Structured models of scientific concepts as a basis for organizing, accessing, and using learning materials

We describe a digital library (DL) based environment designed to support learning in domains of scientific knowledge with the use of:(1) a knowledge base (KB) of strongly-structuredconcept representations;(2) a DL collection of items exemplifying facets of each concept;and (3) a set of services. These services include editingthe KB and collection as well as providing various textual and graphic views and supporting their use.We describe the implementation of this environment as an extension of the Alexandria Digital Earth Prototype (ADEPT).We describe the strongly-structured model for conceptsthat underlies the KB and collection metadata, and discussrelated models of concepts developed in various scientific disciplines.We specify the architecture of the system and present examples of its use,such as the creation of personalized collections of learning materialsthat take the form of trajectories through the KB of concepts.The ADEPT learning environment will be used and its efficacyevaluated in an introductory undergraduate course in physical geographybeing taught in the Fall of 2002.