Telecommunication

Digital humanities is broadly characterized as humanities research associated with data-driven activities. Computational technologies are adopted to explore new methods and tools supplementing established research routines in humanities. However, humanities researchers expressed concerns that the enthusiasm to promote and accelerate the application of technology in humanities teaching and research might overlook the significance of humanities itself. This article points out the advantages of technologies in respond to humanities concerns.

This paper reports several case studies on creating innovative applications of spatial technology with Feng Shui in order to meet the requirements of burials. Case study research is used to investigate how individual behaviors are influenced by integrating technology with Feng Shui, within its context. A qualitative design is chosen to collect data from interviews, participatory observations, and demonstrations. The researcher interviewed the case subjects in order to assess their needs, and then accompanied them on their trips to family tombs and recorded the traverse path. Finally, this researcher displays the maps and discusses the applications. Findings indicated that Google Earth could be used with Feng Shui for filtering information regarding site selection, as well as recording and sharing information on burial activities. Above all, spatial information on the Internet could serve as a medium for cultural communications between generations. This study increases our understanding of the meaning of Feng Shui to our elders, and how to integrate spatial information with traditional culture.

This article was set out to be a new attempt at the teaching and research of “Shi-ji”. It was supposed to create maps for the sections and chapters in “Shi-ji” relating to powerful generals with the assistance of GIS so that the readers could better understand the spatial movements and use of military strategy and tactics while reading paragraphs about war in “Shi-ji”. The method won acclaims from most students in the preliminary classroom experiment, who showed the wish that more maps be created in the future to improve the teaching and research of “Shi-Ji”.

This article uses GIS technology to analyze the distribution characteristic of commemorative shrines and steles of the Song Dynasty. The findings show that for the highly discrete historical data, smaller grid is not better. The major distribution is in the southeast coastal administrative regions, and inland Chengdufu Lu and Jinghunan Lu. The hot spot analysis shows that Liangzhe Lu, Huainandong Lu, Jiangnanxi Lu, Guangnandong Lu and Chengdufu Lu have apparent hot zones of construction, and from the north Huainandong Lu to the south Liangzhe Lu, Jiangnandong Lu, Jiangnanxi Lu and Fujian Lu form an apparent belt. The records of commemorative shrines and steles show that Emperor Ningzong of Song has the maximum 75 units, and Emperor Yingzong of Song has the minimum 1 unit. It may be related to the length of reign. In terms of space, there was no obvious location characteristic of distribution in various emperors' reigns in the Northern Song Dynasty, but the major distribution was in the south administrative regions in the Southern Song Dynasty. The results of this study can be provided for history researchers to discuss the historical background and space-time characteristics of the hot zone of construction.

The geographic information system (GIS) database contains spatial data from modern and ancient maps, satellite images, natural environments, and artificial scenery, special event, communications network, natural disasters; it even tells the differences between town and country and conflicting events between populace groups from the Song Dynasty. When researches of similar historical themes are lined up together, a GIS with related spatial data and geo-temporal visualization could be designed and implanted. With the aid of GIS, it is possible to draw maps of the Batu Caves Event and to illustrate the cause, the process of and solutions to it. This thesis intends to analyze the boundary management policy within the Song dynasty territory; and the growing state power, and further gains an insight into the governance of the Dong Militia, the economy of Mountain barbarians and also its cultural values. With a literature of Song anthology, epitaphs, and visuals and maps drawn by GIS, this thesis presents a historic scene from 800 years ago and the turmoil in local development.

Japanese Chess (Shogi) is the most complex board game among chess-like games in the world. Because it is a big challenge, computer scientists, especially AI researchers, have been developing strong programs to play Shogi. However, nonplaying applications for shogi have not been studied well.

Human players need various supporting tools for Shogi, including educational applications, research aids, and databases. Especially, post-game discussions (Kansousen, in the Shogi jargon) are very popular among Shogi players, but we do not have well-designed tools for shared discussions on the Internet. In order to satisfy such users’ requirements, we have designed a total architecture for Shogi on the net, called SAKURA (Shogi Archives and Kansousen Utilities for Research and Advice). SAKURA has servers for shared database and for discussion management. SAKURA’s client software has features to support discussions on game records with shared boards and graphical interfaces to deal with game records with variations of moves. Software interfaces to incorporate AI programs into SAKURA are also defined. Key design issues are database architecture and discussion support features.

SAKURA’s environment and tools have been developed as a prototype and evaluated by university Shogi players. In this chapter, we will discuss how Japanese chess can be supported totally by SAKURA. The basic design of SAKURA can be applied to other networked board games.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the distributed leadership practices in an elementary school and focus on the application of an official document information system (ODIS). A case study was selected, and participatory observation, interviews, and documents were adopted as the instruments for collecting data. After analyzing and discussing the data, we identified four leadership practices moving toward a professional creative system, where the leaders have positive intervention characteristics, from passive to active followers, a somewhat productive trait on the practices of distributed leadership, and the important finding that the ODIS is a key factor for the practices of distributed leadership.

Shikoku is an island of Japan. To create cooperative region where the people can share the awareness of “Shikoku is one community”, eight universities in Shikoku established e-Knowledge Consortium Shikoku (eK4) for realizing educational collaboration by e-Learning for the purpose of human resource development for Shikoku region. The consortium organizes e-Learning contents of the characteristic lectures of the eight universities in order to provide e-Learning courses among them. The e-Learning infrastructure of eK4 has typical features of distributed LMS and Shibboleth identification. eK4 has provided serval e-Learning courses based on credit transfer system since 2010. This chapter describes eK4 as a local university alliance and the educational activities in the viewpoint of providing e-Learning courses.

Transactive Memory Theory was proposed by Wegner (1986). He considers that in addition to the memory owned by the individual, human has the ability to store memory with the aid of the external reality. Such externally stored memories contain messages that people rely on the memories of one and another other than memorandums and directory data. For instance, John has no idea of Mary's birthday, but he knows Jane remembers it. Therefore, he can know Mary's birthday by asking Jane instead of memorizing it by himself. In the studies for nearly 30 years in the past, the transactive memory theory proposed by Wegner (1986) has almost been applied to the level of the team. However, with the advancement of information technology and popularity of Internet, transactive memory is no longer limited to discussion of team work; rather, it can be further applied to studies in the individual level, just like Google effect and Cloud application.

Prior studies have shown that information technology is effective in increasing children’s vocabulary learning and reading comprehension; however, its effect on bilingual or heritage language learning needs further investigation. This study examines the effect of a self-learning vocabulary program by using bilingual picture book apps designed employing the universal design for learning approach. Data were collected from 39 primary school pupils from international marriage families in Taiwan. The pupils were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group used the tablets to read picture book apps while the control group used printed picture books. The results showed that the experimental group performed better on a Vietnamese vocabulary test than the control group. The results also indicated that the pupils with higher proficiencies in their first language performed better in Vietnamese vocabulary learning. Tablet picture book apps can be effective for supporting bilingual learning because they are easy to operate and more fun to use than traditional books. In addition, tablet picture books consist of a story context, word games, and sounds, thus motivating children to learn the heritage language actively.

Due to the Internet, a virtual platform filled up with networks, boundaries between people have become a lot less, the way people communicate and interrelate is changed. However, conflicts are embedded in interactions through electronic networks, while the new social norms are emerging and yet not legally nor ideally launched. Based on observations of hot issues in Taiwan, the author sees that the cyber world is full of moral dilemmas and value conflicts. Demanding for anonymity and online free expression may significantly characterize the virtual world from the real world, the moral development of Internet users in cyberspace shows a need for further studies.