Termine
ACM Distinguished Lecturer in Deutschland

Der ACM Distinguished Lecturer Prof. Dr. Donald Costello (University of Nebraska) hält auf seiner Reise durch Deutschland Vorträge in fünf unserer Regionalgruppen:

08.06.2005 - Stuttgart
18:00 Uhr, Universität Stuttgart, Universitätsstraße 38 (Stuttgart-Vaihingen), Seminarraum O.108
Devoloping Skills in the world of ERP systems

09.06.2005 - Ilmenau
19:00 Uhr, TU Ilmenau, Konferenzraum der Mensa MKR 102
Learning Objects and SCORM

13.06.2005 - Münster
18:00 Uhr, Technologiehof, Mendelstraße 11, 48149 Münster
Intellectual Property Management

14.06.2005 - Bremen
18:15 Uhr, T-Systems, Konferenzraum 1-3, Utbremer Straße 90, 28217 Bremen
Intellectual Property Management

15.06.2005 - Rosotck
17:00 Uhr, Institut für Informatik, Raum 310, Albert-Einstein-Str. 10, 18059 Rostock
Learning Objects and SCORM


Developing Skills in the world of ERP systems

Computer Science students as well as professional programmers and systems analysts going out into the IT world often find themselves in an organization implementing an Enterprise Resource Planning systems in a Client/Server environment or web environment. ERP systems are complex systems and many talents and skills are needed to implement them. Legacy systems functionality and the new systems goals and specifications require understanding of the “as isö systems as well as the “to beö systems and most importantly how to go from one to the other.

These systems are often built around and are configured using Higher Order Languages that require skills in "configuration" rather than traditional programming. However, traditional programming is often required when the ERP system does not provide the functionality required by the firm. This work implies that the employee learns how to interface with the system already configured. Concepts such as "best practices", "workflow", "Unit, Module and Systems testing" are used in a somewhat different way than usually taught in CS courses or in less integrated systems environments. Development of skills in these areas require new perspectives be developed if the cognitive and experiential aspects of the skill are to be appropriately applied.

While the student or employee has possibly participated in team programming efforts in CS courses or in industrial projects, she/he has probably never participated in the kind of organizational wide teams needed to implement this variety of system. Particular attention must be paid to improved methods of communication that work and thereby contribute to the progress of such a group.

Since ERP systems fit nicely and are often justified by a corporations need to develop a world wide approach to ERP systems, consciousness of cultural and legal differences as well as differences in the mores of the different countries have to be taken into consideration.

All systems evolve and ERP systems are no exception. The nomenclature used today is ERP II. We can be sure that there will be an ERP III etc. Staff wishing to continue to contribute must themselves evolve. The talk will discuss perspectives that personnel must possess or develop if they are to remain a contributor to such an environment.


Learning Objects and SCORM

The continuing development of technology and its intersection and use in technical education and training has given rise to the absolute need for standards in the field.

Administrators and practitioners in Education and Technical Support often pay little attention to the rationale and use of standards. The talk will discuss their importance in the development and utilization of technology products when developing learning units which under certain standard conditions become learning assets and Learning Objects.

The connection between the subject of OOA, OOD and OPP will be pointed out along with the need for and value of meat-tags and their use using XML.

Product and Process standards will be discussed and described as one creates Learning Objects (LO’s), which will eventually be stored in a Learning Repository. A repository is software embedded in the appropriate hardware that permits storage and allows access to Learning Objects across a wide spectrum of users. The function and values of a repository will be examined and nationally prominent repository software and processes reviewed.

Since LO will more and more be developed to serve multiple cultures and languages are consciousness of cultural and legal differences as well as differences in the mores of the different countries have to be taken into consideration in their design and delivery.

After defining and looking at complaint Learning Objects (LO’s) and a relatively recent US development, Standard Conceptual Objects (SCO’s), the talk will demonstrate/discuss off-line and on-line software that assists in the development of a compliant LO.

The evolution of today’s standards in educational technology from the IEEE through the IMS and SCORM to the development of standards that can be used to certify products compliance will be examined and their position in time will be clarified.

The talk will also examine the work being done in Europe and Asia in this area.

Finally, the talk will address the problem of managing the development of Learning Objects as an Intellectual Property Management issue.


Intellectual Property Management

Anyone working in the field of Computer Science or as an applied programmer or systems analyst must develop attitudes and work habits that take into consideration the "value" of the software and systems they create. Computer Science students and in-house training of employees often include teaching the importance of testing and software documentation. These approaches may or may not include presentations about the ethical implications of building software for a company to serve the public and/or releasing software with "bugs". The lecturer holds that the ability to take a professional attitude towards the "property" that they work on, create or invent is enhanced by looking at the products that come from their mind as Intellectual Property.

In order to manage IP in a world wide IT environment, consciousness of cultural and legal differences as well as differences in the mores of the different countries have to be taken into consideration.

When taking this larger view certain legal aspects of the perspective need to be explored. Most students know that Copyright, Patents, Trade Secrets, Trade Marks and Web/Internet Law play a role in the world of commerce that surrounds the IT industry. Generally students do not have an appreciation of their own managerial responsibilities to themselves, their employer and to their professional discipline that arise in the new and emerging world of IP. This lecture will explore these ideas and give the attendee a better handle on the opportunities presented as well as the responsibilities involved. The Talk will also cover new forms of Intellectual property and possible new mores under which future IP can be developed as well as discuss some experiences the lecturer has had with MIP projects in Germany.


Biographical Information

Donald F. Costello

Department of Computer Science
University of Nebraska
Lincoln, NE 68588-0115
Phone: (402)-472-5005
Email: dcostello@cse.unl.edu

Don Costello has had a mixed career splitting his time between Universities and Business. He helped start three Computer Science Departments and three University Information Technology facilities (University of Nebraska, University of Wisconsin ? Oshkosh and Madison and Colorado State University). He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses and has done work in research areas of Statistical Computing, Performance Modeling, Standards for Learning Objects and Managing Intellectual Property. He is a 40-year member of ACM and is a fellow of the British Computing Society. He has lectured all over the United States as well as in England, Ireland, Austria, Germany, India and Sri Lanka. He also held a four-year Carnegie Foundation grant to investigate how IP is managed in Universities around the World.

In business career he has managed IT facilities, founded and sold two firms and consulted with over 100 firms throughout the world. His recent consulting includes five years consulting on ERP systems, SAP, as well as being a Technical Consultant on .com and e-Learning projects.

Don currently holds a position as a Senior Lecturer and NCITE scholar at the University of Nebraska and is working on the importance of standards in modeling the large systems needed to support e-learning environments.

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