such countries has to be at a level that empowers them to deliver successful implementations. Libya is an example of a developing country that is facing serious challenges in this area. Libya has already taken the initiative by embarking on an e-government project, although this is still in the early stages. The project aims to provide online services to citizens, businesses and other organisations around the country in order to alleviate the burden of centralized bureaucracy, and to reduce the need to travel either by car or public transport to the capital city, Tripoli.

This paper discusses the critical factors that play a key role in ensuring a successful implementation of e-government in North Africa and the Middle Eastern region. It also reviews the factors that positively impacted on the successful adoption in the Gulf countries, with a view to ascertain their potential impact on Libya using  desktop research methodology.

To read more of this paper a preview of some of the content is available from this link.

Contact Yousef.Forti@northampton.ac.uk for more information.