Can traditional fault prediction models be used for vulnerability prediction?

Finding security vulnerabilities requires a different mindset than finding general faults in software—thinking like an attacker. Therefore, security engineers looking to prioritize security inspection and testing efforts may be better served by a prediction model that indicates security vulnerabilities rather than faults. At the same time, faults and vulnerabilities have commonalities that may allow development teams to use traditional fault prediction models and metrics for vulnerability prediction. The goal of our study is to determine whether fault prediction models can be used for vulnerability prediction or if specialized vulnerability prediction models should be developed when both models are built with traditional metrics of complexity, code churn, and fault history. We have performed an empirical study on a widely-used, large open source project, the Mozilla Firefox web browser, where 21% of the source code files have faults and only 3% of the files have vulnerabilities. Both the fault prediction model and the vulnerability prediction model provide similar ability in vulnerability prediction across a wide range of classification thresholds. For example, the fault prediction model provided recall of 83% and precision of 11% at classification threshold 0.6 and the vulnerability prediction model provided recall of 83% and precision of 12% at classification threshold 0.5. Our results suggest that fault prediction models based upon traditional metrics can substitute for specialized vulnerability prediction models. However, both fault prediction and vulnerability prediction models require significant improvement to reduce false positives while providing high recall.     

Can computer models be used for social learning? A serious game in water management

Computer simulation models are increasingly used to support solving complex problems in natural resource management, with social learning as subsidiary goal of the solution process. In this research, a serious game on water management is used where participants receive feedback on consequences of their choices from an Integrated Assessment Meta Model. This study aims to determine if and how social learning takes place and explores the role of the model in social learning. Group discussions were qualitatively analysed to uncover and understand the mechanisms in this process. Results show that social learning took place in 10 of the 12 game sessions. Though model feedback was an important driver for social learning, social learning was driven most by the team's reflection on their perspective. We conclude that using a model can facilitate social learning in a serious-game setting, in particular in combination with reflection on teams' perspectives.     

Can EVI-derived land-surface phenology be used as a surrogate for phenology of canopy photosynthesis?

Canopy phenology plays a prominent role in determining the timing and magnitude of carbon uptake by many ecosystems. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Global Land Cover Dynamics product developed from the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) provides broad spatial and temporal coverage of land-surface phenology (LSP), and may serve as a useful proxy for the phenology of canopy photosynthesis. Here, we compare the MODIS growing season start and end dates (SOS and EOS) with the seasonal phenology of canopy photosynthesis estimated using the eddy covariance approach. Using 153 site-years obtained from the Ameriflux database, we calculated the SOS and EOS of gross primary production (GPP) and canopy photosynthesis capacity (CPC) for seven different boreal and temperate vegetation types. CPC is GPP at maximum radiation, estimated by fitting half-hourly GPP and radiation to a rectangular hyperbolic function. We found large mean absolute differences of up to 53 days, depending on vegetation type, between the phenology of canopy development and photosynthesis, indicating that remotely sensed LSP is not a robust surrogate of seasonal changes in GPP, particularly for evergreen needleleaf forests. This limited correspondence of ecosystem carbon uptake with the MODIS LSP product points to the need for improved remotely sensed proxies of GPP phenology.     

Can predicate-argument structures be used for contextual opinion retrieval from blogs?

We present the results of our investigation on the use of predicate-argument structures for contextual opinion retrieval. The use of predicate-argument structure for opinion retrieval is a novel approach that exploits the grammatical derivation of sentences to show contextual and subjective relevance. We do not use frequency of certain keywords as it is usually done in keyword-based opinion retrieval approaches. Rather, our novel solution is based on frequency of contextually relevant and subjective sentences. We use a linear relevance model that leverages semantic similarities among predicate-argument structures of sentences. Thus, this paper presents the evaluation results of the linear relevance model. The model does a linear combination of a popular relevance model, our proposed transformed terms similarity model, and the absolute value of a sentence subjectivity scoring scheme. The predicate-argument structures are derived from the grammatical derivations of natural language query topics and the well formed sentences from blog documents. The derived predicate-argument structures are then semantically compared to compute an opinion relevance score. Our scoring technique uses the highest frequency of semantically related predicate-argument structures enriched with the total subjectivity score from sentences. Evaluation and experimental results show that predicate-argument structures can indeed be used for contextual opinion retrieval as it improves performance of opinion retrieval task by 15% over the popular TREC baselines.     

