Blekinge Institute of Technology
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Introducing Code Quality at CS1 Level : Examples and Activities
No full textCharacterising code quality is a challenge that was addressed by a previous ITiCSE Working Group (Börstler et al., 2017). As emerged from that study, educators, developers, and students have different perceptions of the aspects involved. The perception of code quality by CS1 students develops from the feedback they receive when submitting practical work. As a consequence of increasingly large classes and the widespread use of autograders, student code is predominantly assessed based on functional correctness, emphasising a machine-oriented perspective with scarce or no feedback given about human-oriented aspects of code quality. Such limited perception of code quality may negatively impact how students understand, create, and interact with code artefacts. Although Börstler et al. concluded that "code quality should be discussed more thoroughly in educational programs", the lack of materials and time constraints have slowed down progress in that regard. The goal of this Working Group is to support CS1 instructors who want to introduce a broader perspective on code quality in their classroom by providing a curated list of examples and activities suitable for novices. In order to achieve this goal, we have extracted from the CS education literature a range of examples and activities, which have then been analyzed and organized in terms of code quality dimensions. We have also mapped the topics covered in those materials to existing taxonomies relevant to code quality in CS1. Based on this work, we provide (1) a catalog of examples that illustrates the range of quality defects that could be addressed at the CS1 level and (2) a sample set of activities devised to introduce code quality to CS1 students. These materials have the potential to help educators address the subject in more depth
Entreprenörskap : Den bortglömda produktivitetsfaktorn
No full textEntreprenörer har specifika färdigheter som skiljer sig från de som förvärvats genom utbildning eller tidigare anställning. Entreprenöriella förmågor och erfarenheter utgör ett slags humankapital och bör ses som en separat produktionsfaktor i en modern ekonomi. I en rapport från Entreprenörskapsforum, framtagen på uppdrag av Produktivitetskommissionen, argumenteras för en politik med brett och tydligt entreprenörskapsperspektiv som främjar produktivitetsvinster från det entreprenöriella humankapitalet
User feedback in continuous software engineering : revealing the state-of-practice
No full textContext: Organizations opt for continuous delivery of incremental updates to deal with uncertainty and minimize waste. However, applying continuous engineering (CSE) practices requires a continuous feedback loop with input from customers and end-users. Challenges: It becomes increasingly challenging to apply traditional requirements elicitation and validation techniques with ever-shrinking software delivery cycles. At the same time, frequent deliveries generate an abundance of usage data and telemetry informing engineering teams of end-user behavior. The literature describing how practitioners work with user feedback in CSE, is limited. Objectives: We aim to explore the state of practice related to utilization of user feedback in CSE. Specifically, what practices are used, how, and the shortcomings of these practices. Method: We conduct a qualitative survey and report analysis from 21 interviews in 13 product development companies. We apply thematic and cross-case analysis to interpret the data. Results: Based on our earlier work we suggest a conceptual model of how user feedback is utilized in CSE. We further report the identified challenges with the continuous collection and analysis of user feedback and identify implications for practice. Conclusions: Companies use a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to infer end-user preferences. At the same time, continuous collection, analysis, interpretation, and use of data in decisions are problematic. The challenges pertain to selecting the right metrics and analysis techniques, resource allocation, and difficulties in accessing vaguely defined user groups. Our advice to practitioners in CSE is to ensure sufficient resources and effort for interpretation of the feedback, which can be facilitated by telemetry dashboards.
AI-Enabled Text-to-Music Generation : A Comprehensive Review of Methods, Frameworks, and Future Directions
No full textText-to-music generation integrates natural language processing and music generation, enabling artificial intelligence (AI) to compose music from textual descriptions. While AI-enabled music generation has advanced, challenges in aligning text with musical structures remain underexplored. This paper systematically reviews text-to-music generation across symbolic and audio domains, covering melody composition, polyphony, instrumental synthesis, and singing voice generation. It categorizes existing methods into traditional, hybrid, and end-to-end LLM-centric frameworks according to the usage of large language models (LLMs), highlighting the growing role of LLMs in improving controllability and expressiveness. Despite progress, challenges such as data scarcity, representation limitations, and long-term coherence persist. Future work should enhance multi-modal integration, improve model generalization, and develop more user-controllable frameworks to advance AI-enabled music composition.
