Information architecuture as reflected in classrooms
Xiangmin Zhang, Linda Strand, Nancy Fisher, Jason Kneip, Olga Ayoub · Proceedings of the American Society for Information Science and Technology · 2002
Abstract Information architecture (IA) has been a hot topic in recent years. However, what constitutes IA is still being debated. While this study seeks to explore IA curricula and the perspective of educators, it does not attempt to define IA. Research undertaken for this paper centered on the examination of IA courses offered in North American universities. An analysis of 40 IA course descriptions available on the Web revealed that courses go by many different names. IA content/course coverage can be categorized into four types: IA elements, design, implementation technologies, and digital media design. Academic disciplines relating to IA education include library and information science, information technology, business administration, literature, arts, and design as well as continuing education programs. Issues revealed by the collected data are discussed.