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Publications

Publications by CSE

2020

Factors that Influence the Use of Educational Software in Mathematics Teaching

Authors
Nunes, PS; Nascimento, MM; Catarino, P; Martins, P;

Publication
REICE-REVISTA IBEROAMERICANA SOBRE CALIDAD EFICACIA Y CAMBIO EN EDUCACION

Abstract
This paper aims to explore and describe fundamental factors that influence the knowledge and use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), in particular of Educational Software (ES) as a tool, by teachers who teach mathematics in any portuguese teaching cycle. The adopted method has a descriptive and exploratory nature, focusing on a quantitative paradigm. The study participants were 96 teachers who teach mathematics, from various elementary and secondary schools, from different regions of Portugal, as well as from other countries where the portuguese curriculum is inserted. The questionnaire, the chi-square independence test and Cramer's V test were used as instruments. Data analysis was performed using SPSS (version 25) and Excel (Office 2016). The results suggest that the age, gender and length of service of mathematics teachers may be factors that influence the knowledge and use of Kahoot ES and that having training may be an essential condition for the use of Modellus and Scratch ESs. We did not find any relationship of dependence between having training and the use of the rule and compass ES by the respondents.

2020

Determining Microservice Boundaries: A Case Study Using Static and Dynamic Software Analysis

Authors
Matias, T; Correia, FF; Fritzsch, J; Bogner, J; Ferreira, HS; Restivo, A;

Publication
SOFTWARE ARCHITECTURE (ECSA 2020)

Abstract
A number of approaches have been proposed to identify service boundaries when decomposing a monolith to microservices. However, only a few use systematic methods and have been demonstrated with replicable empirical studies. We describe a systematic approach for refactoring systems to microservice architectures that uses static analysis to determine the system's structure and dynamic analysis to understand its actual behavior. A prototype of a tool was built using this approach (MonoBreaker) and was used to conduct a case study on a real-world software project. The goal was to assess the feasibility and benefits of a systematic approach to decomposition that combines static and dynamic analysis. The three study participants regarded as positive the decomposition proposed by our tool, and considered that it showed improvements over approaches that rely only on static analysis.

2020

Blockchain-based scalable authentication for IoT: Poster abstract

Authors
Mukhandi M.; Andrade E.; Damião F.; Granjal J.; Vilela J.P.;

Publication
SenSys 2020 - Proceedings of the 2020 18th ACM Conference on Embedded Networked Sensor Systems

Abstract
Device identity management and authentication are one of the critical and primary security challenges in IoT. In order to decrease the IoT attack surface and provide protection from security threats such as introduction of fake IoT nodes and identity theft, IoT requires scalable device identity management systems and resilient device authentication mechanisms. Existing mechanisms for device identity management and device authentication were not designed for huge number of devices and therefore are not suitable for IoT environments. This work presents results of a blockchain-based identity management approach with consensus authentication, as a scalable solution for IoT device authentication management. Our identity management approach relies on having a blockchain secure tamper proof registry and lightweight consensus-based identity authentication.

2020

Visualization of path patterns in semantic graphs

Authors
Leal, JP;

Publication
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Abstract
Graphs with a large number of nodes and edges are difficult to visualize. Semantic graphs add to the challenge since their nodes and edges have types and this information must be mirrored in the visualization. A common approach to cope with this difficulty is to omit certain nodes and edges, displaying sub-graphs of smaller size. However, other transformations can be used to summarize semantic graphs and this research explores a particular one, both to reduce the graph's size and to focus on its path patterns. A-graphs are a novel kind of graph designed to highlight path patterns using this kind of summarization. They are composed of a-nodes connected by a-edges, and these reflect respectively edges and nodes of the semantic graph. A-graphs trade the visualization of nodes and edges by the visualization of graph path patterns involving typed edges. Thus, they are targeted to users that require a deep understanding of the semantic graph it represents, in particular of its path patterns, rather than to users wanting to browse the semantic graph's content. A-graphs help programmers querying the semantic graph or designers of semantic measures interested in using it as a semantic proxy. Hence, a-graphs are not expected to compete with other forms of semantic graph visualization but rather to be used as a complementary tool. This paper provides a precise definition both of a-graphs and of the mapping of semantic graphs into a-graphs. Their visualization is obtained with a-graphs diagrams. A web application to visualize and interact with these diagrams was implemented to validate the proposed approach. Diagrams of well-known semantic graphs are presented to illustrate the use of agraphs for discovering path patterns in different settings, such as the visualization of massive semantic graphs, the codification of SPARQL or the definition of semantic measures. The validation with large semantic graphs is the basis for a discussion on the insights provided by a-graphs on large semantic graphs: the difference between a-graphs and ontologies, path pattern visualization using a-graphs and the challenges posed by large semantic graphs.

2020

Smartphone Applications Targeting Precision Agriculture Practices-A Systematic Review

Authors
Mendes, J; Pinho, TM; dos Santos, FN; Sousa, JJ; Peres, E; Boaventura Cunha, J; Cunha, M; Morais, R;

Publication
AGRONOMY-BASEL

Abstract
Traditionally farmers have used their perceptual sensorial systems to diagnose and monitor their crops health and needs. However, humans possess five basic perceptual systems with accuracy levels that can change from human to human which are largely dependent on the stress, experience, health and age. To overcome this problem, in the last decade, with the help of the emergence of smartphone technology, new agronomic applications were developed to reach better, cost-effective, more accurate and portable diagnosis systems. Conventional smartphones are equipped with several sensors that could be useful to support near real-time usual and advanced farming activities at a very low cost. Therefore, the development of agricultural applications based on smartphone devices has increased exponentially in the last years. However, the great potential offered by smartphone applications is still yet to be fully realized. Thus, this paper presents a literature review and an analysis of the characteristics of several mobile applications for use in smart/precision agriculture available on the market or developed at research level. This will contribute to provide to farmers an overview of the applications type that exist, what features they provide and a comparison between them. Also, this paper is an important resource to help researchers and applications developers to understand the limitations of existing tools and where new contributions can be performed.

2020

Computer Programming Education in Portuguese Universities

Authors
Queirós, R; Pinto, M; Terroso, T;

Publication
First International Computer Programming Education Conference, ICPEC 2020, June 25-26, 2020, ESMAD, Vila do Conde, Portugal (Virtual Conference).

Abstract
Computer programming plays a relevant role in the digital age as a key competency for project leverage and a driver of innovation for today's modern societies. Despite its importance, this domain is also well known for their higher learning failure rates. In this context, the study of how computer programming is taught is fundamental to clarify the teaching-learning process and to ensure the sharing of the best practices. This paper presents a survey on computer programming teaching in the first-year courses of Portuguese Universities, more precisely, what is taught and how it is taught. The study focuses essentially on the following facets: The class characterization, the methodologies used and the languages/technologies taught. Based on these criteria, a survey was done which gathers information of 59 courses included in a wide range of Universities spread across Portugal. The results were collected and analyzed. Based on this analysis a set of conclusions were taken revealing some interesting results on the teaching methods and languages used which can be useful to support a discussion on this subject and, consequently, to find new paths to shape the future of programming teaching. 2012 ACM Subject Classification Social and professional topics ! Computer science education.

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