The Web-based performance support system for enhancing school based curriculum development

Rough sets have been applied to many areas where multi-attribute data is needed to be analyzed to acquire knowledge for decision making. Web-based Support Systems (WSS) are a new research area that aims to support human activities and extend human physical limitations of information processing with Web technologies. The applications of rough set analysis for WSS is looked at in this article. In particular, our focus will be on Web-Based Medical Support Systems (WMSS). A WMSS is a support system that integrates medicine practices (diagnosis and surveillance) with computer science and Web technologies. We will explore some of the challenges of using rough sets in a WMSS and detail some of the applications of rough sets in analyzing medical data.

Utilisation of information technology (IT) in the treatment of people with severe mental health problems is an unknown area in Europe. Use of IT and guiding patients to relevant sources of health information requires that nursing staff have positive attitudes toward computers and accept IT use as a part of daily practises. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of the implementation of a web-based patient support system on staff's attitudes towards computers and IT use on psychiatric wards. Hundred and forty-nine nurses in two psychiatric hospitals in Finland were randomised to two groups to deliver patient education for patients with schizophrenia and psychosis with a web-based system (n = 76) or leaflets (n = 73). After baseline nurses were followed-up for 18 months after the introduction of the system. The primary outcome was nurses' motivation to utilise computers, and the secondary outcomes were nurses' beliefs in and satisfaction with computers, and use of computer and internet. There were no statistically significant differences between study groups in attitudes towards computers (motivation p = 0.936, beliefs p = 0.270, satisfaction p = 0.462) and internet use (p = 0.276). However, nurses' general computer use (p = 0.029) increased more in the leaflet group than in the IT intervention group. We can conclude that IT has promise as an alternative method in patient education, as the implementation of the web-based patient support system in daily basis did not have a negative effect on nurses' attitudes towards IT.

Web-based learning support system is a kind of teaching system, emphasizing on learners' learning as the center, creating a stimulating active learning environment for learners. In the process of learning, reasonable allocation of resources and the appropriate teaching strategy provide comprehensive support and help for learners' learning. Students complete the learning process mainly through selecting online courses and resources and answer to the teachers' questions. Web-based English learning support system starts from the needs of English learners, and is an integrated teaching system designed under the guidance of teaching design thought in the priority of learning. English learners learn English conveniently and easily in a musical environment by means of learning resources and tools provided by a number of teachers.

In this paper, we statistically analyze the application effect of Siyuan Web-based Instruction Support System, which has been used in Beijing Jiaotong University for more than two years, and point out its advantages in the teaching process as well as some matters need attention during its application. The way to effectively support teaching and learning, improve the information level of education and facilitate college talent cultivation by the use of information technology have been discussed. Besides, the functional characteristics of Siyuan Web-based Instruction Support System and its application are introduced.

