A Collaborative Lecture in Information Retrieval for Students at Universities in Germany and Switzerland

K3, work in progress, is an acronym for Kollaboration (collaboration), Kommunikation (communication), and Kompetenz (competence). K3 provides a platform in the context of knowledge management to support collaborative knowledge production in learning environments. The underlying hypothesis states that collaborative discourse conciliates information as well as communication competence in learning contexts. The collaborative, communicative paradigm of K3 is implemented by asynchronous communication tools as a means of constructivist learning methodology. In this paper we will describe a K3 course. The lecture was organized and carried out at two places in two different countries (Germany and Switzerland) with students from different universities in the context of Library and Information Science. The paper informs about the management of the lecture and about the problems we had to run the lecture at two places. The circumstances in coordinating the presentations, the exercises, the examinations and evaluation, and the time schedule are presented. The conclusions of the lecturers and the results of a questionnaire for the students are explained in detail

The Hypertext Internet Connection: E-mail, Online Search, Gopher

In this paper we show how to handle and organize the large amount of information accessible through the Internet or other public communication networks in a hypertext environment. The C(K)onstance-Hypertext-System (KHS) uses typed units to indicate the differences and the content and structure of information, comprising text, forms, images pointers to external information. We show how to imbed Internet services, which usual require rather different interaction styles, such as point-to-point communication (e-mail query formulation (online databases) or browsing (Gopher) into the uniform interaction model of the KHS. The integration of Internet services in an open hypertext environment produces value-adding effects which are also discussed. (DIPF/Orig.

Building application dependent hypertexts

The Konstanz Hypertext System offers a domain-specific developmental environment for the construction of large hypertexts. Through its flexibility, the structuring means employed in the Konstanz Hypertext System offers an instrument which permits one to respond directly to the demands relevant to specific applications in the construction of hypertexts. Especially the integration of information obtained from external resources is emphasized. After a discussion of the information sources which can be connected to the KHS a short introduction to the hypertext model of the KHS is provided. The role of structuring means in the integration of external information is pointed out. The scope of possible applications and the flexibility of the system are demonstrated by the following three comprehensive examples: resource discovery of online databases, management of electronic mail and the compilation of an issue of an electronic journal. (DIPF/Orig.

Ontologiebasierter Forschungsführer für die Bildungsforschung

Dieser Beitrag beschreibt das Vorhaben, Semantic Web-Technologien für den Aufbau eines ontologiebasierten Forschungsführers einzusetzen. Heterogene, verteilte Datenquellen des Informationszentrums Bildung sollen auf diese Weise semantisch integriert, angereichert und über entsprechende Recherchemöglichkeiten zugänglich gemacht werden. Die einzelnen Schritte zur Umsetzung des geplanten Projekts werden vorgestellt, wobei insbesondere auf zu erwartende Mehrwerte gegenüber der aktuellen Datenquellennutzung eingegangen wird. (DIPF/Autor).This paper elaborates on the objective to use semantic web technologies for the implementation of an ontology based research guide. It aims at a semantic integration and enrichment of heterogeneous, distributed data sources of the Information Center for Education, thus making them accessible through appropriate retrieval functionalities. The individual steps of the planned project are presented with a particular focus on the added value that can be expected in comparison with the current use of the data sources. (DIPF/Author)

A Collaborative Lecture in Information Retrieval for Students at Universities in Germany and Switzerland

K3, work in progress, is an acronym for Kollaboration (collaboration), Kommunikation (communication), and Kompetenz (competence). K3 provides a platform in the context of knowledge management to support collaborative knowledge production in learning environments. The underlying hypothesis states that collaborative discourse conciliates information as well as communication competence in learning contexts. The collaborative, communicative paradigm of K3 is implemented by asynchronous communication tools as a means of constructivist learning methodology. In this paper we will describe a K3 course. The lecture was organized and carried out at two places in two different countries (Germany and Switzerland) with students from different universities in the context of Library and Information Science. The paper informs about the management of the lecture and about the problems we had to run the lecture at two places. The circumstances in coordinating the presentations, the exercises, the examinations and evaluation, and the time schedule are presented. The conclusions of the lecturers and the results of a questionnaire for the students are explained in detail

