Journal of
Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics
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 ISSN: 1690-4524 (Online)    DOI: 10.54808/JSCI



TABLE OF CONTENTS





Analysis of the Largest Normalized Residual Test Robustness for Measurements Gross Errors Processing in the WLS State Estimator
Breno Carvalho, Newton Bretas
Pages: 1-6
ABSTRACT:
This paper purpose is to implement a computational program to estimate the states (complex nodal voltages) of a power system and showing that the largest normalized residual (LNR) test fails many times. The chosen solution method was the Weighted Least Squares (WLS). Once the states are estimated a gross error analysis is made with the purpose to detect and identify the measurements that may contain gross errors (GEs), which can interfere in the estimated states, leading the process to an erroneous state estimation. If a measure is identified as having error, it is discarded of the measurement set and the whole process is remade until all measures are within an acceptable error threshold. To validate the implemented software there have been done several computer simulations in the IEEE´s systems of 6 and 14 buses, where satisfactory results were obtained. Another purpose is to show that even a widespread method as the LNR test is subjected to serious conceptual flaws, probably due to a lack of mathematical foundation attendance in the methodology. The paper highlights the need for continuous improvement of the employed techniques and a critical view, on the part of the researchers, to see those types of failures.


Evaluating Scientific Work by Means of Diffusion
Dan Ophir
Pages: 7-8
ABSTRACT:
There are two approaches for evaluating scientific papers. The classic way is to choose well established representatives of the specific scientific community and have them evaluate their colleague’s work. The other method of evaluation, the so called peer-evaluation method, is where peers (famous or otherwise) of the author evaluate the paper. Peer-evaluation resembles the diffusion process in which a new substance spreads out to the whole solution. Similarly the new author and article are diffused among the scientific community, smoothing the level for accepting scientific papers. Using the classic-evaluation system of accepting new papers, the average starting scientists writes their first number of articles as collaborators with a renowned scientist, thus gradually building up their image. Only afterwards do these authors dare to independently publish. What are the pros and cons of both these types of scientific article evaluations?


Learning to Baseline Business Technology
David Gore, Marie D. Lee, Kimberly Hopper
Pages: 9-14
ABSTRACT:
bills, sign multi-­-year contracts, and make purchasing decisions without having an overall technology plan. That plan includes a technology baseline to fully assess existing technology. A CIO’s goal is to align IT with business goals. Businesses must know total cost of ownership and the return on investment for all technology purchases and monthly costs. A business must also be able to manage technology assets and best utilize resources across the business. Teaching students to baseline technology will enable them to track and manage costs, discover errors and waste, and consolidate and improve existing technology.


Preservice Mathematics Teachers’ Solutions to Problems: Conversions within the Metric System
Jean E. Hallagan
Pages: 15-20
ABSTRACT:
This paper reports on the results of a preliminary investigation to determine if preservice mathematics teachers solve conversion problems within the metric system in multiple ways. Here, four metric conversion problems of escalating difficulty were administered within a mathematics methods course at a comprehensive state university in the Northeastern United States. Results show that preservice teachers solved the problems in the same way that they were taught in high school, and that in high school they were only taught one way.


E-participation and Climate Change in Europe: An analysis of local government practices
Ana Yetano, Sonia Royo, Basilio Acerete
Pages: 21-27
ABSTRACT:
Citizens are demanding greater transparency and accountability from their governments, and seek to participate in shaping the policies that affect their lives. The diffusion of the Internet has raised expectations that electronic tools may increase citizen participation in government decision-making and stop the decline of trust in political institutions. This paper brings together two relevant topics, e-participation and climate change, analyzing the websites of the environment departments of European local governments that have signed the Aalborg+10 commitments, in order to establish to what extent European local governments are making use of the Internet to promote e-participation and environmentally-friendly behaviors among their citizens. Our results show that the developments on e-participation are higher in transparency than interactivity. The Internet as a tool to revitalize the public sphere is still limited to those countries with higher levels of transparency, and penetration of ICTs and a culture of citizen engagement.


The Impact of the Rapidly Changing Mobile Devices Market on e-Learning in Higher Education
Daniel J. Guhr
Pages: 28-31
ABSTRACT:
The market for mobile devices is evolving quickly, bringing with it both new technologies as well as increased expectations for the performance of mobile devices and content. For higher education institutions that want to enable learning on mobile devices, these changes in technology and expectations will have a significant impact on e-Learning strategies. Looking at current trends and forecasts, this paper provides an outlook on trends in the mobile device and applications market as well as perspectives on how changes in this market will impact e- Learning.


Preparing South Africa for Cyber Crime and Cyber Defense
Marthie Grobler, Joey Jansen van Vuuren, Jannie Zaaiman
Pages: 32-41
ABSTRACT:
The international scope of the Internet, the fast technological advances, the wide reach of technological usage and the increase in cyber-attacks require the South African administrative and legislative system to both intersect largely with the application and implementation of international legislation, take timeous precautionary measures and stay updated on trends and developments. One of the problems associated with the technological revolution is that the cyberspace is full of complex and dynamic technological innovations that are not well suited to any lagging administrative and legal system. A further complication is the lack of comprehensive and enforceable treaties facilitating international cooperation with regard to cyber defense. The result is that many developing countries in particular, are either not properly aware, not well prepared, or adequately protected by both knowledge and legislation, in the event of a cyber-attack on a national level. Even if these countries realize the threats, the time to react is of such a long nature due to consultation and legislative processes, that the legal systems provide little support to ensure timeous and necessary counter-measures. This article will address this problem by looking at the impact of technological revolution on cybercrime and cyber defense in a developing country and will evaluate the relevant South African legislation. It will also look at the influence of cyber defense on the international position of the South African Government. South Africa at present does not have a coordinated approach in dealing with Cybercrime and does not have a comprehensive Cyber defense strategy in place. The structures that have been established to deal with Cyber security issues are inadequate to holistically deal with these issues. The development of interventions to address cybercrime requires a partnership between business, government and civil society. This article will provide an approach to deal with making the civil community aware of Cyber Crime and provide a defense mechanism to assist governments from developing countries to prevent their countries to be used as targets or intermediary for either Cyber Crime or Cyber Warfare.



