Exploring the educational potential of robotics in schools: A systematic review

This study reviews recently published scientific literature on the use of robotics in schools, in order to: (a) identify the potential contribution of the incorporation of robotics as educational tool in schools, (b) present a synthesis of the available empirical evidence on the educational effectiveness of robotics as an educational tool in schools, and (c) define future research perspectives concerning educational robotics. After systematically searching online bibliographic databases, ten relevant articles were located and included in the study. For each article, we analyze the purpose of the study, the content to be taught with the aid of robotics, the type of robot used, the research method used, and the sample characteristics (sample size, age range of students and/or level of education) and the results observed. The articles reviewed suggest that educational robotics usually acts as an element that enhances learning, however, this is not always the case, as there are studies that have reported situations in which there was no improvement in learning. The outcomes of the literature review are discussed in terms of their implications for future research, and can provide useful guidance for educators, practitioners and researchers in the area.     

A taxonomy of geospatial services for global service discovery and interoperability

Geospatial service taxonomies represent the knowledge about the characteristics of geospatial services from the enterprise, computational, information, engineering, infrastructure, or technology viewpoints. This paper presents a lightweight taxonomy of geospatial services with the aim of promoting the global sharing of and interoperability among geospatial service instances. This taxonomy focuses on the knowledge connected with service interoperability. As a hierarchical taxonomy, it consists of six layers: service category, service type, version, profile, binding and uniform resource name (URN), from the root down to the leaves. Each layer is composed of classification nodes, with each node identifying one classification concept. Each concept, with a concrete semantic meaning, can be used to classify service instances. The application of this classification scheme to the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) Component and Service registry is also introduced. The results of this study may lead to the further development of service taxonomy to thoroughly capture the knowledge about geospatial services. The lessons learned may be useful to others representing and manipulating geoscientific knowledge.     

A systematic review of domain analysis solutions for product lines

Domain analysis is crucial and central to software product line engineering (SPLE) as it is one of the main instruments to decide what to include in a product and how it should fit in to the overall software product line. For this reason many domain analysis solutions have been proposed both by researchers and industry practitioners. Domain analysis comprises various modeling and scoping activities. This paper presents a systematic review of all the domain analysis solutions presented until 2007. The goal of the review is to analyze the level of industrial application and/or empirical validation of the proposed solutions with the purpose of mapping maturity in terms of industrial application, as well as to what extent proposed solutions might have been evaluated in terms of usability and usefulness. The finding of this review indicates that, although many new domain analysis solutions for software product lines have been proposed over the years, the absence of qualitative and quantitative results from empirical application and/or validation makes it hard to evaluate the potential of proposed solutions with respect to their usability and/or usefulness for industry adoption. The detailed results of the systematic review can be used by individual researchers to see large gaps in research that give opportunities for future work, and from a general research perspective lessons can be learned from the absence of validation as well as from good examples presented. From an industry practitioner view, the results can be used to gauge as to what extent solutions have been applied and/or validated and in what manner, both valuable as input prior to industry adoption of a domain analysis solution.     

Supporting the semi-automatic semantic annotation of web services: A systematic literature review

ContextSemantically annotating web services is gaining more attention as an important aspect to support the automatic matchmaking and composition of web services. Therefore, the support of well-known and agreed ontologies and tools for the semantical annotation of web services is becoming a key concern to help the diffusion of semantic web services.ObjectiveThe objective of this systematic literature review is to summarize the current state-of-the-art for supporting the semantical annotation of web services by providing answers to a set of research questions.MethodThe review follows a predefined procedure that involves automatically searching well-known digital libraries. As a result, a total of 35 primary studies were identified as relevant. A manual search led to the identification of 9 additional primary studies that were not reported during the automatic search of the digital libraries. Required information was extracted from these 44 studies against the selected research questions and finally reported.ResultsOur systematic literature review identified some approaches available for semantically annotating functional and non-functional aspects of web services. However, many of the approaches are either not validated or the validation done lacks credibility.ConclusionWe believe that a substantial amount of work remains to be done to improve the current state of research in the area of supporting semantic web services.     

A systematic review on the functional testing of semantic web services

Semantic web services are gaining more attention as an important element of the emerging semantic web. Therefore, testing semantic web services is becoming a key concern as an essential quality assurance measure. The objective of this systematic literature review is to summarize the current state of the art of functional testing of semantic web services by providing answers to a set of research questions. The review follows a predefined procedure that involves automatically searching 5 well-known digital libraries. After applying the selection criteria to the results, a total of 34 studies were identified as relevant. Required information was extracted from the studies and summarized. Our systematic literature review identified some approaches available for deriving test cases from the specifications of semantic web services. However, many of the approaches are either not validated or the validation done lacks credibility. We believe that a substantial amount of work remains to be done to improve the current state of research in the area of testing semantic web services.     

