The Instructional Architect: A System for Discovering, Recommending, and Combining Learning Objects

该项目创建了一个由一组在线服务组成的系统，统称为教学架构师。教学架构师是数字图书馆的一套服务，由四个工具组成，提供学习对象的发现、呈现、检查和推荐。数字图书馆的一个主要目标是为包括教师和学生在内的用户提供一种搜索和显示数字学习资源或学习对象的方式。通常，数字图书馆不提供将发现的学习对象重新组合并嵌入到新的教学和课程中的方法或支持。该项目通过增加一层服务来提供这一功能，这些服务将覆盖现有的数字图书馆服务并与之兼容。这些服务包括增强现有数字图书馆提供的搜索能力、根据用户社区成员的反馈自动推荐学习对象、为将学习对象组合成课程提供教学支持、基于Web的综合开发环境，在该环境中学习对象可以组合成教学，以及一种能够基于共享兴趣自发形成新的用户社区的方法。尽管在创建数字图书馆方面取得了许多进展，但仍有相当大的空间可以改进广大教师和学生访问和重新使用学习对象的方式，这些教师和学生可以接入互联网，但需要技术和教学支持。该项目将形成一个系统，使人们能够更有重点、更切合实际地获取学习对象，以便进行教学，从而加强数字图书馆在促进有效的中小学教育方面的作用。

This project creates a system comprised of a set of online services collectively called the Instructional Architect. The Instructional Architect is a suite of services for digital libraries consisting of four tools that provide for discovery, presentation, inspection, and recommendation of learning objects. A primary goal of digital libraries is to provide users, including teachers and students, a way to search for and display digital learning resources or learning objects. Often, the digital libraries do not provide methods or support for recombining and embedding discovered learning objects within new instruction and curriculum. This project provides this functionality by including an additional tier of services that will overlay and be compatible with existing digital library services. These services include the enhancement of search capabilities provided by existing digital libraries, automated recommendation of learning objects based on feedback from members of communities of users, instructional support for the combination of learning objects into lessons, an integrated Web-based development environment in which learning objects can be assembled into instruction, and a method for enabling the spontaneous formation of new communities of users based on shared interests.While many advances have been made in the creation of digital libraries, there is considerable room for improving how learning objects are accessed and re-used by the large population of teachers and learners who have Internet access but need technological and instructional support. This project will result in a system that will enable more focused and relevant access to learning objects for the purpose of creating instruction and thus enhance the role of digital libraries in promoting effective SMET education.