Angela Fessl

Components of a research 2.0 infrastructure

In this paper, we investigate the components of a Research 2.0 infrastructure. We propose building blocks and their concrete implementation to leverage Research 2.0 practice and technologies in our field, including a publication feed format for exchanging publication data, a RESTful API to retrieve publication and Web 2.0 data, and a publisher suit for refining and aggregating data. We illustrate the use of this infrastructure with Research 2.0 application examples ranging from a Mash-Up environment, a mobile and multitouch application, thereby demonstrating the strength of this infrastructure.

In-App Reflection Guidance for Workplace Learning

In-app reflection guidance for workplace learning means motivating and guiding users to reflect on their working and learning, based on users’ activities captured by the app. In this paper, we present a generic concept for such in-app reflection guidance for workplace learning, its implementation in three different applications, and its evaluation in three different settings (one setting per app). From this experience, we draw the following lessons learned: First, the implemented in-app reflection guidance components are perceived as useful tools for reflective learning and their usefulness increases with higher usage rates. Second, smart technological support is sufficient to trigger reflection, however with different implemented components also reflective learning takes place on different stages. A sophisticated, unobtrusive integration in the working environment is not trivial at all. Automatically created prompts need a sensible timing in order to be perceived as useful and must not disrupt the current working processes.

Continuous learning with a quiz for stroke nurses

A continuous learning solution was sought which allows stroke nurses to keep the vast body of theoretical knowledge fresh, stay up-to-date with new knowledge, and relate theoretical knowledge to practical experience. Based on the theoretical background of learning in the medical domain, reflective and game-based learning, we carried out a user-oriented design process that involved a focus group and a design workshop. In this process, a quiz that includes both content-based and reflection questions was identified as a viable means of transportation for theoretical knowledge. In this paper we present the result of trialling a quiz with both content-based and metacognitive reflective questions in two settings: In one trial the quiz was used by nurses as part of a qualification programme for stroke nurses, in the second trial by nurses outside such a formal continuous learning setting. Both trials were successful in terms of user acceptance, user satisfaction and learning. Beyond this success report, we discuss barriers to integrating a quiz into work processes within an emergency ward such as a stroke unit.

Introducing Mood Self-Tracking at Work: Empirical Insights from Call Centers

The benefits of self-tracking have been thoroughly investigated in private areas of life, like health or sustainable living, but less attention has been given to the impact and benefits of self-tracking in work-related settings. Through two field studies, we introduced and evaluated a mood self-tracking application in two call centers to investigate the role of mood self-tracking at work, as well as its impact on individuals and teams. Our studies indicate that mood self-tracking is accepted and can improve performance if the application is well integrated into the work processes and matches the management style. The results show that (i) capturing moods and explicitly relating them to work tasks facilitated reflection, (ii) mood self-tracking increased emotional awareness and this improved cohesion within teams, and (iii) proactive reactions by managers to trends and changes in team members’ mood were key for acceptance of reflection and correlated with measured improvements in work performance. These findings help to better understand the role and potential of self-tracking at the workplace, and further provide insights that guide future researchers and practitioners to design and introduce these tools in a work setting.

In-App Reflection Guidance: Lessons Learned Across Four Field Trials at the Workplace

This paper presents a concept for in-app reflection guidance and its evaluation in four work-related field trials. By synthesizing across four field trials, we can show that computer-based reflection guidance can function in the workplace, in the sense of being accepted as technology, being perceived as useful and leading to reflective learning. This is encouraging for all endeavors aiming to transfer existing knowledge on reflection supportive technology from educational settings to the workplace. However, reflective learning in our studies was mostly visible to limited depth in textual entries made in the applications themselves; and proactive reflection guidance technology like prompts were often found to be disruptive. We offer these two issues as highly relevant questions for future research.

Virtualizing face-2-face trainings for training senior professionals: a comparative case study on financial auditors

Traditionally, professional learning for senior professionals is organized around face-2-face trainings. Virtual trainings seem to offer an opportunity to reduce costs related to travel and travel time. In this paper we present a comparative case study that investigates the differences between traditional face-2-face trainings in physical reality, and virtual trainings via WebEx. Our goal is to identify how the way of communication impacts interaction between trainees, between trainees and trainers, and how it impacts interruptions. We present qualitative results from observations and interviews of three cases in different setups (traditional classroom, web-based with all participants co-located, web-based with all participants at different locations) and with overall 25 training participants and three trainers. The study is set within one of the Big Four global auditing companies, with advanced senior auditors as learning cohort.

Digging for Gold: Motivating Users to Explore Alternative Search Interfaces

In this demonstration paper, we describe a prototype that visualizes usage of different search interfaces on a single search platform with the goal to motivate users to explore alternative search interfaces. The underlying rationale is, that by now the one-line-input to search engines is so standard, that we can assume users’ search behavior to be operationalized. This means, that users may be reluctant to explore alternatives even though these may be suited better to their context of use/search task.

Transfer of Theoretical Knowledge into Work Practice: A Reflective Quiz for Stroke Nurses

Managing knowledge in periods of digital change requires not only changes in learning processes but also in knowledge transfer. For this knowledge transfer, we see reflective learning as an important strategy to keep the vast body of theoretical knowledge fresh and up-to-date, and to transfer theoretical knowledge to practical experience. In this work, we present a study situated in a qualification program for stroke nurses in Germany. In the seven-week study, 21 stroke nurses used a quiz on medical knowledge as an additional learning instrument. The quiz contained typical quiz questions (“content questions”) as well as reflective questions that aimed at stimulating nurses to reflect on the practical relevance of the learned knowledge. We particularly looked at how reflective questions can support the transfer of theoretical knowledge into practice. The results show that by playful learning and presenting reflective questions at the right time, participants reflected and related theoretical knowledge to practical experience.

Open Innovation in the Big Data Era with the MOVING Platform: An Integrated Working and Training Approach for Data-savvy Information Professionals

The MOVING platform enables its users to improve their information literacy by training how to exploit data mining methods in their daily research tasks. Its novel integrated working and training environment supports the education of data-savvy information professionals and allows them to address the big data and open innovation challenges.

A Reflective Quiz in a Professional Qualification Program for Stroke Nurses: A Field Trial

Reflective learning is an important strategy to keep the vast body of theoretical knowledge fresh, stay up-to-date with new knowledge, and to relate theoretical knowledge to practical experience. In this work, we present how reflective learning prompts can enhance a medical quiz used in a qualification program for stroke nurses in Germany. In the seven-week study, 21 stroke nurses used a quiz on medical knowledge as additional learning instrument. The quiz contained typical quiz questions (“content questions”) as well as reflective questions presented at different points in time. The latter aimed at stimulating nurses to reflect on the practical relevance of the learned knowledge. The results show that by playful learning and presenting reflective questions at the right time, the participants were motivated to reflect and to transfer theoretical knowledge into practice.