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Institution:
Library at the Aarhus School of Business
Aarhus
Address:
Handelshøjskolen i Århus, Biblioteket
(Library of the Aarhus School of Business)
Fuglesangs Allé 4
8210 Århus V.
Phone 89 48 65 20
Fax 86 15 96 27
Contact persons:
Tove Bang
ASB Library
Kaj Grønbæk
Department of Computer Science, University of
Aarhus and Hypergenic A/S
Per Steen Hansen
ASB Library
Peter Kastberg
Marianne Grove Ditlevsen
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The
METRO is an
information portal made by the
Library at the Aarhus School of Business.
The portal increases the element of self service for the library users by
answering a number of questions concerning the library, project writing etc.
The solution consists of a metro map with corresponding line maps
on the content pages.
The METRO was developed
as a joint venture between teachers and researchers at the Faculty of Modern
Languages,
Hypergenic, a
research environment that emerged from the Department of Computer Science at
Aarhus University, and the Library of the Aarhus School of Business.
The
METRO is a virtual LRC using a metro map metaphor as a guidance system to
quality-assessed information resources and learning and study tools.
The METRO, a
knowledge distribution platform for the
Learning Resource Centre at the Library of the Aarhus School of Business,
is developed as a portal and a guided tour that are based on the use of
the software application Webvise, marketed under the name of WebNize 1000.
The Metro map metaphor, inspired by the
Chalmers Library guide,
has proved to be suitable user interface for a learning portal for students and
teachers in a LRC exploratorium. It provides a general view, is useful for
structuring a very large amount of web sites and it is next to impossible to get
lost in. The Metro metaphor and the concept of “Guided Tours” are used as an
educational concept, which supports user access to electronic information
resources, to the learning content and to the tools supporting the learning
process itself. The concept of “Guided Tours” in the learning portal offers the
opportunity of guiding the user via pre-defined routes in the shape of linear
courses. The users may also choose to plan their own individual course based on
their need.
The Metro map has been used in WebNize because:
·
It is an
intuitive metaphor – navigation resembles familiar ways of navigating metro
and bus maps
·
It creates an
overview of a large complex of related guided tour modules – the
Metro Map
·
It maintain
focus and overview for the user navigating a specific guide tour module – the
Route Map.
The Metro Map based guided tours have been in use at the ASB since September 2000. The guided tours have been used as a basis for
introducing all first year students to library use and information search. The
Metro Map is the start page on all PCs in the LRC with 1250 students and 130
teachers. The response is very positive from the students as well from the
teachers and the ASB uses this approach in other domains beyond library
introduction.
To a large extent the Metro map is used for structuring
“Virtual Libraries”, that is,
targeted vertical portals holding parts of the information
resources of the research library, targeted at a department, a team of
researchers, students or a company. The tool is also used for creating personal
learning platforms “my courseware” or personal libraries “my library”.
Detailed and rich information about the use of the Metro Map
metaphor and clear application examples can be found in the following paper:
Hansen, P. -
Grønbæk, K. - Bang, T. (2002), Using a Metro Map Metaphor for
organizing Web-based learning resources. “World Conference on Educational
Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications” (EDMEDIA), Vol. 2002, iss. 1, p.
647-652.
See also:
Bang, T., Knowledge Sharing in a Learning Resource Centre by Way of a Metro
Map Metaphor. 67th IFLA Council and General Conference. Boston, 2001
http://www.ifla.org.sg/IV/ifla67/papers/088-99e.pdf
Keywords:
Metro Map
metaphor – guided tours – learning routes – learning map – virtual LRC –
information portal – library use – information search – user access – user
interface – learning portal – learning platforms
- knowledge distribution platform - knowledge sharing – learning process support –
guidance to information resources – modularity – customisation |
