To do this–hold a successful seminar involving lots of information, hands-on equipment, uniformity:
You need to do this first–sorting, categorizing, creating order, etc. IA in a nutshell:
We’ll get to do some of this LEGO sorting and planning during today’s class.
Here’s an outline of what we’ll cover:
- Beginning of Class Writing
- Click on the heading of this blog post title aboveāāWeek 2: Lecture,ā scroll down to the comment area, and write at least 250 words in response to this weekās readings. You can summarize the readings, you can relate the readings to your own experience or something else you have read or learned about, etc. Any writing of 250 words or more that are related to the readings are fair game for this weekly assignment at the beginning of class.
- Post your comment after 20 minutes even if you donāt reach the 250 word minimum threshold.
- Why we are doing this: It helps you organize your thoughts before discussion and it gives you regular writing practice.
- Discuss this week’s readings.
- Conduct exercises using LEGO–1 dimensional, 2 dimensional, etc.
- Review homework and readings for next week.
āThree Main Learning Theoriesā consists of summaries of behavioral, cognitive, and constructivist approaches to the psychology of the human learning process. Like most schools of thought, these three are distinct while also having overlap, and I appreciated the addition of historical information to show how each school emerged, in some ways, from its academic environment. At this high, introductory level, the descriptions and explanations feel a bit nebulous, which is to be expected, but the overall concept of the different approaches is a helpful frame of reference when considering how to structure learning environments. Since information architecture by its nature includes learning elements, no doubt this will prove useful going forward.
The āInformation Architectureā reading was much more obvious in its application. The authors attempt to address some of the foundational questions students no doubt have when beginning their study in the field: how to define IA, how it became its own field, and how that field relates to others both academically and in practice. While the latter two questions are answered easily enough, I appreciate how the text admits to the difficulties in defining IA, not only as a field but also as a job title, career path, or area of expertise. IA is about studying frameworks and organizational methods, but āinformationā is too inclusive and encompassing to set clear boundaries on what specifically is being organized.
Interestingly, I think thereās a theme to be found between the readings concerning the usefulness of abstraction. Psychology is a field of study concerning the human mind and the concept of thought, something we as humans can never be fully objective observers towards, so high-level schools and methodologies must include enough nebulous wiggle-room to encompass a wide range of human experiences. Similarly, Information Architecture is a field concerning such a broad, widely applicable topic that its definition must be wide and flexible unless thereās a deliberate choice to use the term only for specific applications of its ideas.
TO: Prof. Ellis
FROM: Naila Butt
DATE: 6 February 2023
SUBJECT: Information Architecture & Learning Theories
Dear Professor,
The Information Architecture (IA) reading provided me with some really great insight into what IA entails. I really enjoyed the definition that defines information architecture, āāāinformation architectureāā (IA) was coined by Richard Wurman in 1975 to describe the need to transform data into meaningful information for people to use (Dillon & Turnbull 2005).ā Itās interesting to think about how there was the idea that there was a need to sort information, but nowadays, I think itās assumed that media is sorted for us, whether it be through tags, tabs, subcategories, etc. I also took note of the formal definitions listed on page 2. I specifically liked: āThe art and science of structuring and classifying websites and intranets to help people find and manage information(Dillon & Turnbull 2005).ā
I think that the authors are expecting IA to grow and evolve into a profession backed by formal education. However, I think IA might be something thatās implemented into our professions rather than being a standalone job title. For example, I am currently studying and taking a course on IA, but I do not intend on getting a job title as an IA. Also, many UI/UX designers probably have IA embedded into their careers. IA is a powerful skill that anyone in any profession can use to organize data to be easily accessible to oneself and the users.
On another note, Paul Belanger has some pretty interesting points in his chapter, Three Main Learning Theories. I particularly enjoyed the section about Gestalt, and I agree with his theory that ālearning is a cognitive phenomenon through which the learner thinks about all the elements required to solve a problem, eventually linking them together to grasp the situation (Belanger 2011).āI have succeeded in various studies using the active recall method, where learning by trial and error allowed me to grasp and work through the content.
