Informatics

As the amount of commercial transactions carried out on t he Internet increases, the interest to partially or totally automate the negotiation of the terms of these transactions has rapidly become an interesting research topic. Several e-marketing strategies through various online websites have been developed. In rural communities e-services applications such as e-commerce, ehealth, e-judiciary and e-government have been developed. However, most of these applications are failing to fully benefit the people in the societies because they are no modifications which are done to the applications as technology changes. This paper discusses the development of an intelligent negotiation module to enhance an e-commerce platform. The paper explains a negotiation application that has been developed and plugged to any existing e-Commerce shopping portal for the Dwesa Community in the Eastern cape province of South Africa and proposes an architecture for all other e-Services. This project explained is undertaken within the Siyakhula Living Lab.

Technology is changing every day. Many scientists, researchers, individuals and futurists have tried to predict how the future will be due to the technological changes. The rapid technological changes have resulted in different ideas being suggested for the future of technology. All these have an impact on ICT service delivery in rural areas. Different individuals and organizations have anticipated the future of technology and some of the proposed ideas are: For example, some digital giants speak about cloud computing and looks forward to a combined platform for TV, radio and the web. Some talk of the power of mobile applications and how they can enable meaningful human relationships. Others suggest that wireless capabilities in the future of technology will improve drastically. While some anticipate that the evolution of the web will fuel small business formation, operations and innovation, especially as technology becomes cheaper and social networking and virtual worlds become more popular. However, some of the proposed projections might not be applicable in all parts of the world, for example rural areas in developing countries. This paper highlights some of the key factors which affect the implementation of the future technological projections on ICTs. Most of these ICTs in rural areas are in form of e-Services, such as e-Commerce, e-Government, e-Health and e-Judiciary. The case study approach is used in summarising these factors. And also literature review and informal interviews are conducted in explaining the factors.

Rural schools have a pressing need for ICT and Internet services, for themselves and the surrounding communities. Educators can play a crucial role of fulfilling this need. But how ready are schools, educators and communities to engage with ICT and use it for their empowerment? This paper reports the findings of an e-readiness assessment and promotion drive by researchers from the Siyakhula Living Lab in parts of the Mbashe Municipality, in South Africa. The Siyakhula Living Lab is a multi-disciplinary, multi-year initiative to foster grassroots innovation in marginalized communities with the aim of improving their lives and economies. The drive was conducted to support the expansion of the network of Digital Access Nodes, i.e. ICT points-of-presence of the Living Lab in the community: this network represents the structural backbone on which all other activities rest. The assessment shows that, while the practical difficulties are many, the communities are very eager to engage with ICT and understand fairly well the connection between ICT availability and the possibility of improvement in their life conditions.

The fast economic growth lead by worlds emerging markets, has created the need for designing suitable Pervasive technology (aka PerComp), aimed at emerging markets. However, for designing suitable PerComp, it is essential to understand the implications of PerComp technology use in emerging market context. We studied information sharing practices and implications of technology use in two rural communities of South Africa. This enabled us in understanding some of the central issues significant for designing suitable PerComp for these markets. We found ICT is in abundance but still underutilized, oral communications are preferred means of sharing information and need for an invisible technology. In order to achieve the socio-economic progress of low income, low literacy and resource constraint regions of emerging market, it is important to first understand the implications of technology use before designing any technology aiming at these markets.

The fast economic growth lead by worlds emerging markets, has created the need for designing suitable Pervasive technology (aka PerComp), aimed at emerging markets. However, for designing suitable PerComp, it is essential to understand the implications of PerComp technology use in emerging market context. We studied information sharing practices and implications of technology use in two rural communities of South Africa. This enabled us in understanding some of the central issues significant for designing suitable PerComp for these markets. We found ICT is in abundance but still underutilized, oral communications are preferred means of sharing information and need for an invisible technology. In order to achieve the socio-economic progress of low income, low literacy and resource constraint regions of emerging market, it is important to first understand the implications of technology use before designing any technology aiming at these markets.

BlackBerry mobile device application tools for higher education are about much more than wireless email. It also offer ways to assist faculty, staff and students stay in touch and better informed, both on and off campus. They're about providing anytime access to critical information and communications through a combination of applications, services, and student's interaction.

This paper provides an overview of best practice for teaching mobile application development with the Academic Tool Kit Framework (ATKF). Furthermore, the design and developing of educational application tools for Blackberry mobile device are reviewed. This is done to assist educational institutions to design models and software tools, thereby facilitating lecturers in introduction mobile devices in formal and informal learning. The ATKF was designed and developed as part of a mobile learning research project at the center for mobile computing at the Vaal University of Technology, South Africa.

The mobile cloud computing has the significant scope to change the whole education system. In this paper, cloud computing is introduced as exist and new rapidly growing and accepted way of providing better and efficient application for mobile device. In this paper we examine how to influence a cloud computing application data storage and influence on these technologies takes the education. Cloud computing is emerging as one of the most important branch for providing seamless applications on mobile devices. This paper provides mobile users with data storage and processing services on a cloud computing platform. We believe cloud computing will surely improve the current system of education and improve quality at an affordable cost. This paper presents the positive impact of using mobile cloud application design process model architectures for education sector upon e-learning and m-learning solutions development in future. In this paper, we discuss how to influence on mobile cloud computing application data storage and influence on this technology to take education to a wider mass of students' country.

