Basic Research on Development of the Next Generational Educational Information Structure and Retrieval System

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In this research project we have intended, firstly, to make clear characteristics of educational information that is stored in various part mainly in the United States by making access through network, and, secondly, to investigate basic conditions of how to make databases open to the web browsers, and finally to make prototype open system in the teaching and learning materials. We published the two-year research results in a report, titled as "Basic Research on Educational Uses of Internet."1. In the first year we made a survey on K-12 teaching and learning materials which were open through internet in the United States. We explored thousands of web sites and recorded about two hundred noticeable such sites in each field of humanities, social sciences, mathematics and natural science, which totaled about seven hundred. We investigated ten to twenty glittering sites in each of the fields and described characteristics by classifying types and objectives. We also investigated changes tha … More t are happening in the so-called search engine and observed basic trends.2. In the second project year, in additon to summarizing the findings in the surveys made last year, we have paid greater attention to the development of prototype of open-type educational database system to the network. Major point of research and development was the so-called middle-ware, namely go-between robot (or agent) that combined database and browser, i.e.clients of educatoinal information. However by making use web-server and CGI the relations of the databases and browsers have been actualized, the speed has been a problem. We have developed a middle-ware, by utilizing the Oracle producrts, that is fast enough for finding proper matches between learning needs and teaching lessons.As a way of experimental evaluation of the prototype, we used more than 5500 extension courses of colleges and universities as teaching lessons and five learners, who were made as driverse as possible by means of sex, age, and background. The result were generally favorable with relation to retrieval and presentation. However, to make it usable in actual situation, further research and development should be necessary.In conclusion, it will be safe to say that the open system is a valuable step leading to actualize individualized learning system that is highly sought for with a view to lifelong learning. Linking efforts between databases and browser, as well as accumilating educationally valuable information anywhere in the network, by means of network technology seems to have immerse value for mankind. For the time being the TCP/IP will play a great role in this measure. However, it has been made clear by our research, much research is needed to make the matches of learning materials and learners need. Greater efforts should be put into the development of the middle-ware that will bring the optimal match and proper client oriented presentation. Less