Rivet Education developed a Professional Learning Partner Guide (PLPG), a searchable database of learning providers with expertise in the adoption and implementation of High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM), in response to the lack of resources and guidance available to support districts with evaluation of professional learning (PL)…

The majority of Sub-Saharan African countries are facing a very negative teacher-learner ratio: one teacher for over 120 learners. In order to support the learner training, we propose optimizing search engines for learning contexts, to enable learners to take optimal advantage of the vast reservoir of Open Educational Resources (OER) available on…

Given the pace of innovation, not only in the gadget market but in how social media is changing society, the future isn't what it used to be, which is to say, it is not that far off, out of reach, and "gee whiz" tomorrow. The planning horizon has moved closer than ever. And far-off eventualities are here and gone before you know it. In this…

Health"Insite" is the Australian Government's Internet gateway to reliable health information online, providing access to over 15,000 information items on the websites of more than 80 approved information partners. The gateway provides a variety of searching and browsing options to assist users to find information on a wide range of…

Provides background on the problems of traditional text retrieval systems and describes STATUS/IQ, an advanced text retrieval system that incorporates a natural language front-end and an advanced relevance ranking facility. The principles, capabilities, and benefits of the system are discussed, and an example of a STATUS/IQ session is presented…

Discusses database interfaces and explains that collaboration is an important aspect of searching online information retrieval systems that requires explicit computerized support. Collaboration in physical and in digital libraries is discussed and an example of a system that supports collaboration between browsers, ARIADNE, is described. (105…

Developed as part of CEN/ISSS Workshop on Learning Technology efforts to improve interoperability between learning resource repositories, the Simple Query Interface (SQI) is an Application Program Interface (API) for querying heterogeneous repositories of learning resource metadata. In the context of the ProLearn Network of Excellence, SQI is used…

Five categories of microcomputer software for information storage and retrieval (ISR) are distinguished and characterized: classical retrieval systems; end-user software; indexing programs; full-text retrieval programs; and personal information managers. In addition, the special retrieval techniques of hypertext and best-matched searching are…

Published exclusively for MacIntosh computer users, this guide provides an overview of Internet resources for new and experienced users. E-mail, file transfer, and decompression software used to access the resources are included on a 800k, 3.5 inch disk. The following chapters are included: (1) "What Is the Internet" covers finding your…

This paper discusses access to information about Southeast Asia on the Internet. The first section summarizes problems with the major Internet search engines and directories. Three broad categories of solutions to improve Internet searching and retrieval are suggested in the second section: (1) efforts to assist end users to use the search engines…

Describes the use of the Z39.50 information retrieval protocol as the basis for Infocal, a read-only, client/server-based campus information system. Technical considerations in adapting the protocol to nonbibliographic data, including semantic modules, dynamic attribute sets, and dynamic record syntax, are described in detail. (Contains 11…

Describes characteristics of subject gateways on the Web (i.e., facilities allowing easier access to network-based resources in a defined subject area) and compares them to search engines (e.g., AltaVista). The application of WHOIS++, centroids, query routing, and forward knowledge to searching several gateways simultaneously is outlined, and…

This paper describes the techniques for implementing a full-screen, custom SPIRES interface for a public-use library database. The database-independent protocol that controls the system is described in detail. Source code for an entire working application using this interface is included. The protocol, with less than 170 lines of procedural code,…

The impact of emerging information technologies on the information industry is discussed in four papers. Topics covered include electronic delivery of full text primary literature; a brief evaluation of new information processing technologies and software; networking technologies; and the use of gateway technologies to create new products and…

Discusses expected future developments in full text databases (FTDs) in three main areas: host-based menu-driven systems; menu and front end interfaces on gateway and mailbox services; and microcomputer or front end computer-based systems which already have good retrieval interactions and input output processing features. (24 references)…