行政院國科會科教處為加強科技紮根的工作，在2005年規劃「高中職科學與科技課程研究發展實驗計畫」（簡稱高瞻計畫），強調藉由高中與大學或研究機構建立夥伴關係的方式，改進高中數理及科技課程的教學品質、強化學生的科學素養、並讓學生體驗科學研究工作之樂趣。此計畫積極推動「由下而上」的學校本位課程發展，擺脫傳統「由上往下」的方式，使教師不再僅是課程教材的使用者，而期望教師能自行主導與發展其學校特色的課程，以減少課程理論與教學實務之間的落差。本研究之目的為探討一所執行高瞻計畫之高中教師發展與實施學校本位課程之真實，以深度訪談、觀察與文件分析等方式蒐集S高中（化名）教師在發展與實施「新興科學技術」學校本位課程之歷程，包括課程主題、課程目標、課程內容、教學策略、教學評鑑的訂定與執行等作為與落差，以做為提供課程改進及做為後續創新課程研發的依據。 本研究發現如下： 一、課程主題之擬定 S高中學校本位課程發展原訂的課程主題「綠•手•機」，為期望以統整環保、動手做與科學三要素的課程為主軸，但在實際「新興科學技術｣課程實施時，教師卻只重視科技與動手做的部分。 二、課程目標之訂定 高瞻計畫課程目標的核心理念為以發展創新的學校本位課程，促進學生學習模式的改變，改進教學現況與培養其主動探究的能力與精神，但在這個期望下S高中在實施「新興科學技術｣學校本位課程，忽略引導學生進一步的去發現問題的主動探究能力。 三、課程內容之選擇 國科會高瞻計畫以科學與科技為範疇，期望高中教師能自行發展學校本位課程，因而S高中「新興科學技術」學校本位課程，其內容的選擇上是以目前政府所推廣的計畫、社會著重的科技，以及選定之教科書內鮮少提及的知識為主，例如奈米、平面顯示器、燃料電池等為主。 四、教學策略之規劃 S高中教師認為獲得科學素養的主要途徑為學生主動的參與與動手做，因而在其課程規劃中，特別強調實驗操作部分，這顯示S高中教師雖具備探究教學的基本認知與概念，但卻忽略讓學生能主動發現問題，進行推論、預測與分析的機會。 五、課程評鑑之執行 S高中教師利用教學論壇的發表機會，邀請課程與學科專家，針對四門「新興科學技術｣學校本位課程進行形成性評鑑，此外，教師似乎較重視自我學科專業知識的成長，至於學生學習成效的結果與利用並未被廣泛討論，這與理想的課程發展必須兼具形成性與總結性評鑑的功能，並期望藉由內、外部人員的溝通、對話與批判，使教師自我釐清課程的優缺點，以提升教師專業知能與課程品質，有所落差，顯示S高中教師對於評鑑的功能與認知，是有待進一步釐清的。 本研究提出以下建議： 一、對S高中課程發展與實施之建議 （一）建議S高中應統整各科「新興科技」，以落實「綠•手•機」課程統整的期望。 （二）建議S高中在課程發展與實施過程中，應加強教師有關課程發展以及課程形成性與總結性評鑑的專業知能，方能落實課程發展與實施之理想。 二、對S高中教師發展與實施之建議 （一）課程發展前 1、 建議教師在發展課程時，以全球未來發展的角度思考應該培養學生具備什麼樣的知識與技能，而非以台灣目前本地所著重的科技為目標。 2、 建議教師在進行課程發展前，可以先提供學生「新興科學技術」的先備知識，並且讓家長理解「新興科學技術」學校本位課程發展的目的、進行的方式以及學生預期的獲得，以獲得廣泛的支持。 3、 建議教師透過參與專業成長，透過不同教師的經驗分享，增進課程發展與實施以及評鑑的能力。 （二）課程發展後 1、 建議教師在完成課程發展後，可以利用課程評鑑自我檢核表、教師同儕評鑑表或是透過外部專家評鑑，蒐集更多自我改進的文件與證據，除了可用來自我省思專業知能外，並能作為改善課程發展與實施品質的依據。 2、 建議教師在進行課程發展後，透過參與協同成長團體與工作坊的機會，提供課程發展的結果，除可獲得不同學科或他校教師的建議增進自我課程發展與評鑑的能力外，並可作為修正課程的參考。 （三）課程實施前 1、 建議教師在進行課程實施前，可以先提供學生相關的課程知識，使其具備應有的先備知識，以縮短課程講解的時間。 2、 建議教師在進行課程發展前，讓家長理解「新興科學技術」學校本位課程實施的目的、進行方式與學生預期的獲得，以獲得學生與家長的認同。 （四）課程實施後 1、 建議教師在課程實施後，應透過學生的學習成效評量進行自我反思，以改進教學。 2、 建議教師進行專業發展，特別是有關加強學生推論、預測與分析等科學探究學習的能力，以培養學生真正科學探究的素養與能力。 三、對於未來研究建議 （一）可進一步的探究影響課程發展與實施落差之因素。 （二）可進一步針對參與高瞻計畫之所有學校進行課程發展與實施的跨個案研究。 （三）可進一步針對教師之課堂教學與學生的科學探究學習成效進行研究。

Over the years, curriculum reforms have formed part of Lesotho’s attempt to address the socio-economic development factor through education policies such as the Lesotho curriculum and assessment policy (CAP) framework, introduced in 2009. This framework is meant to guide curriculum development and design processes. Through content analysis, this article seeks to highlight the representation of the curricular spider-web model’s concepts, which guide effective curriculum development, in the policy framework. Curriculum and assessment policy framework and the guide to continuous assessment document, which is a counteractive document that acts as an amendment of the 2009 policy, were analysed using the guided analysis method. Findings suggest that there are some concepts, which are neglected by the framework. This may have a negative bearing on the curriculum development process. This article draws from the curricular spider-web to recommend a review of the CAP framework towards inclusion and alignment of omitted concepts for the facilitation of an effective curriculum design process.