Can virtual reality be used to measure and train surgical skills?

The quantitative literature on the use of virtual environments to measure and train a variety of surgical skills is critically reviewed. We selected works from the years 1995-2000. Theoretical perspectives, such as those of Saltzman (1979), Bernstein (1967) and Schmidt (1975) and techniques, such as hierarchical task analysis, are presented and contrasted with the largely atheoretical approach of the practitioners of virtual surgery. It is concluded that the quantitative work discussed provides few findings of value to practising surgeons. This may be due in part to the lack of consideration paid to fundamental issues in the learning of motor skills, such as whether motor skills learning is most effective with varying training conditions and the distinction between purely motoric aspects and knowledge of procedures. Possible ways forward for surgical training are outlined. It is suggested that the theoretical perspectives and techniques available in the area of motor behaviour should be incorporated into future experimental studies of surgery in virtual environments.     

Who overuses Smartphones? Roles of virtues and parenting style in Smartphone addiction among Chinese college students

Several empirical studies have linked negative parenting style (i.e., parental rejection and overprotection) with a higher degree of Smartphone addiction. However, few studies have analyzed the potential protective factors (e.g., virtues) that may prevent addiction and promote effective Smartphone addiction interventions. Therefore, we examined if virtues (i.e., relationship, vitality, and conscientiousness) mediated the association between parenting style and Smartphone addiction among college students. Moreover, we examined whether these relationships were moderated by gender. Chinese college students (N = 742) ages 16–25 years completed the: 1) short-Egna Minnen av Barndoms Uppfostran-Chinese measure of parenting style, 2) 96-item Chinese Virtues Questionnaire, and the 3) Mobile Phone Addiction Index of Smartphone addiction. The results showed that negative parenting style significantly influenced college students' Smartphone addiction. Furthermore, virtues acted as a cognitive mechanism that mediated the association between negative parenting style and Smartphone addiction. Moreover, male virtues may be more sensitive to negative parenting style than female virtues. Relevant suggestions for college administrators, educators, parents, and future researchers are offered.     

Can privacy concerns for insurance of connected cars be compensated?

Internet-of-things technologies enable service providers such as insurance companies to collect vast amounts of privacy-sensitive data on car drivers. This paper studies whether and how privacy concerns of car owners can be compensated by offering monetary benefits. We study the case of usage based car insurance services for which the insurance fee is adapted to measured mileage and driving behaviour. A conjoint experiment shows that consumers prefer their current insurance products to usage based car insurance. However, when offered a minor financial compensation, they are willing to give up their privacy to car insurers. Consumers find privacy of behaviour and action more valuable than privacy of location and space. The study is a first to compare different forms of privacy in the acceptance of connected car services. Hereby, we contribute to more fine-grained understanding of privacy concerns in the acceptance of digital services, which will become more important in the upcoming Internet-of-things era.     

The use of video technology for providing feedback to students: Can it enhance the feedback experience for staff and students?

There are numerous issues surrounding the provision of assessment-related feedback in Higher Education, which in recent years have been highlighted in the National Student Survey. In this paper questionnaire data from staff and students at the University of Reading are used to confirm the main issues encountered with feedback, namely problems of time efficiency for staff, lack of engagement by students with feedback and issues with the timeliness and quality of feedback received. Therefore we explored the potential of technology, specifically video, to address these issues by enabling staff to produce brief feedback videos for students. The videos were housed within a new online resource, ‘ASSET’, and were used to investigate whether use of this technology could enhance the feedback experience for both staff and students. A pilot of the ASSET resource for generic feedback provision found that it was considered advantageous by staff and students. Moreover, the use of video was also shown to resolve many of the common problems of feedback in relation to quality and engagement of students.     