Creative Pragmatics for Active Learning in STEM Education
No full text“Creative Pragmatics for Active Learning in STEM Education” opens with a chapter that introduces Creative Pragmatics as a flexible and evolving approach aimed at fostering active learning in STEM. This introductory chapter, provided as open access, advocates for competence-based education that prepares learners for the unpredictable and multidimensional challenges of today’s world. It challenges the traditional view of scientific knowledge as stable and complete, urging educators and students to develop competence and skills to navigate the unpredictable challenges of today’s science and society. Spanning 13 chapters, the book features contributions from a diverse array of scholars and practitioners, from Stanford, Columbia, and the University of Nebraska in the USA, with experts from Sweden, Germany and several Danish universities and university colleges. These contributors explore themes such as creative learning strategies, dynamic teacher-student interactions, innovative assessment methods, and the design of learning environments. Each chapter further develops the idea of Creative Pragmatics, emphasising a holistic approach that fosters creativity, interdisciplinary collaboration, and active student engagement. This collection is a valuable resource for educators, researchers, and policymakers who seek to rethink STEM education. The book offers practical insights and a ‘bigger picture’ perspective for fostering educational environments that enable students to develop the competencies needed to engage with complexity. It encourages an exploration of the world that nurtures curiosity, critical thinking, and creative agency, thereby promoting professional and civic responsibility towards environmental, societal, technological, and scientific challenges. Bringing together a transdisciplinary and global team with professional backgrounds spanning Asia, the Americas, and Europe, this book is part of a series on European Science Education Research and Practice, contributing significantly to the field
Evaluating the Impact of COVID-19 on Supply Chain Resilience for Perishable Goods : A Mixed-Methods Approach to Challenges and Strategic Responses
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted global supply chains, particularly in the sectors of e-commerce and perishable goods. This study investigates the significant disruptions experienced by suppliers of perishable goods and the subsequent strategic adaptations made to enhance supply chain resilience. The pandemic catalyzed a rapid transformation in consumer behavior, leading to a surge in on-line shopping and an increased reliance on digital platforms. This shift exacerbated supply chain vulnerabilities, particularly during the initial stages of the pandemic, where inventory shortages, transportation delays, and logistical bottlenecks were prevalent. The challenges were further intensified by external events such as the Suez Canal blockage, which underscored the fragility of global supply chains and the necessity for rapid adjustments in inventory management strategies. The study also highlights the contrasting effects of the pandemic across different regions, with significant disruptions observed in both the U.S. and Asia. In the U.S., e-commerce businesses faced additional fulfillment challenges due to lockdowns and restrictions, particularly in the distribution of non-essential products. In Asia, the pandemic led to factory shutdowns, causing delays in manufacturing and a shortage of critical items, particularly in the healthcare, automotive, and food industries. These disruptions were compounded by restrictions on movement, leading to delays and cancellations of shipments and further bottlenecks in cross-border trade. In response to these challenges, suppliers of perishable goods have implemented a range of strategies to enhance supply chain resilience. These include local warehousing, diversification of suppliers, and increased collaboration across the supplychain. The adoption of technology for real-time data sharing and the creation of crisis management teams are indicative of a proactive approach to managing future disruptions. The evidence suggests a strategic shift towards more resilient and flexible supply chains, with a focus on improving robustness and preparedness in anticipation of future crises. With a mixed-method approach of questionnaires and interviews we discuss the significant disruptions in the supply chain of perishable goods due to COVID-19 and provide methods and strategies the suppliers and supermarkets have used to minimize the impact on the supply chain and increase the resilience of it to future similar events. The study concludes that the pandemic has led to substantial changes in e-commerce strategies and logistics operations, emphasizing the need for continued adaptation to the evolving market and consumer needs in the post-pandemic era
Forensics Trigger : A Distributed Adaptive Push-Button Forensics
