The design of TaCS: applying social tagging to enhance learning

We describe a web-based educational platform relying on the use of tags as learning resources in a social context. Tags are user-generated keywords used to organise and improve access to online information resources. Social tagging refers to the practice of labeling or categorising resources in a shared online environment. Our platform, named TaCS (Tag-based Collaborative System), is a first attempt at implementing a recent theoretical framework specific to social tagging that defines learning and knowledge building as a co-evolution of cognitive and social systems. Within this framework, design choices have been made to support individual, social and collaborative learning processes. To illustrate the usability of TaCS, we describe an example of its integration in a real course during 5 weeks. Observed uses and opinions expressed by students tend to validate the implementation of the theoretical framework, and the value of TaCS as an educational platform.