Virtual Expeditions Methodology : Developing and Assessing a Methodology for Web Based Virtual Expeditions

The Semantic Web is an evolving extension of the World Wide Web in which web content can be expressed not only in natural language, but also in a format that can be read and used by software agents, thus permitting them to find, share and integrate information more easily. To achieve the goals of the Semantic Web that is considered as the new generation of World Wide Web, there is a need for its implementation in new projects and in new areas. One of the promising areas is cultural heritage preservation. Among its many applications, the Web can serve not only as a tool for the preservation of cultural heritage, but also a tool for the display of 'cultural heritage items' and a tool for the design of new learning environments. The advantages of the Semantic Web were used in the current research for designing an interactive system named Virtual Expeditions, for the creation and explorations of cultural heritage items. The main objective of this study was to develop a system design, based on the Virtual Expeditions' methodology, and assess its usability and impact on users' dispositions towards open-mindedness.