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- Technology strategies in the process of student retention and efficiency of academic managementPublication . Pereira, Rui Humberto; Castro, Maria JoãoThis article discusses the application of Information and Communication Technologies and strategies for best practices in order to capture and maintain faculty students' attention. It is based on a case study of ten years, using a complete information system. This system, in addition to be considered an ERP, to support the activities of academic management, also has a strong component of SRM that provides support to academic and administrative activities. It describes the extent to which the presented system facilitates the interaction and communication between members of the academic community, using the Internet, with services available on the Web complementing them with email, SMS and CTI. Through a perception, backed by empirical analysis and results of investigations, it demonstrates how this type of practice may raise the level of satisfaction of the community. In particular, it is possible to combat failure at school, avoid that students leave their course before its completion and also that they recommend them to potential students. In addition, such a strategy also allows strong economies in the management of the institution, increasing its value. As future work, we present the new phase of the project towards implementation of Business Intelligence to optimize the management process, making it proactive. The technological vision that guides new developments to a construction based on Web services and procedural languages is also presented.
- Exploring the Iinnovative aspects of CV distributed ledgers based on blockchainPublication . Silva, F. O.; Pereira, Rui Humberto; Gonçalves, Maria José Angélico; Silva, Amélia Ferreira Da; Moreira Silva, ManuelBlockchain is a distributed ledger technology aimed at decentralization and transparency. A blockchain record is immutable, which means that once created by an entity, no other can change what enables legitimacy checking. These are key features to ensure the accuracy of records with sensitive information such as the issuance of records of competencies and qualification certificates when issued by certified entities (education institutions, professional formation schools, companies, etc.). This paper aims to identify the most innovative aspects in CV records management systems based on a blockchain paradigm. In order to engage this objective, an assertive literature review of the CORDIS (The Community Research and Development Information Service (https://cordis.europa.eu/)) database was performed and discussed. The results are depicted and enable orientations to future work.
- Architecture of a maturity model for information systems in higher education institutions: multiple case study for dimensions identificationPublication . Pereira, Rui Humberto; Vidal De Carvalho, Joao; Rocha, ÁlvaroHigher education institutions (HEIs) are complex and dynamic organizations in terms of information management, forcing their information systems to respond to enormous challenges and threats. In order to evaluate the HEIs’ information systems, we propose the development of a maturity model capable of supporting the role of HEI’s managers, as well as accreditation agencies, in the assessment of the maturity of these systems, thus, promoting continuous improvement. In this paper, we present and discuss our proposal for an architecture of the maturity model being developed. This one is based on a two-dimensional architecture composed of vertical and horizontal dimensions. We selected a multi-case study approach, based on five Portuguese HEIs, and reviewed the literature to identify the dimensions. This case study was supported by interviews with experts from the selected HEI. The results of this research work were both encouraging and promising amongst the interviewed experts, revealing a high level of acceptance of the general model architecture, as well as positive expectations about its usefulness in the future. The development of our maturity model is carried out by following a formal methodology specially designed to support the construction of this type of model.
- Database evolution on an orthogonal persistent programming system: A semi-transparent approachPublication . Pereira, Rui Humberto; Perez-Schofield, J. Baltasar GarcíaIn this paper the problem of the evolution of an object-oriented database in the context of orthogonal persistent programming systems is addressed. We have observed two characteristics in that type of systems that offer particular conditions to implement the evolution in a semi-transparent fashion. That transparency can further be enhanced with the obliviousness provided by the Aspect-Oriented Programming techniques. Was conceived a meta-model and developed a prototype to test the feasibility of our approach. The system allows programs, written to a schema, access semi-transparently to data in other versions of the schema.
- Secretaria on-line from ISCAPPublication . Pereira, Rui Humberto; Azevedo, Ana; Castilho, OlimpioLike many other higher educat ion schools, ISCAP`s population has grown at a rate of almost 100% in the end of the twentieth century. Its administrative structures were reinforced, but it was not in the same proportion. Face to face with the inability to resolve the problem, the administration decided to implement a computer based system, available in the Internet. In a first stage, in 1997, the system was implemented as a services support. The next stage, in 1999, proposes to increase student services quality. A project that aims to bring student services available on the Internet begins to be developed.
