Interactive Distance E-Learning for Isolated Communities: 'Opening Our Eyes'. The project will investigate people's use, and experience, of a new satellite-based communications system, being deployed for isolated communities in NSW and the NT. This system (IDeL) supports distance learning, using two-way video communications and interactive computer technologies. Our project will work at three levels: (1) gathering evidence about the experiences and new working practices of learners, teachers and ....Interactive Distance E-Learning for Isolated Communities: 'Opening Our Eyes'. The project will investigate people's use, and experience, of a new satellite-based communications system, being deployed for isolated communities in NSW and the NT. This system (IDeL) supports distance learning, using two-way video communications and interactive computer technologies. Our project will work at three levels: (1) gathering evidence about the experiences and new working practices of learners, teachers and others using IDeL; (2) seeing how different ways of capturing and sharing these local practices and experiences support the spread of ideas across the system; (3) understanding the dynamics of implementation and take-up of complex, highly-distributed systems of this kind.Read moreRead less
Positive Computing: The design of technologies that support psychological wellbeing. Designing future technology to foster psychological wellbeing has the potential to affect population-wide positive change. The design of software like apps or social media, can impact things like cyber-bullying, depression, or even foster resilience. This project aims to connect experts across multiple disciplines (psychology, technology and policy) to develop pioneering methods, knowledge, and strategies that w ....Positive Computing: The design of technologies that support psychological wellbeing. Designing future technology to foster psychological wellbeing has the potential to affect population-wide positive change. The design of software like apps or social media, can impact things like cyber-bullying, depression, or even foster resilience. This project aims to connect experts across multiple disciplines (psychology, technology and policy) to develop pioneering methods, knowledge, and strategies that will allow future technologies to play an active role in improving health, performance, and quality of life for all Australians, through research-based design for wellbeing. In doing so, Australia will lead the way on the technological front in a growing global initiative to improve the wellbeing of nations.Read moreRead less
Space to Grow: The Faulkes Telescope and improving science engagement in schools. Exceptional opportunities exist to engage, develop and enrich science students and their teachers through access to the cutting-edge Faulkes Telescopes (FTs). The FT South (sited in Australia) is the world's largest dedicated to educational use with Australia enjoying a 15% share as the host country of this exceptional educational initiative. Operated remotely via the internet, the FT provides natural links to ICT, ....Space to Grow: The Faulkes Telescope and improving science engagement in schools. Exceptional opportunities exist to engage, develop and enrich science students and their teachers through access to the cutting-edge Faulkes Telescopes (FTs). The FT South (sited in Australia) is the world's largest dedicated to educational use with Australia enjoying a 15% share as the host country of this exceptional educational initiative. Operated remotely via the internet, the FT provides natural links to ICT, on-line learning, physics, astronomy and mathematics. Given appropriate support, it can play a valuable role in re-engaging students in science and enhancing science education and literacy outcomes in Australian schools over the next 20 years.Read moreRead less
Robotics for the Real World: A Museum Tourguide Robot. This project will develop a tour guide robot for deployment into a real-world situation: providing tours at the Questacon museum in Canberra. Previously developed tour guide robots have all been limited in nature, similar to one-off laboratory experiments. This project aims to develop a world first: a truly robust and autonomous mobile robot that is continuously in service. This is a vital area for the future of robotics and has potential ....Robotics for the Real World: A Museum Tourguide Robot. This project will develop a tour guide robot for deployment into a real-world situation: providing tours at the Questacon museum in Canberra. Previously developed tour guide robots have all been limited in nature, similar to one-off laboratory experiments. This project aims to develop a world first: a truly robust and autonomous mobile robot that is continuously in service. This is a vital area for the future of robotics and has potential for spin-offs. The project will also develop necessary research results in the areas of mapping of dynamic environments, demonstrable safety, human-robot interaction, robot robustness and reliability, and Internet-based teleoperation.Read moreRead less
Cross-Community Information Systems: Understanding Technology-Practice Fit in Healthcare. This project addresses unsolved issues of usability of e-health information systems across diverse stakeholder communities that need to coordinate to deliver the expected revolution in patient-centred health care. The project will help realise the Nation's large investment in e-health by improving the likelihood of system acceptance, thus making a significant contribution to facilitating the important insti ....Cross-Community Information Systems: Understanding Technology-Practice Fit in Healthcare. This project addresses unsolved issues of usability of e-health information systems across diverse stakeholder communities that need to coordinate to deliver the expected revolution in patient-centred health care. The project will help realise the Nation's large investment in e-health by improving the likelihood of system acceptance, thus making a significant contribution to facilitating the important institutional transformations expected of these systems. The timeliness, depth and breadth of the study will yield outcomes that will enhance Australia's research reputation. This project directly addresses the 'smart information use' and 'promoting and maintaining good health' national research prioritiesRead moreRead less
Understanding the impact of enterprise system use on system performance. To optimise organizational benefits, resource intensive enterprise systems must be appropriately used by all user cohorts. This study investigates the impact of system-use on system success. System-use patterns derived for all key user cohorts across the lifecycle phases will create management matrices to assist organizations maximise system-use.
