Eine lesenswerte Studie des Research Information Network (RIN) untersucht die Nutzung und die Bedeutung des Web 2.0 für Forschung und Lehre.

Unter dem Titel „If you build it, will they come? How researchers perceive and use Web 2.0“ wird, wenig überraschend, festgestellt, dass Werkzeuge des Web 2.0 auch mittelfristig nur Ergänzungen der etablierten Formen und Mechanismen der Wissenschaftskommunikation sein werden.

„Overall, there is little evidence at present to suggest that web 2.0 will prompt in the short or medium term the kinds of radical changes in scholarly communications advocated by the open research community. Web 2.0 services are currently being used as supplements to established channels, rather than a replacement for them. While a small number of researchers are making frequent and innovative use of web 2.0 tools, the majority use them only sporadically, or not at all.“ (S. 8 )

Interessanter sind die Ergebnisse im Detail:

• Web 2.0-Anwendungen in der Wissenschaftskommunikation

„We found that current levels of take-up are relatively low, with 13% of respondents using such tools frequently (once a week or more), 45% using them occasionally, and 39% using them not at all.“ (S.6)

• Open Science – Der Blick auf den Schreibtisch

„Our findings show that very few researchers are as yet operating in this way. About half of respondents to our survey share their work with colleagues, but only a small group of enthusiastic open researchers – 5% of our respondents – publish their outputs and their work in progress openly, using blogs and other tools.“ (S. 6)

• Soziale Netzwerke

„Researchers communicate for many purposes other than sharing their results, and our research found that 13% of respondents frequently – at least once a week – use social networking services for purposes related to their work.“ (S. 6)

Die Studie endet mit Empfehlungen für Infrastruktureinrichtungen, Hochschulen und Förderer sowie Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler.

Literatur

Procter, R.; Williams, R.; Stewart, J. (2010): If you build it, will they come? How researchers perceive and use web 2.0. Research Information Network. 2010. Online.