Customer relationship management mechanisms: A systematic review of the state of the art literature and recommendations for future research

In the information systems, customer relationship management (CRM) is the overall process of building and maintaining profitable customer relationships by delivering superior customer value and satisfaction with the goal of improving the business relationships with customers. Also, it is the strongest and the most efficient approach to maintaining and creating the relationships with customers. However, to the best of our knowledge and despite its importance, there is not any comprehensive and systematic study about reviewing and analyzing its important techniques. Therefore, in this paper, a comprehensive study and survey on the state of the art mechanisms in the scope of the CRM are done. It follows this goal by looking at five categories in which CRM plays a significant role: E-CRM, knowledge management, data mining, data quality and, social CRM. In each category, a couple of studies are presented and determinants of CRM are described and discussed. The major development in these five categories is reviewed and the new challenges are outlined. Also, a systematic literature review (SLR) in each of these five categories is provided. Furthermore, insights into the identification of open issues and guidelines for future research are provided.     

Model-driven eGovernment interoperability: A review of the state of the art

This paper reviews the state of the art in the area of enhancing eGovernment interoperability by using common models and/or ontologies. This area has currently become a very active research field. We identify and present a significant number (> 40) of relevant efforts. These initiatives are grouped into categories based on the owner, scope and modelling perspective of each project. We then focus on the cases that build generic and universal eGovernment representations and models. We analyse, evaluate and rate them using an additional set of criteria. We end up with conclusions and possible directions for the exploitation and usage of these models.     

Business to business interoperability: A current review of XML data integration standards

Despite the dawn of the XML era, semantic interoperability issues still remain unsolved. As various initiatives trying to address how the underlying business information should be modelled, named and structured are being realised throughout the world, the importance of moving towards a holistic approach in eBusiness magnifies. In this paper, an attempt to clarify between the standards prevailing in the area is performed and the XML Data Standards providing generic XML Schemas are presented. Based on this “XML Data Standards Map”, a multi-faceted classification mechanism is proposed, leading to an extensible taxonomy of standards. A set of facets is analyzed for each standard, allowing for their classification based on their scope, completeness, compatibility with other standards, openness, ability to modify the schemas and maturity, to name a few. Through populating and querying this multi-faceted classification, a common understanding of Data Integration Standards can be ensured and the choice of a standard according to the requirements of each business can be systematically addressed.     

Information sharing and interoperability: the case of major incident management

Public sector inter-organisational information sharing and interoperability is an area of increasing concern and intense investment for practice and an area of increasing scholarship. This paper focuses on one particular set of public sector organisations (emergency services) and illuminates the key technological and organisational issues they face concerning information sharing and interoperability. The particular contexts in which these are studied are ones where decisions are non-trivial and made in high-velocity environments. In these conditions the problems and significance of inter-organisational information sharing and interoperability are accentuated. We analyse data gathered from two studies: the first focused on ‘first responders’ (police, fire and ambulance services) in the United Kingdom. The second, a follow on study, with emergency service managers and interoperability project managers in the United Kingdom and the European Union. Using activity theory as a conceptual framework we describe the informational problems critical emergency responders face in their initial response to, and management of, an incident. We argue that rather than focusing on interoperability as a primarily technological issue it should be managed as an organisational and informational issue. Second, we argue that rather than designing for anomalous situations we should design systems, which will function during both anomalous and routine situations. Third, we argue for focus on harmonisation of policies, procedures and working practices.     

Online knowledge sharing mechanisms: a systematic review of the state of the art literature and recommendations for future research

Knowledge sharing is an activity through which knowledge, namely, information, skills, or expertise, is exchanged between people, friends, families, communities or organizations. Online knowledge sharing activities are flourishing with the advent of social media and digital life. However, despite of the importance of the online knowledge sharing methods and mechanisms, there is not any comprehensive and systematic study about studying and analyzing its important techniques. Therefore, the main aim of this paper, the comprehensive, detailed, and systematic study, and survey of the state-of-the-art knowledge sharing mechanisms in an online environments is provided. Also, this paper presents a systematic literature review (SLR) on the online knowledge sharing literatures up to end of 2015. We identified 348 papers, which are reduced to 251 primary studies through our paper selection process. Also, the broad overview of the literature provides insights into potential areas for further research. By providing state-of-the-art information, this survey will directly support academics and practicing professionals in their understanding of developments in online knowledge sharing mechanisms and techniques.     

A method for determining the optimal districting in urban emergency services

In this paper a method is suggested for dealing with one of the main allocation problems often appearing in urban emergency services, that of districting.A mathematical model is developed in terms of constrained optimization with binary variables.An algorithm, derived from Balas' filter-method, which seems to be quite efficient for this class of problems, has been utilized.The objective function, considered here, is the overall travel time in the region under consideration.The optimal travel time, in the case of the Rome fire service, turns out to be meaningfully lower than that derived from the actual situation. At the end is indicated a way of applying the method to the assignment of response areas to the different stations as a function of the current state of the system.     

A hypercube queuing model for facility location and redistricting in urban emergency services

This paper develops computationally efficient algorithms for studying the analytical behavior of a multi-server queuing system with distinguishable servers. The model is intended for analyzing problems of vehicle location and response district design in urban emergency services, includes interdistrict as well as intradistrict responses, and allows computation of several pointspecific as well as area-specific performance measures.     

