Table Of ContentAdvanced Information and Knowledge Processing
SeriesEditors
ProfessorLakhmiJain
[email protected]
ProfessorXindongWu
[email protected]
Forothertitlespublishedinthisseries,goto
http://www.springer.com/4738
JingTao Yao
Web-based Support Systems
123
Dr.JingTaoYao
UniversityofRegina
Dept.ComputerScience
3737WascanaParkway
ReginaSKS4S0A2
Canada
[email protected]
AI&KPISSN:1610-3947
ISBN:978-1-84882-627-4 e-ISBN:978-1-84882-628-1
DOI:10.1007/978-1-84882-628-1
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Preface
Web-basedSupportSystems(WSS)areanemergingmultidisciplinaryresearcharea
inwhichonestudiesthesupportofhumanactivitieswiththeWebasthecommon
platform,mediumandinterface.TheInternetaffectseveryaspectofourmodernlife.
Movingsupportsystemstoonlineisanincreasingtrendinmanyresearchdomains.
One of the goals of WSS research is to extend the human physical limitation of
informationprocessingintheinformationage.
ResearchonWSSismotivatedbythechallengesandopportunitiesarisingfrom
theInternet.The availability, accessibilityand flexibility of informationas wellas
the tools to access this information lead to a vast amount of opportunities. How-
ever, there are also many challenges we face. For instance, we have to deal with
more complex tasks, as there are increasing demands for quality and productivity.
WSSresearchisanaturalevolutionofthestudiesonvariouscomputerizedsupport
systemssuchasDecisionSupportSystems(DSS),ComputerAidedDesign(CAD),
and Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE). The recent advancement of
computer and Web technologies make the implementation of more feasible WSS.
Nowadays,itisraretoseeasystemwithoutsometypeofWebinteraction.
TheresearchofWSSisclassifiedintofourgroups.
• WSSforspecificdomains.
– WSSforspecificdomains:
– Web-basedDSS
– Enterprise-wideDSS
– Web-basedgroupDSS
– Web-basedexecutivesupportsystems
– Web-basedbusinesssupportsystems
– Web-basednegotiationsupportsystems
– Web-basedmedicalsupportsystems
– Web-basedresearchsupportsystems
– Web-basedinformationretrievalsupportsystems
– Web-basededucationsupportsystems
– Web-basedlearningsupportsystems
– Web-basedteachingsupportsystems
v
vi Preface
• Web-basedapplicationsandWSSTechniques
– Web-basedknowledgemanagementsystems
– Web-basedgroupwaresystems
– Web-basedfinancialandeconomicsystems
– Web-basedmultimediasystems
– Webinformationfusion
– Internetbankingsystems
– XMLanddatamanagementontheWeb
– Webinformationmanagement
– Webinformationretrieval
– Webdataminingandfarming
– Websearchengines
– Informationfusion
– Webservices
– Gridcomputing
• DesignanddevelopmentofWSS
– DesignanddevelopmentofWSS
– Web-basedsystemsdevelopment
– CASEtoolsandsoftwarefordevelopingWeb-basedapplications
– SystemsanalysisanddesignmethodsforWeb-basedapplications
– User-interfacedesignissuesforWeb-basedapplications
– VisualizationsofWeb-basedsystems
– SecurityissuesrelatedtoWeb-basedapplications
– Webengineering
Thisbookcanbeviewedasanextendedculminationtothreeinternationalwork-
shopsonWSS.TheFirstInternationalWorkshopOnWSSwasheldonOctober13,
2003inHalifax,Canada.TheSecondInternationalWSSwasheldonSeptember20,
2004inBeijing,China.TheproceedingswerepublishedbySaintMary’sUniversity
inCanada.Thereare26and24papersineachsetoftheproceedingsrespectively.
The Third International Workshop On WSS was held on December 18, 2006 in
Hong Kong, China.There are14papers presented inavolume of IEEEpublished
proceedings.
In order to keep track of the research on WSS, a Web site devoted to the
research of WSS has been set up at http://www.cs.uregina.ca/∼wss/. There are
articles on the Bibliography page of the Web site. If you want your publica-
tions to be listed on the page or identify yourself as a researcher in the area of
WSS,[email protected]firsttwo
workshops are also online at http://www.cs.uregina.ca/∼wss/wss03/wss03.pdf and
http://www.cs.uregina.ca/∼wss/wss04/wss04.pdf.