Technological, social and economic changes in society are compelling higher education institutions to develop new strategies for delivering education. Among these strategies, electronic learning (e-learning) has emerged as a dominant educational practice. This is especially evident based on the two-thirds increase in the demand for online learning offerings since the 2009 economic downturn. In general, online learning is implemented at higher education institutions through the use of Learning Management System (LMS). Relevant structured and institutional controlled content are housed on the LMS, with strict regulated access provided to students. Limited research on the adaptation of LMSs at higher education institutions is evident, with most institutions considering LMSs as an innovation, and not in integral part of educational practice. However, for higher education institutions to be relevant in the 21st century, the student requirements of problem-solving, self-regulation, self-evaluation, creativity and collaboration, must be explored. Especially self-evaluation, linked to more student autonomy, can be identified as an area that requires further exploration. Through the use of Design-Based Research (DBR), an intervention was implemented to improve higher education students’ self-evaluation skill. Statistically significant results were obtained, with improved self-evaluation skill level measured by means of the Online Self-regulated Learning Questionnaire (OSLQ). Findings indicate that through effective scaffolding, student’s self-evaluation skill can be improved, through the implementation of a relevant teaching strategy.

This paper proposes a practical research framework based on activity theory as a lens to research the adoption of learning management systems in higher education institutions. Following the identification of the interpretivist paradigm as an appropriate research approaches such  activity theory and Conceptual Framework  mobile device learning management tools are briefly considered. The paper then argues that activity theory is a natural fit and it was used, but re-conceptualized in the context of an academic learning environment to propose an analytical research framework for LMS. In particular, e-Learning can be analyzed as a teaching-learning work activity with an objective, mediators, actors, actions, mediate tensions, work activity as a transformation, and the activity outcomes. The paper posits teaching and learning through  mobile LMS tools as an activity object; sees rules, pedagogy, nature of tasks and social contexts as mediators for the e-learning activity; academic institution, academics & learners as an actor; work activity as transformation and quality learning as activity outcomes.

The mobile cloud computing has the significant scope to change the whole education system. In this paper, cloud computing is introduced as exist and new rapidly growing and accepted way of providing better and efficient application for mobile device. In this paper we examine how to influence a cloud computing application data storage and influence on these technologies takes the education. Cloud computing is emerging as one of the most important branch for providing seamless applications on mobile devices. This paper provides mobile users with data storage and processing services on a cloud computing platform. We believe cloud computing will surely improve the current system of education and improve quality at an affordable cost. This paper presents the positive impact of using mobile cloud application design process model architectures for education sector upon e-learning and m-learning solutions development in future. In this paper, we discuss how to influence on mobile cloud computing application data storage and influence on this technology to take education to a wider mass of students’ country.

In this paper a framework for hypothesizing about mobile learning to complement theories of formal and informal learning is presented. As such, activity theory will form the main theoretical lens through which the elements involved in formal and informal learning for mobile learning will be explored, specifically related to context-aware mobile learning application. The author believes that the complexity of the relationships involved can best be analyzed using activity theory. Activity theory, as a social, cultural and activity  theory, can be used as a mobile learning framework in academic environment, but to develop an optimal artifact, through investigation of inherent system's contradictions. As such it serves as a powerful modeling tool to explore and understand the design of a mobile learning environment in the study’s environment. The Academic Tool Kit Framework (ATKF) as also employed for designing of a constructivism learning environment, effective in  assisting universities to facilitate lecturers to effectively implement learning through utilizing mobile devices. Results indicate a positive perspective of students in the use of mobile devices for formal and informal learning, based on the context-aware learning environment developed through the use of activity theory and ATKF.

—In this paper a framework for hypothesizing about mobile learning to complement theories of formal and informal learning is presented. As such, activity theory will form the main theoretical lens through which the elements involved in formal and informal learning for mobile learning will be explored, specifically related to context-aware mobile learning application. The author believes that the complexity of the relationships involved can best be analyzed using activity theory. Activity theory, as a social,cultural and activity theory, can be used as a mobile learning framework in an academic environment, but to develop an optimal artifact, through investigation of inherent system's contradictions. As such,it serves as a powerful modeling tool to explore and understand the design of a mobile learning environment in the study's environment. The Academic Tool Kit Framework (ATKF) is also employed for designing of a constructivism learning environment, effective in assisting universities to facilitate lecturers to effectively implement learning through utilizing mobile devices. Results indicate a positive perspective of students in the use of mobile devices for formal and informal learning, based on the context-aware learning environment developed through the use of activity theory and ATKF.

— This paper is a study of the utilization and analyses of huge information on education. However, the massive information and open information technology will actually involve to education sector also. Moreover huge amounts of unused information will profit and improve education system. Academic Institutions of higher education are operating in an increasingly complex and competitive environment. This paper identifies many challenges faced in institutions of higher education worldwide and explores the potential of big data in addressing these challenges.This paper explore the variety of opportunities and challenges related to the analysis and implementation of huge information within the context of upper and higher education.

We depict an application for smart android device and PCs intended to help students learn through "micro learning" tools. In this paper we examined the application domain we show is practicing names and faces of individuals in one's field or interpersonal organization.

Robots in medicine deserve enhanced attention, being a field where their instrumental ids enable exacting options. The availability of oriented effectors, capable to get into the human body with no or negligible impact, is challenge, evolving while micro-mechanics aims at nanotechnology. The survey addresses sets of known achievements, singling out noteworthy autonomous in body devices, either co-robotic surgical aids, in view of recognizing shared benefits or hindrances, to explore how to conceive effective tools, tailored to answer given demands, while remaining within established technologies. Robotics for medical applications started fifteen years ago while for biological applications it is rather new (about five years old). Robotic surgery can accomplish what doctors cannot because of precision and repeatability of robotic systems. Besides, robots are able to operate in a contained space inside the human body. All these make robots especially suitable for noninvasive or minimal...