At a time of complex change in the provision of higher education by Institutes of Technology (IOTs) in Ireland, this qualitative study provides significant insights into the factors which have impact on academic creativity and innovation inside higher education institutions (HEIs). Curriculum development processes were examined in four Irish IOTs and one university, employing a constructivist grounded theory case study methodology. Interviews were conducted to gather experiences of 20 Irish academics. Five rounds of data analysis were processed with QSR NVivo software.A creativity paradox was uncovered: contemporary Higher Education (HE) policies promote cultures of creativity and innovation, yet, in practice, academics feel restricted in New Programme Development and Validation (NPDV) by greater regulatory compliance and sector rationalisation. However, despite increasingly complex HE controls, study findings show the significant impact of leadership within the HEI, and that a climate for academic creativity and innovation can exist, if the organisational climate conditions of effective leadership; trust; transparency; managerial and innovation process support are in place. Where present, these conditions have a positive impact on progress in the development of creative new programmes of learning and on the wider climate for creativity and innovation in the IOT. The in-depth interrogation of curriculum development and validation processes in Irish HEIs is the first of two primary contributions to knowledge of this research.Though state level regulatory compliance legacies represent a significant bureaucratic load on the IOTs, the impetus for HEI regulatory policies in Ireland increasingly originates from European Union (EU) HE agendas. Within the literature, there are criticisms of an EU creativity and innovation agenda for HE which is not sufficiently broad based and is heavily focused on servicing industry interests (Duff, 2011; MacLaren, 2012; Moutsios, 2013). Benefits of this creativity agenda are acknowledged, but a counterbalanced, more holistic approach to creativity development in HE, represented by the Humboldtian higher education ideal is advocated.A synthesis of findings led to the development of the three-level model for organisational creativity and innovation in higher education, the second primary contribution to knowledge of this research. The model illustrates the HEI climate factors, experienced by academics to have impact on creativity and innovation in Irish HEIs. Factors emerged at three levels: individual/team; organisational and meta-organisational. The findings of this study were found to align at individual/team and organisational levels, with Amabile’s (1988) componential model for organisational creativity and innovation.The development of this three-level model is timely, given the change impetus in the IOT sector towards the development of technological universities in Ireland, in addition to the financial, technological and global competitiveness challenges currently facing the institutes. The model will serve as a comprehensive tool, informing HEI senior management and policy developers of the factors which must be addressed, to develop an authentic HE climate conducive to creativity and innovation. To this end, HEI policymakers are encouraged to think creativity first when considering implementation of new HE regulatory policies and practices. The findings in this study will contribute to the ongoing policy discourse about the future of the IOTs during a period of significant change in the sector.

Curriculum has an essential importance in the field of Education. It is the most basic and foremost part of one’s Education and learning. Had there been no concept of curriculum, people would have been confused and misguided as to what to study and learn at what time. There would not have been any sequence of objectives and aims to be fulfilled for students’ learning. For the development of curriculum, there are many people who work together. There is always a special curriculum development committee with their core capabilities in the domain of curriculum designing. Having many different stakeholders for the process of curriculum development, this paper specifically highlights the critical analysis of importance of teachers’ participation in the curriculum development process. Not only in Pakistan, there are different contexts like South Africa, India and Turkey where the issue of applicability of curriculum into the classroom is found out. This paper is based on the critical commentary in which the first part of it discusses the general concept of curriculum and its development. Besides, it also discusses a bit of teachers’ involvement into the process along with mentioning rational and objectives of paper. The 2nd part of the paper critically analyses the previous researches which has talked about significance of teachers’ involvement in curriculum development process. Moreover, it has then touched to specific discussion of teachers’ involvement by moving forward to the encounters that teachers face in curriculum development process. Continuing on the same pace, it has then discussed how can teachers be prepared to put in their contribution in the beginning phase of development since they are not only supposed to work for implementation phase. Other than this, in the next part, the overall discussion has been concluded with author’s own stance regarding the topic. In the last part, some of the recommendations have been given to curriculum development authorities or committees to involve teachers in the process accurately so that the quality of education can be improved. Also, it will add to the improved interaction between the committee of teachers when they will work for the same cause.

