The influence of IT: perspectives from five Australian schools

Abstract Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are now widespread in Australian schools but with variation in how, where, when and how much they are used. Computers may be located in a computer laboratory, distributed throughout the school, or students may use their own laptop computers. IT may be a subject in its own right or ICT may be used across all areas of the curriculum. It is how ICT is used in the school setting that is important in providing students with the skills to be participate in a 'knowledge society'. This paper examines the ways in which information and communication technologies influence teaching and learning in five Australian schools. Data were gathered through observation, interviews and document analysis in schools operating at the elementary and secondary grades in relatively technology rich environments. Each of the schools participated in the Australian component of the Second Information Technology in Education Study – Module 2 (SITES-M2) of innovative pedagogical practices. Several of the studies were of specific projects where ICT was the key enabler of the learning programme. Others focused on an entire school's approach to ICT as an agent for changed approaches to learning.     

基于遥感与GIS的农村居民点景观特征比较

以河北省阜平县、武邑县 ,福建省清流县、惠安县作为研究区 ,利用 2 0 0 0年 TM遥感图像 ,通过解译、判读得到景观结构矢量图 ,然后利用景观生态学数量方法分析了研究区农村居民点景观特征的差异及空间分布格局。研究表明 ,研究区农村居民点规模较小 ,平原地区平均面积不到 2 0 hm2 ,山区农村居民点平均面积低于 10 hm2。农村居民点距离较近 ,山区农村居民点平均距离小于 2 .5 km,平原地区农村居民点距离小于 0 .4 hm。农村居民点规模小 ,分布零散 ,适应于农业经济的发展。为了节约居民点用地 ,应采取加快城镇及中心村发展的方针 ,促进农村居民点布局的优化     

指纹自动识别系统中的预处理技术

预处理是指纹自动识别过程中的第一步，它的好坏直接影响着指纹自动识别的系统的效果。文中分灰度去噪，二值化，二值滤波法噪，细化等几部分。详细分析了介绍了指纹自动识别系统中的预处理技术，文中所介绍的算法都是经实践证明并取得了很好的效果的，具有很高的使用及参考价值。     

利用MODIS EVI时间序列数据分析福建省植被变化(2000~2017年)

以全国森林覆盖率最高的福建省为研究对象,利用2000~2017年夏季的MODIS EVI植被指数数据和气象与非气象因子进行协同分析,以揭示近17年福建植被的时空变化及其影响因子。结果表明:研究期内福建的EVI均值整体上升,从2000年的0.454上升至2017年的0.505,17 a间上升了11.2%,表明福建省的植被整体处于变好的状态,且在中部和西南部的变化最明显。相关分析表明,在研究期内,气象因子(气温和降水)对EVI变化的影响不显著,植被的变好主要为非气象因子的作用。EVI的提高主要得益于2003年福建省建设生态省后森林覆盖率的提高,并和2012年开始的水土流失治理有明显关系,这说明人类活动的积极作用对福建植被的变好起到了关键的作用。     

The Possibilities of Community OR in a Third World Country

This paper shows a few possibilities for the application of Community OR in a Third World country based on experience in Venezuela. These possibilities are discussed in a framework of the relationship between the state and community organizations. Emphasis lies in showing that Community OR in Venezuela requires a deep critical commitment to emancipation in order to help community organizations develop in a rather hostile environment. Lastly, results in dealing with community organizations in Venezuela using the Interpretive Systemology approach are presented.     