Be well,
Naila
This weekās readings were about information architecture and what it was and the key core concepts of it, while the other reading was more focused on learning theories in psychology. My takeaway from these two readings specifically the one about learning theories was that everyone learns, interprets, adapts, and accepts information differently from others. Everyone has their own style and pace of learning and being that this is an information architecture class, I wonder how that this is going to play in. Personally, depending on the subject that Iāve being taught or whatās being presented in front of me I can pick up things quickly and continue on without having to need other alternate forms of learning. But itās nice to also have examples so that way, when I look back on my notes I can reflect and quickly remember what it was I was taught.
From what I gathered from the information architecture reading is that itās a place of collaborative learning and structured organization while also designing, navigating, and helping others on sites to receive content. Though this is a collaborative community, there are many steps in designing templates and learning disciplines when given the task to create and label a site. All of these key components have to work and thereās has to be an understanding of the objectives that need to be completed. Then the final product or version has to be presented to an audience in a way where they can understand. By providing user tester ability, feedback can be given to help improve, add, or delete steps and processes; so that when the final published site is completed, audiences outside of the team can understand and receive the content the site wants to communicate.
To: Professor Ellis
From: Sandy Fougeres
Date: 2/6/2023
Subject: Weekly Readings
In this weekās readings, discussed were the differences between learning in different environments and what can motivate learning. In the assigned chapter, “Three Main Learning Theories,” the types of learning that stood out to me were behaviorism and cognitivism. The reading spoke about behaviorism being based on learning through good and bad responses. That we are more inclined to continue a behavior that results in good responses rather than in behavior that results in bad ones. This is considered to be the stimulus-response theory of learning and explains behavioral patterns.
The chapter also describes cognitivism which is considered to be learning based on an inner cognitive process. Reading this chapter reminded me of my first year at Kingsborough where I studied early childhood education. We learned about different ways that children learned, and B.F skinner was someone we often talked about when it came to why children were inclined to do things when they received positive reinforcement. As I continued to read, I noticed that cognitivism seemed less about the reinforcements of outsiders and more about how information is processed internally. That the positive and negative responses maybe more so internalized then something external. In the second reading, āInformation Architecture,ā by Andrew Dillion and Don Turnbull, it talked about the history of information architecture and how it expanded over the years. It also described the work that Information Architects do and the different types of careers where you would see this type of work being done.
Information architecture is a new growing process that implements a combination of designing, structuring, and navigating information with other disciplines to bring an all-encompassing digital space. Looking at how big the internet is, people imagine the tip of an iceberg with us only being able to see whatās above the water. In a similar way the same can we said for information architecture. What the user seeās is only a fraction of the work that went into constructing or designing. Our minds start to program the way we learn and interact when we are born and education guides us through a narrow pathway of accessing information. Later realizing different frameworks of learning, we start to have a cognitive evolution to explore new comprehensions of the world.
Focusing on informational architect, we learn that we have just begun to understand some key concepts and even just created a get together or conference to explore this in-depth. The feedback of all these notions and theories produces a knowledge transfer to strengthen our understanding in the subject. The concepts such as context, conflict/resolution, reflective, restructuring, development, and construction gives us a new vision of what we are working with. Being able to discover this new mindset, to break through this exploration information architecture. Cultivating this process will be new and fresh because we do not have much information since we are still at the forefront of this endeavor of information architecture, but we should not shy away. The cultivation of our cognitive mind is in the same way at a similar position to the structure of information architecture.
In the book, Theories in Adult Learning and Education, written by Paul Belanger, we read chapter three, āThree Main Learning Theories.ā In this chapter, Belanger discusses the three learning theories that human beings go through, which are behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism/socio-constructivism. Behaviorismās key concepts are contiguity, reinforcement, stimulus-response, operant conditioning, and contingency. Cognitivism is comprised of procedural and non-procedural knowledge, short and long term memory, knowledge transfer, metacognition, cognitive dissonance, and simple to complex learning sequences. It is important to note that cognitive conflict fosters learning in this theory. The final theory Belanger analyses is constructivism and the social aspect of learning. The core concepts of this train of thought include the central role of the learner and how their thinking applies to them in their context, cognitive conflict, reflect practice, and abstraction, among other notions.