Quality and effectiveness in Web-based customer support systems

Feedback from several thousands of users of our web-based negotiation support system has demonstrated that such systems can be used in e-business negotiations. Users' feedback also indicated that active support in the use of the system and negotiation methodology can facilitate the effective system use. This led us to develop a web-based integrated negotiation environment capable of supporting negotiators, providing context-dependent advice, and undertaking certain activities autonomously. This environment comprises software agents, and negotiation and decision support systems. An agent monitors the process, facilitates the use of the web-based negotiation support system, interprets the negotiators' activities and provides methodological advice. The architecture of this environment is based on the separation of user support functions from the autonomous software activities, separation of the support for individuals from facilitation and mediation, scalability and the ability to provide linkages with the existing software.

BackgroundFrequently eHealth applications are not used as intended and they have high attrition rates; therefore, a better understanding of patients’ need for support is warranted. Specifically, more research is needed to identify which system components target different patient groups and under what conditions.ObjectiveTo explore user characteristics associated with the use of different system components of a Web-based illness management support system for cancer patients (WebChoice).MethodsFor this secondary post hoc analysis of a large randomized controlled trial (RCT), in which WebChoice was tested among 325 breast cancer and prostate cancer patients who were followed with repeated measures for 1 year, usage patterns of 162 cancer patients in the intervention arm with access to WebChoice were extracted from the user log. Logistic regression was performed to identify patterns of associations between system use and patient characteristics. Latent class analyses (LCA) were performed to identify associations among the use of different system components and levels of social support, symptom distress, depression, self-efficacy, and health-related quality of life.ResultsApproximately two-thirds (103/162, 63.6%) of the patients logged on to WebChoice more than once, and were defined as users. A high level of computer experience (odds ratio [OR] 3.77, 95% CI 1.20-11.91) and not having other illnesses in addition to cancer (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.02-4.34) increased the overall probability of using WebChoice. LCA showed that both men with prostate cancer and women with breast cancer who had low scores on social support accompanied with high levels of symptom distress and high levels of depression were more likely to use the e-message component. For men with prostate cancer, these variables were also associated with high use of the self-management advice component. We found important differences between men with prostate cancer and women with breast cancer when associations between WebChoice use and each user characteristic were analyzed separately. High use of all components was associated with low levels of social support among women with breast cancer, but not among men with prostate cancer. High use of e-messages, advice, and the discussion forum were associated with high levels of depression among women with breast cancer, but not among men with prostate cancer. For men with prostate cancer (but not women with breast cancer), high use of symptom assessments, advice, and the discussion forum were associated with high levels of symptom distress. However, it is unclear whether these findings can be attributed to differences related to diagnosis, gender, or both.ConclusionsThis study provides evidence that different user characteristics are associated with different use patterns. Such information is crucial to target Web-based support systems to different patient groups. LCA is a useful technique to identify subgroups of users. In our study, e-messages and self-management advice were highly used components for patients who had low levels of social support and high illness burden, suggesting that patients with these characteristics may find such tools particularly useful.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT00710658; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00710658 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6EmEWZiwz)

The current New Zealand Curriculum/Tc Marautanga o Aotearoa Project involves a wide-ranging process to engage teachers, principals, students, lecturers, and others in revitalising the New Zealand curriculum. In 2004, as one of many facets to this project, the Ministry of Education commissioned a background paper to explore principles and practices associated with the concept of curriculum development. This article discusses the different ways school-based curriculum (SBCD) has been conceived, and considers the current relevance and implications of SBCD for New Zealand schools today. I argue that a rekindling of SBCD could stimulate schools, policy makers, and communities to reflect on three of the most fundamental questions about curriculum: What should students learn at school'? Why? And who decides? Introduction Like clothing fashions, ideas in the education world sometimes fall out of style, only to return again decades later as a revival. (1) For example, right now 1980s-inspired fashions have regained some popularity. Next time you are out on the street, you may notice young people wearing colours and styles that you purged from your closet 20 years ago. But before you dig out and start wearing your gear, take a closer look at what they are wearing and you'll probably notice some subtle differences from the clothing you knew. That pink cardigan in the shop looks just like the one you had in 1981, but it's made from a different kind of knit, and you wouldn't have worn it with hipsters. Perhaps you used to have a shirt in the same shade of aquamarine as the one that guy is wearing. But yours didn't have that inbuilt cellphone pocket. Fashions do come back, but they always come back with modifications to suit the contemporary fashion landscape. In the same way, old educational ideas that return in a new educational climate are never precisely the same as they were the first time around. Like fashion designers who draw inspiration from previous decades and add their own contemporary twist, educators must take good educational ideas from the past and reinterpret these to fit the contemporary educational landscape. In this article, I discuss the resurgence of the notion of curriculum development (SBCD) in New Zealand. SBCD was a widely described notion in 1970s and 1980s educational literature. However, in New Zealand and many other countries, the term dropped out of use in the literature (luring the late 1980s and early 1990s. The current New Zealand Curriculum/Marautanga Project (2) has sparked renewed interest in SBCD. In 2004, as one of many facets to this project, the Ministry of Education commissioned a background paper to explore principles and practices associated with the concept of curriculum development (Bolstad, 2004). This article draws from that work to consider the relevance and implications of SBCD for New Zealand schools today. What exactly is school-based curriculum development? The first part of the article discusses some of the different meanings associated with SBCD, and how it can he viewed in relation to other forms of curriculum (for example, centralised curriculum development). Does SBCD mean schools designing their own curriculum from the bottom up, or does it encompass a wider set of curriculum decision-making practices that occur within schools? The second part of the article discusses how, over time, views of SBCD have gradually shifted from the former to the latter definition. These shifts have been framed by periodic movements between centralisation and decentralisation of curriculum and school decision making. What does this mean for New Zealand schools today'? The third part of the article outlines some of the challenges and opportunities that SBCD offers New Zealand schools, and considers how it could he fostered to the benefit of schools, students, and communities. …

