Using online collaboration applications for group assignments: The interplay between design and human characteristics

In recent years, educators and students are increasingly employing online collaboration applications such as Google Docs™ and PBWorks™ for group projects and assignments. Yet, the effectiveness of these emerging technologies has not been rigorously examined. Anchoring upon and informed by the existing literature, two design characteristics – sociability and visibility, and two human characteristics – gender and age, are focused on, which are salient in online collaboration applications. A field experiment was conducted to examine the direct and moderating effects of design and human characteristics on learning outcomes. The research found that sociability improved process satisfaction and positive social environment while visibility enhanced academic performance and solution satisfaction of learners. Males had higher solution satisfaction while older learners had higher academic performance. Moderating effects were also found. Both theoretical and practical implications are drawn. In particular, a rubric for online collaboration application selection for academic performance is conceived. This study provides empirical support for online collaboration application effectiveness in education which will augur well for future adoption, use and evolution.     

Denotation and connotation in the human – computer interface: The ‘Save as …’ command

This paper presents a semiotic technique as a means of exploring meaning and understanding in interface design and use. This is examined through a study of the interaction between the ‘file’ metaphor and ‘save as’ command metaphor. The behaviour of these (from a functional or computational basis) do not exactly match, or map onto, the meaning of the metaphor. We examine both the denotation of a term to the user, i.e. its literal meaning to that person, and the term's connotations, i.e. any other meanings associated with the term. We suggest that the technique applied is useful in predicting future problems with understanding the use of metaphor at the interface and with designing appropriate signification for human-computer interaction. Variation in connotation was expected but a more fundamental difference in denotation was also uncovered. Moreover, the results clearly demonstrate that consistency in the denotation of a term is critical in achieving a good user understanding of the command.     

汽包水位温压补偿控制系统研究和应用

对汽包双室平衡容器水位温压补偿控制系统进行了探讨和研究,根据温压补偿模型,分析了P L C系统难以独立实现的原因以及查表法的缺陷,提出了P L C系统与上位机系统相结合的水位温压实时连续补偿的综合控制策略,提出并分析比较了三种体系结构及其实现原理和技术,工程应用结果表明该控制系统提高了水位控制的实时性、稳定性、准确性和安全性。     

镀膜技术在陶瓷上的应用

叙述了镀膜技术在种类和特点以及应用于陶瓷产品上存在问题和解决方法     

束状小口径钢管内壁粉末涂料涂装工艺研究

论述了束状小口径钢管内壁用粉末涂料的涂装工艺，解决了热交换器传热管的防腐结垢问题。着重介绍了束状小口径钢管内壁粉末涂料的涂装工艺研究过程及热交换器传热管的施工工艺，并对该项工艺的经济效益作了分析。     

The analysis of an adaptive workload balancing strategy in computing system resources management

An adaptive workload balancing scheme is analyzed. This scheme is intended to automatically dissolve the imbalance in resource utilization of computing systems and to bring about the proper balance between throughput and turnaround time. This is done by means of the invisible hand due to the bidding of priorities of resource use, with no contradiction between the flexible bid for each resource and the stable price for the entire service. The result of this analysis shows that this scheme would regulate those imbalances, and that it includes the load balancing policy of IBM OS/VS2-2 as a special case. Some considerations and methods on an actual implementation are also presented.This paper is a revised version of material which appeared as Research Report RC5072 of IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York.On leave from the University of Electro-Communications, Chofu, Tokyo, Japan.     

80 kt/a硫铁矿制酸扩建装置采用的新技术措施

针对采用水洗净化工艺的某80kt/a硫铁矿制酸装置的扩建设计，介绍了其中主要改扩建工段及设备采用的新技术措施，设计中对原料工段、沸腾炉、文氏管、泡沫塔、转化器、换热器等进行了改进，满足了厂方两期建设产量不同的要求。     

煤矸软卧地基上建筑墙体开裂的事故分析和处理

实践证明,煤矸地基为不良软土地基,工程上具有塑性、流变等不稳定现象,极易造成建筑物失稳.故而,分析了煤矸地基的物理特性,提出控制方案及控制对策.实施后结果证明可以保证地基的稳定,满足了工程需要,产生显著的经济效益.     

稀土永磁低速同步电动机制造技术

介绍了稀土永磁低速同步电动机原理结构特点，着重论述该电机在制造中的关键技术和研究。     

数字成像技术的新进展

数字成像技术日趋完善，数码相机的性能越来越高，使用越来越方便，价格越来越低，因此正在伞球迅速推广，市场竞争越加激烈，一些跨国影像工业公司也不断开发一系列更高档的产品，本文摘要介绍其最新的发展动向和突出的进展，如：为传统的高档照相机配置数码照相机背，使其具备高档数码相机的功能，为数码照相配备操作方便、产能高、加工处理极为迅速、能输出高质量彩色相片的一体化数字图像扩印系统等等。