SOME APPROACHES TO TEXT MINING AND THEIR POTENTIAL FOR SEMANTIC WEB APPLICATIONS

In this paper we describe some approaches to text mining, which are supported by an original software system developed in Java for support of information retrieval and text mining (JBowl), as well as its possible use in a distributed environment. The system JBowl1 is being developed as an open source software with the intention to provide an easily extensible, modular framework for pre-processing, indexing and further exploration of large text collections. The overall architecture of the system is described, followed by some typical use case scenarios, which have been used in some previous projects. Then, basic principles and technologies used for service-oriented computing, web services and semantic web services are presented. We further discuss how the JBowl system can be adopted into a distributed environment via technologies available already and what benefits can bring such an adaptation. This is in particular important in the context of a new integrated EU-funded project KP-Lab2 (Knowledge Practices Laboratory) that is briefly presented as well as the role of the proposed text mining services, which are currently being designed and developed there

Career Development Program for Refugee and Migrant Youth

The Career Guidance for Refugee and Migrant Young People project is an initiative of the South Metropolitan Migrant Resource Centre funded by the Department of Education and Training. It aims to develop, pilot and evaluate a career development and planning program that specifically meets the learning levels and needs of refugee youth with low levels of education, cultural life skills and English language ability

Personal knowledge development in online learning environments : a personal value perspective

A thesis submitted to the University of Bedfordshire, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of PhilosophyThis thesis investigates personal knowledge development in online learning environments and the impact that personal values have on it. Personal knowledge development was investigated from the perspective of Nonaka’s SECI model of organisational knowledge creation. This model served as the basis for an adapted model that conceptualises personal knowledge development in online learning at the individual level. The personal value types of the Schwartz Value Survey and the Portrait Values Questionnaire were adopted to measure personal values and their impact on personal knowledge development in online learning environments. Three data collection approaches were used. First, an exploratory study was conducted which elicited online learners’ experiences of their personal knowledge development in online learning; this study used online discussion forums for data collection. Second, a Delphi study was carried out. Experts were asked which of the ten individual-level value types by Schwartz are likely to be particularly relevant in the context of online learning. Third, an online survey was created. Its aim was to measure the impact that personal values and background variables, such as gender and age, have on personal knowledge development in online learning. A measurement instrument was devised that measures three of the SECI modes, namely Externalisation, Combination and Internalisation. This instrument measures the magnitude of online learners’ Externalisation and Combination activities as well as their level of Internalisation, i.e. the outcomes of personal knowledge development. Results of the exploratory study show that there are widely diverging experiences of personal knowledge development in online learning. The literature review suggests that the cultural situatedness of an online learning environment is an important influencing factor on personal knowledge development. The results of the Delphi study suggest that Self-Direction, Stimulation, and Achievement are particularly relevant value types in the context investigated here. Finally, the online survey confirms this view, as all three value types were found to be positively correlated with Externalisation, Combination, and Internalisation, with the exception of the Achievement-Combination relationship. A modified version of the SECI model is proposed, which extends the applicability of the original SECI model from the organisational to the individual level. It is argued that this model is suitable to describe personal knowledge development in the context of online learning. The study also contributes to closing the gap in research on the impact of personal values in the context investigated in this study. Moreover, a measurement instrument was created that can be used to measure Externalisation and Combination, i.e. personal knowledge development processes, and Internalisation, i.e. personal knowledge development outcomes

Digital Games For 21st Century Learning: Teacher Librarians\u27 Beliefs And Practices

Digital games as tools for learning in K–12 have been a topic of intense discussion over the last 15 years. One area of focus has been on the integration of commercial off-the-shelf games in lesson plans. A predictive factor for the adoption and integration of digital games is the attitudes or readiness of teachers. Yet, while many studies have examined this with teachers themselves, teacher librarians (TLs) have largely been ignored, despite the key role they play in education and technology adoption in schools. This study attempted to determine TLs’ beliefs and practices about digital games as 21st century learning tools, to examine similarities and differences with those of classroom teachers, and to see if and how TLs’ pedagogical beliefs impacted their perceptions of barriers toward digital game adoption. The Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Games (TATG) Survey measured TLs’ perceptions of barriers to using digital games. Findings suggest that TLs tended to use digital games to address discrete library skills—a behaviorist practice—despite the fact that they tended to hold constructivist pedagogical beliefs. Though, evidence showed that some were using games to integrate 21st century skills into classroom lessons. Similar to findings on classroom teachers, TLs perceived lack of time, lack of infrastructure, and lack of support as barriers to using digital games. Furthermore, TLs with behaviorist beliefs tended to perceive greater barriers to using digital games as compared to TLs with constructivist beliefs

The Use of Technology for Teaching and Learning in Hong Kong

The goal of this project, sponsored by the Teaching and Learning Centre at Lingnan University, was to ascertain ways to improve the use of technologies by students and faculty at Lingnan University for teaching and learning. From data collected through classroom observations, interviews, and surveys with faculty and students, several recommendations and opportunities were proposed. These included changing classroom configurations, using text messages for easier communication and investigating collaboration and social networking technologies for possible integration into the curriculum