A bottom‐up algorithm for weight‐ and height‐bounded minimal partition of trees

Let T = (V,E) be a rooted tree with n edges. We associate a non‐negative weight w(v) with each vertex v in V. A q‐partition of T into q connected components T₁,...,T_q is obtained by deleting k = q‐1 edges of T, 1<=q<=n. Let w(T_i) denote the sum of the weights of the vertices in T_i. The height of 7] is denoted by h(T_i).

The following problem is considered: Given W, H>0, find a q‐partition satisfying w(T_i) <=W, height (T_i) <=,H (1<=i<=q) for which q is a minimum.

A bottom‐up polynomial time algorithm is given for this problem which has complexity 0(Hn), or independently of H, 0(height(T)n).     

Self-directedness in nontraditional college students: a behavioral factor in computer anxiety?

This paper reports on the results of a study of nontraditional undergraduate students enrolled in a business communication course. The focus of the study was to determine whether or not self-directedness in learner profile was a predictor of computer anxiety. Analysis was carried out to assess the factor structure of the Oddi Continuing Learning Inventory and Oetting's Computer Anxiety Scale. Self-directedness was indicated to be a predictor of computer anxiety in nontraditional college students.     

Outdoor ubiquitous learning or indoor CAL? Achievement and different cognitive loads of college students

The purpose of the present study was to examine the differences in English listening achievement and three types (intrinsic, extraneous, and germane) of cognitive load between outdoor ubiquitous learning (u-learning) and indoor computer-assisted learning (CAL). Participants included 160 university students taking a freshman English course, with 53 males and 107 females. They were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (outdoor u-learning) with 80 participants or a control group (indoor CAL) with 80 participants. The instructional experiment lasted three weeks. The results showed that (a) the experimental group had significantly better English listening achievement than the control group; (b) the experimental group had significantly lower extraneous but higher germane cognitive load than the control group, and both groups did not have a significantly different intrinsic cognitive load; (c) there was a significantly negative relationship between English listening achievement and extraneous cognitive load, a significantly positive relationship between English listening achievement and germane cognitive load, but no significant relationship between English listening achievement and intrinsic cognitive load; and (d) among three types of cognitive loads, only extraneous and germane cognitive loads had a significant correlation. The study may provide some implications for English teaching and u-learning.     

Vibration and passenger comfort: Can data from subjects be used to predict passenger comfort?

This paper presents a review of both field and laboratory studies of human reaction to vibration, to try to answer the question whether laboratory based studies may be used to predict comfort levels for passenger vehicles. The conclusion is reached that such studies may be used, provided their restrictions are understood. Finally, tentative suggestions are made for acceptable levels of vibration in passenger transport vehicles.     

How does the smartphone usage of college students affect academic performance?

The present study aims to investigate the effects of smartphone use by college students on their perceived academic performance. Using five hypotheses derived from the literature related to smartphone use, the initial model was set up for path analysis to reveal the relationships among variables regarding college students' smartphone use in the academic setting. Moreover, multiple group analyses were additionally conducted to verify whether students exhibited different relationships in the hypothesized model depending on their majors. The results from path analyses showed that all path coefficients were positive and statistically significant, which indicated that all five hypothesized paths were supported. Above all, the results from multiple group analysis showed that one path (from Behavioural Intention to Use Smartphone to Academic Performance) differed significantly across groups. The findings from the current study provide educational policymakers and educators with information on how smartphone utilization in learning activities influences students' academic performance.     

Who does that anyway? Predictors and personality correlates of cyberbullying in college

Less is known about cyberbullying behaviors in college populations because studies on this topic traditionally have focused on adolescent populations, have not measured correlates of this behavior within college samples, or have methodological weaknesses limiting their findings. By using a more comprehensive measure of cyberbullying behaviors and examining what is associated with its occurrence, the current study aims to extend the knowledge about cyberbullying behaviors in college. Results showed that approximately 52% of college students report engaging in cyberbullying behaviors and indicated that victims of CBB and individuals high on a subclinical measure of psychopathy were more likely to report having engaged in CBB. It was also found that victims of CBB, men, and individuals high on subclinical psychopathy engaged in a wider range of cyberbullying behaviors. Age was the only factor associated with a decrease in CBB.     

