The contribution of coaching psychology to educational fields is increasingly recognised. This timely book introduces coaching psychology as a facilitative method to support learning in different educational contexts. Coaching Psychology for Learning is essential reading for any teacher, student or practitioner who wishes to become an educational coach to facilitate learning.
Database transformations consist of queries and updates which are two fundamental types of computations in any databases - the first provides the capability to retrieve data and the second is used to maintain databases in light of ever-changing application domains. This dissertation aims to lay down the foundations for establishing a theoretical framework of database transformations in the context of complex-value databases. The previous findings reveal that it is very difficult to characterise common features of database queries and updates in a way which is meaningful for further investigations. Nevertheless, the advent of the sequential Abstract State Machine (ASM) thesis capturing sequential algorithms sheds light on the study of database transformations. Observing that the class of computations described by database transformations may be formalised as algorithms respecting database principles, we propose the database ASM thesis for a complete characterisation of database transformations. It turns out that every database transformation characterised by five postulates can be behaviourally simulated by a database Abstract State Machine (DB-ASM) with the same signature and background, and vice versa. Furthermore, a logic for DB-ASMs is defined. In spite of bounded non-determinism permitted by DB-ASMs, the logic is proven to be sound and complete.
This volume features papers from the International Conference on Software Process (ICSP 2009), held in Vancouver, Canada, on May 16-17, 2009. As the third conference in the ICSP series, it builds on 25 years of software process workshops. The theme focused on “Processes to Develop Trustworthy Software,” addressing the challenges of software development in a rapidly changing technological landscape with limited resources. Teams are increasingly pressured to deliver reliable software products swiftly and with enhanced quality, while global competition compels organizations to reduce costs through process rationalization, outsourcing, and evolving existing systems to meet new demands, all while minimizing project risks. To tackle these challenges, innovative processes are emerging, including lean and agile methods, plan-based product line development, and greater integration with systems engineering. The papers cover a range of topics related to software and systems processes that influence trustworthy software, such as new development approaches, software quality, integration of software and business processes, CMMI and other improvement initiatives, simulation and modeling of software processes, and techniques for process representation, analysis, and metrics.
This volume features papers from the International Conference on Software Process (ICSP 2008), held in Leipzig, Germany, on May 10-11, 2008. The conference focused on the theme of making globally distributed software development successful. Software developers navigate a rapidly changing technological landscape with limited resources, facing increasing pressure to deliver products quickly and with high quality. Global competition compels organizations to cut costs by rationalizing processes, outsourcing development activities, reusing existing software, and evolving systems to meet new demands while minimizing project risks. In response, new and modified processes are emerging, including agile methods and plan-based product line development. The popularity of Open Source, COTS, and community-developed software is rising. Outsourcing and the need for 24/7 development require well-defined processes for coordinating geographically and organizationally separated teams. The accepted papers encompass completed research and advanced work-in-progress across various areas of software and systems development processes, including agile methodologies, CMMI, innovative techniques for process representation and analysis, process tools and metrics, and the simulation and modeling of software processes. Contributions based on real-world experience or derived from industrial or open-source software development were particularly encouraged.
This volume features papers from the International Conference on Software Process (ICSP 2007), held in Minneapolis, USA, on May 19-20, 2007. The conference included two successful series of workshops: the International Workshop on Software Process Simulation and Modeling (ProSim) and the Software Process Workshop (SPW). The theme focused on “Coping with Software Process Dynamics and Agility.” Software developers operate in a rapidly changing environment characterized by evolving technologies and constrained resources. Global development teams face mounting pressure to deliver high-quality products swiftly while navigating cost-cutting measures driven by competition. This necessitates the rationalization of processes, outsourcing, software reuse, and system evolution to meet new demands, all while minimizing project failure risks. In response, innovative processes are emerging, including agile methodologies and plan-based product line development. The rise of open-source, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS), and community-developed software is notable. Furthermore, outsourcing and the need for continuous development require well-defined processes to facilitate coordination among dispersed teams. The challenges confronting the software industry amplify the demands placed on software processes, making the discussions and findings from ICSP 2007 particularly relevant.
This volume contains papers presented at the first joint conference of the Software Pr- ess Workshop and the International Workshop on Software Process Simulation and Modeling (SPW/ProSim 2006) held in Shanghai, P. R. China, on May 20-21, 2006. The theme of SPW/ProSim 2006 was “Software Process Change – Meeting the Challenge.” Software developers are under ever-increasing pressure to deliver their products more quickly and with higher levels of quality. These demands are set in a dynamic context of frequently changing technologies, limited resources and globally distributed development teams. At the same time, global competition is forcing - ganizations that develop software to cut costs by rationalizing processes, outsourcing part or all of their activities, reusing existing software in new or modified applications and evolving existing systems to meet new needs, while still minimizing the risk of projects failing to deliver. To address these difficulties, new or modified processes are emerging, including agile methods and plan-based product line development. Open Source, COTS and community-developed software are becoming more popular. Outsourcing coupled with 24/7 development demands well-defined processes and interfaces to support the coordination of organizationally and geographically separated teams. All of these challenges combine to increase demands on the efficiency and effectiveness of so- ware processes.