[quoting Bergeron, 26 May 99] Winfried Deijmann hit the nail on the head--knowledge exists in the mind, and enables action. A toddler standing in the path of a truck has all the information she needs to keep from getting mauled--she sees the truck coming, hears the roar of its engine, but she does not know that the truck cannot stop in time, does not know that the driver does not see her, does not know that she will be gravely injured--or worse--if the truck hits her.
So what's the criteria for being knowledge: existing in the mind or enabling action or both? The kid's perception of the truck surely exists in her mind, so existing in the mind can't be sufficient. Enabling action? How can one tell whether or not a bit of "information" in the mind enables action? Can it sit around as information until it figures in some action and then instantly become knowledge?
She has plenty of information, but lacks knowledge.
Now, suppose this here toddler had plenty of information about the danger of trucks, but she doesn't know that one is bearing down upon her at that very moment (maybe she's too engrossed with eating dirt or whatever toddlers do).
Or, suppose this here toddler knows that a truck is bearing down upon her at that very moment, but does not have information about the consequences of the situation?
Tell me again what the difference is between information and knowledge?
As instructional designers / information architects /whatever we want to call ourselves, our task is to structure and present information in such a way that it becomes knowledge.
...so that I can more effectively do this structuring and presenting thing.