Back to the Future: An Historical Perspective on the Pendulum-Like Changes in Literacy

This article focuses on the pendulum-like change in the way people read and use text, which was triggered by the introduction of new reading and writing technologies in human history. The paper argues that textual features, which characterized the ancient pre-print writing culture, disappeared with the establishment of the modern-day print culture and has been “revived” in the digital post-modern era. This claim is based on the analysis of four cases which demonstrate this textual-pendulum swing: (1) The swing from concrete iconic-graphic representation of letters and words in the ancient alphabet to abstract phonetic representation of text in modern eras, and from written abstract computer commands “back” to the concrete iconic representation in graphic user interfaces of the digital era; (2) The swing from scroll reading in the pre-print era to page or book reading in the print era and “back” to scroll reading in the digital era; (3) The swing from a low level of authorship in the pre-print era to a strong authorship perception in the print era, and “back” to a low degree of authorship in the digital era; (4) The swing from synchronic representation of text in both visual and audio formats during the pre-print era to a visual representation only in print, and “back” to a synchronic representation in many environments of the digital era. We suggest that the print culture, which is usually considered the natural and preferred textual environment, should be regarded as the exception.     

Production control: Current developments and future trends

Manufacturing industry is going through a period of unprecedented change as a result of the developments in micro-electronic technology. This is bringing about a transformation not only in hardware, in the form of computer-aided manufacturing, but in the manner in which production is organised and controlled.It is in the latter connection that the present paper sets out to review current developments and future trends. In particular the machine readable bar-code is seen as a key element in extending computerised control to cover not only the machines, but tools, materials and parts and their movement in the development of fully integrated manufacturing systems.As the move towards automation gathers pace it is forecast that manufacturing industry will become more process industry like in form, with consequences for the way in which production is organised and controlled.Finally consideration is given to the manner in which these current developments in the field of production are giving rise to a structural alteration in industrial labour requirements in which, in the future, fewer people will be required but on highly enriched work tasks.     

A Review of:“Safety in Manual Materials Handling.” By COLIN G. DRURY. (Cincinnati: US Dept. of Health,Education & Welfare, 1978.) [Pp. viii+ 209.]

The extension force against resistance was recorded in 23 postures for 12 subjects to find explanations for the decrease in back strength in asymmetric postures. A reduction in muscle force in asymmetric postures was found up to 40%, but was strongly dependent on the plane in which asymmetry occurred, and on the posture to which it referred. A quantitative relationship between the forces exerted in different asymmetric postures is discussed, as a basis for formulating universal ergonomic guidelines for optimal working postures. The reduction in force in different asymmetric postures can be explained by length of the muscle, the activation of the muscle, and the moment angle of the muscle.     

Combined effects of fabric air permeability and moisture absorption on clothing microclimate and subjective sensation during intermittent exercise at 27 degrees C

The present paper aimed at determining the combined effects of two different levels of air permeability and moisture absorption, in terms of clothing microclimate and subjective sensation, in resting and exercising subjects at an ambient temperature of 27 °C, a relative humidity of 50% and an air velocity of 0.14 m s^-1. Three kinds of clothing ensemble were investigated: (1) polyester clothing with low moisture absorption and low air permeability (A), (2) polyester clothing with low moisture absorption and high air permeability (B), and (3) cotton clothing with high moisture absorption and high air permeability (C). The subjects exercised for 10 min on a cycle ergometer at an intensity of 30% maximal oxygen uptake and then had a 10 min rest. This sequence was repeated four times. The main findings are summarized as follows: (1) The clothing microclimate humidity in the back area was significantly higher in A than in B, and in C than in B. (2) The clothing microclimate temperature in the chest area was significantly higher in B than in A, and in B than in C. (3) The clothing microclimate temperature in the back area was significantly higher in C than in B. (4) The clothing surface temperature was significantly higher in C than in B. (5) Although the positive relationships between the microclimate humidity and forearm sweat rate was significantly confirmed in all three kinds of clothing, the microclimate humidity at chest for the same sweat rate was lower in C than in A and B. (6) Although the positive relationships between subjective sensation and forearm sweat rates were significantly confirmed in all three kinds of clothing, the subjective discomfort seemed to be reduced more effectively in C than in A and B for the same sweat rate. These results were discussed in terms of thermal physiology and combined effects of air permeability and moisture absorbency of the fabrics.