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1 – 10 of 204Saqib Sheikh, Anne J. Gilliland, Philipp Kothe and James Lowry
This article delineates the pilot implementation of the Rohingya Archive (R-Archive). The R-Archive seeks to both confront and exploit the roles of documentation and recordkeeping…
Abstract
Purpose
This article delineates the pilot implementation of the Rohingya Archive (R-Archive). The R-Archive seeks to both confront and exploit the roles of documentation and recordkeeping in forced displacement of Rohingya people through targeted physical and bureaucratic violence in Myanmar. This grassroots activist intervention is located at the intersection of technology, rights, records, jurisdictions and economics. Using Arweave's blockweave, the R-Archive secures copies of records, such as identity documentation, land deeds and personal papers, carried into diaspora by Rohingya refugees against unauthorised alteration, deletion and loss, providing a trust infrastructure for accumulating available evidence in support of rights claims and cultural preservation.
Design/methodology/approach
Iterative development of functional requirements, data collection processes and identification of a technological solution for the community-based, post-custodial, blockchain-inspired R-Archive; design and testing of the R-Archive pilot; and analysis of trust and economic concerns arising.
Findings
A complex set of interconnecting considerations is raised by this use of emerging technologies in service to a vulnerable and diasporic community. Hostile governments and volatile cryptocurrencies are both threats to the distributed post-custodial R-Archive. However, the strength of the community bonds that form the archive and articulated in its records speak to the possibility of perdurance for a global Rohingya archive, and working through the challenges surfaced by its development offers the possibility to serve as a model that might be adaptable for other grassroots archival activist projects initiated by oppressed, marginalised and diasporic communities.
Research limitations/implications
Personal and community safety and accessibility concerns, especially in refugee camps and under Covid-19 restrictions, presented particular challenges to carrying out the research and development that are addressed in the research design and future research plans.
Practical implications
The goal of this pilot was to collect and store examples of a range of documents that demonstrate different aspects of Rohingya culture and links to the homeland as well as those that record formal evidentiary relationships between members of the Rohingya community now in diaspora and the Burmese state (e.g. acknowledgements of citizenship). The pilot was intended to demonstrate the viability of using a blockchain-inspired decentralised archival system combined with a community-driven approach to data collection and then to evaluate the results for potential to scale.
Social implications
The R-Archive is a community-centred and driven effort to identify and preserve, under as secure and trusted conditions as possible, digital copies of documents that are of juridical, cultural and personal value to the Rohingya people and also of significance as primary documentary evidence that might be used by international legal institutions in investigating genocide taking place in Burma and by academic researchers studying the history of Burma.
Originality/value
The R-Archive is novel in terms of its technological application (Arweave), the economic concerns of a vulnerable stateless population it is trying to address, and its functional complexity, in that its goal is simultaneously to serve both legal evidentiary and community archive functions. The R-Archive is also an important addition to other notable efforts in the diasporic Rohingya community that have attempted to employ the tools of technology for cultural preservation.
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Margie Foster, Hossein Arvand, Hugh T. Graham and Denise Bedford
The rapid evolution of curation practices today is a response to expanded access to information and knowledge and the dynamic development of intelligent technologies well suited…
Abstract
Chapter Summary
The rapid evolution of curation practices today is a response to expanded access to information and knowledge and the dynamic development of intelligent technologies well suited to curatorial practices. This chapter provides an overview of traditional curation theory and practice. It identifies its historical origins of anthropology, ethnography, museum work, and archival practices. The authors note that traditional curatorial practices have been a subset of preservation practices. Today it draws heavily from traditional practices but expands the goal and purpose beyond simple preservation to storytelling, learning, creating new perspectives, interpreting the past and present, and creating new business knowledge. The chapter lays out the emerging spectrum of curation purposes and practices. The widespread access to curatorial tools now opens curatorial work to the general public. More comprehensive access argues for a broader dialog around the new competencies and capabilities these new practices require.
