Copyright (c) 2009 All rights reserved. http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik Recent documents in Charles M Schweik en-us Sun, 31 May 2009 04:18:02 PDT 3600 http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/14 http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/14 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 05:47:51 PST Globally, there is an emergence of open source consortia focused on the sharing of resources and code, and a desire to promote an open source approach generally. In this paper, we describe our findings from interviews with participants working in two relatively new consortia in the government sector: the Government Open Code Collaborative or GOCC, and the Open Source Software Institute or OSSI. For each case we consider six major questions: (1) How and why did these collaborative efforts begin? (2) What are their motivations? (3) How are these collaborative efforts governed? (4) What communication and collaborative infrastructure do they utilize? (5) What software do they focus on? and, (6) What is their current status? Our findings suggest that incentives, membership structures, stable paid staff, concentrated focus and attention to the creation and delivery of "value" to participating organizations are important factors leading to successful open source consortia. Michael Hamel 1. Selected Peer Reviewed Papers http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/13 http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/13 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 05:13:40 PST This article summarizes the experience of offering an online introductory course on geographic information systems (GIS) that utilizes available free/libre and open source software (FOSS). Two primary objectives are to (a) reach students in developing countries and (b) to help move forward the development of an open-content GIS curriculum as part of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo; OSGeo.org) educational effort. Course design, key software (QGIS, GRASS, PostgreSQL//PostGIS), and online delivery methods are described. Results and factors leading to a low course-completion rate are discussed. Contributing factors include (a) a for-credit versus no-credit decision and (b) technical issues. Recommendations for others considering online offerings and for the OSGeo educational effort are provided. Charles M. Schweik 1. Selected Peer Reviewed Papers http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/12 http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/12 Mon, 29 Sep 2008 01:04:05 PDT This chapter focuses on the integration and development of environmental models that include human decision making. While many methodological and technical issues are common to all types of environmental models, our goal is to highlight the unique characteristics that need to be considered when modeling human-environmental dynamics and to identify future directions for human-environmental modeling. To achieve this goal, we have separated this chapter into several sections. First, we propose and define a conceptual framework for describing human-environmental models based on three critical dimensions: time, space, and human decision making. Second, using our framework, we summarize and compare whether and how different models (urban or rural systems, health, epidemiology, pollution, or hydrology) include space, time, and human decision making. This provides both an assessment of the models examined and a test of the framework. Third, we discuss the theoretical implications for linking human-environmental dynamics within the context of these three dimensions. Finally, we consider lessons learned and future directions for developing human-environmental models. J Morgan Grove 2. Papers in Edited Volumes http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/11 http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/11 Thu, 22 May 2008 21:44:07 PDT In this paper, we investigate collective action in open source software development, where both volunteers and paid professionals essentially produce a public good. By using a large dataset, our logistic regression shows that adding more programming staff to the software projects increases their probability of success. This finding contradicts some dominant theories on software development as well as on the provision of public goods. As governments worldwide increasingly rely on open source software, our analysis has concrete implications for the public sector in contributing to the success of these projects. Charles M. Schweik 2. Papers in Edited Volumes http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/10 http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/10 Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:46:21 PDT Glen M. Green 1. Selected Peer Reviewed Papers http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/9 http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/9 Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:41:07 PDT Glen M. Green 1. Selected Peer Reviewed Papers http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/8 http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/8 Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:36:16 PDT Charles M. Schweik 2. Papers in Edited Volumes http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/7 http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/7 Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:30:39 PDT Beginning in 1999, a web-based metadata and data repository we call the "open research system" (ORS) was designed and built to assist geographically distributed scientific research teams. The purpose of this innovation was to promote the open sharing of data within and across organizational lines and across geographic distances. As the use of the system continued, end users and group administrators requested the development of a second, Intranet-based system with similar functionality. After three years of operation, a survey was conducted of users of the system to understand why some users and research groups appeared to utilize the two systems more than others. From this research we found that some barriers to use include: (1) mismatch of system functionality to user or group needs; (2) willingness to share with an internal group by Intranet but not with the world by Internet; and (3) resistance to entering metadata because of workplace habits. This experience has also taught us that with respect to web-based metadata and data repositories there is a difference between long-term and short-term research projects in their need to establish good metadata and data storage procedures. Moreover, some time is required for researchers to change from short-term to long-term project thinking. It is also important for organizations or managers of such research groups to reflect on established incentives and penalties that either encourage or discourage appropriate use of metadata in filing procedures. We conclude with a discussion of possible improvements that will be made to the system in the coming years, with an emphasis on the emerging phenomenon of "open content" (OC) collaboration that is being modeled after Internet-based collaboration in "open source" (OS) programming. This development will require online systems like ORS, and the OS/OC approach has the potential to evolve into no less than a new paradigm for how cross-organizational (in fact, global) scientific research collaborations are undertaken in the future. Charles M. Schweik 1. Selected Peer Reviewed Papers http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/6 http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/6 Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:18:56 PDT Traditional approaches to the communication and validation of scientific research, e.g., peer review, and to the communication of findings, e.g., refereed publication, have been in place in some form since shortly after the development of the printing press in the 16th century (Ziman 1969, Johns 2001). This process of peer review as a mechanism to check for credible information (Burnham 1990, Kronick 1990) and journal publication has resulted in great progress in scientific knowledge over the last four centuries. The process also provides an example of how advances in technology, such as the printing press coupled with systems for the delivery of mail, can change the speed at which scientific knowledge can grow.However, the evolution of the traditional process of scientific discourse over the course of four centuries is not without two age-old, and one more recent, problems. The first relates to the costs of scientific publishing, which force the kind of brevity in publication notable in word-count restrictions. A second problem is the cost of the global distribution of paper copies of the journal. The third more recent problem involves the difficulty in making widely available scientific knowledge based on complicated, technical expertise often grounded in computing. For example, in the context of modeling land-use change, a topic discussed later in more depth, significant and complex models exist, but they are rarely further developed or applied by anyone outside the original founding group because of the transaction costs required to learn and apply them elsewhere. Moreover, Aber (1997:232) notes that, in the field of ecology, there is a general distrust of such models because it is assumed that these projects and papers are not being held to the same standards of full disclosure and peer review as in other areas of scientific research. We would argue that Aber's conclusion is, at least in part, driven by the first problem of brevity in publishing. Charles M. Schweik 1. Selected Peer Reviewed Papers http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/5 http://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/5 Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:51:17 PDT This study analyzes forest change in an area of Nepal that signifies a delicate balance between sustaining the needs and livelihood of a sizable human population dependent on forest products, and an effort to protect important wildlife and other natural resources. The study area, a portion of the Chitwan valley district of Nepal, represents what may be becoming a common institutional mosaic in many countries of the world who have a population reliant on forest products for their livelihood: (1) a national park; (2) a designated park buffer involving participatory forest management programs; (3) scattered patches of designated community forest; and (4) large areas of adjacent landscape made up of mostly private landholdings under agricultural practices. Utilizing Landsat images from 1989 and 2000, we analyze land cover change in each of these management zones using landscape ecology metrics and quantifying proportional distributions of land cover categories. Our results show significant differences in terms of land cover dynamics and landscape spatial pattern between these land ownership classes. These findings indicate that community-based institutions (participatory management programs in the park buffer and the designated community forests) are capable of halting or even reversing trends in deforestation and forest fragmentation. Harini Negendra 1. Selected Peer Reviewed Papers