Psychophysical basis for maximum pushing and pulling forces: A review and recommendations

The objective of this paper was to perform a comprehensive review of psychophysically determined maximum acceptable pushing and pulling forces. Factors affecting pushing and pulling forces are identified and discussed. Recent studies show a significant decrease (compared to previous studies) in maximum acceptable forces for males but not for females when pushing and pulling on a treadmill. A comparison of pushing and pulling forces measured using a high inertia cart with those measured on a treadmill shows that the pushing and pulling forces using high inertia cart are higher for males but are about the same for females. It is concluded that the recommendations of Snook and Ciriello (1991) for pushing and pulling forces are still valid and provide reasonable recommendations for ergonomics practitioners. Regression equations as a function of handle height, frequency of exertion and pushing/pulling distance are provided to estimate maximum initial and sustained forces for pushing and pulling acceptable to 75% male and female workers.     

A systematic review of the application of interactive virtual reality to sport

Virtual reality (VR) technology is being increasingly used by athletes, coaches, and other sport-related professionals. The present systematic review aimed to document research on the application of VR to sport to better understand the outcomes that have emerged in this work. Research literature databases were searched, and the results screened to identify articles reporting applications of interactive VR to sport with healthy human participants. Twenty articles were identified and coded to document the study aims, research designs, participant characteristics, sport types, VR technology, measures, and key findings. From the review, it was shown that interactive VR applications have enhanced a range of performance, physiological, and psychological outcomes. The specific effects have been influenced by factors related to the athlete and the VR system, which comprise athlete factors, VR environment factors, task factors, and the non-VR environment factors. Important variables include the presence of others in the virtual environment, competitiveness, task autonomy, immersion, attentional focus, and feedback. The majority of research has been conducted on endurance sports, such as running, cycling, and rowing, and more research is required to examine the use of interactive VR in skill-based sports. Additional directions for future research and reporting standards for researchers are suggested.     

Information technology and the search for organizational agility: A systematic review with future research possibilities

Organizations are increasingly turning to information technology (IT) to help them respond to unanticipated environmental threats and opportunities. In this paper, we introduce a systematic review of the literature on IT-enabled agility, helping to establish the boundary between what we know and what we don’t know. We base our review on a wide body of literature drawn from the AIS Basket of Eight IT journals, a cross-section of non-Basket journals, IT practitioner outlets, and premier international IS conferences. We review the use of different theoretical lenses used to investigate the relationship between IT and organizational agility and how the literature has conceptualized agility, its antecedents, and consequences. We also map the evolution of the literature through a series of stages that highlight how researchers have built on previous work. Lastly, we discuss opportunities for future research in an effort to close important gaps in our understanding.     

Factors affecting response rates of the web survey: A systematic review

The lower response rate in web surveys has been a major concern for survey researchers. The literature has sought to identify a wide variety of factors that affect response rates in web surveys. In this article, we developed a conceptual model of the web survey process and use the model to systematically review a wide variety of factors influencing the response rate in the stage of survey development, survey delivery, survey completion, and survey return. Practical suggestion and future research directions on how to increase the response rate are discussed.     

A systematic review on the use of immersive virtual reality to train professionals

Multimedia Tools and Applications - The main goal of this systematic review is to synthesize existing evidence on the use of immersive virtual reality (IVR) to train professionals as well as to...     

A systematic review of quality attributes and measures for software product lines

It is widely accepted that software measures provide an appropriate mechanism for understanding, monitoring, controlling, and predicting the quality of software development projects. In software product lines (SPL), quality is even more important than in a single software product since, owing to systematic reuse, a fault or an inadequate design decision could be propagated to several products in the family. Over the last few years, a great number of quality attributes and measures for assessing the quality of SPL have been reported in literature. However, no studies summarizing the current knowledge about them exist. This paper presents a systematic literature review with the objective of identifying and interpreting all the available studies from 1996 to 2010 that present quality attributes and/or measures for SPL. These attributes and measures have been classified using a set of criteria that includes the life cycle phase in which the measures are applied; the corresponding quality characteristics; their support for specific SPL characteristics (e.g., variability, compositionality); the procedure used to validate the measures, etc. We found 165 measures related to 97 different quality attributes. The results of the review indicated that 92% of the measures evaluate attributes that are related to maintainability. In addition, 67% of the measures are used during the design phase of Domain Engineering, and 56% are applied to evaluate the product line architecture. However, only 25% of them have been empirically validated. In conclusion, the results provide a global vision of the state of the research within this area in order to help researchers in detecting weaknesses, directing research efforts, and identifying new research lines. In particular, there is a need for new measures with which to evaluate both the quality of the artifacts produced during the entire SPL life cycle and other quality characteristics. There is also a need for more validation (both theoretical and empirical) of existing measures. In addition, our results may be useful as a reference guide for practitioners to assist them in the selection or the adaptation of existing measures for evaluating their software product lines.