This research applies Socio-Cultural theory and Distributed Cognition/Activity theory to conceptualize the design of collaborative learning activities in large shared digital spaces. The paper begins by providing a summary of previous work in the creation of a technology platform for large shared digital spaces. It then details how Socio-Cultural…

Outlines the basic principles and research supporting the concept of narrative intelligence and its applicability to the ways in which people make sense of digital video. Explores relevant theory and research in sense-making, surrogates, narrative, and narrative intelligence and presents preliminary results of two research studies. Results have…

Details the rationale, evaluation and implementation of use scenarios-structured narrative descriptions of envisioned system use-in the development of the Alexandria Digital Earth Prototype (ADEPT). Discusses the strengths of the scenario approach, obstacles to their use, and lessons learned in the overall development process. (Author/AEF)

The usability test team examined design problems that limit the ability of instructors at the Indiana University to use data entry forms on the School of Education Web site. The forms permit instructors to publish information about themselves and about courses they teach on the School of Education Web site. Faculty and graduate student instructors…

Presents an enriched video metadata framework including video authorization using the Video Annotation and Summarization Tool (VAST)-a video metadata authorization system that integrates both semantic and visual metadata-- metadata integration, and user level applications. Results demonstrated that the enriched metadata were seamlessly…

Presents a framework for modeling the content of information objects such as documents and video programs based on observation of how users interact with those objects in the course of information seeking and use. Identifies four categories of potentially observable user behaviors: examination, retention, reference, and annotation. (AEF)

Presents a case study of the implementation of a 2-year project designed to stimulate the use of an electronic mail system called BIZNET by 1,100 part-time MBA (Masters in Business Administration) students at Santa Clara University (California). Topics addressed include the institutional setting, the development of BIZNET, and system description,…

Sounds are the result of one or several interactions between one or several objects at a certain place and in a certain environment; the attributes of every interaction influence the generated sound. The following factors influence users in human/computer interaction: the organization of the learning environment, the content of the learning tasks,…

The concept of EPSS (electronic performance support systems) originated in business settings. Recently, there have been many attempts to apply the concept to schools: educational EPSSs (E-EPSSs) have become available on the Web. However, there is little evaluation research and few evaluation frameworks for these emergent E-EPSSs. The primary…

Evaluates Web sites representing businesses in 11 countries in East and Central Europe (ECE) by taking a stance of the Western business user. Findings indicate that the ECE business Web is showing a capability of survival usability, while lacking for the most part more competitive usability. (Author/AEF)

Results from user studies support the importance of genre and task in interface design and effectiveness of filtering of electronic news. Preliminary results from a study on effectiveness of predicting interesting Web pages based on the content of previously visited pages suggest a great similarity between reading electronic news and browsing the…

Usability tests were conducted on different corporate library Web sites, within the same company but based in three different countries, as part of efforts to build a global library portal site for a large high tech company. Results addressed factors influencing the success rates on the Web sites, user perceptions of usability of the sites, and…

This document presents a theoretical approach and a methodology for analyzing data from students interacting with and learning from hypermedia systems. Interactions are mutually influenced by individual students' goals and strategies and the actions supported by the interface of the learning environment. The approach is illustrated by modelling…

The purpose of this study was to organize menu items based on a user-process model and implement a new version of current software for enhancing usability of interfaces. A user-process model was developed, drawn from actual users' understanding of their goals and strategies to solve their information needs by using Dervin's Sense-Making Theory…

Abstracts and descriptions of Special Interest Group (SIG) and Panel Sessions include such topics as: knowledge management; information networks; courseware; accreditation; Web site design; information retrieval and processing; digital imaging; electronic journals; human computer interaction; digital libraries; digital divide; information science;…