Our second reading assignment was a book chapter, entitled āInformation Architecture,ā from the journal, Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science. In this chapter, Andrew Dillion and Don Turnbull discuss what Information Architecture is and how it is evolving as a profession. It has grown from an idea term to a solid form of application within several disciplines, including library and information sciences. IA is comprised of the semantic organization of information, the creation of systems and the design of user interfaces. Design products such as websites, intranets and digital libraries have become the beneficiary of these theories and practices. From UI oriented search options to those that are solely focused on the organization of information, IA continues to shine focus on things like user search behaviors, navigation, content management, and information structures.
The theme of both articles portray the study of navigation and how people find what they are looking for in an informative space. The articles described many key points and characteristics of Information Architecture. Some of the characteristics I learned about IA is that it illustrates key concepts, conducts user analysis, promotes navigation, and tests user experience. Information Architecture helps in formatting and organizing different types of information.
In the article written by Belanger, I learned that the environment shapes human behavior and determines the learning process. After reading this article, I realized how much of an influence technology has on my every day life. I rely on technology for almost everything that I do. The similar events that I accomplish and go through creates a personal experience to which I internally learn from. The result of technology created progressive learning where one must remember and transfer learned knowledge in order to solve a problem. A quote from Gestaltās Theory that I found interesting was, āThe learner thinks about all the elements to solve a problemā¦connects the dots.ā I believe in this quote because I too, try to connect the dots and turn something simple into a complex way of thinking.
In the article written by Dillon, I learned that the term āInformation Architectureā was coined by Richard Wutman in 1975. Richard created this term to describe the data we transfer from technology into meaningful and organized information. I can relate to both of these readings because I follow a certain method of remembering pieces of information. Iāve learned that If I learn something through auditory means, I can remember it easily.
Week 2
The Wiki Page on Information Architecture discussed the definition and basic foundation to understand what this concept is. The first definition provided was that it is a āstructural design of shared information environmentsā¦ā It then goes further to discuss the different components that go into Information Architecture. Some given were structural design, organizing and labeling in regards to findability and usability, design and architecture for digital landscaping and so forth. The overall concept grasped from this brief reading was that there are multitudes of ways of providing content to the audience and Information Architecture helps cater to your audience through data, blueprints, knowing who your audience is and providing the best user experience.
Three Main Learning Theories (pgs 17-34)
The text discusses how learning requires repetition and positive/rewarding outcomes. The Law of Effect states that if a positive effect is achieved then the behavior is remembered. One of the highlights I learned from this text is that āResponses and stimulus are reinforced by consecutive and consequent behavior.ā Reinforced desired behavior is positive reinforcement is a pleasant stimulus after a behavior. Thus, if one performs an action and receives a positive result they are more likely to repeat it.
To apply the information provided in this article as a Technical writer, on page 32, it discussed how the driving force is not adapting to the changes but rather a cognitive approach because one will observe how the subject/information will work into their life. As a writer, it is with utmost importance that throughout the writing process/digital content creation we keep the users in the forefront of our minds.
As a volunteer I agree with rewards encouraging repetitive behavior. It increases the probability of the same action recurring. The stimulus leads to the response which is a simple way of depicting a cause and effect course of action. These readings provided an insight on how information architecture encompasses a wide array of like minded components yet creating them are different. For instance ,the words organize and structure come up often. When quickly skimmed they seem rather similar, perhaps the same but when analyzed further it becomes clear that they signify different forms. Ultimately, the goal is to provide proper user based content based on usability through different means/techniques.
Information Architecture (Journal Reading)
I was brought upon a new term, LIS. Library and Science in regards to information design and science. The term Information Architecture was coined in 1975 by Richard Wurman whose overall insight was that it will transform data into meaningful information. There are a few key elements which when summarized equate to, information combined thorough organizing, labeling and navigation, with structural design and architecture to digital landscaping.
