An empirical evaluation of topic map search capabilities in an educational context

This paper reports on an investigation focusing on improving the reliability and efficiency in current database-oriented search-and-retrieval mechanisms in e-learning applications through the use of topic map technology (ISO/IEC 13250). The development of our topic maps is grounded in a theory of cognitive information-processing and information retrieval. We outline the development, implementation and evaluation of a Web-based topic map designed to help graduate educational technology students search for online resources in preparation for an essay assignment. Sources of data include (a) hard data drawn from observations, tracking of search-related steps, and results of searches; and (b) soft data concerning judgments of utility of information and user's understandings of the search process. The results indicate that, in comparison to search engines, topic maps enable students to provide more precise answers to questions. In addition, the topic map produced higher recall than the search engine employed in our study.