Adaptive and Agile Interactive Learning Environments on the WWW.

This paper presents a framework for producing learning environments (LEs) on the World Wide Web that improves productivity and quality at a reduced cost for both designers and learners. The resulting LEs are germane to fractals. Changes in scale are likened to levels in LEs; each level expresses a given viewpoint on knowledge. Self-similarity establishes a classification from which to derive a grammar. Texts and activities are highly fragmented, and interfaces rely on the fractal structure to provide for "spatial" landmarks. The LEs are adaptive with respect to learners' objectives, background, and cognitive style and are agile with respect to design, implementation, and maintenance. The fractal design and the underlying grammar set up the formal grounds required to code procedures that generate LEs, extend them, manage updates, and maintain the site. Topics discussed include: the hypotheses underlying the design; the fractal structure that is at the heart of the systems; how to take advantage of this structure from the standpoint of the learner to adapt the LE to his/her needs and cognitive style, and from the point of view of design and implementation; how the hypermedia structure can provide agility to production; benefits and drawbacks observed from in situ utilization of the LEs; and future works and conclusions. (Author/AEF)