Personalization via collaboration in web retrieval systems: a context based approach

World Wide Web is a source of information, and searches on the Web can be analyzed to detect patterns in Web users' search behaviors and information needs to effectively handle the users' subsequent needs. The rationale is that the information need of a user at a particular time point occurs in a particular context, and queries are derived from that need. In this paper, we discuss an extension of our personalization approach that was originally developed for a traditional bibliographic retrieval system but has been adapted and extended with a collaborative model for the Web retrieval environment. We start with a brief introduction of our personalization approach in a traditional information retrieval system. Then, based on the differences in the nature of documents, users and search tasks between traditional and Web retrieval environments, we describe our extensions of integrating collaboration in personalization in the Web retrieval environment. The architecture for the extension integrates machine learning techniques for the purpose of better modeling users' search tasks. Finally, a user-oriented evaluation of Web-based adaptive retrieval systems is presented as an important aspect of the overall strategy for personalization

Transient thermoelectricity in a vibrating quantum dot in Kondo regime

We investigate the time evolution of the thermopower in a vibrating quantum dot suddenly shifted into the Kondo regime via a gate voltage by adopting the time-dependent non-crossing approximation and linear response Onsager relations. Behaviour of the instantaneous thermopower is studied for a range of temperatures both in zero and strong electron-phonon coupling. We argue that inverse of the saturation value of decay time of thermopower to its steady state value might be an alternative tool in determination of the Kondo temperature and the value of the electron-phonon coupling strength.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, to appear in Physics Letters

Analysing web search logs to determine session boundaries for user-oriented learning

Incremental learning approaches based on user search activities provide a means of building adaptive information retrieval systems. To develop more effective user-oriented learning techniques for the Web, we need to be able to identify a meaningful session unit from which we can learn. Without this, we run a high risk of grouping together activities that are unrelated or perhaps not from the same user. We are interested in detecting boundaries of sequences between related activities (sessions) that would group the activities for a learning purpose. Session boundaries, in Reuters transaction logs, were detected automatically. The generated boundaries were compared with human judgements. The comparison confirmed that a meaningful session threshold for establishing these session boundaries was confined to a 11-15 minute range

IMPACT OF REFLECTİVE COACHİNG ON DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHİNG SKİLLS OF THE TEACHER CANDİDATES

Both the inadequate number of supervisors and the demands on supervisors presented by the latest learner-based conceptions both in and out of educational contexts have directed many to doubt about the quality of the supervision, actual time spent for the professional development of teachers and collaboration for better teaching and better learning. This research study attempts to explore the impact of the reflective coaching model developed by the researcher based on the principles of reflective teaching on the actual teaching performance of the would-be teachers. As the research design, one-shot case study design with one-group post-test only model was used. 30 student teachers from the primary school teaching department of a Faculty of Education at a university in Turkey were included. Student teachers were trained through a 15-h orientation on reflective coaching program developed by the researcher on how to be a reflective coach and give formative feedback before the 10-week research study. Participants were split into five reflective learning groups, each with six students. Every group was required to conduct a lesson led by a teaching representative. The researcher acted as a teacher trainer and coached them during the preparation of the lesson. Each lesson was videotaped for reflective conference sessions. Later participants were instructed to fill out a questionnaire with 26 open-ended questions including their opinions and ideas on the reflective approach (instrument1). As the second instrument, evaluation checklists prepared by the researcher to assess their teaching were employed. Data were collected in both quantitive and qualitative methods including: (a) conducting and evaluating a sample lesson based on the principles of reflective teaching, (b) discussing based on videotaped lessons during reflective conference sessions, (c) expressing results with statistical data obtained from the pre/post-test application and, (d) employing open-ended surveys and sample dialogues, interviews, and anecdotal data. Findings showed significant differences in favor of the reflective coaching program implemented. The would-be teachers developed in their skills targeted after the reflective coaching program as compared with their performance before the implementation of the program. The findings also revealed that majority of respondents were satisfied with their progress. They stated that this model helped them identify their weaknesses in their teaching. Findings gained offer essential principles on how reflective coaching can be a implemented both in school-based contexts and teacher education