How many sources are neded? The effects of bibliographic databases on systematic review outcomes. [Preprint]

Systematic reviews are an established method to synthesize the current state of research for a specific question to make evidence-based decisions in research, politics, and practice. A key activity of a review approach is a systematic and comprehensive search strategy to find all potentially relevant literature. Although guidelines and handbooks address relevant methodological aspects and recommend strategies, the right choice of databases and information sources is unclear. Specifically in educational research, an interdisciplinary field, with no core database at hand and multiple potentially relevant sources available, investigators lack guidance for choosing the most appropriate ones. The presented study investigates the coverage in terms of scope, similarity and combination efficiency of seven multidisciplinary, discipline-specific and nationally focused databases. The evaluation is based on relevant assessed literature of two extensive recently published reviews in German educational research that serve as gold standard to evaluate the databases. Results indicate distinct variations in the databases, while also detecting databases with equal coverage. The paper contributes to guidance in choosing databases for educational review studies, while stressing that this process depends on a review\u27s topical and geographical focus. Moreover, general implications resulting from the study refer to the relevance of database choice for review outcomes, the careful consideration of diverse search strategies beyond database search and a rigorous documentation of database inclusion and exclusion criteria. (DIPF/Orig.

Assessing Educational Research -- An Information Service for Monitoring a Heterogeneous Research Field

The paper presents a web prototype that visualises different characteristics of research projects in the heterogeneous domain of educational research. The concept of the application derives from the project "Monitoring Educational Research" (MoBi) that aims at identifying and implementing indicators that adequately describe structural properties and dynamics of the research field. The prototype enables users to visualise data regarding different indicators, e.g. "research activity", "funding", "qualification project", "disciplinary area". Since the application is based on Semantic MediaWikitechnology it furthermore provides an easily accessible opportunity to collaboratively work on a database of research projects. Users can jointly and in a semantically controlled way enter metadata on research projects which are the basis for the computation and visualisation of indicators.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figures, Libraries in the digital age (LIDA) 2014 conferenc

Establishing semantic research graphs in humanities\u27 research practice

This paper presents approaches and challenges to developing research software for qualitative humanities and social sciences research. While these methods so far lack a digital enhancement, we realized a range of research environments based on semantic graph technologies in research practice. In order to understand the researchers\u27 needs and take the existing research practice seriously, a participatory and agile design approach was used by which several researchers were involved in realizing concrete research projects. A user-centered agile approach with fast prototyping was included. To materialize the needed interaction at an early stage of the research life cycle, this was accompanied by trainings, workshops, and joint paper publications in the different research communities. (DIPF/Orig.

Reflecting open practices on digital infrastructures. Functionalities and implications of knowledge. [Preprint]

Open practices in education focus on the actions of learners and teachers regarding openness. The sharing and collaborative creation of open educational resources is at the core of such practices. Digital infrastructures do not only provide environments for these kinds of practices but reflect ide-as and implications of open practices through the functionalities they offer. Those infrastructures can be seen as drivers for enabling open practices to become default. However, a common understanding of open practices has yet to be defined. As such, designing digital infrastructures that foster open prac-tices might be a challenge. This chapter shows the relation between open practices and digital infrastructures. (DIPF/Orig.

Regionale elektronische Zeitungen. Qualitätskriterien und Evaluierung

Regionale und lokale Zeitungen sind durch besondere Qualitätsmerkmale gekennzeichnet, die imvorliegenden Beitrag diskutiert werden. Ausgehend von dem Konstanzer Ansatz zur Bewertungvon Informationsdienstleistungen werden zeitungsspezifische Kriterien eingearbeitet und denfünf Hauptkennzahlen Information, Präsentation, Interaktion und Kommunikation, Technik und Methodik sowie Organisatorisches und Soziales zugeordnet. In einer ersten Untersuchung wurdedie Tauglichkeit des Ansatzes anhand der regionalen Tageszeitungen Südkurier und SchwäbischeZeitung, die beide ihr Verbreitungsgebiet am Bodensee haben, untersucht. (DIPF/Orig.