Bulletin of Applied Computing and Information Technology

	02:03
	November 2004

Bulletin of Applied Computing and Information Technology.
Vol 2, Issue 3 (November 2004).
ISSN 1176-4120.

Editorial

Leadership and Responsibility in the Networked World

Dr Colin Boswell ( colin@boswellconsulting.co.nz )  

In 2000 the Harvard Policy Group on Network-Enabled Services and Government, as part of its series "Guidelines for the 2000 Election and Beyond" produced a report “Eight Imperatives for Leaders in a Networked World”. It was aimed at political leaders and was intended to provide a framework for reaping the benefits and avoiding the risks of the Internet pervasive era.

Views

Did We Miss The Boat? Database Design with NIAM

Prof Dr Reinhard Gillner ( reinhard.gillner@informatik.fh-fulda.de )

Checking different curricula of Computer Science at a university you will find at least one course of database design and implementation in it. There might be some additional topics on database offered especially if you look at some master’s courses. They will cover topics like distributed databases or databases and the Web.

Applied Computing Curricula

Information Security Qualifications in New Zealand

Shaneel Narayan ( snarayan@unitec.ac.nz )
Sheetal Narayan ( snarayan2@unitec.ac.nz )

This paper investigates the New Zealand tertiary education system: is it geared to provide information technology professionals with appropriate tools to countermeasure information security threats, vulnerabilities and exploits?

Computer Human Interaction Education in New Zealand

Emma Sharkey ( eshark@slingshot.coc.nz )
John Paynter ( j.paynter@auckland.ac.nz )

The status of Computer Human Interface (CHI) education in the eight Universities in New Zealand is examined. A two-fold approach is used. We analyse the offering of CHI-related courses and survey academics and students as to their perceptions of the topics to be studied.

Conceptual Design and Physical Development of Database Courses

Simon Dacey ( sdacey@unitec.ac.nz )

This paper reports on a consultation process with industry representatives leading to the improvement of degree courses in database design and development.

Creating Intriguing Synergies with Course Offerings: An ITP Perspective on Integrating Industry Qualifications

Garry Roberton ( Garry.roberton@wintec.ac.nz )
Ed Corbett

The paper discusses a strategic move by Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) to integrate industry qualifications, specifically the Cisco Network Academy Programme (CNAP), into their existing programmes.

Postgraduate Programmes for Professionals

Donald Joyce ( djoyce@unitec.ac.nz )

The Master of Computing (MComp) and Doctor of Computing (DComp) programmes at Unitec were developed in consultation with industry to meet a perceived need for computing professionals with a wide range of competencies, including interpersonal and technical.

Issues and Challenges in IT Education

Enrolment Motivations for Information Technology Students

Nick Wallingford ( nick.wallingford@boppoly.ac.nz )

Students enquiring about the Diploma in Information and Communications Technology modules and the Bachelor of Computing Systems papers offered and delivered at the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic are asked to indicate the factors that motivated their choice of programme and institution.

Barriers to Women Studying Information Technology Courses

Marie Hutchinson ( marie.hutchinson@wintec.ac.nz )
C. Kay Weaver ( ckweaver@mngt.waikato.ac.nz )

One of the largest groups entering tertiary education in New Zealand are women seeking to retrain for the workforce, many of who enrol in computer based courses. However, while research identifies these women as feeling quite comfortable with information communication technologies (ICTs), they still largely perceive Information Technology (IT) as a ‘male domain’.

Web-Assisted Teaching and Learning Strategies: Student Perceptions

Mae McSporran ( mmcsporran@unitec.ac.nz )

This paper describes the results of a pilot study conducted with Post Graduate computing students in New Zealand. The writer asked and documented what teaching and learning strategies the students considered valuable and were therefore more motivated to use.

Networking and Computing

Future Proofing Networking Labs

Amy Wilson ( amy.wilson@boppoly.ac.nz )
Stefan Stasiewicz ( stefan.stasiewicz@boppoly.ac.nz )

Increased student numbers and demand for networking data communications and computer hardware courses indicated it was time to re-evaluate the lab setup. Several options were considered, against a set of criteria including minimal disruption to classrooms and programmes while implementing the chosen alternative.

A High Performance Linux Cluster: Using Discarded Hardware and Open Source Software

Garry Benner ( gary.benner@waiariki.ac.nz )
Karam Khokra ( karam.khokra@waiariiki.ac.nz )

A Linux based cluster server consisting of eight discarded Pentium II 350Mhz computers was created at the Waiariki Institute of Technology (School of Business and Computing); the lecturers involved used Linux and other Open Source software. The initial goal of the project was to demonstrate “high availability” and “high reliability”, achieving three to five “nines of availability” over a period of a semester.

Off-Peak Distributed Computing

Mark Caukill ( markc@ukol.ac.nz )

Did you ever wonder what happens to the computers at work once everyone goes home? Not much – except for a few individuals helping to look for extraterrestrial signals! Ever think about what a waste it is to have all those computers doing nothing?

Flight Simulation Scenery Technologies

William Harvey ( wharvey@unitec.ac.nz )

Recent technological advances in the area of personal desktop computer flight simulation software to represent real-world geographical and topographical terrain, textures and land-objects have led to interesting developments in the field of aviation and flight Training. This has resulted in the aviation sector looking at this technology as an effective training tool, and perhaps as a new method to log instrument flying hours for student pilots.

Online

Critical Success Factors for Online Auction Web Sites

Orson Lin ( orson@megacomputer.co.nz )
Donald Joyce

In order to develop online auction web site strategies, a study was undertaken of the characteristics of auctions, online auction markets, online auction models, online auction payments and delivery; an online survey was used to gather data about consumers’ preferences, opinions and needs.

Critical Skills for Online Teaching

Mae McSporran ( mmcsporran@unitec.ac.nz )
Stuart Young ( syoung@unitec.ac.nz )

This paper outlines a framework describing a range of additional skills that academic staff members need to develop in order to teach effectively online. These new skills are not limited to computer software skills or virtual learning environment (VLE) skills.

Editorial Board