Lost in e-Translation

e-research : Lost in Translation

Reading through the terminology associated with this topic, I feel that I am “Lost in Translation”, as I read through literature filled with a foreign language. I am just familiar enough with this e-language to be able to construct just a basic form of a conceptual understanding. I can’t help but feel that Hollywood has had some influence here! As I learn about the emerging Semantic Web, which will be able to provide a future digital repository that will enable a heightened ability to “collaborate, share and preserve digital resources”, I cant help but be reminded of “Terminator” and “The Matrix”, especially as the Grid system that will support this Semantic Web will allow computers to communicate with one another and without the need for human input! Mmmm!!! A bit of a frightening thought really, but we humans can’t help ourselves, we have a need to discover how far we can push the boundaries. Reading through the literature I can’t help but think that a computing engineering background would have helped me cope with the constantly emerging new terminology. Thank God for the University of Queensland website, found at

http://www.itee.uq.edu.au/~eresearch/

that provided an excellent interpretation service for me. So what have I learnt apart from the Hollywood factor? I now know that Grid technologies “facilitate communication and sharing of resources and knowledge between geographically dispersed populations”, that these grid technologies along with semantics are need for Multimedia Indexing to enable a user friendly ability to share and use audiovisual programs, (a concept that is very appealing to me after having been through a harrowing experience trying to upload am mp4 file on the Blackboard/MyUni platform) and that Middleware is needed as the go-between that connects different computer software programs to allow the easy transfer of information across one platform to another. This latter and all the preceding technologies will facilitate the collaborative approach to research in a cyber environment that heightens the ultimate transfer and building of knowledge between one human to another.

Finally, reading through the NCRIS and SAPAC sites I discovered that developing a concept map for this subject, would also help me understand how one granting body is related to another through the very complex web of interrelated funding sources that can be accessed through both federal and state levels. In summary, I gathered that the different government bodies recognise the importance of investing huge amounts of funds into the development of new and emerging technologies that will support the creation of digital repositories of knowledge, for enhanced human collaboration .

Some new reflections on e-research

As part of my research and study on this topic, I have been able to slowly get a handle on the phenomenal revolution that is occurring in e-research. The topic of federated searching, as both Rebecca and Cathy have alluded to, is possibly not at the point where it has become user friendly and accessible, when compared to other search engines at our disposal. Of course the reliable Google Scholar, advaced web searches, the use of a little knowledge of search engine math, and access to platforms such as PubMed etc.. has made research quite "specific and sensitive" (as Rebecca stated), without the use of federated searching. In order to understand the techno jargon involved, I have adopted a "hands on approach" to this topic by "googling" etc.. and even found a federated searching platform but as I had restricted access, it leads me to believe, that federated searching may not be designed for the individual user. My interpretation maybe totally wrong here, but I have made this assumption based on my experience so far. As far as the data repositories are concerned I can definitely see the benefits and have noticed the trend towards the completion of e-theses, but as Cathy pointed out, the extend to which collaboration can be supported through Access and Data Management systems is what appeals to me as well. I have been involved in a collaborative online project in the area of Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation and the role of oral health professionals, which I will be using as the main focus of the first assessment task and my study so far has enabled me to expand my research in this area.

In closing, I would just like to mention that with a blink of an eye, I have spent 3 -4 hours on the net, just to get my head around a couple of the readings. Very time consuming for me but worthwhile... Just finding the time when students are around is almost impossible ...... Watch this space ........