ThisbookisintendedtopresentresearchrelatedtofundamentalissuesofWSS,
frameworksforWSS,andcurrentresearchonWSS.AkeyissueofWSSresearch
is to identify both domain independent and dependent activities before selecting
Preface vii
suitable computer and Web technologies to support them. We will also examine
how applications and adaptations of existing methodologies on the Web platform
benefitourdecision-makingandothervariousactivities.
The selection of this book was started with call-for-chapter proposals. We re-
ceived 33 chapter proposals. Authors of 26 proposals were chosen to submit full
chapters. After receiving the full chapters, each chapter was reviewed by three re-
viewers.Includingtheauthors,somedomainexpertswereaskedtoreviewchapters.
Afteracoupleofroundsofrevisions,wepresent19chaptersinthisbook.
Therearethreepartsofthisbook:WSSforspecificdomains,Web-basedappli-
cationsandWSStechniques,andDesignanddevelopmentofWSS.
The first part consists of seven chapters. Chapter 1 entitled “Context-Aware
Adaptation in Web-based Groupware Systems” presents research on applying
context-basedfilteringtechnologyforaWeb-basedgroupdecisionsupportsystem
and its mobile users. Chapter 2 entitled “Framework for Supporting Web-based
Collaborative Applications” proposes a framework to support automated service
management, in particular for a Web-based medical support system. Chapter 3
entitled“Helplets:ACommonSenseBasedCollaborativeHelpCollectionandRe-
trievalArchitectureforWeb-EnabledSystems”presentsanonlineintelligentquery
supportsystemforreplacingatraditionalhelpdesk.Chapter4entitled“Web-based
VirtualResearchEnvironments”presentsaWeb-basedresearchsupportsystemfor
researchcollaborations.Chapter5entitled“Web-basedLearningSupportSystem”
proposes an adaptive learning support environment that effectively accommodates
awidevarietyofstudentswithdifferentskills,background,andcognitivelearning
styles.Chapter6entitled“ACyberneticDesignMethodologyfor‘Intelligent’On-
lineLearningSupport”describesaWeb-basedlearningsupportsystemthataimsto
evolveWeb-basedteachingenvironmentsintointelligentlearningsystemsmodelled
on cybernetic, systems theory principles. Chapter 7 entitled “A Web-based Learn-
ingSupportSystemforInquiry-basedLearning”employsatreasurehuntmodelfor
teachingandlearningsupport.
Parttwoincludessixchapters.Chapter8entitled“Combinatorialfusionanalysis
for meta search information retrieval” describes a combinatorial fusion methodol-
ogy including a theoretical framework and illustrations of various applications of
the framework using examples from the information retrieval domain. Chapter 9
entitled“AutomatingInformationDiscoverywithintheInvisibleWeb”discussesis-
suesrelatedtothedeepWebinformationretrieval.Chapter10entitled“Supporting
WebSearchwithVisualization”introducesinformationvisualizationasameansfor
supporting users for their search and retrieval tasks on the Web. Chapter 11 enti-
tled“XMLBasedMarkupLanguagesforSpecificDomains”describestheneedfor
domain-specificMarkupLanguageswithinthecontextofXML,providesadetailed
outlineofthestepsinvolvedinmarkuplanguagedevelopment,andgivesthedesired
properties of Markup Languages for WSS in incorporating human factors from a
domain based angle. Chapter 12 entitled “Evaluation, Analysis and Adaptation of
Web Prefetching Techniques in Current Web” presents a study on Web prefetch-
ingtoreducetheuser-perceivedlatencyinthreesteps:evaluatingWebprefetching
viii Preface
techniquesfromtheuser’spointofview,analyzinghowprefetchingalgorithmscan
beimproved,andexploringtheperformancelimitsofWebprefetchingtoknowthe
potentialbenefitsofthistechniquedependingonthearchitectureinwhichitisim-
plemented. Chapter 13 entitled “Knowledge Management System Based on Web
2.0Technologies”demonstratesthatWeb2.0technologiescouldbeusedtodesign
user interaction in a knowledge management system to improve online interaction
withWSSinotherapplicationdomains.
