Ontologies-based architecture for sociocultural knowledge co-construction systems

Considering the evolution of the semantic wiki engine on-based platforms, two main approaches could be distinguished: Ontologies for Wikis (OfW) and Wikis for Ontologies (WfO). OfW vision requires the existing ontologies to be imported. Most of them use the Resource Description Framework (RDF-based) systems in conjunction with the standard Structured Query Language (SQL) database to manage and query semantic data. But, relational database is not an ideal type of storage for semantic data. A more natural data model for Semantic MediaWiki (SMW) is RDF, a data format that organizes information in graphs rather than in fixed database tables. This paper presents an ontology on-based architecture, which aims to implement this idea. The Architecture mainly includes three-layered functional architecture: Web User Interface Layer, Semantic Layer, and Persistence Layer.

Nodos: Encyclopedia of the Performing Arts

The main goal of Nodos is to promote the collective creation of semantic knowledge regarding performing arts. Recording and curating information about these expressions contributes to the preservation of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, as defined by UNESCO. One of the challenges related to the preservation of information is the large amount of people involved in the creation and development of scenic arts and the dynamism in these theater pieces. The large number of plays presented every year makes it difficult to keep records up to date, resulting in the loss of knowledge about many cultural pieces. This article introduces a way to record such cultural heritage in the context of a citizen science project. Nodos defines an ontology regarding performing arts and also uses a semantic wiki that helps in the implementation of the ontology. An evaluation of usability shows Nodos as an effective initiative to preserve and study performing arts. Keywords: Semantic Wiki; Intangible Cultural Heritage; Performing arts ontology.