Enhancing computer user productivity of integrated enterprise wide systems: an intervention study. This project addresses a critical issue in IT investment and productivity. Current theoretical models of user training and acceptance have not contributed to the effectiveness of implementing new integrated enterprise wide systems. This study will identify key indiviudal differences that predict user motivation to learn and utilize such systems under mandatory conditions. A longitudinal study in ....Enhancing computer user productivity of integrated enterprise wide systems: an intervention study. This project addresses a critical issue in IT investment and productivity. Current theoretical models of user training and acceptance have not contributed to the effectiveness of implementing new integrated enterprise wide systems. This study will identify key indiviudal differences that predict user motivation to learn and utilize such systems under mandatory conditions. A longitudinal study in two field settings will test the impact of selected interventions on task performance following training. The outcomes will inform Australian industry on models of effective implementation and provide guidance to increase the productivity of personnel using software systems.Read moreRead less
A 'smarter image' for educational multimedia: Improving learning of dynamic content with animated and static graphics. Animated images were once used largely for entertainment but are now increasingly a feature of multimedia information and education systems. However, recent research casts doubt on animation's assumed superiority over static pictures for facilitating understanding. This project aims to find how animations should be designed, supported, and used in order to fulfill their vast pot ....A 'smarter image' for educational multimedia: Improving learning of dynamic content with animated and static graphics. Animated images were once used largely for entertainment but are now increasingly a feature of multimedia information and education systems. However, recent research casts doubt on animation's assumed superiority over static pictures for facilitating understanding. This project aims to find how animations should be designed, supported, and used in order to fulfill their vast potential for explaining and instructing. It will examine in fine detail how people with different backgrounds actually use animations when trying to comprehend familiar and unfamiliar topics. Research-based guidelines will be produced on how to design effective animations and animated-static graphic blends for use in multimedia. Read moreRead less
Humanising the Convergence of Information and Communication Technology. The convergence of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) enables delivery of multiple services by a single mobile device. Frequently ICT convergence is driven by the capabilities of the technology. However, if technologies are to be appropriated, that is enter into long-term use, they must be compatible with that use.
The University of Melbourne and Novell will establish a way of identifying opportunities f ....Humanising the Convergence of Information and Communication Technology. The convergence of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) enables delivery of multiple services by a single mobile device. Frequently ICT convergence is driven by the capabilities of the technology. However, if technologies are to be appropriated, that is enter into long-term use, they must be compatible with that use.
The University of Melbourne and Novell will establish a way of identifying opportunities for ICT convergence based on an understanding of appropriation. Our research project will examine the social and personal use of mobile ICTs by young people 16 to 22 years as the basis for understanding the human drivers of convergence.
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Automated Interaction Technologies for Mobile Hand-held Devices. This project is concerned with developing intelligent technologies that support human interaction through handheld devices, connected to wireless digital networks. Intelligent software assistants running on these devices will interact with one another in order to coordinate the activities of multiple users. Such automated coordination may facilitate scheduling of meetings, collaboration among different members of a team, and negoti ....Automated Interaction Technologies for Mobile Hand-held Devices. This project is concerned with developing intelligent technologies that support human interaction through handheld devices, connected to wireless digital networks. Intelligent software assistants running on these devices will interact with one another in order to coordinate the activities of multiple users. Such automated coordination may facilitate scheduling of meetings, collaboration among different members of a team, and negotiating conflicts that may arise between the activities of different connected users. This will enable context-dependent task support and coordination of workers involved in industrial applications involving mobility and dynamism.Read moreRead less