Study Of Information Architecture Of English Learning Resources Web Sites

With the speedup of Chinese globalization, English is becoming more and more important. Whether people can find their feet in the world depend on whether they master English. On the other hand, burgeoning Internet has great influence on almost all aspects of the society and alters the ways and methods that people consider and settle issues. Internet introduced into the field of foreign language learning, enabled extending teaching space and education platform. Accordingly, Internet provides a new learning avenue to English learners, and makes learners access more abundant English learning materials than ever. Specially, all kinds of English learning web sites provide wide space to learn, practice and improve English, and become important approaches of English learning. But facing great English learning web resources, users, who expect to learn English by Internet, sometimes lose the direction, so how to collect and organize information effectively, provide these information to users in significant fashions and serve English learning become a urgently solved issue. However, we can find solutions to the issue from information architecture.Information architecture, namely IA for short, is put forward at the annual conference of the American architects in 1976 by Wurman who combine architecture with informatics according to his architectural practical experiences. In essence, IA is both an art and a science which makes information use easily, obviously and intelligibly, and satisfies many users' requirements. If IA is applied to English learning web sites, it will provide better organization systems, labeling systems, navigation systems and search systems, and users can find needed information conveniently. IA is applied to enterprise web sites and e-business web sites at first and afterward is applied to non-profit web sites such as government web sites and library web sites. But IA is seldom applied to English learning web sites. English learning web sites have great differences on construction object and users' requirements from enterprise web sites, e-business web sites, which focus on making profit, and government web sites, which focus on information distribution. This paper takes English learning resources web sites IA as the topic, using IA theory to analyze English learning resources web sites, proposes improved suggestions, expects to provide use for reference for developed and developing English learning web sites, and enables it to become satisfying and highly efficient web sites.The thesis adopts many research methods such as literature collection method, analysis and synthesis method, case research method, logic analysis method. Literature collection method is mainly applied to the study on the definition, characteristic of IA and domestic and international research development. Analysis and synthesis method is applied to analyze types and features of English learning web sites and users. Case research method is applied to the construction of the organization systems, labeling systems, navigation systems and search systems of representative English learning resources web sites, further propose some suggestions which make the thesis more practical.Chapter 2 summarizes the definition, characteristics, uses, research background and domestic and international research advancement. IA is proposed by Wurman in the mid 1970's, and experiences a developing process, but so far both domestic and international experts haven't reach a consensus. The thesis thinks that IA is an art and science which carries on a programming to whole external appearance and function of information space, and that is to say, makes users get services or find needed information conveniently and fast. IA introduces architecture design principles into digital field, and is featured with users-centered, wide application range, diverse fashion, across discipline and paying attention to information ecology. Well designed web sites may make users know about the general situation of web sites easily, get services conveniently and fast, reduce the unnecessary time to search information. IA emphasizes visualization, provides fine organization structure and visualization interface, and improves the usage efficiency and acceptance ability of information.Chapter 3 analyses the types, characteristics, and users of English learning resources web sites. By means of investigation, the thesis divides English learning resources web sites into four types: comprehensive web sites, functional web sites, original web sites, and professional web sites. Comprehensive web sites have abundant information area, include many disciplines, and their contents cover many aspects, such as study, exam, and entertainment. These web sites have different emphases, but they can satisfy different learners as a whole. Functional web sites base on different stages of English learning and users' requirements. Original web sites have a thorough study on English learning, propose unique learning principles and methods, and publish matched teaching materials. Professional web sites particularly emphasize on different aspects to meet the information requirements, such as providing more professional learning and research materials on culture, literature, linguistics, translation theories and practices, and English teaching methods. These web sites are mostly established by universities and professional researchers, have higher technicality, and their objective users are certain but user scope is narrow. English learning resources web sites are featured with abundant resources, wide spread scope, multidimensional information, free distribution, direct exchange, quick spread, shared resources, convenient search, friendly interface, aptitude teaching and so on. During the process of IA, the factor about users is always a focus. Users-oriented means to consider issues from the customers' angle, so the thesis analyses the users of web sites thoroughly before investigate the IA of English learning web sites.Chapter 4 proposes the basic principles of IA of English learning resources web sites. Firstly, users-oriented principle is very important on the construction of English learning resources web sites. It means that users should be centered during the construction of English learning resources web sites, and it emphasizes user experiences. It requires that developers not only emphasize advancement of adopted technologies and hardware equipments, leading of function and gaudiness of interface, but also emphasize organizing web sites content and