Gender differences in the effect of communication on college students’ online decisions

This study focuses on gender differences in the influence of online communication on e-commerce purchase decision strategies. From the literature, we deduce a new theoretical model based on three foundational theories and design a 2 ¹ 2 mixed factorial experiment to test the influence of online communication in cases with and without online communication. This involves analyzing screen-recording data to check the effect of shopping behavior initiation, and using questionnaire research to test differences in the user experience before and after such communication. Finally, we concluded that the influence of online communication differs between men and women, and the influence is largely positive to both males and females.     

Dynamic testing: Can a robot as tutor be of help in assessing children's potential for learning?

This study examined whether computerized dynamic testing by utilizing a robot would lead to different patterns in children's (aged 6–9 years) potential for learning and strategy use when solving series‐completion tasks. The robot, in a “Wizard of Oz” setting, provided instructions and prompts during dynamic testing. It was found that a dynamic training resulted in greater accuracy and more correctly placed pieces at the post‐test than repeated testing only. Moreover, children who were dynamically trained appeared to use more heuristic strategies at the post‐test than their peers who were not trained. In general, observations showed that children were excited to work with the robot. All in all, the study revealed that computerized dynamic testing by means of a robot has much potential in tapping into children's potential for learning and strategy use. The implications of using a robot in educational assessment were stressed further in the discussion.     

Wellformedness properties in Euler diagrams: which should be used?

Euler diagrams are often used to visualize intersecting data sets in applications such as criminology; genetics, medicine, and computer file systems. One interesting aspect of these diagrams is that some data sets cannot be drawn without breaking one or more "wellformedness properties," which are considered to reduce the user comprehension of the diagrams. However, it is possible to draw the same data with different diagrams, each of which breaks different wellformedness properties. Hence, some properties are "swappable," so motivating the study of which of the alternatives would be best to use. This paper reports on the two empirical studies to determine how wellformedness properties affect comprehension. One study was with abstract data, the other was with concrete data that visualized students' enrollment on university modules. We have results from both studies that imply that diagrams with concurrency or disconnected zones perform less well than other some other properties. Further, we have no results that imply that diagrams with brushing points adversely affect performance. Our data also indicate that nonsimple curves are preferred less than diagrams with other properties. These results will inform both human diagram designers and the developers of automated drawing systems on the best way to visualize data using Euler diagrams.     

Can interactive visualization tools engage and support pre-university students in exploring non-trivial mathematical concepts?

Many students find it difficult to engage with mathematical concepts. As a relatively new class of learning tools, visualization tools may be able to promote higher levels of engagement with mathematical concepts. Often, development of new tools may outpace empirical evaluations of the effectiveness of these tools, especially in educational contexts. This seems to be the case with educational visualization tools. Much evidence about the effectiveness of these tools appears to be more suggestive than based on empirical evaluations. In this paper, we attempt to fill this gap and provide empirical evidence for the use of visualization tools in supporting exploratory and other learning-related activities. In particular, we aim to investigate whether visualization tools can be used to engage pre-university students in exploring non-trivial mathematical concepts. We focus particularly on this age group and content domain because of the difficulty these students may encounter when trying to investigate more challenging mathematical concepts. Also, it is during their formative years before university that students’ predisposition and likeness towards mathematical ideas are formed. We report in this paper a study assessing whether a visualization tool, whose design was informed explicitly by research from information visualization and human–computer interaction, could engage pre-university students in their exploration and learning of more advanced mathematical concepts. Students who participated in this study came from multiple grade levels and have diverse cognitive and language skills as well as preferences towards mathematics. The results of this study indicate that visualization tools can effectively engage these students and support their exploration of non-trivial mathematical concepts, only if the tool is designed such that it can cater the diverse needs of these students.