Presents a brief historical overview of research in individual differences in the context of virtual environments. Highlights the notion of structure in the perception of individual users of an information system and the role of individuals' abilities to recognize and use such structures to perform various information-intensive tasks. (Author/LRW)

An unprecedented amount of information encompassing almost every facet of human activities across the world is generated daily in the form of zeros and ones, and that is often the only form in which such information is recorded. A good fraction of this information needs to be preserved for periods of time ranging from a few years to centuries.…

A subset of data base management techniques for the hardware/software functions necessary to support a management information system are discussed. Seven basic dimensions of data base design are: (1) data base life span, (2) logical record growth, (3) record content growth, (4) data set organization, (5) linkages, (6) design criteria and (7)…

A number of critical aspects of educational information system design are discussed. The success of any information system depends largely upon several key decisions that must be made early in the preliminary design phase. The paper attempts to (1) indicate the nature and some of the major implications of these key decisions and (2) provide a…

This program was designed to provide basic training for institutional researchers and administrative personnel from small and intermediate colleges in the development and implementation of effective information systems. Three purposes were identified: to assist participants in (1) understanding the basic concepts underlying management information…

Developments in communication and information technologies in the last decade have had a significant impact on instructional and learning activities. For many students and educators, the Internet became the significant medium for sharing instruction, learning and communication. Access to knowledge beyond boundaries and cultures has an impact on…

This state-of-the-art survey of non-bibliographic databases and their use within the fields of economics and business studies recommends that schools of librarianship and information science incorporate online teaching packages encompassing such databases in their programs. The review, conducted through on-site visits and a questionnaire, focuses…

This ninth annual report of the Committee on Scientific and Technical Information (COSATI) contains summary reports of COSATI and its Panels and Task Groups for the calendar year, 1971. This 1971 COSATI report reflects the initiatives taken by the Federal agencies not only in insuring to the scientific and engineering publics the prompt…

Presents the results of an exploratory study that focused on three elements in information retrieval research: the ways information systems are being used, the strategies users engage as they work in these systems, and the use of the World Wide Web as an information retrieval tool. Highlights include open-ended systems and self-efficacy.…

Discusses agent technology within educational settings and describes two information systems, SMILE (Solution, Mapping, Intelligent, Learning, Environment) and AIMS (Agent based Information Management System) that use concept mapping to address issues including adaptive learner support, problem solving, information navigation, information…

Explores the utility of using prior domain knowledge (in the form of taxonomies over attributes, attribute values and concept classes) to constrain the rule learner's search by requiring it to be consistent with what is already known about the domain. Spreading Activation Learning (SAL) is used to efficiently learn over taxonomically structured…

School systems face many decisions in developing and maintaining learning environments that create success for all students. From district operations to the classroom, district leaders implement solutions and take action based on the information they have at hand. While there is no shortage of data, turning that data into useful information is as…

Presents a mathematical model of an information retrieval system thought to be general enough to serve as an abstract representation of most document and reference retrieval systems. The model is made up of four components that, in one form or another, appear in every functioning system. (Author)

Describes the Canadian On Line Enquiry (CAN/OLE) system. (PF)