The Organization of Knowledge Spaces for a Virtual Learning Environment Supported by a Digital Libra

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The Organization of Knowledge Spaces for a
Virtual Learning Environment Supported by a
Digital Library

• Terence R. Smith, Olga Agapova, Michael
  Freeston, Alex Ushakov
• University of California, Santa Barbara, CA93106
  USA
• smithtr_at_cs.ucsb.edu, olga_at_geog.ucsb.edu,
  freeston_at_alexandria.ucsb.edu, ushakov_at_alexandria.u
  csb.edu

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Alexandria Digital Library (ADL)

• Consortium of researchers, engineers, and
  educators
• Distributed and Heterogeneous
• A framework for building distributed digital
  libraries of georeferenced information
• Provider of a uniform interface to one or more
  collections
• Bucket framework - is the base of architecture
• Balance between simplicity of Web document
  delivery and and richness of Z39.50.
• A new service is a a concept-based learning
  environment for the science education.

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INTEROPERABILITY LANDSCAPE
ADEPT
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The approach of ADEPT to Concept-Based Learning

• Scientific activity and learning are based on a
  large core of scientific concepts
• The syntactic and semantic information may be
  represented in terms of a strongly-structured
  model (SSM) of the concept
• A deeper understanding of any domain of science
  is promoted when learning environments are based
  explicitly on the use of SSMs to represent
  important sets of concepts and their
  interrelationships.

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Components and Associated Services of a
Concept-Based Learning Environment
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ADEPT Virtual Learning Environment Architecture
Diagram
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A Three-Window Display of Concept-Based Learning
Materials
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Abstract Model (SSM) of a Concept and Correlative
Relationships
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Lecture Presentation

• The lecture is presented on three projection
  screens, showing the Lecture Plan window
  (center), the Concept window (left) and the
  Illustrations window (right).

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The Lecture Plan Window

• The left-hand frame displays the structure of the
  lecture
• The right-hand frame displays the content of the
  lecture
• ADL icons (globe image) attached to a concept
  link to a display of concept properties in the
  concept window

Other icons attached to a concept link to a
display of concept examples in the illustration
window
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The Concept Window

• The concept window displays the properties of
  concepts.

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The Illustrations Window

• The illustrations window displays examples of
  concepts

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Conclusions

• A key issue in the development of ADEPT learning
  services based on SSMs of scientific concepts is
  an evaluation of the degree to which they deepen
  a student's understanding of both the conceptual
  basis of science and scientific knowledge in
  specific domains.
• We are currently instrumenting the teaching of
  courses in order to develop such evaluations.
• It will take time to assess the pedagogic value
  of using KBs of strongly-structured
  representation of scientific concepts, together
  with the associated collections and services, in
  learning environments.
• Nevertheless, recent developments in both text
  publishing and in educational psychology indicate
  their potential value.
• Evaluation (add more)

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Acknowledgments

• The Alexandria Digital Library Project's research
  and development activities are supported by the
  National Science Foundation under awards IS IRI-
  9411330, NSF-ATM-9732665, and NSF-DUE-0121578.
• Operational activities are supported by the Map
  and Imagery Laboratory at the Davidson Library,
  University of California, Santa Barbara.
• Additional support is or has been provided by
  AliasWavefront Digital Equipment Informix
  Microsoft Oracle Sun Microsystems and the U.S.
  Geological Survey.