Part three consists six chapters. Chapter 14 entitled “A Web-based System for
Managing Software Architectural Knowledge” presents and discusses the design,
implementation, and deployment details of a Web-based architectural knowledge
management system,called PAKME, tosupportthe softwarearchitecture process.
Chapter15entitled“CoPSensingFrameworkonWeb-basedEnvironment”presents
a Web-based social learning support system based on the concept of Community
ofPracticeandtheoriesofsocialconstructivism.Chapter16entitled“Designinga
SuccessfulBiddingStrategyusingFuzzySetsandAgentAttitudes”presentstheim-
plementationofanonlinebidingsystemarmedwithintelligentagentsusingfuzzy
strategy.Chapter17entitled“DesignScenariosforWeb-BasedManagementofOn-
line Information” discusses a scenario-based design process, and results thereof,
usedtoexaminehowonlinecommunicationmanagementmightbesupportedbya
Web-basedsystem.Chapter18entitled“DataMiningforWeb-basedSupportSys-
tems:ACaseStudyine-CustomSystems”providesanexampleofaWeb-basedsup-
portsystemusedtostream-linetradeprocedures,preventpotentialsecuritythreats
andreducetax-relatedfraudincross-bordertrade.Chapter19entitled“ServiceOri-
entedArchitecture(SOA)asatechnicalframeworkforWeb-basedSupportSystems
(WSS)”discussesissuesonapplyingserviceorientedtechniquetoWSS.
Lastbutnotleast,Iwouldliketothankallauthorswhocontributedachapterin
thisbookaswellasthereviewerswhohelpedtoimprovethequalityofchapters.I
wouldliketothankSeriesEditorsDrs.LakhmiJainandXindongWuandSpringer
editorsCatherineBrettandRebeccaMowat,fortheirassistanceandhelpeditingthis
book.DongWonKim,agraduatestudentoftheUniversityofReginaundermysu-
pervision,helpedfinalcompilingwithLATEX.Healsospentalotofhistimeoncon-
vertingsomechapterspreparedinMicrosoftWord.Ithankhimforhistimeandpa-
tience.Withouteveryone’seffort,itisimpossibletoseethecompletionofthisbook.
Regina,Saskatchewan JingTaoYao
Canada,June2009
Contents
PartI Web-BasedSupportSystemsforSpecificDomains
1 Context-AwareAdaptationinWeb-BasedGroupwareSystems ..... 3
Manuele Kirsch Pinheiro, Angela Carrillo-Ramos, Marle`ne
Villanova-Oliver,Je´roˆmeGensel,andYolandeBerbers
1.1 Introduction.............................................. 4
1.1.1 The Web and the Collaboration Issue in Mobile
Environment...................................... 4
1.1.2 AdaptationtoWeb-BasedGroupwareSystems
MobileUsers ..................................... 5
1.1.3 AContext-andPreference-BasedAdaptation
forWeb-BasedGroupwareSystems .................. 6
1.1.4 ChapterOrganization .............................. 7
1.2 RelatedWork............................................. 7
1.3 ContextRepresentation .................................... 9
1.4 RepresentationoftheGroupAwarenessInformation ............ 12
1.5 RepresentingUser’sPreferences............................. 13
1.5.1 FilteringRules.................................... 14
1.5.2 Context-AwareProfiles............................. 16
1.5.3 ContextualConditions ............................. 17
1.5.4 PersonalizingInformationalContent.................. 18
1.5.5 SharingProfiles ................................... 20
1.6 FilteringProcess .......................................... 21
1.6.1 SelectingProfiles.................................. 21
1.6.2 SelectingandOrganizingContent.................... 23
1.7 Implementation........................................... 26
1.7.1 BW-M Framework ................................ 26
1.7.2 ImplementationIssues ............................. 27
1.8 Conclusion............................................... 28
References..................................................... 29
ix
x Contents
2 FrameworkforSupportingWeb-BasedCollaborativeApplications.. 33
WeiDai
2.1 Introduction.............................................. 33
2.1.1 BarriersandObstacles ............................. 34
2.1.2 ResearchMotivations .............................. 34
2.1.3 Benefits.......................................... 35
2.1.4 ResearchQuestionsandAims ....................... 35
2.2 ResearchBackground...................................... 35
2.2.1 ServiceSystem ................................... 35
2.2.2 DynamicRe-configurableSystem.................... 36
2.3 SolutionApproach ........................................ 37
2.3.1 DynamicServicesManagement ..................... 37
2.3.2 ServiceAvailability................................ 38