Societal Constraints, Systemic Disadvantages and Homelessness: An Individual Case Study
Carol Kauppi, Henri Pallard, George Stephen, Wayne Neegan
Pages: 42-49
ABSTRACT:
Research utilizing the individual case study method examined the complex issues related to pathways into and out of home-lessness for an Aboriginal man from a First Nation community on the western James Bay in Canada. This instrumental case study focused on an individual’s story, rather than on a site or a group of individuals, an incident or a series of incidents, or a program [6] [15]. First, as a research tool, it provides insight into the issue of homelessness and some of its causes from the perspective of an Aboriginal person. Second, the in-depth data gathered allowed us to understand some of the factors that work and those that do not work in facilitating transitions out of homelessness. Third, as an educational tool, it allows people from the outside to have a better understanding of how systemic disadvantages contribute to individuals falling into homelessness.


Multi Institutional Semi-Structured Learning Environments
Raymond R. Buettner Jr.
Pages: 50-53
ABSTRACT:
A description of two effective and novel collaborative learning environments that support engineering and technological innovation is provided. While offering great value to systems, and systems of systems, engineering practice, these environments are not adequately described by either of these perspectives. Instead these multi-institutional semi-structured learning environments are best described using an informing sciences perspective. Evidence is presented that these environments not only fulfill the definition of an informing system but may represent two of the more complete and dynamic instances of such systems with each simultaneously informing practice, research and teaching in a substantive manner that also produces engineering and technological innovation. The potential for these environments to serve as laboratories for both traditional and participatory research for those studying informing systems is suggested.


From School Knowledge to Everyday Life: Introducing an Alert Bell to Upgrade the Common Sense
Sophie René de Cotret, Réal Larose, Manon Leblanc
Pages: 54-58
ABSTRACT:
One of the aims of school education is that students develop knowledge they will be able to use in their professional and personal life. However, it seems that school does not completely reach its goal. Too often, learned knowledge is not used when it should be. Actually, many research results illustrate the fact that well learned knowledge is not necessarily used outside its belonging discipline, for instance in a day-today context, even if it could be helpful. We assume that, in those cases, decisions are based on common sense instead of school knowledge, however the later was learned. Developing a didactic of common sense, our research project has two goals: the first one is to better understand the dynamic between school knowledge and common sense knowledge involved in day-to-day situations. The second one is to design a device that will upgrade the common sense in order for it to mobilize relevant learned school knowledge when dealing with problems pertaining to real life situations. This paper will focus on the first steps of the research dealing with the second goal.


Interactive Media on Chagas Disease: Development and Content
Claudinei Caetano de Souza, Gislaine Gomes da Costa, Marilia Faustino da Silva, Leila Maria Beltramini, Nelma Regina Segnini Bossolan
Pages: 59-63
ABSTRACT:
An interactive media on Chagas disease was developed as an educational tool, on the context of the scientific research and dissemination actions of the National Institute of Structural Biotechnology and Medicinal Chemistry in Infectious Diseases (INBEQMeDI). Different computational resources were used either in terms of hardware and software. The media contains 13 videos that range from 30 seconds to 4 minutes, all with information about Chagas disease, showing the social and economic aspects; the research made by the INBEQMeDI group; different aspects of the disease illustrated by slides arranged in a mobile carousel, and radio programs, with funny skits. The target audience for use of this feature is students aged 10 to 17 years. Teachers of areas of science and biology, through a partnership with the Agency of Education of the State of São Paulo, will be invited to plan a strategy for media use with their students.


Fostering Individual and Organizational Creativity in Design
Katharine E. Leigh, Amy M. Huber, Kenneth R. Tremblay, Jr.
Pages: 64-69
ABSTRACT:
Demand for creativity has moved from individual to organizational levels encompassing work environments in which organizations, competing for customers and clients, must demonstrate increased creativity and innovation as the pace of change escalates. Creativity, as a means to produce innovative outcomes, invites individuals and organizations to generate and embrace new ideas and ways of accomplishing work tasks. Facilitators of individual and organizational creativity, in non-design organizations, have revealed climate factors consistent in measuring workplace creativity; however, research findings have suggested differences between creative and non-creative environments regarding the importance of resources, time pressure, and autonomy relative to work tasks in studies of architectural and advertising work environments. This paper focuses on findings of two empirical studies used to identify key factors influencing creativity at the individual and organizational levels.


Case Study Methodology and Homelessness Research
Jill Pable
Pages: 70-73
ABSTRACT:
This paper describes the potential suitability of case study methodology for inquiry with the homeless population. It references a research study that uses case study research method to build theory. This study’s topic is the lived experience of destitute individuals who reside in homeless shelters, and explores the homeless shelter built environment’s potential influence on resident satisfaction and recovery. Case study methodology may be appropriate because it explores real-life contextual issues that characterize homelessness and can also accommodate the wide range of homeless person demographics that make this group difficult to study in a generalized fashion. Further, case study method accommodates the need within research in this area to understand individualized treatments as a potential solution for homelessness.


New Cybernetics and the Application of its Principles in Physics
Oleg Kupervasser
Pages: 74-83
ABSTRACT:
We describe principles of new cybernetics and use these principles for resolution of basic physical paradoxes. It demonstrates universality of the principles of new cybernetics.