From database to knowledge: The Terrorist and Organized Criminal Search Database

Abstract

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are taking an increasingly important part in teaching, learning, and communication between all the participants in the educational process. Inspired by numerous examples of successful implementation of the ICTs in the constructivist, problem-based learning situations, in this article the authors present a powerful educational and practical tool: the Terrorist and Organized Criminal Search (TOC-s) database. It is a dynamic database that offers comprehensive information on global terrorist network and helps researchers, analysts, students, and others working to prevent terrorism. It is the result of a joint project realized by the Faculty of Security Studies and Faculty of Mathematics, University of Belgrade, with the support of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies. Through the TOC-s project, the authors have successfully unified the perspectives of help seeking and information searching, within the context of ICT-based learning situation. An online collaboration learning environment is designed to facilitate students in group collaboration and to coordinate and monitor the learning process. Besides its educational function, the TOC-s database has important applicative role in the national security system as the additional powerful measure in protecting state borders. © SAGE Publications 2011.