Value of Adaptation of Methodologies Between Different Knowledge Areas

Project-based learning (PBL) is a powerful tool for teaching that helps students to get the best in terms of ratio effort/learning outcomes, especially in studies with a very practical basis, such as university degree studies in engineering. A way of getting even more out of this is by means of the adaptation of methodologies from different knowledge areas, because this allows the launch of innovative ways of working with certain guarantees of success from the very first moment, and at the same time to integrate skills from different fields within a shared context. Furthermore, it helps to put into practice some transversal competences, which are very useful for future professionals. The chapter also includes some case studies on the successful adaptation of different methodologies coming from different fields such as graphic design, biology, and social sciences in the context of a university engineering degree in industrial design and product development.

On Securing Cloud Storage Using a Homomorphic Framework

In this chapter, a cloud security mechanism is described in which the computation (addition) of messages securely stored on the cloud is possible. Any user encrypts the secret message using the receiver's public key and stores it. Later on, whenever the stored message is required by an authentic user, he retrieves the encrypted message and decrypts it by using his secret key. However, he can also request the cloud for an addition of encrypted messages. The cloud system only computes the requested addition and sends it to the authentic user; it cannot decrypt the stored encrypted messages on its own. This addition of encrypted messages should be the same as the encryption of the addition of original messages. In this chapter, the authors propose a homomorphic encryption technique in which the above-discussed scenario is possible. The cloud securely computes the addition of the encrypted messages which is ultimately the encryption of the addition of the original messages. The security of the proposed encryption technique depends on the hardness of elliptic curve hard problems.

Learning in the Laboratory

Using QR codes to access videos in engineering laboratory classes might be a successful way of building a bridge from concrete to digital content. With QR codes placed on an apparatus, students know exactly which video to watch, allowing them to view the videos while performing the experiment or at home when writing the report. Low-cost videos do not require expensive equipment and software, and keeping them short assures a minimum download time for use with smartphones and tablets. The aim of this chapter is to evaluate the importance undergraduate engineering students attribute to these videos and their reaction to the possibility of accessing them with QR codes scanned by a smartphone or a tablet, using access statistics and video viewings to support the findings. Results show students attributed some importance to the videos, and that the QR codes are very helpful as means to quickly and easily access the videos.

Analysis of a Learning Management System by Using Google Analytics

Changes and developments in technology are also reflected in user behavior. Therefore, companies that monitor and analyze user behavior to gain competitive advantage will be one step ahead of others. Google Analytics is one of the most popular web analytics tools that perform this function. This chapter observes changes in user habits between 2011 and 2017 by using the Google Analytics data of Enocta Academic Education Platform (EAEP) that offers course content and learning management system (LMS) services for organizations and universities in Turkey. Thus, it advises to LMS providers in terms of improving their software considering changes in user habits. In addition, different approaches of improving e-learning services are discussed. This case study shows that Google Analytics, one of the web analytics tools, can provide useful information for e-learning platform or LMS providers in order to understand behaviors and needs of the visitors as well as their own strengths and weaknesses.

Synergy for Sustainability in the Upcoming Telecommunications Revolution

This chapter examines the merger of two cellular companies (MOBILINK and WARID) for sustainability in the telecommunication sector of Pakistan. During 2011-2013, WARID faced the news of the possible sales of the company due to falling revenues, constant poor network quality, and lower network coverage in rural areas. In 2014, all telecom players participated in the auction for 3G/4G licenses, but WARID did not participate due to its technology neutral license (TNL). Important decisions were taken in 2014 like launching of 4G/LTE services in major cities, US$500 million investment, increase of tower sites, opening of new regional sales offices. These decisions along with presence of TNL made WARID an attractive target for merger with MOBILINK. In 2016, the formal merger was finalized for benefits like synergies in CAPEX/OPEX, fastest 4G network, network reach to rural areas, roll-out of new services like the internet of things (IoT) and mobile banking. The merger proved successful. During the first quarter of 2017, the company generated PKR 38.7 billion in revenues, up from the same period a year before.

Managing IT to Innovate and Strategize in the Higher Education Sector

The current dynamic business landscape has compelled all organizations worldwide to innovate and strategize continually to remain competitive and achieve an edge in the market. Information technology has often made lofty promises to assist such endeavors. This chapter explores the management of large, integrated, and packaged software suites collectively called enterprise systems (ES) to enable innovation and strategic decision making in organizations. In particular, this chapter explains how a globally renowned and highly ranked university manages its enterprise-systems-based IT platform to offer new services, develop new processes, and make astute strategic decisions – all in an attempt to retain and improve its position in the global higher education market.

Students Skills in a Blended Learning Environment

The objective of this chapter is to determine participants' perceptions about the characteristics that students must have to be successful in a blended learning environment. The authors adopted a qualitative approach in which 91 learners participated. Data collection was carried out through guided interviews over three months. The results of the research emphasized the need to have a good level of English and new digital skills as essential requirements to study an English degree in a blended learning modality. Participants were strongly aware of the necessity to master synchronous and asynchronous technological tools to communicate online with their virtual classmates, and to do assessment and self-assessment e-activities. Learners also considered that it was essential to be mature enough to be able to reflect and evaluate their own learning. Results showed that students must be organised and tenacious, and must have the ability to innovate and collaborate inside the created e-learning community.

An App to Manage Grammar Level Tests in Language Schools

A typical task in language schools is to assign a level of skill to the students with respect to the language they are going to study. For this, the students are evaluated through a set of level tests that measure the student's competence. Normally, the assessment consists of an oral competency test, a written competency test, and a listening comprehension test. A characteristic of this type of test is the possibility of evaluating them remotely (usually they are tests with questions where every question has associated a set of possible answers where only one of the answers is correct) without the necessity of the presence of any evaluator. For this reason, it is possible to create computer applications that automate the evaluation and management of test results. This chapter presents a computer application that has been created with the aim of automating the process of management and evaluation of level tests for students of Spanish as a foreign language. The application has been tested at the University of Zaragoza.

Microblogging Case Study in Higher Education

Recent research indicates that even though social media networking sites are commonly used in higher education, very little empirical evidence is available concerning the impact of social media use on student learning and engagement. In this chapter, the experience of using Edmodo is analysed as learning aid to support group work in comparison with the level of familiarity, engagement, and frequency of use of social media technologies among university-level computer science students in Finland. The specific focus of the chapter is to examine the reception of the students towards the Edmodo platform. The data was collected through a social media familiarity questionnaire, Edmodo experience questionnaire, and interviews. The main findings are that the cohort was not very familiar with social media at the beginning of the course. This chapter provides experimental evidence that microblogging social networking sites and, more specifically, Edmodo can be used as an educational tool to help engage students more in the use of social media networking sites.

Home Bias in Innovation Ecosystems

Innovation ecosystems enable small- and medium-sized enterprises to compete with innovations that include the knowledge of others. Integrating external knowledge in innovation is however a complex process, and there are many pitfalls to consider. This chapter analyses a small company that leverages its innovation ecosystem to compete in a dynamic global industry characterized by rapid technological change. The company faces the challenge of creating and commercializing a breakthrough innovation for digital education, with educational content for teachers and easy-to-use authoring tools for modifying this content. As the company attempts to benefit from lead-user experiences, home bias towards knowledge from local users appears as an unexpected hurdle. The analysis of the case encompasses the firm, the industry, and the ecosystem levels, and indicates key concepts for innovation in ecosystem settings.