Socio-Technical Challenges of Semantic Web: A Culturally Exclusive Proposition?

Background

As a basis for intelligent applications, the Semantic Web is integral to achieving the goals of e-learning, distance, and global education. These intelligent applications will enable more efficient information use by drawing upon deep collections of repository knowledge (Schoop, deMoor, & Dietz, 2006). Beyond the internal world of web architecture paradigms, the organization of Semantic Web and its approach to learning holds significant implications for learning—in general, culture, and non-native speakers that are rarely addressed in the literature, however. This chapter addresses the Semantic Web’s socio-technical and cultural challenges that are presented to users, learners, and the Semantic Web itself, while it disseminates learning.

The chapter accomplishes this by identifying selected causes of the socio-technical challenges, focusing on two major styles of learning and the Semantic Web structure position in them. Furthermore, to illustrate the nature of the challenges, the authors explore the foundation of knowledge acquisition tracing it as far back to the idea to Plato and Aristotle’s positions on universalism and particularism ideologies. These two foundations help to illuminate the importance of culture and the challenges culture poses in Semantic Web deployment as a learning platform. The idea of cultural variation will be provided as a way to illustrate a key pitfall of Semantic Web which revolves around amplification of digital divide when taken together. For instance, human computer interaction (HCI) model of interaction in the Semantic Web environment and for enhancing communication between users and the computer occur at conceptual, semantic, syntactic, and lexical levels (Patil, Maetzel, & Neuhold, 2003). However, there are key discrepancies and mismatches between technology, and user needs and requirements, some of which are attributable to knowledge, general illiteracy, and information communication technology (ICT) illiteracy and different cultural demands. The chapter also addresses some key implications for Semantic Web regarding design, use, and general effectiveness or lack thereof. A call to action for policy makers, IT designers, and Users would also be made. First, however, is the need to offer a general background on the Semantic Web.