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Dissertation Information for Jennifer Dawn Robins

NAME:
- Jennifer Dawn Robins

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (USA) (2003)

ADVISORS:
- Caroline Alison Haythornthwaite

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Les Gasser
- Chip Bruce
- Michael B. Twidale

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: The role of a mediating information structure in a contextualized system

Abstract: Advances in information technology make it possible to design contextualized computer applications that are compatible with social, physical and temporal activities. These systems take advantage of the power of today's computers by emphasizing flexibility over computational efficiency. The focus on mediation among community members and mediation between the system and the community. They give users the power to tamper with the system, transform it, or circumvent it. Because of this, users can contextualize systems to meet the situation at hand. These new systems require new approaches to system design.

This dissertation considers how a contextualized system can be built using a form as the framework for design. Forms are common information structures, but they are rarely a focus of research. In this study, forms are conceptualized as semantic information structures that include common computer processes such as input, storage, retrieval and display. Form elements are regarded both as properties of the form and as questions asked by members of a community. Answers provided by members are treated as form values and as information exchanges. From this holistic perspective, forms are a medium that enables communities to exchange, distribute and share information.

In this research, the flexibility of a form-based application is investigated using a research platform created for this purpose. The platform comprises an XML based form and its attendant properties and processes. The application was used by teachers and students at four middle schools and was accessed over the Internet. At the start of the study, the default, semantic information structure that defined the form was capable of evolving in different contexts of use. This research focused on the activities of users during the contextualization process, exploring the system's successes and failures. Research questions for this study covered three areas: (1) What contextual factors impacted the adoption and adaptation of the application? (2) What are the affordances and constraints of the form-based system? (3) How do users envision the information system?

Results indicated that a form-based system can be contextualized to serve multiple purposes and has sufficient flexibility to evolve as the needs of the community emerge and change.

MPACT Scores for Jennifer Dawn Robins

A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-01-31 06:17:43

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Students under Jennifer Dawn Robins

ADVISEES:
- None

COMMITTEESHIPS:
- None