Curriculum Development: Integrating Information Retrieval into Undergraduate Curricula for Small and Medium Sized Universities - A Module-Based Approach

在信息时代，职业和终身学习越来越依赖于信息检索（IR）技能，以便有效地利用数字和在线信息。然而，将IR整合到本科课程中并没有跟上这种需求。红外光谱作为许多学科的组成部分，值得更多的关注。为了解决当前大学IR教育的主要问题和问题的可能原因，本项目开展了三种活动：(1)创建基于模块的课程模型，该模型促进了一系列IR模块的开发，使其能够灵活地采用和集成。这些模块包括主要针对IT/CS专业设计的通用IR模块，以及基于特定学科（如生物学、心理学）的面向学科的IR模块，可以根据不同大学和专业的具体需求采用。(2)在阿姆斯特朗大西洋州立大学建立跨部门的多学科信息检索实验室，不仅为教师和学生的培训提供了理想的环境，而且为将信息检索系统整合到多学科课程中提供了平台。(3)项目的传播成果，通过会议、工作坊、论坛等不同渠道，促进其他大学采用以模块为基础的方法。这个项目让学生和教师从不同学科的不同角度了解国际关系的理论和实践之间的联系。强调了IR在多学科中的普遍性，提升了IR在本科教育中的地位。

In the Information Age, career and life-long learning are increasingly dependent on information-retrieval (IR) skills in order to utilize digital and on-line information effectively. However, integration of IR into undergraduate curricula has not kept up with this demand. IR deserves more attention as an integral element of many disciplines. To address primary problems in the current college-level IR education and possible causes of the problems, this project is carrying out three kinds of activities: (1) Creation of a module-based curricular model, which facilitates the development of an array of IR modules that enable flexible adoption and integration. These modules, including general IR modules mainly designed for IT/CS programs, and discipline-oriented IR modules based on specific disciplines such as Biology and Psychology, can be adopted based on the specific needs of different universities and programs.(2) Creation of a Multi-Disciplinary Information Retrieval Laboratory across departments at Armstrong Atlantic State University, which provides not only a desirable environment for faculty and student training, but also a platform to systematically integrate IR into multidisciplinary curricula. (3) Dissemination achievements of the project to facilitate the adoption by other universities of the module-based approach through different channels including conferences, workshops and forums.This project provides students and faculty with an appreciation of the connection between theoretical and practical aspects of IR, from different angles of different disciplines. It also emphasizes the ubiquitous nature of IR in multiple disciplines and promotes the status of IR in undergraduate education.