Developing Voice Interfaces for Legacy Web Applications

Traditionally, web applications are accessed via a single mode interface; information is presented and captured with text. However, one can additionally use a voice browser to navigate the Internet. One can navigate or access 'hands free' Internet applications from anywhere; you are not restricted to the desktop or a portable computer. VoiceXML is a language for Internet telephony applications and is based on the XML language. VoiceXML can 'speech-enable' an existing web application to be used through a conversational interface, providing a more natural way of interaction between users and Internet applications.

Quiané, Jorge and Jorge Manjarrez. ACM Crossroads (2003). Design>Web Design>User Interface>Audio

The Development of a Game Playing Framework Using Interface-Based Programming

The Java programming language contains object-oriented features enabling the construction of interface-based application frameworks. Interfaces separate module implementation from core implementation, thus simplifying module development. The following article demonstrates how to take advantage of Java interfaces by designing and implementing a game playing application framework.

Cohen, Mark A. ACM Crossroads (2004). Design>User Interface>Programming>Games

Ethical Lessons Learned from Computer Science

In this article, we will address the question 'How can computer science methods help us to better understand ethics?'

Bergmair, Richard. ACM Crossroads (2004). Articles>Technology>Ethics

The Grading System of the Real World

At the beginning of each semester, the instructor hands out a syllabus packet which often contains a course outline or schedule and an explanation of the grading policy. The work world has grading systems too, and you need to know about them in advance so you can prepare for Performance Reviews.

Perry, Lynellen D.S. ACM Crossroads (2001). Careers>Workplace>Assessment

Learning to Use Virtual Team Collaboration to Solve Wicked Problems

The focus of this paper is the ELEARNING RESEARCH PROJECT (hereafter referred to as the EProject), a project to investigate how virtual teams collaborate to solve highly complex or wicked problems. The EProject designed, constructed, and assessed a Web-based collaborative learning environment to support virtual teams of intelligence analysts. The mission of these geo-distributed and cross-disciplinary teams is to learn to collaborate in order to integrate knowledge from diverse domains and thereby produce solutions for wicked problems.

Cupp, Stephanie, Joel Foreman, S. Gievska-Krliu, and Rachelle S. Heller. ACM Crossroads (2004). Articles>Collaboration>Online

Macromedia Director as a Prototyping and Usability Testing Tool

Efforts to understand user requirements commonly focus on the functionality and features of a product. However, it is important to analyze other product attributes, such as usability. A product may meet all of its functional requirements, but can fail if it has an interface that is difficult to navigate and learn. To address this problem, it is important to get feedback from users as early in the development life cycle as possible. A common technique is to develop a prototype or mockup of a product's interface to present to users.

Ludi, Stephanie. ACM Crossroads (2000). Design>User Interface>Usability

Managing XML Data Storage

XML is becoming the data format of choice for a wide variety of information systems solutions. Common applications using XML include document transmission in B2B systems, message format construction for integration of Internet applications with legacy systems, binding of XML data to visual and non-visual controls, data storage and retrieval, and various data manipulation activities within applications.

Emerick, Jerry. ACM Crossroads (2002). Articles>Information Design>XML

Mixed Nuts: Atypical Classroom Techniques for Computer Science Courses

Unlike lecturing and giving homework, these unorthodox techniques can also keep students attentive and target preferred learning styles. This article presents some experimental and anecdotal evidence to support the theory that the use of these techniques improves students' learning in an introductory Computer Science (CS) class.

Stamm, Sid. ACM Crossroads (2004). Articles>Education>Instructional Design

Network Resource Planning

Building larger networks implies higher infrastructure and maintenance costs, and increased sophistication. Any additions or modifications to a large operational network necessitate a plan, which should be devised after understanding existing weaknesses and vulnerabilities, and identifying current and future needs. This article will introduce the fundamental concepts of network resource planning (NRP), a methodology used to design, upgrade, and expand computer communication networks, and will focus on how such a methodology can be applied in enterprise networks.

Acosta, Beatriz and Kostas Pentikousis. ACM Crossroads (2003). Articles>Technology>Planning

Requirements Engineering: Closing the Gap Between Academic Supply and Industry Demand

In this economic situation, it is imperative that computer science students are well prepared before entering the work force; new graduates must understand what skills the IT industry is seeking.

Winbladh, Kristina. ACM Crossroads (2004). Careers>Workplace>Engineering>Professionalism

Survive and Thrive at a Job Fair

Job fairs can be powerful tools in the search for employment after graduation. There are a lot of opportunities for entry level computer related jobs at these fairs, but coming prepared is the key. You serve as your cover letter, so be at your best.

Ledbetter, Jessica. ACM Crossroads (2001). Careers>Interviewing

Unified Communication Systems

Unified messaging and person-to-person communications over heterogeneous networks are relatively new applications. Many commercial messaging systems, such as Onebox.com and Ericsson's Unified Messenger, have already begun their journey in this direction. There is much room for growth, however, and many other systems will soon need the capabilities described above just to stay competitive in the market.

Andrews, Christopher R. ACM Crossroads (2001). Articles>Communication>Email

Using Perception in Managing Unstructured Documents

Over the last ten years, the increased availability of documents in digital form has contributed significantly to the immense volume of knowledge and information available to computer users. The World Wide Web has become the largest digital library available, with more than one billion unique indexable web pages. Yet, due to their dynamic nature, fast growth rate, and unstructured format, it is increasingly difficult to identify and retrieve valuable information from these documents. More importantly, the usefulness of an unstructured document is dependent upon the ease and efficiency with which the information is retrieved. In this paper, we define an unstructured document as a "general" document that is without a specific format e.g., plain text. Whereas, a document divided into sections or paragraph tags is referred to as semi-structured e.g., a formatted text document or a web page.

Cheng, Ching Kang and Xiaoshan Pan. ACM Crossroads (2004). Articles>Document Design>Online>Cognitive Psychology

Using Practical Toys, Modified for Technical Learning

Educators have used toys in the classroom for as long as toys have been in existence, especially in the field of elementary education. Toys can provide motivation as well as keep the students focused on a particular area of study for longer periods of time - something students at the elementary level often struggle with. These students need to obtain fundamental skills for creating, disseminating, retrieving, and evaluating information from electronic media. Using robots as toys and teaching tools is a concept that has also been around for quite a while, and a great way to introduce these fundamental skills.

Weisheit, Tracey Lynn. ACM Crossroads (2004). Articles>Education>Instructional Design

Using the Web to Enhance and Transform Education

With the aid of the Internet and web technology, today's classrooms and learning environments are undergoing a major transformation. There is a massive effort to utilize the Internet as an effective communications and storage medium for education, research, and corporate training.

Hulme, Michael and Michael Locasto. ACM Crossroads. Articles>Education>Online

Virtual Communities and Team Formation

With the growth of global computer networks, virtual communities have become an important new way for people to interact. People are beginning to realize that networks are not only affecting the way businesses operate, but also our everyday lives [7]. One of the simplest examples of a virtual community is online chat. Through a chat application, one can participate in diverse discussions with numerous people, many of whom are strangers.

Zhang, Yanru and Michael Weiss. ACM Crossroads (2003). Articles>Collaboration>Online

What is a Good First Programming Language?

Programming is an art. As with any other art, it is important to use the right medium. In programming, this translates to the choice of programming language. But why should one pay so much attention to one's first programming language?

Gupta, Diwaker. ACM Crossroads (2004). Articles>Technology>Programming