Last changed 23 Mar 1999 ............... Length about 900 words (6000 bytes).
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Training: our strategy and argument

The main focus of our proposal will be the scientific content, but in the one page allowed for describing the training aspect we will summarise how the training aspect will be achieved.

KEY POINTS

The essential point of the scientific case is that diverse approaches to IR evaluation exist (from technical testing of the software without users, to field studies of users in work settings) and that we propose to explore how they may be fitted together and applied to the new technlogical challenges emerging. The 10 sites in the Network represent this range of approaches, for example from the mainly technical emphasis at our German sites to the mainly user emphasis at our Danish sites. Moving researchers to work at sites in other countries will give them training and experience at new techniques, while causing them to reflect on the relationship between their new skills and their older skills. Thus our scientific aims, training young researchers in new skills to equip them with a more multidisciplinary approach, and the diversity of the participating sites all fit together.

In addition we will ask our young researchers to provide reports on the skills they have learned, illustrated by examples and data (a little like the portfolios artists and designers use to illustrate their training and achievements). These are expected to be useful to later researchers in directing their own learning. Furthermore, we will ask the young researchers to produce demonstrations and exercises for use initially in the Network workshops of the techniques they have learned. During MIRA we produced a few of these, and they were among the most successful activities. Although obviously in one hour's exercise a participant takes only a small first step towards acquiring a new skill, this first step is still much more powerful than reading a paper in allowing a participant to understand by experience what the technique means, and whether they are interested in pursuing it further.

SUBSIDIARY POINTS

[I'm no longer sure why I wrote these down in my notes at the meeting!]

Placements as a complement

Further opportunities for exchange

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