2.3.3 ServicesInvocationandExecution ................... 38
2.4 Application–Web-basedSolutionfore-Health ................ 39
2.5 Conclusion .............................................. 41
References..................................................... 41
3 Helplets:ACommonSense-BasedCollaborativeHelpCollection
andRetrievalArchitectureforWeb-EnabledSystems ............. 43
MohammadNauman,ShahbazKhan,andSanaullahKhan
3.1 Introduction.............................................. 44
3.2 IssuesinContemporaryHelpSystems........................ 45
3.2.1 TutorialEmbedding ............................... 46
3.2.2 TutorialDecomposition ............................ 46
3.3 MachineCommonSense ................................... 46
3.4 HelpletArchitecture....................................... 48
3.4.1 KnowlegeCollection:Helplets ...................... 50
3.4.2 KnowledgeOrganization:Folksonomy................ 50
3.4.3 KnowledgeRetrieval:CommonSense ................ 52
3.5 RelatedWork............................................. 60
3.6 Conclusion............................................... 62
References..................................................... 63
4 Web-basedVirtualResearchEnvironments...................... 65
XiaoboYangandRobertJ.Allan
4.1 Introduction.............................................. 65
4.2 ShortReviewofVREs..................................... 67
4.3 OurExperienceofVRE.................................... 71
4.3.1 Architecture ...................................... 71
4.3.2 TheSakaiCollaborativeLearningFramework.......... 72
4.3.3 Prototype:SakaiVREPortalDemonstrator ............ 73
4.3.4 Production:Psi-kVRE ............................. 76
4.3.5 Production:SocialSciencee-InfrastructureVRE ....... 77
4.4 FurtherDiscussionandSummary............................ 78
References..................................................... 79
Contents xi
5 Web-BasedLearningSupportSystem .......................... 81
LisaFan
5.1 Introduction.............................................. 81
5.2 LearningandLearningSupportSystems ...................... 82
5.3 FunctionsofWeb-basedLearningSupportSystems............. 83
5.4 DesignsandImplementationofaWLSS ...................... 85
5.5 TheProposedFrameworkBasedonKSM..................... 88
5.6 Rough set-based Learning Support to Predict
AcademicPerformance .................................... 89
5.6.1 SurveyandDataCollection ......................... 90
5.6.2 ResultsandDiscussion............................. 91
5.7 Conclusion............................................... 93
References..................................................... 94
6 A Cybernetic Design Methodology for ‘Intelligent’ Online
LearningSupport ........................................... 97
StephenR.Quinton
6.1 Introduction.............................................. 97
6.2 Rationale ................................................ 99
6.3 TheNeedfor‘Intelligent’CognitionSupportSystems ..........100
6.4 MetacognitionasthePrimaryLearningGoal ..................103
6.5 ABriefHistoryofCognitionSupportSystems.................106
6.6 EnablingEffectiveCognitionandMetacognitionDevelopment ...110
6.7 RelationshipsandConnectedness:PathwaystoMeaning ........112
6.8 AModelforConstructing“Intelligent”Cognition
SupportSystems ..........................................115
6.9 Conclusion...............................................119
6.10 ResearchQuestionsforFurtherStudy ........................121
References.....................................................122
7 AWeb-BasedLearningSupportSystemforInquiry-Based
Learning................................................... 125
DongWonKimandJingTaoYao
7.1 Introduction..............................................125
7.2 Web-BasedLearningSupportSystemsandInquiry-Based
Learning.................................................126
7.2.1 Web-BasedLearningSupportSystems................126
7.2.2 WebServices .....................................127
7.2.3 Online-LearningGames ............................127
7.2.4 Inquiry-BasedLearning ............................128
7.2.5 Web-Based Learning Support Systems
forInquiry-BasedLearning .........................129
7.3 ModelingOnlineTreasureHunt .............................129
7.3.1 TreasureHunts....................................129
7.3.2 TreasureHuntModelforInquiry-BasedLearning.......130
