Art Therapy Knowledge Based Website

The rationale for this research is to determine the importance and benefits of knowledge bases for art therapy knowledge . This was rooted on the fact that through the knowledge base , art therapists and even patients can learn from minutiae of information and techniques that both therapists and patients can utilize for the improvement of patients therapies . More importantly , these knowledge bases are Internet-based allowing greater access and variability to its users

Given this current situation of knowledge databases for art therapy this research determines the benefits of these knowledge bases , as both

br accessibility and variability of information increases through the Internet . This section looks into the current state of knowledge databases on art therapy and other information related to its knowledge techniques , and application and the varied uses or purposes of these databases to users , specifically to art therapists and patients

Using the Internet as the primary medium in increasing accessibility to knowledge databases is a function recognized in the 20th century , as the technology expanded from the US to other countries . Roberts (1996 identified the period 1992-1997 as the Early Public Internet ' stage wherein the Internet became available to the public , but limited only to those countries that have the technology . It was not until the following stage , International Public Internet (1998-2005 ' when the Internet became available to the global public , allowing all computer from across the world to take advantage of the wide array of information that the Internet has to provide them . Thus , it was at this stage that knowledge databases became popular and widely-used all over the world

The availability of these knowledge databases does not immediately equate to the fact that they are utilized purposefully by its users This is especially critical in determining whether art therapy knowledge databases help their intended users (i .e , therapists and patients ) and other relevant target groups

Studies have been conducted to answer this question , which is to identify specifically the uses and purposes of knowledge databases to art therapists and patients . Peterson et . al 's (2005 ) study on art therapists and their use of computer technology demonstrated that therapists commonly cited creation of presentations , e-mailing , art therapy research , photo archiving , and photo editing as their major uses of computer and Internet technologies (145 . Jakes ' study on researching through the Internet supports Peterson 's findings , which determined that the Internet allows its users to follow an outline that enabled them to create their `product ' which include written works published in the Internet . Internet research proved helpful in the crafting and development of these `products ' demonstrating that indeed Internet-based information do allow its users to create a systematic approach in using and developing knowledge on various subjects or s

DiBlassio (1999 ) added that in addition to Internet-based research knowledge databases that are considered most helpful to users especially patients , are discussion boards , wherein patients are not only informed and educated on specific s and issues , but they are also given support and encouragement to apply their knowledge and manage their...