Tutorial: Taxonomy

What is the taxonomy?

The Serlo taxonomy is the technical structure of topic pages and curriculum pages which the display of Serlo's learning objects is based on. It is a tree-like, hierarchically structured system.

From the functional point of view, the tasks of Serlo's taxonomy are:

• arranging the hierarchy of topic pages and curriculum pages

• setting titles and descriptions of topic pages and curriculum pages

• arranging the display and order of Serlo's learning objects

Where can you see the taxonomy?

a) Example from a user's point of view

b) Example from a editor's point of view

Which elements is the taxonomy built of?

• subject taxonomy options: topic, locale, cirriculum content allowed: none

• topic descriptions: topics are collective terms, they can be differentiated with more topics as children. The last topic in the hirachie has learning content taxonomy options: topic, content group content allowed: every content, only if there is no topic as child. Too many exercises should be combined in content groups

  • content group description: content groups combine many exercises, to give better overview on the topic level taxonomy options: none content allowed: only exercises

• locale description: locales locate curricula for example regarding to a country and a school type. Locales can have further locales as children. In rare cases, you will start directly with "curriculum", because there isn't any level above. taxonomy options: locale, curriculum content allowed: none

  • curriculum description: there is only one curriculum level, it is the last level before topics of the subject start. Thereby it defines a unique cirruculum. taxonomy option: curriculum topic content allowed: none

    • curriculum topic description: curriculum topics work like topics but within a curriculum. They are reduced to the amount of content defined by the (official state) curriculum. taxonomy options: curriculum topics curriculum content group content allowed: every content, only if there is no curriculum topic as child. Too many exercises should be combined in curriculum content groups

      • curriculum content group description: like “content groups” curriculum content groups combine many exercises, to give better overview on the curriculum topic level taxonomy options: none content allowed: only exercises

Topic tree

Example

• math (subject)

• numbers and quantities (topic)

  • fractions and decimal fractions (topic)

    • multiplication and division of fractions (topic)

      • …

    • decimal fractions (topic) (content: 5 articles, 1 course)

      • exercises to compare decimal fractions (content group) (content: 10 exercises)

• geometry (topic)

  • …

topics vs. content groups

Dive deeper into this probelm - work in progress

How to arrange topics

To build a good topic tree is not so much a technical matter, than a question of didactic and the structure of a subject. That's why, there are different rules and guidelines how to build the topic taxonomy for every subject on Serlo:

• referal to further subject guidelines

• referal to further subject guidelines

• referal to further subject guidelines

Write and design good topic descriptions

The layout of a topic description has to be a single column. It contains an image and text below.

Regarding images

• The image must be embedded in a full width layout.

• The image resolution has to be 1:2.5, e.g. 1000x400px.

• The minimum width is 1000px.

• The name of the image is "topic, motif", e.g. "Stochastics, dice".

• Images should not contain text or formulas.

• Graphics have a white background and should be centered.

• The images must be freely licensed.

• E.g.: Zahlen und Größen, Geometrie

Regarding text

We don't have much expirience regarding text. Generally, it's only useful, if there is a good reason for it to be there.

• It can be an orientation or a summary, but should not contain detailed information.

• It should not just repeat the name of the topic or the headings of the content.

• At the beginning you can ask some important questions, which will be answered in the topic, e.g.:

  • Why does the apple fall perpendicularry to the ground?

  • What is time?

  • Why does an airplane fly?

• The text should contain about 200 characters and not more than 400.

• E.g.: Optik und Wellen, Atom- und Kernphysik

How to edit the taxonomy

• rights, who is allowed to edit the taxonomy

• every taxonomy element has: title, description (optional)

• edit vs. organize (vs. "update taxonomy")

• create new element: screenshot etc.

• explain tools (plus, pen, trash ..)

• change order of taxonomy elements

• change order of assigned content (wenn es auch helper dürfen, sollte es in die Anleitung zur Zuweisung von Inhalten. Hier steht dann nur ein Link)