ATLAS - a web-based software architecture for multimedia E-learning environments in virtual communities

Multi-perspective problem solutions, leading to an increasing complexity in creating authentic learning scenarios and collaborative learning strategies, have gained the focus of scientific research. In order to assist learners in virtual communities working with digital media artifacts we analyze the needs of communities in different scientific domains ranging from the humanities to engineering. We combine our results with a media theory developed in Germany's first interdisciplinary and collaborative research center on "Media and Cultural Communication". Based on the operational processes named transcription, localization, and addressing we introduce ATLAS, a web-based software architecture for multimedia e-learning environments in virtual communities. Further, we test metadata standards like MPEG-7 for digital media management in virtual communities. Exemplarily, we present the movie triage environment MECCA supporting an interdisciplinary community of scientists from the cinematic sciences, art history, and literature studies.