Meryem Amane, Karima Aissaoui and Mohammed Berrada
Together, learning objects (LOs) and e-pedagogical practices have the potential to improve the performance of e-learning systems in several ways. They can make e-learning more…
Abstract
Purpose
Together, learning objects (LOs) and e-pedagogical practices have the potential to improve the performance of e-learning systems in several ways. They can make e-learning more personalised and adaptable, providing students with a more engaging and effective learning experience.
Design/methodology/approach
The development of LOs and e-pedagogical practices have significantly influenced and changed the performance of e-learning systems. LOs are self-contained, reusable units of instructional content that create instructional materials, such as online courses, tutorials and assessments. They provide a flexible and modular approach to designing and delivering e-learning content, allowing educators to easily customise and adapt their materials to the needs of their students. e-pedagogical practices refer to the use of technology to enhance and support the teaching and learning process. They include strategies such as online collaboration, gamification and adaptive learning to improve student engagement, motivation and achievement.
Findings
To achieve this objective, this study consists of two main phases. First, the authors extract metadata from LOs using latent semantic analysis algorithms, which are considered a strong tool in web-mining exploration techniques. Second, they identify LOs according to a particular form of similarity using fuzzy c-means (FCM) algorithms. To improve classification accuracy, the FCM is used as a clustering algorithm.
Originality/value
Finally, in order to assess the effectiveness of LOs with FCM, a series of experimental studies using a real-world dataset are conducted. The results of this study indicate that the proposed approach exceeds the traditional approach and produces good results.
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Fabrice Nzepang, Siméon Serge Atangana and Saturnin Bertrand Nguenda Anya
This work aims to assess the effects of information and communication technology (ICT) on inequalities in access to professional training (PT) in Cameroon.
Abstract
Purpose
This work aims to assess the effects of information and communication technology (ICT) on inequalities in access to professional training (PT) in Cameroon.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used data from the fourth Cameroonian Household Survey (ECAM 4), the concentration index (CI) calculations and the Wagstaff et al. (2003) decomposition.
Findings
The preliminary results show that the CI calculations by groups of individuals reveal the existence of significant inequalities in favour of the poor. This is the case for all groups of individuals who use ICT tools, namely radio, internet, telephone and television. The results of the Wagstaff et al. (2003) decomposition reveal that an equitable distribution of income between those who use and those who do not use the telephone, radio and internet reduces inequalities in access to FP in favour of the poor.
Originality/value
Despite the wealth of literature devoted to the study of inequalities in access to education, the consideration of PT is still very marginal. In Cameroon, the literature devoted to the study of inequalities in access to PT is still almost non-existent, probably because of a low level of interest in the scientific community. However, as just seen, PT is a tool for combating unemployment, particularly in economies where the informal sector is important, insofar as the proportion of unemployed and inactive people is very low amongst the ones that have taken a PT course. Moreover, studies on the effects of ICT on inequalities in access to PT are still rare in the literature.
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Rafiq Ahmad and Muhammad Rafiq
The digital contents (d-contents) are vulnerable to various threats either natural or manmade. Digital preservation is the plethora of a wide array of strategies necessary for the…
Abstract
Purpose
The digital contents (d-contents) are vulnerable to various threats either natural or manmade. Digital preservation is the plethora of a wide array of strategies necessary for the long-term preservation of digital objects. This study was carried out to assess the digital preservation practices for information resources in university libraries of Pakistan.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative survey based on a structured questionnaire was carried out to conduct the study. The questionnaire containing two sets of strategies (general and technical) was distributed amongst the whole population and received 90% response rate.
Findings
Overall, progressive implementation of general digital preservation practices was noted in these libraries like checking the digital collections for viruses, keeping the digital media in fire/water/theft proof locations, restricting unauthorized access, maintaining ideal humidity and temperature, and checking the digital media for functionality. Amongst the technical practices, only replication was in practice at a progressive rate, followed by metadata recording and media refreshing that was sometimes practiced in these libraries. The other technical practices were rarely or never practiced in these libraries. Significant variances in general and technical digital preservation practices were noted based on their physical locations (regional distribution).
