Open Access revisited : Wissenschaftsaltruismus oder alter Wein in neuen Schläuchen?

Der Beitrag unternimmt den Versuch, die soziologischen Implikationen der Argumente pro Open Access zu analysieren. Diese Perspektive bietet sich angesichts der den Argumenten inhärenten Setzungen an: Es ist ihnen gemein, (explizit oder implizit) mit soziologischen Schemata und Begriffen assoziiert zu sein und einen sozialen Nutzen von Open Access zu postulieren. Pierre Bourdieus Feldtheorie inkl. seiner Beschreibung des wissenschaftlichen Feldes und des darin zirkulierenden Kapitals ermöglicht eine Abschätzung der Wirksamkeit von Open Access innerhalb der Wissenschaftskommunikation. Zudem gibt sie Hinweise auf den Stellenwert der angenommenen Offenheit innerhalb der Wissenschaftskommunikation. Foucaults Diskursanalyse kann Setzungen und Dogmata der Digital-Divide-Argumentation offen legen, ferner gibt sie die Möglichkeit, Verbindungen zwischen Wissenschaftskommunikation und Wissenschaftstheorie zu skizzieren. Darüber hinaus kann eine soziologische Betrachtung den Gehalt des Begriffs "Informationsgesellschaft" und das Verhältnis von offenem Zugang zu Informationen und Demokratie umreißen.The paper focusses on the sociological implications of these arguments by tackling their inherent sociological terminology and social values. Pierre Bourdieus theory of the scientific field and the circulation of capital allows for the well-grounded estimation of the effectiveness of OA for scientific communication and the impact of its proposed openness. Discourse analysis based on Foucault, on the other hand, illuminates the dogmata and ideology of arguments about the leveling of the Digital Divide by redrawing the connection between scientific communication and the theory of science. Last, the sociological approach to the term "information society" shows the relationship between accessibility of information and the emergence of democracy

Investigating the potential of on-line 3D virtual environments to improve access to museums as both an informational and educational resource

New digital technological possibilities allow physical museum artefacts to be transferred into a virtual environment using 3D computer models with rich information content for educational purposes. However, although several museum websites have applied relevant educational theories to learning activities in these 3D environments, these alone are not enough to develop 3D museum environments without consideration of virtual visiting styles in the learning context. This research addresses the relationship between visiting styles and the design of 3D museum environments based on pedagogic approaches for learning efficacy. Relevant literature on the nature of web-based museum systems was reviewed. Three stages of primary research (a critical review, observations and interviews) were also conducted in this study. The critical review examined the use of 3D technologies in current museum websites in terms of informational aspects and the learning context. The observation studies identified the relationship between visitor behaviours and associated learning activities within 3D museum environments. The interviews further elicited experts’ views and were used to test the research hypotheses. A theoretical design reference model was developed. Initially based on the Reeves multimedia design model, the model consists of three phases: analysis, design and assessment. A prototype 3D exhibition was created based on the theoretical model and two pedagogic approaches. Evaluation of this showed that the design of the exhibits with rich multimedia formats had the potential for more effective visitor learning. The two pedagogic approaches encouraged the related visiting style(s), leading to a deeper engagement with the content and ultimately improving learning efficiency