1,227 research outputs found
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.
Personalisation and recommender systems in digital libraries
Widespread use of the Internet has resulted in digital libraries that are increasingly used by diverse communities of users for diverse purposes and in which sharing and collaboration have become important social elements. As such libraries become commonplace, as their contents and services become more varied, and as their patrons become more experienced with computer technology, users will expect more sophisticated services from these libraries. A simple search function, normally an integral part of any digital library, increasingly leads to user frustration as user needs become more complex and as the volume of managed information increases. Proactive digital libraries, where the library evolves from being passive and untailored, are seen as offering great potential for addressing and overcoming these issues and include techniques such as personalisation and recommender systems. In this paper, following on from the DELOS/NSF Working Group on Personalisation and Recommender Systems for Digital Libraries, which met and reported during 2003, we present some background material on the scope of personalisation and recommender systems in digital libraries. We then outline the working group’s vision for the evolution of digital libraries and the role that personalisation and recommender systems will play, and we present a series of research challenges and specific recommendations and research priorities for the field
RSS Feeds, Browsing and End-User Engagement
Despite the vast amount of research that has been devoted separately to the topics of browsing and Really Simple Syndication (RSS) aggregation architecture, little is known about how end-users engage with RSS feeds and how they browse while using a feed aggregate. This study explores the browsing behaviors end-users exhibit when using RSS and Atom feeds. The researcher analyzed end-users’ browsing experiences and discusses browsing variations. The researcher observed, tested, and interviewed eighteen (N=18) undergraduate students at the University of Tennessee to determine how end-users engage with RSS feeds.
This study evaluates browsing using two variations of tasks, (1) an implicit task with no final goal and (2) an explicit task with a final goal. The researcher observed the participants complete the two tasks and conducted exit interviews, which addressed the end-users’ experiences with Google Reader and provided further explanation of browsing behaviors. The researcher analyzed the browsing behaviors based upon Bates’ (2007) definitions and characteristics of browsing. The results of this exploratory research provide insights into end-user interaction with RSS feeds
METHODOLOGIES FOR DESIGNING AND DEVELOPING HYPERMEDIA APPLICATIONS
Hypermedia design, as any other design activity, may be observed according to two points of view: methods which
suggest milestones to guide the designer's work and process which concerns the actual detailed behavior of the
designer at work. Cognitive studies assess that mental processes involved in any design process show widely shared
human characteristics regardless to the used design method. Thereby, they provide general keys to help designers.
Thus, a hypertext design environment should equally consider the two dimensions of a hypertext design activity, in
particular it should support the natural design process specificities, mainly the incremental and opportunist aspects.
The paper focuses on the hypertext design as a computer supported human activity. It examines what is general both
in the design methods and in the design process of hypertexts in order to determine which general features are
helpful to designers. This analysis has raised from the observation of the behavior of MacWeb users during design
tasks. It is related to sound and well known results in cognitive science. The paper also describes how the proposed
features are implemented in the MacWeb system.Information Systems Working Papers Serie
Web-based Hypermedia Courseware in Higher Education: A Proposed Framework
This thesis is concerned with hypermedia and learning, and in particular with the design
and development factors that need to be considered for the creation of hypermediabased
courseware in higher education that uses the Web as a delivery platform.
One of the most commonly cited problems with educational hypermedia is related to the
design and structure of the educational material. It appears that Web-based instructional
authors have not had access to an instructional model, which has been empirically
tested. However, there is a large body of knowledge in the field of instructional design
from which one can draw suitable conclusions for the design process of Web-based
educational hypermedia. The current research recommends that a precondition for
effective Web-based courseware design in higher education is careful consideration of
the traditional body of knowledge in the field of instructional design which should act as
a foundation for future developments in the design process. In addition, the end-users'
input should be sought as it can confirm the above and enhance further our
understanding toward the implementation of this new medium in higher education.
Based on this recommendation, a framework is proposed in terms of its design, user
input and evaluation for the development of Web-based courseware in higher education
aimed at supporting the delivery of physical modules. The thesis describes how the
different stages of the proposed framework were implemented through the develop moot
of two Web-based courseware applications aimed at supporting the delivery of two
higher education modules taught in De Montfort University, U.K.
In order to test the validity of the proposed approach, that a Web-based courseware
developed according to the experimental framework could effectively support the
delivery of physical modules compared with conventional teaching methods, two
empirical studies have been conducted. They were concerned with the summative
evaluation of the two Web-based courseware applications, which were developed
according to the proposed framework. The results from the evaluation of the two
empirical studies indicated significant improvements in users' performance and
satisfaction compared with conventional teaching methods. Thus, the proposed
framework can indeed offer a solution for the development of Web-based courseware
that aims to support the delivery of physical modules in higher education. Moreover,
the experimental framework can also provide a detailed starting point and can be
adapted for the design and development of Web-based courseware aimed at addressing
distance learning or other forms of Web instruction.Greek State Scholarship Foundation (IKY
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