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As an incomparable implication of industrial culture, the industrial heritage has a wide range of historical, technological, social, architectural or scientific values. With the process of large-scale contemporary urban revitalization, abandoned industrial buildings and areas always become the targets of urban renewal and redevelopment due to the ongoing transformation on structural changes of economy and adjustments of plot usage. Although the research and discussion on preservation of industrial heritage have been launched in the fields of theory and practice in China, many former industrial areas and buildings are still undergoing extreme threats and irreversible damages. Taking Iec Long Fireworks Factory which is the only well preserved survivor of industrial heritage in Macao as a case study, this paper presents its historic background, present challenges and future envisions of development. Based on group investigations and SWOT analysis, integrated strategies are proposed to preserve and revitalize the old factory ruins and their landscape settings. The conclusions show the significance to preserve and reuse industrial heritage opened for the urban renewal, which also could be a good contribution for sustainability of history and culture, environment, society and tourism.

Contemporary urban environment is facing big changes caused by a series of synthetic factors on politics, economy, technology, society and culture. Its goals and design concepts have shifted from the fulfillment of the basic function of life into the improvement of whole qualities of cities. Forming the key part of city fabric, urban historical centre helps link scattered individual historical buildings, and retrieve urban fabric. It also takes important roles in preserving history and tradition, keeping social meanings of a place and city's sustainability. This paper briefly analyzed the historic background and current issues in Macao Historic Centre. Meanwhile, strategies and principles are proposed to improve and revitalize public spaces located in dilapidated or misused historical centre so as to provide new scientific and holistic ideas for the creation of a new sustainable environment in China.

In this paper, the repertory grid is presented as a technique to explore novice programmers' experiences within the context of an action research project. The theoretical and methodological aspects of the technique are discussed. The findings from the technique that combined quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods are provided. These findings relate to the learning process, learning content, and learning support as experienced by the students in an introductory object-oriented programming course. The repertory grid technique is then appraised for its relevance and usefulness to the project, and for its contribution to the diversity of computer science research methods. Insights gained from the use of the technique are shared with the community of computer science educators.

This paper argues for paradigm pluralism in computing education research. The value of mixing paradigms, and the choice of methodological eclecticism and mixed methods is explored using pragmatic knowledge claims. A research study, which focused on the design of an introductory object-oriented programming (OOP) course for undergraduate students, is introduced as an illustration of paradigm pluralism. The study demonstrates methodological eclecticism and use of mixed methods for data collection and analysis. Meaningful outcomes resulting from the choice of the research design are described. A framework that focuses on the research problem and research questions to guide research design is presented as the outcome of the study. Through the discussion and demonstration of paradigm pluralism, this paper contributes to increased awareness of theoretically anchored research in computer science. © 2012, Australian Computer Society, Inc.

The contemporary city is a complex system where a multitude of factors and dwellers interact, creating a multi-layered spatial structure that supports the urban life. To successfully research and intervene in this context, one needs to develop fitting approaches and methods to be able to analyze it in depth.

In an international study, experts reflected on their national state of computer science education in school, and the associated situation and education of computer science teachers. While these situations are shaped by local circumstances, they are also shaped by changes in the discipline. The results of the study showed a number of recurrent themes and patterns such as curriculum difficulties, training and support for teachers, as well as the understanding (e.g. computer science vs. information technology) and relevance of computer science. The study also draws attention to initiatives that are being undertaken at the local and international levels to solve these problems. Finally, the study points out trends which are -- according to the experts asked -- likely to occur within the next few years.

In the last decade, the progress of internet technologies has led to a significant increase in security and privacy issues for users. This study aims to investigate how computer science students perceive computer network security. Thirty three students participated in the study in which we gathered data through a questionnaire. In this paper, we present an analysis that is inspired by the phenomenographic approach. Our conclusion is that the students have different levels of understanding of computer network security depending on their usage of the concepts they have learned, their theoretical or practical orientation to the subject, and their interest in the field.

Broadly, on-line communication platforms are online resources that allow the exchange of information using the Internet. They include Email, Instant Messaging, Online Open Forums, Online Blogging and Social Networking Sites. All these platforms have their own specialties and properties. In education, there are great advantages for high-schools to utilize these online communication platforms, especially Online Open Forums and Social Networking Sites. Communication is the backbone of education. Everything from classroom teaching to school policy making depends on effective communication [1]. With these new communication platforms at hand, schools can develop more adaptable and friendly channels among students, teachers and management (only the first two interveners are covered under this study). Various components of the schools will essentially work together in a more collaborative and regenerative way [2]. This research paper analyses how online communication platforms are changing the internal nature of education. It takes sample populations from two schools in Macao (Pre-University of the University of Saint Joseph, USJ, and Colégio Diocesano de São José, CDSJ) with different backgrounds such as medium of language, level of degree, professor's background and style of teaching. Teachers of these schools are communicated first for their opinion on key elements to improve learning with online communication platforms. These factors are implemented in a platform such as Social Networking Sites. As expected, students are instructed to utilize this platform (Facebook) to enhance their learning practice and experience. The result of this utilization is assessed in terms of student opinions and feedback.