Understanding “influence”: An exploratory study of academics’ process of knowledge construction through iterative and interactive information seeking

The motivation for this study is to better understand the searching and sensemaking processes undertaken to solve exploratory tasks for which people lack pre-existing frames. To investigate people’s strategies for that type of task, we focused on “influence” tasks because, although they appear to be unfamiliar, they arise in much academic discourse, at least tacitly. This qualitative study reports the process undertaken by academics of different levels of seniority to complete exploratory search tasks that involved identifying influential members of their academic community and “rising stars, ” and to identify similar roles in an unfamiliar academic community. 11 think-aloud sessions followed by semi-structured interviews were conducted to investigate the role of specific and general domain expertise in the process of information seeking and knowledge construction. Academics defined and completed the task through an iterative and interactive process of seeking and sensemaking, during which they constructed an understanding of their communities and determined qualities of “being influential”. Elements of the Data/Frame Theory of Sensemaking (Klein et al., 2007) were used as sensitising theoretical constructs. The study shows that both external and internal knowledge resources are essential to define a starting point or frame, make and support decisions, and experience satisfaction. Ill-defined or non-existent initial frames may cause unsubstantial or arbitrary decisions, and feelings of uncertainty and lack of confidence

Exploring exploratory search when conducting literature review tasks

The last two decades have seen a growing interest in exploratory and complex searches in the information-seeking and retrieval community. Despite the plethora of proposed definitions and support interfaces for Exploratory Search, the key dimensions and characteristics of exploratory search remain unclear, leading to uncertainty. In the realm of information-seeking and retrieval, exploring academic literature for relevant references, including theses, publications, and reports, is widely recognised as an exploratory search task. This task becomes even more challenging when searchers have limited prior knowledge of the subject matter. Therefore, this thesis aims to understand the main dimensions and characteristics of exploratory search tasks, mainly focusing on literature review tasks. The original contributions of this thesis are fourfold: Firstly, it offers a conceptual model of exploratory search, consolidating an array of characteristics about the core dimensions of exploratory search—namely, the problem context, users, and search process. Secondly, through a series of empirical studies, the thesis validates this model and introduces additional dimensions and characteristics, including ‘Knowledge Gain.’ Thirdly, it investigates the impact of the support exploratory interfaces on users’ behaviours, perceptions, search outcomes, and overall experiences during exploratory searches within academic contexts. Lastly, serving as a specialised application of the exploratory search model, the thesis introduces a tailored version to cater to the requirements of literature review tasks. These insights aid in understanding the richness and multifaceted nature of exploratory searches and have the potential to shape design support user interfaces within the Information Seeking and Retrieval community.The last two decades have seen a growing interest in exploratory and complex searches in the information-seeking and retrieval community. Despite the plethora of proposed definitions and support interfaces for Exploratory Search, the key dimensions and characteristics of exploratory search remain unclear, leading to uncertainty. In the realm of information-seeking and retrieval, exploring academic literature for relevant references, including theses, publications, and reports, is widely recognised as an exploratory search task. This task becomes even more challenging when searchers have limited prior knowledge of the subject matter. Therefore, this thesis aims to understand the main dimensions and characteristics of exploratory search tasks, mainly focusing on literature review tasks. The original contributions of this thesis are fourfold: Firstly, it offers a conceptual model of exploratory search, consolidating an array of characteristics about the core dimensions of exploratory search—namely, the problem context, users, and search process. Secondly, through a series of empirical studies, the thesis validates this model and introduces additional dimensions and characteristics, including ‘Knowledge Gain.’ Thirdly, it investigates the impact of the support exploratory interfaces on users’ behaviours, perceptions, search outcomes, and overall experiences during exploratory searches within academic contexts. Lastly, serving as a specialised application of the exploratory search model, the thesis introduces a tailored version to cater to the requirements of literature review tasks. These insights aid in understanding the richness and multifaceted nature of exploratory searches and have the potential to shape design support user interfaces within the Information Seeking and Retrieval community

London Creative and Digital Fusion

date-added: 2015-03-24 04:16:59 +0000 date-modified: 2015-03-24 04:16:59 +0000date-added: 2015-03-24 04:16:59 +0000 date-modified: 2015-03-24 04:16:59 +0000The London Creative and Digital Fusion programme of interactive, tailored and in-depth support was designed to support the UK capital’s creative and digital companies to collaborate, innovate and grow. London is a globally recognised hub for technology, design and creative genius. While many cities around the world can claim to be hubs for technology entrepreneurship, London’s distinctive potential lies in the successful fusion of world-leading technology with world-leading design and creativity. As innovation thrives at the edge, where better to innovate than across the boundaries of these two clusters and cultures? This booklet tells the story of Fusion’s innovation journey, its partners and its unique business support. Most importantly of all it tells stories of companies that, having worked with London Fusion, have innovated and grown. We hope that it will inspire others to follow and build on our beginnings.European Regional Development Fund 2007-13

A study of effective evaluation models and practices for technology supported physical learning spaces (JELS)

The aim of the JELS project was to identify and review the tools, methods and frameworks used to evaluate technology supported or enhanced physical learning spaces. A key objective was to develop the sector knowledgebase on innovation and emerging practice in the evaluation of learning spaces, identifying innovative methods and approaches beyond traditional post-occupancy evaluations and surveys that have dominated this area to date. The intention was that the frameworks and guidelines discovered or developed from this study could inform all stages of the process of implementing a technology supported physical learning space. The study was primarily targeted at the UK HE sector and the FE sector where appropriate, and ran from September 2008 to March 2009