designing information according to web sites users, emphasize real experiences during using web sites, investigate content organization and interface designing according to users' understanding, interests, requirements, behavior habits, expectation and evaluation. Secondly, content-first principle. If the content of web sites is useless to users, no matter how great navigation system, interface design, information structure is, the site cannot attract users. So web sites should guarantee contents of high quality firstly. Thirdly, emphasizing design principle mainly mean that it should emphasize the view of information architecture. information interface or information content, and the design of exhibition fashion. Fourthly, interaction principle has two meanings: information structure, interaction of information interface, and interaction of information content. Fifthly, the global balance principle means that the design should consider both face and function of English learning web sites, so that attain better comprehensive effects.Chapter 5 is the emphasis of the thesis. Under the guidance of basic principles, the chapter constructs the organization systems, labeling systems, navigation systems and search systems of English learning resources web sites, and evaluates the systems according to IA theory.The First is organization systems. Our understanding of things is based on our abilities of organizing information. Fractionizing and organizing the numerous and jumbled web sites information properly is the base of uses' understanding and using information better and right. Fixed and logical web sites organization systems are the decisive factor of whether the web sites can succeed, and the base of constructing navigation systems and labeling systems. So when constructing web sites, designing a better and proper web sites organization system is very important. It is not only convenient for users, but also can provide guidance to web sites development. Because of semantic ambiguity, heterogeneity of information, diversity of ideas, and internal political factors, we must consider the several aspects, when we construct organization systems.The second is labeling systems. Web sites labeling systems are composed of a series of labels which transfer information by means of text or picture so that users can identify them. That is to say, Web sites labeling systems are responsible for the description of information content, and create coherent labeling scheme. On the web, we regularly encounter labels in two forms: textual and iconic. Textuary labels include contextual links, heading, navigation system choices and index terms. The design of labeling system is required to consider the IA environment of the whole web site. The whole labeling system is required to consider structure and content of information organization. The system must be representative, and can distinguish between different information modules. Moreover, the system must consider the mood, style, fashion, application object, and users' understanding level of users. In addition, labeling systems of the whole web sites must be coherent, and otherwise, it may bother users. So, as a labeling system, it must choose proper labeling vocabulary, emphasize the unification of function and art, pay attention to the style of web sites, and modify the labeling system periodically.The third is navigation systems. A navigation system is external appearances of web sites contents which users can sense. It can decide how to browse and search grouped contents for users. The most familiar navigation system has two kinds: main navigation system, and supplemental navigation system. The main navigation system includes global navigation system, local navigation system, and contextual navigation system. The supplemental navigation system is independent of content, and includes sitemaps, site indexes and guides. The most important thing is navigation element in main navigation system and supplemental navigation system. The navigation element is included in each web page, and can be seen everywhere. Main navigation elements include navigation bar, menu, frame and so on. Designing navigation system should center on users, apply all kinds of navigation elements, emphasize the coherence of navigation system, and apply many skills properly.The fourth is search systems. The effect of organization system, labeling system, and navigation system is to lead users to browse web sites information more effectively. So, we may look on them as browse system. Browsing is random and inefficient, it has no specific objective, and depend on external information environment. But it makes users scan the whole web sites quickly. A search system and browse system is complementary to each other and help users search information cooperatively. A search system may meet the psychology of users and promote the value of web sites. Information search have the following types: definitive search, existence search, exploration search, and detailed search. Search system should consider the following aspects: search range, search help, the combination of search and browse, the design of search interface, how to choose proper search engine, how to show the results of search and to show the relationship degree of results.The fifth is users experience design of English learning resource web sites. User experience of web sites LA is composed by three parts: utility, affordance, and value. The process of user experience design includes three steps. The first step is to ascertain objective users, create scene, user experience test. Finally, the chapter evaluates English learning web sites using IA theory.Chapter 6 gives an example of HUJIANG English learning web site, and evaluates the organization system, labeling system, navigation system, and search system of the web site with IA theory. In a word, HUJIANG English learning web site has definitive objective and abundant content. Its site design is individual. It can satisfy most English learning and entertainment. Its information organization centers on users. But the site has some shortages, such as excess advertisements, disordered navigation system, and its labeling system need to be improved.The thesis has the following innovations. The thesis apply IA theory to the construction of English learning web site, and propose specific IA guidance rules, construction methods, and evaluation system. In addition, the thesis adopts case analysis methods, and evaluates some famous English learning web site with IA theory. The research provides a methodology for future English learning web sites development.