In my work of writing the form of media has changed. I used to use a pencil and paper all the time and now I use a keyboard and computer. Throughout my writings and whilst understanding that the medium is the message I use different ways of formatting which means new organization, structuring and so forth to make sure the content is best suited for the readers. In the journal article to put it simply Big IA is an all-encompassing term and little IA is a constrained activity with no analysis over the user response.
Vertical markets are areas such as health care and education. Some IAs focus on these industries because they require organized information and need more involvement from information architects to help with developmental efforts in both design and support users.
Pending graduation, there will be a higher chance for me to go into different fields. Perhaps, on the side of business ventures for instance a hospital with a primary focus on user data and to help organize their data and content I could help connect users in a more efficient and capturing method. This can encompass a variety of different types of documentation but initially starting with the audience and putting content they would be able to easily grasp/understand.
Through my classes I was able to create a FAQ website and it helped structure and organize the given content for users to find what they are looking for within a very short time.
In the Three Main Learning Theories, author Paul Belanger explores the learning process and the three main learning theories. The three main learning theories are behaviorism, cognitive and constructivism. All three learning processes differ in how they view learning, knowledge and education.
In Information Architecture, authors Andrew Dillion and Don Turnbull explore information architecture and how it came to be. They also discuss the future of information architecture briefly at the end of the reading. There are several definitions of information architecture. Dillion defines information architecture as āthe process of designing, implementing, and evaluating information spaces that are human and socially acceptable to intended stakeholders.ā Most people in information architecture have a background in technical writing or graphic design. Based on the reading information architecture seems like an interesting field. There are two types of information architectures. Big information architectures and little architectures. Big information architecture refers to those who practice or believe in information architecture is an all-encompassing term for the process of designing and building information resources that are useful. Little information architectures do not fully believe that information architecture is an all-encompassing term.
ENG 3790
Information Architecture (IA)
The practice of organizing, structuring, labeling, and wrangling information so that it’s easy to find, use, and understand (both in the real world and online). It strives for user experience and usability with an emphasis on instinctiveness and efficiency. It is difficult to fully describe IA because it involves so much and because the jury is still out on this science. Then there is a macro application to IA also known as āBig IAā which conceives the full impact and an organizational impact. It is āTop Downā. Then there is āLittle IAā where it is conceived as more constrained and not represented as analyzing data. Little IA represents āBottom Upā methodologies where the focus is on the end product of design. It tends to be a series of repetitive actions or procedures.
The 2nd reading is about āThree Main Learning Theoriesā by P. Belanger. Behaviorism; actions which are observed, what we do, Cognitivism; how we reason, the inner cognitive process, and Constructivism and Socio-Constructivism; learners purposely and actively construct their knowledge and learning. Learning is an interactive process; the socio-constructive aspect relates to the fact that knowledge is built when people engage socially in conversation.
To: Prof. Ellis
From: Bria Glenn
Date: February 5, 2023
Subject: Week 2 Readings (Make-up Work)
When we are in school to study a specific topic or are in a program, there are reasons as to why we chose to go to school for this. There are also things we do not know, hence why we are choosing to study this so we can gain the knowledge that will eventually be used in the future for whatever career you choose to pursue. In āThree Main Learning Theoriesā by Paul Belanger introduces and explains learning objectives that are useful when consuming new information.
When we think of learning, we understand that it is a different process for every individual, and it is up to oneself to figure out their process for consuming and understanding information. Using professional and technical as an example, the information we learn in courses can be difficult to understand, but if you have the determination to learn, you will make it a goal to not only get through a class but understand the material and carry it with you.
Information Architecture is also a great example of understanding material. With it being coined in the 70s but not being recognized as a field until the emergence of the Web in the 90s, it combines a series of tasks and elements of design that allow for a specific type of functionality for web design for example. Knowing how to build on information to create something new is a special and intricate task but with hard work and focus, you can do anything.