- Transactions and schema evolution in a persistent object-oriented programming systemPublication . Pereira, Rui HumbertoApplications are subject of a continuous evolution process with a profound impact on their underlining data model, hence requiring frequent updates in the applications' class structure and database structure as well. This twofold problem, schema evolution and instance adaptation, usually known as database evolution, is addressed in this thesis. Additionally, we address concurrency and error recovery problems with a novel meta-model and its aspect-oriented implementation. Modern object-oriented databases provide features that help programmers deal with object persistence, as well as all related problems such as database evolution, concurrency and error handling. In most systems there are transparent mechanisms to address these problems, nonetheless the database evolution problem still requires some human intervention, which consumes much of programmers' and database administrators' work effort. Earlier research works have demonstrated that aspect-oriented programming (AOP) techniques enable the development of flexible and pluggable systems. In these earlier works, the schema evolution and the instance adaptation problems were addressed as database management concerns. However, none of this research was focused on orthogonal persistent systems. We argue that AOP techniques are well suited to address these problems in orthogonal persistent systems. Regarding the concurrency and error recovery, earlier research showed that only syntactic obliviousness between the base program and aspects is possible. Our meta-model and framework follow an aspect-oriented approach focused on the object-oriented orthogonal persistent context. The proposed meta-model is characterized by its simplicity in order to achieve efficient and transparent database evolution mechanisms. Our meta-model supports multiple versions of a class structure by applying a class versioning strategy. Thus, enabling bidirectional application compatibility among versions of each class structure. That is to say, the database structure can be updated because earlier applications continue to work, as well as later applications that have only known the updated class structure. The specific characteristics of orthogonal persistent systems, as well as a metadata enrichment strategy within the application's source code, complete the inception of the meta-model and have motivated our research work. To test the feasibility of the approach, a prototype was developed. Our prototype is a framework that mediates the interaction between applications and the database, providing them with orthogonal persistence mechanisms. These mechanisms are introduced into applications as an {\it aspect} in the aspect-oriented sense. Objects do not require the extension of any super class, the implementation of an interface nor contain a particular annotation. Parametric type classes are also correctly handled by our framework. However, classes that belong to the programming environment must not be handled as versionable due to restrictions imposed by the Java Virtual Machine. Regarding concurrency support, the framework provides the applications with a multithreaded environment which supports database transactions and error recovery. The framework keeps applications oblivious to the database evolution problem, as well as persistence. Programmers can update the applications' class structure because the framework will produce a new version for it at the database metadata layer. Using our XML based pointcut/advice constructs, the framework's instance adaptation mechanism is extended, hence keeping the framework also oblivious to this problem. The potential developing gains provided by the prototype were benchmarked. In our case study, the results confirm that mechanisms' transparency has positive repercussions on the programmer's productivity, simplifying the entire evolution process at application and database levels. The meta-model itself also was benchmarked in terms of complexity and agility. Compared with other meta-models, it requires less meta-object modifications in each schema evolution step. Other types of tests were carried out in order to validate prototype and meta-model robustness. In order to perform these tests, we used an OO7 small size database due to its data model complexity. Since the developed prototype offers some features that were not observed in other known systems, performance benchmarks were not possible. However, the developed benchmark is now available to perform future performance comparisons with equivalent systems. In order to test our approach in a real world scenario, we developed a proof-of-concept application. This application was developed without any persistence mechanisms. Using our framework and minor changes applied to the application's source code, we added these mechanisms. Furthermore, we tested the application in a schema evolution scenario. This real world experience using our framework showed that applications remains oblivious to persistence and database evolution. In this case study, our framework proved to be a useful tool for programmers and database administrators. Performance issues and the single Java Virtual Machine concurrent model are the major limitations found in the framework.
