What is Knowledge Class ?

A knowledge class includes the following:

• A hierarchical structure of subject terms allowing multiple levels of knowledge organization, constructed on classification principles
• Provision for open-ended search vocabulary derived from controlled vocabularies and/or free-text terms
• Expandable and contractible branches of the hierarchy to allow varying levels of depths,
• Static links to remote resources and related sites or pages
• Dynamic links to target information through search engines such as AltaVista, InfoSeek, Yohoo!, and Lycos, etc.
• Referral links among terms within a knowledge class and potentially among knowledge classes to assist cross reference.
• Instant switch among search engines available over the Web to allow access of a variety of resources covered by different search engines.

Knowledge Class makes web information access transparent to the user. Many search engines are now available on the World Wide Web to help users search for needed information. However, for those who are not familiar with sophisticated retrieval methods or who lack sufficient computer expertise, there is a need for improved means of both accessing and navigating remote electronic resources. Knowledge Class combines subject guides and search engines to automatically construct search queries based on the useršs needs. The queries often will include not only the terms the user selected but also other related terms and broader terms in the hierarchy.

Knowledge Class helps individual users create and maintain personalized maps of promising resources of their interests. In the digital environment, knowing where the information is is as important as knowing the information itself. The essence of web resources is not only the information the web stores or possesses, but also the richness of the links it provides. Knowledge Class presents become a flexible and adaptable mechanism to organize and manage the links in a changing information environment. It serves as a personal directory for the user on topics that he or she is interested in.

Knowledge Class provides a relatively stable information space while maintaining dynamic links to reflect rapid changes in the digital environment. Knowledge Class enables the user to interact within a familiar space and keep in contact with the vigorous network environment. It includes many other functions that allow the user to store new links, to view previously stored terms and links, to initiate a new search, to add terms to the knowledge class, to expand the hierarchy to accommodate additional levels, and to utilize relevance feedback, etc.