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IIS Introduction
Project Description
Thesaurus Testing
IIS Thesaurus
Resources
Thesaurus of ERIC Descriptors
IIS Thesaurus (Alpha)
IIS Thesaurus (Tree)
UNESCO Thesaurus (for countries)
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Integration and Implementation Sciences Introduction
Integration and Implementation Sciences Description
The critical social, environmental and technological problems of our age are
large in scale, complex in nature, and perpetually dynamic. These challenges
range from public health (e.g. flu epidemics; AIDS in Africa), to sustainable
development (e.g. “Smart Growth” in Western urban contexts; “Agenda
21” priorities for international development), to security (e.g. preventing
terrorism; containing nuclear threats), and public welfare (e.g. poverty eradication;
drought and famine prevention/relief). Each involves the integration of multiple
fields of human endeavor (e.g. biology, education, economics, chemistry, engineering,
sociology, technology, etc.) within the scope of shifting political issues and
ideals (e.g. sovereignty, treaties, privacy, freedom, immigration, trade, human
rights, power, financing, etc.).
Diverse groups of scholars and practitioners apply the principles and knowledge
of their unique disciplines to these problems. The greatest challenge is to
integrate these intellectual and practical contributions into solutions that
can be implemented successfully in environments characterized by complexity,
change and imperfection. Researchers studying systems theory, complexity science,
participatory methods, inter- and trans-disciplinarity, epistemological diversity,
and knowledge management have each been developing theories and methods for
working with uncertain and complex systems (physical, social and intellectual).
These six areas, however, “have typically operated in isolation from one
another, with application limited to specific fields, with low levels of intellectual
cross-fertilization and learning, and with limited exploitation of the significant
synergies between approaches.” The relevant work and knowledge of these
independent fields are currently being gathered together and coordinated under
the single identity of Integration and Implementation Sciences . An overview
of this specialization and its elements can be found at the following Web site
sponsored by Australian National University, under the supervision and guidance
of Dr. Gabriele Bammer: http://www.anu.edu.au/iisn/.
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Why an IIS Thesaurus?
As a network of researchers, organizations, projects, curricula and literature
is coordinated and developed for Integration and Implementation Sciences, it
is necessary to craft an appropriate language whereby the knowledge and relationships
within and among the sciences can be organized. The elements of this networked
collection of resources must then be indexed by this language to facilitate
communication, interaction, and the intellectual and practical development of
the specialization. The IIS Thesaurus integrates existing terminology from the
Thesaurus of ERIC Descriptors with uniquely established IIS terminology.
IIS Collection Description
The “collection” of Integration and Implementation Sciences (IIS)
is unlike a traditional “library” collection in that it is dynamic
and behaves more like a knowledge management system. Although the IIS collection
includes literature citations, many of the resources are “alive”
and also actively reach out to access and form relationships with other resources,
thus continually expanding their own “indexable” qualities. The
IIS collection is virtual. In reality it is a collection of citations and references
to a globally distributed network of people, organizations, activities, literature
and events. Despite this technicality, the collection is described below in
terms of its collection resources (Actors: Individuals, Organizations; Scholarship
& Practice: Literature, Projects, Curriculum/Toolbox; Communication: Media,
Events), its users, and the activities of those users.
I. Actors
- Individuals – This heading refers to unique persons who study, research
or practice one or more of the six Integration and Implementation Sciences.
- Organizations – This heading includes a broad range of formally organized
groups of individuals, literature and activities dedicated to a particular IIS-related
topic.
II. Scholarship & Practice
- Literature – It is essential to IIS that a wide variety of literature
across disciplines be indexed for IIS scholars and practitioners. This section
represents the most traditional “library” type collection and will
behave most like an indexing database. Literature is currently identified
in two groups: relevant journals and specific bibliographic citations to items
in serials (articles, reviews, etc.) or monographs.
- Projects – Scholarly research and professional application activities
contribute to the development of the specialization and will be indexed so as
to be retrievable by other researchers and by practitioners seeking examples
and guidance. Projects will also include working committees to develop various
IIS activities.
- Curriculum/Toolbox – This heading may be re-titled as Theory and Methods
or IIS Toolbox. It represents the intellectual foundations of the specialization.
As the fields are just beginning to be coordinated, there are few theories or
methods of integration and implementation that are agreed upon. It is anticipated
that, in future, there will be examples of course and degree curriculum to be
indexed as well as a “toolbox” of theories and methods for practitioners.
III. Communication
- Media – While literature is certainly one means of communication, this
header primarily refers to the various informal and immediate vehicles of communication
such as listservs, newsletters, online bulletin boards and blogs. It
would be optimum if some of these media could be indexed. Any IIS newsletter
would fit the profile of “Journals” (above in Literature), whereas
the content would be treated according to the characteristics of “Bibliographic
Citations” (above in Literature). At this time it is unclear how listservs,
bulletin boards and blogs would be described beyond the name and relevant URLs.
It is also very unclear if subject indexing would even be possible. As such,
these vehicles are not described further here.
- Events – Conferences, lectures and other events and activities provide
unique opportunities for interaction and knowledge-sharing. The IIS network
plans to maintain an international calendar of relevant events across the six
IIS areas which will, ideally, be minimally indexed.
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Users and User Activities
Many users will also be individuals who are considered elements of the collection
itself.
I. Scholars –
- Description – These users currently form the foundation of the IIS
network and represent primarily academic institutions either through research
centres and institutes or through traditional departments and degree programs.
- Interests/Needs/Goals – These users will commonly use indexed IIS resources
to:
- Locate relevant literature
- Locate fellow scholars
- Locate relevant events
- Communicate with fellow scholars
- Contribute/participate in projects or curriculum/toolbox development
II. Practitioners –
- Description – This user category represents consultants in various
areas who utilize IIS principles in approaching their problem-solving work.
They may be members of professional organizations and/or theoretical and methodological
ones.
- Interests/Needs/Goals – These users will commonly use indexed IIS resources
to:
- Locate experts
- Locate case study literature
- Locate curriculum/toolbox resources
- Contribute/participate in projects
- Contribute/participate in case study development
III. Policy Makers –
- Description – These users are government representatives or administrators
(local to international) seeking to use IIS principles in the design of policy
or application of it.
- Interests/Needs/Goals – Policy makers will commonly use indexed IIS resources
to:
- Locate expert practitioners
- Locate case study literature
- Locate curriculum/toolbox resources
- Contribute/participate in projects
- Contribute/participate in case study development
The above description is a work-in-progress. As the specialization of Integration
and Implementation Sciences grows and develops, the components of the collection,
the users, and their needs and activities will all evolve. Nevertheless, this
outline offers an essential starting point for building a functional resource
management system in a modular, stepped way that will serve the needs of IIS
in each phase of its development.
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