ABSTRACTBackground: To help equip students with 21st century competencies, one popular strategy adopted by governments and schools worldwide is to move from less formal to more engaging school environments through School-Based Curriculum Development (SBCD). In Singapore, the governmental call to Teach Less and Learn More has galvanised SBCD in schools nationwide. Schools have been given more autonomy and greater flexibility to develop diverse approaches in innovating their own curriculum frameworks.Purpose: This study aims to provide a nuanced, retrospective account of the enactment of SBCD via Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-integrated, theme-based programmes in a primary school in Singapore. The research questions that guide this study are: (1) How do the school stakeholders enact SBCD? (2) How does the enactment affect the school stakeholders?Method: This study looked into curriculum innovation using a retrospective lens and employed a case study approach to examine the enactment of SBCD in the school. Five focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with the major stakeholders of the school, including two school leaders, ten key personnel and ten teachers across different subjects and grade levels. Thematic analysis of the data was undertaken.Findings: Four themes and twelve associated sub-themes were identified from the analysis of the FGDs. The four themes include experimentation, support, growth and challenges. This whole-school approach to curriculum innovation had a clear focus on mobilizing the school community to tackle the uncertainties of implementing an innovative curriculum. The stakeholders played diverse but intertwined roles throughout different stages of the enactment process, producing strong collegiality amongst the stakeholders. This prevailing collegiality, as embedded in the active participation of the stakeholders in a multiplicity of collective sharing and learning practices, seems likely to help the school achieved desired outcomes.Conclusions: The whole-school approach to curriculum innovation in the case school is promising from the perspectives of teaching-learning and student outcomes, but cannot provide a panacea for all the challenges encountered in the enactment process.

This article describes the need for virtual workspaces and then discusses the architecture, design, and development of GroupSystems for the World Wide Web (Web) (GSWeb), an HTML / JavaScript Web-based Group Support System (GSS). To design and develop GSWeb,a user-driven approach was employed which drew on feedback from users and teams working with a GSWeb prototype, interviews with GSS users and facilitators, and over 10 years of experience with face-to-face group support research, development, and design. GSWeb was built using HTML 3.0 and JavaScript for client interface rendering. The result is an application interface that is like the familiar Graphical User Interface (GUI) interfaces that are today a defacto standard. GSWeb is currently being used by teams from all over the world, and continuing design and development still relies on feedback and requests from actual users to refine and extend the features that will enable virtual teams to be productive and accomplish real work.

This paper presents a Rough Set approach to analyze of students academic performance in a Web-based learning support system (WLSS). Web-based education has become a very important area of educational technology. This paper considers individual learners working alone without support from a teacher to provide guidance and advice on learning approach. Learners may have access to a wealth of material but may be faced with other problems such as material selection, planning a learning strategy, maintaining motivation and sequencing learning sub-goals. It might create a situation where some students may not be able to improve their grade as well as they could, compared to a face-to-face course. What if customized course materials were prepared for each student? It might fill this gap. Their records, such as grades for prerequisite courses or some personal factors that seems to affect their academic performance are used as student profile. In this paper, we discuss how to use Rough Sets to analyze student personal information to assist students with effective learning.