Research limitations/implications
The study contributes a comprehensive set of digital preservation practices divided into general and technical types to conduct similar studies in other parts of the world.
Practical implications
The findings stress the need for national and institutional policies, funding streams and skill enhancement of library staff.
Originality/value
The study fills the literature gap and contributes a comprehensive set of digital preservation practices divided into general and technical types to conduct similar studies in other parts of the world.
Peer review
The peer-review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-02-2023-0074
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Aasif Mohammad Khan, Fayaz Ahmad Loan, Umer Yousuf Parray and Sozia Rashid
Data sharing is increasingly being recognized as an essential component of scholarly research and publishing. Sharing data improves results and propels research and discovery…
Abstract
Purpose
Data sharing is increasingly being recognized as an essential component of scholarly research and publishing. Sharing data improves results and propels research and discovery forward. Given the importance of data sharing, the purpose of the study is to unveil the present scenario of research data repositories (RDR) and sheds light on strategies and tactics followed by different countries for efficient organization and optimal use of scientific literature.
Design/methodology/approach
The data for the study is collected from registry of RDR (re3data registry) (re3data.org), which covers RDR from different academic disciplines and provides filtration options “Search” and “Browse” to access the repositories. Using these filtration options, the researchers collected metadata of repositories i.e. country wise contribution, content-type data, repository language interface, software usage, metadata standards and data access type. Furthermore, the data was exported to Google Sheets for analysis and visualization.
Findings
The re3data registry holds a rich and diverse collection of data repositories from the majority of countries all over the world. It is revealed that English is the dominant language, and the most widely used software for the creation of data repositories are “DataVerse”, followed by “Dspace” and “MySQL”. The most frequently used metadata standards are “Dublin Core” and “Datacite metadata schema”. The majority of repositories are open, with more than half of the repositories being “disciplinary” in nature, and the most significant data sources include “scientific and statistical data” followed by “standard office documents”.
Research limitations/implications
The main limitation of the study is that the findings are based on the data collected through a single registry of repositories, and only a few characteristic features were investigated.
Originality/value
The study will benefit all countries with a small number of data repositories or no repositories at all, with tools and techniques used by the top repositories to ensure long-term storage and accessibility to research data. In addition to this, the study provides a global overview of RDR and its characteristic features.
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Maryam Tavosi and Nader Naghshineh
This study aims to present a comparative study of university library websites (in the USA) from the standpoint of “Google SEO” and “Accessibility”. Furthermore, correlation…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to present a comparative study of university library websites (in the USA) from the standpoint of “Google SEO” and “Accessibility”. Furthermore, correlation analysis between these two done.
Design/methodology/approach
By opting for a webometric approach, the present study analyzed university library websites in the USA. The Lighthouse add-on for the Google Chrome browser has been used as a data collection tool, by writing and implementing a computer program in Bash language automatically (May 2020). Data analysis tools used were “Libre-Office-Calc”, “SPSS22” and “Excel”.
Findings
In all 81 university library websites in the USA, Google search engine optimization (SEO) scores have been observed the amount higher than 60 (Total Score = 100). The accessibility rank obtained lay between 0.56 and 1 (Total Score = 1). A weak correlation relationship between “SEO score” and “accessibility rank” (P-value = 0.02, Spearman Correlation Coefficient = 0.345) was observed. This weak relationship can be explained due to the impact of several components affecting Google’s SEO score, one of them being having a high “accessibility rank”.
Practical implications
Given the increasing automation of library processes, SEO tools can help libraries in achieving their digital marketing goals.
Originality/value
Accurate measurement of the Google SEO score and accessibility rank for the university library websites (in the USA) were obtained by Lighthouse add-on for Google Chrome browser. Moreover, data extraction by the implementation of one program computer without the direct observation of human resources is the innovation of this study.