Developing Evidence-based Tools and Resources for Material Selection

Building construction costs over a trillion dollars and accounts for half of the non-renewable resources consumed on an annual basis in the US, with materials and equipment comprising three-quarters of these costs. While not the final arbiters, architects play a critical role in determining what materials are specified for construction projects. Material selection in architecture has historically been taught through high- level lectures accompanied by empirical, evidence- based exercises and precedent studies during school followed by “in the field” experience for interns in practice. While there are many great resources that discuss material properties and analyze the use of specific materials in iconic projects through a case study approach, there is a significant gap in the literature and support materials when it comes to how and why materials are selected in the first place. With the rapidly evolving nature of digital tools, ever-expanding range of materials available on the market, and increasing standards for building performance, there has never been a greater need for comprehensive resources to support architects’ and educators’ understanding of the interconnected factors that influence and support informed decisions that are justifiable to all project stakeholders. This paper presents the problem-setting process; findings from first-hand interviews with almost twenty practitioners at leading firms in New York City, Chicago, and San Francisco that have been recognized for their thoughtful use of materials; and plans for the next targeted phase of the work. University research seed funding supported the initial phase of this research, which was designed to validate assumptions about the unique nature of the material selection process. We plan that this study will serve as the first step toward developing codified resources to support a more evidence-based approach in education and practice

Transforming pre-service teacher curriculum: observation through a TPACK lens

This paper will discuss an international online collaborative learning experience through the lens of the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework. The teacher knowledge required to effectively provide transformative learning experiences for 21st century learners in a digital world is complex, situated and changing. The discussion looks beyond the opportunity for knowledge development of content, pedagogy and technology as components of TPACK towards the interaction between those three components. Implications for practice are also discussed. In today’s technology infused classrooms it is within the realms of teacher educators, practising teaching and pre-service teachers explore and address effective practices using technology to enhance learning

Teaching and learning in virtual worlds: is it worth the effort?

Educators have been quick to spot the enormous potential afforded by virtual worlds for situated and authentic learning, practising tasks with potentially serious consequences in the real world and for bringing geographically dispersed faculty and students together in the same space (Gee, 2007; Johnson and Levine, 2008). Though this potential has largely been realised, it generally isn’t without cost in terms of lack of institutional buy-in, steep learning curves for all participants, and lack of a sound theoretical framework to support learning activities (Campbell, 2009; Cheal, 2007; Kluge & Riley, 2008). This symposium will explore the affordances and issues associated with teaching and learning in virtual worlds, all the time considering the question: is it worth the effort

The consumer engagement-interactivity link : an e-retailing perspective

An increasingly turbulent and unpredictable consumer landscape is posing unprecedented challenges for the modern marketer. Faced with a highly fragmented and cynical consumer base, aggressive competitive strategies, a constantly evolving digital and cyber world, and economic volatility characterising the modern macro environment, marketers are under increasing pressure to align their strategic positioning with “consumer hearts and minds”. Compounding this rise in consumer complexity is the development and salience of dual and multiple consumer identities, largely as a result of the growth in online and social media communities. Against this backdrop the Marketing Science Institute (MSI), the global voice and agenda setting body for marketing research priorities, has proposed placing consumer engagement (CE) at the forefront of marketing strategy, identifying the need to understand how to engage through innovation and design.Whilst academics and practitioners alike have acknowledged the importance of consumer engagement, describing it as the ‘holy grail’ for unlocking consumer behaviour, there is still a lack of consensus as to its conceptualisation and therefore its relationship with other marketing constructs. The salience of the online and digital consumer further compounds the difficulty in formulating a CE framework that is integrative and cross contextual. For instance, the construct of interactivity has considerable overlap with CE when applied to the online and digital domain.This study therefore moves away from the predominantly adopted exploratory approach to CE investigation, to provide empirical research into consumer engagement’s conceptualisation online and clarify the nature of the relationship between CE and interactivity. A post-positivist critical realist ontology was used to guide the research process, with the initial qualitative stage conducting twenty-eight semi-structured interviews - nine with consumers, eight with academics and eleven with marketing and communications practitioners, possessing online and digital expertise. The subsequent main quantitative phase then surveyed 600 online UK consumers, yielding 496 usable responses. Interview data suggested the centricity of emotional, cognitive and behavioural dimensions in consumer engagement’s structure; highlighted the antecedent nature of interactivity in developing CE online; and identified potential moderators to the CE-interactivity relationship. The framework developed for quantitative validation was therefore based on these initial findings. The survey data was subject to exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modelling, satisfaction of goodness of fit indices, reliability and validity testing, and rival model comparison.The most pertinent finding of this research is establishing the CE-interactivity link; with the interactivity constructs of customisation, communication, control and speed of response all being found to be antecedents of CE, in order of influence. The findings also confirm consumer engagement’s multi-dimensionality; highlighting the online CE facets to be emotional CE (emotion and experience) and cognitive & behavioural CE (learning & insight and co-creation). Gender, satisfaction & trust and tolerance are also identified as moderating factors in the CE-interactivity relationship. Contributions are made through investigation of consumer engagement in the e-retailing context; providing further insight into CE’s relationship within a nomological network of already established relationship marketing constructs; large scale quantitative validation of the proposed CE-interactivity framework; and through a multi-stakeholder approach to data collection, helping to bridge the academic-practitioner divide (Gambetti et al., 2012). The investigation concludes with an in-depth discussion about the managerial implications, as well as providing an overview of the studies key limitations, contributions and recommendations for future research