CRM 2.0 and Mobile CRM

Companies are becoming more focused on customers and on new ways to approach them individually. Mobile technologies and Web 2.0 have been pushing companies to evolve in this area. This research is focused on the way Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems are used, on a European level, by recruiting companies to assist candidates in finding a satisfactory job. A framework is presented to identify how CRM 2.0 and mCRM (mobile CRM) can help candidates to find jobs in a personalized way. A set of four hypotheses have been defined. To gain a better understanding of these CRM systems, the methodology used in the exploratory study was quantitative, employing a non-probabilistic sampling technique, with 35 recruiting agencies being studied. Results showed that the use of software in recruiting agencies is quite common and that CRM 2.0 is present in the vast majority of the studied companies. When it comes to mobile CRM, there's still much to be explored in this channel, as agencies focus their resources on Web 2.0, leaving this channel's great potential of mobile CRM unused.

Children Using Social Media to Connect with Others and With Consumer Brands

Children's use of social media affects their interactions with consumer brands. Because children's social media use is a part of people's increasing use of social platforms to communicate and share content with each other, it is important to understand how children are using such platforms as sources of market-related information. This is because children's socialisation as consumers depends upon their accessing a range of market-related information sources, and social media platforms are envisaged to facilitate such access. Children's interactions with consumer brands are governed by interaction processes, and such processes shape the relationships that children may form with brands. Understanding these interaction processes will provide insights for parents, educators, and business marketers seeking information as to how the next generation of consumers use social media for market-related activities.

An Intelligent Ecosystem to Support the Development of Communication Skills in Children with Autism

The term Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) covers conditions such as autism, childhood disintegrative disorder and Asperger syndrome. In this line, the World Health Organization (WHO) points that core symptoms of ASD are: a mixture of impaired capacity for reciprocal socio-communicative interaction and a restricted, stereotyped repetitive repertoire of interests and activities. Therefore, it is fundamental for a person with ASD to develop skills to communicate with his/her peers, share ideas, and express feelings. On those grounds, this chapter presents an intelligent ecosystem to support the development of social communication skills in children with ASD. The ecosystem uses a knowledge model that relies on ontologies, and defines the main elements that will be used for psychological intervention process. The different activities that will be carried out during the therapeutic intervention can be done using a robotic assistant or a Multi-Sensory Stimulation Room. This proposal has been tested with 47 children of regular schools, 9 specialists on ASD, and 36 children with ASD.

Methodology for Knowledge Management and Self-Directed, Science Program Engineering Computing

The following chapter shows the development of a learning methodology used to validate self-directed learning generic competences and knowledge management in a competence-based model in the engineering computer science program of the Universidad Católica Temuco (UCT). The design of the methodology shows the steps and activities of the learning-by-doing process, as shown gradually in the learning results of the competence. The designed methodological process allows creating working schemes for theory-based teaching and learning, and also for practicing and experimenting. The problematology as controlled scenarios is integrated in order to answer problems in engineering, allowing the process of validation in the self-learning and knowledge management competences. Thus, the achievements in the results have allowed helping the teachers to use their learning instruments.

Accelerating Sobel Edge Detection Using Compressor Cells Over FPGAs

Recently, computer vision is playing an important role in many essential human-computer interactive applications, these applications are subject to a “real-time” constraint, and therefore it requires a fast and reliable computational system. Edge Detection is the most used approach for segmenting images based on changes in intensity. There are various kernels used to perform edge detection, such as: Sobel, Robert, and Prewitt, upon which, the most commonly used is Sobel. In this research a novel type of operator cells that perform addition is introduced to achieve computational acceleration. The novel operator cells have been employed in the chosen FPGA Zedboard which is well-suited for real-time image and video processing. Accelerating the Sobel edge detection technique is exploited using different tools such as the High-Level Synthesis tools provided by Vivado. This enhancement shows a significant improvement as it decreases the computational time by 26% compared to the conventional adder cells.

EvalCOMIX®

The increasing use of technological tools to support the process of participation in assessment is explained, firstly, by the current tendencies in assessment and learning in Higher Education which encourage the active participation of students as a means to improve their learning; secondly, by the universal presence of technology that makes it impossible to conceive of any educational process that does not contemplate its use and that is leading to ever more courses that are either virtual or require minimal attendance; and, finally, an environment in which there are ever greater numbers of students per class. This chapter presents the results of using the web-based EvalCOMIX® programme in the context of a number of Higher Education training courses. Data has been collected through questionnaires and interviews applied to students, lecturers and academic coordinators. The results illustrate the ease of implementation of EvalCOMIX®, its usefulness in creating and sharing assessment instruments and the opportunity it provides to facilitate student participation in assessment.

The Complexities of Digital Storytelling

This chapter describes a pair of studies investigating factors involved in task-based learning using digital storytelling. In Study 1, the stories were analyzed using the factors of topic, time, medium, and reported technological proficiency. Student attitudes towards the tasks were gauged using a questionnaire that measured perceived task cost and value, engagement with the task, and expectancy for success on future tasks. In Study 2, three mid-task planning conditions were introduced and a questionnaire was administered to see student attitudes towards various modes of mid-task planning. The results of Study 1 suggest that digital storytelling can be incorporated into EFL classes to reduce foreign language anxiety, to provide greater opportunities to use English, and to foster ICT skills. The results of Study 2 suggest that students favor a teacher-led planning condition, and that this planning condition had a positive effect on student attitudes towards the project (value and cost).

University Students' Perceptions of Personal Mobile Devices in the Classroom and Policies

This chapter discussed the results of a study that explored students' perceptions of personal mobile devices in the classroom and suggestions for policies. Thirty-four students enrolled in two undergraduate courses taught at a Brazilian higher education institution took part in the study. Data collection consisted of a survey and focus group interview. Quantitative data suggested an overall tendency to rare use of the devices for content and non-content activities. Qualitative results, however, showed that students may have used more often their devices in class. The results discussed several policies recommended by the students ranging from allowing the devices for content and emergency to not using social media for off- task activities. The study suggested that inappropriate use of mobile technology in the classroom may be minimized if students participate in the development of policies, and instructors integrate the devices in class to promote engagement and interest among students. Recommendations for practice and future research are discussed.

Design of a University Learning Environment for SMART Education

This chapter discusses theoretical, methodological and practical aspects of a design of a university learning environment for SMART education. Smart technology is analyzed against university background. The authors consider a process of transformation from e-learning to smart education, in particular the VLE objective according to the concept of smart education, formation of individual learning trajectories in a smart environment and a quality university educational environment for smart education. In the second part of chapter, the authors look at the development of teacher ICT competence of teachers in the system of smart education and present their conclusions. The references include more than thirty items: articles, books, chapters, conference proceedings on SMART education, university learning environment, virtual learning environment (VLE).

Experiences with a Research Product

This chapter discusses challenges related to studying the use and usefulness of research products (robust, high fidelity prototypes placed in real use contexts for research purposes). Methods and methodologies for studying use and usefulness of such research products embedded in users' everyday lives are still lacking and need to be better established. By presenting a case of such research product in use, a robot avatar, we wish to illustrate how new knowledge of relevance for both designers and users can be gained. The robot avatar was designed to represent chronically ill adolescents at school, improving his/hers learning opportunities, as well as helping maintain social connections with peers. The chapter shows how methods were adapted and tools designed to work with this user group and learn about the role of avatars in education and reduction of social isolation. The value of using the avatar, and similar research products, is considered.