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Rafiq Ahmad and Muhammad Rafiq
The purpose of this study is to present some critical digital preservation strategies that are important for the preservation of digital information.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to present some critical digital preservation strategies that are important for the preservation of digital information.
Design/methodology/approach
From review of the related studies, this paper presents critical digital preservation techniques that are vital for small libraries to ensure the accessibility of the digital collections of enduring value.
Findings
This paper comprehends major digital preservation strategies and possibilities for small libraries through which they can overcome the financial, technological, expertise and policy constraints to implement their digital preservation program.
Originality/value
This paper covers the major strategies that were collated during literature review and instrumentation process for the PhD study of the first author on this topic.
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Heini Utunen, Ranil Appuhamy, Melissa Attias, Ngouille Ndiaye, Richelle George, Elham Arabi and Anna Tokar
OpenWHO is the World Health Organization's online learning platform that was launched in 2017. The COVID-19 pandemic led to massive growth in the number of courses, enrolments and…
Abstract
Purpose
OpenWHO is the World Health Organization's online learning platform that was launched in 2017. The COVID-19 pandemic led to massive growth in the number of courses, enrolments and reach of the platform. The platform is built on a stable and scalable basis that can host a large volume of learners. The authors aim to identify key factors that led to this growth.
Design/methodology/approach
In this research paper, the authors examined OpenWHO metadata, end-of-course surveys and internal processes using a quantitative approach.
Findings
OpenWHO metadata showed that the platform has hosted over 190 health courses in 65 languages and over seven million course enrolments. Since the onset of the pandemic, there have been more women, older people and people from middle income countries accessing courses than before. Following data analysis of the platform metadata and course production process, it was found that several key factors contributed to the growth of the platform. First, OpenWHO has a standardised course production pathway that ensures efficiency, consistency and quality. Further, providing courses in different languages increased its reach to a variety of populations throughout the world. For this, multi-language translation is achieved through a network of translators and an automated system to ensure the efficient translation of learning products. Lastly, it was found that access was promoted for learners with disabilities by optimising accessibility in course production. Data analysis of learner feedback surveys for selected courses showed that the courses were well received in that learners found it useful to complete courses that were self-paced and flexible. In addition, results indicated that preferred learning methods included videos, downloadable documents, slides, quizzes and learning exercises.
Originality/value
Lessons learnt from the WHO's learning response will help prepare researchers for the next health emergency to ensure timely, equitable access to quality health knowledge for everyone. Findings of this study will provide valuable insights for educators, policymakers and researchers in the field who intend to use online learning to optimise knowledge acquisition and performance.
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Archana S.N. and Padmakumar P.K.
The purpose of this study was to understand the landscape of Indian research data repositories (RDRs) indexed in the re3data.org. The study analysed the metadata elements of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to understand the landscape of Indian research data repositories (RDRs) indexed in the re3data.org. The study analysed the metadata elements of Indian RDRs to identify their disciplinary orientations, typology, standards adopted, foreign collaborations, etc. The study ascertained the current status of the Indian RDRs by visiting their respective websites and tried to identify and map the exact disciplinary orientation of each RDR.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used “content analysis” of the metadata elements extracted from re3data.org along with the information analysis of the respective websites of the registered RDRs.
Findings
The study identified that only 80% of the Indian RDRs listed by the re3data.org is currently active. Most of the Indian RDRs are hosted by the central and state governments and are almost equally distributed among Life Sciences, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences domains. The data provided by the re3data.org for the Indian RDRs are not complete and up-to-date.
Practical implications
The findings indicate the presence of a good number of inactive RDRs in the re3data.org. The study suggests using a revised version of the DFG subject classification scheme or considering a standard classification scheme for subject indexing.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind that critically analysed the metadata values extracted and moved further to identify the current status of Indian RDRs.
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