- Projecto secretaria on-linePublication . Pereira, Rui HumbertoNos últimos anos o ISCAP, à semelhança de outras escolas do Ensino Superior, teve um aumento de população na ordem dos 100%. As suas estruturas administrativas, apesar de terem sido reforçadas, não tiveram um aumento na mesma proporção. Perante a incapacidade de resolução do problema a instituição adoptou a solução de informatizar os processos. Numa primeira fase, em 1997, foi implementado um sistema informático para apoio aos serviços administrativos. Apesar deste avanço havia ainda um outro passo a dar: o de melhorar a qualidade do serviço prestado aos estudantes. Em épocas de inscrição em exame ou de renovação de matrícula era necessário esperar horas numa fila para se ser atendido. Por isso, era urgente encontrar soluções que, pelo menos, reduzissem os tempos de espera. Em 1999 deu-se início ao desenvolvimento de um ambicioso projecto que pretendia “levar” a secretaria até aos estudantes e docentes através da Internet. Em Fevereiro de 2000 o serviço arranca com a denominação de “Secretaria On-Line”. Este serviço, no final da sua terceira fase, atingiu todos os objectivos delineados em 1999. A ligação do sistema com a rede de Multibanco, para pagamentos, permitiu eliminar as últimas arestas. Com o objectivo de facilitar o acesso à informação, parte deste serviço (informação de notas e propinas) também passou a estar também disponível através do canal telefone suportado por uma plataforma de atendimento automático. O serviço de mensagens SMS é outro canal de comunicação da escola com a sua comunidade. Posteriormente, a plataforma foi adoptada por outras escolas do IPP estando actualmente a dar suporte à generalidade dos processos académicos e lectivos. No caso da componente financeira da gestão de propinas, é utilizada por todas as escolas do IPP. O presente trabalho foca-se no projecto Secretaria On-Line fazendo uma descrição ao nível funcional, arquitectónico e tecnológico.
- E-partilha: desenvolvimento e utilização de um repositório de objectos de aprendizagemPublication . Gonçalves, Maria José Angélico; Pereira, Rui Humberto; Pérez Cota, ManuelNos novos ambientes de aprendizagem, construídos a partir das tecnologias digitais, a necessidade de promover a qualidade dos recursos educativos, normalmente designados por Learning Objects, que podem suportar a aprendizagem à distância, formal e informal, emerge como um dos grandes desafios que as instituições de ensino têm de enfrentar. Sendo dispendiosos, a reutilização e a partilha tornam-se, assim, uma necessidade premente. Este artigo apresenta um Learning Object Repository que tem como objectivo armazenar, disseminar e manter acessíveis Learning Objects.
- Towards an encompassing maturity model for the management of higher education institutionsPublication . Pereira, Rui Humberto; Pereira, Rui Humberto; João Vidal de Carvalho; Vidal de Carvalho, Joao; Álvaro RochaMaturity models (MM) have been adopted in organisations from different sectors of activity, as guides and references for Information Systems (IS) management. In the educational field, these models have also been used to deal with the enormous complexity and demand of IS management. This paper presents a research project that aims to develop a new MM for Higher Education Institutions (HEI) that helps them to address those problems, as a useful tool for the management of their IS (and institutions as well). Thus, the MM in this area are identified, as well as the characteristics and gaps that they present, justifying the need and the opportunity for a new and comprehensive MM. Finally, we discuss the methodology for the development of MM that will be adopted for the design of the new model (called HEIMM) and the underlying reasons for its choice. At the moment, we are developing the HEIMM.
- Architecture of a maturity model for information systems in higher education institutions: multiple case study for dimensions identificationPublication . Rui Humberto Pereira; Pereira, Rui Humberto; joão vidal de carvalho; Vidal de Carvalho, Joao; Álvaro RochaHigher education institutions (HEIs) are complex and dynamic organizations in terms of information management, forcing their information systems to respond to enormous challenges and threats. In order to evaluate the HEIs’ information systems, we propose the development of a maturity model capable of supporting the role of HEI’s managers, as well as accreditation agencies, in the assessment of the maturity of these systems, thus, promoting continuous improvement. In this paper, we present and discuss our proposal for an architecture of the maturity model being developed. This one is based on a two-dimensional architecture composed of vertical and horizontal dimensions. We selected a multi-case study approach, based on five Portuguese HEIs, and reviewed the literature to identify the dimensions. This case study was supported by interviews with experts from the selected HEI. The results of this research work were both encouraging and promising amongst the interviewed experts, revealing a high level of acceptance of the general model architecture, as well as positive expectations about its usefulness in the future. The development of our maturity model is carried out by following a formal methodology specially designed to support the construction of this type of model.
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