Abstract

Abstract
Expeditious modelling of virtual urban environments consists of generating realistic 3d models from limited information. It has several practical applications but typically suffers from a lack of accuracy in the parameter values that feed the modeller. By gathering small amounts of information about certain key urban areas, it becomes possible to feed a system that automatically compares and adjusts the input parameter values to find optimal solutions of parameter combinations that resemble the real life model. These correctly parameterized rules can then be reapplied to generate virtual models of real areas with similar characteristics to the referenced area. Based on several nature inspired metaheuristic algorithms such as genetic algorithms, simulated annealing and harmony search, this paper presents a new hybrid metaheuristic algorithm capable of optimizing functions with both discrete and continuous parameters and offer competitive results in a highly neglected field of application.

Abstract
The internet in the last few years has changed the way people interact with each other. In the past, users were just passive actors, consuming the information available on the web. Nowadays, their behavior is the opposite. With the so-called web 2.0, internet users became active agents and are now responsible for the creation of the content in web sites like MySpace, Wikipedia, YouTube, Yahoo! Answers and many more. Likewise, the way people buy a product or service has changed considerably. Thousands of online communities have been created on the internet, where users can share opinions and ideas about an electronic device, a medical service or a restaurant. An increasing number of consumers use this kind of online communities as information source before buying a product or service. This article describes a web system with the goal of creating an online community, where users could share their knowledge about local services, writing reviews and answering questions made by other members of the community regarding those services. The system will provide means for synchronous and asynchronous communication between users so that they can share their knowledge more easily.

Abstract
This paper, referring to a work in progress, describes functional elements of the user interface of a Virtual World that may provide an important contribution to the process by which primary teachers and pupils collaborate in negotiating spatial configurations of educational spaces (classroom, playground, set for a theatre play, etc.). We have observed this process and some of its inherent difficulties and identified requirements or the functional elements of the interface. Finally, we reflect about factors impacting children's feelings of lack of authorship and ownership of spatial configurations resulting from collaboration and how a computer system may help in this regard. This Virtual World is therefore configured to be applied in educational contexts where curricular models reflect the new childhood culture where children have an active role in the spaces where they spend most of their time, as schools that adopt the Portuguese Modern School Movement pedagogical model.

Abstract
In this paper, it is presented a study concerning about the use of the three-dimensional virtual world Second Life (SL) to visualize and contextualize the learning of computer programming. SL allows students to use avatars to create 3D objects and program their behaviours, process data, and interact with external servers, using Linden Scripting Language (LSL), a language with C-like syntax and a state machine. Scripts can execute concurrently, and several students can simultaneously work over the same object and/or script. Through action research, we explore and analyse the potential of SL for teaching-learning introductory computer programming in computer science undergraduate courses. We believe this virtual environment has potential to help students, since it presents an immediately visual feedback of the program execution.

Abstract
This paper presents a novel approach to teaching and learning computer programming, using the three-dimensional virtual world Second Life (R) to develop a programming community of practice. Our students have developed their programming projects as part of this community as an alternative way of learning. The learning of programming is a difficult process, with many students experiencing difficulties which result in high levels of failure in introductory programming courses. In this paper, we describe and analyse how this approach spurred students' motivation and interest in learning programming. We also present observations on the difficulties felt by both students and teachers in the development of projects and activities, and discuss the approaches taken to overcome those difficulties.