Any Web site is a built information space. In many cases though, this information space is
just spaghetti of HTML files. We refer to the ‘architecture’ of information instead of
‘structure’ or ‘organisation’ of information in order to emphasise the fact that the structure results from analysing the functional requirements of the environment. For learning environments, the functional requirements are numerous and have not been yet
systematically studied. Here are a few examples:
• Using information in educational interactions. For answering simple questions such
as “Give me an example of...” or “Give me an argument against...”, information
must be stored in tables (databases producing dynamically Web pages) or in HTML
files enriched with meta-information.
• Multi-authoring. The information stored in a virtual learning environment is
produced by many authors: several teachers, students, domain experts, ... Who is
authoring what must be explicitly stored in the system for developing mechanisms
for sharing objects (e.g. «locking» an object when somebody is editing it) and
workflow techniques (e.g. the document produced by X must be sent for approval to
Y and Z before to be displayed).
• Indicating information source. Web information without explicit information
regarding to (the authority of) its author will soon have no more value
• Maintaining information. When Web sites grow, if information has not been
carefully structured, maintenance becomes very heavy: maintaining links, removing
obsolete information, ... The cost of maintaining a Web site may become higher that
the costs of creating the site! And despite this, it is rarely included in the budget.
• Following technical evolution. The effort devoted to developing Web sites has to
survive the current technology. Structuring information and adding metainformation increases the potential of reusability of information.
• Sharing information with the world. Education would benefit from richer
possibilities to share information outside the environment. There are currently
efforts to establish worldwide accepted ‘resource description formats and to
specialise them for educational purposes
just spaghetti of HTML files. We refer to the ‘architecture’ of information instead of
‘structure’ or ‘organisation’ of information in order to emphasise the fact that the structure results from analysing the functional requirements of the environment. For learning environments, the functional requirements are numerous and have not been yet
systematically studied. Here are a few examples:
• Using information in educational interactions. For answering simple questions such
as “Give me an example of...” or “Give me an argument against...”, information
must be stored in tables (databases producing dynamically Web pages) or in HTML
files enriched with meta-information.
• Multi-authoring. The information stored in a virtual learning environment is
produced by many authors: several teachers, students, domain experts, ... Who is
authoring what must be explicitly stored in the system for developing mechanisms
for sharing objects (e.g. «locking» an object when somebody is editing it) and
workflow techniques (e.g. the document produced by X must be sent for approval to
Y and Z before to be displayed).
• Indicating information source. Web information without explicit information
regarding to (the authority of) its author will soon have no more value
• Maintaining information. When Web sites grow, if information has not been
carefully structured, maintenance becomes very heavy: maintaining links, removing
obsolete information, ... The cost of maintaining a Web site may become higher that
the costs of creating the site! And despite this, it is rarely included in the budget.
• Following technical evolution. The effort devoted to developing Web sites has to
survive the current technology. Structuring information and adding metainformation increases the potential of reusability of information.
• Sharing information with the world. Education would benefit from richer
possibilities to share information outside the environment. There are currently
efforts to establish worldwide accepted ‘resource description formats and to
specialise them for educational purposes