No full textDigital Forensics (DF) in distributed environments faces significant challenges, ranging from scalability, complexity, and reliance on traditional DF processes. The problem being addressed in this paper, is the lack of effective automated DF analysis across distributed ecosystems. Inspired by the success of peer-to-peer (P2P) architectures, and as a step toward overcoming the limitations of traditional client-server models, a Distributed Adaptive Push-button Forensic (DAPF) System that leverages a decentralized approach is suggested. The DAPF system automates attack data collection and analysis across multiple nodes in an adaptive approach to streamline DF investigations. Preliminary experiments have demonstrated a 30% reduction in analysis time compared to traditional methods. This work highlights the potential of automation, adaptability, and decentralized architectures in modern DF a step towards distributed digital forensics
Designing value-robust circular systems through changeability : a framework with case studies
No full textIncreasing sustainability expectations requires support for the design of systems that are reactive in minimizing potential negative impact and proactive in guiding engineering decision-making toward more value-robust long-term decisions. This article identifies a gap in the methodological support for the design of circular systems, building on the hypothesis that computer-based simulation models will drive the development of more value-robust systems designed to behave positively in a changeable operational environment during the whole lifecycle. The article presents a framework for value-robust circular systems design, complementing the current approaches for circular design aimed at increasing decision-makers' awareness about the complexity of circular systems to be designed. The framework is theoretically described and demonstrated through its applications in four case studies in the field of construction machinery investigating new circular solutions for the future of mining, quarrying and road construction. The framework supports the development of more resilient and sustainable systems, strengthening the feedback loop between exploring new technologies, proposing innovative concepts and evaluating system performance
Sjuksköterskans erfarenhet av fria besökstider : En litteraturöversikt av kvantitativ och kvalitativ forskning
No full textBakgrund: Fria besökstider har visat sig bidra till ett ökat välbefinnande hos patienterna, vilket i sin tur kan bidra till en minskad vårdtid. En del patienter behöver sina anhöriga till att föra sin talan då de själva inte kan det. Anhöriga har även visat sig kunna motivera patienten till att kämpa för en bättre hälsa. Under covid 19 pandemin 2020 var det många sjuksköterskor som vittnade om att besöksrestriktionerna som infördes påverkade patienterna negativt. Sjuksköterskorna vittnade om att patienterna inte svarade lika bra på behandlingar och mediciner, samt att patienterna tenderade till att få mer ångest och depression. Syfte: Syftet var att beskriva sjuksköterskans erfarenhet av fria besökstider. Metod: Studien är en litteraturöversikt som inkluderar kvalitativ och kvantitativ forskning, med en induktiv ansats. Elva vetenskapliga artiklar har analyserats enligt Fribergs analysmetod. Resultat: De kategorier som identifierades var: Betydelse för kommunikation och information, Oro för integritets- och sekretessproblem, Påverkan på omvårdnadsarbetet, Störd vila, Ökad press för anhöriga och patienter och Ökade möjligheter till besök Slutsats: Fler sjuksköterskor var negativa än positiva till fria besökstider. Det som hade utbildning inom kommunikation var mer positivt inställda. För att fria besökstider ska fungera krävs tydlig kommunikation i teamet samt utbildning och förberedelser
Förekomsten av psykisk ohälsa bland äldre med hjärtsjukdom : En kvantitativ studie baserad på data från SNAC-B
No full textBakgrund: Äldre 60+ är en växande population som har ökat med 65 % på 50 år. Hög ålder och ökad population kan medföra högre fysisk och psykisk ohälsa som ställer höga krav på sjuksköterskan. Psykisk hälsa betyder att må bra i sinnet och hjälper människor att hantera livets svårigheter. Psykisk hälsa är mer komplext än att vara fri från psykisk sjukdom och upplevs olika från person till person. Psykisk ohälsa påverkar måendet och kan bestå av oro, nedstämdhet, ångest eller depression. Sjuksköterskan behöver ha kunskap om ohälsan och arbeta holistiskt tillsammans med patienterna. Syfte: Beskriva förekomst av psykisk ohälsa bland äldre 60+ med hjärtsjukdom från SNAC-B i hemmet. Metod: Kvantitativ metod med deskriptiv tvärsnittsdesign användes till denna studie med enkäter från Swedish National Study on Aging and Care – Blekinge (SNAC-B). Resultat: Resultatet visade att av deltagare i gruppen som har psykisk ohälsa, så var det 29,5% som hade hjärtsjukdom. Bland personer som inte har psykisk ohälsa, så var det 70,5 % som hade hjärtsjukdom. Slutsats: Resultatet visade att ungefär en tredjedel av deltagarna med någon form av hjärtsjukdom upplevde psykisk ohälsa. Tidigare forskning har visat att psykisk ohälsa kan förvärra hjärtsjukdom. I den här studien kan dock inget samband mellan hjärtsjukdom och psykisk ohälsa fastställas, eftersom majoriteten av deltagarna med hjärtsjukdom inte upplevde psykisk ohälsa. Resultaten kan bidra till att sjuksköterskan främjar livsstilsförändringar som att motivera till fysisk aktivitet och hälsosammare kost. Detta skapar förutsättningar för att arbeta mot personcentrerad vård.